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2025-03-31-accounts

Home-Start North Wiltshire Annual Report and Accounts 2024-2025

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About Home-Start North Wiltshire (HSNW) ............................................................................ 4 Board of Trustees April 2024 - March 2025 ............................................................................ 5 Committees ............................................................................................................................... 5 Designated Trustees ................................................................................................................. 5 Staff Team 2024-2025 .............................................................................................................. 5 Chair’s Annual Report ............................................................................................................... 6 Families .................................................................................................................................. 6 Staff ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Volunteers ............................................................................................................................. 7 Fundraising Stands and Events ............................................................................................ 8 Networking ............................................................................................................................ 9 HSUK ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Our Work with Families .......................................................................................................... 10 Home-visiting ...................................................................................................................... 10 Groups ................................................................................................................................ 10 Outcomes ................................................................................................................................ 10 Home-visiting support ........................................................................................................ 10 Group Outcomes ................................................................................................................ 11 Volunteers ........................................................................................................................... 12 Quotes From our Home-visiting Volunteers ..................................................................... 13 Quotes from Families ......................................................................................................... 13 Family Case Study 2024 ......................................................................................................... 14 Evaluation Report 2024 ...................................................................................................... 15 Thank You ................................................................................................................................ 16 ACCOUNTS 2024-2025 .......................................................................................................... 18 Treasurer's Report .................................................................................................................. 21 Independent Examiners' Report ........................................................................................... 23 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - Year Ended 31 March 2025............................. 22 BALANCE SHEET - as at 31 March 2025 ............................................................................. 23 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS .......................................................................... 24

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About Home-Start North Wiltshire (HSNW)

We are a registered charity, based in Wiltshire. We support local families from all backgrounds, through their most challenging times.

Being a parent has never been easy. It can be lonely, frustrating, heartbreaking and overwhelming. Life-changing events can happen to anyone.

All parents struggle at one time or another. We are there to support families through their toughest times.

Families we help may be facing challenges such as:

There For Parents When They Need Us Most

We have a wonderful, committed team of volunteers who visit families once a week, in their own homes, for 2-3 hours. They aim to build family resilience, confidence and wellbeing. Our volunteers offer no judgement; just compassionate, confidential help and support.

Our Mission

Home-Start North Wiltshire empowers parents to give their children the best possible start in life.

Constitution

We are a Company Limited by Guarantee – Registration Number 5208226 – governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association (incorporated on 17.08.04) and have a Charity Registration Number: 1106736. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member.

Registered Office: Unit 1, Fordbrook Business Centre, Pewsey, SN9 5NU

W: www.homestartnorthwiltshire.org.uk

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Board of Trustees April 2024 - March 2025

Chair Clare Messenger_(Chair to Feb_ Treasurer Marcia Johnson
2025)
Trustee Sheree Whorlow Trustee Jo Owen-Jones_(Chair from Feb 2025)_
Trustee Lt Col Mick Haynes Trustee Cindy Ervine
Trustee Jason Waters Trustee Wendy Stuart_(Retired Jan 2025)_
Trustee Lois Smith Trustee Kristy Green

We are seeking to appoint new trustees, up to a maximum of twelve. Applicants should have a motivation to support children, young families, and the voluntary sector. We are particularly seeking a Chair for the Board. We encourage applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds and LGBTQIA+ communities, as we want our board to be representative of the families we support. Successful candidates will be co-opted and come up for election at the next AGM. Induction and further training opportunities are provided. Full details are available on request.

Committees

There are two sub-committees, which meet regularly and report to the Board: Human Resources (HR) Committee – Chair – Sheree Whorlow

Finance and Fundraising (F & F) Committee – Chair – Marcia Johnson

Designated Trustees

Data Protection – Cindy Ervine; Health and Safety - Mick Haynes; Safeguarding - Jo Owen-Jones

Staff Team 2024-2025

Managers (job share) Tania Rackham Managers (job share) Julie Boyle Family Support Organisers Caz Flippance, Tanya Dale, Sally Green and Jane Carter (also Rapid Response Worker) Senior Administrator Dawn Wilson Admin Assistant Justina Hams Data Analyst (for Lamplight) Sam Check Finance Officer Frank Pessell Fundraiser & Community Joanne Kent

Engagement

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Chair’s Annual Report

As usual, this has been a year of ups and downs. Sadly, I have to report that our chair of trustees, Clare Messenger, had to stand down in February for family reasons and I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for her time both as a trustee and particularly for her eighteen months as chair. She brought about a considerable amount of organisational change in that time and reformed some of our administrative processes and we will miss her on the Board.

You may remember from last year’s report that we have been trialling offering a Home-Start service in Swindon. In our initial pilot run in conjunction with financial support from Swindon Council in 2023, we identified that there was a need for the kind of ongoing support for families from HomeStart, and the Health Visitors were particularly keen. We ran a group in central Swindon that summer which was not particularly well attended and led us to decide to focus on one area of Swindon instead of trying to cover the whole town to begin with. This we were able to do thanks to a successful National Lottery Community Fund bid, which included further exploratory work into this expansion and this allowed us to provide extra Family Support Organiser and administration time for the project. A group was set up in Park South and a concerted campaign of raising awareness of the service both among the public and professionals was undertaken. At the same time a limited number of families were supported at home.

