HOME-START COLCHESTER COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31[ST] MARCH 2025
Charity Number 1116639 Company Number 05706756
Clacton Business Services Ltd Chartered Accountants Hurlingham Chambers 61 Station Road Clacton on Sea Essex CO15 1SD
HOME-START COLCHESTER INDEX
| CONTENTS | PAGE |
|---|---|
| Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors | 1 |
| Trustees report | 2-4 |
| Independent examiner’s report | 5 |
| Statement of financial activities | 6-7 |
| Balance sheet | 8 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 9-15 |
HOME-START COLCHESTER (Limited by Guarantee) Trustees’ Annual Report (Incorporating the Director’s Report) For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
The Trustees of the Charity
Kellie Norris (Chairperson) Ruth Jackson (Treasurer and Trustee) Sheila Brodie (Secretary and Trustee) Graham Clarke (Trustee) Marilyn Martin (Trustee) Patricia Baker (Trustee)
Charity Registration Number
1116639
Company Registration Number
05706756
Registered office
The Ark Jack Andrews Drive Highwood’s Colchester Essex CO4 9FF
Accountants
Clacton Business Services Ltd Chartered Accountant Hurlingham Chambers 61 Station Road Clacton on Sea Essex CO15 1SD
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HOME-START COLCHESTER
Trustees’ Annual Report
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Nature of the governing document and constitution of the charity
The Charity is governed by its Articles of Association, adopted on incorporation.
The methods adopted for the recruitment and appointment of new trustees
The Charity’s constitution states that when complete, the board of trustees will consist of between four and twelve individuals. The current trustees have actively sought new members through networking and advertising. Trustees are appointed during the year at board meetings and confirmed at the annual general meeting. One third of trustees retires at each annual general meeting; there is no limit to the number of terms served by any trustee.
OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES
The Articles of Association set out the charitable purposes for the public benefit with the following objectives:
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To safeguard, protect and preserve the good health; both mental and physical, of children and parents of children
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To prevent cruelty or maltreatment of children
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To relieve sickness, poverty and the need amongst children and parents of children
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To promote the education of the public in better standards if childcare; principally but not exclusively within the area of Colchester and its environs.
How Home-Start meets its aims.
This targeted support is based on a theory of changes influenced by intervention theory (Sameroff & Fiese 2000) and can be summarised as:
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The well-being of the parents is improved in families provided with social support in a structured supervised way
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This leads to increased feelings of parental self-competence
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As a result, parental behaviour becomes more adaptive and child behaviour improves
Home-based visiting is essential to the Home-Start approach, which relies on a more holistic, flexible, nonjudgemental and caring approach. The families supported, like the Home-Start volunteer mentors, come from a wide range of educational, cultural and financial backgrounds.
“Independent research regarding the Home-Start volunteer home visiting model found positive longitudinal finding of Hermanns et al (2013) who evaluated the support provided by home visiting volunteers. Their findings suggest that improvements in both parental and child outcomes continue 3 years after the support from volunteers ceased”
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Trustees’ Annual Report
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES
Achievements and Performance, summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year 20242025
Summary of Achievements
This year has been a very good year for Home-Start CJC. With the success of securing Tudor Trust to cover core work and then matching the fund with Lottey Community Fund we have continued to have security for the charity for 2 years.. We are also pleased to continue to receive HCRG funds which was once Virgin Care. We have developed our Parents2B services which have gone on to be a real success.
Lottery Community Funds
Home-Start Colchester Jaywick Clacton delivered the Big Lottery Services, Home-Start Plus. Delivery of this project has enabled Home-Start to continue to expand the age range of children supported and also embed the Home-Start reach across to the Harwich Home-Start boundary. This has resulted in eliminating a once existing gap in between schemes and services, a gap which had previously existed for over 25 years. This year we had the exciting news that our grant had been extended resulting in our service having the funds to respond to the increased need of local families during Covid.
Military Grants- The Army Covenant Grant was newly secured which resulted in the scheme being able to offer a bespoke project to support military local families.
