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2026-03-31-accounts

CLAPA A n nual Re p ort 2025/26

and Audited Financial Statements

Registered and working names: The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (registered name) Cleft Lip and Palate Action (working name) CLAPA (working name)

Company number: 05206298 Charity number: 1108160 OSCR number: SC041034

Contents

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|||| |---|---|---| |• CLAPA in brief|4| |• Letter from the Chair of Trustees|5| |• Our impact|6| |• Financial snapshot|7| |• Trustees’ annual report|8| |– Strategy and objectives|9| |– Activities, achievements, and performance|12| |•|Invest|12| |– CLAPA is now Cleft Lip and Palate Action|12| |– Investing in our people|15| |•|Empower|16| |– End the cleft dental care crisis|16| |– Other campaigning wins this year|16| |– Community involvement in designing our services|18| |– Supporting research and patient & public involvement (PPI)|19| |•|Inform|20| |– New resources|20| |– Signposting and support|20| |– Supporting health professionals|21| |•|Connect|21| |– Highlights|22| |– Online support forums|22| |– Social media|23| |– Camp CLAPA|23| |– CLAPA Companions|24| |– Cleft Youth Magazine|24| |•|Reassure|24| |– Feeding babies born with a cleft|24| |– Peer and parent supporters|25| |– Counselling|26| |– Cleft++ Mentoring|26| |• Fundraising review|28| |• Volunteering|31|

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– Approach to fundraising 32 – Financial review and reserves policy 33 – Key risks and uncertainties 36 – Structure, governance and management 37 – Statement of responsibilities of the trustees 39 – Reference and administrative information 40 • Independent auditor’s report 41 • Statement of financial activities 45 • Balance sheet 46 • Statement of cash flows 47 • Note to the financial statements 48

Stories from the community

• Kazz i’s story 10 • Megan’s story 14 • Sarah’s story 17 • Matt & Chester’s story 27

2 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

3

CLAPA in brief

Every day in the UK, three babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate It’s a lifelong condition, with an impact on feeding, speech, hearing, teeth, and more Many babies have their first surgery at just three months old Yet this is the just the start of a 20-year treatment pathway ahead

Cleft Lip and Palate Action (CLAPA) is the only national charity supporting people affected by cleft in the United Kingdom

We help those born with a cleft, and their families - from diagnosis and throughout their life - with comprehensive and reassuring information, a welcoming community of people with shared experiences, and evidence-based services and resources

Vision

No one affected by cleft lip and palate in the United Kingdom will go through their journey alone

Purpose

CLAPA supports people to take control of their journey, connect with others, and use their voices to impact the future of care

Values:

Inclusive

Everyone affected by cleft in the UK should be able to find a warm and welcoming community with CLAPA and see themselves reflected in our work

Adaptable

We change with the times by acting on feedback, to raise the bar in all our activities

Trusted

We always want to do what’s best for the UK cleft community Their needs and voices are central to everything we do

Collaborative

We work best when we work together – as a staff team, as a cleft community, and in partnership with others

Letter from the Chair of Trustees

As I write this year’s letter, I find myself reflecting on just how much has changed since I first became Chair of the board of trustees in October 2024 In what will soon be two years in the role, I have had the privilege of witnessing an extraordinary period of evolution for CLAPA - not only in how we operate, but in how boldly and confidently we represent and champion the cleft community

As someone born with a cleft myself, I feel privileged to have received some of that support in my own lifetime, as have many of our trustees, staff members, and their families

It makes me immensely proud to present this report detailing the real, life-changing impact our services and community have had across the UK over the past year Alongside delivering vital support services, we’ve strengthened our campaigning and influencing work to ensure the cleft community is not only supported but heard In particular, our dental campaign has highlighted the challenges many people with a cleft face in accessing appropriate dental care and treatment Seeing CLAPA representatives visit Downing Street to deliver a petition from our community to Parliament was a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when people come together with a shared purpose and determination to create change

Perhaps the most visible change this year has been the transition to our new working name, Cleft Lip and Palate Action The new name and brand reflect exactly what we do every single day - take action for the cleft community The rebrand has brought fresh energy, clarity and confidence to the charity, while remaining rooted in the compassion, connection and lived experience that have always defined us I would like to thank every member of staff, volunteer, trustee, supporter, and member of the community who helped shape and embrace this transformation

We’ve also continued investing in the future of the organisation itself Our development strategy is centred around becoming a modern, agile, and growing charity that evolves alongside the community it serves By making the most of new opportunities, partnerships, and available funding, we aim to expand our reach, strengthen our services, and respond dynamically to the changing needs of the cleft community

Cleft Lip and Palate Action rema ins unique in the way it supports patients and families impacted by cleft, often even before a child is born - and continues that support throughout life, for as long as it’s needed

None of this would be possible without the extraordinary dedication of our staff team, the generosity of our supporters, the passion of our volunteers, and the commitment and guidance of my fellow trustees Together, you continue to make an enormous difference to countless lives across the UK

I extend my heartfelt thanks for everything you’ve done this year, and for the journey still ahead of us - as we continue supporting, connecting, empowering, and taking a ction for the cleft community

Oliver Rendell, Chair of Trustees

CLAPA in brief CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Letter from the Chair of Trustees CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 5

4

Our impact

60

pen pals were matched up with CLAPA Companions – more than double last year

“The best part was knowing that there are other kids going through the same treatment journey as me” CLAPA companions pen pal

542

people attended 49 online events , from support groups to workshops

“As a parent of a child with a cleft it was reassuring to know others are affected by the same issues My little boy was also very excited to see another real-life boy onscreen with a cleft ” Discussion evening attendee

649

Welcome Packs of special bottles and teats were sent to families in need, along with 13,500 subsidised items for families and hospitals

“CLAPA’s bottle service was literally lifechanging for us It made such a difference in those early days ” Mother of child born with a cleft

63

people had one-to-one support from our counselling, Cleft ++ mentoring, or peer and parent support services

“Being able to speak uncensored was very liberating To anyone considering using this service, I would say: do it, without a doubt ”

Counselling beneficiary

135

people received support with enquiries on issues from dental care to emotional wellbeing

““CLAPA’s like a lifeline - to know you’re not alone and there’s someone else who’s feeling exactly how you’re feeling ” Adult born with a cleft

[48 ]

young people took part in a Camp CLAPA adventure weekend

“[My son] has grown a foot in confidence and it literally shone out of him he loved every minute ” Parent of Camp CLAPA attendee

4,000+

signatures on our petition calling for improved dental care and treatment More than 400 people shared their experience in our research survey

“We’re not asking for a cosmetic service, just basic treatment for our teeth that are severely affected by an underlying health condition ” Adult born with a cleft

in 2026

CLAPA’s new brand and website was launched The same CLAPA, but with a brand new look and energy

“Finding the CLAPA website was the best thing I ever did I’ve loved being part of the CLAPA community ever since ”

Adult born with a cleft

Financial snapshot

£1 88m

In 2025 /26, your support helped us raise

Legacies £901,282

Grants, donations, gift aid and gifts in kind £681,977

Feeding service and other income from charitable activities £65,096

For every £1 raised, CLAPA spends:

70p on delivering and 9p on our office, IT and supporting services, governance, to keep our including events, information, team connected and all our support, enabling research, services safe and compliant and more

21p on direct fundraising costs to ensure we have the money to run our services for years to come

In 2025/26 we spent £1 11m

Direct costs of delivering our services to families, young people and adults affected by cleft, as well as outreach to NHS and government departments to influence policy £564,636

Raising funds to enable us to keep our services running £178,834

Why we still need your support in 2026/27

Our five-year strategy is focused on investment and growth, and after just one year, the impact is already clear The significant increase in legacy income in the past two years has given CLAPA a unique opportunity to make bold commitments to secure our future and deliver the highquality services the UK cleft community deserves Now, we need your support to sustain this momentum

CLAPA is a charity with no government or NHS funding; we rely on generous donors and fundraisers to continue our work

Our planned expenditure for 2026/27 is £1 48m, covering the costs of delivering and developing CLAPA’s life-changing services, and the essential infrastructure needed to support them With £485k of this covered by allocating our legacy funds, we must raise at least £995k next year to keep on track

Financial snapshot CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 7

Our Impact

6 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Trustees’ annual report

The trustees present their report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

The trustees have given due consideration to the Charity Commission’s published guidance on the Public Benefit requirement when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives, and in planning its future activities In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set

Reference and administrative information set out on page 40 forms part of this report The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association , the Financial Reporting Standard (FRS102), and the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities , which is applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102

Aims and objectives

Cleft Lip and Palate Action (CLAPA) is the national charity supporting, connecting, celebrating, and championing the cleft community in the United Kingdom It supports people born with a cleft and their families - from diagnosis and throughout their lives - with comprehensive and reassuring information, a welcoming community of people with shared experiences, and evidence-based services and resources

The charity’s objectives are set out in its governing documents, the Memorandum and Articles of Association (July 2004): “The relief of, and support, for all those with a cleft lip, cleft palate or both, or associated craniofacial birth anomalies; and the promotion of research into the causes of, and the relief, treatment, or care of those with a cleft lip, cleft palate or associated craniofacial birth anomalies, and conditions or any of them, and to publish the useful results of such research”

Strategy and objectives

For 2025/26

This year marked the first of a five-year strategic plan, which positions CLAPA as a growing charity on a mission to support the cleft community today and creating a better future for tomorrow

This strategy is shaped by people with lived experience while focusing on long-term sustainability and innovation in service delivery The five key strategic themes are:

Inform

Invest

Empower

We will keep the cleft community informed about care pathways, treatment options, and support services We will provide clear, accessible, and evidence-based resources , empowering people to make informed decisions

We will continue to invest in our services, infrastructure, and people We’ll have the right staff and resources to meet growing demand and deliver quality services We will invest in supportive functions, including communications, marketing and income generation

We are committed to being the voice of people affected by cleft Through advocacy, campaigning, and co-production, we will influence policies and empower the cleft community to have a say in their care

Connect

Reassure

From the moment of diagnosis, we will do all we can to reassure families and individuals with information and support Our services will continue to evolve to meet the emotional, psychological, and practical needs of the cleft community

We will provide opportunities for the cleft community to connect, share experiences, and access support through digital and inperson events tailored to their needs We will strive to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion by engaging with those affected by cleft from underserved communities

Read on to learn more about the difference made to the UK cleft community in 2025/26 through CLAPA’s core services and initiatives

The strategy’s first year has been a strong start, with CLAPA launching a new brand and website and making significant progress on other strategic priorities

Strategy and objectives CLAPA Annual Report CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Trustees’ Annual Report CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

9

8

Kazzi’s story

Kazzi was born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate, an d had her initial lip repair surgery in India when she was two years old She was adopted shortly afterwards, along with her brother, and continued her cleft treatment when she arrived in the UK

