Hearing Help Essex Limited Annual Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2025 ChaTity registration numbeT.' 1113498 Company re8istration number.. 05664873
Hearing Help Essex Limited Amiual Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2025 Contents Page Charity Refercftce and Athninistraiive D¢thils Truste¢s' Annual Report Indepthdenl Examiner's Report Statemeni of Financial Activities Balance Sheet Notes to the Financial Ststements 10- 12
Hearing Help Essex Limited Charity Reference and Administrative Details Year Ended 31 March 2025 Charity registration numbcr 1113498 Company registration numbeT 05664873 Trustees Paul Roberts- Chair Deesha Bedia- Tntte Amy MartiTh- Tn¢¢ Kirsty Last- Trus Pam Lorimer- Trustce Peter Smith- TTUSt¢¢ Chief executive officer Sarth Watson (from 19 May 2025) Sophi¢ Ede (to 19 May 2025) Re8iStered offic¢ Hearing Help Essex Meadow Vi¢w Cottsge Moulsham Mill Parkway Chelmsford Essex CM2 7PX Independent examiner Pockn¢ll$ Henry Brake House 46 Hullbridg¢ Road South Woodham FerreTS Essex CM3 SNG BankeTS CAFCASH Kings Hill West Mallin8 Kcnt ME9 4TA
Hearing Help Essex Limited Trustees, Annual Report Year Ended 31 March 2025 The Trustees present their report and the independently ¢xamined financial statements of the charity for the yeaT ended 31 March 2025. Th¢ trustee5 have adopled the provisions of th¢ Slatement of Recommended PracticE (SORP) "A¢¢ouniin8 and Reporting by Chariti¢s- in preparing the annual repon and fu)aDcial statements of the charity. The financial staiem¢Dts have be¢n prepared in 4CCOTdance with the accountln8 poli¢i¢s set out in notes to the 9OUnts and cornply wilh lh¢ rharily'$ goveming do¢um¢nt, the Charilies Aci 2011 and Accounting and Rcporting by Charili¢s'. Sta*m¢nt of Recommended Practice applicable to Chariti preparing their accounts in accordaTh¢e with th¢ Finan¢ial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Ryblic of Ircland published in October 2019 Trustees of the charity The directors of ihe chariiable company are ILS irustees foT the PUTposes of charity law. Thc iTUStees who h4v¢ Krved during th¢ y¢ar and $in¢¢ ihe year end were as foUow5: Paul Roberts- ChaiT Deesha BediA- TTusiee Amy Martin- Truste¢ Kir.%ry L&81- Trusiee (appointed 17 Jwie 2024} Pam LoTimer- Trustee (appointed 17 June 2024) Peter Smith - Trustee Nick W8tson- Trust¢c (rui8ned 17 Febnwy 2025) li is eslimat¢d th818 quarter of a million people in Essex have wme d¢gre¢ of hearing loss. Hearin8 Help Essex exists to alleviate the isolation and loneliness that he¥rin8 loss can bring. SeTvices offered Iou8h0ut the year included.. Practical help with NHS hearing aids Inforn)ation. advi¢e and 8uidan¢¢ Home Safety assessment service Assistiv¢ ¢quipment demon$tration$ and loans Hearing Loss seminars and training Drop-in s¢ssions and events Signposiing to other organisations To deliver ihis, HeIng Help EX continues io maintain and develop good working relationships with cotnmigsioning groups and hospilS s¢rvin8 Ess¢x. in¢luding Basildon. Broomfield, Epping. Harlow. Soulhend, Colthesler, and Add¢nbrookes. The goal to expand county-wide remains md we were very pleased in thi5 year to ¢xpand OUT services Starting new support 5e&sions in Corritigham. Gray& Srifford Clays. Canvry Ialld, Rayleigh. SoutheThd, Rochford and Benfleet. We have furthcr S¢rcngthen¢d our organisational stNcture in ordcr to sustain this gr0h. We are also ready longcr t¢rn) io build our capability to provide ow services more widely across Essex should the opportunitie$ arise. W¢ currently hav¢ a board of six trustees. The IStee5 regularly revi¢w the range of skills and the diversity of the trustees. Any recnjilment will use a variety