This has all been much more challenging than we anticipated! The group was once again poorly attended. We have very few volunteers who are able to undertake visits to families in Swindon. The planned Volunteer Preparation course to try and attract Swindon volunteers attracted only one person and was therefore cancelled. The referrals from health visitors and other professionals tended to be for families with a higher level of need than we can support.

In light of this we will be having a long hard look in the next few months at whether or not the provision of an Home-Start service in Swindon is something that Home-Start North Wiltshire can provide or whether it would be better for it to be a stand-alone Home-Start based in Swindon and run by Swindon residents possibly with remote support and guidance from us in the initial stages. The good news is that our bid writers Tania Rackham and Jo Kent have been busy and successful and I would like to congratulate them and Marcia our treasurer for keeping us financially stable so that we can continue to provide our core services to local families.

Families

We have been able to support families in need through our family fund and will be allocating slightly more of our resources to this in view of increased financial problems. This is a limited pot of money but it can provide vital food vouchers, furniture etc when a family is in difficulties and needs urgent help.

We have also been able to bring a little joy to all supported families in the form of Easter eggs, Christmas boxes and Mother’s Day cards. School holidays can be challenging for parents and although we mainly support families with children under the age of five, a lot of them have older siblings and we have been able to give them holiday packs and have arranged picnics in the park during the long summer break which have been much appreciated.

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Thanks to a generous gift from the Devizes Lions families from Devizes were treated to a trip to Bowood in July 2024. Some Home-Start families enjoyed the Corsham MOD family day in September with lots of games and activities.

Staff

This year (2025) we welcomed Justina Hams to the administration team. I am delighted to say that we now have five former volunteers working for us bringing a real depth of understanding of the vital work that the volunteers do. In order to try and take some of the burden off Marcia’s shoulders as treasurer, it was agreed that Frank should increase his hours from 10 to 14 running the ever more complex finance streams.

The administration team does vital and often unrecognised work behind the scenes and Dawn, Sam and Justina provide all the statistics needed for the reports and bid writing as well as the more obvious day to day running of the office.

The format of the groups has changed so that there are now twelve week “terms” in order to help focus parents and encourage them to build their own social support networks. The groups will be reorganised again in the coming months in order to respond to changing funding and need.

Of note, we have two radio stars -Caz Flippance and Sally Green appeared on Castledown radio to talk about their work and displayed hidden talents.

Many congratulations to Marcia who has been a trustee and treasurer at Home-Start North Wiltshire (and formerly Home-Start Kennet and Home-Start Marlborough), for around 36 years! Home-Start UK invited Home-Starts across the country to nominate exceptional volunteers for their volunteer awards. Marcia was selected as a finalist in the trustee category, and we attended a delightful awards ceremony and lunch at the RAC club in London in March. Sadly, she was pipped to the post for the award by a chair who had also done sterling work in his Home-Start, but we got to see and meet some truly inspirational volunteers from across the country (and had a nice lunch into the bargain).

We were sorry to say goodbye to Wendy Stuart who has been a trustee for eight years. She shouldered the work of the strategic plan and also led on GDPR, getting to grips with the regulations when it was new to us all. We wish her well and thank her for her time with us.

We are currently in the process of recruiting new trustees and I am hopeful that once again I will soon be able to pass on the baton as chair, a post which I am occupying again on a temporary basis after Clare’s resignation. My thanks to Sheree who as chair of the HR committee has also taken on the role of supervision for the managers during this time.

Volunteers

An interesting community life survey from Focaldata showed the problem that all charities are facing at present. According to the survey 16% of the UK population engage in formal volunteering once a month which is down from 27% twelve years ago. In recognition of the fact that it is becoming more difficult for people to find the time to volunteer we have diversified the types of volunteering roles that we offer so that if volunteers do not have the time to become home-visiting volunteers they can train as group support volunteers, community champions supporting our fundraising efforts and in a completely new role -remote support volunteer which entails offering remote

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telephone support for short periods such as covering a volunteer’s absence or making contact until a suitable home-visiting volunteer can be found.

The training (Volunteer Preparation) course has also been modified. Whilst we have still offered a couple of traditional six-week courses we have also started to offer hybrid training so that prospective volunteers can take some modules online and then come together for a day or two’s training in person. Shorter training can be offered for those wishing to become community champions but still needing an understanding of the work that Home-Start does. As always, the annual safeguarding training was an important event for everyone. Sadly, it is something that has to be kept at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Ongoing support for volunteers is very important and along with the traditional peer groups, the staff team have been holding coffee mornings in various locations. This also allows prospective volunteers the opportunity to come along and chat and find out a bit more about what would be expected of them and meet existing volunteers.

There were two enjoyable events for volunteers-the summer get together at the Bear Hotel in Devizes in July 2024 and the Christmas wreath making celebration in December 2024.

As ever we remain extremely grateful to all our volunteers in whatever role as without them the charity could not operate.

Fundraising stands and events

Thanks to our fundraiser, Jo Kent and to our numerous supporters in the community, we have seen a large number of events and donations this year from the standard street and supermarket collections and static tin collections to the more esoteric: Cabbage Sunday at the New Inn in Winterbourne Monkton, a stand at a vintage car meet in Devizes, three runners in the Bath half marathon, a sponsored walk and most dramatic of all – a sky dive by Elaine Luckhurst to celebrate a big birthday. Big thanks to all those involved and any that I may have missed. It is a wonderful way to raise our profile as well as raising much needed funds.

