Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/04/2021 Period start date to 31/03/2022 Period end date
Charity name: The Laughter Specialists
Charity registration number: 1132987
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The objectives of the trust are: To relieve sickness, preserve and protect health by providing specially trained entertainers known as Laughter Specialists for sick children in hospitals, and those with special needs in schools, residential homes and similar institutions. Laughter Specialists also visit adults with special needs. To advance the education of the public in the benefits of laughter as an aid to good health. To achieve these objectives the trust provides specialist entertainers/performers to visit sick children and those with special needs bringing interactive play, laughter and fun. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Activities of Laughter Specialists for the public benefit: The Trust funds professional entertainers/performers to be Laughter Specialists who use their skills to bring fun and laughter to sick children in hospitals and to children with special needs in schools and other similar institutions. During the pandemic our service was adapted to include the following which has continued as part of our regular service: Outreach visits to: - sick home bound children (would have been in hospital or hospice) and those rehabilitating and their families. - vulnerable children not receiving any other support during the pandemic |
The Laughter Specialists use magic, songs, music, puppets and improvisation bringing therapeutic interactive play, laughter and fun. Their aim is to improve the lives of the children in the hospitals & parents, carers, and siblings. TLS are adapting their skills to connect and reach these families with mental wellness at the forefront of the service, and use their therapeutic interactive teaching skills through play, laughter and fun, children with complex needs They usually visit Addenbrookes Hospital Cambridge, Broomfield Hospital Chelmsford, Colchester Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital Harlow – visits were still not possible to hospitals during 2021/22 Special Schools include Columbus school & college Chelmsford Edith Borthwick School Essex, Granta school Linton Cambs, Grove Cottage Nursery Bishops Stortford, Grove House School Brentwood, Harlow Fields school Harlow, Meldreth Manor School Herts The TLS managed to still visit when possible and adapted their delivery to meet all Covid safety requirements, eg delivering in school gardens Evidence their work is needed: To ensure their work is needed and beneficial they seek and receive: 1) Ongoing feedback from relatives, staff and the children, through feedback forms, letters and consultation with Hospital staff. Especially over the last 4 years at Broomfield Hospital as regular visitors and other hospitals where we have made initial visits. 2) General Research into Humour in hospital and connected topics carried out by journalists and researchers. 3) Gathering more feedback and impact measurement from our visits to Special Schools and listening to what the schools want from us We are widening our network, looking at new & better ways of marketing our services. We are always analysing our revenue streams and looking at developing our funding further for example through broader corporate support. We have developed stronger links with other organisations and value the establishments working with us who recognise the impact we are having.
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The Trustees have had regard to the guidance |
|---|---|---|
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | One of the two founders Annie Aris who is Chief Operating Officer effectively administers the day to day running of the charity. The trustees and additional volunteers/supporters of the charity help with setting up, promoting and running events. The trustees are intrinsically involved in the financial aspects of the charity both day to day as well as strategically - through maintaining charityaccounts and scrutiny. |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | Activities and achievements of The Laughter Specialists Charitable Trust for the year April 1st 2021 to March 31st 2022 This year the income from corporate sponsorship, grants and donations has reduced due to the Covid Pandemic though signs of improvement in funding was seen in the latter part of the year. The Laughter Specialists had to significantly change the way they delivered their work during 2020/21 due to the Covid Pandemic, this continued into 2021/22 – 1)Outreach visits to family’s homes have been a great success and continued, with more and more families benefitting from the service. 2)Visits resumed to most special schools from September 2021 3)Visits to hospitals is still not allowed. |
We visited where possible the following from Sep21 1) Edith Borthwick School, Bocking, Essex. Once a week a month during term time. 2) Grove Cottage (mencap), Bishops Stortford. 3) We visit Harlow Fields school Harlow every week through various sources of funding – this has been working extremely well, with our work being recognised for its additional educational benefits – this acts as a valuable model that can be rolled out to other Special schools 4) We now visit Columbus School & College Chelmsford through general funding. We’ve built up a great rapport and understanding of the children’s needs bringing them fun & laughter, helping them to interact with each other and express themselves. 5) Meldreth School The benefits of these visits have led to a reduction in stress and boredom for the children and their parents at these clinics. 6) Market Fields School Colchester Weekly visits during term time, through specific funding for that area The Laughter Specialists have been able to continue their visits working with children of mixed abilities. At both Columbus school & College, The Laughter Specialists are working with children from the age of 5 -19 years with great success. Training programmes: Funding had been secured for developing trainee Laughter Specialists. Programme of training visits is continuing. Gathering and analysing the feedback for our visits to enable us to measure the impact more accurately of our work.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against Para 1.41 objectives set Performance of fundraising Para 1.41 activities against objectives set Investment performance Para 1.41 against objectives
Other
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of theperiod |
Para 1.21 | There is an Unrestricted funds balance of £13,473and a restricted funds balance of £26,563at the end of the financialyear. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The trustees aim is to have funds in reserve to cover six months indirect fixed costs. These costs include administration fees, fundraising fees, insurance, office supplies, computer costs, accountancy costs etc Direct funds for our charitable activities (funding Laughter Specialist visits) are mostly restricted funds for projects and received in advance, though now some restricted funds are paid partially up front and then the remaining funds paid when the project is complete. At present the trustees don’t consider it necessary to have a reserve fund to cover these costs as the number of visits and timing of the visits is very flexible, though this may be reconsiders if our funding becomes split between beginning and end of project. In terms of a reserve fund, it is more important in the trustees opinion to have a reserve fund to cover the other costs of running the charity without which we cannot support the Laughter Specialist visits. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | The trustees consider that the charity should have sufficient reserves in unrestricted funds to cover fundraising, admin and other fixed support costs of between £10,000 to £15,000 not exceeding £15,000. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
The charity’s principal Para 1.47 sources of funds (including any fundraising) Investment policy and Para 1.46 objectives including any social investment policy adopted A description of the principal Para 1.46 risks facing the charity Other
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Trust Deed |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Trust |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Appointed by existing trustees |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures Para 1.51 adopted for the induction and training of trustees The charity’s organisational Para 1.51 structure and any wider network with which the charity works Relationship with any related Para 1.51 parties Other
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | The Laughter Specialists Charitable Trust |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charitynumber | 1132987 |
| Charity’s principal address | 17 Crawley Hobbs Close Saffron Walden Essex CB11 4GD |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Rudd | Treasurer | |||
| Clare Thompson | ||||
| Karen Sheairs | ActingChair Jun20 - | |||
| Madeleine Gardner | Finance officer | |||
Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) Annie Aris (founder and Laughter Specialists acting as Chief Operational Officers),
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
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