Company number: 06758907 Charity number: 1127126
## The Dash Charity
Report and financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2022
**The Dash Charity**
## **Contents**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
Reference and administrative details ................................................................................... 3 Report of the Directors ......................................................................................................... 5 Independent auditor’s report .............................................................................................. 24 Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account) ......... 29 Balance sheet .................................................................................................................... 30 Statement of cash flows ...................................................................................................... 31 Notes to the financial statements ....................................................................................... 32
**The Dash Charity**
**Reference and administrative details**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
|**Company number**|06758907|
|---|---|
|**Country of incorporation**|United Kingdom|
|**Charity number**|1127126|
|**Country of registration**|England & Wales|
|**Registered office and**|551 Fairlie Road|
|**Operational address**|Slough|
||Berkshire|
||SL1 4PY|
**Directors** Directors who are also trustees under charity law, who served during the period and up to the date of this report were as follows:
Chair Left on 25/03/2022 Secretary Joined 17/02/2022 Left on 29/04/2021 Left on 21/02/2022
Left on 04/01/2022 Joined 29/09/2022
## **Key Management Personnel**
Alison Bourne Chief Executive (to 16/08/2022) Kiran Pathak Head of Finance & Governance Claire Batchelor Advocacy & Outreach Manager Tracey Noble Refuge Manager Nicola Miller Chief Executive (from 08/08/2022)
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Reference and administrative details**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
**Bankers** CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ **Solicitors** Kidd Rapinet Solicitors 392 Edinburgh Avenue Slough Trading Estate Slough Berkshire SL1 4UF **Auditor** Sayer Vincent LLP Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor Invicta House, 108-114 Golden Lane, LONDON, EC1Y 0TL
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
The Directors and Senior Management Team present their report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2022.
## **Chair & CEO Report & Acknowledgement**
## **Chair Report**
2021/22 has been a fantastic year for The Dash Charity. We have continued to deliver high quality services to families and individuals experiencing domestic abuse throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Under extremely difficult circumstances, we have continued to manage high levels of referrals to both our refuge and community-based advocacy services.
The team at Dash have shown determination and resilience in uncertain and challenging times, ensuring that survivors of domestic abuse have the support they need no matter what the context or how complex their situation. The team have continued to work remotely and retain a strong sense of team spirit and are united in their cause. On behalf of all the trustees I would like to thank our team for the hard work they have put in this year and the total commitment to Dash and changing lives. Their pride and compassion has shone through and we are extremely proud to be part of such a wonderful team.
I would also like to thank all of our funders, volunteers and supporters. Without all of you we would not be here. We are so grateful for your ongoing support.
Looking ahead, we will continue towards our vision of ending domestic abuse and breaking the cycle of abuse. We will continue to focus on education and early intervention to help prevent domestic abuse, while supporting families and individuals experiencing domestic abuse through our refuge and advocacy work.
## **CEO Report**
We continue to maintain and build relationships with both the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (for whom we are the commissioned service) and also Slough Borough Council, where our three refuges are placed, and with whom we have worked really positively on optimising the ‘Levelling Up’ money from the Domestic Abuse Act. We continue to review our risk assessments in these changing times and the team have been exceptional in continuing to adapt to the current environment. We have recruited new staff as funding has allowed and inducted them both face to face and virtually.
We continued with monthly one-to-one supervision calls online as well as the clinical supervision support for the frontline workers. This was particularly important as referrals from adult and children affected by domestic abuse continued to remain high during the pandemic.
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
The fundraising team have continued to do an outstanding job. Those working on obtaining grants have worked hard on researching opportunities and writing excellent bids. Our new community fundraiser has worked effectively with our new fundraising partners Nova Consulting, particularly focussing on nurturing our existing supporters.
The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead (RBWM) are due to re-commission August/September 2022 so we have established a ‘Tender Ready’ team to prepare us for this, along with the planned re-commissioning of domestic abuse community services by Slough Borough Council within the next financial year.
Our Chair of Trustees, returned from maternity leave in March; previous interim Chair stood down at that time. We are extremely grateful for their support and commitment.
Personally, I am truly inspired and proud of the team at Dash who work tirelessly to ensure that victims of domestic abuse are empowered and have the tools they need to keep themselves and their children safe. Over the years I have seen the charity continue to thrive and aspire to provide the best services possible for the adults and children that need us most. Currently we have a renewed focus on prevention and education alongside our existing services to support all clients experiencing domestic abuse.
Looking ahead, we will continue to challenge perceptions of domestic abuse and work with our extensive network of professionals to build trust in our community to seek help and support, and break the cycle of domestic abuse.
## **Strategic Report**
**Vision:** End Domestic Abuse
**Mission:** To safeguard women, men and children in our community affected by Domestic Abuse, by offering a range of specialist services that will keep them safe and break the cycle of abuse.
## **Strategic Priorities:**
- Meeting Needs: Provide specialist tailored services to adult and child victims, intervening as early as possible to prevent domestic abuse from happening, continuing or re-occurring
- People: Attract, develop, reward and retain committed staff and volunteers
- Campaigns/awareness: Raise awareness and challenge attitudes, beliefs and behaviours and educate our communities to prevent domestic abuse and break the cycle
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
- Partnerships/Networking: Build sustainable relationships with key stakeholders and supporters to ensure our Vision and Mission are realised
- Fundraising/Finance: Implement a realistic, targeted fundraising strategy to provide diversified income helping ensure our long-term sustainability
## **Values:**
- **Client & Stakeholder Focus:** Understanding their requirements and striving to meet or exceed their expectations
- **Adaptability to Change:** Being adaptable to changes in the environment; ready and able to modify practices and behaviours
- **Quality:** Maintaining or exceeding service quality and reliability
- **Accountability:** Taking responsibility and seeing matters through to conclusion; seeing the bigger picture, understanding and demonstrating the part you play in the success of the whole organisation
- **Initiating Action:** Taking prompt action to accomplish objectives; taking-action to achieve goals beyond what is required; being proactive
Work was started on a ‘Strategy Refresh’ project with support from the Lloyds Foundation Enhance Programme, starting with data-gathering collected from trustees, staff, managers and service users. This is being finalised currently in consultation with the whole Dash team and enabling individual and team objectives to remain current and relevant.
We finished the year with 6 Board members, each with varied professional backgrounds and we have skilled and committed front line practitioners who carry out the most incredible and life changing work every day. We are currently looking to recruit additional Trustees.
## **Aims**
Our overall aim is to enable positive change for those affected by domestic abuse, by keeping victims safe, breaking the cycle of abuse and allowing families and individuals to thrive. We want to ensure all victims of domestic abuse, both adults and children, receive quality support services tailored around their individual needs, so that they can live their lives free from future relationship abuse.
