## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 30 September 2021**
**Charity Number 1125877 Company Number 06681475**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' Annual Report|1 to 21|
|Independent Auditors' Report|22 to 25|
|Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities|26|
|(including income and expenditure account)||
|Consolidated Balance sheet|27|
|Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows|28|
|Notes to the financial statements|29 to 45|
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
The trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 30 September 2021, which are also prepared to meet the requirements of a Directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association and Accounting and, Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard’s applicable to the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
## **Chair’s Report**
Reaching back to October 2020 stretches the memory. We spent the Summer of 2020 with the hope that the worst was behind us after six months of lock downs and then watching anxiously as the case numbers and hospitalisations fell. On average, 40 deaths per day from Covid were being reported, each of whom was an individual and shared grief, but those numbers had fallen dramatically from the Spring. We did not know then that just four months later in January of 2021, more than 1,200 deaths per day from Covid would be reported. We did not know that the restrictions on movement that were brought in would cause families to be barred by law from seeing each other through the darkest months. And if we had known those things, we would have entered that winter all the more concerned for the most vulnerable and marginalised in society, who would be disproportionately impacted.
The voluntary sector in both Newcastle and Gateshead didn’t rest. Instead it redoubled its efforts, to provide food, contact, advice and help. Supporting the sector in the midst of the toughest times, Connected Voice partnered with Newcastle and Gateshead Councils to create the “Spirit of Christmas” appeal, raising more than £65,000, which was distributed to 42 grass roots organisations to bring a little hope to some of the people in most need.
On the ground, the voluntary sector saw a number of continuing or emerging trends through this time period:
- online schooling highlighted the digital deficit – this translated into children from some of the poorest homes falling further behind
- lockdowns hid the tragedies of mental health issues, domestic abuse, neglect and addiction
- the scourges of racism and poverty persisted, less in the public eye but as harmful as ever
- refugees, including those from Afghanistan, continued to seek sanctuary
Connected Voice Support and Development worked with the sector to access emergency funding, and provide advice and support to newly-formed groups who met local and neighbourhood needs. Connected Voice Business Services worked with charities navigating the furlough requirements for their payrolls and completing their Year End accounts in some of the most unusual circumstances. Connected Voice Haref attracted more funding to support the ethnically minoritised communities of Newcastle and Gateshead and continued its work in the field of health awareness at a time when it could not be more important. Connected Voice Advocacy
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
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TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
fulfilled its historic role of amplifying the voices of individuals who otherwise would have struggled to be heard. In short, Connected Voice stepped up, as it should.
Spring and Summer 2021 brought hope in the shape of vaccination and by July more than 46 million vaccinations had been delivered. This represented one of the largest mobilisations ever of the voluntary sector and individual volunteering, as hubs were re-purposed through the region. As Summer wore on, massive community outreach work happened locally to educate and inform, to bring vaccination opportunities to everyone. As hope built, it did so because of the inherent belief of our communities that everyone is a neighbour and neighbours are there to help.
2020/21 showed all of us the worst and the best imaginable - and the best was very much a living demonstration of “The Power of Local” and what it means in Newcastle and Gateshead.
Reflecting on a year we hope we will never live through again, I want to offer some words of thanks. First, I want to thank the staff of Connected Voice, both past and present, who have adapted to the extraordinary circumstances so well. In June 2021, our Chief Executive Lisa Goodwin was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were just six MBE’s awarded in Tyne and Wear, so this also represented a wider acknowledgement of the critical role the voluntary sector has played. Next, I want to thank my fellow Trustees and within this particular mention must be made of Hannah Owens, Tracy Huitson, Colette Harrison and Amanda Lee who joined the Board in April 2021. Most important of all, I want to thank the voluntary sector of Newcastle and Gateshead and the many partners who have shown such support to the sector in the period covered by this report. None of us could have foreseen the circumstances we would encounter and the challenges in our own organisations, the stress, the immense feeling of responsibility and at times the exhaustion.
At time of writing, there is a genuine sense that we are moving beyond the pandemic and that gives cause for optimism – but the challenges of how we emerge and how we tackle the long term impacts are proving just as real. I hope next year to be able to write about how we have risen to those and created a better future as a result.
**Simon Elliott Chair, Connected Voice April 2022**
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TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
The objectives of Connected Voice are, ‘to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of any locality or community in the County of Northumberland and in the neighbourhood of the River Tyne.’
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 having due regard to the general guidance of the Charity Commission with respect to public benefit when reviewing the Connected Voice aims and objectives and in planning future activities. In particular, the trustees considered how the planned activities would contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.
## **Connected Voice has the following values:**
## **We amplify voices**
From individuals to organisations, we believe everyone has a right to be heard. Trusted to listen, understand and advocate, we strive for excellence. We’re open and honest, we stick by people and give our support to ensure their voices are heard.
## **We champion equality**
We believe that diversity should be celebrated and valued, and everyone deserves equality. Working towards a fairer future for all, we won't stand still. By making an impact on causes big and small, we want to improve the quality of life across the region.
## **We inspire change**
Courageous, resourceful and determined, we will challenge unfairness and ask difficult questions. Working effectively and accountably to instil confidence. We aim to become stronger and more sustainable to inspire positive and lasting change throughout our community
## **We support action**
We understand from our own experiences the challenges people face. We truly value people and we won't judge or dictate. Leading independently and side by side with our communities and partners, we share our resources, skills and expertise to enable people to take meaningful action.
## **We connect people**
At the heart of voluntary and community action for 90 years, we are immersed and rooted in the North East. We work collectively and inclusively to connect, grow and strengthen our society. We are warm and approachable, and we create opportunities to exchange ideas, learn from and empower one another
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
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## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
## **Today and for the Future**
Our overall aim is to improve quality of life through a broad programme of voluntary action, recognising that priority should be focused on the most disadvantaged communities. During 2020-21 we refreshed our purpose statement, which is:
## **Connected Voice exists in service of organisations committed to voluntary and social action in Newcastle and Gateshead and beyond. We work to support the enduring mission of those organisations to benefit society by reducing inequality and enriching lives.**
Over the year we contributed to our overall aim and purpose in the following ways:
- As a high performing and leading organisation - providing a voice for individuals and the voluntary and community sector.
- By providing a wide range of advocacy services and support to vulnerable people
- By championing voluntary and community action
- By strengthening voluntary and community organisations through our advice and training services
- By continuing to adapt our services to ensure that they were appropriate and accessible to our beneficiaries during the current global pandemic
- By being proactive in offering additional support throughout the pandemic – including peer support, new networks, and an increase in training sessions and online events
- By highlighting issues around poverty and inequality in Newcastle and Gateshead, and addressing these through our work, including the work of Haref with our ethnically minoritised communities
- By producing an EDI action plan aligned to our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Framework, to enable us to take a more proactive approach and work towards ensuring our membership and staff reflect the communities we serve
- By beginning work on addressing the gaps in volunteering support for the VCSE (voluntary, community and social enterprise) sector in Gateshead
## **Our Volunteers**
Connected Voice values the unique contribution of our volunteers and the added value they bring. It is the intention of Connected Voice that all volunteers are supported, respected and valued. We encourage volunteers to fulfil their potential and aim to provide meaningful roles where both the organisation and the volunteer mutually benefit.
We were delighted to again be able to offer some of our advocacy volunteers permanent job roles this year. During the year, a number of our staff took advantage of our staff volunteering policy, which allows them two paid days off per year to volunteer locally. We have policies and procedures in place to support our volunteers, and work closely with our partner, Volunteer Centre Newcastle, to ensure that best practice is applied with respect to volunteering.
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
## **Our staff**
We recognise the value and expertise of our staff, and we strive to put in place appropriate support as a good employer. We have a range of staff engagement and involvement activities, including a Staff Council and Ideas Forum. We hold the Better Health at Work award, and maintained Gold level during the year. We are an accredited Living Wage Employer. We regularly hold ‘Time to Talk’ mental health sessions for staff and we retained our Investors In People accreditation. We hold the North of Tyne Good Work Pledge, making commitments to support the five pillars of the scheme.
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
Connected Voice enables and promotes voluntary and community action, providing voluntary sector organisations with services that enable them to be well run, fulfil their aims and objectives and provide them with the opportunity to extend their influence in Newcastle and Gateshead through the sector’s collective voice.
We do this by providing expert advice on governance, on the policies and practices that voluntary organisations need to have to ensure they are safe and securely run, and by providing funding advice based on experience and knowledge of what funders are seeking in a good application.
We hold regular events to keep the sector informed about new initiatives, and to enable them to learn from and connect with each other. We provide opportunities for VCSE organisations to increase their reach and influence. Connected Voice acts as a broker for VCSE involvement, enabling engagement directly with public sector agencies and acting as a voice for the sector within multi-sector partnerships. During this year we created a working group to look at representation and voice - to ensure we are making the most of the limited time we have available to do this work, and to fill the gaps have emerged as more and more of our day to day work focuses directly on advice and support, rather than wider policy issues.
We engage in local authority-wide, sub-regional, regional and national activities because we want to be able to promote, share and deliver best practice. We work with a wide range of public sector partners – local authorities, NHS trusts, Clinical Commissioning groups, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Newcastle and Northumbria Universities and many others.
