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← Visyon Limited

2024-03-31-accounts

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Annual Review and Accounts 2023/24

Registered Charity Number 1107951 Registered company number 5250758

Contents...

  1. Chair’s Review

  2. CEO’s Review

  3. Therapy Team Updates

  4. Volunteers

  5. Fundraising Highlights

  6. President’s Review

  7. Trustees Report

Welcome...

Welcome to our 2023/24 annual review and accounts. This review highlights the challenges that continue to be faced by young people in our community and the excellent, innovative work done to support them and their families. We hope you enjoy reading about our year.

  1. Auditors Report

Statement of Financial Activities 35.

Our Charity Visyon is a charity that supports the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children, young people and their families across Cheshire East.

Visit www.visyon.org.uk, or call 01260 290000, to learn more about how our charity supports children, young people and their families with mental health & emotional wellbeing across Cheshire East. Contact us..

fundraising@visyon.org.uk administration@visyon.org.uk accounts@visyon.org.uk

Chair's Report by Andrew Brabban...

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2024 is a significant year for Visyon as it is 30 years since the charity was formed in 1994. Looking back on our 2023/24 financial year we can be proud to be continuously developing and evolving our services that support children’s mental health whilst focusing on the fundamental needs of our community that were clear when Visyon was founded three decades ago.

We have continued to deliver our full range of services into the community including our counselling, mentoring, work with schools and engagement with families. Behind this consistency of service, it remains a challenge to sustain the charity's finances. Like all organisations we are challenged with rising and unexpected costs, we have had significant rises in utility costs and insurance costs. Although, over the last few years our overall financial position has fluctuated between a small surplus and a deficit, we manage this and maintain stability through judicious use of our reserves. It is a tight balancing act that needs continual focus.

the formal procurement process and were successful, especially thanks for the effort to submit our bid the day before the Christmas holidays!

As reported last year, we continue to see increasingly complex cases presenting. In the last year, we have had issues with inappropriate referrals to Visyon with young people being directed to Visyon when they need a higher level of intervention than we can offer. This places the young person at risk of not getting the right support when they need it most.

Once again, I express my personal thanks to the members of our board of Trustees who are volunteers and give their time to provide diligent governance of Visyon and make their skills and expertise available to support the Senior Leadership Team. In September last year, we were very pleased to have Lisa Cormack join the board, Lisa brings experience of marketing and work in the charity sector. In November, Sidra Ali, was co-opted onto the board bringing her experience working in the NHS as a doctor

This year saw us secure a new long-term contract with Cheshire East Council, this new Healthy Young Minds contract replaces the previous contract which expired in March and runs for at least the next 5 years. We are proud to have been successful in winning this contract based on our fantastic track record. The contract brings some adjustment to the scope of our work and some reduction in level of commissioned services but generally provides continuity and stability that is positive for the charity. My thanks to all of the team who worked so hard to go through

Chair's Report continued...

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in paediatric emergency services. David Parkinson and Avarni Jagpal will step down from the board at the end of September and I thank them both for their contributions to Visyon over a number of years and wish them well for the future; I’m sure they will continue to lend us their support!

Finally, can I thank everyone who contributes to Visyon: the staff, the

leadership team, the volunteers, the fundraisers and those who share what we do with those who might need our help across the wider community. Visyon would not be what it is without your contributions. We look forward to continuing to build a community that supports the mental health and emotional wellbeing for children, young people and their families.

Experience of Service Feedback...

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Young people who said certainly true to...

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I was treated well by the people who saw me 97%
My views and worries were taken serioulsy 93%
I feel that the people who saw me listened to me 94%
If a friend needed this sort of help, I would suggest them to come here 88%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
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Of the 305 completed Experience of Service questionnaires – 32 provided feedback to was there anything you didn’t like or anything that needs improving

CEO's Report by Theresa Pass...

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The voluntary sector has once again encountered significant challenges in 2023, with donations from the public down by 14% and investment income dropping by 15% (NCVO UK Civil Society Almanac 2023). These decreases were compounded by factors such as the increased energy price cap, cost of living increase and inflation, leading to heightened operational costs for charities like Visyon.

Despite these difficulties, we continue to forge valuable partnerships with understanding funders, donors and supporters who acknowledge the impact of charitable organisations such as ours. These collaborations have prompted a positive shift towards multi-year unrestricted funding, prioritising strong working relationships and trust within the sector over anonymous applications and stringent reporting requirements.

I remain incredibly proud of the impact that Visyon has through our service delivery and the continued commitment, expertise and resilience demonstrated by the entire Visyon team. We continue to see an increase in demand for our services and a significant increase in the complexity of the challenges young people are presenting with, often at a younger age than we have previously witnessed.

In 2023 Visyon launched a new five year strategy and achieved the following progress:

Theme 1 - Building Resilience:

In 2023/24 Visyon continued to research interventions that have the biggest evidence of impact and value with children and young people, leading to the introduction of Boingboing, the Solihull Approach and upskilling our staff in latest

practices such as ACEs and Trio of Vulnerability.

Theme 2 - Leading the Way in Local Thinking around Young People's Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing: We secured a five year contract with Cheshire East Healthy Young Minds, working with local voluntary sector providers to ensure our services are designed around local needs and truly embedded in the community we serve.

Theme 3 - Sustainability:

We upskilled our team in assessing, calculating and reducing our carbon footprint and enhanced our recycling capability.

During 2024/25 we will continue to build on our successes with the following strategic priorities:

Theme 1 - Building Resilience:

Theme 2 - Leading the Way in Local Thinking around Young People's Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing:

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CEO's Report continued...

