**COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 05468592 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1110632** ## **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd. Company Limited by Guarantee Financial Statements 31 March 2025** ## **MONAHANS** Chartered Accountants Oakley House Tetbury Road Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1US ## **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Financial Statements** ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ||**Page**| |---|---| |Trustees' annual report (incorporating the director's report)|**1**| |Independent examiner's report to the trustees|**3**| |Statement of financial activities (including income and|| |expenditure account)|**4**| |Statement of financial position|**5**| |Notes to the financial statements|**6**| ## **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)** ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. ## **Reference and administrative details** **Registered charity name** Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd. **Charity registration number** 1110632 **Company registration number** 05468592 **Principal office and registered** Cirencester Baptist Church **office** Chesterton Lane Cirencester GL7 1YE **The trustees** Mr A R Jones Ms C N Ford Mr S D Kaufmann Mrs C M Partridge Mr D A J Pointet Mr R G L Waller (Served from 13 June 2024 to 29 K Wilson November 2024) **Independent examiner** Helen Jones Oakley House Tetbury Road Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1US ## **Structure, governance and management** The details of the structure and organisation are included in the accompanying Annual Report. ## **Objectives and activities** Please see the Annual Report for the full objectives and activities of the charity. ## **Achievements and performance** Please see the Annual Report for the achievements and performance for the year ended 31st March 2025. ## **Financial review** The accounts show a surplus of £2,452 compared to a deficit of £19,312 in 2024. More details of the financial position of the Charity is given in the Annual Report. **- 1 -** Home4tart Cotswolds Ltd. Company Llmited by Guarantee Trustoos. Annual Report (Incorporatlng the Directorfs Report) fLWllrK*th) Year ended 31 March 2025 Small company provlslons Thi8 report has bèen prepared tn awdhnce whh the provisior6 •pkable to ONn￿nIeS entiued lo tha Small ¢ompanlés ax&mp*￿￿. Tha trusteos. annual mport was approv￿ on .-￿Ik.:.0￿...￿￿. arKI on behalf of th& board of twslees by.. MrA Trust IAr S D Kaufmann Tnjsteè **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd. ('the charity') for the year ended 31 March 2025. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act’). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 2. the financial statements do not accord with those records; or 3. the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or 4. the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). 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. Helen Jones Independent Examiner Oakley House Tetbury Road Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1US **- 3 -** ## **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Statement of Financial Activities (including income and expenditure account)** ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ||||**2025**||2024| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |||Unrestricted|Restricted||| |||funds|funds|**Total funds**|Total funds| ||**Note**|**£**|**£**|**£**|£| |**Income and endowments**|||||| |Donations and legacies|**5**|144,831|1,125|145,956|123,360| |Investment income|**6**|1,687|–|1,687|1,802| |||--------------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------| |**Total income**||146,518|1,125|147,643|125,162| |||================================|=======================|================================|================================| |**Expenditure**|||||| |Expenditure on charitable activities|**7,8**|133,309|–|133,309|135,533| |Other expenditure|**9**|11,939|–|11,939|8,941| |||--------------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------| |**Total expenditure**||145,248|–|145,248|144,474| |||================================|=======================|================================|================================| |||--------------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------| |**Net income/(expenditure) and net**|||||| |**movement in funds**||1,270|1,125|2,395|(19,312)| |||================================|=======================|================================|================================| |**Reconciliation of funds**|||||| |Total funds brought forward||75,104|2,500|77,604|96,916| |||--------------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------| |**Total funds carried forward**||76,374|3,625|79,999|77,604| |||================================|=======================|================================|================================| The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. **The notes on pages 6 to 13 form part of these financial statements.** **- 4 -** Home-start Cotswolds Ltd. Company Llmlted by Guaranteo Statament of Financial Position 31 March 2025 2025 2024 Nots Flxed assots Tangible fixed asse18 14 1,468 1,425 Curr•nt ¥•s•ts Debtor8 Cash al bonk 8nd In hand 15 231 82,178 222 78,603 78.825 82.409 Cr•d5tor•'. Imounts f•lllnq du• wllhln on• year N•1 current •8s•1• 16 3,678 2,646 76,179 77,604 78,531 79.999 79.999 Total iBBet8 le8J currant Il•bllltles Not as$•t¢¥ 77.604 Fund# of the ehaTIIy R9slric19d funds Unro8lrlclod funds 3.625 76.374 2.500 7S,104 77.604 Tot•1 ¢hBrlty lund• 79.999 For tho yO8r onding 31 March 2025 the chartly was onliuod to 8x¢mptlon Irom audll undgr $￿tIOn 477 of tho Comp8nies Act 2006 ro181ing 10 8m811 comp8ni8S. Diro¢tors' respon81￿11t18S.' Th8 ￿8￿berS have not required the c(xnpany lo oblaln an audll of Its financlal s1ol•menlg lor tho ygar In questlon In acc(trrdanc8 with sg¢llL)n 476- Th8 dlreclor8 Beknowladgo Iheir re$pon$lbllllies for complylng wllh the rgqulrement8 of tho Act wllh rospect 10 8ccounling records Ihe preparation of financial slatemènls. These financl81 sl£tem8nl8 havo be¢n prgpared In accordancè wlth thè provlslons appllcable 10 comp8nleg 8ubl•d to the 8m811 ¢tsmpanl•s' regimè. These financlal slaternents woro approved by the board of trusioe$ and aulhorlsod for Issue on S￿￿￿1.