Our work in the community aims to challenge attitudes, preconceptions and beliefs surrounding domestic abuse. We want to prevent domestic abuse through early intervention, education and awareness. We want our work to support safer, more equal communities, so adults and children can live free from abuse.
We ensure our services are high quality and tailored around the changing needs of our surrounding communities. With this in mind, our services will:
- Provide a specialist response to victims across varying levels of risk
- Aim to reduce the risk of further abuse for each individual
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
- Intervene at the earliest stage possible
- Prevent domestic abuse through education, training and awareness
- Offer recovery support
- Hold perpetrators to account through the criminal justice system
## **Activities**
Since 1976, The Dash Charity has provided emergency temporary accommodation with emotional and practical support for women and their children fleeing domestic abuse. Since 2009, the scope of our work has broadened significantly, now supporting male victims, children and young people affected by domestic abuse in our local communities, and having an extensive community-based offering to families residing within the geographical remit of the organisation.
Our services have been developed over 46 years in consultation with our beneficiaries whose voice is vital in ensuring the services we provide really do work. Each individual situation will always be assessed on its own dynamics and a bespoke plan of support developed which build on strengths, resilience and wishes of each family. We work within a strong network of partner agencies to ensure that a holistic approach is taken to support.
We have 3 refuges that can accommodate up to 14 families at any one time and provide safe accommodation and support for those victims at the highest risk, having to flee their homes to stay safe, often having just a small window of opportunity in which to escape. Women and their children will be supported to recover from their experiences and rediscover their confidence and independence.
We run an Outreach and Advocacy Community Service within our local community, supporting local victims of domestic abuse assessed as medium and high risk of further abuse, helping them stay safe and providing practical and intensive support, working alongside them to negotiate their own journey to safety.
We provide one to one support to children who have witnessed domestic abuse and have behavioural or emotional difficulties as a result. We run a crisis helpline for victims and practitioners and deliver training and healthy relationships workshops in schools and youth settings.
## **Beneficiaries of our services**
The beneficiaries of our services are adults and children who have been affected, or are at risk of abuse, at the hands of a partner, ex-partner or family member.
The geographical remit of The Dash Charity community team is the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and some areas of South Buckinghamshire. Our refuge accommodation is based in Slough and will accept referrals from all over the UK.
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **Achievements and performance in the delivery of public benefit**
## **Yearly Overview**
The new financial year began with us following the roadmap out of our third Covid-19 lockdown with restrictions finally being lifted across the UK. Whilst our referral rate to services began to slow, we were acutely aware of the ongoing impact of the pandemic on families affected by domestic abuse and the need for us to readjust the way we delivered our services in a post pandemic world.
We continued to work flexibly and via virtual means with our clients in order to maximise accessibility to our services, although face-to-face meetings were able to resume with clients given a choice into how best to access our support. In the absence of a central office space for our community and back office teams, remote working was supported through monthly face-to-face team meetings, clinical supervision and bi-monthly in person Communication/Training meet-ups.
We were pleased to be able to re-introduce our in-person Freedom Programmes, Healthy Relationship Workshops and external training over the course of this year, bringing the natural benefit of raising the awareness of our work within our communities and strengthening the partnership approach to tackling domestic abuse locally.
The table below shows the number of unique clients we supported across all areas of service and how our reach compares to previous years.:
|**Outputs:**|**2019-20**|**2020-21**|**2021-22**|
|---|---|---|---|
|Total number of new referrals to Community
services (prior to risk assessment)|792|1,072|947|
|•
_Total IDVA clients (high_
_risk)_|_153_|_138_|_106_|
|•
_Total Outreach clients_
_(medium/standard risk)_|_259_|_302_|_310_|
|•
_Signposting and brief_
_interventions_
_(see note below)_|_380_|_632_|_531_|
|Total number of children referred into children’s
therapeutic support|_79_|_120_|_124_|
|Total number of new referrals to refuge services
(prior to risk assessment)|_157_|_115_|_98_|
|Total number of intakes into refuge|_34_|_33_|_34_|
|Total Number of Freedom attendees|_0_|_29_|_106_|
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **Service Provision by team**
_Refuge Services_
- _**96% clients were resettled in safe and appropriate accommodation with onward support in place**_
- _**100% clients reported increased safety and stronger support networks post support**_
- _**100% clients reported Increased levels of confidence and optimism for the future post support**_
In refuge, we supported 35 women (3 of which were pregnant) and 29 children across the year. 26 women were in our refuge accommodation more than the desired maximum stay of 6 months. This was largely due to clients with insecure immigration status and delays accessing suitable onward housing. We are working alongside our local authority in the context of the new Domestic Abuse Bill in order to address this pattern at an institutional level.
We’ve continued to manage our refuge homes though the changing COVID guidance and regulations, updating and reviewing our COVID risk management plan on a regular basis. Our first COVID case in refuge was in August 2021 and in total we have only had 4 COVID cases across 2 of our houses; we have actively encouraged and supported clients to receive their vaccinations and to adhere to all government guidance.
Some of our highlights this year have included:
- Supporting a No Recourse to Public Funds client to successful tribunal appeal win against the DWP who now has access to public funds
- Employing the use of the Women’s Aid Rail to Refuge project, transporting 30% of our intakes to refuge in via this service
- Continuing to source essential items for families from Babybank, local Social Media appeals and receiving regular donations of tins and dried foods for our shared store cupboards from local Food Banks.
- Slough Borough Council conducted required consultation as part of the DA Bill Safe Accommodation statutory requirements. A number of Dash staff were interviewed and Focus Groups were held with refuge residents. The feedback on our services was outstanding.
- Working with ‘More to her Life’ charity who started a project to provide birthday gifts for our refuge clients. Clients were able to choose gifts/vouchers/birthday cake/balloons etc up to the value of £100 which helped make their birthdays extra special
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
- Providing 1-1 weaning sessions with clients along with 1-1 cooking sessions for those clients who needed more confidence in cooking for them and their children.
- We remained a key partner of the national ‘Routes to Support’ Network enabling us to source immediate refuge for those we could not support due to lack of space or the close proximity of the perpetrator to Dash refuges.
_Advocacy and Outreach Services_
## _**99% of clients reported improved safety post support 99% of clients reported an improved quality of life post support 98% overall client engagement rate 38% clients reported a complete cessation of abuse at case closure**_
Over the last year, referrals to our adult community services began to level out after a steep rise in demand at the peak of the COVID pandemic. We have continued to see a rise in medium risk cases with a fall in the level of high-risk clients we have supported.
Optimistically, we would hope that this could be attributed to strong partnership working and identifying local victims at an earlier point in their journey. Certainly, the number of medium risk cases referred into us by the police has risen; 21% of all referrals to our Outreach and Advocacy service came from Thames Valley Police.