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Theme 3 - Sustainability:

Visyon Values

As part of our review, we undertook a values exercise. With the help of ‘Our Visyon’, our young person’s lived experience group, we identified values that truly communicate what Visyon is about and how we operate. These cascade throughout all our services and decision making processes and are evident in how we deliver services and work with children, young people, their families and professionals…

Visyon is Welcoming...

We welcome and celebrate everyone as individuals and strive to provide a safe, friendly and inclusive space, where individuals can be their true self without fear of judgment or discrimination. We promote equal opportunities, fair treatment, and representation for everyone and we actively work to remove barriers and create an inclusive culture that celebrates and draws upon the strengths of each individual.

together as a team and a sense of belonging among our members, partners and community. We encourage open and inclusive participation, creating an environment where different skills, strengths and experience are valued and encouraged, and we all learn from each other.

Visyon values the Lived Voice...

We believe that individuals are the expert in their own experiences, that their input is crucial for co-creating the right approaches. We listen carefully and value wishes, feelings and opinions. We actively listen and communicate in a clear way, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to contribute their perspectives and has a chance to be truly heard.

Visyon acts with Integrity...

We are committed to delivering reliable and trustworthy confidential services that are backed by evidence and research, and that uphold the highest standards of honesty, integrity, professionalism and

open communication.

Visyon builds meaningful Relationships...

We know that working together, with each other and with clients, will make the biggest difference, and we believe that relationships and feeling connected are essential. We actively promote meaningful connections and collaboration, nurturing how we work

Initial Contact Team Update...

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The Initial Contact Team are the first point of contact for children, young people and the families accessing Visyon’s services. The team take pride in offering a listening ear to those who contact the charity looking for support. They ensure the community feel welcomed, heard and supported when making contact with the service.

The Initial Contact Team have listened to those making referrals explain how bullying is affecting children and young people’s mental health resulting in anxiety, emotionally based school avoidance and impacting on other areas of their lives. They’ve heard how families are experiencing multiple challenges and complexities resulting in a demand for parent and carer open access appointments.

The person I spoke to was so kind. She took her time so I did not feel rushed. If you hadn’t given me the information you did, we would still be getting nowhere.

The Initial Contact Team logged 51% of the years cause for concerns = 428

For 96 young people historical bullying was logged

For 68 current bullying was mentioned (19% of 428)

The team continued to see the need for signposting and information sharing, with the local community contacting Visyon for general advice and guidance only. The Initial Contact Team offer a ‘no wrong door’ approach to communication into the service.

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Counselling Team Update...

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Counselling continued at our bases in Congleton and Crewe, as well as in five schools in Crewe, one in Alsager, and two in North Staffordshire.

Our team has worked diligently to support children and young people, evidenced by improvements in their presentation, chosen outcome scores and CORE scores.

Chosen outcome scores

Scored out of 10, with 10 being their goal has been fully met. On average young people score themselves 3.6 at the start of the sessions and this increases to 7.2 by the end.

YP CORE scores

An evidence based measure of global distress generating a score up to 40, above 10 indicates a clinical level of disruption and over 30 indicates significant risk. During 2023/24, on average, young people started counselling with a score of 18.9, reducing to 12.4 by the end. A three point movement indicates significant positive change, five points a clinical change likely to have a lifelong impact.

A significant highlight was our move from Breeden House to Chantry Court in Crewe, providing us with four operational counselling and mentoring rooms, two of which can accommodate small groups. This move has been positive in creating a more welcoming environment.

quality and ensured the team provide the best service for our children, young people and their families.

The Visyon Therapeutic Team completed the NHS Oliver McGowan training, focusing on understanding and communicating with people with autism and learning difficulties. Additionally, the team participated in various short training sessions, including CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) training on topics like eating disorders, body image and the adolescent brain.

Our team meetings transitioned back to face-to-face in November 2023, with the first session focusing on anxiety strategies. The second saw four team members feedback on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) training that they had completed.

Visyon started to develop therapeutic documents for young people and parents to address common issues such as panic attacks, self-harm and grounding techniques. These resources aim to provide support and guidance alongside our face to face support.

A review was completed of our triage process, based on team feedback that young people were presenting with higher levels of risk. This led to the introduction of assessment appointments for young people needing detailed evaluations and safety planning. Providing these Assessments has enhanced our service

School Counselling Update...

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Across Crewe, some children and young people are living in pockets of extreme deprivation, within the most deprived percentile of the CRDC Index of Multiple Deprivation. We were aware of the high levels of need and that for some young people getting to our base in Crewe posed an additional challenge.

We were successful in securing funding from Cheshire Community Foundation to provide a counselling service specifically within Crewe schools. We worked with the Cheshire East Education Coordinator to identify the four schools we would base the service in:

An existing team member with a wealth of experience joined the project. Offering between 6 and12 sessions of counselling on a weekly basis. We initially offered a term to see how the schools could respond to the offer and we were left with no doubt that service was needed.

Examples of outcomes included:

This year also saw the successful application for funding and the start of the second year of support. Cheshire Community Foundation’s trustees requested Visyon consider capturing qualitative observations, on any longerterm impacts of the counselling for students.

We asked each school to provide observations on a couple of the young people we worked with during the first year. Responses included:

This year saw the successful completion of the first year of the project.

September 2022 to end of July 2023

659 counselling sessions were offered to a total of 90 young people.

We were able to support young people who wouldn’t access our service from a base, with 89% never accessing a Visyon service before. Young people who access the service their chosen outcome scores increased from 3.1 to 6.9.