“I remember lots of hospital appointments and having work done all over the place, on my speech, hearing, eating, drinking, and teeth I finally got discharged from the cleft team last year, aged 30 – after 26 years ”

Kazzi said she first encountered “being the odd one out” in high school, and reached out to CLAPA to meet other children born with cleft

“In primary school no one saw me as the girl with the cleft lip, people just saw me as me But going into high school, especially year seven, was quite tough because some of the bigger kids would point and laugh

“I was the only girl in the school with a cleft My friends were very supportive, but I really wanted to meet another kid with a cleft lip so I wouldn’t feel alone

“I remember finding CLAPA online when I was about 11 I was looking on what we had back in my day – MSN and Myspace I looked for cleft lips and found the CLAPA website

“I thought at first it was just for babies, but then I saw a picture of a kid And then it said something about days out, and I asked my dad to take me ”

In 2025/26, CLAPA launched a new website to make our work more welcoming and accessible A key priority was ensuring that everyone from the UK cleft community would land on our website and feel like they’d come to the right place

“I was quite nervous going up there, but it was really enjoyabl e and great to be around other kids with cleft It answered a lot of my anxieties about being the only one, and made m e feel much less alone ”

In 2025/26, 48 young people born with a cleft took part in ‘Camp CLAPA’ adventure weekends; read more on page 23

Since then, Kazzi has been a very active member of the CLAPA community, on our Facebook groups, and attending more and more eve nts as an adult, including the adults’ conference

“There were so many people with cleft at the conference, it was brilliant The talks were fascinating, there were great activities where I felt my opinion mattered, and I met so many people and made new friends We’re still in touch now, and still meet up

Kazzi is a member of CLAPA’s main Facebook group

“I’ve met up with a few from our Facebook group locally, and that’s been lovely Now I have more friends who grew up the same way I did, and who just understand about the operations and hospitals etc

“I’ve joined in the CLAPA Lounge, adults’ focus groups, am part of the PPI focus group, and gave my opinion for the dental campaign

“Finding the CLAPA website was the best thing I ever did I’ve loved being part of the CLAPA community ever since ”

“CLAPA’s like a lifeline – to know you’re not alone and there’s someone else who’s feeling exactly how you’re feeling ”

Kazzi

Kazzi joined one of CLAPA’s activity days in Shropshire, including climbing and archery, with a group of children also born with a cleft

Kazzi’s Story 10 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Kazzi’s Story CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 11

Activities, achievements and performance

CLAPA’s unique services are a lifeline to the UK’s growing community of people affected by cleft lip and palate - including 1,200 new babies every year, 20,000 under-18s, and around 60,000 adults who were born with the condition

And so, in 2024, CLAPA began the process of developing a new brand and a new website to bring the charity into its next phase It’s taken time to do this the right way – in close consultation with service users and at minimal cost to supporters

This year, CLAPA continued to support thousands of families, adult patients, and young people with a wide range of accessible and evidence-based services and opportunities

A new name

CLAPA is an acronym for The Cleft Lip and Palate Association The charity is now using Cleft Lip and Palate Action as its working name alongside the familiar CLAPA acronym

Invest

This change reflects what CLAPA is today – alongside delivering life-changing services, the charity is now a campaigning organisation, actively calling for meaningful change to improve cleft care in the UK It positions CLAPA as the voice of the UK cleft community, working on their behalf to create a better future – yet still recognisable as a much-loved and cherished brand

This year marked a strong start to our fiveyear strategy to invest in CLAPA’s future In February, we launched a new name, brand and website, alongside other key infrastructure projects, creating a solid foundation for meeting growing demand and delivering high-quality services It was also a year of growth for the CLAPA team, strengthening the capacity that will help us deliver our ambitious plans through to 2030

It also marks a change in CLAPA’s content and communications, which has seen the charity become stronger and bolder when it’s called for, whilst continuing to be the vibrant, friendly, and supportive community space for everybody affected by cleft in the UK

CLAPA is now Cleft Lip and Palate Action

After two years of development, in February 2026 CLAPA launched a new brand, website, and working name to take on the challenges of a changing world The same CLAPA you know and love – with a bold new look and energy

A new look

CLAPA’s bold new logo makes a statement without losing the friendly feel of what came before

The looping letters – now seen throughout CLAPA’s visuals – represent the ‘thread for life’ that carries CLAPA’s support throughout someone’s cleft journey, from diagnosis into adulthood The emphasis on the ‘L’ and ‘P’ in the acronym place equal weight on ‘lip’ and ‘palate’ to better represent the entire UK cleft community

The Cleft Lip and Palate Association was founded in 1979, as a small, volunteer-run charity with a family-focused brand Since then, CLAPA’s work has changed, its impact has grown, and the world has modernised

Alongside developing vital support services, CLAPA has built vibrant online communities, and is now campaigning for better cleft care, and raising public awareness to reduce stigma The original brand didn’t reflect CLAPA’s work or ambition to celebrate, champion, and support the UK cleft community at every stage of life

A new colour palette reflects the blues found in medical environments, and is dialled up to give vibrancy and weight, whilst the soft blush reflects the reassurance that CLAPA’s services and information provide

----- Start of picture text -----
Tog e th e r we face
th e c h allenges,
and tog e ther we
celebrat e stren g th
One in 700 babies is born with a cleft in the UK
CLAPA is the national charity supporting , celebrating and championing
the cleft community at every stage of their lives.
Our work
• We provide trusted information,
emotional and practical support
for families, children, young people and adults. On e in 700
• We create safe, welcoming spaces for
the cleft community to connect, share
• We deliver experiences and build confidence.events and community-led activities a wide range of online p e o p le in the
that bring people together throughout
the cleft journey.
UK ar e b or n
No one should face their cleft
journey alone – and CLAPA is here
for every step. w i th a cl e ft
Discover us and donate
clapa.com
020 7833 4883
info@clapa.com
@clapacommunity
Cleft Lip and Palate Action (CLAPA) is the operating name of Cleft Lip and Palate Association, a registered Charity in England and Wales (No. 1108160) and Scotland (SC041034), which is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales Company (5206298). Registered office: The Green House, 244-254 Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 9DA
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A gui d e for n ew pare n ts and car e rs

Activities, achievements and performance 12 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 13

Lots of new faces

Real people from the UK cleft community have always been central to CLAPA’s work Alongside the thousands of photos and videos sent in by the community over the years, CLAPA needed a new set of images to go with its new look

In November 2025, two community content days were held, with a professional photoshoot and videography undertaken to build up a fresh new content bank People from the CLAPA community – from newborns to seasoned volunteers – were invited to share their smiles and their stories with the world These photos are featured throughout this report

A new website

CLAPA’s previous website launched in 2015 to serve a very different charity, in a very different world The new website built on a decade of learning, advances in technology, and deep consultation with service users to create a vibrant, welcoming hub for the UK’s cleft community

Our brand consultancy delivered £47k worth of work to CLAPA at no cost to supporters

Megan’s story

Megan has a unique place in CLAPA’s rebranding story – she was born with a cleft lip and palate, and is a designer at The Team, the brand consultancy behind CLAPA’s new brand

Megan said: “I was really excited when I heard I’d be working on the CLAPA refresh project – such a brilliant opportunity! I felt a little nervous too, because I knew I was going to have to be a bit vulnerable, explaining things about my cleft to my colleagues

“It was great to be an experienced voice in the room when ideas were being put on the table – to be able to say ‘I agree with that’ or ‘that might not be quite right’ based on my own journey with cleft

CLAPA’s vital information and services for people at all stages of their cleft journey are now more accessible, and we have a solid foundation on which to build the next four years of our strategy

The support that made all this possible

This project has benefited from some truly generous, professional support

The development of this rebrand , including the name, brand platform and visual identity, was de livered by The Team, an incredible creative brand consultancy and BCorp They selected CLAPA as part of their annual commitment to returning social value by supporting a good cause based in the UK Each year, The Team offers their specialist brand strategy and identity expertise to a not-for-profit organisation or charity where their skills can make a meaningful difference

CLAPA’s new website was almost entirely funded by a generous grant from the VTCT Foundation of £39 8k, with additional costs of £7 8k covered by designated funds from a legacy donation

“I love that CLAPA’s new brand reflects the lifelong journey with cleft, especially the thread-like curves which visually weave the promise that CLAPA is, and always will be, a thread for life and there for you at whatever point you may need them ”

Other costs associated with these projects, such as the two community content days and design work for our new resources, were also covered by designated legacy funds These totalled £17 6k in 25/26 and £3 9k in 24/25

Investing in our people

Generous support from legacies in recent years has allowed CLAPA’s five-year strategy to be one of sustainable investment, which will soon see us grow our staff team to meet the emerging challe nges facing the cleft community

Involvement

To enable more people to contribute to CLAPA’s work in a way which reflects their interests, availability and lived experiences, CLAPA is investing in a wider range of opportunities for involvement Coproduction is a key part of this approach, enabling us to work in partnership with the community to better understand their needs, experiences and priorities, and to use those insights to shape a sustainable offer that is informed by and responsive to the people we support Over the past year, we strengthened this area by expanding a key staff role, and we will continue to grow this team in the year ahead to help us meet our goals of involving the cleft community in every facet of our work

Children and Young People’s Services

Rising demand for services for children and young people born with a cleft, combined with increasingly complex support needs, is placing pressure on our Children and Young People’s services To tackle this, we increased the hours of the staff member leading this work, and we will continue to grow the team in the year ahead This investment will ensure these services remain safe, effective and sustainable, whilst creating more opportunities for young people to help shape activities, projects and future developments

Supportive functions

To strengthen community engagement and support the long-term growth and impact of our events and services, we need to raise awareness of CLAPA’s work By investing in essential functions such as communications, we can ensure that everyone who could benefit from CLAPA’s work knows how to access support Over the past year, we recruited our first Head of Communications and Marketing to lead the launch of our new brand, and we will continue to grow this team in the year ahead to expand our reach and increase the impact of our services

CLAPA has also expanded its administrative support team last year by increasing the hours of an existing staff member and recruiting a new Administrator This essential support will help us to meet increased demand across the board and ensure the rest of our staff team can focus on delivering our life-changing services

Fundraising

Last year, we worked to embed a culture of fundraising across CLAPA and diversify our income by recruiting a Supporter Care Officer to provide better stewardship to our community and promoting an existing staff member to manage them We also added a Philanthropy Coordinator to our team, who has already started to open new avenues for people to support our work This team will continue to expand next year, with investment in management and Trusts and Foundations to help us continue to secure diverse income streams

Activities, achievements and performance 14 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 15

