NORTH STAFFS ASPERGERS AND AUTISM ASSOCIATION ## **NSAAA** CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT for the AGM – 2025 By Jeremy Relton- Chair Chairperson’s report 1 This year has been a very successful year for the charity with continued strong growth in membership and increases in activities we are able to provide members. We are proud to continue serving members and always look to improve what we do. However we are very short of trustees and trustees going forward. But we have had a lot of new volunteers which is great news. Committee/ Trustees and Staff - As we come to the AGM the trustees comprise myself, Jeremy Relton (chair), Pauline Hanrahan, (treasurer) Jane Titley, (secretary) and Dee Clarke I want to thank them all for their hard work, great ideas and commitment to driving the organisation forward over the last twelve months. It’s been yet another good year. - I have been chairperson since March 2024 and I am standing again as a trustee. - Jane Titley has been the secretary for a great number of years and is a great asset to the committee; her expertise is around policy and processes. She will stand again. - Pauline Hanrahan is our Treasurer. She continues to liaise with Wendy Knobbs, our current Finance Manager. Wendy continues to produce monthly accounts and makes sure the money accounts are accurate for auditing purposes. Her report will be reported later in the meeting. She will stand again. - Dee Clarke has been a loyal trustee for several years and she is standing down this year. We thank her for all of her hard work and commitment. We know she has agreed to keep volunteering for the Coffee Evenings. This is great. - The staff members are Jill Broad, Rachel Linforth, Lindsey Beckett and Wendy Knobbs. We are pleased to employ staff with such a diverse range of skills. We thank all of our staff, volunteers and trustees for their continued support and passion in helping and supporting our members. - Our current membership is at 399; this is an incredible achievement for the third year running now. Previously our membership had not been much more than 250. This shows that the need for our charity is greater than ever. The long waiting lists for CAMHS and the long waits for EHCPs etc. add to the need for services like ours that offer some support and help in those first days especially. ## Working Practices We have a wide range of services on offer. - We have the help line open 4 days a week for a few hours. Members and potential members can phone and ask for advice and guidance. - There is a small lending library in the office with books on Autism. - There are several face-to-face social groups for children and teenagers that have continued to meet on a monthly rota. We have a much larger rota this last year or two for online groups as well. Our face-to-face groups usually 2 meet at King Street studios in Newcastle and our growing band of volunteers regularly support these groups; we thank them for their continued support. • Our over 35s group has been operating for over a year. - Activities update: 1. Monthly Jumbo sessions for the children and their siblings has been enjoyed by many. This group has really taken off and we regularly have 20 children playing on a 3[rd] Friday. We have started to do a session during the Christmas holidays; this has proved popular. 2. Our monthly craft groups continue online using zoom and face to face, they prove popular with a range of members of all ages. 3. Regular school holiday activities continue to take place. There are always two extra activities a week in the holidays. They have included bowling, train trips, mini golf, tubing, Trentham Gardens and many country walks to name a few. The annual trip to Blackpool happened too. We have also had one-off events such as music making sessions. These prove popular. There have been a few new activities in the holidays such as Museum in a Box and Hurricane Games. 4. The monthly swimming club has been running on and off. We have changed venue again. We are now using the pool at Kidsgrove. This is working better. We have some normal sessions with the inflatables being used every third session. The meeting/party room after is popular too. 5. The Lego group still meets and has recently changed to a Friday; it has a loyal following. 6. The 16-28 young adults’ group has continued to grow from strength to strength and our aim to promote independence is evident in our young people. They love a meal out or a trip to the bowling alley or cinema. 7. This year we enjoyed our under 16s party night and we had lots of fun with our younger members. This has evolved from themed nights to a relaxed evening with our younger members. It has a fantastic, chilled end of the week vibe. 8. The games night is good too. This involves old-fashioned fun; board games are out too. This is a new group. 9. Our adult group is thriving, they are such an amazing group, and they enjoy meeting at King Street once a month, and they also enjoy meeting during the monthly outing. Activities have included many meals out, bowling, and mini golf. 10. We also enjoyed several fantastic theatre trips including the Panto, and plays at both The Regent and The New Vic. This is a great opportunity for the whole family to come along and enjoy a fabulous afternoon of entertainment. 