**HEAR US CROYDON Hear Us supports adults with serious mental health LINKWOG PROJECT challenges to access financial, WELFARE SURGERIES PROJECThealth and social inclusion support within the borough of SERVICE USER OPEN FORUM Croydon, and we act to increase REACHOUT CHALLENGEawareness of mental health. LINKWORKING PROJECT WELFARE SURGERIES PROJECT SERVICE USER OPEN FORUM REACHOUT CHALLENGE LINKWORKING PROJECT WELFARE SURGERIES PROJECT** 

**SERVICE USER OPEN FORUM ANNUAL REPORT 2022/23 REACHOUT CHALLENGE CROYDON’S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE USER GROUP CHARITY # 1135535 COMPANY # 06891337** 



## **Our Mission: to promote, educate, communicate and empower, for the benefit and interest of people affected by mental health issues** 

## **Structure, governance and management** 

**Hear Us developed from a service user run community group established in 1992. Since 4th October 2001 Hear Us has been running as a not for profit organisation in Croydon and on 15th April 2010 the Management Committee registered Hear Us with the Charity Commission for charity status (No. 1135535) to give Hear Us a more independent and stronger voice in the community.** 

## **Management** 

**The constitution in the original form was adopted by resolution at the AGM held on the 27th May 2004. Amendments to the constitution were adopted by resolution at the EGM held on 1st July 2008.** 

**The Management Committee are the Board of Trustees. They include a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and the Chief Executive Officer, Tim Oldham. The Committee has the power to co-opt members, as and when they deem it necessary. The Board of Trustees are responsible for the day to day running of Hear Us and have a responsibility to report to the funders, charity commission and other stakeholders whenever the need arises.** 

## **Reserves Policy** 

**Hear Us endeavours to maintain reserves equivalent to a minimum of 6 months costs at all times. For the financial year 2023/24 this will be approximately £140,000. This is held in bank accounts with easy withdrawal facilities.** 

**All Hear Us finical Statement can be accessed on our website: www.hear-us.org/annual-report** 

## **Statement of compliance** 

**Financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland’, the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Charities Act 2011.** 

## **Objectives and activities** 

**To relieve the needs of people living in the London Borough of Croydon and surrounding areas who have mental health problems by provision of services and advice.** 

**To advance education about mental health for public benefit in the London Borough of Croydon and surrounding areas with the object of creating awareness and reducing the stigma attached to mental health.** 

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## HEAR US ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 

## CHARITY NUMBER 1135535 COMPANY NUMBER 06891337 

|**CONTENTS**<br>**Chair of Hear Us Statement**<br>**Chief Executive Officer Statement**<br>**Linkworking Project**<br>**Welfare Surgeries Project**<br>**Mental Health Open Forum**<br>**Reachout Challenge**<br>**Development & Fundraising**<br>**Extracts of Hear Us Annual Accounts 22-23**<br>**Equal Ops Monitoring**<br>**Membership - Together We Are Stronger**<br>**Donate and Support**|**Page**<br>**4**<br>**5**<br>**8**<br>**10**<br>**13**<br>**15**<br>**16**<br>**18**<br>**19**<br>**21**<br>**23**|
|---|---|








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## CHAIR OF HEAR US STATEMENT 

**I had the privilege and pleasure of supporting Hear Us and the Trustee Board for another year as Chair with our vision to promote, educate, communicate and empower, for the benefit and interest of people affected by mental health issues.** 

**The impact of the COVID pandemic and the costof-living crisis on some sections of our mental health community has been severe leading to Abbi Greene increasing depressive and anxiety illnesses and Chair increasing feelings of loneliness and isolation as services they rely on were changed, reduced or, in many cases, removed completely. Our practical, regular activities help service users to cope better with daily living and helps to address their social, emotional and physical needs, which have never been more needed. Staff and volunteers have settled into the new ways of working and delivering services and to that end we have expanded our office space to better meet the needs of staff, volunteers and service users.** 

**The herculean effort of the staff has meant that we successfully achieved the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) in 2022, and the Welfare Rights Advice Project is going from strength to strength. Linkworking continues to run virtual and telephone sessions, March 2023 has seen the start of face-to-face Linkworking; and has been fully face-toface since June 2023. Thanks to the Cooperative Stores for giving us funding to buy the equipment required for the Open Form to continue online, we are hoping to have fully working hybrid approach by March 2024. The Reachout project continued to deliver sessions to the Metropolitan police with plans to expand our reach in 2024.** 

**Eleanor spearheaded several successful funding bids with the support and contributions from Senior Management team and service leads. Thank you to Southwest London Integrated Care Board (SWL ICB), Lloyds Bank Foundation, City Bridge, Trust for London and the National Lottery for continuing funding us to deliver much needed services. The future fundraising plans will identify the gaps in funding that need to be met and find funders who can help us to continue to deliver existing and new projects in the future. Most significantly Trust for London funding is allowing us to realize a new campaigns project which we are planning to start in January 2024.** 

**Ruth Govan sadly made the difficult decision to resign from the board after more than 20 years of dedicated support, a big thank you from the whole team. Jonathan also resigned from the board, thank you for all your support.  Welcome to our new trustee, Millie Reid.** 

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**As a result of the tremendous passion, dedication and commitment of Hear Us staff and volunteers we are in a position to be able to expand our workforce and secure the future of all Hear Us activities. I would like to extend a well done and huge heartfelt thanks on behalf of myself and all the Trustees to staff and volunteers for continuing to make sure that the voice of service users is heard loud and proud in Croydon.** 

**Abbi Greene, Chair** 

**Current Board of Trustees: Abeline Greene (Chair), Cassandra Austin (Deputy Chair), Jackie Ashton, (Treasurer), Josh Baker-Mendoza, Niall McVeigh, Millie Reid & Tesfa Rodway** 

## CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT 

**Hear Us supports people who have enduring and severe mental illness in Croydon. Many live alone in rented accommodation. Croydon is the most deprived of the six Southern Region boroughs, with the highest proportions of black and minority ethnic groups in South London.** 


**We report all our project outcomes to all funders and share our findings with the South West London Integrated Care Board (SWL ICB) and senior stakeholder meetings across Croydon. We have continued to contribute and represent the voice of Croydon’s mental health community in the development, planning and commissioning of mental health services.** 

**Welfare Rights and Advice Project (Formerly Tim Oldham Known as Welfare Surgeries Project).** 

**CEO** 

**We have continued to support our service users in applying, maintaining, and renewing their welfare benefits and disability claims. This involves hand-holding through the whole process, a long ordeal for many. The majority of claims we support are Personal Independence Payments (PIP).** 

**The feedback we receive is that many people with mental ill health would give up on their disability benefit claims due to anxiety and the pressure of making and constantly renewing claims.** 

**Without our support, there would be far fewer successful claims awarded. There would be more people with mental ill health with increased poverty and homelessness. From our experience, because the welfare system is structured to reject claims based on mental ill health, far more people would relapse, self-harm, and be hospitalised.** 

**We help our service users with the Cost of Living impacts. We provide** 


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**access to Foodbanks. For six months, April to September 2023, we were awarded £10000 by the London Community Foundation to give out supermarket vouchers of which £6600 was given in vouchers to our clients.** 

**Our Welfare Rights Advice Project aims to educate our service users to make and maintain their benefit claims, including understanding what the claim form questions mean when comparing them to the client’s ill health and their daily needs and struggles.** 

**We have continued to support people with mobility problems to successfully apply for mobility schemes such as Freedom Passes and Blue Badges. With Croydon Council’s financial situation, they are rejecting far more claims, restricting Freedom Passes to people under the care of a Care Coordinator while South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM) is reducing numbers under their care. The impact on a person with mental ill health is that it leads to decreased social interaction and increased social exclusion and isolation.** 

## **Linkworking Project:** 

**We have been running the Linkworking Project since 2007 to engage and support people with mental ill health in Croydon’s inpatient wards at the Royal Bethlem Hospital (RBH) and Croydon’s mental health community services, Jeanette Wallace House (JWH) and Queens Resource Centre (QRC)** 

**During the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued to support service users through a virtual platform, checking in with them every week remotely and working with our service users by using iPads.** 

**Working with SLaM service leads, we returned to face-to-face Linkworking at JWH, soon followed by QRC. In June 2023, we finally returned in person to the wards at the Bethlem.** 

**We enable people in crisis to have their voices heard and express their concerns about the treatment and care they receive. We enable greater access to available services on the wards and improve services to ensure a better chance of recovery from severe mental ill health.** 

**Our goal is to support service users to develop confidence and selfbelief, feel empowered through positive discussion, and reduce stigma and discrimination of mental ill health.** 

## **Open Forum:** 

**The Open Forum brings together the mental health community, particularly current service users of SLaM services, to discuss Croydon’s mental health and wellbeing services, as well as the** 

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**accessibility, quality, and development of these services. They can meet, network, and discover new opportunities that aid positive mental health and wellbeing, help to prevent dependency on clinical services, and support people in regaining self-esteem, confidence, and empowerment.** 

**For many, expressing their voice in the Forum empowers and aids in raising self-esteem and confidence.** 

**We continued to provide an accessible online open forum during the past 3 years to enable housebound people who may be agoraphobic, have high anxiety about crowds or prefer online meetings. We will be providing a hybrid open forum in the future.** 

**Reachout Challenge:** 

**The Reachout Challenge Project raises awareness of mental ill health and shares lived experiences at Hendon Police College on the negotiation and crisis course. We also attended Croydon Pride and Mela, where we held a stall to meet the public and discuss mental illness and Croydon’s services.** 

**I would like to thank all my staff: Al, Amy, Barbra, Shellie, Claire, David and Eleanor, for all the support they have given me during the past year and the help they have given to make Hear Us stronger and more dynamic and thank the following for all the work they have put into making Hear Us brilliant:** 

**The Welfare Rights Advice Project Team is managed by David and his advisors, Shellie and Barbra, with Support from Claire** 

**The Linkworking Team is led by Barbra: Ben, Calbert, Christine, Horace, John, Jonathan, Letitia, Sharon and Tim.** 

**The Reachout Team led by Barbra: Calbert, Caz, John (Thompson), Jonathan, Martine, Sharon, Tim and Tony** 

**A massive thank you to Claire and Amy over the past year in making our Mental Health Open Forum such a success from all the guest speakers to the Hear Us staff (Barbra, Claire, David, Eleanor & Shellie) and volunteers (Caz, John, and Martine) who all help in the smooth-running of the forum. And of course, thanks to everyone who attends the forum, asking thought provoking and sometimes difficult questions and contributing to some lively debates.** 

**I would like to thank all the Trustees that have helped steer the organisation: Abeline, Caz, Jackie, Jonathan, Josh, Millie, Niall and Tesfa. I would also like to especially thank to Ruth Govan, personally, for all the support and encouragement she has given me over the last 20 years.** 

**Tim Oldham Chief Executive Officer** 


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## LINKWORKING PROJECT 

During 2022/23, we continued to support service users through a virtual platform, checking in with them every week. We were able to give feedback on any comments raised by the patients to the ward and at various meetings. 