of advertising and protnotion appropriate kn the size and location of the charity. Our CEO. Sophie Ed¢, ¢ontinu¢d to provid¢ leadership to our team of14 staff and 64 voluntttr5. Sophie anAoun¢ed h¢r decision io step down in January 2025 and is being replac¢d by SaTah WaLson. We thank Sophie for her massive contribution to the charity- In July 2024 we Telocated to a larg¢r prcmises. still in central Chelmsford. which is an excellent location in the heart of the County. We were pleased lo be 4bl¢ to ¢Apand our NHS Hearin8 Aid Support S¢rvi¢e to A further four districts this year: to Thurmck residenis thanks to an extension of our existing agreemeni with Basildon hospital, and to Southend, Castle PoiD( and Rochford District due to securing Health In¢qualities Funding from Southend AVS. with support from Southend Hospital. Our Hearing Aid Support Servi¢e delivered support to individuajs on 7.412 o¢¢asions across Chelmsford, M¥4ldon, Braintree. Uiil¢sford, BrenNood. Basildon. Southend. Thurro¢k. Castle Poinl and Rochford districts. These s¢rvi¢¢ users
Hearing Help Essex Limited Trustees. Annual Report Year Ended 31 March 2025 were Able io a¢¢ess our support services througb a Tange of routes. including attending an appointment ai on¢ of 40 ¢ommunity se&8ions. at OUT Resouree Centre. or via the home visit service. Volunteers are crits.cal to what we do. and we are very pro1 of our cohort of Voluntee with 12 new volwileeTS r¢¢Nited during the year. We extend our fullest thanks to all these volunteers. Our volunteers provided up to 40 support session$ each month. and in addition provided 1.036 visits kn hou5¢1K)und clients and th05c in ¢or¢ and rid<ntIal ho¥n¢s. Our Infornl20n. Advice and Guidan¢c S¢rvi¢¢ providc5 prdcliul infonnation, advicc. and guidance on how to 8dju5t to wearing h¢¥ing aids. and to stay safe and mana8¢ lif¢ with hearing Ios5. Wc d¢liv¢r¢d support on 8,099 oc¢&%ions by providing in-person support at our rey)urce ¢¢ntre. at home visits, and by running infoThation stands and talks in the ¢omrounity' and remotcly by phon¢. mil, or w¢bchat. This service is for anyone living with hearing Ioss and thcir relativeslfriendslcar¢rs o¢ross the Essex County Council MInistrative area. In Novemb¢r2024 we expanded this service to include home saf¢ty assessment And equipment provision for those who are deaf and hard of hearing, and th¢ team have deliv¢red 349 home safety appointments during this period. These assessments tske the team around half a day to complete and utilise our he8ring loss assessment iool in order to identify solutions io support the individual's safety, and to improvc their quality of lif¢. Our Resource Cenlre is homc hug¢ variety of assisiive equipmcni which individuals &4n l)orrow Lo try out in (heir own settings. With su¢h 8 huge range of equipment available the choice can be complex overwhelming, ofien people spend rnoney on assisiive iechnology only to fmd thai it does not meet iheir o¢ed. Our seTvice aims io provide an independent service tailored io each individual. demonstrating diff¢rcnt equipmenL and loaning it to th¢m 80 ihat thcy Can test it out in theiT homes. HHE continues to seek and develop effective partnerships with the E55ex Sensory Community - ECL Sensory, BASIS, Essex Sight, Support 4 Sight, the Royal Assoeiation for the Deaf. and DeafBlind UK. as well 8$ other organisations such as the Fire Service, Adul¢ Social Ca, r¢gional Councils, and other prof¢ssional bodies. We regularly signpost individuals to servi¢e$ provided by other or8ani5ations and have 8 direct line of Teferrnl to MO of these organisations so thal w¢ can work tog¢theT efficiently to support individuals who nwy have more complex n¢¢ds. HHE has once more feawred in scv¢ral radio progrrnes and local prtss covera8e of ow work and we have coniinued to make sure w¢ hav¢ 8n active social medi& PTesence. The CbaTity managed io suppn large number5 of individuals with hearin810ss. This year, HHE had 15,738 individual in¢eraction8. which is a 9% Ine8$C on the volurnes in th¢ year b¢fore. It 15 81so noteworthy that ihis incTease in volume was achieved with excellent f¢¢dback from users on quality of their service they received. 