HCRG- Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service- Home-Start Colchester was pleased to receive a contract in Oct 2017 as a subcontracted service to work alongside Virgin Care and Barnardos to improve the Wellbeing of local children and Families. Acting as lead provider for Northeast Essex Quadrant, Home-Start Colchester are working in close partnership with Harwich Home-Start scheme to deliver outcomes to improve resilience, reduce isolation and improve school readiness. The project has continued to build great partnerships in the community and provide support to local families and this year the contract was renewed for 3 years.
Parents2B
A project that support parents to be and new babies and gone on to be a real success resulting in positive outcomes for pregnant people and improved outcomes for new babies.
Holidays Fund- Essex Community Fund took over the management of this amazing grant. Allowing Home-Start Colchester the opportunity to offer a much-needed holiday funded by DAPHNE WOODWARD HOME-START FUND
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Trustees’ Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Treasurers words
This year we continue to receive the core funding via Tudor Trust and Lottery and we have also continued to receive funding from Virgin Care ( HCRG) which proves vital to providing much needed support to families.
In addition to this income, we secured funds to carry out support for new parents and babies and small grants to help local families as they struggle with the household crisis.
All in all this has been a successful financial year for Home-Start CJC, which has enabled us to provide invaluable, bespoke support to local families
Our Strategic Objectives :
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To ensure that the organisation and its services are sustainable and able to thrive
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Based on local voices, we will continue to develop our services to meet the needs of local parents and their children.
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Reach out to our communities and partners to increase our local profile and show that Home Start Colchester makes a difference
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We value, quality and will continue to invest in both quality standards and upskilling both staff and volunteers
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Trustees’ Annual Report
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Policy on reserves
The charity's reserves are retained in a general unrestricted fund.
Small Company Provision
This report have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitles to the small companies’ exemption.
TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the charities Act 2011, the Trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are required to prepare statement of accounts for each financial year which gives a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity at the end of the financial year and of the incoming resources and application of resources in the year. In preparing the statement, the Trustees are required to:
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Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the statements of accounts;
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Prepare financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate presume that the Charity will continue its operations.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity at that time and to enable the Trustees to ensure that any statement of account prepared by them complies with the regulations under the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Trust and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the Trustees on 20[th] Nov 2025
Signed on their behalf by
............................................................................. Kellie Norris – Trustee & Chairperson
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
I have examined the accounts of Home-Start Colchester for the year ended 31[st] March 2025 which are set out on pages 6 to 11.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed
It is my responsibility to:
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Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
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To follow the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
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To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented by those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present ‘a true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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To keep accounting records in accordance with S130 of the 2011 Act; and
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To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
CBS Ltd
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Clacton Business Services Ltd Chartered Accountants
20th November 2025
...................................................................... Date
6 HOME-START COLCHESTER Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| Unrestricted Funds 2025 £ INCOMING RESOURCES Voluntary Income Grants Received: ECC FIF – Coaching & Mentoring - Holiday Fund 661 Big Lottery Fund - NHS NE Essex Parents 2B - HCRG - Colchester Borough Homes Food. - Magic Little - Recipe 4 Health - Army Central - Hyperlocal - Banardos - Home Start - ECYVS - Tudor Trust - CVST Start Well - Essex Community Foundation - Home-Start Suffolk Family Navigator - Essex Association Fund ( food for families) - Armed Forces - Cadent - Miscellaneous Donations 10,315 Household 7% - Investment Income Interest Received 2,769 Total Income 13,745 |
Restricted Total Funds Funds 2025 2025 £ £ - - - 661 49,907 49,907 40,000 40,000 39,417 39,417 1,250 1,250 - - - - 3,000 3,000 - - - - - - - - 45,000 45,000 - - - - - - 2,500 2,500 - - 4,375 4,375 - 10,315 - - - 2,769 185,449 199,194 |
Total Funds 2024 £ - 793 34,824 30,000 40,333 1,000 - - - 8,933 5,000 6,000 - 45,000 - 25,000 - - - 12,528 7,125 1,983 218,519 |
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7 HOME-START COLCHESTER Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| Unrestricted Note Funds 2025 £ RESOURCES EXPENDED Charitable Activities Project Costs - Clawback ECC FIF - Premises - Communication and IT - General office - Advertising - Traveling - Costs of trustee meetings - Accountancy - Legal & professional - Training - Subscriptions - Insurance - Sundry expenses Finance costs - HMRC Interest - Depreciation 4 Total Expenses 4 Net Income / (Deficit) for the Year 13,741 Funds brought forward 169,352 Transfer between funds Total Funds carried forward 183,093 |
Restricted Total Funds Funds 2025 2025 £ £ 153,390 153,390 - - 10,775 10,775 5,233 5,233 4,301 4,301 2,602 2,602 5,747 5,747 - - 2,052 2,052 4,857 4,857 1,603 1,603 284 284 1,251 1,251 196 196 120 120 375 375 934 938 193,720 193,724 (8,271) 5,470 70,703 240,055 62,432 245,525 |
Total Funds 2024 £ 139,457 - 16,616 6,012 2,612 2,359 4,769 - 2,211 3,473 147 238 1,195 2,414 138 292 771 182,704 35,815 204,240 240,055 |
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The notes on page 10 to 15 form part of these financial statements.
