STIRT
Richmond, Kingston
& Hounslow
Annual Report
2020 / 2021
## **CHAIR'S WELCOME**
I joined Home-Start in the middle of a global pandemic, and it was clear to see the additional challenges, stress and isolation this created for many of our families. We responded quickly: adapting our service model from in-person contact to telephone and digital support; we created online family groups that enabled families and children to interact, when many community services ceased to operate. We also complemented our core services with doorstep activity bag drops and provided emergency grant funding on behalf of our funders, to the families in greatest need.
Our data shows that we provided important support at a time when the needs were considerable and that our input made a positive and significant difference to the families we reached. Our family survey carried out in March 2021, revealed that 92% of the families we supported during this time recognised Home-Start’s regular contact and support as a trusted presence throughout the pandemic.
Sadly, we anticipate that when we return to visiting families at home, we will see a greater need and demand for our services. Financial pressure, mental health issues and the social development of children were found to be the three main post-pandemic concerns for parents of young families, according to a new report by Home-Start UK. Our local data reveals that 76% of families also have multiple and complex needs, showing increased vulnerability.
As we move out of lockdown, our volunteers will return to working with families in their homes, but the innovations that have worked so well and provided a lifeline to many families during this period will be incorporated and run alongside our traditional model. We will continue to be there for the children and families at a time when they will need us now, more than ever.
Finally, my thanks go our dedicated staff team who have shown their resourcefulness, commitment and passion in taking care of our families, our volunteers and of each other in this challenging year.
## **Alison Goodbrand**
Chair of Trustees
To celebrate our 25th year we planned to hold several vital fundraising events. To fill the huge fundraising gap that the pandemic brought, we participated in our first digital fundraising campaign, the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2020. For this appeal we developed a campaign called, **Start Breaking the Silence** .
The campaign highlighted the core struggles that confronted the most vulnerable families. Only to be increased by the pandemic, families silently lived with isolation, mental health challenges, financial hardship and limited access to educational resources before getting help from Home-Start.
We launched the campaign with a preliminary 'Sssh' message. This was a play on Start Breaking the Silence to represent the pressures parents feel from society, family members, social media, even themselves, to keep hush and be silent about the struggles they face.
Exceeding our £10,000 target, the successful campaign raised an incredible £21,290! Thank you to all of our supporters who helped us achieve this.
## **THE FOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING FAMILIES**
Out of the 241 families we supported during 2020/2021 many faced multiple pressures, often with little or no local family support or network to rely on.
By supporting and listening to families, we have identified four common challenges they've been facing over the last 12 months: isolation, mental health, poverty and early years education. This could be new parents struggling to cope and feeling isolated during those early months, parents experiencing emotional and mental health challenges, those living in poverty with economic instability or those feeling overwhelmed by the sudden closure of educational settings. These extreme and prolonged stresses caused by the pandemic will have a lifelong impact on families and children.
Across these four core areas of need we have seen that the families who were already struggling have been affected the most by the pandemic, with these gaps only increasing. Our research highlights that 2/3 of families we supported experienced financial instability or similar.
##
## **71%**
## **73%**
families needed help accessing services and their wider community
parents had limited connections between partner, family, friends
## **92%**
## **46%**
pre-school and school age children supported
parents worried about aiding their child's learning at home
## **44%**
## **67%**
##
of families in receipt of families with of benefits parent unemployed
## **85%**
## **89%**
pandemic made parents worried about their child's future
parents affected by poor emotional health
## **The start of Memona and Parvez's journey with us...**
Memona* and her husband Parvez* have two children. They have been concerned about their older son's speech and language development and have little family support as their extended family does not live in the UK. Due to the pandemic, Parvez lost his job and the family was feeling increasingly stressed.
Their Home-Start volunteer was able to help provide support, listening to Memona's concerns and discussing ways they could help their son's development and encourage his speech. During lockdown, this support was provided over the phone and Home-Start dropped off several activity bags for the children to play with, ensuring continuity and connection with the family.
_**For me the human connection means a lot as we are a lonely family.**_
Another family supported by Home-Start
_*Names have been changed for anonymity purposes._
## **RISING TO THE CHALLENGE**
In a year like no other Home-Start delivered consistent, responsive family support to over 240 families, supporting 330 parents and 338 children who were left feeling isolated and vulnerable due to the pandemic.