There was something positive about working virtually as I noticed good attendance throughout all the meetings we attended. Obviously, taking away the need to travel allowed some people to join us who otherwise may not have. 

Between April 2022 and March 2023, we held over 200 monthly conversations, an achievement by all involved.  Considering this was done on a virtual platform, it came with its own challenges for Linkworkers, service users and staff alike. 

At the beginning of 2023, we started discussing a plan to go back to face-toface sessions.  Initially, this was just Jeanette Wallace House but was soon followed by Queens Resource Centre. 

We felt it safe to attend the resource centres and knew the need to do this as we could not offer them the virtual sessions we did within the acute wards based at Bethlem Royal Hospital. 

The team settled in very quickly, reverting back to how things were prepandemic. 

Not content with just doing the resource centres in person, we started discussing returning to the wards too. 

We decided to phase returning back to the wards at a slower pace than the resource centres as we felt it important to protect the patients (and indeed ourselves) from the possibility of catching/spreading Covid-19.  After some lively discussions, we agreed on a start date of June 2023, as we had to ensure the Linkworkers were safe to do so. We had also migrated over to a paperless way of working during the pandemic and now had to work out how this could continue in the face to face format. 

We have also placed mixed-gender Linkworkers on single-gender wards, an example of this is two males and one female now cover sessions on maleonly wards and vice versa. On reflection, this has really worked well. 

This has been a challenging time for the Linkwork Team, moving onto a virtual platform, and more recently, back to what we all know so well, in person!  The team have been adaptable and amazing in how they coped with the changes, and I always feel they truly put the service users at the heart of what they do. 

Some have learnt new skill sets during the changes and have offered support to each other to grow in their roles, meeting weekly to continue the theme of support. 

We have all taken part in online training and most of the team gained a certificate in Mental Health Advocacy in the Workplace, so again a big achievement. 

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Peer support continues to be effective in engaging service users and hearing what they want and what works for them on their recovery journey. 

I want to publicly thank the WHOLE Linkwork team for their dedication, determination and endurance during the last year. 

## **The Linkworking Project’s aims are to:** 

## **To Listen** 


We are there to listen and not to judge.  Having had our own mental health problems, we know how helpful it is to have someone to talk to in confidence and have their own lived experiences of services.  As Linkworkers, we offer a safe space to talk about any issues without any fear of repercussions. 

## **To support** 


If any issues are raised or someone shares something that is worrying them, we are there to support them and try to help get the issues resolved.  To do this, we can either support them to raise the issue themselves or raise the issues on their behalf, anonymously or directly, depending on what is preferred. 

## **To Signpost** 


Sometimes what’s on someone’s mind might be something that we can’t help with directly but we can usually point them in the direction to get help.  For example, someone might be worried about benefits or need support to find work.  In these cases, we can usually let them know about other organisations that are available to help. 


Barbra Davison, Linkworking Manager Hear Us Orchard House, 15a Purley Road, South Croydon, CR2 6EZ 

Tel: 020 8681 6888 Email: linkworking@hear-us.org Website www.hear-us.org/linkworking 

**Barbra Davison Linkworking Manager** 

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## WELFARE RIGHTS ADVICE PROJECT 


**David Ashton Welfare Manager** 

Another year gone by and, as is often the case, the New Year brings mixed blessings as the world is tentatively stepping back into the sunlight from the isolation and fear resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic. Whilst we are pleased to be able to see and help more people face to face, there is no question that the pandemic has had lasting consequences with more suffering due to mental and physical health problems and even more in need of the support provided by the social security system. 

We have also seen the pause on renewals of many benefits end and the DWP trying to catch up with the many renewals and reassessments deferred at the height of the pandemic. Many have come to us in panic for help with a renewal of their PIP (far sooner than they were expecting having received extension letters that led them to believe they would be left alone for far longer) only to then be left in limbo for long periods due to a considerable backlog in PIP assessments. These long waits for assessments have had consequences for many, causing uncertainty for many things that people rely on such as blue badges and motability vehicles. 

This year has also seen the introduction of worrying changes on the horizon with the Government’s health and disability white paper. This paper proposes removing the Work Capability Assessment and having PIP as a passport to a new ‘health’ element of Universal Credit. Some of you may cheer at the prospect of removing the Work Capability Assessment but, whilst I could write an essay on the many flaws of the WCA, replacing it with PIP as a passport is not the answer and will likely lead to more conditionally and greater consequences of being refused PIP (and challenging PIP decisions is by no means a quick process!) 

I will end on a positive note; (I did say mixed blessings, it isn’t all doom and gloom!). We are very pleased to have Barbra Davison officially join our Welfare team. Some of you may know Barbra from her roles as Linkworking manager and coordinator of our Reachout project. Barbra has joined us four day a week to support clients with PIP applications, renewals and some other issues to increase the capacity of our project. 

Here is what my staff have to say: 

Shellie: I have been working with Hear Us on the Welfare Rights Advice Project, since 2012, now as a Senior Advisor and Support Worker for people with severe and enduring Mental Illness. I help to fill out Welfare benefits forms, and get supportive letters from health professionals, supporting people from the beginning of a claim right until the end. 

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I love my job. It can be very demanding but it gives me satisfaction to put a smile on a service users’ face when they get the benefits I believe they deserve. I do my best to help make my clients feel less anxious and more comfortable, helping in any way I can, while also empowering all my clients to become independent so they can take control of their own future. I have a good listening ear because many people don’t have a lot of people they can open up too. I have helped people become debt-free by referring them to a charitable organisation, and I have helped people get travel badges to help with their physical/ mental disabilities. 


**Shellie Wilfred Welfare Senior Advisor** 

Barbra: Since working with the welfare team, albeit one day a week, I have held 123 appointments with clients, supporting them with their need.  This has not just been benefit related, it may have related to issues with energy companies, obtaining vital documents, such as a passport to name just two. During the last financial year, I have focused mainly on PIP applications, from the initial application through to appeals and on one occasion a video tribunal.  The latter I only shadowed David with my client as I had never done one before and only ever attended a couple in relation to my own PIP applications, one in the past and another in early 2022. 


Over the year, with David and Shellie’s amazing support and expertise, I have gained a more in depth knowledge and confidence in helping people to secure benefits. I found my confidence grew greatly while helping others but still found my own one very traumatic. 

I have put my personal experiences to good use in this area as I can truly empathise with people going through this ordeal. 

**Barbra Davison Welfare Advisor** 

I find it quite sad and even angry what some people have to go through to receive what they are entitled to and this pushes me to support them even more.  I get personal satisfaction when I have contributed towards improving a person’s financial situation and have built up a bit of a reputation of approaching people’s claims like a dog with a bone, I NEVER GIVE UP. 

I say this next statement very quietly, but I have yet to fail with any applications I have helped with and long may this continue.  Thank you David and Shellie for supporting me through my first year, in an area that can be complex and daunting for many. 

David Continued: 


I am very lucky and privileged as a Manager to have such conscientious 

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and dedicated staff in Shellie Wilfred and Barbra Davison and to have the amazing support of senior management and other staff at Hear Us. With Shellie and Barbra by my side, I am certain we can face whatever challenges the future may bring and continue to provide the support so desperately needed by our community. 

I am also incredibly grateful to the organisations that have funded our project enabling us to do the work that we do: The National Lottery and the City Bridge Foundation. 

Following are examples of support we can provide to our service users 

**1. Address and resolve immediate financial distress.** 


Examples of what we help our service users with: Foodbanks Vouchers Discretionary Housing Payments Utility Debt and Repayment Schemes 

## **2. Support by helping to improve financial security.** 


Examples of what we help our service users with: Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Applications Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Applications Universal Credit (UC) Applications DLA Applications Housing Benefit Applications 

_Accompanying you to your assessments and, where necessary, “Tribunals; supporting you to ask for a reconsideration if you receive an unfair DWP decision._ 

**3. Increased Social Inclusion (Inc. Access to preventative services).** Examples of what we help our service users with: Disabled Freedom Passes (Mental Health eligibility: Under SLaM, with a Care Plan) Mobility Schemes & Blue Badges Referrals and Signposting for Support from Social Inclusion Services: 

**David Ashton, Welfare Rights Advice Project Manager** Hear Us, Orchard House, 15a Purley Road, South Croydon, CR2 6EZ 

Tel: 020 8681 6888 Email: surgery@hear-us.org Website www.hear-us.org/welfare-rights 

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## MENTAL HEALTH OPEN FORUM 


The Hear Us Mental Health Open Forum is a place for service users to come together and discuss services that they access and other issues that affect them. The Forum is primarily aimed at service users, but we welcome carers, volunteers, staff and anyone with an interest in mental health to discuss the issues that affect us all. 