The feedback from our local authority, RBWM, remains very positive against our local authority contract and we were awarded a further ‘plus one’ on our contract this year, as we successfully completed our fourth year as commissioned DA provider, successfully achieving all agreed KPIs.
Key highlights this year have included:
- Our lead IDVA, Mirka being awarded a Thames Valley Police Partnership Award for going above and beyond and joint working with the Police in the support of a high-risk complex needs client
- A member of the Dash team was accredited as part of the Thames Valley Police trainthe-trainer initiative and is conducting domestic abuse awareness training to front-line officers.
- Members of the Advocacy and Outreach team and a service user took part in three virtual conferences help by the Thames Valley Domestic Abuse Steering Group, both presenting and conducting Q & A sessions. Between 300 and 400 people were signed up for each event.
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
_Children’s Services_
## _**100% children/young people completing their programme of support reported improved wellbeing and coping strategies and an improved understanding of domestic abuse and healthy relationships.**_
We continued to provide our bespoke one-to-one support to children and young people affected by domestic abuse. The programmes of support have been continually tailored across the year in response to young people’s feedback and is very much focussed on the needs of the individual rather than the rigidity of a set programme.
The number of children referred into our children’s support programmes increased slightly from the year before and there is still a strong demand for one-to-one work with children who have been affected by domestic abuse. At times, during the year, we were operating a waiting list of 15+ children, although funding received in the latter part of this year enabled us to employ an additional worker which has helped alleviate this issue.
## _Freedom Programme_
Following a successful pilot of a virtual Freedom Programme during the height of the pandemic, we received funding during the year to enable us to roll out a series of both virtual and in-person Freedom Programmes this financial year. 106 clients accessed one of the programmes during the year with 66 clients ‘graduating’ from the programme by year end.
We ran 9 10-week programmes across the year, two virtual and one face to face at a community venue in Windsor town centre. One of our virtual sessions was run in the evening in response to client feedback and to improve accessibility to this element of service provision.
## _Healthy relationships workshops_
We were able to begin running some in-person Healthy Relationship sessions in schools once again this year and were able to run a total of 22 workshops and assemblies across the year, reaching 601 children and young people.
We’ve also continued running one to one healthy relationship sessions with children and young people who have been identified as needing some additional support in this area. We’ve continued using the Expect Respect model as well as our own schools’ toolkit to inform these sessions, whilst tailoring content to the circumstances of the individual young person. We’ve worked with 28 young people on a one-to-on basis across the year.
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
_Helpdesk, Signposting and Brief interventions_
We received a total of 1092 calls from first-time callers/enquirers or referrers via our Helpdesk throughout the year. Many of these callers went on to receive further support from a Dash practitioner, however 531 callers were offered a brief intervention to assist them with their safety and onward journey.
We undertake signposting and brief support interventions on a regular basis where callers/referrals would benefit from support from other partner agencies instead of Dash for a variety of reasons. Every caller is still fully assessed in terms of need and risk and a pathway of support will be discussed with the client, which will always involve immediate safety. Referrals may be made on their behalf, to other relevant agencies including counselling, housing or legal support. Our Commissioners are keen that we refer clients to VFES (Victims First Emotional Support) if clients are assessed as standard risk or need longer term emotional support. If a client does not reside in RBWM or South Bucks, we will refer them to their local authority/DA organisation for support or source out of area refuge space on their behalf if this is an identified need.
## _Training and Development_
Our external training this year continued to be a focus for income generation as we incorporated our specialist knowledge and training skills into our fundraising strategy. We have responded to opportunities to provide paid-for and greater depth training to organisations looking to train their staff to the next level. This year we have delivered training to 743 people.
Internal training and development remain integral at The Dash Charity and we deliver regular all-staff training days. We’ve had two staff members undertake their formal accredited SafeLives IDVA training this year as part of our commitment to invest in personal development and succession planning. All staff receive monthly one to one supervision with their line manager and further to this we offer monthly clinical supervision with an external and clinically qualified supervisor. All staff are subject to yearly appraisals based on personal objectives linked into the charity business plan. Training plans are in place for all staff and meet accreditations and standards upheld by the charity.
## **Quality Assurance**
The charity was one of the first to achieve **Safe Lives Leading Lights** accreditation. The Leading Lights accreditation programme offers specialist services a set of quality standards for supporting victims of domestic abuse. The programme was launched in 2009. We completed our re-accreditation in December 2018 and, due to the pandemic, this was extended to be valid for four years.
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
The charity is currently registered under **Ofsted’s Childcare standards** and is subject to inspection.
In 2014 **National Women’s Aid** launched their quality standards, developed in response to the needs of member organisations. The Charity was very proud to be amongst the first members to receive accreditation in 2015, further evidence of the quality services that are provided for supporting victims of domestic abuse. We were also delighted to receive reaccreditation in March 2019 which was valid for three years but this has been extended to five, given the pandemic.
Internally, our service standards are reviewed by the Senior Management team on an annual basis.
## **Networks and Partnership Working**
Our network is extensive and we have built and maintained strong working relationships with key partners including Thames Valley Police, Local Authority Housing and Adult and Children Social Care Teams, Health, including Mental Health (CMHT) and Education. We use a number of methods to network, communicate, raise awareness and promote best practice in supporting victims of domestic abuse.
We sit on a range of local and regional Boards as well as participating in multi-agency meetings to support individual clients such as Child Protection conferences and MARAC and MATAC meetings. The Dash Charity is represented at the following multi-agency forums:
- Slough Domestic Abuse Forum
- RBWM Domestic Abuse Forum
- Thames Valley Domestic Abuse Strategic Group
- RBWM DA Executive Group
- RBWM ‘One Borough’ networking group
- Thames Valley DA Services Chief Execs Networking Forum
- Women’s Aid CEO networking group
- SafeLives CEO networking group
## **Fundraising and Communications**
The fundraising team structure was re-configured to include 1.5 Trusts & Grants writers, a new Community Fundraising Officer and a partnership with fundraising experts Nova Consulting. Nova’s role has included mentoring and developing the team, building capacity and expertise. Trustee Ginette Gower continued to support the fundraising team, with her professional background being in marketing and communications.
Our refreshed Fundraising approach sought to increase our focus on our sizeable existing supporter base, developing our Supporter Journey and encouraging regular giving and supporter-led fundraising. We’ve also spent time analysing our fundraising data for the
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
previous financial years, which will be used to inform a refreshed community fundraising strategy in 2022/23.
A large focus on Trusts and Foundations continued and we also secured some statutory funding through the Department of Levelling Up & Communities and the Ministry of Justice. We continued to work hard to improve the charity’s community presence with a number of supporter-led events and activities taking place online and face-to-face.
