REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1120282
ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
ACE YOUTH TRUST
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1120282
ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
Page OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................. 3 ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE ..................................................................................... 4 FINANCIAL REVIEW ................................................................................................................... 6 FUTURE PLANS ......................................................................................................................... 6 STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT ................................................................ 6 REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS ....................................................................... 7 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT .................................................................................... 8 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT ................................................................................... 9 STATEMENT OF FUNDS .......................................................................................................... 10 BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 December 2022 .......................................................................... 10 STATUTORY INFORMATION ................................................................................................... 11 ACCOUNTING POLICIES ......................................................................................................... 11
ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2022.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
ACE Youth Trust delivers life-changing youth work, pastoral support, therapeutic and nurture services to disadvantaged, vulnerable and hard-to-reach children and young people.
The charity was formed by Deed of Trust in May 2006. The charitable objects of the trust are the advancement of the Christian Faith within the areas of Derbyshire/Staffordshire, in particular but not exclusively among children and young people aged 11-19 resident in the Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School catchment area, the Weaver Ward of East Staffordshire, or surrounding areas, by the provision of recreational / leisure time activities and support / guidance intended to help them grow as individuals and improve their quality of life.
The charity accepts referrals from local authority children’s services (Early Help and Social Care) and local primary and secondary schools. Services are targeted at children and young people facing troubling and serious issues such as poverty, poor family/peer relationships, instability at home, being a carer, being a care leaver, involvement with youth offending, anti-social behaviour, bullying, missing education, substance misuse, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, depression, low self-esteem, and mental health issues. A significant number of the young people are disadvantaged by reason of additional needs such as autism, ADHD, child in need, dyslexia, and dyspraxia.
Typically, for the young people we work with, quality of life is poor, and the future is uncertain, particularly for those who are struggling with social and rural isolation and lacking in confidence. Without ACE’s help, the impact on many of these young people would be protracted, placing them at risk of developing a long-lasting dependency on expensive State interventions.
Over the last fifteen years ACE has made a significant impact on local children and young people’s lives by delivering an array of age-appropriate projects to meet identified and evidenced needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people. Services offered range from pastoral support, one-to-one mentoring, after school clubs and holiday clubs delivering recreational and leisure activities, nurture therapy and transition support, emotional and mental wellbeing programmes and prosocial behavioural support programmes, as well as practical help and advocacy with CVs, work experience placements, and interviews. The overarching objectives of the projects is to build confidence and improve self-esteem, develop emotional resilience, develop independence, and enhance life skills, learn strategies and techniques to manage and overcome fears and anxieties, facilitate supportive peer relationships, engage in activities that promote physical, emotional and mental wellbeing and build happy memories.
Projects are led by professional trained youth workers and staffed by a team of trained and DBS checked volunteers. The charity is managed and run by volunteers. The services offered are matched to the needs of the young people whilst ensuring that volunteers are not overstretched and can continue to demonstrate the human qualities that make ACE successful; namely, reliability, trust, consistency, kindness, good humour, patience and understanding.
In 2019 ACE received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services in recognition of the positive impact that the charity has made to children and young people’s lives. The charity received the Bishop of Derby’s Award for outstanding voluntary services in 2016 and Derbyshire County Council Beacon of Hope Award in 2021 for its extensive work supplying child-friendly food parcels and providing leisure and recreational activities to disadvantaged children and young people during the Covid pandemic.
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ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE
During 2022 the charity provided operational project services for 44 weeks with administrative and planning tasks undertaken over a further 8 weeks. This essential work enabled ACE to offer a range of support services to disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people. The charity supported over 130 children and young people throughout the twelve-month period with an average of 65+ children and young people attending the range of projects at any one time.
In total the following project services were delivered:
Wednesday Club delivered recreational and leisure activities and much-needed opportunities for socialisation to 60 young people aged 12-16 on a referral basis. A total of 44 weekly sessions ran throughout the school term and school holidays. The project was delivered by qualified sessional workers and trained volunteers, the latter providing over 500 volunteer hours during the year.