Empower

CLAPA’s campaign to End the Cleft Dental Crisis marked an important step in strengthening our role as a voice for people affected by cleft The campaign is ongoing, and with dental access just one of several serious issues facing the UK cleft community, this area of work will remain a growing priority Over the past year, we also developed new plans for involving our community more closely in our work, while continuing to ensure that lived experience shapes cleft research and other projects that will influence the future of cleft care

End the Cleft Dental Care Crisis

In 2025, CLAPA conducted and published one of its largest ever surveys on dental access for cleft patients, gathering more than 400 responses Findings highlighted serious issues, including difficulties registering with NHS dentists, affordability concerns, and reports of inadequate understanding of cleft among dental professionals

In late October, the campaign to ‘End the Cleft Dental Care Crisis’ was launched to highlight the significant barriers faced by people affected by cleft The survey results were included in a Policy Document used to engage directly with policymakers, NHS leaders, professional bodies, and parliamentarians - to push for improvements in cleft-related dental care, training, and accountability

Over 4,000 people signed our petition calling for better dental care, treatment and outcomes

Phase two of this campaign will come next year – visit clapa com/CleftDentalCrisis for updates

Other campaigning wins this year

Sarah’s story

Since moving to London from Ireland six years ago, Sarah has been seriously struggling to find a dentist to support her cleft care

“I’m really shocked at how bad the situation is in the UK I’ve seen so many people with bad teeth here At first, I thought, ‘what’s going on?’ until I realised people just can’t get to a dentist

“I contacted so many NHS dentists across southwest London The only one that took me in is an hour away on the bus and tube, so I’ve only been for one appointment there in the last two years

“Cleft can weaken the tooth enamel, so I really should be having regular check-ups – but the journey puts me off It’s important to visit the dentist regularly, especially for someone with cleft

“I wrote to so many NHS dentists and explained about my cleft None of them seemed very sympathetic and most just ignored me

“We’re not asking for a cosmetic service, just basic treatment for our teeth that are severely affected by an underlying health condition ”

Sarah is one of several adults born with a cleft whose stories featured in our ‘End the Cleft Dental Care Crisis’ campaign

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 17

16

Community involvement in designing our services

With co-production and diversity, equity, and inclusion at the heart of our strategy, this year focused on exploring new ways to engage more voices in our work We facilitated themed co-production groups focused on volunteering and involvement as well as exploring what matters most to adults and families affected by cleft This shift away from traditional focus groups has allowed us to gain deeper insights from a wider range of people

“I loved being part of an inclusive and welcoming group It really helped me understand my own cleft journey better and it’s amazing knowing my experience can help others”

Co-production group member

Young Adults Group

This group of 18 to 25-year-olds, who were born with a cleft, continued to use their lived experience to shape, support, and guide CLAPA’s service and resource development This year, they focused on key life events for young adults and identified gaps and needs which CLAPA can work to address

Children and Young People’s Council (CYPC)

Eighteen young people born with a cleft contributed to CLAPA’s CYPC by shaping support, activities, and content for other under-18s Their input was hugely valuable in informing CLAPA’s wider youth support and engagement work They met regularly throughout the year and took part in an annual residential camp which combined outdoor activities and peer connection with time dedicated to planning their ‘ CLAPA Yappers’ podcast project They also delivered a talk for 30 Clinical Nurse Specialists, helped to design a fundraising pack for young people, and fed into recruitment

“It’s a really nice place and you are likely to meet other young people who understand and all while helping others!”

CYPC member

CLAPA Yappers Podcast

The first series of CLAPA Yappers, a podcast for young people born with a cleft, was recorded in early 2026 and is due to be released later this year Developed and hosted by the CYPC, the series explored issues including bullying, speech, and confidence, whilst developing valuable skills for the participants

“I absolutely loved being a guest on the CLAPA Yappers Podcast It was such a fun experience to record, and the hosts were so professional and amazing at interviewing! I’m really looking forward to hearing it!”

Bronwen, podcast guest

Supporting research and Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)

CLAPA is committed to ensuring cleft research puts people affected by cleft front and centre Our consultancy service supports researchers and NHS Cleft Teams with everything from the development of their projects to the recruitment of participants and dissemination of results In 2025/26, we spoke to 20 researchers and clinicians about supporting their projects over the next few years

This year, six projects used a consultancy package with CLAPA, two of which benefitted from our bursary scheme Due to the lengthy timescales of research projects, this is an area of work which is growing slowly but steadily, with nearly £8k received in consultancy fees in 2025/26

Key wins in 2025/26:

Working with the Cleft Development Group (CDG)

The CDG has representation from all the NHS cleft teams within the UK Its purpose is to represent and work with all those involved in cleft care, to ensure the highest quality of care in the UK for all patients who need it

CLAPA runs a Patient Engagement Group (PEG) for the CDG to ensure the cleft community has a voice in these discussions Its key priority has been to ensure patients can self-refer to cleft services, and significant progress has been made

The group also fed into several other projects, including a genetics information leaflet and the NHS Cleft National Service Specification Review, and with CRANE (a national database collecting and reports information on children born with a cleft in the UK) providing an in-depth review of four of their parent documents

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Activities, achievements and performance
CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 19
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Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Inform

Helping people access the information they need to make confident decisions about cleft care and support remains central to CLAPA’s work This year, we focused on improving the quality and accessibility of our existing resources, laying strong foundations for future developments We also provided tailored guidance through our enquiry service on a wide range of issues, while supporting healthcare professionals to connect people with the help and services available through CLAPA

New resources

Video resources

Video resources are an important part of ensuring as many people as possible can access information about cleft in a way which works for them

In 2025/26:

Booklets

‘Parents’ and Carers’ Guide to Cleft Lip and Palate’ booklet for families This leaflet is now in our free Welcome Packs of special bottles and teats, and provides clearer, up-to-date information and stronger support around feeding and coping with the early months of a baby’s life

Website

Signposting and support

CLAPA’s enquiry service provides responsive support, advice, and signposting We connect people to relevant CLAPA services, external organisations, and healthcare providers, ensuring they can access the right support at the right time

57% increase in support enquiries from the cleft community

In 2025/26, we responded to 135 enquiries – an increase of 57% on the previous year 97 enquiries were from adults facing challenges such as dental issues; surgery and appearance-related treatment; returning to cleft care pathways; accessing clinical referrals; and ongoing functional and psychological support 38 enquiries from parents and families were on themes including access to treatment, antenatal information, emotional support, and peer support

“Thanks for all the advice you gave me on the phone and in this email, it’s greatly appreciated After many years I think this is the best chance I have in getting my teeth sorted out properly so many thanks again ”

Enquiry service user

Supporting health professionals

Connect

Creating opportunities for people affected by cleft to connect with and support each other through shared experiences has always been a key pillar of CLAPA’s work This year, we delivered a range of services to help people find a cleft community on their own terms, including online events, support forums, a pen pal scheme, a magazine, and our ever-popular Camp CLAPA activity weekends

CLAPA is dedicated to working in partnership with clinicians when it comes to supporting their patients to access our services

Our new website has a ‘professionals’ hub’, and a key part of this is the new referrals pathway introduced this year This pathway allows clinicians to connect people affected by cleft with relevant support services This is particularly valuable for people who may not otherwise engage with specialist support or be aware of the help available through CLAPA The pathway has strengthened routes into support, increased awareness of CLAPA’s services, and helped identify more patients in need

Online events

CLAPA runs a range of online events to help people from the cleft community to connect with each other wherever they are in the UK

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49
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542
attendees, who comprised:
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ticketed online events
9% 55%
under 18s parents/carers
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25% 24%
adults born with grandparents
a cleft and other family
members
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parents/carers
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After attending a CLAPA event:
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86%
felt more connected
to their cleft
community
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82% 88% 94%
felt more confident felt more positive said they gained
about talking about about tackling knowledge and new
cleft cleft-related skills
challenges
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Activities, achievements and performance 20 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 21

Highlights

Discussion evenings

These events focus on specific topics and encourage families to share experiences, ask questions, and learn from others at similar stages in their cleft journeys After trialling one successful discussion evening the previous year, we ran three this year with 64 attendees The topics were weaning, school and education, and mental health and wellbeing– reflecting feedback from our community calling for a focus on key milestones in a child’s cleft journey

“As a parent of a child with a cleft it was reassuring to know others are affected by the same issues and I felt reassured in the steps and ways I have faced these My little boy was also very excited to see another real-life boy on screen with a cleft ”

Discussion Evening attendee

Support groups for adults

Ten CLAPA Lounge events for adults welcomed 77 attendees, a quarter of whom were attending for the first time These freeform support groups focused on topics from genetics to dentistry and gave adults born with a cleft the chance to learn new things, share their stories, and connect with others

“Really grateful for the opportunity to join CLAPA Zoom events - thank you! You have made me feel welcome and at ease in sharing information especially regarding my cleft - which I’ve never really discussed properly before until recently with returning to the Cleft Team as an adult ”

Online event attendee

Chat and Chill

One Chat and Chill event supported by our Children and Young People’s Council (CYPC) gave 21 under 18s born with a cleft a safe and supportive space to meet others like them and learn all about the event topic, which was ‘surgical pathways’ This will help them to understand and take control of their own cleft treatment as they grow up

“It was my daughter’s first opportunity to meet other children with cleft The hosts were fantastic role models, she grew in confidence throughout the session, and is now keen to get involved in other opportunities ”

Parent of a Chat and Chill attendee

Makaton baby signing courses

For children whose cleft might affect their speech, Makaton baby signing can reduce frustration and support language development by using signs, symbols, and speech to help them express themselves CLAPA delivered three courses with 32 participants from 27 families completing the programme over four weeks together

“It was great to go through signs together and see them being applied to songs, stories, and situations I really appreciate the book you guys sent out as well!”