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Risk and Safeguarding Update...

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Safeguarding is an integral aspect of the work here at Visyon, keeping young people safe is paramount. Sometimes hearing what the children and young people share in sessions can be upsetting and can stay with our team, which is why clinical and reflective supervision is really important. During 2023 Visyon held an excellent workshop for all staff on Vicarious Trauma. Visyon recognise to keep young people safe it is necessary for staff to be proactive in their own self-care. The feedback was excellent. It has enabled staff to consider their wellbeing and barriers to self-care.

I enjoyed the activities and it encouraged a deeper look into myself and what I need to make time for, for myself.

As part of Visyon’s commitment to continuous improvement, a Section 11 self -assessment was completed. This process falls under The Children Act 2004 and requires organisations to evaluate the extent to which they comply with safeguarding requirements and standards. This was undertaken with Visyon’s lead Safeguarding Trustee, Sharon Conlon. The following changes have been implemented:

Recording missed appointments as ‘Was Not Brought’, instead of ‘Did Not Attend’, where needed. This highlights the potential vulnerability of children and young people who are not brought to appointments.

Additional information was cascaded regarding Suicide In-House Guidance to ensure safeguarding remains a priority at Visyon.

New cause for concern information has been captured to support this:

From the 852 cause for concerns logged for 519 young people...

257 young people had historically self-harmed = 50% of young people

166 young people were currently self-harming = 32% of young people

79% of those who had noted current self-harm also had noted historical self-harm.

We deliver and attend training with the Cheshire East Safeguarding Children Partnership and more recently attended training in Trauma Informed Safeguarding practices. It is a continual process at Visyon to keep up to date with latest best practices and knowledge in safeguarding.

Developed an Online Safety Policy Embedding a culture of ‘Professional Curiosity’ across the organisation

YEARS vis Year to date total April 2023 - March 2024 Knutsford Wilmslow children and young people offered Macclesfield 45 sessions across Cheshire East. Holmes Chapel 24 Congleton 30 271 Middlewich Sandbach 48 Alsager 267 109 149 Crewe Other 149 Nantwich Young people's top presenting issues during Jan, Feb & Mar... Anxiety/stress 204 Family/parent issues children and young people supported by our charity in School/academi Mental health March 2024 Self-esteem Anger 80 Safeguarding concerns raised in March 2024 852 Safeguarding concerns raised to date 14 Young people watched webinars in March 2024 86 Young people watched webinars to date 47 Parent/teacher sessions offered in March 2024 442 Parenuteacher sessions offered to date

12. Sarah and Jess's Story Sharing your story of how you overcame your challenges. with the support of Visyon, will become someone else's inspiration to make a positive change and highlight the support we offer. It will demonstrate the impact of donations on the lives of children, young people and their families and encourage further support for our charity. If you have a story please email fundraising@visyon.org.uk and share your own Visyon journey with us. Jess's story highlights the transformational impact of mental health support and the challenges parents face whilst trying to help their own child. front of the entire class, triggered a wave of anxiety and self-consciousness. Jess spoke with Jo and was offered a safe space to process the emotions of the classroom experience and they explored strategies to navigate situations in the future. Jess suffered with severe migraines, low mood and engaged in self-harming behaviours that had led to CAMHS support. Jess finished her sessions, made some new friends and her migraines had improved. Lynne, a member of Visyon's Family Support Team, collaborated with Jess's school, advocating for reasonable adjustments to support her progress. Although positive changes were made Jess started to experience panic attacks and physically struggled to leave her bedroom. Mum, Sarah, didn't know where to turn, as Jess hadn't been to school in four months. 'Lynne provided practical assistance and helped me to complete forms to secure additional resources for Jess. We continue to witness positive changes and can't thank Visyon enough.. '1 found myself constantly calling from work to check on Jess. I considered taking out credit cards to afford private services but feared the financial strain this would impose on our family., .1 loved seeing Jo. we would sit and colour and without even noticing I was having a conversation. Sarah contacted Visyon and attended a Parent Open Access session, the following week, with one of our Wellbeing Practitioner's, Rachel. Mum and I both realised the impact my sessions were having on me when Mum walked in my room and asked if I was OK- I was at my desk doing homework instead of my makeup. 'The relief I felt was immeasurable when Rachel assured me that Jess would receive the help she needed, without the financial burden. The kindness and understanding displayed by the Visyon team provided me with a glimmer of hope., I've been on a family day out to a theme park and even went on the big rides, I'm so proud of myself. Jess aged 14. Jo, Jess's counsellor, formed a bond and celebrated every step, particularly when Jess went to school for half a day. These moments of success became crucial milestones in Jess's journey, filling her with pride. Jo equipped Jess with practical tools to cope with anxiety and panic attacks and these grounding techniques became an essential part of Jess's toolkit. Jess found the courage to return to school. she approached the classroom one day and anxiety took hold. Jess recalled the grounding techniques Jo had taught her and she regained control. Upon entering the room, Jess was met with a disheartening comment from the teacher: 'You're late.. This remark, delivered in

Wellbeing, Families and Communities Update...

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2023/24 has been a period of change with the Families and Communities Team and Wellbeing Team merging to form the Wellbeing, Families and Communities Team. Our team has expanded, welcoming new members who bring fantastic energy, enthusiasm and a wealth of knowledge and experience. These new additions complement the existing team’s wonderful experience, knowledge and skill base.

As a new team we have continued to create, build and refine our triangulated service offer, working not only with the children and young people but also the significant people in their lives with the aim of creating beneficial changes to their school and family environments.