Our Social Media presence has remained strong with Facebook and Instagram being the main vessels for our PR and marketing.
Our board continued to meet on a bi-monthly basis, with the finance/fundraising sub group also meeting bi-monthly on intermittent months. This allowed us to maintain a tight oversight of the financial picture, respond to changing need and focus and agree remedial actions as appropriate.
## **Fundraising Practices**
We do not have any third-party fundraisers and have not breached any fundraising codes. We are signed up to the Fundraising Regulator and are compliant with their Code of Practice, being committed to high fundraising standards. We have not received any fundraising complaints to date.
## **Risk review**
We have a risk review that is reviewed monthly by the Senior Management Team and also at every Board meeting, to ensure that all aspects of the charity are risk assessed and managed. This regular review has been particularly crucial during the pandemic. These incorporate: operational, funding, people and skills, finance, strategy, environment, competition, management technology, regulation, politics and governance. Specific actions are identified against each risk and monitored monthly.
Risks to clients are managed through monthly case reviews. If risks to clients escalate, a review meeting is conducted, and safety plans are amended and implemented. Risk assessments and partnership working enable us to ensure all risk management is considered.
The Senior Management team monitor our financial income and expenditure monthly, reviewing any potential financial risks. This includes assessing our management accounts as well as our cash flow position to ensure that we have a minimum of three months operating costs in reserve. We have rolling budgets to foresee the charity’s financial stability and these are also reviewed monthly, and are prepared for a minimum of eighteen months to give us a long-term picture of our financial viability. Throughout regular Board meetings, risk, finance, expenditure and funding is explored and evaluated at a governance level. Risk is
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
shared on an on-going basis through regular communication meetings with all staff, bimonthly reports to the Board and clear communication with key stakeholders.
## **Remuneration**
At the end of the financial year 2021/22, the key management personnel team consisted of four staff including, the Chief Executive, Head of Finance, Advocacy and Outreach Manager and Refuge Services Manager. The combined annual salaries of these key personnel is £187,682. Salaries are benchmarked against other similar sized charities, and the salary scales are reviewed every three years, salaries were reviewed in 2020 as part of that process. Individuals’ salaries are reviewed after each appraisal annually, although the charity cannot guarantee an annual review. However, we will ensure that all staff salaries are reviewed and increased at least every two years based on a satisfactory annual appraisal result.
## **Staffing**
The Dash Charity staff team is made up of 15 full time and 7 part time members of staff. We currently have in excess of 20 volunteers that primarily support fundraising events.
Preparation, selection, vetting and vigilant maintenance are all central to our safer recruitment policy. All of our staff, students and volunteers are screened before commencing employment or volunteering with us. This means taking up references from former employers, which specifically ask questions about safeguarding, conduct and suitability to work with vulnerable clients. Identity is additionally sought from candidates prior to interview along with relevant training/ education/ qualification certificates. Our recruitment policy and volunteer policy are updated annually to ensure all recent legislation and guidance is included.
Pre-planned interview questions with an interview panel of two staff members are used, as well as various simulation assessments, so we are further able to access the knowledge, insight and suitability of a candidate.
All volunteers, students and staff have to complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before they can commence their duties and they have to undertake safeguarding training along with our introduction to domestic abuse training when they commence their employment.
## **Financial Review**
Total incoming resources for the year were £806,674. Of this £216,390 (27%) was generated from charitable trusts and grants, £162,787 (20%) was generated from client rent and housing benefit £100,000 (12%) the refuge levelling up funds, £117,392 (15%) from
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
local authorities and the remaining £211,005 (27%) from activities in the community and donations.
## _Expenditure_
Total expenditure for the year was £785,360, of which £682,742 (87%) was spent on charitable activities; £102,619 (13%) was spent on the sustainability and development team.
We spent £195,068 (25%) on refuge, £292,472 (38%) on the Advocacy & Outreach team, £182,887 (24%) on Children’s Services team.
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## _Reserves_
As at 31 March 2022 the charity cash balance was £491,592 equivalent to 7.6 months operating expenditure. Total reserves as at 31 March 2022 was £505,069, equivalent to 7.8 months operating expenditure, which was made up of £49,808 restricted reserves and £455,261 unrestricted reserves that equates to 7.1 months running costs.
We have maintained our reserves level this year at 7.1 months. The Charity’s aim is to have 3-6 months reserves level sustained across our future forecasts and to sustain reserve levels to ensure that there could be a smooth exit if this was ever required. Our strong financial management, accurate forecasts and robust risk management will ensure that we work to maintain our reserves level in the coming year.
## **Financial Review 2020/22**
|**Year**|**Total Incoming**
**Resources**|**Charitable Trusts &**
**Grants**|**% Rate**|**Client Rent &**
**Housing Benefit**|**% Rate**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||
|2020/21|939,172|387,863|41%|149,823|16%|
|2021/22|806,674|216,390|27%|162,787|20%|
|||||||
|||**Local Authorities**
**including the Dept**
**of Levelling Up &**
**Communities**|**% Rate**|**Community &**
**Donations**|**% Rate**|
|||||||
|||132,392|14%|268,949|29%|
|||217,392|27%|211,005|26%|
|||||||
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
|**Year**|**Total**
**Expenditure**|**Spent on**
**Charitable**
**Activities**|**% Rate**|**Spent on**
**Fundraising**
**Team**|**% Rate**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||
|2020/21|769,850|641,916|83%|127,934|17%|
|2021/22|785,360|682,742|87%|102,619|13%|
|||||||
|**Spent on**
**Refuge**
**Team**|**% Rate**|**Spent on Advocacy**
**Team**|**% Rate**|**Spent on**
**Children's Team**|**% Rate**|
|||||||
|166,095|22%|343,128|45%|132,693|16%|
|207,383|26%|292,472|38%|182,887|23%|
|||||||
|**Year**|**Cash Balance**|**Number of Months**
**Going Concern**|**Total reserves**|**Number of**
**Months Reserves**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||
|2020/21|489,484|7.6|483,755|7.5|
|2021/22|491,592|7.6|505,069|7.8|
||||||
|||**Restricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Number of**
**Months Reserves**|
||||||
|||60,791|422,964|6.6|
|||49,808|455,261|7.1|
||||||
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**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **Going concern**
The directors review the financial projections of both operating finance and cashflow on a monthly basis. Following these reviews, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue its activities for the near future. Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements and accounts. The basis for this conclusion is:
- Continued strong financial governance
- Tight and thorough management control
- Clearly demonstrable public benefit
- Continued development of key relationships including local authority and funders
- Cautious approach to future income levels
- Proactive and agile approach to change
We have a strong and successful relationship with our commissioners at RBWM; this contract still forms the basis of core funding for community service delivery. Whilst the lack of multi-year grants is concerning, the fundraising team are working hard to seek to source and secure such funding on an ongoing basis.