Baby Signing session attendee

“I love reading the stories, looking at the pictures, and being able to ask questions and contribute where I can with my own experience ”

Sanjana, mum to Arin

Online support forums

CLAPA’s online support forums welcomed 764 new members in 2025/26, with more than 3 5k daily active users These groups provide a 24/7 source of reassurance, encouragement, and celebration for the UK cleft community

Social media

Our vibrant social media channels reach out to the cleft community and invite them to connect with others over their shared experiences and values We share inspirational stories, targeted information, and opportunities to improve cleft care and support – including our campaign to End the Cleft Dental Care Crisis

9 2 million views on CLAPA’s social media posts in 2025/26

@clapacommunity joined TikTok in October 2025

Camp CLAPA

Over the summer, two Camp CLAPA weekends in Perthshire and Shropshire brought together a total of 30 young people born with a cleft to take part in outdoor activities, build friendships, and share experiences in a safe and inclusive environment Another 18 Children and Young People’s Council (CYPC) members attended their own Camp CLAPA in Buckinghamshire

Feedback highlighted the significant emotional impact of the camps, with many young people describing how the experience helped them feel less alone, more confident, and more positive about their cleft Several participants shared that it was the first time they had ever met another person born with a cleft, while others spoke about the importance of spending time in a space where everyone was “kind, helpful, and good at being friends”

“I was able to recognise my boundaries to a better extent, I was able to push them where I could, but I learned to draw lines and stand up for myself when I was unable to continue ”

Camp CLAPA attendee

Activities, achievements and performance 22 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 23

“For [my son] to experience a weekend with children, just like himself, who he didn’t know, for him to just be himself yet be wanted as a friend without any stigma/questioning, was just so lovely - he has grown a foot in confidence and it literally shone out of him The setting and activities were fabulous - he loved every minute ”

Parent of Camp CLAPA attendee

CLAPA Companions

CLAPA’s pen pal service safely connects 6 to 15-year-olds born with a cleft through letters, videos, and email messages, growing their confidence and communication skills

60 participants in 2025/26 - 160% higher than 24/25

“It’s a really nice way to make new friends with a cleft like me ”

CLAPA Companions Pen Pal

Cleft Youth Magazine

Cleft Youth is an annual magazine aimed at under 12s, providing a valuable introduction to the young cleft community This year’s issue, guest edited by three CLAPA Children and Young People’s Council members, was packed full of news, community stories, tips, activities and

information about CLAPA’s services

Reassure

From the very start of the cleft journey, CLAPA’s free Welcome Packs of bottles and teats offer families a warm and reassuring introduction to the UK cleft community This year, we focused on making this service more cost-effective and sustainable in a challenging economic climate Alongside this, our one-to-one support services continued to provide vital emotional and psychological support to people at every stage of their cleft journey, with rising demand driving improvements to signposting and other processes

Feeding babies born with a cleft

Babies born with a cleft often can’t breastfeed or use regular bottles, leading to stress and health challenges

649 free Welcome Packs of special bottles and teats sent to families in need

We also sent more than 13,500 subsidised items to families and hospitals, and an additional 81 free bottles and teats to families on a low income

These bottles and teats allow newborn babies to leave hospital sooner and feed peacefully at home without the need for nasogastric tubes or other invasive and time-consuming methods

Along with our new website, we launched a new shop with features that allow families to pay less for postage whilst also being able to track their parcel’s journey, providing peace of mind, especially in those early days

Our Welcome Packs also underwent a rebrand to give families a warm and welcoming experience when receiving their first bottles and teats

CLAPA is constantly looking for ways to cut our overheads for this service, to keep the costs for families as low as possible In November, we moved to a smaller office, and the savings in rent meant we were able to freeze our prices in March 2026 We are also exploring opportunities to provide certain items at lower costs

Despite the challenges of continuing rising costs and logistical issues, we remain committed to delivering this life-changing service for families and making this equipment available to everyone who needs it We are extremely grateful to the funders who make this possible

“CLAPA’s bottle service was literally life-changing for us, as we were nervous about feeding It made such a difference in those early days ”

Sanjana, mum to Arin

Peer and parent supporters

In 2025 /26, CLAPA’s volunteers provided individualised support to 33 parents, carers and adults born with a cleft, with 15 more enquiries signposted to more appropriate services These volunteers use their personal experiences and tra ining to provide a safe and understanding space to ask questions and share their stories

CLAPA parent support volunteers provided individualised support to 33 parents, carers and adults born with a cleft

“[The Supporter] and I had a lovely long chat on the phone and found we had both experienced similar problems through our life We seem to have much in common and have scheduled another chat ”

Adult born with a cleft

“It gave me reassurance and made me less anxious about how I was feeling ”

Parent of a child born with a cleft

Activities, achievements and performance 24 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 25

Counselling

CLAPA provides free, confidential counselling for adults born with a cleft, as well as parents, carers, and family members affected by cleft The service provides a safe space to explore the emotional impact of cleft diagnosis and treatment

We received 29 referrals with 23 people going on to access counselling and the remainder signposted to a more appropriate service The referrals included seven fathers, which was significant given that research shows men are less likely to seek mental health support

We provided one-to-one counselling to 23 people affected by cleft

“Being able to speak uncensored was very liberating [My counsellor] was the most wonderful person – always very calm and professional To anyone considering using this service, I would say: do it, without a doubt – I just wish this had been offered when I was much younger ”

Counselling beneficiary

Cleft++ mentoring

Seven 10 to 17-year-olds benefited from being matched with a trained volunteer mentor with lived experience of cleft through the Cleft++ peer mentoring service Young people used the service to explore issues including confidence, identity, friendships, and emotional wellbeing in a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental space with someone who understood their experiences firsthand Through regular one-to-one conversations, mentors helped young people build confidence, feel less isolated, and develop stronger self-esteem and resilience

“My daughter had a great start to year seven - had a question about her lip in the first few weeks from a boy sitting next to her She said when she’d explained to him ‘he just said, ‘oh ok’ and carried on with his work! [She] was playing for sports teams by the second week and helped with the open evening for prospective year sevens Her confidence was definitely given a boost by her contact with Lucy ”

Cleft++ beneficiary

Matt and Chester’s Story

“It was such a relief to read CLAPA’s information – it really helped us accept Chester’s cleft and understand we weren’t alone ”

When Matt and his wife Katie were told their second child would be born with a cleft lip, they turned to CLAPA for muchneeded information

“At the 20-week scan they told us Chester’s gender, and then said we needed to see the NHS team regarding a cleft We were so excited to find out we had a boy, and that news just took the shine off everything ”

“CLAPA does a brilliant job of raising awareness of cleft and all its difficulties I often get asked by people about the operations, and they don’t understand things like gum bones missing affecting the teeth

Matt said the hospital quickly recommended CLAPA and directed the couple to our website

“We leant on CLAPA so much in those early days, as we were so scared throughout the pregnancy

“There’s a lot I still don’t know, but, step by step, I’m coming to understand it ”

To help Chester’s big sister Maisie, aged five, understand his cleft, Matt and Katie shared CLAPA’s book ‘Callie and her Cleft’ with her, which illustrates a baby’s cleft journey

“We were constantly scrolling through the CLAPA website to see how babies with cleft look, how they feed, what happens during and after the operations, and how the babies recover It was all new to us, we were trying to see what we were in for It was such a relief to read CLAPA’s information – it really helped us accept Chester’s cleft and understand we weren’t alone ”

“Maisie was very shocked with the big change of her baby brother after that first lip repair operation, but reading the Callie book, with children’s illustrations, helped her understand what was happening ”

CLAPA’s new website, launched in February 2026, drew from a decade of feedback and research to provide a warm and welcoming experience for new and expectant parents like Matt and his wife

In 2025/26, CLAPA sent out 519 copies of our ‘Callie and her Cleft’ picture book for siblings

Matt said he regularly checks the CLAPA website and social media channels, checking in with the next steps and seeking reassurance about Chester’s cleft journey

Matt said he was aware of cleft before Chester’s diagnosis but had no idea how common and complex the condition can be

“It’s so lovely to see all these smiling faces at different stages of their journeys, even though we know how hard each bit can be

“I think it’s a very misunderstood condition – people think the cleft just gets repaired with a small operation, and then everything’s hunky dory But it’s the things that come with it – the feeding problems, speech, hearing, intense psychological impact on families, and fear of your child being picked on at school for looking different Nobody thinks about the things it entails unless they’re suddenly living with the reality

“Everyone thinks their children are beautiful, but I find Chester stunning He’s almost been compensated for his clef t with lovely blue eyes and blonde hair And I just think ‘fly my boy, you’ve got nothing wrong with you’ ”

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 27

Fundraising review

Legacies continued to play a significant role in shaping CLAPA’s 2025/26 income, but it was far from the only success This year showed growth across all areas of fundraising driven by a willingness to test new approaches, strengthen stewardship, diversify income and build sustainable partnerships

Grants and donations excluding legacies reached £840k, up £101k on the previous year, reflecting the hard work of our team and the generosity of supporters, especially in the current economic climate

Community fundraisers raised over £245k with a range of creative activities, and our incredible individual donors gave more than £145k through regular and one-off gifts, demonstrating just how deeply the UK’s cleft community values CLAPA’s work In addition, we saw an increase in income from Gift Aid, with £54k claimed - an increase of 15 per cent on 2024/25 - at no cost to our community donors and supporters

Last year, CLAPA benefitted from the impact of our corporate partners and gifts in kind In particular, branding agency The Team donated services of significant value to transform CLAPA’s brand into one befitting a bold, modern, and dynamic charity Total corporate income in 2025/26 totalled £73k, representing continued growth in this area

Unrestricted grant income also increased, following a strategic focus on securing core cost and multi-year funding We were proud to secure support from BBC Children in Need and the Garfield Weston Foundation, both highly respected funders who invest in organisations with strong governance, clear strategy, and demonstrable impact

Some of this year’s success stemmed from one-off or exceptional income This allowed us to invest in key projects to strengthen the charity for the future and ensured staff could remain focused on supporting our community While we are extremely grateful for these contributions, they reinforce the ongoing need to build reliable, recurring income to sustain our core services over the long term

The 2025/26 highlights below show the progress we have made and the continued importance of strategic funding partnerships in securing CLAPA’s future:

Batting and Bowling for Smiles

In December, CLAPA teamed up with professional cricketer Tom Kohler-Cadmore to run a special raffle, raising an incredible £8,600 Twelve lucky winners received a signed cricket shirt from some of the sport’s biggest names The activity also demonstrated how dynamic and adaptable our fundraising team can be, successfully identifying a suitable and safe online platform for the raffle and maximising its reach and income potential

“At first, it was scary, but once the cleft team and CLAPA were involved, it’s been pretty smooth sailing Having all the support from you guys at CLAPA, and everyone around us, made it very simple ” Tom Kohler-Cadmore

Tom is father to Dougie, who was born with a cleft

Events and challenges

People from our community took on a range of challenges this year to raise funds for CLAPA – 21 skydivers took part in Jump for July, raising £15k; 20 walkers took on a Kilt Walk raising more than £7 5k; and our annual Cleft Awareness Week in May saw nearly £8k raised through Cuppa for CLAPA and Wear it Blue events

Individual giving

The Big Give Christmas C hallenge saw another exceptional year with £43 5k raised in just one week thanks to 190 donations from our community being matched by our generous corporate, trust, and foundation supporters

In response to the ongoing cost of living crisis, we’ve also made it easier than ever for people to give to CLAPA through no and lowcost methods including our lottery and ‘give while you shop’ schemes

This year, a strong focus on stewardship has improved donor retention and boosted our regular gifts – a vital part of CLAPA’s long-term sustainability

Legacies

One off legacy gifts of £901,282 represented 48 per cent of our total income in 2025/26 We are honoured by this significant show of trust and support and are committed to investing this income carefully to strengthen the charity’s future and ensure longterm sustainability