The resourcefulness and adaptability of the Home-Start team meant that despite working from home, we were able to pivot to remote support, offering reliable contact and support to families consistently every week at time when they needed us most.
We worked to our strengths and also developed new and different ways of working that adhered to government guidelines and restrictions whilst also serving the needs of our families during this difficult and challenging time. Initiatives like delivering family groups digitally helped to ensure that no family felt they were on their own.
Initially we went into crisis response, pro-actively gathering and sharing information quickly on local services including mutual aid support, and access to emergency food and essentials. Weekly newsletters helped to provide trusted information as well as activities parents and children could do together at home, as months of living under lockdown took its toll.
As we listened to the worries and concerns of families and as we heard how they were being impacted by the pandemic, we adapted our support. Regular telephone check-ins were complimented by doorstep activity bags drops. Books, crafts, planting and baking kits, provided fun activities for parents and children to do together, as well a momentary face-to-face contact with parents and children. We piloted reading via video calls to support families and encourage reading and conversations at home, vital for early years development. Our March 2021 family survey revealed that 92% of families supported recognised Home-Start’s regular phone calls and check-ins as a consistent and trusted presence throughout the pandemic.
Our well-established family groups met digitally, offering vital connections with other mums and toddlers whilst families were stuck indoors. This helped parents build their digital skills and confidence, whilst also providing an opportunity to share coping strategies and peer-to-peer support through this unprecedented time. In the autumn we started a new digital group for parents with new babies, providing a crucial source of information, support and reassurance during these early months.
We hugely appreciate the continued support of all of our fantastic volunteers, especially over this last year. It’s been really difficult not being able to support families at home, with many volunteers also juggling their own family circumstances during this time. Volunteers have shown their resilience and adaptability through training digitally, supporting families remotely and creatively in supporting parents and children without being able to visit them at home.
Lastly, I am immensely proud of our staff team. They have been incredible in adapting and responding, rising to so many challenges along the way and overcoming them. A key strength of our support has always been direct face-toface work with families, so supporting families remotely was a big adjustment. However, the team rose to the challenge, embraced this change and were open to trying new and different ways of working. As result both our ways of working and our services have been strengthened by this experience.
If this year has taught us anything, it is the importance of both family and connection - two things at the heart of Home-Start. Our ability to respond and adapt to the challenges faced has put us in a strong position to support families through the pandemic and beyond. As the long-term impact of the pandemic is only just beginning to unfold, it is vital that we continue to be there for parents when they need us most; because childhood can't wait.
**Karen McLean**
Director
## **HOW THE SILENCE WAS BROKEN**
Having supported families at home for 25 years, we quickly had to rethink our traditional service provision with the first Covid-19 lockdown, ensuring on-going support to all families.
Families we supported across the three boroughs received consistent regular contact, guiding them through the anxieties, uncertainty and impact resulting from multiple and intermittent lockdowns.
Family Group sessions pivoted to run digitally, including a new group launched in the autumn term in response to an identified gap to enable and encourage parents with new babies to meet and support each other.
We were extremeley heartened by the ongoing support, engagement and connection of our volunteers during the year. As well as direct family support, volunteers contributed to fundraising, filming, social media activity and the Family Groups.
## **Memona and Parvez's journey continued...**
With the support of the Home-Start volunteer both Memona and Parvez were able to help their son’s development flourish. He is now enrolled in Year 1.
Parvez was able to find a job and both parents are feeling more hopeful for the future.
_You have really encouraged me and it has really helped. I feel much more positive about the future now._
## **241**
## **338**
families supported
children nurtured
**67**
## **7,419**
contacts made with families joined online families Family Groups
## **72%**
## **457**
parents felt more able to respond to their child's developmental needs after our support
educational activity packs delivered
## **40%**
## **£19,145**
families reported improved financial stability after our guidance
winter grants distributed to families
## **69%**
## **73%**
parents reported families found having improved emotional someone to regularly talk health after our support to the most helpful support
## **FINANCIAL OVERVIEW**
I am pleased to present the Treasurer’s report for Home-Start Richmond, Kingston and Hounslow in respect of the twelve months to 31st March 2021.