The team dedicated a significant resource to bidding for the Local Authority’s Healthy Young Mind Service, focusing on the service offer and a mobilisation plan. The Local Authority’s Healthy Young Mind Service originated from the findings of the recent Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. It was rewarding to see the team’s hard work recognised with our successful bid for the service. It was also reassuring to see that the assessment findings confirmed the appropriateness of our triangulated core service offer in meeting the identified needs of children, young people. their families and communities. The Healthy Young Minds service will enable us to offer a much more diverse, much-needed early intervention and prevention service moving forward. It has been timely in enabling the team to successfully refine the role of Wellbeing Practitioner, who now work equally with children, young people and the significant people in their lives to enhance our service.

Support for Parents...

Delivery of our Parent/Carer Workshops from Visyon’s Congleton base and within numerous schools continued. A number of schools within areas of deprivation were targeted by our team aiming to reach marginalised families. With our Parent/Carer Workshops we have exceeded targets, with almost 350 parent/carers attending our workshops across the year.

G&Ga

It made me realise I’m not alone and many parents experience the same.

As well as equipping families with the appropriate knowledge, understanding and skills to help them appropriately help their children we have continued to support local families via Parent Open Access and Family Wellbeing Support one to one sessions. Working closely with our counselling colleagues we have provided appropriate timely support for those families most in need and increased positive outcomes.

Wellbeing, Families and Communities Update continued...

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Support for Young People...

Our offer of Wellbeing Workshops for young people has grown giving opportunity to spend quality time, socialising with their peers whilst undertaking enjoyable activities with a wellbeing focus. Learning new skills in an environment which is nurturing is helping them realise they are not alone in their experiences.

It was really good doing activities whilst talking, I was listened to and felt like I could talk about anything.

We have also re-launched Our Visyon, offering a space for young people with lived experience to have their voices heard and to have meaningful influence on Visyon’s service and the wider community.

Mentoring and Practical Strategies one to one sessions have continued, allowing us to utilise many creative and practical tools that are often well suited to younger age groups. The team has noticed an increasing involvement of parents in these sessions, reflecting the younger age of our referrals. Our analysis of mentoring referrals has revealed that half of all referrals are for 1112 year olds, with only 10% being aged 16 and above. This likely mirrors wider trends where mental health and wellbeing struggles are being experienced at increasingly younger ages.

15. Tom's Story Sharing your story of how you overcame your challenges. with the support of Visyon, will become someone else's inspiration to make a positive change and highlight the support we offer. It will demonstrate the impact of donations on the lives of children, young people and their families and encourage further support for our charity. If you have a story please email fundraising@visyon.org.uk and share your own Visyon journey with us. Tom was struggling with low mood, lack of motivation and frequent angry outbursts that often led to physical violence, such as punching holes in walls and destroying personal items. His sleeping pattern was out of sync, going to sleep at 3am and waking around midday. causing him to fall behind in his education and creating tension at home. Improving his school attendance was key so Tom aimed to go in for three days a week. Tom also addressed his sleep schedule, going to bed at 11 pm and waking at 7am. Tom set his goal as "To manage my emotions," rating it as a l out of l 0 in session one. Through mentoring he began accessing education again, aiming to achieve GCSES for further education and improved his relationship with his parents by understanding and expressing his emotions in healthier ways. Tom learned to have open conversations about his mental health and emotions, gaining confidence to access services in the future. Tom was also attending school five days a week, something he hadn't done in over two years, By session ten, Tom rated his goal achievement at a 7outofl0. .1 was argulng wlth my parents, shouting and swearing at them, I hated school and didn't care about changing my behaviour., Tom was offered a meeting to assess his support needs and he decided mentoring was the best option for him. He had a previous negative experience with counselling at school and preferred a more solution-focused and practical approach. Tom was offered six mentoring sessions and in the first session, Tom said he was 'sound' and didn't think he needed to be there but decided to see what it was about. By the end of the first session, he felt mentoring was more relaxed than counselling and agreed to return the following week. '1 was defenslve at flrst, I belleved that men shouldn't show their emotions., In session three, Tom opened up about the death of a friend, which had made him very angry when discussed in previous counselling. This led to discussions about grief and the emotions associated with it. helping Tom explore his anger and defensiveness. 'After six sessions I noticed a change in my mood and I would get less frustrated so Visyon let me have ten sessions.. Tom decided to work towards achieving his Maths, English and Science GCSES and wanted to pursue an apprenticeship.

Volunteers...

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During 2023/24 our Fundraising and Marketing Team continued to raise awareness of the Visyon brand across Cheshire East. As a small team they couldn’t possibly have achieved this without the support of many volunteers. Thank you to the volunteers below for their time during the year collecting donations, selling tickets at our popular Sweet Treats Tombola and cheering on our amazing challenge event supporters...

During the year Visyon has been fortunate enough to have volunteers join us from Siemens in Congleton, Experian and Global Logic. Whilst companies can support Visyon with donations and their employees volunteering, our charity helps them achieve their objectives such as boosting staff moral, increasing their positive brand identity and providing PR opportunities.

In 2023/24 our event and corporate volunteers gave 172 hours of support.

Within the Therapeutic Team volunteers directly provide support to young people and families, supporting their mental and emotional health through one-to-one counselling and parent workshops.

In 2023/24 our service volunteers offered

A big thank you to all our volunteers for their time and the difference they make to young people and their families.

Fundraising Highlights...

The Fundraising and Marketing Team continued to make connections within the community and strengthen relationships to help in identifying new sources of funding and diversifying our income streams. Businesses, groups and individuals within our community raised money through choosing Visyon as their charity partner, taking on a challenge event or hosting their own fundraising activities. We’re very grateful to each and every single supporter that has helped to make a difference to children’s mental health.