Our heartfelt thanks go to Margaret Long, Jean Holbrook, Audrey Hardiker, Reginald Young, Vina Lobb, Michael Loney, Janette Wright, Jean West, Ruth Brind, William Grimbley, Rosemary Kimmel, Geoffrey Ounsworth, and others who wish to remain anonymous Their generosity will have a lasting impact, helping us to continue supporting the cleft community for generations to come

Looking ahead, we have plans to grow our legacy programme by introducing a free will writing service in the coming year This service will be available to our community and will help ensure families are well cared for and prepared for the future

Charitable Trusts

Thank you to the 32 charitable trusts and foundations which donated to CLAPA in 2025/26:

*NB We have removed those trusts who wish to remain anonymous

Activities, achievements and performance 28 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 29

Fundraising stories

In June 2025, Jake and his wife Elly took on the Two Castles Run 10k, raising £1,200 for CLAPA in honour of their son, Arthur, who was two years old at the time Their commitment and generosity exemplified the spirit of our fundraising community and the deep personal connections that inspire support for our work

Tragically, in November 2025, Jake was involved in a traffic accident and sadly passed away His loss has been felt deeply by all who knew him, and by the wider CLAPA community

Eight runners took on London Landmarks half marathon which is becoming a very popular event raising £ 4,800 Pictured is Ricard Barnes with his support team, including little boy Hunter who was born with a cleft lip and palate

CLAPA Trustee and Cleft Specialist Nurse Isabel Williams and her friend Ricardo raised £2 ,440 by taking part in Swim Serpentine

Holly raised money by making and selling badges for £1 at school

In the year ahead, Jake’s family and friends are planning a series of fundraising events in his memory, continuing his legacy of kindness, determination, and support for families affected by cleft We

are profoundly grateful for their ongoing commitment and are honoured to remember Jake through the continued impact of these efforts

Sam, Ben and Nick completed the epic Land’s End to John O’Groats cycle in support of CLAPA , completing 922 miles in seven days and raising an amazing £10,620 Sam, a firefighter with West Yorkshire Fire Service, took on the

challenge in thanks for the support given by CLAPA after both his sons, Finlay and Cameron, were born with a cleft palate

In April 2025, The Junior Trainee Group of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, held a gala dinner and raffle for CLAPA raising more than £1,200 They said: “We are very proud as junior trainees to support charities that care for our patients ”

Volunteering

In 2025/26, volunteers and community members came together to share insights on the theme of volunteering , which informed the development of our new Involvement Strategy, due to launch in 2026 This will enable CLAPA to provide a wider spectrum of involvement opportunities that are accessible, inclusive, and rewarding

Volunteers remain central to CLAPA’s service delivery and provide support in every area of our work With our services expanding, there are even more ways to get involved, from mentoring young people and running events, to being part of themed co-production groups informing the development of CLAPA’s services or the future of cleft care

In 2025/26, 89 volunteers spent a total of 3,167 hours supporting CLAPA’s services and governance

By involving those with lived experience of cleft, and those with a professional connection to cleft, in the delivery of our services helps us to ensure that we’re delivering the right support, in the right way, at the right time

Board of Trustees:

Young volunteers :

Members of our Children and Young People’s Council (CYPC) attended regular meetings to feed into CLAPA services and help us support other young people

As well as taking part in board meetings, many of our trustees sit on committees and provide extra guidance throughout the year to support our work

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1,071 hours
Supporting Camp
CLAPA weekends :
Supporting young people
to have a safe and
fun experience
450 hours
221 hours
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745 hours
Patient representatives and
focus groups:
Supporting research,
NHS projects, and CLAPA’s
service development
150 hours 530 hours
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530 hours
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Providing one-to-one support

Supporting online events

Peer and parent supporters, Cleft++ mentors, and counsellors all give up their time to support others

Hosting and sharing skills and knowledge with the cleft community

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Activities, achievements and performance CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 31

30

Approach to fundraising

from one supporter who had nominated us as a beneficiary of a fundraiser and was disappointed that no CLAPA representative was available to attend a cheque presentation This valuable feedback has led to an update on CLAPA’s website to clearly explain when attendance at cheque presentations is possible

There is a strong overlap between CLAPA’s beneficiaries and its supporter base, which makes trust and transparency in fundraising especially vital

CLAPA is firmly committed to ethical fundraising practices and ensuring every donor and fundraiser feels respected and valued While the charity has adopted a more urgent tone to match our new name and brand, great care is taken to avoid placing undue pressure on supporters

Fundraising agencies and third parties

Importantly, CLAPA continues to offer inclusive, meaningful ways for individuals to contribute to its work, regardless of their financial situation

CLAPA does not undertake fundraising activities such as face-to-face or doorto-door fundraising No third parties or professional fundraisers currently undertake fundraising activities on CLAPA’s behalf

Compliance with fundraising regulations

Where CLAPA works with commercial organisations or suppliers (for instance, when purchasing places for its supporters at third party challenge events), it has contracts in place which ensure compliance with the relevant legislation

The charity is a member of both the Fundraising Regulator and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising

As part of its membership of the Fundraising Regulator, CLAPA is signed up to the Fundraising Promise which ensures that it is clear, honest, open, respectful, fair, responsible, and accountable in its fundraising

Data protection

CLAPA takes data protection extremely seriously Personal information is never shared, unless it is with the explicit permission of the data subject and where it is necessary to fulfil their instructions, such as providing information necessary to register a participant on to a thirdparty event

The charity complies with the relevant areas of Fundraising Regulator Codes of Practice As part of CLAPA’s commitment to ensuring its fundraising practices are fair and respectful, the fundraising team regularly reviews the Fundraising Regulator’s guidance to ensure the charity’s practices protect all groups of donors, and particularly those who are vulnerable

This year, CLAPA’s Privacy Policy was updated to better explain current due diligence procedures and ethical checks with regards to accepting or soliciting donations

Complaints

In addition to its own processes for updating communications preferences, CLAPA is registered with the Fundraising Preference Service (FPS) for those making blanket noncontact requests for charities

CLAPA has a robust and accessible complaints procedure, available on its website, to ensure transparency and accountability in all areas of its work, including fundraising

Staff attend mandatory annual data protection training to ensure ongoing compliance with GDPR and other relevant regulations

No formal complaints were received in relation to fundraising during 2025/26 (2024/25: none) Feedback was received

Financial review and reserves policy

CLAPA’s total income for the year 2025/26 was £1,876,143 (2024/25: £1,773,616), an increase of £103k

CLAPA’s policy is that unrestricted free reserves should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six months’ total budgeted expenditure for the following financial year (2025/26: £372k to £744k) Unrestricted free reserves do not include designated, restricted, or fixed asset funds

Non-recurring legacy income once again made up a significant proportion of this, with legacies totalling £901k (2024/25: £940k), with £130k legacies accrued but not received at the year end

The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue to deliver the charity’s current activities whilst revising the 2025-30 strategy and budget

Other income from donations (excluding legacies) increased to £840k (2024/25: £739k), whilst income from charitable activities decreased by £10k to £65k (2024/25: £75k) Income from investments increased by £44k to £62k (2024/25: £18k) as a result of the legacy funds we have carefully invested over the course of the year Other income increased from £1k in 2024/25 to £7 5k

Review of reserves position 2025/26

CLAPA’s unrestricted free reserves at 31 March 2026 was £678,835 (2024/25: £335,532) which equates to 5 months’ expenditure cover under the reserves policy which is within the target range

Total expenditure for the year was £1,111,543, an increase of £269,031 (32%) on 2024/25 (£842,512)

Expenditure on charitable activities in 2025/26 was £848k, an increase of £218k (35%) on last year (£630k) Fundraising costs were £263k in 2025/26, an increase of £51k (24%) compared to last year (£212k)

Total reserves at 31 March 2026, including restricted, fixed asset and designated funds, were £2,132,825 (2024/25 £1,368,226)

The significant increase in expenditure reflects partially the ongoing inflationary costs confronting charities, but also the additional investment in CLAPA’s staff team, infrastructure, services and new campaigning and influencing activities in line with the 202530 strategy, made possible by the significant legacies received in the last few years

A review of CLAPA’s income for the year and income generation strategy for 2025-30 is set out in the fundraising review on page 28

Reserves

Unrestricted free reserves at 31 March 2026 was £678,835, equivalent to 5 months’ expenditure cover, within target range

Reserves are monitored regularly and carefully by the board of trustees and senior leadership team so that action can be taken should the actual and projected reserves fall below unsustainable levels or grow unnecessarily large

Approach to fundraising 32 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Financial review and reserves policy CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 33

Designated funds

CLAPA has seen a significant growth in legacy income over the last three years As legacy gifts are one off and represent a lifetime of an individual’s support, we will steward these contributions over several years to maximise their impact, ensuring they reach and benefit as many people as possible through this generous commitment Receipt of these significant legacies has enabled CLAPA to focus on growing, strengthening and sustaining our impact with the creation of the following two designated funds:

1) Future Growth Fund 23/24

Legacy income of £77k recognised in 2023/24 gave CLAPA the resources to designate £71k in the Future Growth Fund 23/24 This fund (fully spent as planned by the end of 31 March 2026) enabled CLAPA to invest in development projects in 2024/25 and 2025/26 with a long-term impact on the charity, including:

2) Impact 2030 Fund

Legacy income of £940k recognised in 2024/25 enabled the trustees to designate two exceptional legacies totalling £898k into our Impact 2030 Fund This substantial boom in income enabled CLAPA to embark upon its 2025-30 strategy, with £167k drawn down in 2025/26 investing in:

In late 2025/26, two more substantial legacies were recognised totalling £642k which has been ringfenced by the trustees for the Impact 2030 fund to create and fund a further five posts across the services, fundraising and support staff team

Funds intended for expenditure in more than one year are placed on long-term investments to maximise return and generate investment income for the charity During the 25/26 financial year, £682k was placed on two to four-year investments, with a further £200k invested in early April 2026

The Impact 2030 fund will continue to be invested and deployed over the remainder of the five-year strategy period to strengthen and sustain our impact This includes continued investment in our services and community support, our campaigning and influencing work, and in growing our reach and engagement Alongside this, the fund will support ongoing development of our infrastructure and fundraising capacity to build long-term, sustainable income streams

Investments policy

The Finance and Investments Committee (F&IC), with input from external experts, have considered investment options to maximise return and protection for the level of funds held

Investment in a portfolio of stocks and shares is not considered appropriate currently This is because the intention to draw down and utilise the funds over the next four years would give insufficient time to mitigate any downwards risk inherent in such investments

The Flagstone investment account opened during 2024/25 is used to achieve strong, low risk returns, and to spread funds maximising FSCS protection limits During 2025/26, CLAPA also opened an investment account with Evelyn Partners to access bonds offering more long-term, low risk interest rates when held to maturity, whilst maintaining liquidity