The annual surplus of £90,799 was greater than expected and is a substantially improved position from the prior year deficit of £17,748.
Total income received for the twelve months to 31st March 2021 was £477,705, significantly higher than the prior year at £373,537. This higher-than-expected income was due to the goodwill and generosity of our communities during the pandemic; supporting our first digital fundraising campaign and providing one-off large donations and judicious use of the HMRC Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme during the period April to December 2020.
Funding received from Achieving for Children (on behalf of the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames and The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames), and the London Borough of Hounslow continues to be our key source of funds, providing over 50% of our income.
Total expenditure during the period was £386,906, slightly reduced from the previous year at £391,284. Expense levels were very closely monitored, with indirect costs carefully controlled and as certain initiatives were delivered remotely, this contributed to some further reduced costs.
As a result of the stronger than expected financial performance this year, our reserves have increased at the year-end to slightly in excess of this policy. The Board of Trustees considers that it is prudent to hold enhanced reserves because of the on-going uncertainty of the funding and operational environments in a post pandemic world. However, the Board has approved an Investment Committee to review and approve the spending of a portion of excess reserves across our key investment areas including expansion of family services and investment in the appropriate tools and technology to optimise remote working for staff and to support further digital development.
The accounts were reviewed by an Independent Examiner, Rebecca Tweed, and have been approved by the Board of Trustees. Our thanks go to Rebecca for her work on the independent review and my sincere thanks go to our Finance Officer Ann Edes, for her dedication and support this year.
## **Rahel Biddle**
Treasurer
## **PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS**
In November 2020 we were thrilled to join a Partnership with John Lewis and Waitrose & Partners including involvement in their _Give a Little Love_ Christmas campaign. Alongside benefiting from the generosity of the staff, customers and the company we have been working with John Lewis Kingston and local Waitrose stores to raise awareness of the struggles families face, and the support Home-Start offers.
Not only as this partnership helped to raise awareness of Home-Start on a national and local level, families have also benefited from donations of books and toys at Christmas and Easter eggs.
Additionally generous support of the staff and customers provided grants and donations that supported families across our communities with essential items, ensuring we responded to families quickly.
## **THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS AND FUNDRAISERS**
Thanks to the kind generosity and support of our funders, fundraisers and those who give their support in kind, we have been able to help hundreds of local families over the last year, providing a reliable, empathetic source of connection and understanding during what has been a difficult and challenging time for so many. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last year and helped us to provide such vital support to families
- Achieving for Children
- Barnes Fund
- Hampton Fund
- Home-Start UK
- John Lewis Partnership
- Kingston Rotary Club London Borough of Hounslow
- London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
- Masonic Charitable Foundation
- National Lottery Community Fund
- Postcode Community Trust Lottery Richmond Charities
- Richmond Parish Lands Charity
- Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
- Scott Greig Memorial Trust
- Snudden Family Trust
- Teddington & The Hamptons Rotary Club The Big Give
- The Childhood Trust
- The Mayor’s Charity, Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Together with those organisations listed above, we are indebted to the many individual donors whose generosity and ongoing support through this year has been especially important in enabling us to respond quickly to families in need. Thank you.