Team Visyon highlights...

We witnessed ‘Team Visyon’ take on some incredible challenge events throughout the year.

Our annual skydive day was a huge highlight. A team of five completed the highest skydive in the UK at 15,000ft! Thank you to 16 year old Lydia, Karen, Carol, Leighton and Callum for raising an amazing £4,630 in sponsorship.

Supporter Nicky, from Thermal Road Repairs, ran the Altrincham 10k and raised a huge £2,278!

Harriet, Visyon’s HR Officer, took on not only a half marathon but the 'Potter's Arf Marathon' known for its difficult route and 'Heart Break Hill'! Harriet not only completed the run, on one of the hottest days of the year, but also raised £445.

2024 marks Visyon’s 30 year milestone. Wilmslow Running Festival kindly gifted places for 10 supporters to take part in the 10k and Half Marathon! This group of incredible fundraisers took on the challenge and raised a fabulous £3345! Thank you to the Wilmslow Running Festival, Team Visyon and all those who sponsored them!

Our local supporters...Fundraising Highlights continued...

We are fortunate to have some generous businesses, groups and individuals in our region who like to organise activities or simply like to make a donation. There are too many to name but we share some highlights and thank you all for your contributions.

East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce chose Visyon for their Charity of the Year throughout 2023/24, Visyon held raffles and auctions throughout the year at their numerous events and raised an overall total of £7,570! Thank you to everyone who supported Visyon with prizes, donations and support throughout the year!

Alsager Ladies Circle Chair, Tracy Mould, wished to thank Visyon for supporting her family. From fashion shows to carnival tea tents the ladies worked hard to raise over £1,200.

George & Dragon, Holmes Chapel held another Easter Quiz raising £481 and a Christmas Quiz and raffle raising £1,846. This brings their total since 2022 to an incredible £3596.62!

2024 saw the launch of our first Wear What You Want Day. Thank you to the 17 schools and businesses who took part during Children's Mental Health Week in February. With pyjamas, snorkels and cowboy hats they expressed their individuality in support of children and young peoples mental health raising an amazing £1992.54!

Sponsors Needed!

Would your group or company like to sponsor our next newsletter, a fundraising campaign or one of our young person's counselling rooms? Various packages are available, please call Linda on 07377 353 790 to learn more.

President, Brian Davey’s Reflections...

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It is my privilege to continue serving as Visyon’s President, having been part of this compassionate organisation from its inception. Reflecting on our 30 year journey, it is incredible to see how far we have come since those initial meetings of dedicated individuals who laid the foundation for Visyon. So many individuals have generously contributed their time, skills and commitment along the way. While there are too many to name, I want to thank each and every volunteer, employee and supporter, both past and present. Your efforts have been instrumental in earning Visyon its well deserved and respected reputation while reaching this 30 year milestone. Our AGM will once again celebrate those that have gone above and beyond for Visyon and it is where we will announce the 2023/24 winner of the Elizabeth Pugh Award. It is a great tribute to our founder that this annual award was created and it is my pleasure to be on the panel to read all the nominations and have the difficult job of choosing a winner.

uncertain world, there is an increasing need for Visyon to work closely with its partners in helping today’s young people build the skills and resilience they need to face the unknown experiences their futures hold.

I have visited both the Congleton and Crewe bases several times this year and continue to witness the drive and enthusiasm that the staff and volunteers display. Whatever their individual roles within Visyon, they project an incredibly positive attitude and I see a dedicated team who are more than just a collection of working professionals.

I remain immensely proud of Visyon, what it has achieved and what is yet to be. It remains a voice and driving force for the positive mental health and emotional wellbeing of our young people.

Visyon’s journey has not been without its challenges. We’ve faced scenarios that threatened our existence and development over the years. However, our dedication to local families guided us through these obstacles and will continue to propel Visyon forward into the next 30 years.

The availability of funding and the ever changing society we live in remain ongoing challenges for our charity and others like us. Despite this the entire team has worked together focusing on strengthening and adapting our services for children, young people and their families whilst also anticipating their ongoing needs. In an

YEARS vis 1994 - after the tragic suicide of Lucy Forrester her parents, Elizabeth & Richard. worked tirelessly to secure funding to make Visyon a reality. 1906 - Visyon made a successful application for charitable status and appointed the first BACP qualified volunteer counsellor. 1997 - the doors opened to the first Visyon base in Congleton offering drop in sessions twice a week. Around 30 young people were seen during this year and a weekly counselling service began in one of the local high schools. 1998 - Visyon was awarded their first three year grant of £75,000 from the South Cheshire Health Authority. Drop-in sessions were increased and 80 young people received counselling. ?QQO - Visyon secured their first multi-year funding from the National Lottery. 637 hours of direct counselling were recorded and 179 young people were seen. 2011- Visyon's team outgrew the premises on West Street in Congleton and moved to Fellowship House. 2013 - strong relationships with high schools across Cheshire East meant that Visyon counsellors worked directly in schools reaching even more young people. ?Q14 - Visyon introduced a Parent Support Group offering advice to parents who wanted to support and understand their children's emotional wellbeing. 2016 - demand for Visyon services were developing further away from Congleton so a second base was opened in Crewe. 2020 - sadly the death of Visyon's founder, Elizabeth Pugh, was announced. and the Corona Virus Pandemic meant Visyon was forced into lockdown. Visyon's service continued despite the challenges and our service was quickly taken on line so we could offer ongoing support to those that needed it. ?n?? - demand for services continued to grow and a cost of living crisis was being witnessed in our community and for Visyon as a charity. Visyon recorded a record 1664 young people being offered support, we moved to new premises at Chantry Court in Crewe and funding was an ongoing challenge as income dropped. 20?4 - Visyon's 30th year has started and we hope you will help to mark this milestone with us.