Staff, trustees and volunteers doing a sponsored walk 2024

Big thanks are also due to New Resource recruitment and Snap Fitness Melksham for their fabulous donation of 365 Easter eggs. Also, to the White Horse Bookshop in Marlborough and Holy Trinity Primary School, Great Cheverell for donations of books for our families.

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Networking

Tania Rackham and Julie Boyle, our joint managers, regularly participate in community meetings some of which include being an executive member of the Wiltshire Children and Families Voluntary Sector Forum, a member of Healthwatch Wiltshire Local Advisory Board and of Wiltshire VCSE Leadership Alliance.

Julie is also an executive member of the Wiltshire Inclusion Network, a member of Swindon Inclusion Network, a member of the FACT Speech, Language and Communication Steering Group and a member of the BSW ICB Mental Health Strategy Delivery Plan Working Group.

They have also participated in VCSE Consultation Wiltshire Council Framework, VCSE Consultation on the NHSE 10 Year Plan and Wiltshire Health Inequalities workshops as well as Army Welfare Service (AWS) South West Allied Services Meetings.

This extensive list ensures that we provide a service which remains unique, needed and relevant to the local community and does not overlap with other providers.

Home-Start UK

On a final note, we are sorry to say goodbye to the CEO of HSUK Peter Grigg who left at the beginning of April 2025 to jointhe Citizens Advice Bureau. He has brought about a lot of improvements in the network in his time as CEO. Recruitment for his successor is happening at present, and we are watching with interest to see who will succeed him.

My personal thanks go to everyone involved with making Home-Start North Wiltshire a success – we are a good team. We look forward to 2025-26 and being able to help and bring comfort to more families across the north Wiltshire area.

Volunteers and staff at various events in 2024-25

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Our Work with Families

163 families were supported through home-visits or via a group

287 children were supported through home-visits or via a group

41 volunteers were active and supporting families, with others providing ad hoc support for events and fundraisers.

Home-visiting

Groups

Outcomes

Home visiting support

This table shows the outcomes identified as a need by families, sorted highest to lowest.

These results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of our home-visiting support.

Outcome NEED IDENTIFIED
No of families
NEED IDENTIFIED
%
NEED FULLY MET
increase %
NEED PARTIALLY MET
stable%
TOTAL
Increase or stable %
Copingwith own mental health 61 90% 72% 25% 97%
Parents self esteem 55 81% 75% 20% 95%
Copingwith feelingisolated 55 81% 67% 22% 89%
ManagingChildren's behaviour 53 78% 62% 32% 94%
The dayto dayrunningof the house 47 69% 72% 28% 100%
Copingwith ownphysical health 43 63% 65% 28% 93%
Copingwith financialpressures/household budget 43 63% 65% 28% 93%
Copingwith extra work of multiple children under 5 40 59% 75% 23% 98%
Stress caused byconflict in the family 39 57% 77% 18% 95%
Beinginvolved in children's development 30 44% 87% 13% 100%
Copingwith child's mental health 21 31% 67% 19% 86%
Use of other services 11 16% 91% 9% 100%
Copingwith child'sphysical health 8 12% 75% 25% 100%
Average - total 13Questions 73% 22% 95%
Top 5 needs identified by families 70% 25% 95%

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Group Outcomes

Outcomes for group families have been collated via email responses to a survey form sent out at the beginning and then at the end of a group term across both the Devizes and Tidworth groups. Responses to all the questions are overwhelmingly positive. We will continue to monitor these outcomes at our evaluation meetings and periodically consider if there is an easier way to collect and collate the group outcomes data.

Survey Questions Answer % Term 2
2024
(22
responses)
% Term 3
2024
(14
responses)
% Term 1
2025
(10
responses)
1. I feel less isolated/lonely than when I first
joined the group.
Agree/Strongly
Agree/Neither
agree
nor
disagree
91% 93% 100%
2. I have made new friendships at the group. Yes 86% 79% 100%
3. The group has helped with my own
emotional wellbeing or mental health.
Agree/Strongly
Agree/Neither
agree
nor
disagree
100% 100% 100%
4.The group has helped with my own
physical wellbeing.
Agree/Strongly
Agree/Neither
agree
nor
disagree
91% 93% 100%
5.The group has helped with my self-
esteem, and I feel more confident.
Agree/Strongly
Agree/Neither
agree
nor
disagree
100% 100% 100%
6. This group has helped me cope with my
children's physical and mental health.
Agree/Strongly
Agree/Neither
agree
nor
disagree
100% 100% 100%
7.This group has helped me manage my
children's behaviour.
Agree/Strongly
Agree/Neither
agree
nor
disagree
100% 100% 100%
8. This group has helped me access other
local services.
Agree/Strongly
Agree/Neither
agree
nor
disagree
100% 93% 100%
9. This group has had an impact on my
whole family. My children are happier and
more socially confident.
Agree/Strongly
Agree/Neither
agree
nor
disagree
100% 100% 100%
10. I am interested in finding out how to
access further support from a Home-Start
volunteer.
Yes 36% 36% 30%

The families for whom we received two sets of survey responses for Term 1 have had their responses analysed further to identify if their needs were met. All these families’ needs were met / partially met.