Stay connected:
Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow 211 Parkway House, Sheen Lane, East Sheen, London SW14 8LS T: 020 8487 8500 E: info@homestart-rkh.org.uk W: homestart-rkh.org.uk
Registered Charity No: 1108975. Company limited by guarantee in England and Wales No: 5386801 _Proud holders of Home-Start UK and Investors in Volunteers quality marks_
## **Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow Charity Number 1108975 Company Number 5386801**
## **Report of the Trustees and Annual Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
**Here for parents when they need us most because childhood can’t wait**
## **Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow**
## **Legal & Administrative Information**
|Charity Name|Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow|
|---|---|
|Charity Registration Number|1108975|
|Company Registration Number|5386801, company limited by guarantee|
|Address|Parkway House, Room 211, Sheen Lane, East Sheen, SW14 8LS|
|Telephone, email and website|T: 080 8487 8500|
||E:info@homestart-rkh.org.uk|
||W: homestart-rkh.org.uk|
|Governing Documents|Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 8thJuly 2020|
|Objects|1. To safeguard, protect and preserve the good health, both|
||mental and physical of children and parents of children|
||2. To prevent cruelty and maltreatment of children|
||3. To relieve sickness, poverty and need amongst children and|
||parents of children|
||4. To promote the education of the public in better standard of|
||child care within the areas of the London Boroughs of Richmond|
||upon Thames, Hounslow and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon|
||Thames and their environs|
|Trustees|Alison Goodbrand (Chair; appointed 26thOctober 2021)|
||Nancy Jo Baldwin (appointed 25thJune 2020)|
||Rahel Biddle (Treasurer)|
||Janet Barbara Callow|
||Stephanie Campbell|
||Helen Margaret Edward|
||Louise Kerr (previously Chair; resigned 31stJuly 2020)|
||Michele Harris (appointed 29thApril 2020)|
||Margaret Annette O’Connor|
||Jacqueline Leila Oppenheimer (resigned 21stApril 2021)|
||Gerard Adrien Ring (resigned 21stApril 2021)|
||Gina Vyvyan Roughan|
||Miranda Jane Tottman|
|Director|Karen McLean|
|Key Management Personnel|The Director is in charge of directing, controlling, running and|
||operating the charity on a day to day basis|
|Bankers|CAF Bank Ltd|
||25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ|
|Independent Examiner|Rebecca Tweed ACA, 5 Well Lane, East Sheen, SW14 7AJ|
1
## **Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2021**
The trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purpose of the Companies Act, present their annual report and the financial statements of the company for the year ended 31[st] March 2021. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the statement of recommended practices (SORP) “accounting and reporting by charities” issued in July 2014, in preparing the report and the financial statements.
## **About us**
Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow is a vibrant family charity that makes an essential contribution to the well-being of our communities. We provide vital support to parents during the important and challenging early years of raising a child, working with families that have a child up to the age of 5 years old. At the heart of our charity are our volunteers, whom we train and supervise, and who bring with them their own experiences and passion to provide both emotional and practical support for families at home, in community spaces and online.
## **A statement from Alison Goodbrand, the Chair of Trustees**
I joined Home-Start in the middle of a global pandemic, and it was clear to see the additional challenges, stress and isolation this created for many of our families. We responded quickly: adapting our service model from in-person contact to telephone and digital support; we created online family groups that enabled families and children to interact, when many community services ceased to operate. We also complemented our core services with doorstep activity bag drops and provided emergency grant funding on behalf of our funders, to the families in greatest need.
Our data shows that we provided important support at a time when the needs were considerable and that our input made a positive and significant difference to the families we reached. Our family survey carried out in March 2021, revealed that 92% of the families we supported during this time recognised Home-Start’s regular contact and support as a trusted presence throughout the pandemic.
Sadly, we anticipate that when we return to visiting families at home, we will see a greater need and demand for our services. Financial pressure, mental health issues and the social development of children were found to be the three main post-pandemic concerns for parents of young families, according to a new report by Home-Start UK. Our local data shows that 76% of families also have multiple and complex needs, showing increased vulnerability.
As we move out of lockdown, our volunteers will return to working with families in their homes, but the innovations that have worked so well and provided a lifeline to many families during this period will be incorporated and run alongside our traditional model. We will continue to be there for the children and families at a time when they will need us now, more than ever.
Finally, my thanks go our dedicated staff team who have shown their resourcefulness, commitment and passion in taking care of our families, our volunteers and of each other in this challenging year.
2
## **A snapshot of our achievements**
- Support provided to 241 families with 338 children
- 67 families participated the digital family group sessions
- 457 activity bags delivered to doorsteps
- Circa £25,000 of grants distributed to 57 families on behalf of funders
- 27 newsletters distributed, providing information on local resources and ideas for keeping families active and learning
- 75 volunteers trained to deliver telephone support for families, with a further 122 attending digital training about safeguarding, neglect, perinatal mental health and reading with children remotely
- Successful delivery our first ever digital fundraising campaign ‘Breaking the Silence’
- Diversity and Inclusion training delivered to all trustees and staff
- Participation in the John Lewis Waitrose “Give a Little Love” campaign which raised the profile of our family support work across the community
## **Structure and Governance**
The charity is constituted as a company limited by guarantee and is therefore governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The Board of Trustees ensures the charity operates in line with the objectives stated in the Memorandum and Articles of Association. Together with the charity’s Director, the Board is responsible for setting the charity’s strategic direction.