Thursday Club delivered recreational and leisure activities and much-needed opportunities for socialisation to 17 children aged 11-12 on a referral basis. A total of 36 weekly sessions ran throughout the year. The project was delivered by qualified sessional workers and trained volunteers, the latter providing over 150 volunteer hours during the year.
Friday Club offered nurture group therapy to 28 vulnerable children in Year 6 who were expected to struggle with the transition to secondary school. A total of 23 sessions ran throughout the year. The project was delivered by qualified sessional workers and trained volunteers, the latter providing over 50 volunteer hours during the year.
A-Team delivered targeted group activities to 12 young people at risk of exclusion from school, mainstream services, and society to address anger and aggression. A total of 34 four-hour sessions were delivered by qualified sessional workers and trained volunteers, the latter providing 340 volunteer hours during the year.
spACE4u delivered nurture group therapy to 13 young people affected by poor emotional and mental health. The project was delivered by professional sessional workers trained in nurture therapy and practice. A total of 24 sessions were delivered by qualified sessional workers and trained volunteers providing 80 hours of targeted intervention.
The Hardship Fund provided practical assistance to disadvantaged local children and young people struggling to buy necessities such as school shoes, clothing, school sports kit, bed linen and other basic hygiene items. The fund is managed by trustees and items sourced and delivered by volunteers providing 30 volunteer hours.
1-2-1 Support delivered targeted support and mentoring to vulnerable young people struggling with social isolation, family breakdown and trauma seriously affecting their emotional and mental wellbeing. 1-2-1 support took the form of regular outdoor walks and physical exercise which provided a safe space for listening, supporting, befriending, encouraging, and guiding vulnerable young people. 80 hours of support were delivered by ACE staff and trained volunteers.
The above services were operated with the assistance of a team of 20 volunteers under the direction of 4 paid sessional youth workers and supported by a project coordinator. In 2022 the ACE team provided 2,500 voluntary hours to deliver front line services. In addition, volunteers provided management and administrative services. All staff completed first aid and safeguarding training. Ensuring the wellbeing of our volunteers is essential to ACE’s operational success.
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ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
Young people are at the heart of everything that ACE does. ACE projects are developed and designed with the child and their best interests in mind. We listen, question, and learn from each of the young people. We set aside time to understand their needs and wants, what works for them, what makes a difference to their lives. We consult with young people, their families and carers, and the wider community to better understand need. We run pilot projects. We make it clear that there is no compulsion to attend ACE. We give the child a voice and a choice.
Young people’s scores on how they rate ACE out of 10 range from 8.5/10 to 10/10. Comments include ‘ I love ACE, I’ve never experienced anything like it. I get so excited on Wednesdays, everyone is so nice ’, ‘ ACE is such a great place. It has really helped me’ , ‘ ACE is inclusive, everyone respects me, no one judges me ’, “ I do love ACE, it gets me away from bad stuff ”, “ I love the food when we go on trips, I keep thinking about the delicious sandwiches. The food is the best ever ”, “ ACE is such a great place. It has really helped me. I can’t thank you enough for taking me on trips .”