We have continued to run the Open Forum online, having built up a strong membership, but we know people are also keen to bring the Open Forum back in person, so we will be launching our new hybrid version (both inperson and online) in the Spring of 2023. We want to continue using a digital platform alongside the in-person forum to ensure people, who are not able to attend in person, are still able to connect, with the aim of being fully inclusive. 

This year, guest speakers have ranged from clinical leads, heads of services, and frontline workers from SLaM, Croydon University Hospital, and the ICB to name but a few. Topics have included “Croydon Health Services Section 136 Policy” and “Meet Croydon’s Community Adult Mental Health Services”. 


We have run workshops facilitated by staff **Claire Hawkes** from both statutory and voluntary mental health **Deputy CEO &** services, including “Suicide Prevention Awareness” **Forum Chair** with Brent, Wandsworth and Westminster Mind. Some of our focus groups and campaign-focused workshops have included “Keeping You Safe” with the Croydon Safeguarding Adults Board and “Free Our People Now” with Inclusion London. 


**Amy Kirk Forum Coordinator** 

Our most exciting development has been successfully recruiting a new Open Forum Coordinator. The amazing Amy joined the Hear Us staff team at the end of 2022, and has brought a whole raft of skills, experience and new ideas to help us shape and develop the Open Forum. 

Thanks to everyone involved over the past couple of years, in making our virtual Mental Health Open Forum a success, including all the guest speakers, Hear Us staff and, of course, everyone who attends and asks challenging questions to those who provide our services. 

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## **Aims of the Open Forum Project: Create Discussion:** 

To bring together the mental health community, particularly current service users of SLaM services, to discuss Croydon’s mental health and wellbeing services, accessibility, quality and development of these services. 

## **Debate & Influence:** 


To provide Croydon’s mental health community with a safe place and a chance to meet and question commissioners, the NHS South West London Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Croydon Council, and service providers, SLaM (the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust). Including other service providers, such as the Mind in Croydon, the Croydon BME Forum, APCMH and other providers of social inclusion and preventative services. (Preventative means: service that helps develop well-being and positive mental health attitude) 

## **Bringing together to meet and to network:** 


A place for the Croydon Mental health community to meet, network, and discover new opportunities that aid positive mental health and well-being, help to prevent dependency on clinical services and support people to regain self-esteem, confidence and empowerment. 

Claire Hawkes, Open Forum Chair & Amy Kirk, Open Forum Coordinator If you are interested in joining us at the Open Forum please feel free to come along or contact: Amy Kirk; Open Forum Coordinator 

Hear Us, Orchard House, 15a Purley Road, South Croydon, CR2 6EZ 

Tel: 020 8681 6888, Email: forum@hear-us.org Website: www.hear-us.org/forum Webpage: www.hear-us.org/forum/next-open-forum 

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## THE REACHOUT CHALLENGE 

The Reachout Challenge Project raises awareness of mental ill health and shares lived experiences of crisis and relapse with police from the UK and all over the world at Hendon Police College in Leatherhead on the negotiation and crisis course. Our volunteers gain confidence and improved self-esteem from sharing their experiences. 


## Decrease Stigma 

To fight stigma, prejudice and discrimination about mental illness: More than half of people with mental illness do not receive help for their mental health. Social stigma and discrimination can make mental health problems worse and stop a person from getting the help they need. 

Raise Awareness 


To raise awareness about Mental Health through education and sharing lived experiences. Raise awareness about the negative use of language and its effect on mental health; judging, labelling or discriminating can have devastating effects on people with mental ill health. 

Treating people with respect and dignity supports people in their recovery, positively affecting their own self-worth, self-esteem and confidence. 

## To Encourage 


To encourage the staff in the organisations we work with to have a more ‘open policy’ towards mental health that enables them to be able to talk about their own mental wellbeing without shame, embarrassment or stigma. People avoid seeking treatment due to concerns about being stigmatised, fears of losing their jobs and fear of being shunned by friends, colleagues and family. 


Anyone interested in finding out a bit more about getting involved or would like us to deliver a training session to your organisation, please drop me a line, and we’ll arrange to chat. 

Barbra Davison, Project Lead 

Tel: 020 8681 6888 

Email: reachout@hear-us.org 

**Barbra Davison Reachout Lead** 

Webpage: www.hear-us.org/reachout 

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## DEVELOPMENT & FUNDRAISING 

We obtained AQS (Advice Quality Standard) for our Welfare Rights Advice Project in July 2022 which involved a considerable amount of work and effort to achieve. We believe that this has acted as a catalyst to improve the way we work and the services we provide making them more effective for people who use our services. We have focused on maintaining our AQS accreditation through quarterly and annual reviews of our Welfare Rights Advice Project. This continues to be a significant overhead but we believe it is worth it as it ensures that we continually learn lessons from monitoring and feedback from our service users and implement changes where appropriate to make our services more effective for those using them. 

Fundraising has been focused on attaining grants from grant funders for two main areas: 1) Developing campaigns for systemic change in policies, practices and services  and 2) Providing vouchers to service users in response to the cost of living crisis, additional resource to support the increased demand for our Welfare Rights Advice Project and our own increased costs including rent increase. The table below shows the grant funders who have enabled us to continue to support our service users during 2022-2023. We are very grateful to all our grant funders who make it possible for us to support people with mental health challenges in Croydon. 

The Cooperative Stores funding was carried over to 2022-2023 to buy equipment for the introduction of a hybrid open forum in September 2023. This will enable service users, service providers and others to have the choice of participating either in person or online. 

We have received free consultancy and training through our grant funders to improve the services we provide and develop our staff skills and expertise. 

We received support and new ideas from the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales response forum via employee volunteering. This will include encouraging more of our members to become active volunteers and ensuring the long term financial viability of Hear Us into the next 3—5 years. 


We received continuing support from Julia Worthington of Amber Consulting via Lloyds Bank Foundation in developing our funding streams and fundraising. We received support from Anna Grey of Cornish and Grey via Lloyds Bank Foundation to improve our monitoring and evaluation and develop our plans for the development of campaigning with our service users and other stakeholders over the next 3 years. We have been working with Ed Bailey of Beeline to develop our social media presence and use of social media. 

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We are working with Equally Ours through City Bridge Foundation Trust to develop our strategic communications, in particular, ensuring we communicate more effectively with the public and raise our profile in the wider community with, for example, local businesses. 

Alongside our fundraising audit and development support we have received via our funders, we will be reviewing the most effective ways to work to ensure our service users have the right support at the right time in the right way. 

We have developed a relationship with Inclusion London, London’s pandisability forum, to address issues around disability equality, equity and inclusion, and we will working with Inclusion London to ensure that we are in practice a disability friendly organisation, accessible to all, rooted in the mental health community, providing a mechanism for all those with mental health challenges to have their say and change services for the better. 

Our work in 2023-2024 will focus on maintaining our AQS accreditation, developing our vision for the future and partnership working and identifying and obtaining funding sources to support Hear Us in the next phase of our development. 

Eleanor Yates Fundraiser and Development Manager 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Funder Service Grant Period<br>South West London ICB Core & Linkworking Apr 2023-Mar 2024<br>City Bridge Connecting Capital [Welfare Rights ] Apr 2023-Mar 2024<br>Advice Project<br>National Lottery Reaching  Welfare Rights<br>Jan 2022-Mar 2025<br>Communities Advice Project<br>Lloyds Bank Foundation for  Development and<br>Sept 2021-Aug 2023<br>England & Wales. Fundraising<br>Welfare Rights<br>National Lottery Community  Advice Project<br>Apr 2023-Mar 2024<br>Fund  - variation request increased demand<br>advice<br>National Lottery Community  Cost of Living<br>Apr 2023-Mar 2024<br>Fund  - cost of living Support<br>London Community  Welfare Rights<br>Foundation Together for  Advice Project cost  Apr 2023-Sept 2023<br>London fund of living support<br>City Bridge Bridging Divides Cost of living support Nov 2023-Mar 2023<br>Trust for London Campaigns Apr 2023-Mar 2026<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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## **Extracts of Hear Us Annual Accounts 22-23** 

|Current assets|2023|2022|
|---|---|---|
|Debtors|£244|£244|
|Cash at bank and in hand|£219,889|£201,864|
|Creditors:<br>Amounts falling due within one year|£1,796|£1,796|
|Net assets|£218,337|£200,312|
|Restricted funds|£34,686|£31,366|
|Unrestricted funds|£183,651|£168,946|
|Total Charityfunds|£218,337|£200,312|
|**HEAR US CROYDON**|||
|**FUNDERS**|**2022/23**||