¥¥... , and aro s¥nod on behalf of the board by.. MrAR Trust8 Jon Mrs D Kaufmann Trustee Tho on pogg• 6 10 13 lom part of th•M Iln•nc141 •t•t•rn•nt•. **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **1. General information** The charity is a public benefit entity and a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales and a registered charity in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is Cirencester Baptist Church, Chesterton Lane, Cirencester, GL7 1YE. ## **2. Statement of compliance** These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland', 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 (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Companies Act 2006. ## **3. Accounting policies** ## **Basis of preparation** The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure. The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity. ## **Going concern** There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue. ## **Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty** The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. ## **Fund accounting** Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes. Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future project or commitment. Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal, and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds. **- 6 -** **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **3. Accounting policies** _**(continued)**_ ## **Incoming resources** All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income: - income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably. - legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established. - income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers. - income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted. ## **Resources expended** Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates: - expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, non-charitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods. - expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities. - other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities. All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis. ## **Tangible assets** Tangible assets are initially recorded at cost, and subsequently stated at cost less any accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Any tangible assets carried at revalued amounts are recorded at the fair value at the date of revaluation less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses. **- 7 -** **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **3. Accounting policies** _**(continued)**_ ## **Tangible assets** _**(continued)**_ An increase in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of a revaluation, is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, unless it reverses a charge for impairment that has previously been recognised as expenditure within the statement of financial activities. A decrease in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of revaluation, is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, except to which it offsets any previous revaluation gain, in which case the loss is shown within other recognised gains and losses on the statement of financial activities. ## **Depreciation** Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost or valuation of an asset, less its residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows: Plant and machinery - 33% reducing balance Equipment - 25% straight line ## **Impairment of fixed assets** A review for indicators of impairment is carried out at each reporting date, with the recoverable amount being estimated where such indicators exist. Where the carrying value exceeds the recoverable amount, the asset is impaired accordingly. Prior impairments are also reviewed for possible reversal at each reporting date. For the purposes of impairment testing, when it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, an estimate is made of the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs. The cash-generating unit is the smallest identifiable group of assets that includes the asset and generates cash inflows that largely independent of the cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets. For impairment testing of goodwill, the goodwill acquired in a business combination is, from the acquisition date, allocated to each of the cash-generating units that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the combination, irrespective of whether other assets or liabilities of the charity are assigned to those units. ## **Financial instruments** Financial instruments are classified and accounted for, according to the substance of the contractual arrangement, as either financial assets, financial liabilities or equity instruments. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities. ## **Defined contribution plans** Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as an expense in the period in which the related service is provided. Prepaid contributions are recognised as an asset to the extent that the prepayment will lead to a reduction in future payments or a cash refund. **- 8 -** ## **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **3. Accounting policies** _**(continued)**_ ## **Defined contribution plans** _**(continued)**_ When contributions are not expected to be settled wholly within 12 months of the end of the reporting date in which the employees render the related service, the liability is measured on a discounted present value basis. The unwinding of the discount is recognised as an expense in the period in which it arises. ## **4. Limited by guarantee** The liability of the members is limited by guarantee. ## **5. Donations and legacies** ||||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total Funds**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||Funds|Funds|**2025**| ||||£|£|**£**| ||**Donations**||||| ||Trusts and funders||135,138|–|135,138| ||Donations||9,081|–|9,081| ||Fundraising events||–|–|–| ||Gift aid||612|–|612| ||**Grants**||||| ||Other revenue||–|1,125|1,125| ||||--------------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------------| ||||144,831|1,125|145,956| ||||================================|=======================|================================| ||||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total Funds| ||||Funds|Funds|2024| ||||£|£|£| ||**Donations**||||| ||Trusts and funders||93,784|–|93,784| ||Donations||19,834|–|19,834| ||Fundraising events||3,718|–|3,718| ||Gift aid||524|–|524| ||**Grants**||||| ||Other revenue||3,000|2,500|5,500| ||||--------------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------------| ||||120,860|2,500|123,360| ||||================================|=======================|================================| |**6.**|**Investment income**||||| |||Unrestricted|**Total Funds**|Unrestricted|Total Funds| |||Funds|**2025**|Funds|2024| |||£|**£**|£|£| ||Interest income|1,687|1,687|1,802|1,802| |||=======================|=======================|=======================|=======================| **- 9 -** ## **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **7. Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type** |||Unrestricted|**Total Funds**|Unrestricted|Total Funds| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |||Funds|**2025**|Funds|2024| |||£|**£**|£|£| ||Support costs|133,309|133,309|135,533|135,533| |||================================|================================|================================|================================| |**8.**|**Expenditure on charitable activities by activity type**||||| ||||Support|**Total funds**|Total fund| ||||costs|**2025**|2024| ||||£|**£**|£| ||Governance costs||133,309|133,309|135,533| ||||================================|================================|================================| |**9.**|**Other expenditure**||||| |||Unrestricted|**Total Funds**|Unrestricted|Total Funds| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |||Funds|**2025**|Funds|2024| |||£|**£**|£|£| ||Staff expenses|3,757|3,757|2,889|2,889| ||Volunteer expenses|2,495|2,495|1,586|1,586| ||Home start and other fees|2,250|2,250|2,222|2,222| ||Fundraising|–|–|75|75| ||Bank Fees|92|92|1|1| ||Family support|650|650|552|552| ||General expenses|2,695|2,695|1,616|1,616| |||----------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |||11,939|11,939|8,941|8,941| |||============================|============================|=======================|=======================| |**10.**|**Net income/(expenditure)**||||| ||Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):||||| |||||**2025**|2024| |||||**£**|£| ||Depreciation of tangible fixed assets|||708|662| |||||==============|==============| |**11.**|**Independent examination fees**||||| |||||**2025**|2024| |||||**£**|£| ||Fees payable to the independent examiner for:||||| ||Independent examination of the financial statements|||648|612| |||||==============|==============| **- 10 -** ## **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **12. Staff costs** The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows: ||**2025**|2024| |---|---|---| ||**£**|£| |Wages and salaries|112,729|113,435| |Social security costs|19|941| |Employer contributions to pension plans|3,962|3,896| ||--------------------------------|--------------------------------| ||116,710
================================|118,272
================================| The average head count of employees during the year was 8 (2024: 8). The average number of full-time equivalent employees during the year is analysed as follows: ||**2025**|2024| |---|---|---| ||**No.**|No.| |Number of staff|4|4| ||==============|==============| No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2024: Nil). ## **13. Trustee remuneration and expenses** No remuneration was received in the year by the trustees. ## **14. Tangible fixed assets** |||Plant and||| |---|---|---|---|---| |||machinery|Equipment|**Total**| |||£|£|**£**| ||**Cost**|||| ||At 1 April 2024|891|3,397|4,288| ||Additions|–|751|751| |||--------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| ||**At 31 March 2025**|891|4,148|5,039| |||==============|=======================|=======================| ||**Depreciation**|||| ||At 1 April 2024|774|2,089|2,863| ||Charge for the year|39|669|708| |||--------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| ||**At 31 March 2025**|813|2,758|3,571| |||==============|=======================|=======================| ||**Carrying amount**|||| ||**At 31 March 2025**|78|1,390|1,468| |||==============|=======================|=======================| ||At 31 March 2024|117|1,308|1,425| |||==============|=======================|=======================| |**15.**|**Debtors**|||| ||||**2025**|2024| ||||**£**|£| ||Prepayments and accrued income||231|222| ||||==============|==============| **- 11 -** ## **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **16. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year** ||**2025**|2024| |---|---|---| ||**£**|£| |Trade creditors|1,447|354| |Accruals and deferred income|1,103|1,126| |Social security and other taxes|461|606| |Other creditors|867|560| ||-----------------------|-----------------------| ||3,878|2,646| ||=======================|=======================| ## **17. Pensions and other post retirement benefits** ## **Defined contribution plans** The amount recognised in income or expenditure as an expense in relation to defined contribution plans was £3,962 (2024: £3,896). ## **18. Analysis of charitable funds** ## **Unrestricted funds** |**Unrestricted funds**|||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||**At**| ||At|||**31 March**|**20**| ||1 April 2024|Income|Expenditure||**25**| ||£|£|£|£|| |General funds|75,104|146,518|(145,248)|