Staff have recorded improvements on a range of social and life skills, namely: willingness to engage in activities, take part in conversation, share stories, improved eye contact, inclination to smile and laugh. Of those young people attending the projects, 80% experienced a significant reduction or some reduction in social isolation, and an improvement in confidence and self-esteem with positive outcomes for emotional and mental well-being. 61% of young people experienced significant improvement, and 35% started to experience progress in their emotional and mental health particularly after attending the holiday programme where the focus is on developing self-confidence, experiencing new activities that require perseverance, and self-esteem by overcoming fears such as dry slope skiing and fishing. 100% of the young people have experienced significant or some progress in developing greater independence and self-reliance, benefitting their attendance and experience at school and enabling them to cope with changing home life circumstances, particularly those young people who have experienced familial loss and change of living arrangements such as entering the care system. Young people unanimously reported that attendance at ACE makes them feel happy, gives them an opportunity to make friends, feel safe and experience new things. All the young people and their parents/carers have remarked that attendance brings significant and/or some improvements in mental health and emotional wellbeing; this has been especially important as the young people have no or very limited access to other services and suffer from social isolation. Staff have observed an increased willingness by the young people to try new things rather than resist over time as their trust in ACE staff grows. In addition, parents and teachers have observed improvements in behaviour and mood at home and school following attendance at ACE sessions. As one young person put it, “Doing activities and talking is good, it’s what I like about ACE. I can talk to adults in a safe place. I can make friends in a small group. I feel comfortable because I’m not being judged. ”
Steve Bembridge, Assistant Head and SENCO at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School said “ I would like to endorse my support for ACE Youth Trust. We have referred 12 boys who are disadvantaged and have pupil premium status to the A Team project. Since attending the project, we have witnessed improvements in self-esteem and self-confidence. The boys are calmer, more rounded, more respectful to staff. There has been a marked improvement in school attendance and less evidence of poor behaviour. The boys are visibly happier, more relaxed, and less angry and angst ridden. I am delighted to say that in all cases their demeanour is noticeably calmer and much changed. Attendance at the project has shown a positive light on their personalities and potential. The A Team project has made a real difference not only to the young people, but also to the school and wider community .”
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ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
FINANCIAL REVIEW
During 2022 income raised exceeded expenditure and accumulated funds have increased by £6,992 from £70,560 to £77,552.
The charity aims to hold reserves sufficient to fund 12 months of activity which, based on historic spending trends, is in the region of £50,000. This allows the charity to ensure consistency for the young people we support if there should be a failure or shortfall in funding.
Unrestricted funds at the end of 2022 total £56,121 which is aligned with the Reserves Policy and provides a reasonable allowance for anticipated inflation.
FUTURE PLANS
Funding has been secured to sustain our core project activities in 2023. Additional funding is being sought to operate the highly popular school holiday programme. The charity is continuing to work closely with the local primary and secondary schools to meet the needs of the children and young people and to address the growing demand for services.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
The organisation is governed by the Declaration of Trust dated 15[th] May 2006 and Deed of Amendment dated 18[th] July 2010. The Charity is constituted as a Trust.
Recruitment and Appointment of new Trustees
The trustees of ACE Youth Trust are appointed by the existing Trustees. The trustees meet 5 to 6 times a year. The trustees who served during the year and since the year end are set out below.
Safeguarding & Child Protection Training
The ACE Board of Trustees are committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of children and young people supported by the charity and has elected to adopt the Safeguarding Procedures developed by the Diocese of Derby. Disclosure and Barring Service applications are processed by the Diocese of Derby on behalf of the Trust. DBS certifications are renewed every three years. ACE adheres to the Diocese of Derby Safer Recruitment guidelines and undertakes enhanced DBS checks, reference checks and induction and safeguarding training for all staff and volunteers working with children and young people. Level 2 safeguarding training is refreshed annually. Designated safeguarding leads complete Level 3 training.
Public Benefit
The trustees have regard to the guidelines issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit and are satisfied that the charity confers a public benefit. ACE provides a range of free services within the scope of its charitable objects to vulnerable, disadvantaged, and hard to reach children and young people. All services are funded by grants, donations, and fundraised income. In shaping its services, ACE considers the individual needs of the young person – whether by reason of additional need, social deprivation, or disability – can best be met to reduce social isolation, improve emotional and mental wellbeing, and build confidence, self-esteem, and self-reliance to prepare them for life at school, college, work and living in the wider community. By doing so, AC activities achieve outcomes that are positive not only for the individual young person but also in terms of the impact on their families and society.