Trustees Report... for the Year Ended 31st March 2024

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's [governing document], the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).

Objectives and Activities...

About Visyon...

Visyon promotes and improves the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people and their families through the provision of a range of services, including individual therapy, group work, mentoring, creative activities and support for parents and families. Visyon is based in Congleton, Cheshire and delivers services to children and young people in Cheshire. Visyon was established in 1994 by a group of volunteers whose experiences identified the need for a community based, flexible and easily accessible service for young people and families experiencing emotional distress and in need of support. In 2004 Visyon became a charitable company limited by guarantee.

Objects of the Charity...

The objects of the charity are:

Visyon Descriptor...

Visyon is a safe place you can come when you need help. We are really good at helping children and young people work out what is troubling them and what they can do about it. Whether you are confused, upset, worried, feeling hurt or angry about anything, there is somebody at Visyon who will listen and help you decide what you want to do next.

Social Impact...

Visyon provides its services within the charitable objects for which it was established, these being the preservation and protection of good health and in particular good mental health of children, young people and adults, plus the advancement of education of the public in matters relating to mental health. These objects are addressed through the provision of a broad range of therapeutic activities to children, young people, their parents and families.

Visyon's activities are designed to achieve outcomes that are positive not only for the individual child or young person but also impact on families and the wider communities of Cheshire. The cost to society of supporting lifelong mental health challenges is significant and can be ameliorated by providing effective interventions for children and young people such as those offered by Visyon.

Visyon's services are free to the children, young people and families who access them. All services are paid for by grants, donations and fundraised income. The organisation accommodates the requirements of children and young people, by using community locations wherever there is a demand and where funding allows. Currently, the organisation is working in the geographic area of Cheshire East Council, with some services also available in areas of Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Public benefit...

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

Significant factors...

Visyon aims to use as much of its financial and other resources as possible for the purpose of meeting the charities objectives. All of the programmes and activities undertaken by the charity aim to support children and young people to improve and maintain their mental health. Our work with families and public awareness campaigns assist us to achieve greater awareness and understanding by the public of issues surrounding mental health and wellbeing and how these impact on children, young people and society.

All our services are provided free of charge to our beneficiaries, allowing for greater access to early assistance, advice and support. Across Cheshire East we aim to offer a range of interventions, choice of venue and opening hours that improves efficacy and accessibility irrespective of the individual circumstances of the beneficiary.

The voluntary sector experiences increasingly challenging times with more charities competing for less funding, reporting criteria becoming increasingly complex in some

areas, and hard decisions to be made regarding which particular pot of money to vie for. Each financial year starts with an element of calculated uncertainty, and often focus has to be placed on bringing in funding for the current financial year, rather than looking forward to the next two - five years, focusing attention on longer term planning and sustainability. This is the situation that Visyon has been in for a number of years, but is something that the new strategy and leadership structure plan to address over the next two years.

Our Supporters...

Visyon is very grateful to the organisations and individuals who have supported the charity during the year through donations, fundraising activities, gifts-in-kind and volunteering.

2023/24 Gift In Kind donations equated to the value of £7,111.

2023/24 Events and Corporate volunteering equated to 172 hours.

We would like to thank the following for their support during 2023/24:

Grants

Assura

Company Support

Community Support

Knutsford Lions Club

Individual Support

Richard Harrison John Linley Cllr Margaret Gartside Family and friends of the late David Kenny

Investment Powers...

Family and friends of the late Alison Bowen

Our 2023 skydive team

Our new and committed Regular Donors each making donations every month

The Trust Deed authorises the Trustees to make and hold investments using the general funds of the charity but no such investments are currently held.

Financial Review and Results for the Year...

The total income for the year ending 31 March 2024 was £750,570 (2023 - £997,301), the total expenditure was £840,929 (2023 - £928,225) and the net result for the year was £-90,359 (2023 - (£60,076). The net asset position at the year end was £368,913 (2023 - £459,272), of which £109,191 (2023 - £178,837) is unrestricted and £259,722 (2023 - £285,435) is restricted. The main income for the year came from donations, grants and charitable activities as per notes 3,4 and 5 of the accounts which enables the charity to achieve their main objectives as detailed in the Trustee Report.

Reserves Policy...

The reserves are held in a low-risk account, with immediate access, attracting the best rates from the "High Street Institutions". Reserves are built up from balances of funds (restricted and/or unrestricted). The level at which the reserve fund is to be maintained is agreed between Visyon management and Trustees during annual budgeting based on a number of defined factors including an assessment of known risks. It may also include items of known but currently unquantifiable risk. The level of reserve fund should not normally exceed that required for three months operating costs.

Investment Policy...

All amounts in the current account over £500 are transferred daily to an interest-bearing savings account. All investments by the charity will be in ethically acceptable funds to be agreed by the Board.

Grant Making Policy...

Under normal circumstances, the charity does not make grants. There may be small grants made from specific projects for supporting clients. The funding body concerned will specify the conditions of the grant.

Declaration of Interests...

Trustees are required to declare interests that are relevant and material and declarations are requested at each meeting. A record is maintained of all relevant and material interests by the Company Secretary and this record is available on request. Staff are also required to inform the organisation where an outside commitment, e.g. membership of a school governing body, may potentially give rise to a conflict of interest.

