2021-03-31-accounts

1. Annual Report April 2020 – March 2021 »

www.speakeasynow.org.uk Charity number 1106914

A year of overcoming challenges

“Making Voices Even Stronger”

Introduction

During these unprecedented times it has been an absolute delight to be a Trustee for an organisation that has not only adapted to working remotely but has continued to thrive.

By being both collaborative and straightforward Speakeasy has ensured that those of us, in the community, who have trouble at the best of times in communicating, have been able to feel supported, signposted and listened to.

Jacqui Board of Trustees, Co-chair

It was a difficult year last year because of Covid-19.

My mum had to move into nursing care and I had to find a flat to live on my own. This was all held up because of Covid-19.

It`s been an anxious time for everyone.

Some of our members have felt scared to go out and lonely when it was the lockdown. But we have still carried on working at Speakeasy in a different way.

We`ve had chat groups and done quizzes on FaceTime and our “Cookalong” group have continued to meet up and cook together, that’s been fun. We have had some laughs and felt less alone through doing this. Zoom has been more difficult for some but a new experience for others.

Ray Board of Trustees, Co-chair

I would like to thank everyone at Speakeasy N.O.W for pulling together and yet still achieving so much, for people with learning disabilities, during this last year.

In adapting the way, we work, its made us focus more on whats important to our members as well as in our own lives within our own communities.

The icing on the cake has been our successful application for Community Lottery funding which will allow us to grow and develop our services to be more sustainable over the next 4 years.

Sandra Chief Officer

A year of overcoming challenges

It’s been a challenging year for everyone. When Covid-19 hit and we went into lockdown, Speakeasy N.O.W. were all set up to continue their work remotely.

We changed the way we worked with our Expert Members, colleagues and other organisations. We supported people in lots of ways and ensured that we shared accessible easy read information, to keep people up-to-date with the latest guidelines.

Our meetings continued using Zoom and other methods of communication to reach out.

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1800
1600
1400 Bromsgrove
Droitwich
1200
Evesham
1000
Malvern
800 Other
Redditch
600
Worcester
400
Wyre Forest
200
County Wide
0
Speakeasy Number of Contacts made in Worcestershire April 20 - March 21
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Speakeasy N.O.W. staff made over 4,200 contacts with our members and other stakeholders in Worcestershire during the lockdown between April 2020 and March 2021.

We also sent out over 1,650 messages with helpful information updates to large groups of people across the county to keep everyone informed of the latest news and how to stay safe.

People contacted us about their worries and concerns, these included things like:

Information Isolation Mental Physical Sharing and Health Health loneliness (9%) (45%) (14%) (24%)

Other Reasons (5%) things like preparing for meetings, support and general reassurance.

Our Expert Members

Speakeasy N.O.W. is a user led organisation – people with real life experience speaking up for themselves and others.

Expert Members have worked diversely using new technology and found new ways of sharing information.

Our chat groups became a fun and informative way of sharing information and keeping everyone’s spirits up

Our Expert Members have continued to work with Worcestershire County Council’s Learning Disability Partnership Board (LDPB). This means that issues that affect them can be raised at local government level.

Our Expert Members sit on the Board with other professionals.

Our Expert Members also got involved in:

• Successfully challenging the Government on its vaccine programme priorities

• Raising issues about the quality of care with the Learning Disability Partnership Board

• Presenting to the Provider Forum on quality of care issues

• Promoting information sharing on Covid-19 guidance and advice

• Worked closely with Worcestershire People’s Parliament on issues arising from Covid-19

Transforming Care Partnership (TCPs)

TCPs are made up of Clinical Commissioning Groups, NHS England’s . specialised commissioners and local authorities

Transforming Care is all about improving health and care services so that more people with a learning disability and/or autistic people can live in the community, with the right support, and close to home. This means that fewer people will need to go into hospital for their care.

Rachel is our Lead Expert by Experience for our work with the TCP. Rachel sits on the panel at Care and Treatment Reviews (CTRs) to inform and advise. Rachel will review and discuss, with other professional panel members, the care and treatment plans for patients who are in locked NHS facilities.

During lockdown, these meetings took place via Microsoft Teams.

Health Checkers continued their meetings using Zoom.

The group also attended 7 Health Webinars, and 3 Health Watch Zoom Events.

Health Checkers also get involved with LeDeR (Learning Disability Mortality (death) Review programme)

They also they attended 3 LeDeR Priority Action Groups.

Research shows that people with a learning disability die earlier than the general public and do not receive the same quality of care as people without a learning disability.

Health Checkers have also completed questionnaires about:

 Covid-19  GP Services  Annual Health Checks  Reasonable Adjustments  Digital Access

Health Checkers chat group meeting – using Zoom

As with our other groups, we couldn’t hold our usual face to face meetings.

We held Zoom meetings every 2 weeks and extra meetings leading up to the debate.

This year our theme was ‘The Coronavirus Experience for People with Learning Disabilities, in Worcestershire’

We published this report in January 2021. It was launched in February 2021, 49 people attended on Zoom.

We held an online debate on 4[th] March 2021 and 51 people attended.

Here are a couple of the 17 pledges that we received:

• Worcestershire County Council Commissioners pledged to develop a communication strategy for people with learning disabilities that would underpin the Learning Disability Strategy which is currently being revised. They will also include promoting and developing opportunities for community engagement.

• Speakeasy N.O.W. to provide Learning Disability Awareness Training to a Housing Association and the Lifestyle Service Providers

• Learning Disability Social Care Teams pledged to ensure communication needs, including support to access technology, was included in support planning

Worcestershire

People’s Parliament Workshop discussing the effects of Covid-19

Some of the things that our Expert Members did, during lockdown

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In June 2020, during Learning Disability Week, our Expert Members talked about the importance of friendships

Our ‘Online Cookalong’ became very popular and gave people some new recipe ideas - from sweet and sour dishes to mince pies!