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## HEAR US EQUAL OPS MONITORING 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Heara Us Equal Ops  Ethnicity Total %<br>Monitoring: These tables show  Afghanistan 4 0.2%<br>the number of people that  African 81 3.8%<br>Hear Us have supported over  Any other Asian  20 0.9%<br>period April 2022 to March  background<br>2023 Any other Black background 6 0.3%<br>Any other Black, African or<br>The sections marked  34 1.6%<br>Caribbean background<br>‘Linkworking & Forum’ are  Any Other Ethnic Group 10 0.5%<br>people who we came into  Any other Mixed  2 0.1%<br>contact with our Linkworking  background<br>Project and the Open Forum;  Any other White  36 1.7%<br>all 675* service users where  background<br>Arab 7 0.3%<br>not asked to provide us with<br>Asian 1 0.0%<br>the equal ops data, which we<br>Asian British 16 0.8%<br>will start gathering once we go<br>back to face-to-face contact  Bangladeshi 2 0.1%<br>Black African 1 0.0%<br>on wards at the Bethlem Royal<br>Black British 214 10.1%<br>Hospital and Community<br>Caribbean 81 3.8%<br>Services at Jeanette Wallace<br>Chinese 1 0.0%<br>House and  Queens Resource<br>English, Welsh, Scottish,<br>Centre.  557 26.3%<br>Northern Irish or British<br>(*estimate)  Gypsy or Irish Traveller 1 0.0%<br>ACCOMMODATION Total % Indian 25 1.2%<br>B&B 9 0.4% Irish 16 0.8%<br>Council Rent 215 10.1% Mixed Ethnic background 15 0.7%<br>Homeless 6 0.3% Not Disclosed 248 11.7%<br>Hostel 13 0.6% Pakistani 10 0.5%<br>Housing Association 310 14.6% White & Asian 13 0.6%<br>Living With Family 54 2.5% White & Black African 5 0.2%<br>Mortgaged/Owned 80 3.8% White & Black African  1 0.0%<br>Not Disclosed 565 26.6% White & Black Caribbean 39 1.8%<br>Prison 2 0.1% Linkworking 675* 31.8%<br>Private Rent 94 4.4% 2121 100.0%<br>Retirement Home 1 0.0% GENDER Total %<br>Shared Housing 7 0.3% Female 802 37.8%<br>Sofa surfing 3 0.1% Male 514 24.2%<br>Supported Accom 37 1.7% Non-binary 2 0.1%<br>Temporary Accom 49 2.3% Not Disclosed 120 5.7%<br>Woman’s refuge 1 0.0% Transgender 8 0.4%<br>Linkworking & Forum 675* 31.8% Linkworking & Forum 675* 31.8%<br>Grand Total 2121 100% Grand Total 2121 100%<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health 

19 




**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
CROYDON WARD Total % RELIGION Total %<br>Addiscombe East 30 1.4% Buddhist 2 0.1%<br>Addiscombe West 85 4.0% Catholic 75 3.5%<br>Beckenham 2 0.1% Christian 274 12.9%<br>Bensham Manor 39 1.8% Hindu 4 0.2%<br>Broad Green 45 2.1% Jainism 1 0.0%<br>Coulsdon Town 25 1.2% Jewish 2 0.1%<br>Croydon 52 2.5% Methodist 2 0.1%<br>Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood 36 1.7% Muslim 58 2.7%<br>Fairfield 72 3.4% No religion 281 13.2%<br>Homeless 3 0.1% Not Disclosed 726 34.2%<br>Kenley 13 0.6% Orthodox 2 0.1%<br>New Addington North 50 2.4% Pentecostal 1 0.0%<br>New Addington South 24 1.1% Protestant 2 0.1%<br>Norbury & Pollards Hill 28 1.3% Rastafarian 13 0.6%<br>Norbury Park 12 0.6% Sikh 1 0.0%<br>Not Disclosed 168 7.9% Spiritualist 2 0.1%<br>Old Coulsdon 22 1.0% Linkwork & Forum 675 31.8%<br>Out of Area 85 4.0% Grand Total 2121 100%<br>Park Hill & Whitgift 11 0.5%<br>AGE GROUP Total %<br>Purley & Woodcote 62 2.9%<br>- 16 2 0.1%<br>Purley Oaks & Riddlesdown 21 1.0%<br>16 - 18 4 0.2%<br>Sanderstead 14 0.7%<br>18 - 20 5 0.2%<br>Selhurst 41 1.9%<br>18 - 21 4 0.2%<br>Selsdon & Addington Village 10 0.5%<br>21 - 30 125 5.9%<br>Selsdon Vale & Forestdale 9 0.4%<br>31 - 40 189 8.9%<br>Shirley North 49 2.3%<br>41 - 50 289 13.6%<br>Shirley South 25 1.2%<br>51 - 60 351 16.5%<br>South Croydon 83 3.9%<br>61 - 70 154 7.3%<br>South Norwood 45 2.1%<br>71 - 80 29 1.4%<br>Thornton Heath 92 4.3%<br>81+ 16 0.8%<br>Waddon 79 3.7%<br>Not Disclosed 278 13.1%<br>West Thornton 60 2.8%<br>Woodside 54 2.5% Linkwork & Forum 675 31.8%<br>Linkworking & Forum 675* 31.8% Grand Total 2121 100%<br>Grand Total 2121 100%<br>MARITAL STATUS Total %<br>SEXUALITY Total % Couple 32 1.5%<br>Asexual 7 0.3% Divorced 77 3.6%<br>Bisexual 22 1.0% Married 63 3.0%<br>Gay 26 1.2% Not Disclosed 530 25.0%<br>Heterosexual 929 43.8% Separated 34 1.6%<br>Lesbian 20 0.9% Single 656 30.9%<br>Not Disclosed 442 20.8% Widowed 54 2.5%<br>Linkworking & Forum 675* 31.8% Linkwork & Forum 675* 31.8%<br>Grand Total 2121 100% Grand Total 2121 100%<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health 

20 



## BECOME A MEMBER OF HEAR US 

- **We represent the views of people that use mental health services in Croydon to service providers and commissioners.** 

- **We contribute to the local mental health promotion agenda, and promote positive mental health within the local community.** 

- **We promote mutual respect and equality of rights and opportunities, regardless of disability, with particular reference to local mental health service users and service survivors.** 

- **We actively campaign with users on issues raised by users themselves and actively oppose discrimination against service users in Croydon for improvements in local mental health services.** 

- **We reach out to all service users to encourage and support participation in the Open Forum.** 

- **We offer service users a communication platform for the constructive exchange of ideas on issues affecting them.** 

**We provide a wide range of information about local and national services and up and coming issues that concern users of mental health services in Croydon. Support Hear Us and get involved in the work Hear Us does in all sorts of ways. There’s no pressure to do anything, but if you are keen to take action we’ll support you every step of the way. Potential opportunities include:** 

- **Becoming a Peer Support Worker with the Linkworking Project and supporting other service users whilst helping to improve our mental health services.** 

- **Coming along to our monthly Open Forums to join our campaigns to have your voice heard.** 

- **Joining our Reachout Challenge Volunteers and help fight sigma and discrimination.** 

- **Helping to fundraise to support the work of Hear Us.** 

**Supporting Hear Us is suitable for people with a mental illness, parents or carers and professionals living or working in the London Borough of Croydon. You’ll receive regular invites to our events exactly how you wish to receive them, either through regular mail or email.... You choose.** 

Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health 

21 



## BECOME A MEMBER OF HEAR US 

**I am a resident in London Borough of Croydon** 

**Have a recognisable interest in mental health service user issues in Croydon** 

**Have had emotional, or psychological problems, or, some form of mental illness** 

**Name:** 

**Address:** 

**Tel: Email: Age & DOB: Gender: Marital Status: Sexuality: Ethnicity: Religion:** 

**Disability:** 

**Please tick how you wish to receive correspondence Post Email Phone Mobile Text** 

**Hear Us will not use the information you provide for anything other than distribution of invitations to meetings.** 

**I would like to become a member of Hear Us, and to receive information about local mental health services Please read the form thoroughly and check that the information you have provided is correct before signing.** 

**Signature:** 

Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health 

22 



**SUPPORT THE GOOD WORK HEAR US DOES BY DONATING AS LITTLE AS £5OR MORE!A MONTH AND HELP US PROVIDE ACCESS TO FINANCIAL, HEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION SUPPORT** 

**HEAR US CROYDON** www.hear-us.org/donate SCAN QR CODE TO DONATE & SUPPORT 



**Our Mission: to promote, educate, communicate and empower, for the benefit and interest of people affected by mental health issues** 

**Hear Us LINKWORKING PROJECTOrchard House, 15a Purley Road WELFARE SURGERIES PROJECTSouth Croydon CR2 6EZ SERVICE USER OPEN FORUM REACHOUT CHALLENGE020 8681 6888 info@hear-us.org LINKWORKING PROJECT www.hear-us.org WELFARE SURGERIES PROJECTwww.guide-hear-us.org SE** ~~**RVIC**~~ **E USER OPEN FORUM** ~~**REACHOU**~~ **T CHALLENGE** ~~**LINKWOR**~~ **KING PROJECT** ~~**WELFARE**~~ **SURGERIES PROJECT SE** ~~**RVICE U**~~ **SER OPEN FORUM REACHOUT CHALLENGE** 



**COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 06891337 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1135535** 

## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee Unaudited Financial Statements** 

**31 March 2023** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Financial Statements** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' annual report (incorporating the director's report)|**1**|
|Independent examiner's report to the trustees|**4**|
|Statement of financial activities (including income and||
|expenditure account)|**6**|
|Statement of financial position|**7**|
|Notes to the financial statements|**9**|





**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. 

## **Reference and administrative details** 

**Registered charity name** Hear Us **Charity registration number** 1135535 **Company registration number** 06891337 **Principal office and registered** Orchard House, **office** 15a Purley Road, South Croydon CR2 6EZ 

## **The trustees** 

Cassandra Austin Abeline Greene Josh Baker-Mendoza Niall Eugene Mcveigh Jacqueline Ashton Millicent Isola Reid (Appointed 21 July 2022) Ruth Govan (Retired 21 July 2022) Jonathan Weller (Retired 29 September 2022) **Company secretary** Abeline Greene 

## **Company secretary** 

## **Accountants** 

Axis Accountants Ltd T/as Mitchell Rodrigues & Co Chartered accountant Suite 14, Zeal House, 8, Deer Park Road London SW19 3GY 

**- 1 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **Structure, governance and management** 

## Formation 

Hear Us has been running since 4th October 2001 as a not for profit organisation in Croydon and on 15th April 2010 the Management Committee registered Hear Us with the Charity Commission for charity status (No. 1135535) to give Hear Us a more independent and stronger voice in the community. 

## Management 

The constitution in the original form was adopted by resolution at the AGM held on the 27th May 2004. Amendments to the constitution were adopted by resolution at the EGM held on 1st July 2008. 