The investment policy is reviewed throughout the year so that it can be regularly updated to best serve the needs of the charity and the funds position

Financial review and reserves policy 34 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

35

Key risks and uncertainties

Operational, safeguarding and data protection risks

The Trustees have approved a risk assessment for the charity and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks At each quarterly board meeting, the risk register is reviewed, along with a sample of the risk management policies and procedures produced by the charity

Key operational risks include financial controls, GDPR and data protection, safeguarding, and health and safety CLAPA ha s dedicated policies and committees in place to manage and monitor these risks, including the Safeguarding Committee and Health & Safety Committee, with risks reviewed regularly through the charity’s risk management framework The charity delivers a range of services involving children, young people, adults, volunteers and online communities, and therefore places particular emphasis on safeguarding, safe service delivery and information governance CLAPA also has relationships in place with external experts and seek s advice where appropriate

The principal risks and plans for managing them are set out below:

Fundraising risks

The most significant fundraising risk currently facing CLAPA is the ongoing ability to secure funding from other sources whilst holding a high level of reserves at the end of 2025/26 The legacy bequests received during 2024/25 and 2025/26 are transformative for CLAPA, doubling total income for those years, however the charity is not aware of any similar levels of incoming funds in the near future

Economic environment

Further risks arise from the ongoing difficulties affecting many small charities These include rising demand for services, increasing staffing and overhead costs, inflation and the ‘cost of living’ crisis, volatility of interest rates, reduction in donations from the general public, and increased competition for grants and donations

The trustees decided to designate the legacy funds to be spent in full over the 2025-30 strategy period by investing in services, the staff team and the income generation strategy with the aim of achieving a balanced budget and reserves within the target range by 2030

In the 2025-30 strategy forecast, investment in income generation was identified as an essential priority to close the gap between significant increases in annual expenditure and forecasted income

As well as posing a risk to income generation through reduction in donations from the community which CLAPA relies upon, the ‘cost of living’ crisis also presents a risk to staff morale and retention, and this is an ongoing focus of the HR committee and Senior Leadership Team (SLT)

The following measures are in place to manage these risks: Costs are monitored and controlled on an ongoing basis and the charity is closely following its ‘Income Generation Strategy’ to continue to diversify its income streams The Finance & Investments Committee monitors financial performance and return on investments CLAPA also has an Employee Assistance Programme in place for staff and volunteers, and all staff have regular supervision with their line manager

Structure, governance and management

Constitution

Safeguarding, health and safety

CLAPA is a charitable company limited by guarantee, governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated July 2004 CLAPA incorporated in England and Wales in August 2004 and registered as a charity in Scotland in November 2009

Safeguarding and health and safety are both key priorities for CLAPA The Chief Executive is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), supported by four deputy DSLs; and a Safeguarding Lead and Deputy are appointed at board level All meet on a quarterly basis as the Safeguarding Committee to provide strategic and operational leadership All staff and trustees receive relevant safeguarding training DBS checks are carried out for all trustees and relevant staff prior to commencing their role within CLAPA A safeguarding audit is due to be carried out in May 2026

Board of trustees

CLAPA’s trustees all have experience of cleft, either professional or personal The board’s membership is regularly reviewed to ensure it has the necessary skills to fulfil its duties to support the charity’s activities, with a balance of clinical, legal, financial and operational expertise Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity

A health and safety review took place during 2024/25 to ensure CLAPA, its staff, and trustees are compliant, and that the appropriate policies and procedures are in place A Health and Safety Committee is in operation, with the Chief Executive as Health and Safety Lead and representation from two other staff members and a trustee Additional support is provided by an external organisation

The trustees hold full responsibility for the activities of the charity, taking recommendations from and delegating decisions to the finance and investments, HR, and fundraising and communications committees All committees consist of both trustees and senior charity staff Day-to-day management of the charity is delegated to the senior leadership team

Related parties and relationships with other organisations

Appointment and training

Trustees are recruited through open competition with applicants being shortlisted, interviewed and appointed by a panel of existing trustees Newly appointed trustees receive induction and training in CLAPA’s objectives, structure, delegation, finances, safeguarding, and information, to ensure they understand their responsibilities as trustees

CLAPA has a wide variety of strategic partnerships with other charities and organisations Creating and growing these partnerships is crucial in broadening the charity’s range of stakeholders and increasing its impact

Key risks and uncertainties 36 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Structure, governance and management CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 37

Partners include:

• The NHS multi-disciplinary Cleft Teams

• Health related collectives and

Remuneration policy for key management personnel

CLAPA’s HR committee, together with the F&IC, is responsible for advising the board of trustees on pay and remuneration of the Chief Executive The Chief Executive is responsible for advising the committees on the pay and remuneration of all other staff roles Salaries are benchmarked against equivalent posts at similar sized organisations in the voluntary sector, using published salary surveys and publicly advertised positions

Statement of responsibilities of the trustees

The Trustees (who are also directors of The Cleft Lip and Palate Association for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report (incorporating the strategic report and directors’ report) and the financial statements in accordance with 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)

safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions

Auditor

A C Mole LLP was appointed as the charitable company’s auditor during the year and has expressed its willingness to continue in that capacity

The Trustees’ annual report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime

The annual report has been approved by the Trustees on 23 July 2026 and signed on their behalf by:

The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 They are also responsible for

Thomas Millward

Trustee

Statement of responsibilities of the trustees CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 39

Structure, governance and management CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

38

Reference and administrative information

Registered and working names

Bankers

The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (registered name)

HSBC 56 Queen Street Cardiff CF10 2PX

Cleft Lip and Palate Action (working name) CLAPA (working name)

Barclays Bank plc 99 Hatton Garden London EC1N 8DN

Company number

05206298

Flagstone Group Ltd 1st Floor Clareville House 26-27 Oxendon Street London SW1Y 4EL

Charity number

1108160

OSCR number

SC041034

Investment managers

Registered office and operational address

Evelyn Partners 45 Gresham Street London EC2V 7BG

The Green House 244-254 Cambridge Heath Road London E2 9DA

Auditors

A C Mole LLP Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors Stafford House Blackbrook Park Ave Taunton TA1 2PX

Trustees

Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows:

Company secretary & CEO

Claire Cunniffe

Independent auditor’s report

to the members of The Cleft Lip and Palate Association

Opinion

with these requirements We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (‘the charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2026 which comprise the statement of financial activities, balance sheet, 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 FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice)

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 charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue

In our opinion, the financial statements:

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, including the trustees’ 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

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 charitable company 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

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

Reference and administrative information 40 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Independent auditor’s report CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 41

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

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company 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 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes 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

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with the Acts and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder

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

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Identifying and assessing potential risks of material misstatement due to irregularities

We have considered the following when identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement due to irregularities including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations:

Laws and regulations which are considered to be significant to the charitable company include those relating to the requirements of financial reporting framework FRS102, the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, UK tax legislation,

employment law and health and safety In addition, we consider other laws and regulations which may not directly impact the financial statements but may impact on the operation of the charitable company

As a result of these procedures we concluded, in accordance with International Auditing Standards, that a risk in relation to the potential for management override of controls existed

Audit responses to risks identified

We designed and performed audit procedures to respond to the risks identified The additional procedures included the following:

We also communicated relevant laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all engagement team members and remained alert to any indicators of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www frc org uk/ auditorsresponsibilities

This description forms part of our auditor’s report

Independent auditor’s report 42 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Independent auditor’s report CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 43

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006, and to the charitable company’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed

Alexandra Shore (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of A C Mole LLP, Statutory Auditor Stafford House Blackbrook Park Avenue Taunton Somerset TA1 2PX

Statement of financial activities

(incorporating an income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 March 2026

----- Start of picture text -----
2026 2025
Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
Note £ £ £ £ £ £
Income from:
Donations and legacies 2 1,539,157 202,055 1,741,212 1,441,406 238,265 1,679,671
Charitable activities 3 65,096 - 65,096 74,980 - 74,980
Investments 62,335 - 62,335 18,239 - 18,239
Other 7,500 - 7,500 726 - 726
Total income 1,674,088 202,055 1,876,143 1,535,351 238,265 1,773,616
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 4 263,491 - 263,491 212,019 - 212,019
Charitable activities 4 623,641 224,411 848,052 448,329 182,164 630,493
Total expenditure 887,132 224,411 1,111,543 660,348 182,164 842,512
Net income for the year 5 786,956 (22,356) 764,600 875,003 56,101 931,104
Transfers 16 13,930 (13,930) - 25,870 (25,870) -
Net movement in funds 16 800,886 (36,286) 764,600 900,873 30,231 931,104
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 16 1,297,518 70,707 1,368,225 396,645 40,476 437,121
Total funds carried forward 2,098,404 34,421 2,132,825 1,297,518 70,707 1,368,225
----- End of picture text -----

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 16b to the financial statements.

Date: 23 July 2026

Statement of financial activities CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 45

Independent auditor’s report 44 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Balance sheet Balance sheet Statement of cash flows Statement of cash flows Statement of cash flows
As at 31 March 2026 For the year ended 31 March 2026
Company no 05206298
Note £ 2026
£		 £ Restated
2025
£		 Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow from
operating activities		 2026
£		 Restated
2025
£
Fixed assets: Cash generated by operating activities
Intangible fxed assets 9 46,842 25,870 Net movement in funds 764,600 931,104
Investments 10 681,796 -
728,638 25,870 Adjustments for:
Current assets: Depreciation charges – 1,541
Stock 11 17,664 35,749 Amortisation 794 -
Debtors 12 198,613 61,498 Investment income (62,335) (18,239)
Current asset investments 867,346 1,237,511 Decrease / (Increase) in stocks 18,085 (2,584)
Cash at bank and in hand 369,902 54,955 (Increase) in debtors (137,115) (16,656)
1,453,525 1,389,713 Increase / (Decrease) in creditors 1,980 (49,548)
Liabilities: Net cash provided by operating activities 586,009 845,618
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 13 (49,338) (47,358)
Cash fows from investing activities
Net current assets 1,404,187 1,342,355 Purchase of intangible fxed assets (21,766) (25,870)
Total net assets 2,132,825 1,368,225 Purchase of investments (346,906) (1,064,001)
Investment income 62,335 18,239
The funds of the charity: 16 Net cash provided by investing activities (306,337) (1,071,632)
Restricted funds 34,421 70,707
Unrestricted funds: Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year 279,672 (226,014)
Designated funds 1,372,727 936,116 Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 228,465 454,479
Fixed asset fund 46,842 25,870 Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 508,137 228,465
General funds 678,835 335,532
Total unrestricted funds
Total charity funds		 2,098,404
2,132,825		 1,297,518
1,368,225		 Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Cash at bank and in hand		 At 1 April
2025
54,955		 Cash fows
£
314,947		 At 31 March
2026
£
369,902
2025 has been restated to reclassify amounts between current asset investments and cash at bank and in hand. Current asset investments with a term of 3 months or less 173,510 (35,275) 138,235
There is no impact on net assets or net funds. Total cash and cash equivalents 228,465 279,672 508,137
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the
small companies regime. Analysis of changes in net debt
Approved by the trustees on 23 July 2026 and signed on their behalf by
The charity has not provided an analysis of changes in net debt as it does not have any long term
financing arrangements.
Thomas Millward
Trustee
Balance sheet Sta t
CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 CLAPA An

Statement of cash flows CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 47

Balance sheet 46 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2026

1 Accounting policies

a) Statutory information

Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. During the year government grants were received from the National Lottery totalling £82,976 (2025: National Lottery £100,514). There are no unfulfilled conditions in respect of these grants. The charity did not benefit from any other forms of government assistance during the current or prior year.