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Q Survey outcome(for 7 families with a start and end survey) Need
identified
(%
of
families)
Need
Met
Need
Partially
met
Q1. Ijoined thisgroupbecause I felt isolated and lonely 100% 100% 0%
Q2. Ijoined thegroupto make new friendships 100% 100% 0%
Q3. I joined the group to help with my own emotional wellbeing or mental
health
100% 100% 0%
Q4. Ijoined thegroupto helpwith myownphysical wellbeing 71% 80% 20%
Q5. Ijoined thisgroupto helpmyself esteem and feel more confident. 100% 100% 0%
Q6. I hoped this group would help me cope with my children's physical and
mental health.
86% 100% 0%
Q7. I hoped thisgroupwould helpme manage mychildren's behaviour. 86% 100% 0%
Q8. I ho 8. I hoped thisgroupwould helpme access other local services. 57% 100% 0%

Volunteers:

We were very sad to lose one our long serving volunteers in 2025 after a period of illness. Liz S will be remembered for her ready smile and sense of humour. Thank you to all our home-visiting and group volunteers, without whom Home-Start North Wiltshire could not operate and support our families:

Alex, Anne, Barbara, Carolyn, Caroline M, Caroline L, Cheryl, Clare, Corinna, Deanne, Glynis, Hannah, Jacky, Jane, Jayne, Julie, Karen, Laura , Liz C, Lizzie C, Lizzie D, Llana, Lorna, Lucy, Margie, Mary, Jan, Mia, Naomi, Pam, Polly, Rose, Ruth, Sarah D, Sarah P, Sarah M, Sheryl, Shirley, Simone, Sue, Uvais, Pat, Wendie, Mandy, Cheryl, Julie H, Julie S, Felicity, Gill and Becci.

With thanks also to our:

The Mayor of Chippenham and Trustees Cindy & Kristy with staff and new volunteers, Nov 2024

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Quotes From our Home-Visiting Volunteers

“I absolutely love it (volunteering). The building of a relationship is a very special thing. It gives me a feelgood factor that I can support & encourage another through friendship.”

“Thank you Home-Start - because I'm unable to do paid job I volunteer, and you make me feel valued. I've struggled with my self-esteem for years but feel it’s getting better thanks to Home-Start. I feel I'm helping families that are struggling just as I did all those years ago. I have a purpose in my life. Thank you.”

Quotes from Families

“I just wanted to say how much Home-Start group has made a difference to me, before this I knew no one round Devizes, and with just one car now things could get very lonely, it’s boosted my self-confidence, and having a place where I can come, get help with my child and not worry about being judged if he plays up has been amazing, I actually don’t know what I would have done without this group, it’s made a huge difference to me and child, so yes, just thought it was worth you knowing, what you do has not gone unseen. Thank you.”

Parent, 2024

“Thank you so much for all the time you’ve given us over the course of the year. It really helped having a friendly face and emotional support, both of which has enabled us to settle into life here. I really hope we meet again one day, but if not, thank you for showing me that kind, selfless people do exist.”

Parent, 2024

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“Home-Start helped me transition back to a “normal” life after months and months of support from lots of other different charities. Home-Start was able to finally give me some of my freedom and help boost my confidence when needed. It’s been so lovely to have someone support me so well and feel like they actively care about mine and my daughters well-being. Also remembering little personal details to make me feel important and me and my daughter cared about.” Parent, 2024

Family Case Study 2024

When we first met the children (3yo twins and an older child), things were tough. Their mum’s family were moving away, her friends were returning to work, and their military dad was often away (which made mum worry); Mum was a lovely mum, but her support network was narrowing, she was struggling. To compound things, mum had a health condition which made her anxious about going out, meaning the younger children spent most of their time indoors. Volunteer, Sasha, remembers the younger children as having dummies and being quiet, reserved and clingy with mum, “they would just look at me and watch.”

Sasha visited weekly to play with the children (allowing mum to get on with some housework) and help grown mum’s confidence to go outside with the children. Sasha recalls that in the early days, when mum went off to do chores, the children would be jumping on and off the furniture, squabbling and be struggling to share. It was also clear that they also needed support with their speech development.

During support Sasha spent hours playing with the twins, bringing magnetic toys, ‘fishing hook’ games and puzzles. “They were always so keen to get into my bag!” There were lots of sharing game and, over time, “they got better and better and were brilliant!”

Sasha also supported mum with routines and toilet training, bringing books and encouraging mum to stay positive with it all. She also grew mum’s confidence in going outside by understanding mum’s fears, accompanying her and giving tips and reassurance to guide her. Mum started going out more and by the end, went with the twins to watch her eldest child in a school play giving her eldest the unexpected joy of seeing mum in the audience!

When support closed, Sasha reflects, “the children had come a long way. I didn’t know what they were saying when I first went, but by the end, they had basic sentences and could make their needs known. When I knocked on the door, they would grab me and send mum upstairs!”

The children now have a mum who takes them outside and to do new things; the twins now enjoy meeting new friends at a toddler group- further developing their communication and newfound sharing skills! They are better placed to start school. All the children have a mum who believes in herself more and will push herself out of her comfort zone - giving her children a positive role model and more opportunities for fun, happiness and treasured memories together.

“Sasha took so much time with the children, a lot of intense play which had a big impact on their speech development. The children loved her.” (Family Support Organiser)

The twins' Voice of the Child scores increased from 2 to 4 demonstrating they are now much happier.