76,374|| ||============================|================================|================================|============================|| ||||||At| ||At|||31 March|20| ||1 April 2023|Income|Expenditure||24| ||£|£|£|£|| |General funds|96,916|122,662|(144,474)|
75,104|| ||============================|================================|================================|============================|| |**Restricted funds**|||||| ||||||**At**| ||At|||**31 March**|**20**| ||1 April 2024|Income|Expenditure||**25**| ||£|£|£|£|| |Restricted Funds|2,500|1,125|–|3,625|| ||=======================|=======================|==============|=======================|| ||||||At| ||At|||31 March|20| ||1 April 2023|Income|Expenditure||24| ||£|£|£|£|| |Restricted Funds|–|2,500|–|2,500|| ||==============|=======================|==============|=======================|| **- 12 -** ## **Home-Start Cotswolds Ltd.** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **19. Analysis of net assets between funds** ||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total Funds**| |---|---|---|---| ||Funds|Funds|**2025**| ||£|£|**£**| |Tangible fixed assets|1,468|–|1,468| |Current assets|81,284|1,125|82,409| |Creditors less than 1 year|(3,878)|–|(3,878)| ||----------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------| |**Net assets**|78,874|1,125|79,999| ||============================|=======================|============================| ||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total Funds| ||Funds|Funds|2024| ||£|£|£| |Tangible fixed assets|1,425|–|1,425| |Current assets|76,325|2,500|78,825| |Creditors less than 1 year|(2,646)|–|(2,646)| ||----------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------| |**Net assets**|75,104|2,500|77,604| ||============================|=======================|============================| **- 13 -** Annual Report April 2024-March 2025 Celebfotih* 20 YEARS in 2025 Cotswolds HOME-START COTSWOLDS clo Cirencester Baptist Church Chesterton Lane Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 IYE 01285 885391 office@home-start-cotswolds.org.uk www.home-start-cotswolds.org.uk The QueensAward forVolunt•ryS•rvlct em￿1￿￿￿￿1t¢fq￿PS Company Number. 5468592 Charity Number. 1110632 MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR As I reflect on the past year, l am filled with immense gratitude for the incredible dedication and passion shown by our staff and volunteers. Their commitmentto supporting families in the Cotswolds during challenging times has been nothing short of inspiring. Despite the ongoing diff iculties we've faced with funding and resources, their resilience and unwavering belief in our mission has kept us going strong. It is with both pride and sadness that I share thiswas my final year serving as Chair of Home-start Cotswolds. I have truly loved being part of this wonderful charity, and although I continue to enjoy my role immensely, I have made the decision to step back temporarily due to some health concerns. l am, however, delighted to remain involved as a trustee and will continue to support the charity in any way I can. l am also very pleased to announce that Richard Waller has accepted the role of Chair going forward. Richard, a retired lawyer and part-time sheep farmer, has already proven himself to be a vital part of our team. His wisdom, calm presence, and pragmatic approach have been invaluable, and l am confident that the charity remains in capable and compassionate hands. Looking ahead, 2025 marks a special milestone for us; the 20th anniversary of Home-start Cotswolds. Back in 2005, four remarkable individuals recognised the need for a Home-start branch in our region and took the bold step to make it happen. We are so grateful to those founding members and to all who have supported us since. Their legacy lives on in the work we do, and we look forward to honouring them in our celebrations throughout the coming year. Thank you once again to everyone who makes Home-start Cotswolds the incredible organisation it is. I feel truly privileged to have been part of this journey and excited for all that lies ahead. With warmest thanks, Carla Partridge Chair of Trustees WHATWE DO After 20 years in the Cotswolds, providing volunteer support in the home remains our core work. It is a tried and tested model, and we know it worksl Our community of amazing volunteers visit families (with children under 5) at home, at the heart of family life, to provide weekly support. Alongside home visiting we run free local postnatal and maternal mental health groups across the more rural towns of the Cotswolds. Homefftstart Home-start Cotswolds was formed in 2005, and is one ofaround 180 Home- Starts nationally. This year, in 2025, we are delighted to be celebrating our The first Home-start logo by Quentln ￿ake th 20 anniversary. Looking back through our records we can see that a steering group meeting on 31" January 2005 marked the start of Home-start Cotswolds, and later that year we were officially entered onto the central register of charities and given our charity number. The four founding members became our