Our Haref project is a network of 90+ ethically minoritised-led community organisations who work together to tackle health inequalities. Connected Voice Haref continued to see an increase in capacity thanks to success in generating funding. The work of Haref Network members in highlighting the disproportionate effects of the pandemic on ethnically minoritised communities continues to be a vital arm of our work, and we continue to raise the voices of those communities, and to share key public health messages, health information, etc.
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
Despite the enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic Connected Voice Advocacy has continued to deliver and grow during 2020/21. We have worked closely with institutions and service providers to minimise the impact of the restrictions and ensure that people maintained a quality of life and choice and control. The scrutiny role advocates have has been crucial during the pandemic to maintain standards in health and social care and to report crimes for those facing discrimination and abuse. We are so proud of the dedicated team who have continued to fight for people’s rights in challenging times.
Our Commercial Development Executive role has proved to be sound investment, and over the year the various parts of our organisation worked together closely on our income generation goals.
Below is a summary of how we delivered against the strategic objectives we outlined in last year’s annual report:
## **Embed the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Framework and action plan in our work.**
We delivered an extensive programme of EDI training across the organisation, involving both staff and trustees. Topics included general EDI training, digital accessibility, eating distress awareness, and LGBTQIA+ awareness. Our EDI group set key EDI priorities for the year and monitored our progress. We agreed to have one board meeting each year with an EDI focus, and we introduced new ways to track and monitor the impact of EDI work.
## **Work closely as a commercial team to achieve our annual income targets**
We achieved our income targets in two out of three areas, which we are proud of, considering the ongoing impact of the pandemic both on our capacity to engage with potential customers, and the financial impact it has had on VCSE organisations.
## **Provide leadership on climate emergency – both in terms of our actions as an organisation, and our work with VCSE organisations**
Our staff climate group continued to meet and monitor our progress against our action plan. We held a themed networking event on the topic of climate emergency for the VCSE sector, and we developed and delivered a ‘practical tips for tackling climate emergency’ training.
## **Embed partnership working and collaboration across all of our work, and support VCSE organisations to work collaboratively wherever possible**
We developed new partnerships during the year, specifically focusing on our new area of work around volunteering. We continued to bring VCSE organisations together regularly to share information and collaborate, building on the closer working relationships that developed during the pandemic.
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
## **Connected Voice Support and Development**
Connected Voice Support and Development works with community organisations, charities and social enterprises working in Newcastle and Gateshead. We provide advice and guidance on all aspects of running an organisation, a comprehensive training package and opportunities to network and share best practice.
## **Support and Guidance**
The Support and Development team worked with **283** organisations in Newcastle and Gateshead across the year, providing advice and guidance on topics including legal structures, governance, funding, policies and procedures, and organisational development.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the team developed risk assessment tools and resources to help organisations return to face to face activities.
## **Funding**
The Team support 17 organisations with 35 funding bids totalling **£923,545.**
Connected Voice developed and led the Spirit of Christmas Appeal. Collaborating with Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council, it raised over **£63,000** between November and December 2020. The appeal received donations from 160 local businesses and residents through Connected Voice’s Virgin Money Donate Page. Connected Voice distributed all the money raised to 47 charities and community organisations across Newcastle and Gateshead.
The second Newcastle and Gateshead Funding Fair was held in June 2021. It was delivered live, via Zoom, over 3 afternoons, producing a total of 9 hours presentations from 16 local, regional and national funders, and attended by **121** organisations.
## **Networking Events**
We delivered 5 successful VCSE Networking Events during the period. These were delivered virtually as COVID-19 restrictions continued. These were:
- Home Truths: The VCSE and Black Asian and minority ethnic communities
- Doing Things Differently: Our local VCSE and responding to changing needs
- Women and COVID: The VCSE response in Newcastle and Gateshead
- Digital Conference: A day-long conference in partnership with Digital Voice For Communities
- Volunteering and Employment: VCSE responses in Newcastle and Gateshead
Participation at these events was at a record high level, reflecting the need for people and organisations to come together, share good practice, and explore new partnerships and ways of working together toward shared goals.
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
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TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
This period saw our two regular networks become established. Both the Youth and Community Network in Gateshead and the Women’s Network across Newcastle and Gateshead met bi-monthly and adopted terms of references. The period also saw the continuation of the Gateshead Voluntary Sector Leader Network, with 3 meetings held. Feedback has been positive from the network members, reflecting the need for these topic specific meetings.
## **Training**
We increased our training offer significantly, and during this year **40** sessions were held, including: Funding Strategy, Effective Bid-Writing, Cyber Security, Introduction to Safeguarding, Good Governance. These have continued to be highly valued, well attended and received.
We worked with other Connected Voice departments to support raining on: Budgeting and Financial Procedures, Advocacy and Health Inequalities and Volunteering.
We were also able to offer some additional specific sessions around safeguarding with our partners in the Safer Culture NE partnership, covering safeguarding for trustees, designated persons, and volunteers.
Specialist sessions on volunteering were delivered in collaboration with Rob Jackson Consulting.
## **OurGateshead**
We invested in the Our Gateshead team, employing an Admin Officer. www.OurGateshead.org continued its work to promote organisations working in Gateshead and their services and activities. During this period OurGateshead continued to share the latest COVID-19 advice for the VCSE sector. As organisations were able to start opening, the team supported groups to promote their activities as they moved from virtual to in person.
We were funded by the Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group and GP practices to produce an OurGateshead progressive app and provide slide shows to be shown on the display screens in GP practices. The app development resulted in information being displayed to visitors by locality – the nearest activities to the visitor is shown first.
The site received **96,965** visitors who viewed **116,902** pages of information.
## **Premium Services**
We increased our income generation through charged for services during the year, seeing an increase in the number of organisations using our services to undertake organisational reviews, write policies and procedures, and complete charity and community interest company registrations.
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
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## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
## **Information**
We are a key source of information for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Newcastle and Gateshead. In the reporting period we:
- Distributed **23** fortnightly electronic news bulletins to **1,000** plus subscribers
- Distributed a monthly health and social care bulletin to the sector (On the Hoof)
- Produced **4** quarterly magazines shared with **1,500** plus members and key contacts, magazine themes: o Adaptation
- Collaboration
- Community Action
- Mental Health
- Developed our Twitter following from 3,937 followers in October 2020 to **4,225** by end September 2021
- Increased our followers on Facebook to **955** and LinkedIn to **485**
## **Connected Voice Haref**
Connected Voice Haref works with ethnically minoritised communities to identify their key issues around health and improve the health information available to them. We help health services gain a better understanding of what communities need and we build confidence within communities so they can talk to health services about their cultural needs.
Key achievements were:
## **Haref Network**
- We held meetings for the Haref Network with discussions about:
- How Haref can help shape mental health service delivery
- The impact of COVID-19 on local communities
- Community Champions in Newcastle and Gateshead
- Opportunities to work with the Haref Allies
- **Terminology discussion.** We ran consultation exercises and discussions with our Haref Network on changing the terminology from the term ‘BAME’. The Network agreed to use the terminology ethnically minoritised communities instead of BAME. We will revisit these discussions in a years’ time.
- **Spotlights.** In our monthly Haref bulletin we have added a spotlight article on one of our Network members that is linked to our website.
## **Haref Allies**
We held two meetings for the Haref Allies and looked at:
- Training on working with people whose first language isn’t English.
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
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TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
- Good practice for delivering health information sessions to diverse community groups. We worked with HealthWorks and the Comfrey Project to share advice on what works well in delivering health information sessions.
- We secured funding from the Community Foundation to employ a Haref Allies Engagement Officer who will be leading on a paid-for Allies membership offer. They joined Haref in September 2021.
## **Cultural Competency Training**
- For the Newcastle City Council Public Health contract, we delivered training to **327** attendees. The contract has been extended for another two years to July 2023.
- Our new Training and Development Officer started in July 2021. Their first task was to refresh the online training sessions. We extended the length of the session, refreshed slides, included two new videos developed by Haref Network members, allowed more discussion time and updated the resource pack.
- We continue to receive requests for paid-for Cultural Competency training and delivered 12 paid-for sessions over the year.
## **Community Forum**
- The Community Forum supported by the Newcastle Gateshead NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), started to meet online again after a break due to COVID- 19. Haref facilitated the meetings with discussions on:
- Vaccine information
- One year on in COVID-19 for the VCSE
- CCG commissioning update
## **COVID-19 Response and Community Champions**
- Haref regularly cascaded information linked to: access to services; restrictions, key messages and translated documents; and videos in different languages, linking in with local authority communications teams.
- We ran **4 vaccine information sessions** with the Haref Network, the Children’s Society and Action Foundation.
- **Newcastle Community Champions meetings** . We have been contracted for 12 months to support the work of the champions including attending the Champions session, the steering group, and raising the profile of being a Community Champion.
## **Research projects**
Haref has been involved in three research projects:
- **Peer research mental health project ‘Experiences and thoughts of mental health’.** This research was initiated and funded by Newcastle Healthy Futures, and Haref led on this research. The peer research team was involved in all aspects of the project, from designing questions, developing methods, collecting responses, and analysing the data. This was a six-month project and was completed in summer 2021 with a report and recommendations produced and disseminated.