98.5•/o of th08¢ who responded to our SeTvice f¢¢db&ck requests slated thai they would recomrnend the service to family and friends. Income and expenditure Our funding is derived from a combination of Commissioned services, grants. and our owm fundraising efforls. We received funding from Mid and South Essex Hospitsis Tn( Chelmsford City Council. Uttlesford District Council. Essex Community Foundotion, Coggeshall Nursing Tnjst and wler Farthing Trusi. These grants fund a subslmniial portion of OUT He4ring Aid Support Service expendiwTe. •nd we are extremely grate1 io these funders. Our dominant source of incom¢ for ow Inform&tion. Advicc and Guidance Service is from Essex County Council commissioned servic. Thrf¢ 8r8nts fund a portion of our services expenditure, with the remainder fijnded by additional fundraising activitie8_ In addilion. we have been fortunat¢ lo receive dornlions fTom a wide Ige of or8anisatioTbS gnd ¢harities. notably the Jolm Baron Fun Walk Trust. Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary Club, Ch¢lm¢r Bridge Rot8ry C)ub, N¢w City Voices. the Masonic Lodge of St Peter, Skiplon Building Sociery. East of England Co-op, and Chelmsford S(ar Co-op. PeTsonal donations a1Ved throughout ihe year, mostly from the friends of Hearing Help Essex and from clients and their families. including through ¢oll¢¢tion box¢s available at our Hearing Help s¢ssions, plus Gift Aid. These unrestricted donations 5UPPOrt 411 our ¢haritable operations and core costs.
Hearin8 Help Essex Limited Trustees, Annual Report Year En(kd 31 March 2025 While HHE does not undertake cold calling or direct tnaTk¢titig io individual4 the m¢thods and stsndards whicb it applies to lis fijndraising are still critical and sensitive. especially as some of the visiiors io the HHE sessions and those we visit at home could bc in vulnerable CiTCUTll51anccs. While IIIIE'S fijnd raising activities arc more limited than thc full rdng¢ covered in its codc. HHE will eomply with the code of fundrd7sing praciice published by the Fundraising Regulstor so far as it rclalcs lo lis activities. W¢ do not use any third party or dedicated fundraiscr: the CEO leads fidraIsIllg 4¢tivili¢s. We hwve had no rqjorted breach nor any complasnt aboul our fundraising in this period. We continue to operat¢ with strong ¢ost ntrOl. Our rnain costs ar¢ staff and premise& al(hou8h our stron8 cohort of volunteeTS and the fr¢¢ use of space for some of our clinics help us conlinue to be very ¢o$t effective. Rcscrvcs The Board are now targeting D¢si8n•ted Reserves of £65,000 going forward. Thi5 level is deemed necessary to cover potential Tedundan¢y and notic¢ liabilities. delays in Teceipi of funding and potential short-term dips in unresiri¢l¢d fundin8. Unrestrict¢d Tcs¢rv¢s. while improved. are slightly below this l¢vel and the objeclive is to build up to thi5 target over ih¢ next one to two years. Risk Managemeni During the year ihe trustees Continued w gpply th¢ Risk Review stru¢Nre established previously to ensure th&t we have a robust approa¢h io risk assessment Jnd to $trai¢gies for eliminatin8Jam¢lioTating risk. The major risk continues to be that of Tedueiion or cm¢ell81ion of one or more