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We then caught up with mum a few months after support ended and she recalled what a difference Sasha’s support had made:

Mum said, “ When Shasa came, she would play with the girls whilst I was upstairs doing things I couldn’t do by myself with the girls, like change the bedding. I can’t explain it…Sasha was just so good, the twins absolutely loved her. I’d always say, “Sasha’s coming” and they’d be waiting by the door for her to come. I was so upset when the support was coming to an end! She was kind, I just had that comfort I needed, she was great to talk to … when she came over she’d always ask me how I was, what had I done, honestly she was so helpful; having her for that length of time really did help my anxiety. She was like a lot like, “why don’t you just try going to the park” and when I come by next week, let me know if you have done it, she gave me little goals to do … that and the therapy as well all really help and now, I go out and I don’t even bat an eyelid. I take the twins out by myself, I go anywhere! If you’d have asked if I did that this time last year, I would have broken down in tears saying I can’t leave my house … I’m loads better. I think Sasha really overcame that and helped me find myself again … please tell Sasha I go out all the time now!”

Evaluation Report 2025

Our Evaluation Report for 2025 has been published and is available on our website. This provides an in-depth overview and analysis of our service, outlining the next steps.

The report is available to download here: https://homestartnorthwiltshire.org.uk/documents/ or by post on request.

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Thank You

We would like to give a huge shout of thanks to all who support us through Localgiving and Payroll Giving. To all of our wonderful volunteers and trustees who donate their expenses. To all of those listed below and our anonymous donors that have supported us over the year. The support you give helps us to continue to deliver our vital service to local families. Thank You!

Adey JF and MB National Lottery Community Fund
Annica, Ele – Bath Half Neeld Hall Community Cafe
Amelia Freer New Resource Recruitment, Melksham
Amy Robinson New Inn Winterbourne Monkton
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust North Newnton Community Group
A Birley Pewsey Co-op
Avebury Shop Richard Hills
Caroline Melloy Rose Pearce
Children in Need Ruth Lamdin
Chippenham and District Branch, Wiltshire Masonic
Widows' Association
Sleight Golf Club
C P Medical, Melksham Sofology, Swindon
Co-op Community Fund Snap Fitness, Melksham
Corsham Masonic Lodge St Georges Church, Preshute
Devizes Lions St James Place
East Kennet Carol Singers St John’s Church, Pewsey
Elaine Luckhurst Tesco Bags of Help
Ellen Osmund Tesco, Marlborough
Elizabeth Daley The Bear Hotel, Devizes
Garfield Weston Foundation The Castle and Ball, Marlborough
The Hamilton Trust The Gourmet Brownie Kitchen, Devizes
HJ & EJ O’Regan The Original Card Factory Shop - Calne
HSUK Army Central Fund The Henry Smith Charity
Kelly Family Trust Walter Guinness Charitable Trust
Market Lavington Women’s Institute Waitrose, Marlborough
Masonic Charitable Foundation Wendie Hockley
Morrisons, Melksham Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation
National Benevolent Charity

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Thank you to all of our partners and referrers we have worked closely with over the year:

Army Welfare Service Green Machine Computers Ltd & Terra Guard Home-Start South Wiltshire Perinatal Mental Health Teams Home-Start UK Unit Welfare Officers Parent Support Advisers HCRG Care Group ~~eS~~ Spurgeons Children’s Charity/Family Hubs Wiltshire Public Health Social Prescribers Local Mayors and Town Councils ~~eo~~

And finally, a thank you to all those companies and individuals who donated time or other resources to our organisation and the families we support.

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ACCOUNTS 2024-2025 +ITrME STIRT North Wiltshire 18

Treasurer’s Report

The Independent Examiner’s Report and Annual Accounts give a full and detailed picture of the income and expenditure of Home-Start North Wiltshire for the year ending 31st March 2025. The division of the expenditure between charitable activities and governance shows that 2.5% of our income was spent on the latter.

A successful application for £337,500 over 3 years, starting July 2023, was made to the National Lottery Community Fund. This, combined with an ongoing three-year grant from the Henry Smith Covid-19 Long Term Support Fund, and a three-year Grant from the Henry Smith Charity, provided the majority of the income for the year.

Additional income came from grants from Children in Need, National Benevolent Charity, Home-Start UK Army Central Fund, St James’s Place, Wiltshire Community Foundation, and Co-op Community Fund, as well as from small donations and fundraising. These included donations from the Masonic Charitable Foundation, Devizes Lions and Waitrose.

Some of this additional income enabled us to support families by offering help when they struggled to purchase essential items, fund outings, provide activity packs for children, and Christmas packs to families.

Income exceeded expenditure by about £5,000.

The Balance Sheet at 31st March 2025 shows assets less current liabilities of £113,408 (£108,450 in 2023/2024). Some of this money is in restricted funds and must be used to support the projects for which the grants were awarded.

The ongoing grants from the National Lottery Community Fund, Children in Need and the Henry Smith Charity, combined with a grant from ICB and grants from Garfield Weston, The Kelly Family Trust, Card Factory Foundation, and HSUK Army Central Fund, means that the scheme has a firm financial basis for 2025/2026 although additional funds are still needed.

HSNW holds sufficient funds in reserve so that if there were a sudden loss of Grant Funding, there would not be an abrupt cessation of support to vulnerable families. Money is also held to cover as a contingent liability to TPT, HSNW’s Pension Provider.

We would like to thank all our Funders and everyone else who has supported the charity.