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
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## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
- **‘Towards fairer health for disadvantaged communities, including those of Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds’** We have worked in partnership with Newcastle University, Riverside Community Health Project, and the West End Family Health hub. This looked at health messages through the lens of the pandemic and how they were acted on, with the aim of identifying effective ways to get people the information they need in the future. This is a year-long project will finish in 2022.
- ‘ **Improving the accessibility of medicines review services in primary care for patients from ethnic minorities’** in partnership with Newcastle University Pharmacy Department which ran for six months until July 2021.
## **Evaluation of the Ramadan calendars**
In 2021, Haref designed calendars for 11 mosques in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Gateshead. We distributed these by email, social media and our website. After Ramadan, we completed an evaluation with the mosques about the calendars, as we were interested to know how the calendars worked in a digital format, and how the health information was used. We received useful feedback, which we used to develop this year’s calendars.
## **Connected Voice Business Services**
Our trading subsidiary Connected Voice Business Services Ltd continued to provide payroll, accounting and bookkeeping services, supporting over **200** VCSE organisations across the region.
During the year Connected Voice Business Services supported a large number of organisations to make the switch to digital finance, providing training as QuickBooks Pro certified advisors. We also supported organisations with furlough, providing regular information and one to one advice, and managing HMRC claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme 40 of our payroll customers.
## **Connected Voice Advocacy**
Despite the enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic Connected Voice Advocacy has continued to deliver and grow during 2020/21. We have worked closely with institutions and service providers to minimise the impact of the restrictions and ensure that people maintained a quality of life and choice and control. The scrutiny role advocates have has been crucial during the pandemic to maintain standards in health and social care and to report crimes for those facing discrimination and abuse. We are so proud of the dedicated team who have continued to fight for people’s rights in challenging times. We have seen advocates and their families suffer from the virus and the service has experienced times with low staff numbers. Our digital offer through DIY Advocate[®] has helped us give support to those who can self-advocate, and helped us manage our waiting lists due to high demand. Case work has included disturbing content, so we have supported the staff team during this challenging year with extra financial, emotional support as well as dedicating time to
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
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TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
team building and training. We have continued to develop the advocacy workforce by recruiting our dedicated volunteers and introduced people who haven’t been advocates previously to train them in the role.
We are delighted to have secured contracts and grants to enable us to continuing delivering our core services and additional funding to widen our support to people who needed safeguarding in the pandemic, Refugees and Asylum Seekers and older people from the LGBTQIA+ and/or ethnically minoritised communities. The demand for our bespoke contracts rose considerably and we offered expert advocacy to over 30 parents going through child protection hearings this year.
This year our service was funded to deliver community based advocacy in the following areas:
- **Health and Social Care Advocacy** - supported adults across Newcastle and Gateshead with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and mental health needs and those from ethnically minoritised and LGBTQ+ communities with social care issues
- **Refugees and Asylum Seekers Advocacy** - supported adults seeking asylum or with refugee status
- **Gateshead Housing Advocacy** - supported tenants of Gateshead Housing Company with welfare rights issues
- **Families through Crisis** - provided holistic support to Newcastle families in crisis with North East Law Centre and Changing Lives
- **Hate Crime Advocacy** - supported adults who have been a victim of a hate crime or discrimination across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear
- **Safeguarding Advocacy** - supported adults who were particular vulnerable to abuse during the pandemic
- **Spot Contract Advocacy** - supported adults on a bespoke, individually funded basis around a range of topic such as Child Protection Court Hearings, Post Accident Rehabilitation, Specialist Brain Injury support
We provided statutory advocacy for Gateshead Local Authority, Mitford Unit the National Autism Inpatient Service, and various local authorities with out of area placements in the North East of England in the following roles:
- **Independent Mental Health Advocate** - supported people subject to the Mental Health Act around their care and treatment, ensuring their rights were upheld
- **Independent Mental Capacity Advocate** - helped people who lack capacity, and do not have friends or relatives to support them, to make certain important decisions
- **Independent Care Act Advocate** - supported people’s involvement in care and support assessment, planning and review and safeguarding processes
- **Relevant Person’s Representatives** - ensured that the rights of people being deprived of their liberty under the Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were protected
We took time to reflect on our services this year as we undertook the national Advocacy Quality Performance Mark, making improvements in our internal systems. We had a team away day to work together on assessing the needs of our communities which has informed our 2022-25 Business Plan. We made a commitment to
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
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TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
address our language when referring to people we work with and avoid labels that some people find offensive or dehumanising.
Using the information collated from our grassroots advocacy we were able to campaign and advocate for change in the following areas:
- Continued to collaborate with advocacy providers nationally at the National Advocacy Leaders network to share good practice and campaign for social justice together
- Collaborated with local advocacy providers to share good practice and reduce competition in the sector
- Developed partnership and improved referral pathways for Headway groups in the region
- Worked in partnership with Durham and Northumbria Universities to help develop their concept of ‘hate relationships’
- Developed partnerships with the Newcastle University Student Law Centre Street Law project to simplify legislation and produce tools for people we work with
- Contributed to the learning and support materials for NHS Foundation Trust Life Limiting Illness research programme
- Worked with the Census team to ensure the people we work with were included and counted
- Responded to the national consultation around reforms to the Mental Health Act
- Responded to the national consultation around Ministry of Justice - Victim’s Law ‘delivering justice for victims’
- Responded to the national consultation on Adult Social Care reform
- Responded to the national consultation by the Ministerial Oversight Group on Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Responded to the national consultation by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) reform of the Lasting Power Of Attorney process
- Participated in National Development Team on Inclusion (NDTi) review into advocacy provision within inpatient settings for people with learning disability and autism
- Contributed to the development of the Advocacy Leaders’ Statement of Intent on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- Invited Equality and Human Right’s Commission to meet us and consult our views for their Inquiry into challenging decisions about adult social care
- Contributed to the development of the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner – Understanding needs of victims in the Police and Crime plan 2021-25
- Continued to influence local service provision at the Adult Safeguarding Boards in Newcastle and Gateshead
- Represented the voice of victims of hate crime at the Victim & Witness Service Improvement Board of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
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## **CONNECTED VOICE**
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## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
## **Advocacy statistics**
- Supported **1,600** people and worked on **1,900** issues
- Provided **14,700** hours of direct advocacy support
- Employed **21** advocates and a new administration and duty team - all managed and supervised by our Senior Management Team
- Maintained and supported **6** volunteers during pandemic
- Secured employment for **3** volunteers
- Trained 8 advocates through the National Advocacy Qualification and Care Act and Mental Capacity Act legislation
- Worked in over **30** ethnically minoritised communities across at least 29 languages and employed 4 multi-lingual Advocates
- Increased our social media presence with over **1,400** Twitter followers
- Secured employment for two volunteers advocates
- Trained five advocates in the National Independent Advocacy Qualification
## **Helped people challenge restrictions:**
- **57** were supported by advocates through safeguarding procedures
- **27** people living in care homes were supported by advocates to challenge their placement through the Court of Protection
- **28** families were supported in Child Protection hearings
- **15** people were supported to challenge their mental health sections via Mental Health Tribunals
- **5** people were supported in Welfare Benefit appeals
- **£130,000** was awarded due to our support with appeals challenges
## **Acknowledgements**
## **Connected Voice records its appreciation to all our funders and supporters.**
Connected Voice is a member of NCVO, NAVCA, ACEVO, the Community Foundation (Tyne, Wear and Northumberland), the Advocacy Action Alliance, and OPAAL (Older People’s Advocacy Alliance) We work closely with our sister infrastructure organisations across the North East and we are members of and contribute to a number of significant and appropriate local partnerships, initiatives, boards and committees.
## **Social Value**
Connected Voice tries to act in a socially responsible manner. We use other VCSE facilities and services wherever possible. We use sustainable products as far as possible. We try to use local suppliers. We use fair trade products. We take climate change seriously and we aim to reduce our environmental impact through the development of a climate change action plan, and regular staff meetings on this theme. The ratio of pay of the lowest earner to the pay of the top earner will never exceed 1:5. We are a Living Wage employer, accredited
14
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
(A company limited by guarantee)
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
by the Living Wage Foundation, including apprentices and interns. During the year we have benefitted from nine active trustees who all volunteered their skills, knowledge and expertise and linked us to helpful networks and useful partners.
## **CONNECTED VOICE – STRATEGIC AIMS 2021-2022**
We agreed to continue our work on the following strategic aims for the year ahead:
- Embed the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Framework and action plan in our work.
- Work closely as a commercial team to achieve our annual income targets
- Provide leadership on climate emergency – both in terms of our actions as an organisation, and our work with VCSE organisations
- Embed partnership working and collaboration across all of our work, and support VCSE organisations to work collaboratively wherever possible
Each team has a work plan including SMART objectives which link to the overall objectives above.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
Connected Voice bids for funds via statutory sources and charitable trusts and foundations, and generates income through paid-for services. A substantial part of our income comes through contracts. Connected Voice is assiduous in looking for appropriate sources of funding, and as an organisation responsible for advising the voluntary sector on funding sources is well placed to know what is available. We use a full cost recovery model which enables us to estimate the actual costs of a service and its true cost to Connected Voice. As the value of public sector contracts continues to decrease, this is an essential tool for us to use in deciding whether or not to bid for a service.