Structure, Governance and Management...

The charity is a company limited by guarantee. The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

It is governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 5 October 2004 and amended on 25 March 2010. Visyon is registered with the Charity Commission and Companies House. Anyone over the age of 18 years can become a member of the charity. At 31 March 2024 there were 43 members.

The administration is carried out by the directors who together are known as the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees has delegated the day-to-day running of the organisation to the Chief Executive Office (Theresa Pass), who reports into the Board on a quarterly cycle.

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

Mr A Brabban-Brown Mr D Parkinson Ms H Butters Mr B K Brennan Mr J G Clay Miss S A Conlon Mr AJ Dean Miss Lisa Cormack Ms A Jagpal (Appointed 20 September 2023)

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees...

None of the trusteeshas any beneficial interest in the company.All of the trustees are members of the companyand guarantee to contribute £10 in the event of a winding up.

Organisational structure...

Role of the Board of Trustees...

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the charity. The Board's duties are to:

Sub-group Structure...

Three sub-groups have been appointed with delegated responsibility for scrutiny in three areas:

Each group is chaired by a Trustee and is attended by a further Trustee, the CEO and relevant members of the management team.

Structure of Board of Trustees...

Board meetings are held quarterly.

Sub-groups meet on a monthly or bi-monthly basis and have delegated responsibilities as outlined in the sub-group Terms of Reference.

Attendance of Trustees at Meetings of the Board..

Trustees are required to attend formal meetings regularly and not to miss more than three meetings in succession. During 2023/24 the Trustees attendance was as follows:

2023/24 Dates of Meetings Dates of Meetings Dates of Meetings Dates of Meetings
22.05.2023 21.08.2023 20.11.2023 26.02.2024 Total
attendance
Andrew Brabban Yes Yes Yes Yes 4/4
Adrian Dean Yes No Yes Yes 3/4
Helen Butters Yes Yes Yes Yes 4/4
Jonathan Clay Yes No Yes Yes 3/4
David Parkinson Yes Yes Yes Yes 4/4
Avarni Jagpal Yes Yes Yes Yes 4/4
Barry Brennan Yes Yes No Yes 3/4
Sharon Conlon No Yes Yes Yes 3/4
Lisa Cormack - - Yes Yes 2/2
Sidra Ali (co-opted) - - Yes No 1/2

President...

The Board appointed Brian Davey as the new president of Visyon Limited on 14th September 2020, following the untimely death of Visyon's President, our founder, Elizabeth Pugh. in January 2020. Brian has been involved with Visyon from the beginning and previously served as Chair of the Board.

Recruitment, Selection and Training of the Board of Trustees...

The Trustees are elected by the members, the number being decided at the Annual General Meeting. The Trustees have the power to co-opt up to 7 further Trustees. When co-opting Trustees, the Board has regard to the requirement for any specialist skills. Trustee application and induction processes have been established, through which training requirements are identified and addressed. In addition, training opportunities are taken up when offered by third parties.

The balance of Trustees' skills and experience has been reviewed on an ongoing basis during 2023-2024 and the Board is satisfied that it has an optimum broad range of skills. Trustees have experience that covers the following areas:

Risk Management...

The organisation has Strategic and Operational Risk Registers, a Business Continuity Plan and a Risk Management Policy.

This ensures:

Other specific areas of risk as may be identified by the Board

Risks that have been mitigated this year have included:

Impact of inappropriate referrals

Staffing and Volunteers...

Visyon is able to offer the level of service that it does due to the dedication and professionalism of its staff and volunteer team. At the end of March 2024, Visyon had 33 members of staff, 9 of which were employed on a full-time basis, with the other 24 working in part-time roles. Visyon has a team of volunteers who provide invaluable contributions to the work of the charity by carrying out a range of roles including Trustees, Therapists, Administrators and a handyman.

Declaration of interests...

Trustees are required to declare interests that are relevant and material and declarations are requested at each meeting. A record is maintained of all relevant and material interests by the Company Secretary and this record is available on request. Staff are also required to inform the organisation where an outside commitment, e.g. membership of a school governing body, may potentially give rise to a conflict of interest.

Statement of Trustees Responsibilities...

The trustees, who are also the directors of Visyon Limited for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Auditor...

In accordance with the company'sarticles, a resolution proposing that HammondMcNulty LLP be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.

Administration Information...

Charity name: Visyon Limited
Working title: Visyon
Registered charity number: 1107951
Registered company number: 5250758. Company registered in England
and Wales
Registered company and Fellowship House, Park Road, Congleton,
operational address: Cheshire, CW12 1DP
Company Secretary Miss Theresa E Pass
Chief Executive Officer: Miss Theresa E Pass
Auditors: Hammond McNulty, Bank House, Market
Square, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1ET
Bankers: NatWest Bank Plc, 46 High Street,
Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1BE

Board of Trustees:

The following people served as Trustees during this year:

Mr Andrew Brabban-Brown Ms Avarni Jagpal
Mr Adrian J Dean Mr Barry K Brennan
Ms Helen Butters Miss Sharon A Conlan
Mr Jonathan G Clay Miss Lisa Cormack (Appointed 20 September 2023)
Mr David Parkinson Ms Sidra Ali (Co-opted 13th November 2023)

The Directors of the charitable company are Trustees for the purpose of charity law and are known collectively as the Board of Trustees.

Disclosure of information to auditor:

Each of the trustees has confirmed that there is no information of which they are aware which is relevant to the audit, but of which the auditor is unaware. They have further confirmed that they have taken appropriate steps to identify such relevant information and to establish that the auditor is aware of such information.