The Cleft Lip and Palate Association, trading as Cleft Lip and Palate Action (CLAPA) is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office address and principal place of business is The Green House, 244-254 Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 9DA.

b) Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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) - (Charities SORP FRS 102), The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Legacies are recognised as income when the conditions of entitlement, probability and reliability of measurement have been met. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

Any income recognised before funds are received are included within debtors in grants and legacies receivable (for grants and legacies) or accrued income (for donations and other income).

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.

In applying the financial reporting framework, the trustees have made a number of subjective judgements, for example in respect of significant accounting estimates. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The nature of the estimation means the actual outcomes could differ from those estimates. Any significant estimates and judgements affecting these financial statements are detailed within the relevant accounting policy below.

f) Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

g) Fund accounting

Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund. Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose.

c) Public benefit entity

The charitable company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

d) Going concern

h) Expenditure

The accounts have been prepared on the going concern basis, which the trustees consider appropriate having regard to the current level of unrestricted reserves. There are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Resources expended are recognised in the period to which they relate. Direct charitable expenditure comprises all the expenditure relating to the activities carried out to achieve the charitable objectives. Staff costs have been allocated to activities on the basis of time spent. Governance includes the costs of compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements. Support and governance costs are reallocated to raising funds and to Charitable activities based on the proportion of staff time as follows:

e) Income

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity becomes entitled to the income and the amounts can be measured reliably.

Raising funds: 23% (2025: 26%) Charitable activities: 77% (2025: 74%)

Donations are recognised when the charity becomes entitled to the income. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid is recognised at the time of the donation.

i) Operating leases

j) Intangible fixed assets

Intangible fixed assets comprise the cost of the charity’s website. Intangible assets are initially recognised at cost, including the fair value of any donated assets, and subsequent ly carried at cost less accumulated amortisation.

Intangible fixed assets are amortised at rates calculated to write off the assets on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful economic lives. Impairment of intangible assets is reviewed where circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be fully recoverable. Amortisation is provided at the following rates:

Website: 10 years straight line

k) Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less depreciation. Items costing less than £2,000 are not capitalised. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost less estimated value of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:

Fixtures and fittings: 4 years 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 net income/(expenditure) for the year.

l) Investments

Investments in debt instruments

Investments in government bonds are recognised initially at transaction value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. These investments are classified as basic financial instruments under FRS 102, as they comprise fixed or determinable payments and are held to collect contractual cash flows.

As a reliable market value is not readily available, fair value measurement is not applied. Interest income is recognised using the effective interest rate method.

m) Stocks

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. In general, cost is determined on a first in first out basis and includes transport and handling costs. Net realisable value is the price at which stocks can be sold in the normal course of business after allowing for the costs of realisation. Provision is made where necessary for obsolete, slow moving and defective stocks.

Stock held for free distribution for fundraising purposes is included at nil value. Stock held for free distribution with a charitable purpose is accounted for based on service potential.

n) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.

o) Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

p) Current asset investments

Current asset investments includes balances held for the purpose of generating an investment return, with maturity dates of 12 months or less .

q) Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount.

r) Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

s) Pensions

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions are charged in the accounts as they become payable in accordance with the rules of the scheme.

t) Prior period adjustments

Prior period adjustments are made in respect of errors or changes in accounting policies which relate to prior periods. Adjustments are applied retrospectively by restating comparative figures for the preceding period(s) where applicable. Details of prior period adjustments are given in note 21 to the accounts.

Rental charges are charged on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

Notes to the financial statements 48 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Notes to the financial statements CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 49

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

2 Income from donations and legacies

----- Start of picture text -----
2026
Unrestricted Restricted Total
£ £ £
Donations and grants 547,946 41,656 589,602
Gift aid 51,720 2,446 54,166
Gifts in kind 38,209 - 38,209
Legacies 901,282 - 901,282
Restricted grants - 157,953 157,953
Total income from donations and legacies 1,539,157 202,055 1,741,212
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Prior year comparative 2025
Unrestricted Restricted Total
£ £ £
Donations and grants 439,788 - 439,788
Gift aid 46,599 - 46,599
Gifts in kind 14,700 - 14,700
Legacies 940,319 - 940,319
Restricted grants - 238,265 238,265
Total income from donations and legacies 1,441,406 238,265 1,679,671
----- End of picture text -----

Included in gifts in kind is £34,417 (2025: £12,900) for pro bono branding consultancy and design and print services and £3,792 for other donated goods and services (2025: £1,800).

3 Income from charitable activities

----- Start of picture text -----
Reclassified
2026 2025
Total Total
£ £
Feeding service 53,725 70,807
Other merchandise/literature sales 1,467 1,445
Consultancy 9,904 2,728
Total income from charitable activities 65,096 74,980
----- End of picture text -----

All income from charitable activities in the current and prior year was unrestricted.

Income from charitable activities in the prior year has been reclassified so that income for postage has been assigned to feeding service and other sales as this element of income is directly associated with these activities.

4 Analysis of expenditure

----- Start of picture text -----
Raising Charitable Support & 2026
funds activities governance Total
£ £ £ £
Salaries & freelance (note 6) 129,112 407,580 220,241 756,933
Feeding service equipment & postage - 29,017 - 29,017
Service delivery & other direct costs 1,266 57,594 - 58,860
Platform fees & other fundraising costs 40,311 - - 40,311
-
Staff & volunteer costs 14,083 19,634 33,717
Premises costs - 32,039 5,379 37,418
Communications 3,896 2,509 2,904 9,309
Admin & IT costs 4,249 21,814 40,717 66,780
Legal, professional & governance - - 20,123 20,123
Development projects - - 23,864 23,864
Rebrand (donated services - note 2) - - 34,417 34,417
Depreciation & amortisation - - 794 794
178,834 564,636 368,073 1,111,543
Allocation of support & governance costs 84,657 283,416 (368,073) –
Total expenditure 2026 263,491 848,052 - 1,111,543
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Prior year comparative Raising Charitable Support & 2025
funds activities governance Total
£ £ £ £
Salaries & freelance (note 6) 108,432 263,723 176,005 548,160
Feeding service equipment & postage - 48,957 - 48,957
Service delivery & other direct costs - 40,005 - 40,005
Platform fees & other fundraising costs 23,393 - - 23,393
Staff & volunteer costs - 10,189 18,392 28,581
Premises costs - 35,856 1,884 37,740
Communications 1,941 2,768 141 4,850
Admin & IT costs 3,234 8,481 43,072 54,787
Legal, professional & governance - - 25,770 25,770
Development projects - 7,000 8,828 15,828
Rebrand (donated services - note 2) - - 12,900 12,900
Depreciation & amortisation - - 1,541 1,541
137,000 416,979 288,533 842,512
Allocation of support & governance costs 75,019 213,514 (288,533) -
Total expenditure 2025 212,019 630,493 - 842,512
----- End of picture text -----

Notes to the financial statements 50 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Notes to the financial statements CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

51

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

5 Net income for the year

This is stated after charging:

----- Start of picture text -----
2026 2025
£ £
Depreciation & amortisation 794 1,541
Operating lease rentals (property) 23,145 25,466
Auditor's remuneration (including VAT): 10,740 12,120
----- End of picture text -----

Included within support & governance costs in note 4 are governance costs totalling £11,865 (2025: £13,057).

6 Analysis of staff costs, trustee remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel

Staff costs were as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
2026 2025
£ £
Salaries and wages 658,112 477,572
Social security costs 72,124 36,995
Employer’s pension 24,797 17,993
Freelance 1,900 15,600
756,933 548,160
----- End of picture text -----

Staff numbers were as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
2026 2025
Average headcount 23.3 18.9
Full time equivalent 17.8 13.1
----- End of picture text -----

One employee earned between £60,000 and £70,000 during the year (2025: one). There were no redundancy costs in the current or prior year.

CLAPA’s key management personnel comprises of the Board of Trustees and the Senior Leadership Team. Included within the Senior Leadership Team are the following: Chief Executive, Head of Communications and Marketing, Head of Finance, Head of Service Delivery and Head of Income. Total remuneration (Salary, NI, Allowances, Pension) paid to the Senior Leadership Team in the year amounted to £275 ,057 (2025: £239,833). The Senior Leadership Team FTE increased from an average of 4.1 in 2025 to 4.4 in 2026.

None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received remuneration during the year. Trustees’ expenses were for travel, training & development and meeting costs totalling £711 (2025: travel, training, membership and meeting costs £734).

7 Related party transactions

Aggregate donations from related parties were £1,960 (2025: £1,547). Donations were made without conditions. There were no other related party transactions to disclose for 2026 (2025: none).

8 Taxation

The charitable company is exempt from corporation tax on its income to the extent that it is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.

9 Intangible fixed assets

----- Start of picture text -----
Website Total
£ £
Cost
At the start of the year 58,334 58,334
Additions in year 21,766 21,766
Disposals (32,464) (32,464)
At the end of the year 47,636 47,636
Amortisation
At the start of the year 32,464 32,464
Charge for the year 794 794
Disposals (32,464) (32,464)
At the end of the year 794 794
Net book value
At the end of the year 46,842 46,842
At the start of the year 25,870 25,870
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All of the above assets are used for charitable purposes. The new website was launched in February 2026 and amortised from that date. The value of the old website was fully written down and disposed of in the accounts by that date. In the prior year website was included as tangible fixed assets but has been reclassified this year (see note 21).