Management Committee- with the responsibility of governing and steering the charity's objectives. Twenty years later, two of those original members are still working with the charity" Tony Jones as Company Secretary and Clare Baker, a Trustee up until 2024, now a member ofstaff. There have been 26 Trustees during the past 20 years, and there is no doubt that the enduringsuccess of our charity is in large part thanks to these amazing volunteers. Our first funding grant came towards the end of 2005, when we received an award from the Big Lottery Fund (National Lottery), meaningwe could employ a Family Coordinator, and in early 2006 the job was filled (as a job share} by Katharine Campbell and Sarah Mais. Our first Volunteers, trained in 2006 lo1* 6dkthD We)uili¥i¥ OL vile ol vui li1￿￿￿rI> Katharine and Sarah quickly got to work and our first group of volunteers were trained in the summer of 2006. By the end of that first year, 11 families were receiving weekly support from volunteers, 35 children were benefiting and we had another 11 new volunteers signed up, ready to be trained. A notable moment in ourjourneywas the expansion of our family support in 2021 to include a group programme that runs across the more rural areas of the Cotswolds. Four years later, we run 9 groups annually in 5 different locations! Another key milestone was moving buildings to Chesterton Lane 8 years ago, we are grateful to Cirencester Baptist Church for their enduring support and for providing us with office space located so visibly within the community. We are honoured to have helped so many families in our local area and it is amazing to think some of the children we supported in 2006 will soon be parents themselves. By the end of our 20 year, we will have supported IOCH) families, positively impacting the lives of over 2000 children. We have plans in place to celebrate this milestone with our many supporters in the coming year. STRUCTUREAND ORGANISATION STAFF Katharine Campbell- Service Manager Kate Prowse - Operations Manager (Joined in July 2024) Liz Wilkinson - Family Coordinator, North Cotswolds Clare Baker- Family Coordinator, South Cotswolds Sophie Holland - Group Coordinator (Left in August 2024) Emily Boston - Group Coordinator (Previously Group Worker) Hannah Morrison - Group Worker (Joined September 2024) Karen Roberts - Off ice Coordinator Sally Mason - Administrator (Retired April 2025) Ivan Lambert- Administrator '.)erts, Kath3rini' Mason. Xate Prowse. Clare Baker. Front row left to right.. Emily Boston. Liz Wilkinson, Hannah Morrison All our staff work part-time and their combined hours amount to the equivalent of 3.9 full-time workers (FTE). STAFF CHANGES In August, we were sad to say farewell to our Group Coordinator, Sophie. Sophie was instrumental in setting up our group work back in 2021, and was ourvery first Group Coordinator. Sophie delivered our initial Baby & Me group in September2021 and then went on to run many, many more! We are grateful for Sophie's wonderful energy, compassion and her creative approach to all that she did at Home-start Cotswolds; and we wish her all the best for the future. Emily, ourGroup Workerwas offered the role of Group Coordinator and we recruited Hannah Morrison as Group Worker in September 2024 to complete our group team. In April 2025 we said goodbye to our long-serving Administrator, Sally. She worked in the office with us for 14 years and kept the admin running through 14 volunteer prep courses, an office move, the move away from paper records, covid, plenty of stsff changes and has been patient, organised and brilliant throughout. Staff and trustees gathered to celebrate Sally's dedication to Home-start and the start of her retirement. From all of us, past and present, we'd like to take this opportunity to say a big'thank you, to Sally for all she did! STRUCTUREAND ORGANISATION MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS Carla Partridge- Chair Tony Jones- Secretary steve Kaufmann - Treasurer Carolyn Ford - Trustee Richard Waller- Trustee David Pointet- Trustee Katie Wilson- Trustee (left in December 2024) Claire Holmes - Advisor (joined January 2025) Our Trustees, who make up our Management Committee, all dedicate their time and skills to Home-start Cotswolds on a voluntary basis. They come from diverse backgrounds, each bringing their own experience and expertise to the team. Their role is to oversee the governance, finance, and strategic planning of the charity and in order to do this effectively, the Management Committee meet every two months. In addition, there are three sub committees. Personnel/HR, Finance, and Profile & Fundraising. These sub committees convene regularly and report their findings to the full committee. Our Home-start policy states that trustees are elected for terms of three years, up to a maximum of 12 years. 66 1 am passionate about the work of Home-start and I'm excited to have the opportunity to contribute to such an important service for children and their families locally. 