Exemption from the appointment of auditors

For the year ending 31 March 2025, the Company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477(2) of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to small companies within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

Marcia Johnson, Honorary Treasurer

This report was approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by _______

Date: 8[th] October 2025

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COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER

05208226

ENGLAND & WALES

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER

1106736

HOME-START NORTH WILTSHIRE

COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE

ACCOUNTS

31 MARCH 2025

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Independent Examiners Report

18 to 32

21

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - Year Ended 31 March 2025

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - Year Ended 31 ACTIVITIES - Year Ended 31 ACTIVITIES - Year Ended 31 ACTIVITIES - Year Ended 31 March 2025 March 2025
Unrestricted
Restricted
NCLF
Lottery
Total
Funds
Total
Funds
Funds Funds Funds 2025 2024
Note £ £ £ £ £
INCOME
Grants and Donations
2
6,740 152,134 114,000 272,874 237,349
Income from Investments
3
6310 0 0 6,310 5301
TOTAL INCOME 13,050 152,134 114,000 279,184 242,650
EXPENDITURE
Charitable activities
4
(3,877) 152,478 118,789 267,390 243,997
Governance costs
5
290 4,925 1,621 6,836 6,454
TOTAL EXPENDITURE (3,587) 157,403 120,410 274,226 250,451
NET
INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
4,958 (7,801)
TRANSFERS BETWEEN
FUNDS
0 0 0 0 0
NET MOVEMENT IN
FUNDS
16,637 (5,269) (6,410) 4,958 (7,801)
Reconciliation of Funds
Funds brought Forward 77,153 12,039 19,258 108,450 116,251
FUNDS CARRIED
FORWARD
93,790 6,770 12,848 113,408 108,450

22

BALANCE SHEET - as at 31 March 2025

31.03.25 31.03.24 31.03.24
Note £ £ £ £
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors 8 2,646 1,583
Cash at Bank and in hand 205,961 197,405
208,607 198,988
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year 9 84,622 74,811
NET CURRENT ASSETS 123,985 124,177
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 123,985 124,177
PROVISIONS FOR LIABILITIES
Other provisions (existing) 10 10,334 15,334
NPV of deficit recovery contributions 11 243 393
NET ASSETS 113,408 108,450
FUNDS
Restricted 12 19,618 31,297
Unrestricted 13 93,790 77,153
113,408 108,450

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to small companies within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006, Charities SORP FRS102.

For the year ending 31 March 2025. The Company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.

The members have not required the Company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The Directors acknowledge their responsibilities for:

The accounts on pages 18 to 32 were approved by the Board of Trustees on October 8[th] 2025

Marcia Johnson, Treasurer and Trustee`

23

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Year ended 31 March 2025

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (Charities SORP FRS102) and the Charities Act 2006.

Going concern

Sources of substantial funding for the charity continue, so the trustees are confident that the charity will be able to continue as a going concern for the following twelve months.

Donations

Grants and donations are allocated to income in the accounting period to which the funds relate. They are recognised as soon as the Charity is informed, they are due and receivable. Tax recoverable on Gift Aid donations is recognised when the donation is recognised.

Fixed assets

It is the policy of the charity to write off in the year of purchase any individual item of equipment costing less than £2,000. Items of equipment costing in excess of £2,000 and considered to be worth more than that at the Balance Sheet date will be capitalised and depreciated at rates to be determined at the time.

Governance costs

Governance costs are made up of Management Committee expenses, Consultancy Fees, Independent Examination expenses, Book Keeping and Accountancy costs, and staff costs relating to Quality Assurance compliance.

Pension costs – current service

The Charity operates a money purchase (defined contribution) pension scheme for the benefit of its current employees who wish to join and become members. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of Home-Start North Wiltshire. Contributions are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period in which they fall due. Home-Start North Wiltshire and the members each paid contributions at the rate of 5% during the accounting period to The Pensions Trust. There were no unpaid contributions at the balance sheet date.

Pension provision – past service

SCHEME: TPT Retirement Solutions – The Growth Plan

The company participates in the scheme, a multi-employer scheme which provides benefits to some 950 non-associated participating employers. The scheme is a defined benefit scheme in the UK. It is not possible for the company to obtain sufficient information to enable it to account for the scheme as a defined benefit scheme. Therefore, it accounts for the scheme as a defined contribution scheme.

The scheme is subject to the funding legislation outlined in the Pensions Act 2004 which came into force on 30 December 2005. This, together with documents issued by the Pensions Regulator and Technical Actuarial Standards issued by the Financial Reporting

24

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cont

Year ended 31 March 2025

The scheme is subject to the funding legislation outlined in the Pensions Act 2004 which came into force on 30 December 2005. This, together with documents issued by the Pensions Regulator and Technical Actuarial Standards issued by the Financial Reporting Council, set out the framework for funding defined benefit occupational pension schemes in the UK.

The scheme is classified as a 'last-man standing arrangement'. Therefore, the company is potentially liable for other participating employers' obligations if those employers are unable to meet their share of the scheme deficit following withdrawal from the scheme. Participating employers are legally required to meet their share of the scheme deficit on an annuity purchase basis on withdrawal from the scheme.

A full actuarial valuation for the scheme was carried out at 30 September 2023. This valuation showed assets of £514.9m, liabilities of £531.0m and a deficit of £16.1m. To eliminate this funding shortfall, the Trustee has asked the participating employers to pay additional contributions to the scheme as follows:

Deficit contributions

£3,312,000 per annum (payable From 1 April 2022 to 31 January 2025: monthly)

Unless a concession has been agreed with the Trustees, the term to 31 January 2025 applies.