## **Structure, governance and management**
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 26 November 2008 and registered as a charity on 10 December 2008.
The company was established under a memorandum of association, which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its articles of association.
On 1 April 2009, East Berkshire Women's Aid, a registered charity in England and Wales (charity number 272579), transferred all its assets, liabilities and activities to Berkshire East and South Bucks Women's Aid (BESBWA). As of 15 April 2014, the charity changed its name to The Dash Charity, standing for Domestic Abuse Stops Here.
The Chief Executive, Senior Management Team and Board of Directors followed the procedures advised by the Charity Commission before making appointments for positions. All directors give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the Charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in note 5 of the financial statements.
The Directors have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Charity's aims and objectives and in planning its future activities. In particular, the Directors consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set.
20
**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
The Chief Executive is responsible for the leadership and day-to-day management decisions and fulfilling the long and short-term objectives as per the business plan. The Chief Executive is supported by the Head of Finance who ensures the ongoing financial viability of the Charity, and the two Heads of services- Refuge and Community. All legal documents i.e. leases and contracts are signed by the Board, usually the Chair, after full consultation with the Chief Executive.
## **Recruitment and appointment of Directors**
The Dash Charity recognises that the role of Directors involves important responsibilities, and requires not only great commitment, but also certain skills and experience. Sound governance is vital to enable The Dash Charity to achieve its aims and objectives, and therefore the recruitment of Directors should be carried out with as much care as the recruitment of paid staff, in line with Equal Opportunities policy and procedures.
Our Board has a mixed range of skills and experiences and we currently have six Trustees. Our Board of Directors continue to show full commitment to support the senior management team and govern the Charity effectively.
Specific organisations and individuals with the skills, knowledge or experience identified as above will be targeted for recruitment and more generally, we will advertise through social media and within our networks. If individuals approach The Dash Charity and offer to become a Director they will be required to complete an application form so we can identify what skills they can bring to the organisation, if this fits the current need they will meet with the Chair and the Chief Executive to review their skill set and suitability.
## **Induction and Training for Directors**
All Directors receive a programme of induction, co-ordinated by the Chair and Chief Executive upon appointment. A Directors induction pack is kept up to date and forms the basis of this induction.
All Directors receive our ‘introduction to domestic abuse’ one day training session and ‘effects of domestic abuse on children’ one day training session with our Training Lead. All Directors will also complete safeguarding training; we also have a named safeguarding lead Trustee, who leads on the review of any significant safeguarding concerns raised across the organisation.
Our Directors are invited to our bi-monthly Communications meetings and have direct links to key members of staff for whom they can mentor and offer key skills. As part of the Skills Audit, the training needs of new Directors are identified and a programme of training planned to meet these needs.
21
**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **Statement of responsibilities of the Directors**
The Directors (who are also trustees of The Dash Charity for the purposes of charity law) are responsible for preparing the directors' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and 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 these financial statements, the Directors are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2015;
- 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; and
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In so far as the Directors are aware:
- There is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and
- The Directors 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.
The Directors 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.
Members of the Charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the Charity in the event of winding up. The Directors are members of the Charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The Directors have no beneficial interest in the Charity.
22
**The Dash Charity**
## **Report of the Directors**
## **For the year ended 31 March 2022**
## **Auditor**
Sayer Vincent LLP were re-appointed as the charitable company's auditor during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.
Approved by the Directors on 29 September 2022 and signed on their behalf by:
Chair of the Directors
23
**Independent auditor’s report**
## **To the members of**
## **The Dash Charity**
## **Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of The Dash Charity (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the statement of financial activities, balance sheet, statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 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 charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2022 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended
- Have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice
- 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 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 Dash Charity'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.
24
**Independent auditor’s report**
## **To the members of**
## **The Dash Charity**
## **Other Information**
The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. 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. 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 course of 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 this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. 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’ annual report, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
- The trustees’ annual report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ annual report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- Adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
- The financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- Certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
- We have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
- The directors 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 trustees’ annual report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
25
**Independent auditor’s report**
## **To the members of**
## **The Dash Charity**
## **Responsibilities of trustees**
As explained more fully in the statement of trustees’ responsibilities set out in the trustees’ annual report, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they 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 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 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**
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 are set out below.
## **Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities**
In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, our procedures included the following:
- We enquired of management and trustees which included obtaining and reviewing supporting documentation, concerning the charity’s policies and procedures relating to:
- Identifying, evaluating, and complying with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance;
- Detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected, or alleged fraud;
- The internal controls established to mitigate risks related to fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations.
26
**Independent auditor’s report**
## **To the members of**
## **The Dash Charity**
- We inspected the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance.
- We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that the charity operates in, focusing on those laws and regulations that had a material effect on the financial statements or that had a fundamental effect on the operations of the charity from our professional and sector experience.
- We communicated applicable laws and regulations throughout the audit team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit.
- We reviewed any reports made to regulators.
- We reviewed the financial statement disclosures and tested these to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- We performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud.
- In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, we tested the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments, assessed whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias and tested significant transactions that are unusual or those outside the normal course of business.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
A further description of our responsibilities is available 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
27
**Independent auditor’s report**
## **To the members of**
## **The Dash Charity**
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.
Joanna Pittman (Senior statutory auditor)
30 September 2022
for and on behalf of Sayer Vincent LLP, Statutory Auditor
Invicta House, 108-114 Golden Lane, LONDON, EC1Y 0TL
28
## The Dash Charity
Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account)
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
|For the year ended 31 March 2022|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Note
Income from:
Donations and gifts
Other Trading Activities
Investment income
Refuge
3a
Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy
3b
Children's services
3c
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds:
Costs of generating income
Charitable activities
Refuge
Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy
Children's services
Total resources expended
4
5
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds carried forward
Total funds brought forward
Charitable activities
Net (expenditure) / income for the year and
net movement in funds
2a
2b|Restricted
£
-
-
-
24,000
87,449
104,941|Unrestricted
£
184,799
26,154
52
261,887
117,392
-|2022
Total
£
184,799
26,154
52
285,887
204,841
104,941|Restricted
£
6,093
-
-
57,698
251,647
72,425|Unrestricted
£
233,682
35,267
145
149,823
132,392
-|2021
Total
£
239,775
35,267
145
207,521
384,039
72,425|
||216,390|590,284|806,674|387,863|551,309|939,172|
||326
27,234
96,566
103,247|102,293
180,149
195,906
79,640|102,619
207,383
292,472
182,887|4,272
60,596
242,367
51,409|123,662
105,499
100,761
81,284|127,934
166,095
343,128
132,693|
||227,373|557,988|785,361|358,644|411,206|769,850|
||(10,983)
-|32,296
-|21,313
-|29,219
-|140,103
-|169,322
-|
||(10,983)
60,791|32,296
422,964|21,313
483,755|29,219
31,572|140,103
282,861|169,322
314,433|
||49,808|455,260|505,068|60,791|422,964|483,755|
All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in Note 13a to the financial statements.