8 HOME-START COLCHESTER Statement of Financial Position For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | £ | £ | |
| FIXED ASSETS | |||
| Tangible assets | 9 | 2,794 | 2,282 |
| CURRENT ASSETS | |||
| Accrued Income | 10 | - | |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 286,521 | 269,892 | |
| Debtor | - | ||
| CREDITORS: Amounts falling due | |||
| Within one year | 11 | 43,790 | 32,119 |
| NET CURRENT ASSETS | 242,731 | 237,773 | |
| TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT | |||
| LIABILITIES | 245,525 | 240,055 | |
| CHARITY FUNDS | |||
| Unrestricted funds – general | 12 | 183,093 | 169,352 |
| Restricted funds | 13 | 62,432 | 70,703 |
| 245,525 | 240,055 |
For the year ending 31[st] March 2025 the charity was entitles to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Trustee’s responsibilities:
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The Members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.
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The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of the financial statements.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to company’s subject to the small companies’ regime.
Approved by the Trustees on 20/11/25 and signed on their behalf by
Kellie Norris Trustee & Chairperson
The notes on pages 10 to 15 form part of these financial statements.
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
The Charity is a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. The charity is also a registered charity in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is 2 Thomas Court, East Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2TR
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 in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the charities act 2011.
3. ACCOUNTIC POLICIES
Basis of Perpetration
The charity is entirely dependent on continuing grant aid and as a consequence the use of the going concern basis for drawing up the financial statements is also dependant on the continuing grant aid.
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 statement 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.
Funds
Unrestricted funds are donations and other income received or generated for the objects of the charity without further specified purposes and is available as general funds.
Designated funds comprise unrestricted fund that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Restricted funds are funds which have to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes.
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
3. ACCOUNTIC POLICIES (continued)
Incoming Resources
All Incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probably that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measures. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income.
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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.
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Legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established
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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 value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can reliably be measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers.
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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 related to the activities of the charity and the costs of the employees and volunteers delivering the charity’s services are included within charitable activities.
Governance Costs include all other operating and management costs incurred.
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 re-valued amounts are recorded at the fair value at the date of revaluation less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment loss.
An increase in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of a revaluation is recognised in other recognised gains and loss, 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 a 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 of an asset, less its estimated residual value, over the useful economic life of the asset as follows:
Equipment - 25% Straight Line
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
4. Limited by Guarantee
The Charity was incorporated on 13[th] February 2006 and is limited by guarantee, each member having undertaken to contribute such amounts no exceeding one pound as may be required in the event of the company being wound up whilst he or she is still a member or within one year thereafter. There are currently 4 members of the company.
5. NET INCOME
| Net income is stated after charging/(crediting) Depreciation INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION FEES Fees payable to the independent examiner for: Independent examination of the financial statements |
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|---|---|
6. INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION FEES
7. STAFF COSTS
Included in the Project costs for the year are staff costs totalling £125,619. The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows
| Wages and salaries Social security costs Employer contributions to pension plans |
2025 2024 £ £ 126,562 119,733 4,413 3,766 2,475 2,120 133,450 125,619 |
|---|---|
The average amount of employees during the year was 7 (2025: 8)
No Employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2025: Nil)
8. TRUSTEE REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES
No remuneration or any other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees.