Our talented members Ruby and Emma decided to get creative in a different way.

Our Countywide Self-Advocacy Groups

During Covid-19 our group facilitators kept in touch, with group members, using different communication methods. This could be a telephone call or even a meet up using WhatsApp.

On a sunny afternoon in July, our Comet SelfAdvocacy Group members were able to hold a socially distanced meet up.

The group meet in Malvern, Worcestershire.

For more information about our countywide Self-Advocacy groups, email: [e-mail]

When people started to have the Covid-19 jab, a lot of people had worries and concerns.

Below, is a photo of Anne having her Covid-19 jab, she had been quite anxious but she wanted to show other people how easy and quick it actually was.

Ray also showed us how important is was to use face masks when using public transport.

SpeakUp and Connect – our new project

Towards the end of the financial year, we received the good news that the Community Lottery would fund our new project ‘SpeakUp and Connect’.

The 4-year funding will help us to continue with and expand our valuable work, across Worcestershire.

The funding will allow further development of our countywide selfadvocacy groups and also expand our engagement with other organisations, to include working with our local communities.

We will also continue to work with organisations that realise the benefits of making information accessible to all, by expanding our existing Easy Read and Learning Disability Awareness Training Team.

Information ==»

Contact us, for more information about our Learning Disability/Autism Awareness Training and Easy Read Services. We have years of experience in making your information accessible to all.

Our training is delivered by people with real life experience. We tailor . training to your needs and also provide e-learning options

• Email: s.rice [e-mail] for more information about our Easy Read and Training Services.

Follow us on Facebook @speakeasynow22

Email us: [e-mail]

Our office address is: Speakeasy N.O.W. St Richard’s House 22 Victoria Square Droitwich WR9 8DS Telephone: [phone]

This Annual Report is created by Speakeasy N.O.W. Printed by

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SPEAKEASY N.O.W. REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED: 31ST MARCH 2021 Registered Charity No. 1106914

SPEAKEASY N.O.W. PAGE I LF.CAL AND ADMtNtSTRATIVE INFORMA TION Charity Name and INumber Speakeasy N.O.W: Registered Charity No. 1106914 Trustees R. Gallier C. O'Neil J. Desouza R. Barrett D. Hope L. Hancock - Co chair Co chair - rep from Management Committee Prineipal Offi¢e St. Richards l-Iou5e 22 Victoria square DTOltwich Independent Examiner Ken Strange FCCA, 10 Ravenscroft Drive, Droitwich, WR9 7AP

(cont.) SPEAKEASY N.O.W. PAGE 3 REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021 The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure thal the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking Teasonable steps for the prevention and d¢tection of fraud and other irregularities. Approvcd by thc trustecs and signed on thcir bchalf by: yallier - C hair Desouza - Co chair

SPEAKEASY N.O.W. PAGE 5 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021 Notes Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds Tot21 2021 Total 2020 Incoming resources Grants Investment income 3.930 147,022 150,952 150,694 (2) 3,930 l47,022 150,952 150,694 Resources expended Charitable expenditure: m￿ageMent and administration (3) 527 107654 108 181 150 691) Net incoming resources 3,403 39,368 42,771 Net movem¢nt in fund$ Balance at I" April 2020 Reallo¢ate Balance at 31° March 2021 12,267 78,552 90,819 48,048

SPEAKEASY N.O.W. PAGE 7 NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021 Principal accounting polici (i) Aceounting eonvention The financial ststements are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with FRS105 the Financial Reporting Stsndard applicable to Micro-entities. Accounting and Reporting by Charities Ststem¢nt of Recommended Practice (SORP 2005) and with Charities Act 2011. (li) Resources expended Expenditure included on an accruals b&sis. Irrecoverable VAT is charg¢d to the financial statements as incurred. (iii) Grants and donations are only included in the financial ststements when the charity h&8 unconditional entitlement to the resources. (iv) Investment income is includcd in the financial ststements when receivable. {v} All general assets costing more than £ 500 are capitslised. Depreciation on furniture and equipment is charged on a straight line basis at 25 /0. (vi) Fund Accountin% Taxation The Chariry is exempt from tax on its charitable activities. Fund accounting Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the Lrustees. Restricted fimds can only be used for particular rcstricied Purposes Within the objects of the charity. RestTlCtions arise when Specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted puryyoses. Further explanation of the nature of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements. Investment income 2021 2020 Interest on cash deposits

SPEAKEASY N.O.W. PAGE 9 NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FIIYANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021 Tangible fixed assets Furniture and equipment Cost At I" April 2020 At 31" March 2021 Depreciation At 1° April 2020 Charge for the year At 31" March 2021 5,545 865 41 Net book value At 31, March 2021 578 At 31° March 2020 1,443 Debtors 2021 2020 Grant Prepayment 115 677 792 555 805 1,360 Creditors.. Amounts falling due within one year 2021 2020 Dcfcrrcd income Other creditors 12,500 631 13,131 21.440 820 22,260

SPEAKEASYN.O.W. RESERVES ANALYSIS 2021 DETAIL PROJECT TOTAL Restricted Rcserves Health Checker Community Voices KIT During Covid Experience CTR Hub NFISE Exports 24 86 140 120 130 54,695 (3,203) 23.333 716 78.552 Unrestricted Reserves Core Advocacy Easy Read Qualily Checker Whcrc Next Events Peoples Parliament 80 23 90 81 100 iio (14,348) 11,600 11,937 133 (280) 12,267 90,819