Senior managers and the Treasurer meet to set budgets annually and during the course of the reporting period financial management for the charity has been reviewed and a new contract developed to clarify how Connected Voice Business Services manages day to day finance and reporting on behalf of the charity.
We hold four key contracts (with Newcastle Council, 2 x Gateshead Council, and Newcastle Gateshead CCG) and anticipate that some of these will go out to tender in the 22-23 financial year. We had extensions confirmed this year on the two infrastructure contracts and statutory advocacy contract. We keep up to speed on contract publication dates and will plan our workload accordingly.
Our trustees are clear about our aims and mission and that we need to be sustainable, but keep to our vision and values. Connected Voice will not enter into partnerships and contracts which are contrary to our aims and objectives and we recognise that we need to stay within our agreed budget limits for the year. **Assets**
15
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
The charity’s assets are being held to enable them to carry out its objectives. The movements in fixed asset investments during the year are set out in note 23 to the accounts.
## **Trading activities**
The results of Connected Voice Charity Business Services, our trading company, are summarised in note 24 of the accounts. A surplus was generated during the period of £32,535 (2020: £7,729)
## **Financial dependency**
The charity in order to meet its objectives is financially dependent on grants from the Local Authorities, government programmes and charitable trusts.
Additional funds are derived from smaller grants and charitable donations made by a variety of organisations and individuals.
## **Funds held as custodian trustee on behalf of others**
Connected Voice and its subsidiary hold monies on behalf of other organisations. Connected Voice Business Services provides payroll and bookkeeping services and holds monies for this purpose. Further detail is given in note 30.
## **Reserves Policy**
The Trustees regularly review levels of reserves and have agreed again this year that reserves equivalent to between three and five months running costs are appropriate for the organisation.
Three months running costs would equate to around £375,000 and five months £625,000, based on the accounts for the 12 months to 30 September 2021. The reserves should not fall below this level in order to support good governance of the organisation.
The Reserve Policy allows for the use of funds in excess of the level required to be spent in furtherance of the organisation’s vision and mission. Any proposal should be presented as an individual business case to the Trustees for review and approval.
As at 30 September 2021 free reserves (unrestricted and designated funds not invested in tangible fixed assets) are £861,673, (2020: £742,276) an increase of £119,397. The Trustees monitor the level of reserves regularly and the Reserves Policy is reviewed annually with the support of the Finance Sub Group. The trustees have agreed to designate £276,644 of reserves, further detail is given in note 34.
## **Review of transactions and financial position**
The consolidated balance sheet on page 27 indicates that at 30 September 2021 the total funds of the group are £1,015,027 (2020: £938,086). This was represented by tangible fixed assets of £21,530 (2020: £25,257), investments of £459,154 (2020: £380,162) and net current assets of £534,343 (2020: £532,669). Unrestricted
16
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
and designated funds of £869,473 (2020: £748,860) represent the reserves available to the organisation to fulfil its many existing commitments over the long term. Restricted funds of £145,544 (2020: £189,226) represent specific earmarked projects as detailed in note 34 of the accounts.
## **Investment income**
Connected Voice is usually in the position of having to fund a considerable proportion of its core running costs each year and the income it derives from its invested reserves is an essential component of that strategy, alongside donations, earnings and other provisions.
Tilney are the appointed wealth investment organisation managing the Connected Voice investment portfolio. The Finance Sub-Group monitors the performance of the portfolio, reviewing the quarterly financial investment reports provided by Tilney and reporting into the board meetings. Trustees support the investment objective for Connected Voice which is to yield the best financial return within the level of risk considered to be acceptable. This return can then be spent on the charity’s aims and further continuance of its objectives. The Trustees are comfortable that the investments held are a diversified portfolio in order to mitigate the capital risk. The Finance Sub-Group has put forward an Investment Strategy Policy. The investment balances as at the 30 September 2021 are £459,154 (2020: £380,162). Net additional funds of £9,510 were added to the investment portfolio in the year, all dividends and income are reinvested.
## **Political contributions**
The charity made no political contributions.
## **MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS**
**Registered Charity Number** 1125877 **Company Number** 06681475 **Trustees** Simon Elliott Nitin Shukla Martin Horrocks Elaine Slater Paula Park Hannah Owens (elected 21 April 2021) Tracy Huitson (elected 21 April 2021) Amanda Lee (elected 21 April 2021) Colette Harrison (elected 21 April 2021) Adebusola Afolabi (elected 1 March 2022) Dawn Redhead (resigned 31 December 2020) Steve Nash (resigned 21 April 2021)
17
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
(A company limited by guarantee)
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
Kate Israel (resigned 21 April 2021) Rosie Lewis (resigned 19 September 2021) **Chief Executive** Lisa Goodwin **Principal Office** Higham House Higham Place Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AF **Auditors** Haines Watts 17 Queens Lane Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1 RN **Bankers** Virgin Money UK 132 -134 Northumberland Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7AG Unity Trust Bank Plc PO Box 7193 Planetary Road Willenhall WV1 9DG **Investment Manager** Tilney Private Wealth Management 130 St Vincent Street Glasgow G2 5SE
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The charity’s full name is Connected Voice. It is an incorporated charity registered with the Charity Commission (number 1125877) and a company limited by guarantee (number 06681475).
## **Governing documents**
The charity’s governing documents are its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
18
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
Connected Voice is an independent charity working with the voluntary sector primarily in Newcastle and Gateshead. It is run by a Board of Trustees elected annually by its member organisations, and by co-opted members. The Board controls the direction and policy of the work, and met five times during this financial year. It holds a special business planning meeting with senior managers, at least once a year, in order to define the priorities for the coming year.
Connected Voice is a membership organisation with over 750 members.
## **Recruitment of trustees**
Trustees are elected from the membership annually. Notice is sent to all members, and if a ballot is required, it is conducted prior to the Annual General Meeting. Trustees may only serve for a set period of time. The skills and experience of existing trustees are audited regularly and new trustees are recruited in order to complement the existing trustees ensuring a wide set of skills and knowledge is reflected in the overall board. If the Board feels there are particular skills lacking, they are able to promote these during the recruitment process. The governance document allows for co-opted trustees so that specialist skills can be brought onto the board. The Chair has experience of business and Human Resources and is not from the voluntary sector, although he chairs another voluntary organisation. The treasurer is an accountant with extensive experience of the charity sector.
All trustees have a comprehensive induction session with the Chief Executive. They also complete a form to assess any relevant training they may need and these needs are met as far as is practical. Trustees are given regular opportunities to find out more about Connected Voice and the voluntary and community sector in Newcastle and Gateshead, as well as national issues affecting voluntary organisations. Trustees receive a full induction pack including examples of best practice and guidance produced by the Charity Commission. Trustees are encouraged to be fully involved in the work of Connected Voice. Annually, the Chair carries out a confidential interview with each trustee to identify any challenges, concerns and priorities. These are collated into a single document and discussed openly at Board.
## **Organisational structure**
The Board of trustees, which can have up to twelve members, has control of the charity, including its property and its funds. The Board normally meets four times per year and there are two sub groups covering finance, and advocacy, which report into the Board. Task and finish groups of the trustees are also created as necessary – this year Task and Finish groups were established for workforce development and volunteering. The representation and voice task and finish group continued. The Chief Executive is appointed by the trustees to manage the charity and has delegated authority for all operational matters.
## **Pay policy for senior staff**
The Chief Executive implements the pay policy on an ongoing basis and is responsible for pay reviews and setting salaries for senior staff. The Board reviews the Chief Executive’s salary annually and is responsible for making any decisions about remuneration of the Chief Executive. Remuneration is benchmarked against
19
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
similar roles within voluntary and community sector organisations of similar size in the North East. The need for major changes to the salary structure may be informed by a number of factors such as changes to the organisation’s annual turnover and the number of employees. This year a salary benchmarking review was conducted which showed that the organisation paid at the expected rate for all job roles.
Connected Voice has a Remuneration Policy which covers all staff. Senior staff are not treated differently to other staff and all benefits (including pension contributions) are applied equally across all staff groups.
## **Related parties and co-operation with other organisations**
None of the trustees receive remuneration or other benefit from their work with the charity. Any connection between trustees or senior managers of the charity with suppliers must be disclosed to the full Board of trustees. In the current year no such related party transactions were reported. Trustees are asked to declare their interests before each board meeting and there is a Register of Interests.
The charity’s wholly owned subsidiary **, Connected Voice Business Services Ltd** , was established to operate as a commercial accountancy service and gift aids all of its profits to the charity (see note 24 to the accounts).
## **Risk management**
The trustees have examined the major strategic, business and operational risks which the charity faces and confirm that systems have been established to enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen these risks. The Board reviews the strategic risk assessment annually and the full report is discussed at a Board meeting annually where mitigating actions identified and taken. Health and Safety information is presented on a quarterly basis to the Board.
## **Indemnity insurance**
The charity has Professional Indemnity Insurance cover in respect of the Trustees and Officers of the charity.
## **TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENTS**
The charity trustees are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company, the group and of the incoming resources and application of resources including the income and expenditure of the charitable group for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
20
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## (A company limited by guarantee)
## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 September 2021
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2016 (FRS 102);
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and the group, and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
## In so far as the trustees are aware:
- there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware, and
- the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.