99 Claire Holmes Home-start Cotswolds is part of the Home-start network. As well as giving us access to specialist support and collective influence, our membership ensures we are assessed under the Home-stsrt Quality Assurance (HSQAI Standard. This year we have submitted QA Self-Assessments in 3 areas: Protecting Families, Governance and Leadership and Family Support. To date, we have received constructive feedback on 2 out of the 3 assessments and we were informed by Home-start UK that our submissions were 'robust'. Qu*lrtyAssurbn¢• 2024 QualityA5surance Sell.As5es5ff*nt 2025 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE FAMILIES This year, Home-start Cotswolds has supported 157 families through our various support streams. We offer a range of support to families, including: HOME VISITING: 62 families were supported through weekly visits to the family in their home rh1pp1n8c￿Pa¢n Baby & Me Postnatal Groups: 83 families attended our eight week groups for parents and their babies aged up to 6 months Mofoi•frlTrM•fsh Reconnect Perinatal Mental Health Groups: 12 families attended our ten week mental health support groups St{￿4￿￿the.w0ld Water Dad Matters: Part of the Home-start Gloucestershire Consortium, Dad Matters supports Dad's across the whole of Gloucestershire with 1-2-1 support, volunteer led groups and hospital drop-ins. They supported around 10 families from the Cotswolds this year. 14orthle•¢h Cotswold District Area Throughout the year we signpost families to other support services, for example: The Food Bank, P3 {support with budgeting & debts), Household Support Fund (financial help), GDASS (domestic abuse service), Perinatal Mental Health Teams, Health Visitors and other NHS services, Citizens Advice, The Grace Network {Long Table, Bike Drop & Kids Stuff), sleep consultants and local playgroups. Our volunteers encourage and enable families to access these services. CirwKester F•irford Lathladt, South Cerney Home-start Cotswolds covers the geographical area of the Cotswold District Council, as represented above. * represents the locations of our Groups Families, circumstances at referral for Home Visiting: 83% needed support with their mental health needed support with their finances or debt needed support with their physical health I had a disability were a young parent aged under 25 years were a lone parent had unsuitable housing had refu ee l asylum seeker status 26% 29% 20% 26% 14% ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE We work in close partnership with our referrers keeping them up to date with our new groups and our volunteer availability. This year 29 different professionals referred to us from the following services: Education + Childca Cirencester Opportunity Group work with a high number of families living in deprivotion ond sociol isolotion,. manymove to the area forsafety, leoving friends ond fomily behind. With veryyoung children in the home, we turn to Home-stort to come along side us and work with the fomily who hove often been left traumatised and frightened after surviving domestic obuse. Charitiesl Community Oiganisation5 Family Supportl Social Care Other Health Services Mentsl Health Service5 Health Wisitors 99 io 15 20 YKkyChase, CirencesterOpportunityGroup We receive a small number of self referrals for our home visiting support (11 % ), in contrast to the 86 % of self referrals for the Baby & Me group. Throughout the year we received a number of referrals for families who were open to Children's Services and our staff attended multi agency meetings as required. We supported 13 families who have experienced domestic abuse who have often recently relocated into the area. HOME VISITING 62 families received support from a home visiting volunteer this year. This included 117 children. Parenting is a challengingjourney that can make people feel isolated, frustrated, and overwhelmed. Our supported families often face significant life challenges, including illness, anxiety, relationship breakdown, financial difficulties, domestic abuse, bereavement, neurodiversity and adjusting after a relocation. When Home-start receives a family referral, we carefully match them with a volunteer who visits for up to three hours weekly, estsblishing a relationship built on trust and support. Our volunteers support families to address their specific challenges. They provide companionship, a listening ear, creative play, help and motivation to tackle finance and housing issues, encouragement and support to engage with their local community, and connections to specialist organisations. 000 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Each familywe work with is unique and we aim to tailorthe support to their needs in a waythat will be most beneficial to them. To this end, our home visiting families complete a self assessment form at their initial visit with a Family Coordinator. They record how they feel about issues such as their mental health, isolation, parenting skills and finances. This form is completed again at review visits in order to create a picture of the family's needs over the time of support. Dats from the self assessment forms is recorded on CharityLog, our GDPR compliant, cloud-based CRM, and from this we can extract reports on the impact our home visiting has had on families. For example, throughout the time of home visiting support we can see a consistent improvement in parents, confidence, mental health and feelings of isolation. For those parents who are struggling with managing their children, we see an improvement in their parenting knowledge and skills. We also collect feedback from families at their reviews about how much they appreciate their volunteers and the difference their support is making. Over 60 % of the families receiving home-visiting support reported.. Improved Confidence & Self esteem Improved Mental Health Feeling less isolated 66 It was lovely knowing my volunteer was coming on a regular basis so that I could hL7ve some time for myself which has greotly improved my mentol heolth. She was so easy to talk to and it was helpful to listen to her knowledge and experience when I was struggling. 99 GROUP WORK 95 families attended one of our groups this year. As planned, we have extended our group work and now hold regular sessions in Bourton-on-the-water, Moreton-in-marsh, Fairford, Lechlade and Tetbury. In May 2025 we plan to run an additional Reconnect maternal mental health group in the South Cotswolds area (Tetbury). In orderto measure the impact of ourgroup work, parents fill in a feedback form at the last session of their group. This form uses an adapted version of our home visiting assessment. The data is recorded on CharityLog. ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE BABY& ME Our Baby & Me groups cater specifically to new parents with babies aged 0-6 months. Over our comprehensive 8-week programme we cover many essential topics including child development, interactive playi nutrition and weaning, emergency first aid, baby massage techniques, home safety practices, healthy sleep habits, and maternal pelvic health. 66 The group hos improved my knowledge ond understonding ofmy bobys needs, whether it be emotionally, developmentally or physically. The group provided a platform for key speakers to shore their knowledge which in turn hos given me woys I con bond ond understond my boby's needs. I'm more potient ond confident as a parent and this is reflected in my bonded relationship with my boby. 99 83 Locations across the Cotswolds families attended Baby & Me metother parents and made newfriendsat the group Y•• reported improvements in their mental health reported more confidence as a parent Baby+ Me and groups, runningfor 8 weeks each RECONNECT Our Reconnect Group supports mothers experiencing mentsl health challenges. A creche is run during sessions, creating a dedicated space where mothers can fully engage in discussions without interruption. This year we have started to run the creche internally, ensuring the volunteers and staff running it have been fully trained to understand the additional reassurance and time these mums need to confidently leave their children during the group. This has been appreciated by the mums and we have seen an improvement in consistent attendance at this group as a result. The group covers topics including parental identity, self-awareness development, nutritional wellness, evidence-based mindfulness and relaxation techniques. All attendees reported an improvement in their mental health and well being and a positive impact on the children who attended with them. 66 It WL7S so helpful getting support from other parents in similar situations and it made me feel less alone in my struggles. l also found the workshops really helpful and I've found new ways to cope through the group work. Emily was so supportive and helped get me in touch with a sleep consultant. 99 VOLUNTEER UPDATE Home-start Cotswolds has 54 trained volunteers, including 14 new volunteers who were trained this year. Our volunteers generously give up their time to support parents who are struggling with the pressures of family life. In any given week our volunteers will be offering over 80 hours of support to families, either by visiting them at home, supporting a Home-start group or helping in our newly formed creche. What our volunteers do to help families is very simple, but the family situations we work in can be very complex. Providing a regular weekly visit, enjoying a cup of tea together, listening to the ups and downs of the past week can make such a difference to someone experiencing poor mental health or escaping a domestic abuse situation. Volunteers help families access groups, accompany them on medical, housing or legal appointments, enable families to enjoy days out in the holidays, support with budgeting and paperwork, help make phone calls, go for walks and visits to the park. They are there offering gentle encouragement for whatever aspect of family life is proving difficult. park '.?* enthusiasm forward ¥ndpt51wdinB genuine lovely helped .tO2ether volunteer °comfortabletalk *wonderful nice t'onfipent chil There are a variety of reasons why our volunteers have joined the team but a recurring theme is that they know how hard it is being a parent and they wished there had been support for them. Every volunteer has had a different parenting experience of their own and that helps us to provide the right'match, for a family situation where a trusting, supportive relationship can be built. 66 Becoming L7 volunteer for Home-start has been a huge full circle moment forme. Afterattending a Baby & Me group myself in 2022, with my son, while struggling with post natal depression, it gove me a sense of purpose, added structure to my week and made me realise I wasn't alone in how I was feeling. Helping mums that may be feeling how I was in those early days of motherhood, orjust being there as a listening ear and allowing them to drink a hot cup of tea, became something I felt I needed to give back - to show them there is light on the othersidei 99 I love volunteering, it's one of the highlights of my week. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to build a relationship with another Mum and their children. I come away feeli ng lifted and with a real buzz each week. 99 ¥ll_.,ft If New Volunteers compleringthwr training In March 2025 10 VOLUNTEER UPDATE TRAINING & SUPPORT •• All our volunteers complete a 'safer recruitment, process and attend 3 40 hour training course over 8 weeks, to prepare them for working with families. Volunteers are then supported by regular one to one supervision and a programme ofongoingtraining. Over the course of the year, we have held a number of peer to peer support sessions. These meet-ups allow volunteers to get together and share experiences and knowledge in an informal setting, and usually with a cup of tea in handl •• More formal training sessions have included annual Safeguarding, Neurodiversity and 'Multi Agency Support, where we heard from the Charity P3 and the perinatal mental health team, as well as one of own volunteers who had supported a family to get a better hold of their finances. 