29
The Dash Charity
## Balance sheet
## Company no. 06758907
## As at 31 March 2022
|As at 31 March 2022|||
|---|---|---|
|Note
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets
9
Current assets
Debtors
10
Cash at bank and in hand
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts due within one year
11
Net current assets
Total assets less Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts due after one year
11a
Net assets
12
The funds of the charity
13
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Total charity funds|2022
£
11,077|2021
£
15,576|
||11,077|15,576|
||151,748
491,591|68,386
489,484|
||643,339|557,870|
||85,213
558,126|39,691
518,179|
||569,203|533,755|
||64,135
505,068|50,000
483,755|
||49,808
455,260|60,791
422,965|
||505,068|483,755|
Approved by the Directors on 29 September 2022 and signed on their behalf by:
Chair of the Directors
30
The Dash Charity
## Statement of cash flows
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
|For the year ended 31 March 2022|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Increase in creditors - excluding bank loan
Increase in provisions for bad debt
Decrease/ (increase) in debtors
Net income / expenditure for the reporting period
(as per the statement of financial activities)
Depreciation charges
Interest
Cash flows from operating activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year
Net cash (used in) / provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Interest and rents from investments
Purchase of fixed assets
Net cash (used in)/ provided by investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
HSBC Bank loan
Net cash (used in) / provided by financing activities|£
£
21,313
5,278
(52)
(83,362)
48,214
12,316
3,707
52
(779)
(727)
(873)
(873)
2,107
489,484
491,591
2022||£
£
169,322
4,173
(145)
(39,027)
(4,757)
-
129,566
145
(15,760)
(15,615)
50,000
50,000
163,952
325,533
489,484
2021||
||52
(779)||145
(15,760)||
||(873)||50,000||
|||2,107
489,484||163,952
325,533|
|||491,591||489,484|
31
The Dash Charity
Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
## 1. Accounting policies
## a) Statutory information
The Dash Charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in the United Kingdom. The registered office address is 551 Fairlie Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 4PY
## b) Basis of preparation
The financial statements 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) - (Charities SORP FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.
## c) Public benefit entity
The charitable company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
## d) Going concern
The trustees have prepared the accounts on the going concern basis and considered if there are any material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern.
The charity receives a variety of types of income, including grants and donations, and not all income expected for the following financial period is confirmed at the date of signing of the financial statements. Therefore the trustees have considered the likely scenarios for unconfirmed income, taking into account the success rates of previous grant funding applications. The trustees have then considered the worst case scenario, given the current available information, and this does not indicate material uncertainties in the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
The trustees have considered the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic specifically and do not consider it to be a source of significant uncertainty which would affect their assessment of the going concern status of the charity. Further discussion of the impact of COVID19 can be found in the trustees' annual report.
## e) Income
- Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably.
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 of the provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.
## f) Donations of gifts, services and facilities
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item or received the service, any conditions associated with the donation have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), volunteer time is not recognised so refer to the trustees’ annual report for more information about their contribution.
On receipt, donated gifts, professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
## g) 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.
## h) Fund accounting
- Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund.
Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes.
32
The Dash Charity
Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
## 1. Accounting policies (continued)
## i) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT
- Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:
- Costs of raising funds relate to the costs incurred by the charitable company in inducing third parties to make voluntary contributions to it, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraising purpose
- Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of delivering services, running refuges, providing child services, advocacy work and other activities undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs
- Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
- j) Allocation of support and governance costs
Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However, the cost of overall direction and administration of each activity, comprising the salary and overhead costs of the central function, is apportioned on the following basis which are an estimate, based on staff time, of the amount attributable to each activity.
||Cost of generating income|13%|
|---|---|---|
||Refuge|25%|
||Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy|38%|
||Children's Services|24%|
Where information about the aims, objectives and projects of the charity is provided to potential beneficiaries, the costs associated with this publicity are allocated to charitable expenditure.
Where such information about the aims, objectives and projects of the charity is also provided to potential donors, activity costs are apportioned between fundraising and charitable activities on the basis of area of literature occupied by each activity.
Governance costs are the costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charity. These costs are associated with constitutional and statutory requirements and include any costs associated with the strategic management of the charity’s activities.
## k) Operating leases
Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.
- l) Tangible fixed assets
Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £500. Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of the use of the related assets in those activities. Assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use.
Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:
|
life.|
The depreciation rates in use are as follows:||
|---|---|---|
||Office Equipment|4 years|
||Furniture & fittings|4 years|
||Motor Vehicles|4 years|
## m) 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 discounts due.
## n) Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. Cash balances exclude any funds held on behalf of service users.
## o) Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
33
The Dash Charity
Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
## 1. Accounting policies (continued)
## p) Financial instruments
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## q) Pensions
The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charitable company in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable under the scheme by the charitable company to the fund. The charitable company has no liability under the scheme other than for the payment of those contribution. All staff are enrolled as per the HMRC legislation on to the auto enrolment pension scheme.
## 2. a) Donations and gifts
|a) Donations and gifts|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Grants for Fundraising & Core Cost
Donations from fundraisers
Corporates
Facebook
Gift aid
Total|Restricted
£
-
-
-
-
-|£
110,500
32,416
30,306
3,727
7,850
Unrestricted|2022
Total
£
110,500
32,416
30,306
3,727
7,850|Restricted
£
6,093
-
-
-
-|£
141,696
91,986
10,100
-
1,042
Unrestricted|2021
Total
£
147,789
91,986
10,100
-
-|
||-|184,799|184,799|6,093|244,824|249,875|
## 2. b) Income from other trading activities
|b) Income from other trading activities|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Dash Events
3rd Party Events
Community
Training
Total charity income|Restricted
£
-
-
-
-|£
1,807
11,248
7,798
5,301
Unrestricted|2022
Total
£
1,807
11,248
7,798
5,301|Restricted
£
-
-
-
-|£
2,536
11,858
203
9,528
Unrestricted|2021
Total
£
2,536
11,858
203
9,528|
||-|26,154|26,154|-|24,125|24,125|
34
The Dash Charity
Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
|For the year ended 31 March 2022|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|3.