3 - The Adult members continue to meet several times a month. Thanks should go to our fabulous staff members for all the great ideas and suggestions you have put forward to create much needed fun! This is how our over 35s group started! - We host a Parents’ Support Group that has continued to meet at King Street. This group provides a much-needed opportunity for a cup of tea and a supportive chat with Dee, who really offers our members such a warm welcome and friendly advice. ## Fundraising and awareness raising - We continue to raise some much-needed funds for the charity moving forward into 2024. Our largest and most successful fundraising event of the year has become the charity ball which took place in May 2024. Our accounts tell us it raised £7746. We have our next Ball in June this year which we are hoping you can all support - This year we have fundraised £8980; this is an amazing amount and comprises a huge amount of our expenditure. We have also been given £1317 in donations. Again, this is an amazing amount from friends, families and local organisations and businesses. ## Grants and Money - A lot of work has been done in this area, which is an ongoing commitment. Pauline has detailed these in her report. Some funding has been secured from Garfield Weston; Foyle Foundation, Awards For All and the Alex Ferry Foundation, which will be detailed in Pauline’s report. Sadly we did not secure any funding from Children in Need but we can apply again in the summer. The process is different and also the demand on the grants is even higher so rejection is more likely. The effort from the committee and the members ensures that we now have a healthy bank balance going into the next financial year. ## The Future The NSAAA will continue with our key features identified such as the help line, support work, group work and holiday activities, and some face-to-face support. We will continue to grow and develop as an organisation, and we are always open to new ideas. We aim to increase membership and to increase the activities and services we offer to our members. We are thrilled at how popular our online groups have been and will continue to host these in the future. It has been a pleasure to work with such dedicated people over the last twelve months and I thank you all. 4 North Staffs Asperger/Autism Association Accounts For the Year Ended 30th September 2024 Registered Charity Number 1109817 Pauline Hanrahan Treasurer North Staff5 Asperger/Autism Association 30 September 2024 Charlty Information Trustees Delia Clarke Cha rlene Ges5ey Iresigned 08107120241 Honorary Officers M ega n Russan (Chair resigned 19103/20241 Jeremy Relton (Cha ir a ppointed 19/03120241 Pauline Hanrahan (Treasurerl Jane Titloy Isecrotaryl Office Address PO Box 3615 Stoke -on-Trent Staffs ST4 9LY ankers UnityTrust Bank Four Brindleyplace Birmingham BI 2JB Natwest Bank 75 High Street Nowcastle-U-Lyme Staff5 ST5 IPN North Staffs AspergerlAutism Association 30 September 2024 Trustees report Governance and management The charity is operated under the rules of ils constitution adopted 1910412005 as amended on 2310212006 as amended on 0810312008 as amended on 2910312012 Charitable objects 1 to promote the relieflunderslanding of people with aulislic spectrum conditions for their families and carers. 2. to advance the education of the public in all manners concerning aulislic spectrum disorders. The methods adopted for the recruitment and appointment of new trustees There is an open and welcoming outlook towards potential new Iruslrees and every effort is made lo keep numbers al a steady level New Trustees are nominaled and appointed al the AGM usually, bul may be co-opted during the year as parl of the monthly Trustees meeting. Public benefit The Iruslees of the Charity are aware of the Charity Commission s guidance on public benefit and have had regard to il in their administration of the Charity. Summary of the main achievements durin9 the period As a recipient of The Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2015. and hosts of an afternoon lea reception for HRH Sophie Countess of Wèssex in 2017. we have continued to gain recognition and great encouragement for what we are achieving in our work We have continued lo successfully adjust our vital work in an ever-changing climate and have secured support grants from Children in Need, Awards for All, Alex Ferry Foundation and Garfield Weston Foundation. The number and diversity of events that we can offer lo our members has increased. Our aclivilies. events. and support and information services are being driven forward at an impressive level by our staff team and proactive committee. The charity's policy on reserves Reserves will be built up in order to adequately cover the running costs of the organisalion for a aximLJm period of six months lo asslst futufe cash flow should funding be delayed. The policy Is reviewed annually by the Trustees. Signed on behalf of the charity s trustees" Signed Dated J7- 1/-14 ## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of North Staffs Asperger/Autism Association for the year ended 30 September 2023** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 30[th] September 2024. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you 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 Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or - the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 27/02/2025 Signed _________________________ Date ______________________ **Daryl Denson ACMA Employee of VAST** North Staffs As Recei ts an(1 Pa er er / Autism Association ments for the Year Ended 30th Se tember 2024 Rislricled Unresii'iLleil -rola1 Year EndEd F'un(Is Sept. 23 BalallLe BlfTrvd 01.10.23 9.999.00 l j.2?8.0)1 ?j.227.Cii 29.761 1 Recei QNI'un15 1 Fuiicling Dondtii.¥1is Meinbcrsliips 71.099.00 21.099.UO 1.316.97 3.180.00 8.980.25 6.074.06 368.08 20.446.00 ? 7116.80 2.775.00 ).794.82 6.i38.36 3i6.3i 1.316.97 1,180.00 8.98(1.2i 6.074.06 3118,08 Income Fruin <2CtiiJitie Gitl Aid Claim Total Recei ts 21.099.00 I(J.91CJ.36 41.018,36 4?.617.33 ments PosiagL / ,Siilt I l)riiii l Adi'crt TLl#pliiiiiL / IiilLrneiJ Il'ebbile £alLlfiL5 1 N'IL 1111c(Triiie .1 Voluiiieer CoslA Rcpaii's (111(l Tr¢l of th8 Act. Indgp•nd8nt •xamln•rf• 8tat•ment I have completed my examinalion. I confirm Ihat no material matters have come to my attenllon in conn8ctk*n vlth the examination which gives me cau59 to bolieve that in, any material respé¢l'. • accountln9 records wore not kept In accordanu wlth 8ecllon 130 of the Acl or Ihe accounts do not accord wlth the accountlng records. I hava no ¢oncèm8 and have come across no other matters In connedlon wllh tho oxaminali¢Jn to which allention should b8 drawn in order to enabla a proper undorstandlng ol the accounts lo be rea¢hed. Slgned Daryl Denson ACMA Employee of VAST Dala 2710212025