66 My volunteer has been so helpful with my debt. She hos helped me realise that it's ok to face things rather than burymyheadin the sandandthatl'm verycapable. I wouldalways getso nervous andanxious having to make phone calls to people but my volunteer would sit next to me ond help me. Now I mc7ke phone calls on my own. I feel so comfortable with her and she has really helped my confidence.99 luiiLee¥ t¥aining and meel ups At Christmas we invited ourvolunteers tojoin usfor lunch. It was a great opportunityto thank them for all of their hard work overtheyear. We have such a wonderful community ofvolunteers and we would like to thank them all for their dedication and commitment, we hope they realise what a difference they make in their local community. 66My volunteer has helped us to declutterour flatso that we have more room for when the baby arrives. She has taken things to the tip ond the charity shops. Knowing she is coming has made a huge difference as we hove really lovely chats and she helps us tosee how we can organise everything. 99 Volunteers Ileft picture) Christmas Lunch at Cirencester Baplist Church. (right picture) Christmas Lunch at Cotswold5 Faim Park 11 EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES EVENTS Our annual family party is a real highlight in ourcalendarand thisyearwas no exception. The weather wasn't quite on our side but that didn't stop the fun! The families we work with are invited to join us and we always hold it in the summer holidays when they will really benefit from a free day out. We had a great morning with some amazing games, bubbles, crafts, soft-play, home-made snacks and ice-creaml It's a wonderful day* bringing together our families, volunteers, trustees and staff for a much needed play and celebration. COMMUNITY SUPPORT It's always heart warming to receive the support of local individuals and organisations, and we've seen so many supporting us in the past year. There are too many to mention here but some wonderful examples include: Home-made knitted blankets and quilts from The Linus Project, and The Kemble & Ewan Craft Group Multiple fundraising initiatives from the team at The Bear Inn, Cirencester, including a quiz and crafts Free or discounted family visits to attractions such as Mini Mudders. Cotswold Farm Park, Batsford Arboretum and Westonbirt Arboretum Donations from Cirencester Singers Christmas concert Table Top Sale and tombola stall run by supporters of Home-stsrt The Barn Theatre donating tickets for families to see their Christmas production Tesco in Cirencester donating food and provisions for our family party Christmas gifts and donations from North Cotswolds Community Awareness Christmas presents from the Salvation Army and food parcels from the Round Table in South Cotswolds Amazon Christmas Wish List for lone parents (the list was sold out in a matter of days) Katharine, our Service Manager, cycled 100 miles in the'Ride London, event Donations from Little Farringdon Bonfire Party ..and many more! These acts of generosity and kindness make a huge difference to our work. 12 FUNDING GRANTS John Armitage Charitable Trust Peter Lang Trust The National Lottery- as part of H-S Glos Consortium Notgrove Trust Clinical Commissioning Group (ICB) Helping Hand- North Cotswolds Rotary Bourton Parish Council Tesco Stronger Starts National Benevolent Charity Gloucestershire Community Fund Garfield Weston Foundation Jack Lane Charitable Trust The Albert Hunt Trust INCOME: £147,643 EXPENDITURE: £145,191 'figur•¥ $ubje¢t to *udit DONATIONS Coln St Aldwyns Fete The Bear Inn Blockley PCC Bagendon PCC Rotary in the Rissingtons Barnsley Village Festival Little Farringdon Bonfire Night Dawson Wedding Cirencester Singers The Inner Wheel Club Thankyou! To everyone who has supported us during the year We would like to tske this opportunity to thank Cirencester Baptist Church for providing us with our brilliant office space, as well as additional rooms for meetings and training. We annually review the risks to our organisation and our systems to manage and mitigate those risks. As part of this the reserves policy has been changed to having at least 4 months expenditure in reserve. 13 LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025~2026 66 As I pass the baton to Richard Waller, I remain genuinely excited about the future of Home-start Cotswolds and our commitment to supporting families in new and meaningful ways. We have a full programme of Baby & Me postnatal groups scheduled, including sessions at Fairford, Tetbury, Moreton-in-marsh, Lechlade and Bourton-on-the-water, which we hope will continue to offer new parents the support and community they need during those early, often overwhelming, months. We are also introducing our Reconnect Group to a second location, allowing us to reach more families struggling with their mental health. We're thrilled to report that our staff team is now complete and stronger than ever. Kate Prowse has taken on the role of Operations Manager, and we warmly welcome Hannah Morrison, who has stepped into the position of Group Worker following Sophie's departure. Ivan, who was previously working over three days, now works over five days, which brings greater continuity to our office. With this fantastic team in place and Richard at the helm, we are confident that Home-stsrt Cotswolds is ready to grow and thrive. We look forward to continuing to support local families with compassion, expertise, and hope, just as we have for the past 20 years. Carla Partridge Chair of Trustees For and on behalf of the Trustees, May 2025 Office address: Home-start Cotswolds. clo Cirencester Baptist Church, Chesterton Lane, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 IYE Registered Offic•: As above Bank: Lloyds, PO Box 1000, Andover, BXI ILT Accounts: Independently examined by Monahans, Oakley House, Tetbury Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 IUS Home-start Cotswolds is a Registered Charity {since July 2005} and a Company limited by guarantee. Company Registration number. 5468592 Charity Registration numb•r: 1110632 As an independentcharity we work underthe umbrella of Home-start UK. 14