Approved by the board of trustees on ............................... and signed on behalf by: 08/06/2022
....................................
## **Simon Elliott – Chair**
21
**CONNECTED VOICE**
**(A company limited by guarantee)**
**INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF CONNECTED VOICE For the year ended 30 September 2021**
## **Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of Connected Voice (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiary (the ‘group’) for the year 31 September 2021 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Consolidated Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and parent charitable company’s affairs as at 31 September 2021, and of the group’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the period then ended;
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
## **Basis for opinion**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
## **Conclusions relating to going concern**
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group’s or parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
However, not all future events or conditions can be predicted. The COVID-19 viral pandemic is one of the most significant economic events for the UK with unprecedented levels of uncertainty of outcomes. It is therefore difficult to evaluate all of the potential implications on the company’s trade,
22
**CONNECTED VOICE (A company limited by guarantee) INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF CONNECTED VOICE For the year ended 30 September 2021**
customers, suppliers and wider economy. The Trustees’ view on the impact of COVID-19 is disclosed in the trustees report (page 1) and the accounting policies (page 29)
## **Other information**
The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006**
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
- the information given in the trustees’ report (incorporating the directors’ report) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
- the directors’ report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the group and parent charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or
- the parent charity’s financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records; or
- certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
- the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies’ regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the directors’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
23
**CONNECTED VOICE (A company limited by guarantee)**
**INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF CONNECTED VOICE For the year ended 30 September 2021**
## **Responsibilities of trustees**
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 20-21, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements which give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the group and parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the group and parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements**
We have been appointed auditor under the companies Act 2006 and we report in accordance with this Act.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to both the company itself and the industry in which it operates. We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements from our sector experience and through discussion with the directors and other management. The most significant were identified as the Charities Act 2011, Companies Act 2006, UK GAAP (FRS102) and relevant tax legislation. We considered the extent of compliance with those laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related financial statements. Our audit procedures included:
- confirming with the trustees and management whether they have any knowledge or suspicion of fraud;
- obtaining an understanding of the internal controls established to mitigate risks related to fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations;
- assessing the risk of management override including identifying and testing a sample of journal entries;
24
**CONNECTED VOICE (A company limited by guarantee)**
**INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF CONNECTED VOICE For the year ended 30 September 2021**
- confirmation received from the banks to verify the balance as on the last day of the accounting year;
- reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance; and
- challenging the assumptions and judgements made by management in its significant accounting estimates.
Our audit did not identify any key audit matters relating to the detection of irregularities including fraud. However, despite the audit being planned and conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) there remains an unavoidable risk that material misstatements in the financial statements may not be detected owing to inherent limitations of the audit, and that by their very nature, any such instances of fraud or irregularity likely involve collusion, forgery, intentional misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
## **Use of our report**
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
## **Donna Bulmer BA (Hons) ACA (Senior Statutory Auditor)**
……………………………..
## **For and on behalf of Haines Watts North East Audit LLP**
## **Statutory Auditors & Chartered Accountants**
17 Queens Lane Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1RN 08/06/2022
25
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
(INCLUDING SUMMARY INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) For the year ended 30 September 2021
|8
9
Other trading activities
10
11
**Expenditure on:**
12
Investment management fees
13
Net gains/(losses) on investments
25
Subsidiary expenditure
**Income from:**
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Grants and contracts
Chargeable services
Notes
Subsidiary income
Other trading income
Investments
**_Total income_**
Costs of raising funds
Total funds brought forward
Charitable activities
Operation of the charity
**_Total expenditure_**
**_Net income/(expenditure) before_**
**_investment gains/(losses)_**
Transfers between funds
**_Net movement of funds_**
**Reconciliation of funds**
**_Total funds carried forward_**|Unrestricted
Funds
£
18,218
820,599
179,698
233,672
9,897
9,848
1,271,932
196,308
3,536
966,700
1,166,544
105,388
69,484
( 180,903 )
( 6,031 )
598,860
592,829|Designated
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
64,259
64,259
( 64,259 )
-
190,903
126,644
150,000
276,644|Restricted
Funds
£
1,000
542,676
-
-
-
-
543,676
-
-
577,348
577,348
( 33,672 )
-
( 10,000 )
( 43,672 )
189,226
145,554|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
**19,218**
**1,363,275**
**179,698**
**233,672**
**9,897**
**9,848**
**1,815,608**
**196,308**
**3,536**
**1,608,307**
**1,808,151**
**7,457**
**69,484**
**-**
**76,941**
**938,086**
**1,015,027**|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||51,305
997,959
149,639
179,272
12,740
10,941|
||||||1,401,856|
||||||179,475
3,137
1,093,156|
||||||1,275,768|
||||||126,088
( 17,825 )
-|
||||||108,263
829,823|
||||||938,086|
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 29 to 45 form an integral part of these accounts.
26
Charity Number 1125877 Company Number 06681475
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **BALANCE SHEET**
As at 30 September 2021
|**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
22
Investments
23
**_Total fixed assets_**
**Current assets**
Stock and work in progress
26
Debtors
27
Cash at bank and in hand
**_Total current assets_**
**Creditors:**amounts falling due
within one year
28
**_Net current assets_**
**_Total assets less current liabilities_**
**_Total net assets or liabilities_**
**Funds of the charity**
Unrestricted income funds
Designated income funds
Restricted income funds
**_Total funds_**
Notes|**Restated**
**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
21,530
25,257
459,154
380,162
**480,684**
**405,419**
23,187
16,259
382,352
332,574
816,363
647,522
**1,221,902**
**996,355**
**( 687,559 )**
**( 463,686 )**
**534,343**
**532,669**
**1,015,027**
**938,088**
**1,015,027**
**938,088**
592,829
598,860
276,644
150,000
145,554
189,226
**1,015,027**
**938,086**
**Group**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
21,530
25,257
459,156
380,164
**480,686**
**405,421**
-
-
447,288
373,462
205,880
256,842
**653,168**
**630,304**
**( 118,827 )**
**( 97,637 )**
**534,341**
**532,667**
**1,015,027**
**938,088**
**1,015,027**
**938,088**
592,829
598,860
276,644
150,000
145,554
189,226
**1,015,027**
**938,086**
**Charity**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
21,530
25,257
459,156
380,164
**480,686**
**405,421**
-
-
447,288
373,462
205,880
256,842
**653,168**
**630,304**
**( 118,827 )**
**( 97,637 )**
**534,341**
**532,667**
**1,015,027**
**938,088**
**1,015,027**
**938,088**
592,829
598,860
276,644
150,000
145,554
189,226
**1,015,027**
**938,086**
**Charity**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||25,257
380,164|
||||**405,421**
-
373,462
256,842|
||||**630,304**|
||||**( 97,637 )**|
||||**532,667**|
||||**938,088**|
||||**938,088**|
||||598,860
150,000
189,226|
||||**938,086**|
The notes on pages 29 to 45 form an integral part of these accounts.
These financial statements were approved by the Board on:
These financial statements were approved by the Board on: 08/06/2022 and are signed on its behalf by: Martin Horrocks Treasurer
27
Charity Number 1125877 Company Number 06681475
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
|**Cash flows from operating activities**
Net movement in funds
**Add back:**
Depreciation
13
Interest and dividends received
Gains on investments
(Increase) / decrease in stock and work in progress"
(Increase) / decrease in debtors"
Increase in creditors
**_Cash generated from operations_**
**_Net cash from operating activities_**
**Cash flow from investing activities**
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
16
Payments to acquire investments
25
Receipts of sale of investments
25
Interest and dividends received
25
**_Net cash used in investing activities_**
**Increase in cash and cash equivalents**
**Cash and cash equivalents at start of year**
**_Cash and cash equivalents at end of year_**
**Cash and cash equivalents consist of:**
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash held as a custodian
Notes|**2021**
**£**
76,941
7,824
9,848
( 69,484 )
( 6,928 )
( 49,778 )
223,873
**192,296**
**192,296**
( 4,097 )
( 76,143 )
66,633
( 9,848 )
**( 23,455 )**
168,841
647,522
**816,363**
256,606
559,757
**816,363**|**Restated**
**2020**
**£**|
|---|---|---|
|||108,263
6,125
10,941
17,825
5,428
54,542
169,298|
|||**372,422**|
|||**372,422**|
|||( 29,066 )
-
-
( 10,941 )|
|||**( 40,007 )**|
|||332,415
315,107|
|||**647,522**|
|||283,375
364,147|
|||**647,522**|
The notes on pages 29 to 45 form an integral part of these accounts.
28
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
## 1 **Accounting Policies**
The principle accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
## 2 **Basis of accounting**
## 2.1 **Basis of preparation**
These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: 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) (effective 1 January 2019) – Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
Connected Voice meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
## 2.2 **Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis**
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. The Trustees have reviewed and considered relevant information, including the annual budget and future cash flows in making their assessment. In particular, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trustees have revised their forecasts to take into account the impact on the business of possible scenarios brought on by the impact of COVID-19, alongside the measures that they can take to mitigate the impact. Based on these assessments, given the measures that could be undertaken to mitigate the current adverse conditions, and the current resources available, the Trustees have concluded that they can continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the annual report and accounts.