Note that the scheme’s previous valuation was carried out with an effective date of 30 September 2017. This valuation showed assets of £794.9m, liabilities of £926.4m and a deficit of £131.5m. To eliminate this funding shortfall, the Trustee asked the participating employers to pay additional contributions to the scheme as follows:

Deficit contributions

From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028 £2,100,000 per annum

Unless a concession has been agreed with the Trustees, the term to 31 March 2028 applies.

Note that the scheme’s previous valuation was carried out with an effective date of 30 September 2020. This valuation showed assets of £800.3m, liabilities of £831.9m and a deficit of £31.6m. To eliminate this funding shortfall, the Trustee asked the participating employers to pay additional contributions to the scheme as follows

25

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cont

Year ended 31 March 2025

PRESENT VALUES OF PROVISION

RECONCILIATION OF OPENING AND CLOSING PROVISIONS

RECONCILIATION OF OPENING AND CLOSING PROVISIONS
Period Ending £’s
Period Ending £’s
31-Mar-25 31-Mar-24
Provision at start of period 393 841
Unwinding of the discount factor (interest expense) 10 32
Deficit contribution paid -400 -480
Remeasurements - impact of any change in assumptions 2 0
Remeasurements - amendments to the contribution schedule 238 -
Provision at end of period 243 393

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE IMPACT

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE IMPACT
Period Ending £’s Period Ending £’s
31-Mar-25 31-Mar-24
Interest expense 10 32
Remeasurements – impact of any change in assumptions 2 0
Remeasurements – amendments to the contribution schedule 238 -
Contributions paid in respect of future service* * *
Costs recognised in income and expenditure account * *

*includes defined contribution schemes and future service contributions (i.e. excluding any deficit reduction payments) to defined benefit schemes which are treated as defined contribution schemes. To be completed by the company.

ASSUMPTIONS

31-Mar-25 31-Mar-24
% per annum % per annum
Rate of discount 4.84 5.31

The discount rates shown above are the equivalent single discount rates which, when used to discount the future recovery plan contributions due, would give the same results as using a full AA corporate bond yield curve to discount the same recovery plan contributions.

26

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cont

Year ended 31 March 2025

The following schedule details the deficit contributions agreed between the company and the scheme at each year end period:

DEFICIT CONTRIBUTIONS SCHEDULE

DEFICIT CONTRIBUTIONS SCHEDULE
Year ending 31-Mar-25
31-Mar-24
31-Mar-23
(£s)
(£s)
(£s)
Year 1 87
400
480
Year 2 87
-
400
Year 3 87
-
-
Year 4 -
-
-
Year 5 -
-
-
Year 6 -
-
-
Year 7 -
-
-
Year 8 -
-
-
Year 9 -
-
-
Year 10 -
-
-
Year 11 -
-
-
Year 12 -
-
-
Year 13 -
-
-
Year 14 -
-
-
Year 15 -
-
-
Year 16 -
-
-
Year 17 -
-
-
Year 18 -
-
-
Year 19 -
-
-

The company must recognise a liability measured as the present value of the contributions payable that arise from the deficit recovery agreement and the resulting expense in the income and expenditure account i.e. the unwinding of the discount rate as a finance cost in the period in which it arises.

It is these contributions that have been used to derive the company's balance sheet liability

27

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cont. Year ended 31 March 2025

2.
GRANTS
AND
DONATIONS
Unrestricted
2.
GRANTS
AND
DONATIONS
Unrestricted
2.
GRANTS
AND
DONATIONS
Unrestricted
Restricted (NCLF)
Lottery
Total Funds
2025
Total Funds
2025
Total Funds
Funds Funds Fund 2024
£ £ £ £ £
National Lottery
Community Fund (NCLF)
- 114,000 114,000
-
2,500
35,800
15,000
60,000
-
- - 93,500
St. James's Place Charitable
Foundation
2,500 -
Henry Smith Charity CLSG 35,800 39,100
Children in Need 15,000 -
Henry Smith Charity
-
60,000 60,000
Wiltshire Community
Foundation
5,000 5,000
4,250
5,000
6,750
HSUK Army Central Fund
-
4,250 2,500
National Benevolent
Charity
5,000 10,000
Armed Forces Covenant
Fund Trust
-
-
5,500
HSUK Empowering
Women
-
2,500
Co-Operative Local
community Fund
-
4,226 4,226 -
Wiltshire Community Foundation (health &
Inequalities)
10,000 10,000
2,358
Families Fund General
-
2,358 67
Families Fund Tesco Community
Grant
-
8,000
1,125
Families Fund Wiltshire Community Fund 8,000 8,000
Families Fund Waitrose
Community Grant
- -
6,740
1,000
Other Donations 6,740 - 7,307
- -
6,740 152,134 114,000 272,874 237,349

28

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cont. Year ended 31 March 2025