The Management Committee are the Board of Trustees and are listed above. They include a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and the Chief Executive Officer Tim Oldham. The Committee has the power to co-opt members as and when they deem it necessary. The Board of Trustees are responsible for the day to day running of Hear Us and have a responsibility to report to the funders, charity commission and other stakeholders whenever the need arises. 

## **Objectives and activities** 

The objectives of Hear Us are: 

To relieve the needs of people living in the London Borough of Croydon and surrounding areas who have mental health problems by provision of services and advice. 

To advance education about mental health for public benefit in the London Borough of Croydon and surrounding areas with the object of creating awareness and reducing the stigma attached to mental health. 

## **Achievements and performance** 

Hear Us supports people who have enduring and severe mental illness in Croydon. Many live alone in rented accommodation. Croydon is the most deprived of the six Southern Region boroughs with the highest proportions of black and minority ethnic groups in South London. 

We report all our project outcomes to all funders and share our findings with the South West London Integrated Care Board (SWL ICB) and with senior stakeholder meetings across Croydon. We have continued to contribute and represent the voice of Croydon’s mental health community in the development, planning and commissioning of mental health services. 

## **Welfare Surgeries:** 

We have continued to support our service users in applying and maintaining and renewing their welfare benefits and disability claims. This has involved hand holding through the whole process, a long ordeal for many. The majority of claims we support are Personal Independence Payments (PIP). 

The feedback we receive is that many people with mental ill health would give up on their disability benefit claims due to anxiety and the pressure of making and constantly renewing claims. 

Without our support, there would be far fewer successful claims awarded. There would be more people with mental ill health with increased poverty and homelessness. From our experience, because the welfare system is structured to reject claims based on mental ill health, far more people would relapse, self-harm, and be hospitalised, and there would be more death by suicide. 

**- 2 -** 



We help our service users with the Cost of Living impacts. We provide access to foodbanks. For a sixmonth period, April to September 2023, we were awarded £10000 by London Community Foundation to give out supermarket vouchers of which £6600 was given in vouchers to our clients. Our Welfare Surgeries Project aims to educate our service users to make and maintain their benefit claims, including understanding what the claim form questions mean when comparing them to the client’s ill health and their daily needs and struggles. 

We have continued to support people with mobility problems to successfully apply for mobility schemes such as Freedom Passes and Blue Badges. With Croydon Council's financial situation, they are rejecting far more claims, restricting Freedom Passes to people under the care of a Care Coordinator while South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM) is reducing numbers under their care. The impact on a person with mental ill health is that is leads to decreased social interaction and increased social exclusion and isolation. 

## **Linkworking Project:** 

We have been running the Linkworking Project since 2007 to engage and support people with mental ill health in Croydon’s inpatient wards at the Royal Bethlem Hospital (RBH) and Croydon’s mental health community services, Jeanette Wallace House (JWH) and Queens Resource Centre (QRC) 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued to support service users through a virtual platform, checking in with them every week remotely working with our service users by using iPads. Working with SLaM service leads, we returned to face-to-face Linkworking at JWH but was soon followed by QRC. In June, we finally returned to the wards at the Bethlem. 

We enable people in crisis to have their voices heard and express their concerns about the treatment and care they receive. We enable greater access to available services on the wards and improve services to ensure a better chance of recovery from severe mental ill health. 

Our goal is to support service users to develop confidence and self-belief, feel empowered through positive discussion, and reduce stigma and discrimination of mental ill health. 

## **Open Forum:** 

The Open Forum brings together the mental health community, particularly current service users of SLaM services, to discuss Croydon’s mental health and wellbeing services, accessibility, quality and development of these services. They can meet, network, and discover new opportunities that aid positive mental health and wellbeing, help to prevent dependency on clinical services and support people to regain self-esteem, confidence and empowerment. 

For many, expressing their voice in the forum empowers and aids in raising self-esteem and confidence. We continued to provide an accessible online open forum during the past 3 years to enable housebound people who may be agoraphobic, have high anxiety about crowds or prefer online meetings and will be providing a hybrid open forum in the future. 

## **Reachout Challenge** 

The Reachout Challenge Project raises awareness of mental ill health and shares lived experiences of crisis and relapse with police from the UK are all over the world at Hendon Police College on the negotiation and crisis course. Our volunteers gain confidence and improved self-esteem from sharing their experiences. 

We also attended Croydon Pride and Mela, where we held a stall to meet the public and discuss mental illness and Croydon's services. 

**- 2 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **Financial review** 

## Reserves Policy 

Hear Us endeavours to maintain reserves equivalent to a minimum of 6 months costs at all times. For the financial year 2023/24 this will be approximately £140,000. These should be held in bank accounts with easy withdrawal facilities. 

## Risk Management 

The Board of Trustees have identified and reviewed the major risks facing Hear Us and systems have been established to mitigate them. Lack of financial resources to cover expenditure is recognised as the main concern, together with the need to protect our reputation and ensure that all regulatory requirements are adhered to. Measures to reduce risk in these areas include: 

Review of the Service Level Agreement with Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Annual Review of events. Regular Committee meetings including Financial Report (current & projected, Charity Chief Executive Officer Reports and a review of fundraising activities. Formation of a fundraising committee who are required to report on all plans and activities to the Board of Trustees. Regular liaison with officers of the Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group. Continuation of staff training programmes. 

## **Small company provisions** 

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption. 

The trustees' annual report was approved on 19[th] September 2023. and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by: 


Jacqueline Ashton Trustee 


Abeline Greene Charity Secretary 

**- 3 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Hear Us** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 March 2023, which comprise the statement of financial activities, statement of financial position and the related notes. 

## **Respective and basis of report** 

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). 

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. 

## **Independent examiner's statement** 

The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. 

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: 

- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or 

- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or 

- the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 

**- 4 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Hear Us** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 

AXIS ACCOUNTANTS LTD Chartered Certified Accountants 

Suite 14, Zeal House, 8, Deer Park Road London SW19 3GY 

**- 5 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Statement of Financial Activities (including income and expenditure account)** 

## **31 March 2023** 

||**31**|**March 2023**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**2023**|2022|
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|||
|||funds|funds|**Total funds**|Total funds|
||**Note**|**£**|**£**|**£**|£|
|**Income and endowments**||||||
|Donations and legacies|**5**|136,084|124,849|**260,933**|244,729|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total income**||136,084|124,849|**260,933**|244,729|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
|**Expenditure**||||||
|Expenditure on charitable activities|**6,7**|(119,911)|(121,529)|**(241,440)**|(179,134)|
|Other expenditure|**8**|(1,468)|–|**(1,468)**|(1,870)|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total expenditure**||(121,379)|(121,529)|**(242,908)**|(181,004)|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Net income and net movement in**|**funds**|14,705|3,320|**18,025**|63,725|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
|**Reconciliation of funds**||||||
|Total funds brought forward||168,946|31,366|**200,312**|136,587|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total funds carried forward**||183,651|34,686|**218,337**|200,311|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|



The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. 

**The notes on pages 9 to 14 form part of these financial statements.** 

**- 6 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Statement of Financial Position** 

## **31 March 2023** 

|||**2023**||2022|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|**£**|£|
|**Current assets**|||||
|Debtors|**14**|**244**||244|
|Cash at bank and in hand||**219,889**||201,864|
|||`─────────`||`─────────`|
|||**220,133**||202,108|
|**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**|**15**|**1,796**||1,796|
|||`─────────`||`─────────`|
|**Net current assets**|||**218,337**|200,312|
||||`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total assets less current liabilities**|||**218,337**|200,312|
||||`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Net assets**|||**218,337**|200,312|
||||`═════════`|`═════════`|
|**Funds of the charity**|||||
|Restricted funds|||**34,686**|31,366|
|Unrestricted funds|||**183,651**|168,946|
|||`─────────`||`─────────`|
|**Total unrestricted funds**||**183,651**||168,946|
||||`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total charity funds**|**16**||**218,337**|200,312|
||||`═════════`|`═════════`|



For the year ending 31 March 2023 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. 

Trustees responsibilities: 

- The shareholders have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476; 

- The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements. 

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime. 

These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 19[th] September 2023, and are signed on behalf of the board by: 


Jacqueline Ashton Trustee 

## **COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 06891337** 

**The notes on pages 9 to 14 form part of these financial statements.** 

**- 7 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Statement of Cash Flows** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

||**2023**|2022|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|£|
|**Cash flows from operating activities**|||
|Net income|**18,025**|63,725|
|_Adjustments for:_|||
|Accrued expenses|**–**|114|
|_Changes in:_|||
|Trade and other debtors|**–**|(18)|
||`────────`|`────────`|
|Cash generated from operations|**18,025**|63,821|
||`────────`|`────────`|
|Net cash from operating activities|**18,025**|63,821|
||`════════`|`════════`|
|**Net increase in cash and cash equivalents**|**18,025**|63,821|
|**Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year**|**201,864**|138,043|
||`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Cash and cash equivalents at end of year**|**219,889**|201,864|
||`═════════`|`═════════`|



**The notes on pages 9 to 14 form part of these financial statements.** 

**- 8 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **1. General information** 

The charity is a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales and a registered charity in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is Orchard House,, 15a Purley Road,, South Croydon, CR2 6EZ. 

## **2. Statement of compliance** 

These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland', the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Charities Act 2011. 

## **3. Accounting policies** 

Hear Us was commissioned to contribute to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Community Strategy aim of the London Borough of Croydon, to involve service users in the assessment of need, planning, selection of providers and monitoring of services. All material incoming resources from this service level agreement between Hear Us as the provider and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) as the Commissioner, have been included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. 

## **Basis of preparation** 

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure. 

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity. 

## **Going concern** 

There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue. 