The Board is reviewed regularly to ensure the diversity and skill mix is fit for purpose. As a family support charity, all trustees are required to undertake safeguarding training.
Trustees serve for a term of three years. After a term of three years, trustees can be re-elected for a maximum of two more terms. Any trustee reaching nine years of service is required to retire.
Prospective trustees are recruited through an advertisement followed by an application and interview with a minimum of two trustees. Trustees receive a comprehensive induction based on the Home-Start UK trustee induction framework.
## **Quality Assurance**
As a member of the national Home-Start UK network, Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow works to the Home-Start Quality Assurance framework, developed based on the PQASSO framework. In the latest quality assurance audit undertaken by Home-Start UK in 2019, a 99% performance rating was achieved: Demonstrating High Quality across all areas.
Home-Start has clear, regularly updated policies across all aspects of its operations including for example safeguarding and health and safety. Home-Start UK provides template policies and updates, which are reviewed and adopted at a local level.
## **Financial summary**
The annual surplus of £90,799 was greater than expected and is a substantially improved position from the prior year deficit of £17,748.
Total income received for the twelve months to 31st March 2021 was £477,705, significantly higher than the prior year at £373,537. This higher-than-expected income was due to the goodwill and generosity of our communities during the pandemic; supporting our first digital fundraising
3
campaign and providing one-off large donations and judicious use of the HMRC Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme during the period April to December 2020.
Funding received from Achieving for Children (on behalf of the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames and The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames), and the London Borough of Hounslow continues to be our key source of funds, providing over 50% of our income.
Total expenditure during the period was £386,906, slightly reduced from the previous year at £391,284. Expense levels were very closely monitored, with indirect costs carefully controlled and as certain initiatives were delivered remotely, this contributed to some further reduced costs.
## **Reserves**
Our reserves policy complies with the Accounting and Reporting Standards for charities set out in the Statement of Recommended Practice, SORP (FRS 102). The Board of Trustees has adopted a reserves policy that the unrestricted funds held by the charity should be equivalent to at least three but not more than six months expenditure at the current average monthly rate.
As a result of the stronger than expected financial performance this year, our reserves have increased at the year-end to slightly in excess of this policy. The Board of Trustees considers that it is prudent to hold enhanced reserves because of the on-going uncertainty of the funding and operational environments in a post pandemic world. However, the Board has approved an
Investment Committee to review and approve the spending of a portion of excess reserves across our key investment areas including expansion of family services and investment in the appropriate tools and technology to optimise remote working for staff and to support further digital development.
## **Thank you to our funders and fundraisers**
Thanks to the kind generosity and support of our funders, fundraisers and those who give their support in kind, we have been able to help hundreds of local families over the last year, providing a reliable, empathetic source of connection and understanding during what has been a difficult and challenging time for so many. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last year and helped us to provide such vital support to families.
Achieving for Children • Barnes Fund • Hampton Fund • Home-Start UK • John Lewis Partnership • Kingston Rotary Club • London Borough of Hounslow • London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames • Masonic Charitable Foundation • National Lottery Community Fund • Postcode Community Trust Lottery • Richmond Parish Lands Charity • Scott Greig Memorial Trust • Snudden Family Trust • Teddington & The Hamptons Rotary • The Big Give • The Childhood Trust • The Mayor’s Charity, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames • The Richmond Charities • The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames
Together with those organisations listed above, we are indebted to the many individual donors whose generosity and ongoing support through this year has been especially important in enabling us to respond quickly to families in need. Thank you.