3. INVESTMENT
INCOME
Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Restricte
d
(NCLF)
Lottery
Total
Funds
Total
Funds
Total
Funds
Funds Funds Fund 2025 2024
£ £ £ £ £
General Fund
Interest receivable 6,310 0 0 6310 5301
4. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE
ACTIVITIES
Unrestricted Restricted (NCLF)
Lottery
Total Funds
£
2025
190,939
6,892
947
56
6,895
1,846
938
10,414
3,882
16,762
1,554
742
3,425
2,589
4,158
2,546
-
12,804
Total Funds
£
Funds £ Funds £ Fund £ 2024
Employment costs (Note 6) (4,750)
65
-
85
-
714
-
-
-
-
-
10
-
-
-
-
-
107,025
5,197
665
3,671
1,800
224
10,414
3,882
9,922
949
30
1,883
1,781
1,600
1,435
-
2,000
88,664
1,631
282
56
3,139
47
-
-
-
6,840
605
712
1,532
808
2,558
1,112
-
10,805
170,772
Staff travel & general
expenses
6,526
612
50
6,864
823
257
11,484
5,630
16,356
2,406
794
3,572
3,561
4,069
3,323
3,478
3,420
Staff training
Staff recruitment
Volunteer travel & general
expenses
Volunteer training
General Expenses (including
Fundraising)
Families fund expenses
Friendship Café
Rent and rates
Insurance
Covid & Cleaning Costs
Printing. Post and
stationery
Advertising and promotion
Service charges (Affiliation
fees)
Telephone, internet and
fax
Resilience building
Equipment Software
(3,877) 152,478 118,789 267,390 243,997

29

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cont. Year ended 31 March 2025

5. GOVERNANCE COSTS 5. GOVERNANCE COSTS Unrestricte
d
Restricted
(NCLF)
Lottery
Funds
Funds
Funds
£
£
£
4,021
-
-
-
255
-
-
35
227
360
-
90
59
-
35
481
-
192
25
-
360
697
Unrestricte
d
Restricted
(NCLF)
Lottery
Funds
Funds
Funds
£
£
£
4,021
-
-
-
255
-
-
35
227
360
-
90
59
-
35
481
-
192
25
-
360
697
Total Funds Total Funds
2025 2024
£ £
Salaries 4,021 3,093
Consultancy fees - -
Independent
examination
255 258
Management
committee expenses
623 893
Management training 149 68
Governance General 516 389
Service Evaluation Costs 217 192
Book keeping and
accountancy
1,057 1,561
6,836 6,454
2025
£
184,171
7,553
8,385
(5,400)
250
194,959
190,939
4,021
194,959
2024
£
167,198
4,479
7,637
(5,480)
32
6. EMPLOYMENT COSTS
Salaries
Employer's NI
Pension expense - current
service
173,865
170,772
3,093
Attributable to Charitable
activities
Attributable to
Governance
Total employment costs 173,865

There are no employees with emoluments exceeding £50,000

30

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cont. Year ended 31 March 2025

The average number of staff employed by the charity during the financial year amounted to:

2025 2025 2024
Number of staff 11 11
These were all part time positions and represent:
Average number of full time equivalent positions 6.05 5.51

7. CORPORATION TAX

Home-Start North Wiltshire is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from Corporation Tax

8.DEBTORS 8.DEBTORS 8.DEBTORS
31.03.25 31.03.24
£ £
268
0
622
457
1,291
8
2,646
Other debtors – Gift Aid tax refund 294
500
231
0
524
34
Other debtors – Grant Army Forces Covenant Fund Trust
Accounts Receivable (sales ledger) -
Accrued Income
Other debtors – Prepaid Computer Contract & Insurance
Other debtors – Prepaid PO drop & Go
1,583
9. CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year
31.03.25 31.03.24
£ £
Creditors & accruals 6,422
78,200
8,373
Funds received in advance 66,437
84,622 74,811
10. OTHER PROVISIONS (existing) 31.03.25 31.03.24
£ £
Provision for pension deficit (debt on withdrawal) 10,334 15,334
10,334 15,334
11. NPV OF DEFICIT RECOVERY CONTRIBUTIONS
31.03.25 31.03.24
£ £
Net present value 243 393

31

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cont. Year ended 31 March 2025

12. RESTRICTED FUNDS: Movement in res 12. RESTRICTED FUNDS: Movement in res ources
Incoming Outgoing Balance at Balance at
31.03.25 31.03.24
National Lottery Community Fund
(NLCF)
Henry Smith Charity CLSG
Henry Smith Charity
Children in Need
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust
HSUK Army Central Fund
National Benevolent Charity
Families Fund (Tesco/Waitrose/WCCF)
Families Fund :(WCF Energy, Food,
Community)
114,000
35,800
60,000
15,000
-
4,250
5,000
2,358
120,410
42,415
59,959
15,000
-
4,250
5,998
1,408
8,000
5,000
8,646
2,500
4,225
12,847
612
1,979
-
-
-
0
2,826
-
-
1,354
-
-
19,618
19,258
7,226
1,938
-
-
-
998
1,876
-
-
-
-
-
31,297
8,000
5,000
10,000
2,500
4,225
Wiltshire Community Foundation
(WCF)
WCF (Health & Inequalities)
St. James Place Charitable Foundation
Co-Op Local Community Fund
266,134 277,812
13. UNRESTRICTED
FUNDS
Transfer
Incoming
Outgoing Balance at Balance at
31.03.25 31.03.24
General -
13,050
10,413 14,790
79,000
93,790
12,153
Designated -
14,000
- 65,000
-
27,050
10,413 77,153

32

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Cont. Year ended 31 March 2025

14. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS

14. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS 14. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS
Cash at Bank Other net
and in hand Assets Total
Restricted:
National Lottery Community Fund (NCLF) 12,847 12,847
Henry Smith Charity CLSG 612 612
Henry Smith Charity 1,979 1,979
Families Fund (Tesco/Waitrose/WCF) 2,826 2,826
WCF (Health & Inequalities) 1,354 1,354
-
General 107,343 (92,554) 14,790
Designated 79,000 - 79,000
205,961 (92,554) 113,408

END.

33