Incoming resources from charitable activities
a)
Refuge
Rent
Service charges
Slough Borough Council
Total
b)
Awards for All
Berkshire Community Foundation
The Mackie Foundation
RBWM DA
Various Small Grants for A&O Services
Wexham A&E
Total
c)
Children's services
Children in Need
Masonic
Police Crime Commissioners
UCB King Baudouin Grant
Various Small Grants for Children's Services
Total
Sobell
Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy
Various Small Grants for Refuge Services
Police Crime Commissioners
MHCLG
Big Lottery
Comic Relief|Restricted
£
-
-
-
12,000
-
12,000|Unrestricted
£
151,300
10,487
100,000
100
-
-|2022
Total
£
151,300
10,487
100,000
12,100
-
12,000|Restricted
£
-
-
-
5,000
40,698
12,000|Unrestricted
£
139,632
10,191
-
-
-
-|2021
Total
£
139,632
10,191
-
5,000
40,698
12,000|
||24,000|261,887|285,887|57,698|149,823|207,521|
||Restricted
£
9,948
-
20,000
-
-
37,279
16,430
3,792|£
-
-
-
-
-
-
117,392
-
-
Unrestricted|2022
Total
£
9,948
-
20,000
-
-
37,279
117,392
16,430
3,792|Restricted
£
-
10,000
-
99,787
24,798
48,950
-
31,593
36,519|£
-
-
-
-
-
132,392
-
-
Unrestricted|2021
Total
£
-
10,000
-
99,787
24,798
48,950
132,392
31,593
36,519|
||87,449|117,392|204,841|251,647|132,392|384,039|
||Restricted
£
36,091
30,000
30,850
-
8,000|£
-
-
-
-
-
Unrestricted|2022
Total
£
36,091
30,000
30,850
-
8,000|Restricted
£
40,933
-
-
30,492
1,000|£
-
-
-
-
-
Unrestricted|2021
Total
£
40,933
-
-
30,492
1,000|
||104,941|-|104,941|72,425|-|72,425|
35
The Dash Charity
Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
## 4a. Total resources expended (current year)
|Staff costs (note 6)
Staff training and conferences
Volunteers' costs
Fundraising costs
Refuge running costs
Bad debt provision
Children activities
Repairs and renewals
Office costs
Motor expenses
Travel and subsistence
Communications
Client Support
Depreciation
Audit and accountancy
Legal and professional
Support Costs
Governance cost
Total resources expended
Total expenditure 2021|Cost of
generating
income
£
74,147
335
-
2,739
-
-
-
-
4,302
-
329
247
-
-
-
4,500|Refuge
£
100,796
3,480
-
-
1,158
12,316
1,188
17,440
27,634
1,617
325
1,006
209
2,835
-
-|Independent
Domestic
Violence
Advocacy
£
203,896
1,600
-
-
10
-
211
-
5,907
-
1,563
935
2,744
-
-
847|Children's
services
£
133,362
2,266
-
-
-
-
2,273
-
2,164
63
1,508
689
-
146
-
900|Governance
Costs
£
58,825
590
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
19
-
-
-
-|Support
Costs
£
62,384
166
609
-
-
-
-
-
16,355
-
29
5,992
-
2,299
10,277
10,130|2022 Total
£
633,410
8,438
609
2,739
1,168
12,316
3,672
17,440
56,363
1,680
3,754
8,887
2,953
5,280
10,277
16,377|2021
£
632,107
4,566
421
5,398
1,907
-
1,836
7,379
77,314
1,910
2,317
7,459
2,416
4,173
10,826
9,821|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||86,599
10,341
5,679|170,004
24,130
13,250|217,712
48,260
26,499|143,371
25,509
14,007|59,435
-
(59,435)|108,240
(108,240)
-|785,363
-
-|769,850
-
-|
||102,619|207,384|292,472|182,887|-|-|785,363|-|
||-|-|-|-|-|-|-|769,850|
36
The Dash Charity
Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
## 4b. Total resources expended (prior year)
|Staff costs (note 6)
Staff training and conferences
Other staff costs
Volunteers' costs
Fundraising costs
Refuge running costs
Children activities
Repairs and renewals
Office costs
Motor expenses
Travel and subsistence
Communications
Client Support
Depreciation
Audit and accountancy
Legal and professional
Support Costs
Governance cost
Total resources expended
Total expenditure 2020|Cost of
generating
income
£
87,952
782
130
-
5,398
-
-
-
2,963
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Refuge
£
86,907
1,273
232
-
-
1,668
52
7,261
27,367
19
-
29
90
2,812
-
-|Independent
Domestic
Violence
Advocacy
£
244,950
2,234
213
-
-
-
195
-
30,963
77
2,308
3,469
2,282
27
-
2,671|Children's
services
£
96,474
76
200
-
-
239
1,589
82
354
1,814
-
672
44
-
-
440|Governance
Costs
£
57,283
96
-
-
-
-
-
-
361
-
9
-
-
-
-
-|Support
Costs
£
57,741
105
25
421
-
-
-
36
15,306
-
-
3,289
-
1,334
10,826
6,710|2021 Total
£
631,307
4,566
800
421
5,398
1,907
1,836
7,379
77,314
1,910
2,317
7,459
2,416
4,173
10,826
9,821|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||97,225
19,159
11,550|127,710
23,948
14,437|289,389
33,527
20,212|101,984
19,159
11,550|57,749
-
-|95,793
(95,793)
-|769,850
-
57,749|
||127,934|166,095|343,128|132,693|57,749|-|827,599|
||136,852|180,599|351,563|112,963|-|-|-|
37
The Dash Charity
Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
5. Net (expenditure)/income for the year
This is stated after charging / crediting:
|Net (expenditure)/income for the year
This is stated after charging / crediting:
e year ended 31 March 2022|||
|---|---|---|
||2022|2021|
||£|£|
|Depreciation|5,278|4,173|
|Auditor's remuneration (excluding VAT):|||
|Audit|7,000|7,300|
|Directors' remuneration|-|-|
|Directors' reimbursed expenses|-|-|
One director received reimbursement of expenses for recruitment cost this year during the year (2021: £nil) or (2022: £275).
## 6. Staff costs and numbers
Staff costs were as follows:
|Staff costs and numbers
Staff costs were as follows:|||
|---|---|---|
|Salaries and wages
Social security costs
Pension contributions
Termination Cost
Recruitment
Other staff costs|2022
£
557,010
46,622
20,829
4,743
2,908
1,298|2021
£
560,510
43,514
18,914
-
5,760
3,408|
||633,410|632,107|
No employees earned over £60k in the financial year (2021: £nil) or (2022: £nil).
The total employee salaries of the key management personnel were £207,985 (2021: £233,513). Due to the restructure of the leadership team, we have removed the fundraising manager and taken support from a fundraising consultancy company as they have the skill set to enhance our income generation further.
|
they have the skill set to enhance our income generation further.
The staff headcount for the year was 22 (2021: 23), allocated to activities as follows:|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|Refuge
IDVA
Children Services
Support and governance
Raising funds|2022
No.