## **Foreign currencies** 

Foreign currency transactions are initially recorded in the functional currency, by applying the spot exchange rate as at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the exchange rate ruling at the reporting date, with any gains or losses being taken to the statement of financial activities. 

## **Fund accounting** 

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes. 

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future project or commitment. 

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal, and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds. 

**- 9 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **3. Accounting policies** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Incoming resources** 

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income: 

- income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably. 

- legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established. 

- income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers. 

- income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted. 

## **Resources expended** 

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates: 

- expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, noncharitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods. 

- expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities. 

- other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities. 

All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis. 

## **Depreciation** 

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost or valuation of an asset, less its residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows: 

- 25% reducing balance 

**- 10 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **4. Limited by guarantee** 

The charity is also registered with Companies House as a private company limited by Guarantee without share capital 

## **5. Donations and legacies** 

||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total Funds**|
|---|---|---|---|
||Funds|Funds|**2023**|
||£|£|**£**|
|**Donations**||||
|Donations|1,335|–|**1,335**|
|**Grants**||||
|Maudsley Trust|–|–|**–**|
|Reach Out Challenge|–|1,050|**1,050**|
|NHS Croydon SLA|106,999|–|**106,999**|
|City Bridge|–|54,431|**54,431**|
|Covid 19 - London Community Fund: Welfare||||
|surgeries|–|–|**–**|
|The National Lottery|–|69,368|**69,368**|
|**Sponsorship**||||
|Croydon Eagles: 5 Float Head at Office|–|–|**–**|
|Grants:5 Lloyds Foundation|27,750|–|**27,750**|
||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
||136,084|124,849|**260,933**|
||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total Funds|
||Funds|Funds|2022|
||£|£|£|
|**Donations**||||
|Donations|6,721|–|6,721|
|**Grants**||||
|Maudsley Trust|184|13,100|13,284|
|Reach Out Challenge|1,400|–|1,400|
|NHS Croydon SLA|106,999|–|106,999|
|City Bridge|–|36,000|36,000|
|Covid 19 - London Community Fund: Welfare||||
|surgeries|–|20,768|20,768|
|The National Lottery|–|34,203|34,203|
|**Sponsorship**||||
|Croydon Eagles: 5 Float Head at Office|354|–|354|
|Grants:5 Lloyds Foundation|25,000|–|25,000|
||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
||140,658|104,071|244,729|
||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|



**- 11 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **6. Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type** 

|||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total Funds**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||Funds|Funds|**2023**|
|||£|£|**£**|
|Reachout Challenge||–|147|**147**|
|Deputy CEO Costs||–|32,985|**32,985**|
|Travel & Subsistence||–|–|**–**|
|Linkworking||24,035|–|**24,035**|
|Hear Us Guide||–|6,739|**6,739**|
|Croydon Eagles||–|2,778|**2,778**|
|Open Forum Meetings||–|5,448|**5,448**|
|Welfare Surgery||–|73,579|**73,432**|
|Support costs||95,876|–|**95,876**|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|||119,911|121,529|**241,440**|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total Funds|
|||Funds|Funds|2022|
|||£|£|£|
|Reachout Challenge||–|–|–|
|Deputy CEO Costs||–|–|–|
|Travel & Subsistence||17|–|17|
|Linkworking||30,632|–|30,632|
|Hear Us Guide||–|–|–|
|Croydon Eagles||–|–|–|
|Open Forum Meetings||–|–|–|
|Welfare Surgery||217|58,915|59,132|
|Support costs||67,963|21,391|89,353|
|||`────────`|`────────`|`─────────`|
|||98,829|80,306|179,134|
|||`════════`|`════════`|`═════════`|
|**Expenditure on charitable**|**activities by activity type**||||
||Activities||**Total funds**|Total fund|
||undertaken directly|Support costs|**2023**|2022|
||£|£|**£**|£|
|Reachout Challenge|147|–|**147**|–|
|Deputy CEO Costs|32,985|–|**32,985**|–|
|Travel & Subsistence|–|–|**–**|17|
|Linkworking|24,035|–|**24,035**|30,632|
|Hear Us Guide|6,739|–|**6,739**|–|
|Croydon Eagles|2,778|–|**2,778**|–|
|Open Forum Meetings|5,448|607|**6,055**|2,297|
|Welfare Surgery|73,432|–|**73,432**|59,132|
|Governance costs|–|95,269|**95,269**|87,056|
||`─────────`|`────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
||145,564|95,876|**241,440**|179,134|
||`═════════`|`════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|



## **7. Expenditure on charitable activities by activity type** 

**- 12 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **8. Other expenditure** 

|||Unrestricted|**Total Funds**|Unrestricted|Total Funds|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||Funds|**2023**|Funds|2022|
|||£|**£**|£|£|
||Sundries|–|**–**|53|53|
||Christmas Social|870|**870**|970|970|
||Staff Welfare|190|**190**|768|768|
||Subscriptions|408|**408**|79|79|
|||`───────`|`───────`|`───────`|`───────`|
|||1,468|**1,468**|1,870|1,870|
|||`═══════`|`═══════`|`═══════`|`═══════`|
|**9.**|**Net income**|||||
||Net income is stated after charging/(crediting):|||||
|||||**2023**|2022|
|||||**£**|£|
||Operating lease rentals|||**8,000**|7,973|
|||||`═══════`|`═══════`|
|**10.**|**Independent examination fees**|||||
|||||**2023**|2022|
|||||**£**|£|
||Fees payable to the independent examiner for:|||||
||Independent examination of the financial statements|||**1,494**<br>`═══════`|1,494<br>`═══════`|



## **11. Staff costs** 

The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows: 

||**2023**|2022|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|£|
|Wages and salaries|**159,466**|88,056|
|Social security costs|**2,338**|605|
|Employer contributions to pension plans|**1,987**|1,963|
|Other employee benefits|**6,864**|7,365|
||`─────────`|`────────`|
||**170,655**|97,989|
||`═════════`|`════════`|



The average head count of employees during the year was 8 (2022: 8). 

No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2022: Nil). 

## **12. Trustee remuneration and expenses** 

No remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees. 

**- 13 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **13. Tangible fixed assets** 

||||**Equipment**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**£**|
||**Cost**|||
||**At 1 Apr 2022 and 31 Mar 2023**||**663**|
||||`════`|
||**Depreciation**|||
||**At 1 Apr 2022 and 31 Mar 2023**||**663**|
||||`════`|
||**Carrying amount**|||
||**At 31 March 2023**||**–**|
||||`════`|
|**14.**|**Debtors**|||
|||**2023**|2022|
|||**£**|£|
||Trade debtors|**79**|79|
||Other debtors|**165**|165|
|||`────`|`────`|
|||**244**|244|
|||`════`|`════`|
|**15.**|**Creditors:** **amounts falling due within one year**|||
|||**2023**|2022|
|||**£**|£|
||Other creditors|**1,796**|1,796|
|||`═══════`|`═══════`|



## **16. Analysis of charitable funds** 

## **Unrestricted funds** 

|**Unrestricted funds**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Unrestricted Fund<br>Unrestricted Fund|At<br>1 April 2022<br>£<br>168,946<br>At<br>1 April 2021<br>£<br>128,987|Income<br>£<br>136,084<br>Income<br>£<br>140,658|Expenditure<br>£<br>(121,379)<br>Expenditure<br>£<br>(100,699)|**At 31 March 2023**<br>**£**<br>**183,651**|
|||||**At 31 March 2022**<br>**£**<br>**168,946**|



**- 14 -** 



## **Restricted funds** 

|Welfare Surgeries<br>Project<br>Croydon Eagles<br>Deputy CEO<br>Reachout Challenge<br>Hear Us Guide<br>Open Forum<br>Welfare Surgeries<br>Project<br>Croydon Eagles<br>Deputy CEO<br>Reachout Challenge<br>Hear Us Guide<br>Open Forum|At<br>1 April 2022<br>£<br>2,421<br>3,699<br>12,425<br>-<br>7,020<br>5,801<br>31,366<br>At<br>1 April 2021<br>£<br>7,600<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>7,600|Income<br>£<br>89,846<br>-<br>33,953<br>1,050<br>-<br>-<br>124,849<br>Income<br>£<br>59,700<br>5,948<br>16,734<br>-<br>15,888<br>5,801<br>104,071|Expenditure<br>£<br>(73,579)<br>(2,778)<br>(32,985)<br>(147)<br>(6,739)<br>(5,448)<br>(121,676)<br>Expenditure<br>£<br>(64,879)<br>(2,249)<br>(4,310)<br>-<br>(8,868)<br>-<br>(80,306)|**At 31 March 2023**<br>**£**<br>**18,688**<br>**921**<br>**13,393**<br>**903**<br>**281**<br>**353**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**34,539**|
|||||**At 31 March 2022**<br>**£**<br>**2,421**<br>**3,699**<br>**12,425**<br>**-**<br>**7,020**<br>**5,801**|
|||||**31,366**|



**- 14 -** 



**COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 06891337 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1135535** 

## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee Unaudited Financial Statements** 

**31 March 2023** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Financial Statements** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' annual report (incorporating the director's report)|**1**|
|Independent examiner's report to the trustees|**4**|
|Statement of financial activities (including income and||
|expenditure account)|**6**|
|Statement of financial position|**7**|
|Notes to the financial statements|**9**|





**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. 

## **Reference and administrative details** 

**Registered charity name** Hear Us **Charity registration number** 1135535 **Company registration number** 06891337 **Principal office and registered** Orchard House, **office** 15a Purley Road, South Croydon CR2 6EZ 

## **The trustees** 

Cassandra Austin Abeline Greene Josh Baker-Mendoza Niall Eugene Mcveigh Jacqueline Ashton Millicent Isola Reid (Appointed 21 July 2022) Ruth Govan (Retired 21 July 2022) Jonathan Weller (Retired 29 September 2022) **Company secretary** Abeline Greene 

## **Company secretary** 

## **Accountants** 

Axis Accountants Ltd T/as Mitchell Rodrigues & Co Chartered accountant Suite 14, Zeal House, 8, Deer Park Road London SW19 3GY 

**- 1 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **Structure, governance and management** 

## Formation 

Hear Us has been running since 4th October 2001 as a not for profit organisation in Croydon and on 15th April 2010 the Management Committee registered Hear Us with the Charity Commission for charity status (No. 1135535) to give Hear Us a more independent and stronger voice in the community. 