## 2.3 **Group financial statements**
These financial statements consolidate the results of the charity and its wholly-owned subsidiary Connected Voice Business Services Ltd on a line by line basis. A separate Statement of Financial Activities for the charity itself is not presented because the charity has taken advantage of the exemptions afforded by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.
## 3 **Income**
## 3.1 **Recognition of income**
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the resources, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is more likely than not that the resources will be received and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
## 3.2 **Offsetting**
There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities or income and expenses, unless required or permitted by FRS102 SORP or FRS102.
## 3.3 **Trading activities**
Income from trading activities is to raise funds for the charity. Income is received in exchange for supplying goods and services in order to raise funds and is recognised when entitlement has occurred.
29
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
## 3.4 **Grants and donations**
Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
Income received in advance or provision of other specified services is deferred until the criteria of income recognition are met.
## 3.5 **Volunteer help**
The value of volunteer help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees' annual report.
## 3.6 **Interest receivable**
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.
## 3.7 **Investment income**
Investment Income is earned through holding assets for investment purposes such as shares and cash deposits. it includes dividends and interest: and amounts are recognised when the charity's right to receive payment is established
## 3.8 **Investment gains and losses**
This includes any realised or unrealised gains or losses on the sale of investment and any gain or loss resulting from revaluing investments to market value at the end of the year.
## 3.9 **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charities' work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.
## 4 **Expenditure and liabilities**
## 4.1 **Liability recognition**
Liabilities are recognised when it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
## 4.2 **Charitable activities**
All expenditure is accounted for on an accrual baisis. Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of voluntary sector support, advocacy and other activities undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.
30
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
## 4.3 **Governance and support costs**
Support costs have been allocated between governance costs and other support. Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice.
Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly relate to the charitable activities. Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## 4.4 **Holding accounts**
The charity and its subsidiary hold monies on behalf of other organisations as part of their payroll service. The balances held by the charity are included within the balance sheet in accordance with SORP 2019; the balances of the subsidiary are recognised as an asset with the corresponding liability.
## 4.5 **Operating lease**
Rentals payable and receivable under operating leases are charged to the SoFA on a straight line basis over the period of the lease
## 4.6 **Irrecoverable VAT**
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
## 4.7 **Creditors**
The charity has creditors which are measured at their settlement amount less any trade discounts due.
## 4.8 **Provisions for liabilities**
A liability is measured on recognition at its historical cost and then subsequently measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date.
## 4.9 **Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement**
There are no critical accounting estimates, but the one that involves the most estimation is work in progress.
31
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
## 5 **Assets**
## 5.1 **Investments**
Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows:
Electronic office equipment 25% straight line basis Restricted office equipment 25% straight line basis
## 5.2 **Investments**
Fixed asset investments in quoted shares, traded bonds and similar investments are valued initially at cost and subsequently at fair value (their market value) at the year end. The same treatment is applied to unlisted investments unless fair value cannot be measured reliably in which case it is measured at cost less impairment.
## 5.3 **Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discount due.
## 6 **Legal status**
Connected Voice is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, (number 06681475) and not having share capital. In the event of the company being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity.
## 7 **Financial performance of the charity**
The Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities includes the results of the wholly owned subsidiary.
The summary financial performance of the charity alone is:
|Total funds brought forward
Represented by:
Unrestricted income funds
Designated income funds
Restricted income funds
Net gains/(losses) on investments
**_Net movement in funds for the year_**
**_Total funds carried forward_**
Income
Gift aid from subsidiary company
Expenditure|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
**1,581,936**
**32,533**
**1,614,469**
**( 1,607,012 )**
**69,484**
**76,941**
**938,086**
**1,015,027**
**592,829**
**276,644**
**145,554**
**1,015,027**|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|
|||1,222,584
7,728|
|||1,230,312
( 1,104,224 )
( 17,825 )|
|||108,263
829,823|
|||938,086|
|||598,860
150,000
189,226|
|||938,086|
32
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
|**Analysis of income**
8
Rothley Trust
Amazon Community-UK
NAVCA
Newcastle Hospitals
9
**Charitable activities**
Chargeable services
Innovation Super Network
VCSE Resilience
Individual advocacy client spot contracts
Paid for services to the voluntary sector
NHS Newcastle and Gateshead CCG
Community Foundation
Police & Crime Commissioner Northumbria
Sir James Knott Trust
RW Mann Trust
The Joicey Trust
Hadrian Trust
Income from grants and contracts
Community Foundation
The Barbour Foundation
Durham University
The National Lottery Community Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund via
North East Law Centre
The National Lottery Community Fund via
VODA
Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council
Newcastle City Council
Other income
Other donations
Newcastle City Council Public Health
The National Lottery Community Fund via
VONNE
Defra Food Grant
Cumbria NTW NHS
HMRC Job retention scheme
MH Concern - Peer research
Newcastle East End Partnership
**Donations and legacies**|Unrestricted
Funds
£
-
800
2,000
-
-
-
7,000
-
3,000
4,500
-
918
18,218
294,958
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
315,079
203,250
5,000
-
-
2,312
-
-
820,599
129,061
49,244
1,393
179,698|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
1,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,000
-
74,237
-
21,108
8,637
17,000
-
47,710
-
-
113,000
-
230,920
15,064
-
15,000
-
542,676
-
-
-
-|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
**-**
**800**
**2,000**
**-**
**1,000**
**-**
**7,000**
**-**
**3,000**
**4,500**
**-**
**918**
**19,218**
**294,958**
**74,237**
**-**
**21,108**
**8,637**
**17,000**
**-**
**47,710**
**315,079**
**203,250**
**113,000**
**5,000**
**230,920**
**15,064**
**2,312**
**15,000**
**-**
**1,363,275**
**129,061**
**49,244**
**1,393**
**179,698**|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||3,000
-
-
16,860
-
2,000
7,000
10,000
3,000
-
2,500
6,945|
|||||51,305|
|||||232,779
-
55,711
26,644
11,473
-
18,838
57,242
307,912
192,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
95,360|
|||||997,959|
|||||115,986
32,613
1,040|
|||||149,639|
33
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
|**Analysis of income**continued
10 **Other trading activities**
Subsidiary income
Other trading income
11 **Investments**
Room hire, rent office space
Interest receivable
Income on investments
Advocacy App
Accountancy services to the charity sector
Website advertising and admin services|Unrestricted
Funds
£
233,672
233,672
5,192
3,000
1,705
9,897
-
9,848
9,848|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
**233,672**
**233,672**
**5,192**
**3,000**
**1,705**
**9,897**
**-**
**9,848**
**9,848**|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||179,272|
|||||179,272|
|||||1,200
10,000
1,540|
|||||12,740|
|||||246
10,695|
|||||10,941|
Income was £1,815,608 (2020: £1,401,856) of which £1,271,932 was unrestricted or designated (2020: £1,108,993) and £543,676 was restricted (2020: £292,863).
## **Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities**
|12 **Raising funds**
Staff costs
Overheads
Trading subsidiary costs
Investment management costs|Unrestricted
Funds
£
176,451
19,857
196,308
3,536
3,536|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
-|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
**176,451**
**19,857**
**196,308**
**3,536**
**3,536**|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||166,527
12,948|
|||||179,475|
|||||3,137|
|||||3,137|
34
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
## **Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities** continued
|13|**Charitable activities**
Direct costs
Support costs
Governance costs
Annual review, AGM and trustee planning
Facility costs
Office costs
Professional fees
Depreciation
Audit fee
Project staff salaries
Management & admin staff salaries
Direct project costs|Unrestricted
Funds
£
742,599
80,661
110,863
33,995
50,585
4,486
2,564
4,000
1,206
1,030,959|Restricted
Funds
£
132,561
419,385
10,006
4,158
5,766
212
5,260
-
-
577,348|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
**875,160**
**500,046**
**120,869**
**38,153**
**56,351**
**4,698**
**7,824**
**4,000**
**1,206**
**1,608,307**|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||793,926
52,230
140,976
46,111
45,496
2,998
6,125
4,800
494|
||||||1,093,156|
Expenditure on charitable activities was £1,808,151 (2020: £1,275,768) of which £1,230,803 was unrestricted or designated (2020: £1,079,589) and £577,348 was restricted (2020: £196,179).
## **Analysis of charitable activities by activity type**
|14 **Expenditure by activity type**
Support costs
Governance costs
Project staff salaries
Direct project costs|Voluntary
Sector
Support
£
379,710
463,754
129,213
2,759
975,436|Advocacy
£
495,450
36,291
98,683
2,447
632,871|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
**875,160**
**500,045**
**227,896**
**5,206**
**1,608,307**|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||793,926
42,221
286,921
5,294|
|||||1,128,362|
35
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
**Analysis of charitable activities by activity type** continued
|15
16
17
18|Voluntary
Sector
Support
Advocacy
£
£
( 975,436 )
( 632,871 )
Income
18,218
1,000
891,582
471,849
50,481
129,061
6,897
3,000
( 8,258 )
( 27,961 )
9,848
-
1,590
(27,961)
There were no other fees paid to the charity's auditor (2020:£nil).