4
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow for the year ended 31[st] March 2021.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees who, as a body, are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS). I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
- the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a “true and fair” view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Rebecca J Tweed ACA
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
5
## **Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow**
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2021**
|Note
**Income from:**
**2**
**Donations**
**Charitable activites**
**Other trading activities**
**Investments**
**Total**
**Expenditure on:**
**3**
**Raising funds**
**Charitable activites**
**Governance costs**
**Total**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfers between funds**
**9**
**Net movement in funds**
**Balance of funds brought forward**
**Total funds carried forward**|**Year ended**
**31/03/2020**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total funds**
**Prior year**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
44,379
2,500
46,879
24,889
47,840
352,150
399,990
330,601
28,649
0
28,649
15,039
2,187
0
2,187
3,008
**123,055**
**354,650**
**477,705**
**373,537**
26,176
0
26,176
22,231
20,449
340,035
360,484
368,909
246
0
246
145
**46,871**
**340,035**
**386,906**
**391,284**
76,184
14,615
90,799
(17,748)
**0**
**0**
**0**
**0**
**76,184**
**14,615**
**90,799**
**(17,748)**
**207,716**
**72,849**
**280,565**
**298,313**
**283,900**
**87,464**
**371,364**
**280,565**
**Year ended 31 March 2021**|
|---|---|
6
## **Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow**
## **Balance Sheet**
## **As at 31 March 2021**
|**Note**
**£**
**Fixed Assets**
Tangible fixed assets
**4**
**Current Assets**
Cash at bank and at hand
**5**
405,221
Prepayments
901
Debtors
**6**
5,737
**Total Current Assets**
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
**7**
2,273
Income received in advance
**8**
39,100
**Net Current Assets**
**Total Net Assets**
**Funds of the Charity**
**9**
Unrestricted Reserves
Restricted Reserves|**2021**
**£**
878
411,859
41,373
370,486
**371,364**
283,900
87,464
**371,364**|**2020**
**£**
**£**
1,182
300,478
1,585
19,259
321,323
3,839
38,100
41,939
279,383
**280,565**
207,716
72,849
**280,565**|
|---|---|---|
For the year ending 31/3/2021 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476. The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts. These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.
They were approved by the Trustees on 7th July 2021 and signed on their behalf by:
Rahel Biddle - Treasurer
Company Number: 5386801
7
## **Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow**
**Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **1 Accounting Policies**
## **Statutory Information**
Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow is a charitable company and is incorporated in England & Wales. The charity is limited by guarantee and has no share captital. The registered office is Parkway House, Room 211, Sheen Lane, East Sheen, SW14 8LS.
## **Basis of accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the 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 (Charities SORP (FRS 102), effective 1 January 2019) and the Companies Act 2006.
## **Going Concern**
The Trustees believe that the Charity is a going concern in accordance with Charities SORP (FRS 102), effective 1st Janaury 2019.
## **Income**
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Income from government and other 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.
## **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.
## **Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
## **Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **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.
## **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 after allowing for any trade discounts due.
## **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 their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## **Tangible Fixed Assets**
Depreciation is charged on a straight-line basis method over the estimated useful life of the asset. The depreciation rates in use are as follows: - office equipment 25% and computer equipment 33%.
Small capital items (cost of under £500 each) are written off in the year of purchase.
8
## **2 Income**
|**Unrestricted**
**Charitable Activities**
**£**
**Grants and Contract Income**
Achieving For Children - Family Support Services
Barnes Fund
Hampton Fund
HMRC - Coronovirus Job Retention Scheme Grant
47,840
Home-Start UK: Loneliness Project (DCMS)