## Management 

The constitution in the original form was adopted by resolution at the AGM held on the 27th May 2004. Amendments to the constitution were adopted by resolution at the EGM held on 1st July 2008. 

The Management Committee are the Board of Trustees and are listed above. They include a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and the Chief Executive Officer Tim Oldham. The Committee has the power to co-opt members as and when they deem it necessary. The Board of Trustees are responsible for the day to day running of Hear Us and have a responsibility to report to the funders, charity commission and other stakeholders whenever the need arises. 

## **Objectives and activities** 

The objectives of Hear Us are: 

To relieve the needs of people living in the London Borough of Croydon and surrounding areas who have mental health problems by provision of services and advice. 

To advance education about mental health for public benefit in the London Borough of Croydon and surrounding areas with the object of creating awareness and reducing the stigma attached to mental health. 

## **Achievements and performance** 

Hear Us supports people who have enduring and severe mental illness in Croydon. Many live alone in rented accommodation. Croydon is the most deprived of the six Southern Region boroughs with the highest proportions of black and minority ethnic groups in South London. 

We report all our project outcomes to all funders and share our findings with the South West London Integrated Care Board (SWL ICB) and with senior stakeholder meetings across Croydon. We have continued to contribute and represent the voice of Croydon’s mental health community in the development, planning and commissioning of mental health services. 

## **Welfare Surgeries:** 

We have continued to support our service users in applying and maintaining and renewing their welfare benefits and disability claims. This has involved hand holding through the whole process, a long ordeal for many. The majority of claims we support are Personal Independence Payments (PIP). 

The feedback we receive is that many people with mental ill health would give up on their disability benefit claims due to anxiety and the pressure of making and constantly renewing claims. 

Without our support, there would be far fewer successful claims awarded. There would be more people with mental ill health with increased poverty and homelessness. From our experience, because the welfare system is structured to reject claims based on mental ill health, far more people would relapse, self-harm, and be hospitalised, and there would be more death by suicide. 

**- 2 -** 



We help our service users with the Cost of Living impacts. We provide access to foodbanks. For a sixmonth period, April to September 2023, we were awarded £10000 by London Community Foundation to give out supermarket vouchers of which £6600 was given in vouchers to our clients. Our Welfare Surgeries Project aims to educate our service users to make and maintain their benefit claims, including understanding what the claim form questions mean when comparing them to the client’s ill health and their daily needs and struggles. 

We have continued to support people with mobility problems to successfully apply for mobility schemes such as Freedom Passes and Blue Badges. With Croydon Council's financial situation, they are rejecting far more claims, restricting Freedom Passes to people under the care of a Care Coordinator while South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM) is reducing numbers under their care. The impact on a person with mental ill health is that is leads to decreased social interaction and increased social exclusion and isolation. 

## **Linkworking Project:** 

We have been running the Linkworking Project since 2007 to engage and support people with mental ill health in Croydon’s inpatient wards at the Royal Bethlem Hospital (RBH) and Croydon’s mental health community services, Jeanette Wallace House (JWH) and Queens Resource Centre (QRC) 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued to support service users through a virtual platform, checking in with them every week remotely working with our service users by using iPads. Working with SLaM service leads, we returned to face-to-face Linkworking at JWH but was soon followed by QRC. In June, we finally returned to the wards at the Bethlem. 

We enable people in crisis to have their voices heard and express their concerns about the treatment and care they receive. We enable greater access to available services on the wards and improve services to ensure a better chance of recovery from severe mental ill health. 

Our goal is to support service users to develop confidence and self-belief, feel empowered through positive discussion, and reduce stigma and discrimination of mental ill health. 

## **Open Forum:** 

The Open Forum brings together the mental health community, particularly current service users of SLaM services, to discuss Croydon’s mental health and wellbeing services, accessibility, quality and development of these services. They can meet, network, and discover new opportunities that aid positive mental health and wellbeing, help to prevent dependency on clinical services and support people to regain self-esteem, confidence and empowerment. 

For many, expressing their voice in the forum empowers and aids in raising self-esteem and confidence. We continued to provide an accessible online open forum during the past 3 years to enable housebound people who may be agoraphobic, have high anxiety about crowds or prefer online meetings and will be providing a hybrid open forum in the future. 

## **Reachout Challenge** 

The Reachout Challenge Project raises awareness of mental ill health and shares lived experiences of crisis and relapse with police from the UK are all over the world at Hendon Police College on the negotiation and crisis course. Our volunteers gain confidence and improved self-esteem from sharing their experiences. 

We also attended Croydon Pride and Mela, where we held a stall to meet the public and discuss mental illness and Croydon's services. 

**- 2 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **Financial review** 

## Reserves Policy 

Hear Us endeavours to maintain reserves equivalent to a minimum of 6 months costs at all times. For the financial year 2023/24 this will be approximately £140,000. These should be held in bank accounts with easy withdrawal facilities. 

## Risk Management 

The Board of Trustees have identified and reviewed the major risks facing Hear Us and systems have been established to mitigate them. Lack of financial resources to cover expenditure is recognised as the main concern, together with the need to protect our reputation and ensure that all regulatory requirements are adhered to. Measures to reduce risk in these areas include: 

Review of the Service Level Agreement with Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Annual Review of events. Regular Committee meetings including Financial Report (current & projected, Charity Chief Executive Officer Reports and a review of fundraising activities. Formation of a fundraising committee who are required to report on all plans and activities to the Board of Trustees. Regular liaison with officers of the Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group. Continuation of staff training programmes. 

## **Small company provisions** 

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption. 

The trustees' annual report was approved on 19[th] September 2023. and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by: 


Jacqueline Ashton Trustee 


Abeline Greene Charity Secretary 

**- 3 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Hear Us** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 March 2023, which comprise the statement of financial activities, statement of financial position and the related notes. 

## **Respective and basis of report** 

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). 

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. 

## **Independent examiner's statement** 

The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. 

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: 

- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or 

- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or 

- the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 

**- 4 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Hear Us** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 

AXIS ACCOUNTANTS LTD Chartered Certified Accountants 

Suite 14, Zeal House, 8, Deer Park Road London SW19 3GY 

**- 5 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Statement of Financial Activities (including income and expenditure account)** 

## **31 March 2023** 

||**31**|**March 2023**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**2023**|2022|
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|||
|||funds|funds|**Total funds**|Total funds|
||**Note**|**£**|**£**|**£**|£|
|**Income and endowments**||||||
|Donations and legacies|**5**|136,084|124,849|**260,933**|244,729|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total income**||136,084|124,849|**260,933**|244,729|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
|**Expenditure**||||||
|Expenditure on charitable activities|**6,7**|(119,911)|(121,529)|**(241,440)**|(179,134)|
|Other expenditure|**8**|(1,468)|–|**(1,468)**|(1,870)|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total expenditure**||(121,379)|(121,529)|**(242,908)**|(181,004)|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Net income and net movement in**|**funds**|14,705|3,320|**18,025**|63,725|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
|**Reconciliation of funds**||||||
|Total funds brought forward||168,946|31,366|**200,312**|136,587|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total funds carried forward**||183,651|34,686|**218,337**|200,311|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|



The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. 

**The notes on pages 9 to 14 form part of these financial statements.** 

**- 6 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Statement of Financial Position** 

## **31 March 2023** 

|||**2023**||2022|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|**£**|£|
|**Current assets**|||||
|Debtors|**14**|**244**||244|
|Cash at bank and in hand||**219,889**||201,864|
|||`─────────`||`─────────`|
|||**220,133**||202,108|
|**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**|**15**|**1,796**||1,796|
|||`─────────`||`─────────`|
|**Net current assets**|||**218,337**|200,312|
||||`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total assets less current liabilities**|||**218,337**|200,312|
||||`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Net assets**|||**218,337**|200,312|
||||`═════════`|`═════════`|
|**Funds of the charity**|||||
|Restricted funds|||**34,686**|31,366|
|Unrestricted funds|||**183,651**|168,946|
|||`─────────`||`─────────`|
|**Total unrestricted funds**||**183,651**||168,946|
||||`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Total charity funds**|**16**||**218,337**|200,312|
||||`═════════`|`═════════`|



For the year ending 31 March 2023 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. 

Trustees responsibilities: 

- The shareholders have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476; 

- The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements. 

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime. 

These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 19[th] September 2023, and are signed on behalf of the board by: 


Jacqueline Ashton Trustee 

## **COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 06891337** 

**The notes on pages 9 to 14 form part of these financial statements.** 

**- 7 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Statement of Cash Flows** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

||**2023**|2022|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|£|
|**Cash flows from operating activities**|||
|Net income|**18,025**|63,725|
|_Adjustments for:_|||
|Accrued expenses|**–**|114|
|_Changes in:_|||
|Trade and other debtors|**–**|(18)|
||`────────`|`────────`|
|Cash generated from operations|**18,025**|63,821|
||`────────`|`────────`|
|Net cash from operating activities|**18,025**|63,821|
||`════════`|`════════`|
|**Net increase in cash and cash equivalents**|**18,025**|63,821|
|**Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year**|**201,864**|138,043|
||`─────────`|`─────────`|
|**Cash and cash equivalents at end of year**|**219,889**|201,864|
||`═════════`|`═════════`|



**The notes on pages 9 to 14 form part of these financial statements.** 

**- 8 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **1. General information** 

The charity is a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales and a registered charity in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is Orchard House,, 15a Purley Road,, South Croydon, CR2 6EZ. 