Donations and legacies
Operating lease rentals
**Auditor's remuneration**
Fees payable to the charity's auditors for the audit of the
groups' annual accounts
Salaries and wages
**Analysis of staff costs, and the cost of key management personnel**
Chargeable services
Pension costs
Costs
**Summary analysis of expenditure and**
**related income for charitable activities**
Grants and contracts
Other trading activities
Social security costs
Redundancy
Net income/(expenditure)
**Net income/(expenditure) for the year**
Depreciation on tangible fixed assets
This is stated after charging
Investment income|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
**( 1,608,307 )**
**19,218**
**1,363,431**
**179,542**
**9,897**
**( 36,219 )**
**9,848**
**( 26,371)**
**2021**
**£**
**7,824**
**16,864**
**24,688**
**2021**
**£**
**5,600**
**2021**
**£**
**1,035,170**
**89,942**
**47,368**
**-**
**1,172,480**
**5,600**|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|---|
||||( 1,128,362 )
51,305
932,599
149,637
50,072|
||||55,251
10,894|
||||66,145|
||||2020
£|
||||6,125
16,864|
||||22,989|
||||2020
£|
||||4,700|
||||4,700|
||||2020
£|
||||944,160
79,466
42,323
35,480|
||||1,101,429|
36
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
18 **Analysis of staff costs, and the cost of key management personnel** continued
|_£60.000 to £70,000_|**2021**
**Number**
**1**|2020
Number|
|---|---|---|
|||1|
The key management personnel of the charity, comprise the trustees and the Chief Executive . The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £67,662. (2020: £67,472).
## 19 **Staff Numbers**
The average monthly head count and the average monthly number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees during the year were as follows:
|Voluntary sector support
Equality and diversity projects
Advocacy
Accountancy Services
Management and support
The parts of the charity in which
the employee's work|**2021**
**Number**
**9.3**
**2.3**
**22.7**
**6.3**
**4.0**
**44.6**|**2021**
**FTE**
**8.4**
**2.0**
**17.3**
**5.4**
**3.5**
**36.6**|2020
Number
8.0
2.0
18.0
7.0
3.0
38.0|2020
FTE|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||7.7
1.5
16.0
4.8
2.5|
|||||32.5|
## 20 **Transactions with trustees and related parties**
None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity. (2020: none).
## **Trustees' expenses**
The following detail the expenses incurred by the trustees.
|Travel expenses|**2021**
**£**
-|2020
£|
|---|---|---|
|||56|
## **Transaction(s) with related parties**
There have been no related party transactions in the reporting period. (2020: none).
## 21 **Corporation Taxation**
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objectives.
37
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
|22 **Tangible fixed assets**
**Cost**
Balance brought forward
Additions
Disposals
**Balance carried forward**
**Depreciation**
Basis
Rate
Balance brought forward
Depreciation charge for year
Disposals
**Balance carried forward**
**Net book value**
**Brought forward**
**Carried forward**
23 **Fixed asset investments**
Investment in subsidiary undertaking at cost
Listed investments|**Restricted**
**Office**
**Equipment**
19,771
-
-
19,771
SL
25%
1,098
4,943
-
6,041
18,673
13,730
**2021**
2020
**£**
£
**459,154**
380,162
**-**
-
**459,154**
380,162
**Group**|**Electronic**
**Office**
**Equipment**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
40,396
**60,167**
4,097
**4,097**
-
**-**
44,493
**64,264**
SL
25%
33,812
**34,910**
2,881
**7,824**
-
**-**
36,693
**42,734**
6,584
**25,257**
7,800
**21,530**
**2021**
2020
**£**
£
**459,154**
380,162
**2**
2
**459,156**
380,164
**Charity**|**Total**
**£**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**60,167**
**4,097**
**-**|
||||**64,264**|
||||**34,910**
**7,824**
**-**|
||||**42,734**|
|||||
||||**25,257**|
|||||
||||**21,530**|
||||380,162
2|
||||380,164|
## 24 **Net income of trading subsidiary**
The charitable company owns two £1 ordinary shares, 100% of the voting capital of Connected Voice Charity Business Services Limited, a company incorporated and registered in England and Wales. The principal activity of this company is the provision of financial and administrative services for charitable organisations.
The audit report for 30 September 2021 was unqualified.
38
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
- 24 **Net income of trading subsidiary** continued
## **A summary of the trading results is shown below**
|Amount gift aided to parent charity
Other income
Turnover
Amount to be gift aided to parent charity
Total assets
Total liabilities
Total Equity
Gross income
Administration costs
Net profit/(loss)|**2021**
**£**
**261,237**
**-**
**261,237**
**( 228,704 )**
**32,533**
**-**
**32,533**
**716,743**
**( 684,208 )**
**32,535**|2020
£|
|---|---|---|
|||**224,488**
**47**|
|||**224,535**
**( 216,807 )**|
|||**7,728**
**-**|
|||**7,728**|
|||**533,545**
**( 525,816 )**|
|||**7,729**|
|25 **Listed investments**
Market value at 1 April 2020
Market value at 30 September 2021
Additions at cost
Disposals at open market value
Net unrealised investment gain
Original cost|**Charity**
**£**|
|---|---|
||**380,160**
**76,143**
**( 66,633 )**
**69,484**|
||**459,154**|
|||
||**441,695**|
## 26 **Stock and work in progress**
|Work in progress|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**23,187**
16,259
**Group**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**-**
-
**Charity**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**-**
-
**Charity**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||-|
## 27 **Debtors and prepayments (receivable within 1 year)**
|Prepayments and other debtors
Trade debtors
Amounts due from subsidiary undertaking|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**335,438**
298,825
**46,914**
33,749
**-**
-
**382,352**
332,574
**Group**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**264,570**
227,366
**46,914**
33,749
**135,804**
112,347
**447,288**
373,462
**Charity**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**264,570**
227,366
**46,914**
33,749
**135,804**
112,347
**447,288**
373,462
**Charity**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||227,366
33,749
112,347|
||||373,462|
39
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
## 28 **Creditors and accruals (payable within 1 year)**
|**reditors and accruals (payable within 1 year)**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Accruals and other creditors
Holding accounts
Taxation and social security
Deferred income (note 29)
Trade creditors|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**11,529**
5,304
**67,320**
69,642
**31,969**
27,873
**559,757**
354,147
**16,984**
6,720
**687,559**
463,686
**Group**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**11,529**
5,304
**58,345**
61,860
**31,969**
26,673
**-**
-
**16,984**
3,800
**118,827**
97,637
**Charity**||
||||5,304
61,860
26,673
-
3,800|
||||97,637|
## 29 **Deferred income**
Deferred income comprises advance payments from grants that relate to future periods.
|Amount deferred in year
Balance carried forward
Balance brought forward
Amount released to income earned from
charitable activities|**2021**
**£**|
|---|---|
||**3,800**
**( 3,800 )**
**16,984**|
||**16,984**|
## 30 **Holding accounts**
During the year Connected Voice’ subsidiary held monies on behalf of other organisations. Connected Voice Business Services Ltd provides a payroll and bookkeeping service to a number of small organisations and holds monies for this purpose.
|Connected Voice Business Services Ltd|**Opening**
**Balance**
**at**
**01.10.20**
**£**
364,147|**Receipts**
**£**
10,710,704|**£**
10,515,094
**Payments**|**Closing**
**Balance**
**at**
**30.09.21**
**£**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||559,757|
## 31 **Operating Leases**
The future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows;
|Not later than one year
Later than one and not later than five years|**2021**
**£**
6,492
4,330
**10,822**|**2020**
**£**|
|---|---|---|
|||20,306
29,395|
|||**49,701**|
## 32 **Events after the end of the reporting period**
No events (not requiring adjustment to the accounts) have occurred after the end of the reporting period but before the accounts are authorised which relate to conditions that arose after the end of the reporting period.
40
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
## 33 **Reason for restatement**
Prior period adjustment for treatment of payroll holding account balances.
For the period ended 30 September 2020 the cash at bank and the creditors were misstated as the payroll holding account balances were not recognised in the accounts.
The payroll holding account balances have now been recognised in full and the comparators restated.
|Cash at bank at 1 October 2020 as previously stated
Treatment of payroll holding account
Creditors at 1 October 2020 as previously stated
Treatment of payroll holding account|**Group**
**Restated**
**2020**
**£**|
|---|---|
||293,375
354,147|
||647,522|
||( 109,539 )
( 354,147 )|
||( 463,686 )|
- 34 **Analysis of charitable funds**
## **Analysis of movements in unrestricted funds**
## **Year ended 30 September 2021**
|**Unrestricted funds**
General funds
**Designated funds**
Business development
Digital transformation
COVID resilience
Haref
Office Move
Workforce Strategy
Advocacy
Governance|**Fund**
**balances**
**brought**
**forward**
**£**
598,860
598,860
68,951
60,000
21,049
-
-
-
-
-
150,000|**Incoming**
**resource**
**£**
1,271,932
1,271,932
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|**Resources**
**expended**
**£**
( 1,166,544 )
( 1,166,544 )
( 60,109 )
-
( 4,150 )
-
-
-
-
-
(64,259)|**Transfers**
**£**
( 180,903 )
( 180,903 )
-
-
( 4,097 )
25,000
50,000
50,000
50,000
20,000
190,903|**Gains /**
**(losses)**
**£**
69,484
69,484
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|**Fund**
**balances**
**carried**
**forward**
**£**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||**592,829**|
|||||||**592,829**|
|||||||**8,842**
**60,000**
**12,802**
**25,000**
**50,000**
**50,000**
**50,000**
**20,000**|
|||||||**276,644**|
## **Purpose of unrestricted and designated funds**
General funds The 'free reserves' after allowing for designated funds. Business development To develop and improve the chargeable services by the charity and its subsidiary. Digital transformation For new digital infrastructure including new telephony, software and processes.