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| 9. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Cost at 1stApril 2024 Additions Cost at 31stMarch 2025 Depreciation at 1stApril 2024 Charge for the year Depreciation at 31stMarch 2025 Net book value at 31stMarch 2025 Net book value at 1stApril 2024 10. ACCRUED INCOME Accrued Income agreed in contract and received after the year end 11. CREDTORS Accruals Creditors PAYE Pension Prepaid Income |
Equipment £ 17,268 1,450 18,718 14,215 938 15,923 2,794 2,282 2025 £ - 2025 £ 1,134 15,530 1,093 1,033 25,000 43,790 |
Total £ 17,268 1,450 18,718 14,215 938 15,923 2,794 2,282 |
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
12. ANALYSIS OF UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
| General Funds Linda Steers Fund Total 13. ANALYSIS OF RESTRICTED FUNDS ECC FIF Coaching Holiday Fund Big Lottery Fund Comic Relief HCRG UK Heart Research Shine Bright Army Central Grant Tavistoke Lottery Covid Home-Start ECYVS ECC Warm & Safe Brighter Days Essex Com Fund Time 4 You Essex Association Fund ECC Household Fund & Salary Armed Forces Parent 2B Cadnet Startwell CVST Colchester County Council Hyperlocal Fund Banardos Tudor Trust Rotary Total |
Brought Incoming Resources Transfers Carried Forward resources expended in/(out) forward 156,840 13,745 4 - 170,581 12,512 - - - 12,512 169,352 13,745 4 - 183,093 Brought Incoming Resources Transfers Carried Forward resources expended in/(out) forward £ £ £ £ £ 24 - 6 18 - - - - 18,200 49,907 40,629 (2,691) 24,787 101 - 26 75 22,454 39,417 44,452 17,419 - - - - 2,255 - 2,271 (16) - 3,000 3,093 (93) - - - - (1,060) - 408 2,691 1,223 4,666 - 4,681 (15) (110) - - (110) - - - - - - - - 63 - - 63 - 2,500 2,524 (24) 823 - - 823 445 - - 445 10,981 40,000 31,470 19,511 - 4,375 4,426 (51) 11,075 - 11,078 (3) (31) 1,250 1,278 (59) 4,419 - 4,421 (2) (935) - - (935) (2,583) 45,000 42,957 (540) (84) - - (84) 70,703 185,449 193,720 - 62,432 |
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HOME-START COLCHESTER Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
14. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN RESTRICTED FUNDS
| Tangible | Net | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed | Current | Total | |
| Assets | Assets | Funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| ECC FIF | 18 | - | 18 |
| Virgin Care | 1,087 | 16,332 | 17,419 |
| Big Lottery Fund | 374 | 24,413 | 24,787 |
| Comic Relief | 75 | - | 75 |
| Lottery Covid | 1,223 | - | 1,223 |
| Parent 2 B | - | 19,511 | 19,511 |
| ECYVS Detached Working | - | (110) | (110) |
| Shine Bright | - | (16) | (16) |
| Home Start UK | - | (15) | (15) |
| Essex Association Fund | - | (24) | (24) |
| ECC Household Fund | - | 823 | 823 |
| Essex Community Fund Time 4 You | - | 63 | 63 |
| Armed Forces | - | 445 | 445 |
| Start Well CVST | - | (3) | (3) |
| Colchester County Council | - | (59) | (59) |
| Hyperlocal Fund | - | (2) | (2) |
| Banardos | - | (935) | (935) |
| Tudor Trust | - | (540) | (540) |
| Rotary | - | (84) | (84) |
| Cadent | - | (51) | (51) |
| Army Central Grant | - | (93) | (93) |
| Total | 2,777 | 59,655 | 62,432 |
15. PURPOSE OF RESTRICTED FUNDS
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Holiday Fund - To directly purchase holidays for supported families.
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Big Lottery Fund – Home-Start Plus, Supporting families wellbeing and upskilling
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Tudor Trust- Home-Start Plus core funds, Supporting families wellbeing and upskilling
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HCRG - Child and Family Wellbeing Service
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Parents2B - Supporting pregnant parents and children up to 1 years.
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.
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