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ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Registered Charity number: 1120282
Principal address: The Parish Office St Oswald’s Church School Lane Ashbourne Derbyshire. DE6 1AN Trustees: Mrs Louise Doble Chair Rev Philip Michell Vice Chair Mrs Jane Stoney Treasurer Mrs Helen Wainwright Dr Robert Woore Dr Madhuri Manley Appointed as Trustee 15[th] June 2022 Independent Examiner : Fiona Brown Hillocks Farm Kniveton Ashbourne DE6 1JH
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 24[th] May 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
Mrs Louise Doble Chair of Trustees
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ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Ace Youth Trust (the Trust) for the year ended 31 December 2022, which are set out on pages 9 and 10.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: ______ Date: __ Name: Fiona Brown Address: Hillocks Farm Kniveton Ashbourne DE6 1JH
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ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
STATEMENTS / NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total 2022 |
Total 2021 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RECEIPTS | ||||
| Donations | ||||
| Planned Giving | 6,426 | 250 |
6,676 |
8,032 |
| Other Donations | 7,434 | 474 |
7,908 |
3,590 |
| Total Donations | 13,860 | 724 |
14,584 |
11,622 |
| Grant Income | ||||
| Grant Income from Children In Need | 0 | 10,500 |
10,500 |
10,000 |
| Grant from National Lottery | 0 | 0 |
0 |
10,000 |
| Grant from Derbyshire County Council | 0 | 500 |
500 |
19,755 |
| Grant from 29th May 1961 CT | 0 | 8,000 |
8,000 |
0 |
| Grant from Comic Relief | 0 | 5,000 |
5,000 |
0 |
| Grant from Derbyshire Dales CVS | 0 | 3,000 |
3,000 |
0 |
| Other Grant Income | 0 | 3,977 |
3,977 |
0 |
| Total Grant Income | 0 | 30,977 |
30,977 |
39,755 |
| **Other Income ** | ||||
| Specific Project Contributions | 0 | 7,252 |
7,252 |
6,886 |
| Fundraising | 1,009 | 0 |
1,009 |
5,982 |
| Tax Recovered through Gift Aid | 4,803 | 109 |
4,911 |
0 |
| Interest Income | 110 | 0 |
110 |
1 |
| Other Incoming Resources | 0 | 0 |
0 |
1,500 |
| Total Other Income | 5,923 | 7,361 |
13,283 |
14,369 |
| Total RECEIPTS | 19,783 | 39,061 |
58,844 |
65,746 |
| PAYMENTS | ||||
| Charitable Activities | ||||
| Fees | 640 | 28,651 | 29,291 |
25,854 |
| Travel & Mileage | 5 | 3,106 |
3,111 |
2,068 |
| Activity Costs & Direct Expenses | 0 | 16,544 |
16,544 |
13,784 |
| Food & Hygiene Provisions | 0 | 0 |
0 |
2,733 |
| Total Charitable Activities | 645 | 48,301 |
48,947 |
44,439 |
| Governance and Overhead Costs | ||||
| Staff Training | 420 | 132 |
552 |
457 |
| IT, Telephone, Postage | 351 | 0 |
351 |
582 |
| Printing & Stationery | 0 | 297 | 297 |
561 |
| Other Expenses | 211 | 1,495 |
1,706 |
1,748 |
| Total Governance and Overhead Costs | 981 | 1,924 |
2,906 |
3,348 |
| Total PAYMENTS | 1,627 | 50,225 |
51,852 |
47,787 |
| Transfer between funds | (5,511) | 5,511 | 0 |
0 |
| SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) IN THE PERIOD | 12,644 | (5,653) |
6,992 | 17,959 |
| Reconciliation of Funds | ||||
| Total Funds brought forward | 43,476 | 27,084 |
70,560 |
52,601 |
| Surplus / Deficit for the Year | 12,644 | (5,653) |
6,992 |
17,959 |
| Debtors | (136) | (51) | (188) |
0 |
| Accrual | 0 | 698 |
698 |
0 |
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 55,984 | 22,078 |
78,062 | 70,560 |
Signed on behalf of the Trustees by Jane Stoney
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ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
STATEMENTS / NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
STATEMENT of FUNDS
| For 12 Months ended 31st | December | 2022 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Balance 01/01/22 |
Income | Costs | Transfers | Net Movement |
Closing Balance 31/12/22 |
|
| 121 Support | (30) | 0 | (2,282) | 2,500 | 218 | 187 |
| A Team | 3,590 | 11,534 | (9,020) | 3,011 | 5,526 | 9,116 |
| spACE4u | 2,591 | 8,968 | (9,785) | 0 | (816) | 1,775 |