41
## 34 **Analysis of charitable funds** continued
## **Purpose of unrestricted and designated funds** continued
COVID resilience For additional costs arising from operating during COVID-19 restrictions. Haref To extend Haref Allies Project from surplus Haref funds generated in 2020/21. Office Move To cover additional costs associated with a move of offices. Salary transition To support the outcome of the regrading and promotion process. Advocacy Development and restructuring of the advocacy service. Governance Governance and associated legal fees.
## **Transfers between funds**
**Transfers between funds Amount Reason for transfer £** From designated funds to Assets purchased from COVID-19 resilience funds transferred to general **( 4,097 )** general funds funds £4,097. From general funds to The trustees agreed to set aside surplus funds for the following: Haref **195,000** designated funds contracts to extend a Haref Allies Project, Additional costs associated with the office move, salary costs, workforce strategy, development of the advocacy service and governance and legal costs..
## **Analysis of movements in unrestricted funds**
## **Year ended 30 September 2020**
|**Unrestricted funds**
General funds
**Designated funds**
Business development
Digital transformation
COVID resilience
Charity restructuring|**Fund**
**balances**
**brought**
**forward**
**£**
587,925
587,925
100,000
-
-
50,000
150,000|**Incoming**
**resource**
**£**
1,108,993
1,108,993
-
-
-
-
-|**Resources**
**expended**
**£**
( 1,028,060 )
( 1,028,060 )
( 16,049 )
-
-
( 35,480 )
(51,529)|**Transfers**
**£**
( 52,173 )
( 52,173 )
( 15,000 )
60,000
21,049
( 14,520 )
51,529|**Gains /**
**(losses)**
**£**
( 17,825 )
( 17,825 )
-
-
-
-
-|**Fund**
**balances**
**carried**
**forward**
**£**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||**598,860**|
|||||||**598,860**|
|||||||**68,951**
**60,000**
**21,049**
**-**|
|||||||**150,000**|
42
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
- 34 **Analysis of charitable funds** continued
## **Analysis of movement in restricted funds**
## **Year ended 30 September 2021**
|**Year ended 30 September 2021**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Restricted funds**
SkillsBridge
HAREF (restricted donation)
HAREF
Safeguarding Training
Digital Training
VCSE Resilience
Community Foundation NET
DCMS Fund
DEFRA Food Grant
Community Foundation
NCC Public Health Digital
Resilience
Advocacy
Advocacy – Hate Crime
Advocacy – Welfare
Advocacy – Safeguarding
**_Totals_**
North of Tyne Volunteering Project
.(VODA)
Restricted IT equipment
Advocacy – Families Through
Crisis
Advocacy – Refugees & Asylum
Seekers
Public Health NCC COVID grant|**Fund**
**balances**
**brought**
**forward**
£
18,673
7,295
33,372
17,302
4,855
10,740
72,123
-
-
-
-
-
-
7,322
-
10,528
-
4,516
2,500
189,226
|**Incoming**
**resources**
£
-
-
-
30,064
8,637
-
-
75,000
39,268
230,920
25,000
38,000
17,000
21,108
9,969
-
48,710
-
-
543,676|**Resources**
**expended**
£
( 4,943 )
-
-
( 44,339 )
( 5,963 )
( 10,740 )
( 62,123 )
( 75,000 )
( 39,268 )
( 230,920 )
( 2,056 )
( 5,000 )
-
( 28,430 )
( 3,187 )
( 10,528 )
( 47,835 )
( 4,516 )
( 2,500 )
( 577,348 )|**Transfers**
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 10,000 )
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 10,000 )|**Fund**
**balances**
**carried**
**forward**
**£**|
||||||**13,730**
**7,295**
**33,372**
**3,027**
**7,529**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**22,944**
**33,000**
**17,000**
**-**
6,782
**-**
**875**
**-**
**-**|
||||||**145,554**|
## **Purpose of restricted funds**
Restricted funds represent income resources used for a specific purpose within the charity as identified by the donor
Restricted IT equipment
SkillsBridge
HAREF
Providing resources to enable key staff to work from home throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Facilitating and maintaining a network of professionals, volunteering their time and expertise to support the ongoing development of voluntary organisations in the North East.
Working to improve the health and wellbeing of BAME communities in Gateshead and Newcastle by providing regular networks, engagement opportunities and information to organisations in the VCS and public sector.
43
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
## **Purpose of restricted funds** continued
Safeguarding Training To make safeguarding resources available at a local level, deliver regular training sessions and create new/build on existing networks. Digital Training To expand our traditional support provision by giving people and communities we serve the opportunity to access online training to advance their knowledge and practice.
VCSE Resilience To provide support packages comprising business resilience and management support for community sector organisations based in Newcastle. Public Health NCC COVID grant To support the Newcastle VCS with infection control funding to ensure their premises were Covid-19 secure. Community Foundation NET To deliver finance training, cultural competency training and specialist DCMS Fund consultancy support for the VCS in Newcastle and Gateshead. DEFRA Food Grant Funds to be distributed in full to VCS organisations.
Community Foundation To develop Haref Allies membership offer.
NCC Public Health Digital To support the sector to improve digital skills through undertaking a digital Resilience assessment and recommendations how to improve this. North of Tyne Volunteering To create the North of Tyne as a volunteer area of excellence, this is a five year Project .(VODA) project. Advocacy – Families Through Providing support to families in crisis in Newcastle. Crisis Advocacy – Refugees & direct advocacy to refugee and asylum seekers to have voices heard and Asylum Seekers access to services. Advocacy Contribution to providing the overall advocacy service. Advocacy – Hate Crime Providing Hate Crime Advocacy, supporting people who have experienced, or are at risk of hate crime in the Northumbria area.
Advocacy – Welfare direct advocacy to vulnerable people through benefits, appeals and sanctions process. Advocacy – Safeguarding Specialist advocacy to provide additional support to vulnerable adults living in Newcastle and Gateshead who may be victims of crime, or at risk of abuse, as a result of their vulnerable circumstances.
## **Transfers between funds**
|**Transfers between funds**||
|---|---|
|Between restricted and
unrestricted funds
**Reason for transfer**
From restricted funds £10,000 was the value of consultancy
provided by the charity to the VCSE Resilience project.|**Amount**
**£**|
||**10,000**|
44
## **CONNECTED VOICE**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 30 September 2021
## 34 **Analysis of charitable funds** continued
## **Year ended 30 September 2020**
## **Analysis of movement in restricted funds**
|**Restricted funds**
SkillsBridge
BME Health and Wellbeing
HAREF (restricted donation)
HAREF
Safeguarding Training
People's Health Trust
Digital Training
VCSE Resilience
Advocacy
Advocacy – Hate Crime
Advocacy – Welfare
Advocacy – Safeguarding
**_Totals_**
Restricted IT equipment
Advocacy – Refugees & Asylum
Seekers
Newcastle East End Partnership
Advocacy – Families Through
Crisis|**Fund**
**balances**
**balances**
**brought**
**forward**
£
-
7,295
28,893
33,372
-
-
( 644 )
3,170
-
-
1,580
5,000
11,136
2,096
-
-
91,898|**Incoming**
**resources**
£
19,771
-
-
-
38,035
11,473
-
18,838
15,000
95,360
26,644
-
10,500
47,242
5,000
5,000
292,863|**Resources**
**expended**
£
( 1,098 )
-
( 28,893 )
-
( 20,733 )
( 6,618 )
-
( 22,008 )
( 4,260 )
( 23,237 )
( 20,902 )
( 5,000 )
( 11,108 )
( 49,338 )
( 484 )
( 2,500 )
( 196,179 )|**Transfers**
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
644
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
644|**Fund**
**balances**
**carried**
**forward**
**£**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**18,673**
**7,295**
**-**
**33,372**
**17,302**
**4,855**
**-**
**-**
**10,740**
**72,123**
**7,322**
**-**
**10,528**
**-**
**4,516**
**2,500**|
||||||**189,226**|
## 35 **Capital commitments**
As at 30 September 2021, the charity had no capital commitments (2020 -£nil)
## 36 **Analysis of Group assets between funds**
||Unrestricted|Designated|Restricted|**Total**|Total|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Funds|Funds|Funds|**2021**|2020|
||£|£|£|**£**|£|
|Tangible fixed assets|7,800|-|13,730|**21,530**|25,257|
|Investments|459,154|-|-|**459,154**|380,162|
|Cash at bank and in hand|684,539|-|131,824|**816,363**|647,522|
|Other net current assets/(liabilities)|( 558,664 )|276,644|-|**( 282,020 )**|( 114,853 )|
||592,829|276,644|145,554|**1,015,027**|938,088|
45