of our major fundin8 streams. Thi5 risk is redu¢¢d throu8h the support of 4 number of stswtory and chaTitsble funders, but we musi continu¢ to deliver a first- class service to maintain their support. A second major risk is visiting ¢lderly and isolated p¢ople in their homes, so we carry ovi enh8n¢ed DBS checks on all slaff and volunieeTS ¥nd regularly review ind update OUT Safeguarding Policy and Pr0Cethir. Public Ben¢fil Tkle tNslecs bave p4id due r¢8ard to th¢ Charities Commission guidon¢¢ on public benefit through ensuring that the main aims of the charity have been carried out by giving relief to ihose with an acquired hearing lo&$ and the hard of h¢aring r¢sid¢nt in E8scx. All incomc rcceivcd by thc charity has been applicd to th¢ d¢livcry of the charity's oim$. Trustees, staff and volunteers We CutllY have a board of six trustees. The trustee5 regularly review the range of skills and ihe diversity of th¢ tNstecs. Any re¢ruiDn¢nt will use a variety of advertising and promoiion appropriate to the size and location of th¢ ¢h8rity. HHE could noi op¢rat¢ without its team of employed and volunteers, a5 highli8ht¢d above. Our CEO. Sophie Ede. continued to provide leadership to our team of12 st4ff 4nd 56 volunteers. The trustees thank them all for their dedication. Commitment and enthusiasm. 11 was with great reluctance that in January 2025 the Injstees accepted Sophie's resignation a$ she had decided that sh¢ nc¢dcd u different WolI1fe balance. Sarah Watson join¢d in May 2025 from th¢ Royal Association for Deaf people and the trustees ar¢ confident that she will be able io continue the development of the chaTity. On behalf of the board Signature: Paul Robert& Chair Date-. 11111025
Hearing Help Essex Limited Independent Examiner's Report Ycar Ended 31 March 2025 I report to the chaTity tswstees on rny examination of the accounts of th¢ company for th¢ year ended 31 March 20245which re sel out on pages 8 to 15. Responsibilities and basis of reporl As the charity trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the pwr#)ses of company law) you gr¢ responsible for the preparnlion of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Cornpanies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Acl.). Having satisfied rnyself that ihe a¢¢ounis of th¢ MpanY are not required b¢ audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and arc eligible for ind¢p¢nd¢nt examination. l Teport In respeci of my examination of your company's accounts as carried out under se¢iion 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Ad,). In caing oul my examinaiion I have followed the Directions giv¢n by the Charity Commission under sxiion 145(5)(b) of ihe 2011 A¢t. Ind¢prndenl examinerfs slement I have completed my cxaminaiion. I confirni thai no matters have com¢ my attention in ¢onD¢¢rion with the examination giving me cause to b¢li¢ve thai in any material respecl.. ac¢ounting records were not kept in Tesped of the compony a$ required by section 386 of the 2CKJ6 Act. or the accounts do not a¢¢ord with those records" or 3, the accounts do not comply with the a¢¢ounting requirements of section 396 of the 2(X)6 Act other th&n any requirement Ihat the ac¢ouniS give a 'tsue and fair view, which is nol a matler considered as parl of an independent ex¥minaiion- or the accounts have noi b¢¢n pr¢paTed in a¢COTdance with the m¢thods and Principles of the Statement of Recommended Pro¢tice for accounting and reporting by ¢bariti¢s lapplicable to charities prepar2ng their account5 in accordance with th¢ Fin¢])] Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and R¢public of Ireland (FRS 102)]. I have no concerns and hav¢ come across no oiher matters in conneciion wilh ihe ex8minaiion to which attenlion should be drawn in this rort in orts to ¢ngbl¢ a proper undcrntanding of th¢ aOnts to bc r¢a¢b¢d. Signed.. Paul Shaylor FCCA for and on b¢half of= Po¢kn¢lls LLP Henry Brake House 46 Hullbridg¢ Road South Woodh8m Ferrers Essex CM3 5NG Dale.. 3 Nov¢mb¢r 2025