Home-Start UK: COVID Emergency Grants
Home-Start UK: John Lewis "Give A Little Love"
Hounslow CCG - Future in Mind
Isleworth & Hounslow Charity
London Borough of Hounslow Community Partnerships
London Borough of Hounslow - Early Years
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames - CWGF
Masonic Charitable Foundation; Big Hopes, Big Future
National Lottery Community Fund
Postcode Community Trust Lottery
Richmond Parish Lands Charity
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames - CWGF
47,840
**Unrestricted**
**Donations**
**£**
Featherstone Leigh Estate Agents
900
John Lewis Partnership/Waitrose
2,606
Kingston Rotary Club
Mortlake Parish Church
Munro Charitable Trust
Royal Borough of Kingston
RFU Community Engagement
The Freshwater Foundation
The Mayor's Charity, Richmond
18,169
The Richmond Charities
Other donations
18,416
Volunteers expenses donated
Gift Aid refunded
4,288
44,379
**Other trading activities**
Fundraising and events
28,649
**Investment Income**
Bank interest
2,187
**Total Income**
**123,055**|**Restricted**
**£**
180,000
5,250
35,000
15,000
2,000
4,900
60,000
7,200
10,000
5,000
20,600
7,200
352,150
**Restricted**
**£**
500
2,000
2,500
-
**354,650**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
180,000
180,000
5,250
5,250
35,000
35,000
47,840
-
15,000
-
2,000
-
4,900
-
-
7,000
-
595
-
7,156
60,000
60,000
7,200
-
10,000
-
5,000
-
-
20,000
20,600
15,600
7,200
-
399,990
330,601
**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
900
900
2,606
-
500
-
-
1,819
-
1,000
-
2,750
-
1,500
-
1,500
18,169
-
2,000
-
18,416
10,720
-
3,390
4,288
1,309
46,879
24,889
28,649
15,039
2,187
3,008
**477,705**
**373,537**|
|---|---|---|
9
## **3 Expenditure**
|**Unrestricted**
**Raising Funds**
**£**
Staff & personnel costs
24,674
Publicity
1,167
Events
335
Fundraising
26,176
**Unrestricted**
**Charitable Activities**
**£**
Staff & personnel costs
20,449
Volunteer training & support
Direct grants to families
Direct support to families and family events
Office costs
Premises costs
Affliations and fees
20,449
**Unrestricted**
**Governance costs**
**£**
Management Committee expenses
124
Other
122
246
**Total Expenditure**
**46,871**
**Staff Costs**
Included within expenditure are the following staff costs:
**Unrestricted**
**£**
Wages & salaries
41,098
Employer's national insurance
1,518
Employment allowance
Pension contributions
1,676
44,292
Of which the following staff costs were in respect
of key management personnel
-|**Restricted**
**£**
-
**Restricted**
**£**
272,595
245
21,156
4,188
9,471
24,749
7,631
340,035
**Restricted**
**£**
-
**340,035**
**Restricted**
**£**
238,532
17,901
(4,000)
18,006
270,439
40,305|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
24,674
19,042
1,167
1,161
335
1,200
-
828
26,176
22,231
**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
293,044
312,081
245
7,857
21,156
595
4,188
1,200
9,471
13,508
24,749
26,387
7,631
7,280
360,484
368,909
**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
124
97
122
48
246
145
**386,906**
**391,284**
**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
279,630
281,013
19,420
20,535
(4,000)
(3,000)
19,681
20,583
314,732
319,131
40,305
40,326|
|---|---|---|
## **3a Staff Costs**
No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000 in the current or the previous financial year.
The average number of employees of the Charity in the year was 15 (8.9 full-time equivalent). In 2020, it was 15 staff and 9.3 FTE. The Charity also pays two hourly-rate workers who run the weekly family groups which have been delivered on zoom this year.
## **3b Direct grants to families**
Included within expenditure are the following direct grants to families that were distributed as goods, supermarket vouchers or payments made directly to the family's utility provider:
||**Grants to**
**families**|**Grants to**
**institutions**|
**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|
|London Borough of Richmond upon Thames -
Coronovirus Winter Crisis Grant|5,400|1,800|7,200|
|Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames -
Coronovirus Winter Crisis Grant|7,200||7,200|
|The Richmond Charities|170||170|
|National Lottery|2,975||2,975|
|John Lewis/Home-Start UK - Caringfor Families|3,611||3,611|
||19,356|1,800|21,156|
Grants were made to 57 families at an average of £340 per family. Support costs allocated to grant making activities were not material as grants were made to families already in receipt of our support.
At the direction of the funder, £1800 was paid to Crossroads Care, Richmond & Kingston, a separate charity (charity no. 1053224) to support other local families not affiliated to Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow.