| Wednesday Club | 2,366 | 16,150 | (15,160) | 717 | 1,708 | 4,074 |
| Thursday Club | 7,219 | 538 | (7,805) | 0 | (7,268) | (49) |
| Friday Club | 10,130 | 1,189 | (5,303) | 0 | (4,114) | 6,015 |
| Hardship Funds | 1,217 | 683 | (870) | (717) | (905) | 312 |
| Restricted Funds | 27,084 | 39,061 | (50,225) | 5,511 | (5,653) | 21,431 |
| Unrestricted Funds | 43,476 | 19,783 | (1,627) | (5,511) | 12,644 | 56,121 |
| Total Funds | 70,560 | 58,844 | (51,852) | 0 | 6,992 | 77,552 |
| Outstanding Income | (188) | (188) | (188) | |||
| Outstanding Payments | 698 | 698 | 698 | |||
| Cash Balance | 70,560 | 58,656 | (51,154) | 0 | 7,502 | 78,062 |
Transfers between funds are discussed and agreed by the Trustees at the Trustees Meetings to ensure that projects are adequately supported, restricted funds are managed in line with any restrictions and our unrestricted funds are maintained in line with our reserves policy.
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 December 2022
| BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 December 2022 | |
|---|---|
Assets |
31 Dec 2022 31 Dec 2021 |
| Cash at bank and in hand | |
| CoopAccount | 28,013 70,560 |
| Co-opReserve Account | 50,049 0 |
| Total Cash at bank and in hand | 78,062 70,560 |
| Debtors Total Assets Liabilities |
188 0 |
| 78,250 70,560 |
|
| Accruals | (698) 0 |
| Total Creditors: amounts falling due within one year |
(698) 0 |
| Net Assets | 77,552 70,560 |
| Capital and Reserves | |
| Restricted Project Funds | 21,431 27,084 56,121 43,476 |
| UnrestrictedFunds | |
| Total Capital and Reserves | 77,552 70,560 |
Signed on behalf of the Trustees by Jane Stoney
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ACE YOUTH TRUST working with young people
STATEMENTS / NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
STATUTORY INFORMATION
Ace Youth Trust is managed by The Trustees and is a charity registered in England and Wales. The registered charity number and principal office address can be found under the reference and administrative details in the Report of the Trustees.
The presentation currency of the financial statements is the Pound Sterling (£)
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The financial statements of the charity have been prepared on a Cash Basis.
Income
Income is raised through donations from individuals and local charitable organisations including local churches, local Rotary clubs, and Ashbourne Partnership Trust, and through Grants from national and regional organisations and Trusts.
During 2022 grants over £3,000 were received to fund the following projects:
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BBC Children in Need - Wednesday Club
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29th May 1961 Charitable Trust – A Team
-
Comic Relief – spACE4u
-
Derbyshire Dales CVS – Wednesday Club
Other Income includes Gift Aid recovered in 2022 for the years 2018-£996 / 2019-£799 / 2020-£1,495 / 2021-£1,621.
Debtors
A total of £188 has been included to recognise income that had not cleared the bank in 2022. All items were cleared in the beginning of January 2023.
Expenditure
Expenditure is accounted for on a cash basis, coupled with clearly evidenced accruals and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular projects, they have been allocated to unrestricted resources. Creditors represent invoices and expense claims received for December and paid in early January.
Staff Costs
People are hired for provision of activities and administration and the costs are incurred by invoice and are included in Fees above.
Payments to Trustees
Trustees Expenses paid for the year ended 31 December 2022 and 2021 are directly related to the running of activities and duly approved by fellow trustees. No other payments were made to Trustees.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. Restricted funds can only be used for particularly restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for specific projects or activities.
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