Hearing Help Essex Limited Statement of Financial Activities Year Ended 31 March 2025 IIYCOME (Notes 2 and 3) Flgj In £ Charitable activities Income froD) TaisiDB fijnds Other income 2024125 2023ll4 221,884 3,768 893 161.447 3.140 3.309 Donations and l¢ga¢i¢s Bank Inter¢5t 33.952 1.674 55,304 1.124 TotAI In¢ome re Ch•rlt•ble Artlvltles 262,172 224J24 EXPENDITURE Total Exp 2024125 Total Exp 2023124 Fig$ in £ Salari¢5 & Nl (Note 4) 193,072 173,647 Rent, utilities, service chAr8¢ and office move 24,677 22,970 Other Overheads 20.534 27,600 Staff and voluntc¢r r¢cruitrieni training and travcl 16.847 12,767 Governance 1,354 1,708 Tot#1 Ex ndlture Proflt I (Loss) 256,484 238,692 14234)
Hearing Help Essex Limited Balance sheet for the year ended 31 March 2025 31 mah 2025 31 March 2024 Fixed Assets Cost D¢pr¢¢iaiion 2.944 Current Assets Cash ai bank and in hand D¢biors 60.497 38.244 18,637 Totsl Current Assets .497 50.027 Current Liabilities Trad¢ CdItOrS Tax and S11 security Other Creditors Accruals 2.237 2.546 1,184 3,978 153 773 Total Current Liabiliti¢B Net Asse¢s 55.714 50,027 Funds Unrestricted Dcsignaled Restricted (Note 5) 5.714 S0.C4)0 (6,114) 50,000 Total Funds 55.714 50,027 For the year ending 31 Marcb 2025 the cornpany was entitled to ¢x¢mption from audit undcr scction 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small Companies. The members have noi required the company to obtain an audii in 8ccordance wilh seaion 476 of fhe Companies A¢t 2006. The dire¢tovs a¢knowledge their responsibility for complying wilh the requir¢m¢nts th¢ Act with rw¢¢t to ar)untIng records and for the pr¢paration of accounts. Th¢s¢ 8c¢ounts have been pr¢par¢d in accordance with the provisions of the Act with r¢spect to accounting Tecord5 and for the pr¢par3tion of accounis. The financial stsl¢ments were &PPToved and authorised for issue by th¢ Board on Signed on kha]f of the board of trustees Signature.. Signawre: Date-. D*e'.
Hearing Help Essex Limited Notes to the Financi S(atements Yr Ended 31 March 2025 Summary of significani accountin8 wli¢ies General information bosis of preparaiion The ¢hariry constitutes a public benefit entity a5 defined by FRS 102. The finan¢ial statements have been prepared in Y4ccordan¢e with Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Siat¢m¢nt of Recomm¢nd¢d Practice applicable to ¢harities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Stsndard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in October 2019. the Finan¢io1 R¢poning Sthndard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). the Charities Act 2011. the Companies Act 21KI6 and UK Gen¢Tally Accept Accounting Prnctice. The significanl accounting poli¢i¢s appli¢d in the preparation of ¢hcs¢ financial statements ar¢ sci out below. Thcse policies have been ¢onsi#ently applied io all years presented unless othe1$¢ ststed. Cath flow The financial statements do not include a cash fl¢)w statement because the charity, as a small Teporting entity. 