10 Investments

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2026 2025
£ £
Investments in debt instruments:
Amortised cost at 1 April - -
-
Additions 671,547
-
Accrued interest 7,040
-
Cash held in portfolio 3,209
Amortised cost at 31 March 681,796 -
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Notes to the financial statements 52 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Notes to the financial statements CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 53

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

11 Stock

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2026 2025
£ £
Feeding equipment 17,664 35,749
12 Debtors
2026 2025
£ £
Trade debtors 6,461 3,289
Prepayments 27,094 28,790
Accrued income 32,102 20,033
-
Grants and legacies receivable 129,750
Other debtors 3,206 9,386
198,613 61,498
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13 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

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2026 2025
£ £
Trade creditors 15,974 6,813
Accruals 28,036 26,479
Other taxation and social security - 11,876
Deferred income (note 14) 2,000 -
Other creditors 3,328 2,190
49,338 47,358
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14 Deferred income

Deferred income relates to project funds where the funder has specified expenditure should take place in the next financial year. Deferred income brought forward was £nil (2025: £61,156). Amounts released to income during the year was £nil (2025: £61,156). Amounts deferred in the year was £2,000 (2025: £nil). The balance at the end of the year was £2,000 (2025: £nil).

15 Pension scheme

16 Analysis of net assets and movement in funds

16a Analysis of net assets (current year)

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General Fixed Total
unrestricted asset fund Designated Restricted funds
£ £ £ £ £
- - -
Intangible fixed assets 46,842 46,842
Investments - - 681,796 - 681,796
Net current assets 678,835 - 690,931 34,421 1,404,187
Net assets at 31 March 2026 678,835 46,842 1,372,727 34,421 2,132,825
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16b Movements in funds (current year)

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At 1 April At 31 March
2025 Income Expenditure Transfers 2026
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted funds:
Angus Lawson Memorial Trust 7,061 - (7,061) - -
BBC Children in Need - 15,000 (15,000) - -
Big Give - 44,102 (44,102) - -
Highway One Trust 2,500 - (2,500) - -
The National Lottery Community Fund (AfA) 11,667 - (11,667) - -
The National Lottery Community Fund (RC) 33,484 82,976 (83,983) - 32,477
SCALP - 17,834 (17,834) - -
Smile Train (England) - 32,143 (32,143) - -
St James Place - Charitable Foundation - 10,000 (10,000) - -
The VTCT Foundation (Website) 13,930 - - (13,930) -
The Wood Foundation 2,065 - (121) - 1,944
Total restricted funds 70,707 202,055 (224,411) (13,930) 34,421
Designated funds
Future growth fund 23/24 38,116 - (41,114) 2,998 -
Impact 2030 898,000 642,000 (156,439) (10,834) 1,372,727
Total designated funds 936,116 642,000 (197,553) (7,836) 1,372,727
Fixed asset fund 25,870 - (794) 21,766 46,842
General funds 335,532 1,032,088 (688,785) - 678,835
Total unrestricted funds 1,297,518 1,674,088 (887,132) 13,930 2,098,404
Total funds 1,368,225 1,876,143 (1,111,543) - 2,132,825
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CLAPA 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. The charge to profit or loss was £21,419 to CLAPA scheme (2025: £13,420) and £3,378 to a private scheme (2025: £4,573).

Notes to the financial statements 54 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Notes to the financial statements CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 55

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

16 Analysis of net assets and movement in funds (continued)

16c Analysis of net assets between funds (prior year)

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General Fixed Total
unrestricted asset fund Designated Restricted funds
£ £ £ £ £
Intangible fixed assets (restated) - 25,870 - - 25,870
Net current assets 335,532 - 936,116 70,707 1,342,355
Net assets at 31 March 2025 335,532 25,870 936,116 70,707 1,368,225
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16d Movements in funds (prior year)

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At 1 April At 31 March
2024 Income Expenditure Transfers 2025
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted funds:
Angus Lawson Memorial Trust - 15,066 (8,005) - 7,061
- - -
Croda Foundation 9,728 (9,728)
-
Highway One Trust 2,500 10,000 (10,000) 2,500
Hospital Saturday Fund - 2,000 (2,000) - -
- - -
Michael Josephson 28,458 (28,458)
- -
The National Lottery Community Fund (AfA) 20,000 (8,333) 11,667
-
The National Lottery Community Fund (RC) 25,966 80,514 (72,996) 33,484
Smile Train (England) - 32,427 (32,427) - -
- - -
St James Place - Charitable Foundation 10,000 (10,000)
The VTCT Foundation (Website) - 39,800 - (25,870) 13,930
- -
The Wood Foundation 2,282 (217) 2,065
Total restricted funds 40,476 238,265 (182,164) (25,870) 70,707
Designated funds
Future growth fund 23/24 71,000 - (32,884) - 38,116
Impact 2030 - 898,000 - - 898,000
Total designated funds 71,000 898,000 (32,884) - 936,116
Fixed asset fund - - - 25,870 25,870
General funds 325,645 637,351 (627,464) - 335,532
Total unrestricted funds 396,645 1,535,351 (660,348) 25,870 1,297,518
Total funds 437,121 1,773,616 (842,512) - 1,368,225
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17 Purpose of funds

17a Purpose of restricted funds:

Angus Lawson Memorial Trust provided funding for CLAPA Welcome Packs and free equipment for vulnerable families.

BBC Children in Need provided funding for CLAPA’s core costs of running services for children and young people.

Big Give campaign funding was for our campaigning and influencing activities, specifically our ‘End the Cleft Dental Care Crisis’ campaign in 25/26.

Highway One Trust provided funding to improve fundraising infrastructure.

The National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All) provided a grant for a pilot of Cleft++, an online mentoring project for 12 to 17 year olds, including staffing costs.

The National Lottery Community Fund (Reaching Communities) provided funding (ongoing) for CLAPA’s Adults Services Programme – to improve the health and wellbeing of adults in England born with a cleft.

SCALP (Scottish Association for Cleft Lip and Palate) provided funding to support evidence-gathering to shape our policy priorities.

Smile Train provided funding for our Family Support & Guidance Programme.

St James’s Place Charitable Foundation provided funding for ‘Camp CLAPA’ residential weekends for cleftaffected children and young people (CYP) aged 8-12.

The VTCT Foundation provided funding for CLAPA’s new website. The transfer from this restricted fund to the fixed asset fund represents capital expenditure on website development.

The Wood Foundation provided funding to cover the cost of Welcome Packs for families in Edinburgh.

17b Purpose of restricted funds from the prior year:

Angus Lawson Memorial Trust provided funding for CLAPA Welcome Packs and free equipment for vulnerable families.

The Croda Foundation provided funding for CLAPA Welcome Packs of bottles and teats for newborns for one year.

Highway One Trust provided funding to improve fundraising infrastructure.

Hospital Saturday Fund provided funding for CLAPA Welcome Packs of bottles and teats for newborns.

Michael Josephson MBE , provided funding from the MJ Ball profits for a selection of activities for children and young people, including Cleft++, the CYPC and the cost of a Camp CLAPA residential weekend in July 2024.

The National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All) provided funding for a pilot of Cleft++, an online mentoring project for 12 to 17-year-olds, including staffing costs.

The National Lottery Community Fund (Reaching

Communities) provided funding (ongoing) for CLAPA’s Adults Services Programme to improve the health and wellbeing of adults in England born with a cleft.

Smile Train provided funding for CLAPA’s Community Engagement Coordinator’s salary and funding for delivery costs of Community Engagement Programme.

St James’s Place Charitable Foundation provided funding for Camp CLAPA residential weekends for children and young people aged 8 to 12.

The VTCT Foundation provided funding for CLAPA’s new website. The transfer from this restricted fund to the fixed asset fund represents capital expenditure on website development.

The Wood Foundation provided a grant to cover the cost of Welcome Packs for families in Edinburgh.

17c Purpose of designated funds:

Future growth fund 23/24

Legacy income received in 23/24 was designated by the trustees for development projects, including: re-branding, website and IT development, influencing and theory of change. The fund has been fully spent as planned at the end of the 25/26 financial year. There is a transfer of £2,998 into this fund from the Impact 2030 fund to cover additional costs incurred to enhance the website delivery.

Impact 2030 designated fund

During the 24/25 financial year, two substantial legacies were recognised totalling £898,000. A further two large legacies were recognised in late 25/26 totalling £642,000. CLAPA’s financial position and capacity for growth has been transformed by these legacies. The trustees have designated the legacy funds to be spread and spent in full over the 2025-30 strategy period, investing in the strategy objectives, services, staff team and income generation strategy, with the aim of achieving a balanced budget and reserves within the target range by 2030.

£167k of the fund was spent in 25/26 (as detailed on page 34 of the Trustees’ Annual Report). The additional two legacies totalling £642k recognised as income into this fund in 25/26 will fund five essential new posts starting in 26/27.

The balance of the fund at the year end is £1.37m, of which £491k is held in current asset investments available for drawdown during 26/27. £682k was placed on twoto-four-year investments during the year, with a further £200k invested shortly after the year end, to generate investment income until the funds are required for expending. The Impact 2030 fund is forecast to be spent in decreasing amounts over the remaining four years of the strategy period as we work towards a balanced budget as follows: £485k in 26/27, £450k in 27/28, £290k in 28/29 and £150k in 29/ 30.

17d Fixed asset fund:

Fixed asset fund represents the net book value of capitalised assets. Transfers represent cost of capital. Whilst the funds are unrestricted, the funds are tied up in capital expenditure and therefore do not constitute free reserves.

Notes to the financial statements 56 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Notes to the financial statements CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 57

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026

18 Operating lease commitments

The charity’s total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases is as follows for each of the following periods:

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2026 2025
Property £ £
Leases expiring:
Less than one year 5,592 12,143
One to five years - -
5,592 12,143
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The property lease is rolling on three calendar months’ notice therefore the commitments recognised at year end is 3 months’ rent and service charge.

19 Financial instruments

The carrying values of financial instruments are set out below:

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2026 2025
£ £
Financial instruments at amortised cost
Investments 681,796 -
Cash and deposits 1,237,248 1,292,466
Debtors 171,519 32,708
Creditors (47,338) (35,482)
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Financial instruments measured at fair value was £nil (2025: £nil).

20 Legal status of the charity

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1.

21 Prior period adjustment s

During the year it was identified that the net book value of the charity’s website, of £25,870, which had previously been included within tangible fixed assets, should be included within intangible fixed assets. Comparative figures have been restated to reflect this reclassification.

2025 figures have been restated to reclassify funds between cash at bank and in hand and current asset investments on the balance sheet and in the statement of cash flows.

All of the restatements are reclassification only and there is no impact on net assets or funds.

Notes to the financial statements 58 CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26

Notes to the financial statements CLAPA Annual Report 2025/26 59

CLAPA is a charity with no government or NHS funding; we rely on generous donors and fundraisers to continue our work

Please consider making a donation of any amount to help keep our life-changing services free and accessible to all who need them

Visit clapa com/donate or scan the QR code

Cleft Lip and Palate Action (CLAPA) is the operating name of Cleft Lip and Palate Association, a registered Charity in England and Wales (No 1108160) and Scotland (SC041034), which is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales Company (5206298) Registered office: The Green House, 244-254 Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 9DA