## **2. Statement of compliance** 

These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland', the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Charities Act 2011. 

## **3. Accounting policies** 

Hear Us was commissioned to contribute to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Community Strategy aim of the London Borough of Croydon, to involve service users in the assessment of need, planning, selection of providers and monitoring of services. All material incoming resources from this service level agreement between Hear Us as the provider and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) as the Commissioner, have been included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. 

## **Basis of preparation** 

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure. 

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity. 

## **Going concern** 

There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue. 

## **Foreign currencies** 

Foreign currency transactions are initially recorded in the functional currency, by applying the spot exchange rate as at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the exchange rate ruling at the reporting date, with any gains or losses being taken to the statement of financial activities. 

## **Fund accounting** 

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes. 

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future project or commitment. 

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal, and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds. 

**- 9 -** 



**Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **3. Accounting policies** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Incoming resources** 

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income: 

- income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably. 

- legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established. 

- income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers. 

- income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted. 

## **Resources expended** 

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates: 

- expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, noncharitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods. 

- expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities. 

- other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities. 

All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis. 

## **Depreciation** 

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost or valuation of an asset, less its residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows: 

- 25% reducing balance 

**- 10 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **4. Limited by guarantee** 

The charity is also registered with Companies House as a private company limited by Guarantee without share capital 

## **5. Donations and legacies** 

||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total Funds**|
|---|---|---|---|
||Funds|Funds|**2023**|
||£|£|**£**|
|**Donations**||||
|Donations|1,335|–|**1,335**|
|**Grants**||||
|Maudsley Trust|–|–|**–**|
|Reach Out Challenge|–|1,050|**1,050**|
|NHS Croydon SLA|106,999|–|**106,999**|
|City Bridge|–|54,431|**54,431**|
|Covid 19 - London Community Fund: Welfare||||
|surgeries|–|–|**–**|
|The National Lottery|–|69,368|**69,368**|
|**Sponsorship**||||
|Croydon Eagles: 5 Float Head at Office|–|–|**–**|
|Grants:5 Lloyds Foundation|27,750|–|**27,750**|
||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
||136,084|124,849|**260,933**|
||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total Funds|
||Funds|Funds|2022|
||£|£|£|
|**Donations**||||
|Donations|6,721|–|6,721|
|**Grants**||||
|Maudsley Trust|184|13,100|13,284|
|Reach Out Challenge|1,400|–|1,400|
|NHS Croydon SLA|106,999|–|106,999|
|City Bridge|–|36,000|36,000|
|Covid 19 - London Community Fund: Welfare||||
|surgeries|–|20,768|20,768|
|The National Lottery|–|34,203|34,203|
|**Sponsorship**||||
|Croydon Eagles: 5 Float Head at Office|354|–|354|
|Grants:5 Lloyds Foundation|25,000|–|25,000|
||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
||140,658|104,071|244,729|
||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|



**- 11 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **6. Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type** 

|||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total Funds**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||Funds|Funds|**2023**|
|||£|£|**£**|
|Reachout Challenge||–|147|**147**|
|Deputy CEO Costs||–|32,985|**32,985**|
|Travel & Subsistence||–|–|**–**|
|Linkworking||24,035|–|**24,035**|
|Hear Us Guide||–|6,739|**6,739**|
|Croydon Eagles||–|2,778|**2,778**|
|Open Forum Meetings||–|5,448|**5,448**|
|Welfare Surgery||–|73,579|**73,432**|
|Support costs||95,876|–|**95,876**|
|||`─────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
|||119,911|121,529|**241,440**|
|||`═════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total Funds|
|||Funds|Funds|2022|
|||£|£|£|
|Reachout Challenge||–|–|–|
|Deputy CEO Costs||–|–|–|
|Travel & Subsistence||17|–|17|
|Linkworking||30,632|–|30,632|
|Hear Us Guide||–|–|–|
|Croydon Eagles||–|–|–|
|Open Forum Meetings||–|–|–|
|Welfare Surgery||217|58,915|59,132|
|Support costs||67,963|21,391|89,353|
|||`────────`|`────────`|`─────────`|
|||98,829|80,306|179,134|
|||`════════`|`════════`|`═════════`|
|**Expenditure on charitable**|**activities by activity type**||||
||Activities||**Total funds**|Total fund|
||undertaken directly|Support costs|**2023**|2022|
||£|£|**£**|£|
|Reachout Challenge|147|–|**147**|–|
|Deputy CEO Costs|32,985|–|**32,985**|–|
|Travel & Subsistence|–|–|**–**|17|
|Linkworking|24,035|–|**24,035**|30,632|
|Hear Us Guide|6,739|–|**6,739**|–|
|Croydon Eagles|2,778|–|**2,778**|–|
|Open Forum Meetings|5,448|607|**6,055**|2,297|
|Welfare Surgery|73,432|–|**73,432**|59,132|
|Governance costs|–|95,269|**95,269**|87,056|
||`─────────`|`────────`|`─────────`|`─────────`|
||145,564|95,876|**241,440**|179,134|
||`═════════`|`════════`|`═════════`|`═════════`|



## **7. Expenditure on charitable activities by activity type** 

**- 12 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **8. Other expenditure** 

|||Unrestricted|**Total Funds**|Unrestricted|Total Funds|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||Funds|**2023**|Funds|2022|
|||£|**£**|£|£|
||Sundries|–|**–**|53|53|
||Christmas Social|870|**870**|970|970|
||Staff Welfare|190|**190**|768|768|
||Subscriptions|408|**408**|79|79|
|||`───────`|`───────`|`───────`|`───────`|
|||1,468|**1,468**|1,870|1,870|
|||`═══════`|`═══════`|`═══════`|`═══════`|
|**9.**|**Net income**|||||
||Net income is stated after charging/(crediting):|||||
|||||**2023**|2022|
|||||**£**|£|
||Operating lease rentals|||**8,000**|7,973|
|||||`═══════`|`═══════`|
|**10.**|**Independent examination fees**|||||
|||||**2023**|2022|
|||||**£**|£|
||Fees payable to the independent examiner for:|||||
||Independent examination of the financial statements|||**1,494**<br>`═══════`|1,494<br>`═══════`|



## **11. Staff costs** 

The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows: 

||**2023**|2022|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|£|
|Wages and salaries|**159,466**|88,056|
|Social security costs|**2,338**|605|
|Employer contributions to pension plans|**1,987**|1,963|
|Other employee benefits|**6,864**|7,365|
||`─────────`|`────────`|
||**170,655**|97,989|
||`═════════`|`════════`|



The average head count of employees during the year was 8 (2022: 8). 

No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2022: Nil). 

## **12. Trustee remuneration and expenses** 

No remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees. 

**- 13 -** 



## **Hear Us** 

## **Company Limited by Guarantee** 

## **Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ 

## **Year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **13. Tangible fixed assets** 

||||**Equipment**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**£**|
||**Cost**|||
||**At 1 Apr 2022 and 31 Mar 2023**||**663**|
||||`════`|
||**Depreciation**|||
||**At 1 Apr 2022 and 31 Mar 2023**||**663**|
||||`════`|
||**Carrying amount**|||
||**At 31 March 2023**||**–**|
||||`════`|
|**14.**|**Debtors**|||
|||**2023**|2022|
|||**£**|£|
||Trade debtors|**79**|79|
||Other debtors|**165**|165|
|||`────`|`────`|
|||**244**|244|
|||`════`|`════`|
|**15.**|**Creditors:** **amounts falling due within one year**|||
|||**2023**|2022|
|||**£**|£|
||Other creditors|**1,796**|1,796|
|||`═══════`|`═══════`|



## **16. Analysis of charitable funds** 

## **Unrestricted funds** 

|**Unrestricted funds**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Unrestricted Fund<br>Unrestricted Fund|At<br>1 April 2022<br>£<br>168,946<br>At<br>1 April 2021<br>£<br>128,987|Income<br>£<br>136,084<br>Income<br>£<br>140,658|Expenditure<br>£<br>(121,379)<br>Expenditure<br>£<br>(100,699)|**At 31 March 2023**<br>**£**<br>**183,651**|
|||||**At 31 March 2022**<br>**£**<br>**168,946**|



**- 14 -** 



## **Restricted funds** 

|Welfare Surgeries<br>Project<br>Croydon Eagles<br>Deputy CEO<br>Reachout Challenge<br>Hear Us Guide<br>Open Forum<br>Welfare Surgeries<br>Project<br>Croydon Eagles<br>Deputy CEO<br>Reachout Challenge<br>Hear Us Guide<br>Open Forum|At<br>1 April 2022<br>£<br>2,421<br>3,699<br>12,425<br>-<br>7,020<br>5,801<br>31,366<br>At<br>1 April 2021<br>£<br>7,600<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>7,600|Income<br>£<br>89,846<br>-<br>33,953<br>1,050<br>-<br>-<br>124,849<br>Income<br>£<br>59,700<br>5,948<br>16,734<br>-<br>15,888<br>5,801<br>104,071|Expenditure<br>£<br>(73,579)<br>(2,778)<br>(32,985)<br>(147)<br>(6,739)<br>(5,448)<br>(121,676)<br>Expenditure<br>£<br>(64,879)<br>(2,249)<br>(4,310)<br>-<br>(8,868)<br>-<br>(80,306)|**At 31 March 2023**<br>**£**<br>**18,688**<br>**921**<br>**13,393**<br>**903**<br>**281**<br>**353**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**34,539**|
|||||**At 31 March 2022**<br>**£**<br>**2,421**<br>**3,699**<br>**12,425**<br>**-**<br>**7,020**<br>**5,801**|
|||||**31,366**|



**- 14 -**