3
4
8
4
3|2021
No.
4
5
7
4
3|
||22|23|
## 7. Related party transactions
In the year trustees made unrestricted donations to the charity totalling £300 (2021: £420).
There are no other related party transactions to disclose for 2022 or for 2021.
## 8. Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.
38
The Dash Charity
## Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
## 9. Tangible fixed assets
|For the year ended 31 March 2022
9.
Tangible fixed assets|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Cost
At the start of the year
Additions in the year
At the end of the year
Depreciation
At the start of the year
Charge for the year
At the end of the year
Net book value
At the end of the year
At the start of the year
10.
Debtors
Other debtors
Prepayments
Accrued income
11.
Creditors: amounts due within one year
Trade creditors
Taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals
Deferred income (note 12)
11a.
Creditors: Long term
HSBC Loan
Deferred Income for Yr 23/24
Loan Repayment|Vehicles
9,598
-|Office
equipment
£
7,362
-|Furniture and
fittings
£
20,000
779|Total
£
36,960
779|
||9,598|7,362|20,779|37,739|
||1,600
2,400|270
2,366|19,514
513|21,384
5,278|
||3,999|2,636|20,027|26,662|
||5,599|4,726|752|11,077|
||7,998|7,092|486|15,576|
||||2022
£
50
11,017
140,681|2021
£
50
10,911
57,425|
||||151,748|68,386|
||||2022
£
7,789
12,633
3,498
26,358
9,992
24,944|2021
£
8,204
15,202
3,904
11,528
-
853|
||||85,213|39,691|
||||2022
£
39,135
25,000|2021
£
50,000
-|
||||64,135|50,000|
The bank loan with HSBC was provided as part of the Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan Scheme. Under the terms of the loan interest is payable at 2.5% per annum with final repayment due 72 months after initial drawdown. No security was required to be provided.
39
The Dash Charity
## Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
- 12a. Analysis of group net assets between funds (current year)
|e year ended 31 March 2022
Analysis of group net assets between funds (current year)||||
|---|---|---|---|
||Restricted|||
||funds|General funds|Total funds|
||£|£|£|
|Tangible fixed assets|-|11,077|11,077|
|Net current assets|49,808|444,183|493,991|
|Net assets at the end of the year|49,808|455,260|505,068|
|Analysis of group net assets between funds (prior year)||||
||Restricted|||
||funds|General funds|Total funds|
||£|£|£|
|Tangible fixed assets|-|15,576|15,576|
|Net current assets|60,791|407,388|468,179|
|Net assets at the end of the year|60,791|422,964|483,755|
12b. Analysis of group net assets between funds (prior year)
40
The Dash Charity
## Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
- 13a. Movements in funds (current year)
|e year ended 31 March 2022
Movements in funds (current year)||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Restricted funds:
Refuge
Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy
Children's services
Voluntary
Total restricted funds
General funds
Total funds
Total unrestricted funds
Children In Need
Various Small Grants for Refuge Services
Masonic
UCB King Budouin
Various Small Grants for Children's
Various Small Grants for A&O Services
MOJ via PCC
MOJ via PCC
Awards For All
Sobell
Aviva
The Mackie Foundation
Safe Lives|£
-
23,103
At the start
of the year
as restated|£
12,000
12,000
Income and
gains|Expenditure
and losses
£
12,000
15,234|Transfers
£
-
-|At the end
of the year
£
-
19,869|
||23,103|24,000|27,234|-|19,869|
||-
-
-
9,413|9,948
37,279
20,000
20,222|9,948
37,279
20,000
29,339|-
-
-
-|-
-
-
296|
||9,413|87,449|96,566|-|296|
||110
-
-
1,211
25,133|-
36,091
30,000
30,850
8,000
-|-
31,182
6,871
30,850
9,211
25,133|-
-
-
-
-
-|-
5,019
23,129
-
-
-|
||26,454|104,941|103,247|-|28,148|
||917
904
60,791|-
-
216,390|-
326
227,373|-
-
-|917
578
49,808|
||422,964|590,284|557,988|-|455,260|
||422,964|590,284|557,988|-|455,260|
||483,755|806,674|785,361|-|505,068|
41
The Dash Charity
## Notes to the financial statements
## For the year ended 31 March 2022
13b. Movements in funds (prior year)
|e year ended 31 March 2022
Movements in funds (prior year)||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||Expenditure||At the end of|
||At the start|Income and|and losses||the year as|
||of the year|gains|as restated|Transfers|restated|
||£|£|£|£|£|
|Restricted funds:||||||
|Refuge||||||
|MHCLG|-|40,698|36,737|-|3,961|
|Peter Harrison|10,629|-|10,629|-|-|
|Sobell|-|12,000|12,000|-|-|
|Various Small Grants for Refuge Services|16,373|5,000|2,230|-|19,143|
||27,002|57,698|61,596|-|23,104|
|Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy||||||
|A&E Wexham / Frimley|-|36,519|36,519|-|-|
|Berkshire Community Foundation|-|10,000|10,000|-|-|
|Big Lottery|-|99,787|99,787|-|-|
|Comic Relief|-|24,798|24,798|-|-|
|Ministry of Justice|-|8,902|8,902|-|-|
|PCC|-|48,950|48,950|-|-|
|Various Small Grants for A&O Services|132|22,691|13,411|-|9,413|
||133|251,648|242,366|-|9,413|
|Children's services||||||
|Children In Need|(527)|40,933|40,296|-|110|
|Various Small Grants for Children's|4,964|1,000|4,754|-|1,211|
|UCB King Budouin|-|30,492|5,359|-|25,133|
||4,437|72,425|50,408|-|26,454|
|Voluntary||||||
|Aviva|-|917|-|-|917|
|KJ Solicitors|-|1,500|1,500|-|-|
|Prince Phillip|-|2,500|2,500|-|-|
|Safe Lives|-|1,176|272|-|904|
|Total restricted funds|31,571|387,863|358,643|-|60,791|
|General funds|282,861|551,309|411,206|-|422,964|
|Total unrestricted funds|282,861|551,309|411,206|-|422,964|
|Total funds|314,432|939,172|769,849|-|483,755|
Purposes of restricted funds Awards for All A&O team DA resilience and recovery Children in Need Children & Families IDVA Healthy Living Grant Masonic Refuge Sofa & Children's Worker
Ministry of Justice via PCC A&O Support Worker & Children's Service Worker Sobell Therapeutic Worker Refuge
The Mackie Foundation A&O Team UCB Children's Worker Various Small Grants Berkshire Community Foundation are our local supporters, who have provided us with some small grants towards our helpline and new garden furniture for our refuges. Other local supporters are Louid Baylis and The Price Phillip Trust. B33
42