10
|||**Office**|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**4 **|**Fixed Assets**|**Equipment**|**Computers**|**Total**|
|||£|£|£|
||**Cost**||||
||At 1 April 2020|10,589|26,661|37,250|
||Additions|-|646|646|
||Disposals|-|(8,126)|(8,126)|
||**At 31 March 2021**|10,589|19,181|29,770|
||**Depreciation**||||
||At 1 April 2020|9,690|26,378|36,068|
||Charge|450|500|950|
||Disposals||(8,126)|(8,126)|
||**At 31 March 2021**|10,140|18,752|28,892|
||**Net Book Value**||||
||**At 31 March 2021**|**449**|**429**|**878**|
||||||
||As at 31 March 2020|899|283|1,182|
|**5 **|**Cash at Bank and in Hand**|**2021**|**2020**||
|||**£**|**£**||
||Bank accounts|405,143|300,401||
||Petty cash|77|77||
|||405,221|300,478||
|**6 **|**Debtors**|**2021**|**2020**||
|||**£**|**£**||
||Achieving for Children|-|15,000||
||HMRC Gift Aid|4,287|1,309||
||Sundry debtors|1,450|2,950||
|||5,737|19,259||
|**7 **|**Creditors: amounts falling due for payment within one year**||||
|||**2021**|**2020**||
|||**£**|**£**||
||Grants payable to families|-|1,183||
||Trade creditors|2,273|2,656||
||Total|2,273|3,839||
|**8 **|**Income received in advance**||||
||Funding received during the current period relating to the following year||||
|||**2021**|**2020**||
|||**£**|**£**||
||Hampton Fund|17,500|17,500||
||London Borough of Hounslow|6,000|-||
||Richmond Parish Lands Charity|15,600|20,600||
|||39,100|38,100||
11
## **9 Movement in Funds**
|**Movement in Funds**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**1 April 2020**||||**31 March**|
||**Opening**||||**2021 Closing**|
||**Balance**|**Income**|**Expenditure**|**Transfers**|**Balance**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Restricted Funds**||||||
|Home Visiting and Family Support|71,718|354,650|(338,904)||87,464|
|Innovation|1,131||(1,131)||0|
||72,849|354,650|(340,035)|0|87,464|
|**Unrestricted Funds**||||||
|General Fund|207,716|123,055|(46,871)|(15,000)|268,900|
|Designated Fund||||15,000|15,000|
|**Total**|**280,565**|**477,705**|**(386,906)**|**0**|**371,364**|
## **10 Description of Funds**
**Home Visiting and Family Support** - Funds received to further the core purpose of Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow which is to provide a network of trained home visiting volunteers, who together with expert staff, support families with children under five years old who are experiencing challenging times.
**Innovation** - Funds received to implement a paperless office solution, including the required technology and training for staff, allowing the organisation to become more efficient and provide better outcomes for the families we support.
**Designated Reserve** - a portion of unrestricted funds set aside to invest in appropriate tools and technologies to optimise remote working for staff, support digital and oranizational development and enhance sustainabililty.
## **11 Trustee Remuneration and Related Party Transactions**
Gerard Ring, a trustee, received £0 (2020: £200) during the year for services relating to safeguarding training of volunteers and staff. Miranda Tottman, a trustee, received £0 (2019: £215) during the year for paid summer cover family support.
The expenses of the trustees amounting to £124 (2020: £97) in relation to costs incurred in fulfilling their duties, including for training, travel and subsistence, accommodation, equipment and other expenses were met during the year.
No trustee or person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity during the year.
£6,724 (2020: £6938) was paid to Home-Start UK to cover the annual membership levy for centralised services provided, such as branding, policy guidance and legal services.
The funds from the Masonic Charitable Foundation for the Big Hopes, Big Future programme, were received via Home-Start UK.
12
Independent Examlnerfs Report to the Trustees of trlome4tart Richmond, Klngston & Hounslow
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Home-5tart Rlchmond, Kingston &
Hounslow for the year ended 31" March 2021.
Responslblllties and basis of report
This report is made solely to the eharlty's trustees who, as a body, are responsible for the
preparatlon of the accounts in accordance wlth the requirements of the Charitles Act 20111"the
Act'l.
I report in respect of my examlnatlon of the charity's accounts carrled out under section 145 of the
2011 Act and in carrying out my examlnation, I have followed all the appllcable Direction5 given by
the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Act.
Independent examlner's statement
The charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualifSed to undertake the examination by
belng a qualified member of The Instltute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland IICASI. I have
completed my examination. I conflrm that no materlal matters have come to my attention in
connection wlth the examlnation which give me cause to believe that In, any material respect:
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with sectlon 130 of the Charities Aet,. or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and
content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reportsl Regulations 2008 other
than any requirement that the accounts give a "true and fail, view which is not a matter
considered as part of an independent examination.
I have llo concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to
which attentiOVl should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the
accounts to be reached.
z/7121
Rebecca J Tweed ACA
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland IICASI