15 exempl from the requirements to prepare 5u¢h a 5tat¢ment under the Financial Reporting Stsndard I 'tash flow staiements" Incoming resou¢$ Grants Teeeivable are r¢c¢J8nised in the accounts wh¢n conditions for their r¢c¢ipt aTe satisfied. Grants with conditions attach¢d to their use are included in restricted funds. Donatis)n4 leg4¢ies and oth¢r fornts of voluntary income are recognised as incomin8 resources when receivable. Resources ¢xpend¢d All ¢xpditc is accounted for on an accrua15 basis and has b¢eD classified under beadin8s that a88re8at¢ all costs related to the ¢ate80ry. Expendire is reCOlSed where there is a legal or constNctiipe obliBation to make payments to third parties, it is probable thai ih¢ settl¢m¢nt will be required and the omount of the obligaiion ¢8n be measured reliably. Costs classified as 8overnan¢e relate to the general Tunning of the tharity and include operations ot th¢ Board of TNsiees and addressing constitutional audit ond other ststrjtory matters. Resources expended include attrIbuble VAT, which cannot be re¢overed. Tangible red assets Tangible red assets 8re stated at cost less accumulated dweciation. Depreciation is Plovided at rate5 calculated io wriie off th¢ cost le55 estimated residual value of cach 4ss¢t over its exF*cted uscful life a5 follows.. Fixwres. fittings and equipment.. Straight line over four yeaTS Unrestricted funds are 4vail4bl¢ for use at the discretion of the ITusle¢s in furtheTance of ihe g¢nerAI objectives of the charity and wbich have not be¢n designated for other putp)ses. D¢sigrtatcd funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set &8ide by th¢ IrustEcs to support the charity in the case of shorE terni funding challenge5 or lo progr¢ss art ordeTly closure of the chariry should fijnding ¢hallen8es appeaT to be long tern).. Restricted funds are fimd5 which are to be used in accordance with specific re5triction5 imposed by donor5 or which have be¢D raised by the charity for particular purposes. io
Hearing Help Essex Limited Notes to th¢ FiTJancial Statements Ycar End¢d 31 March 2025 The ¢hArity is an exempt cbarity within the meaning of sch¢dul¢ 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pa&8 the test5 set out in Paragraph I Schethjle 6 Finance Aa 2010 and therefore it meets tbe definition of a charitsble company for UK corpordtion tax Going ¢on¢¢rn Th¢ financial stalements have been PTepared on o going concern basis Is the trust¢es believe no material uncertainties exi51. The Irustee5 hav¢ nSidered ihe level of funds held and the expKid l¢vel of incomeand ¢xp¢ndilure for 12 moiiths from authorising these fu)ancial statem¢nts. The budgeted income and ¢xpenditure is sufficient wi(h the level of Teserves for ihe chariry to be able to continue as a going concern. Incom¢ from donations and legacies sh£ Totsl Total 2023124 2024125 Donations Friends of Hearin 53,107 1.314 In¢om¢ from charitable activities Sin£ Totsl 2024125 143,066 64,592 5.700 5.700 2,826 Tot*1 2023124 76,513 67,702 4,000 5.165 Essex CC Te IAG Fee Income re HASS Uttlesford District Cowjcil Council Chelm¥ford Ci Stgnsted Communi Fund Thurrock 8,067 Totals 221.884 161,447 Paid Employees in£ Totsl Totsl 2024r25 2023124 Gross Emoluments inc. pension and. Employer's National Insuranc¢ 32.638 53,807 Employerf5 Nl is shown net of £5.(KJO NIC allowan¢e. No employees r¢¢¢ived total ¢mployee benefits (excluding empkiy¢rpension costs) of more than £60,1)00. Restricted Funds
Hearing Help Essex Limited Notes to the Financial Statements Year Endcd 31 March 2025 Fi88 in £ Brought fwd Re¢eived during 2024Q5 Expendittwe Carried fivd ECF Braintree (6.141) 6,141 6 Indep¢nd¢nt Examiner The independent examiner's r¢mun¢ration amounts to an independent ¢x8tt1ination fee of £1.320 {2024- £1,320) 7 Trustec5' Expenses and Remunerniion The trustee5 neither received nor waiv¢d any remuneration durin8 the y¢ar (2024: £Nil). The tsust¢¢$ did not h8ve any expenses reimbursed during the y¢ar (2024- £Nil). 8 Relaied parry trgns8ctios There have been no relaled party transactions identified in accordance with FRSIO2. 12