The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustee

Mr A Brabban-Brown Date 22/08/2024

Report of the Independent Auditors to the Members of Visyon Limited.

Opinion...

We have audited the financial statements of Visyon Limited (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for Opinion...

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions Relating to Going Concern...

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information...

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on Other Matters Prescribed by the Companies Act 2006...

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on Which we are Required to Report by Exception...

IIn the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the Trustees report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of Trustees...

As explained more fully in the statement of Trustees responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements...

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

We obtained an understanding of laws and regulations that affect the company, focusing on those that had a direct effect on the financial statements or that had a fundamental effect on its operations. Key laws and regulations that we identified included the UK Companies Act, tax legislation, and employment legislation.

We enquired of the directors, reviewed correspondence with HMRC and reviewed legal fees for evidence of non-compliance with relevant laws and regulations. We also reviewed controls the directors have in place to ensure compliance.

We gained an understanding of the controls that the directors have in place to prevent and detect fraud. We enquired of the directors about any incidences of fraud that had taken place during the accounting period.

The risk of fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud was discussed within the audit team and tests were planned and performed to address these risks. We identified the potential for fraud in the following areas: related party transactions, revenue recognition and management override.

We reviewed financial statements disclosures and tested to supporting documentation to assess compliance with relevant laws and regulations discussed above.

We enquired of the directors about actual and potential litigation and claims.

We performed analytical procedures at the planning stage to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that might indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud.

In addressing the risk of fraud due to management override of internal controls we tested the appropriateness of journal entries and assessed whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates were indicative of a potential bias.

Due to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. For example, as with any audit, there remained a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing fraud or noncompliance laws and regulations and cannot be expected to detect all fraud and noncompliance with laws and regulations.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/ auditors responsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Marie Ann Shenton FCCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of Hammond McNulty LLP

Chartered Certified Accountants Statutory Auditor Bank House, Market Square, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1ET

Statement of Financial Activities Including Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended 31st March 2024

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

Balance Sheet

as at 31st March 2024

259,72 285,43
259,72 2 285,43 5
109,19 1 173,83 7
3
68,913		 4
59,272

The financial statements were approved by the trustees on .2..2../.0..8../.2..0..2.4.........

..............................

Mr A Brabban-Brown

Company registration number 05250758 (England and Wales)

Statement of Cash Flows

for the Year Ended 31st March 2024

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024

1 Accounting policies

Charity information

Visyon Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Fellowship House, Park Road, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1DP, England.

1.1 Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's [governing document], the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

1.2 Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

1.3 Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

1.4 Income

Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

Income is only deferred when:

the donor has imposed conditions which must be met before the charity has unconditional entitlement.

Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis.

Income from charitable activities, which includes income received under contract or where entitlement to grant funding is subject to specific performance conditions, is recognised as earned (as the related goods or services provided). Grant income included in this category provides funding to support performance activities and is recognised where there is entitlement, receipt is probable and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charity has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.

1.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliable. It is categorised under the following headings:

Other expenditure represents those items not falling into the categories above

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

Support costs allocation

Support costs are those that assist the work of the charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs, governance costs and administrative payroll costs. They are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity and include project management carried out at Headquarters. Where support costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities on a basis consistent with use of the resources.

Fundraising costs are those incurred in seeking voluntary contributions and do not include the costs of disseminating information in support of the charitable activities.

1.6 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Leasehold land and buildings 10% straight line Plant and equipment 25% reducing balance Fixtures and fittings 25% reducing balance Computers 33% straight line

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

1.7 Impairment of fixed assets

At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

1.8 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

1.9 Financial instruments

The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Basic financial liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Derecognition of financial liabilities

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

1.10 Employee benefits

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

1.11 Retirement benefits

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

2 Judgements and Estimation Uncertainty

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

3 Income from donations and legacies

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

4 Income from charitable activities

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

5 Income from others trading activities

6 Income from investments

7 Other income

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

8 Expenditure on charitable activities

202 3

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

9 Support costs allocated to activities

10 Net movement in funds

11 Trustees

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.

12 Employees

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000.

Remuneration of key management personnel

The remuneration of key management personnel was £52,160 (£51,475 2023).

13 Taxation

The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.

14 Tangible fixed assets

15 Debtors

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

16 Creditors

17 Retirement benefit schemes

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.

18 Restricted funds

The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations, grants and other income held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The transfer between the restricted and unrestricted fund is due to the completion of restricted fund projects in the year whilst also ensuring the restricted funds balance at the year includes £250,000 to cover operating costs.

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

19 Unrestricted funds

The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.

20 Analysis of net assets between funds

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2024 - continued...

21 Operating lease commitments

Lessee

At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non- cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

22 Related party transactions

Transactions with related parties

During the year the charity entered into the following transactions with related parties:

£729.60 for First Aid Training with Ensure Safety &Training, a company of which A Dean is a director.

23 Cash generated from operations

24 Analysis of changes in net funds

The charity had no material debt during the year.

Ways to support...

Visyon couldn't support anyone without the incredible generous support we receive from our donors and fundraisers. We know times are tough right now but the ideas and creativity that we see from our supporters continues to amaze us. Contact the Fundraising Team, at fundraising@visyon.org.uk, if you'd like to support Visyon with one of the following options or have an idea of your own you'd like to make a reality!

Organise an event such as a BBQ, bake sale or quiz night

Set up payroll giving at your workplace Sponsor our newsletter, campaign or a young person's counselling room Give in memory of a loved one

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