2025-03-31-accounts

Charity Registration No. 1137794

HOPS (Healing Opportunities Provision Scheme)

TRUSTEES' REPORT AND INDEPENDENTLY EXAMINED ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED

31 MARCH 2025

HOPS

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Name:	HOPS (Healing Opportunities Provision Scheme)
Charity Number:	1137794
Trustees:	L Barefoot
	M Grainger
	G Gill
Address:	The Old Rectory
	The Broadway
	Houghton-Le-Spring
	SUNDERLAND
	Tyne & Wear
	DH4 4BB
Bankers:	The Co-operative bank
Independent Examiner:	Colin Scudder MAAT
	90 Fennel Grove
	South Shields
	Tyne and Wear

HOPS

CONTENTS

	Page
Trustees' report	4-6
Independent examiner's report	7
Statement of financial activities	8
Statement of assets and liabilities	9
Notes to the accounts	10-13

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HOPS

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Structure, governance and management

The charity was established under its constitution on 23 July 2008 and registered with the Charity Commission in 2010. The trustees who served during the year were:

L Barefoot G Gill M Grainger

P Scott also attended trustees meetings and supported HOPS as a non-voting, trusted adviser.

The charity is managed and administered by a board of trustees who meet approximately every 5 to 6 weeks. Sub-committees include Publicity, Staff and Finance.

The appointment of trustees is set out in the Constitution. The recruitment of new trustees is periodically undertaken by the Board which follows an open and fair recruitment process taking due account of the skills and experience of existing trustees and the needs of the charity and the desire for its membership to reflect the diversity of the local community.

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to major risks. Our major financial risk is in the generation of income by way of grants and donations. We monitor our income and expenditure at least each quarter and tailor our activities to the resources available.

During the year, a trustee of the charity donated £7,000 to the charity to support its ongoing work.

All trustees are required to read the Charity Commission’s guidance in ‘The Essential Trustee’; and some have had previous experience of being a Trustee for other charities. Training opportunities are provided as required, e.g. safeguarding.

To ensure effective and efficient development and delivery of services, HOPS liaises closely with a wide range of local organisations, including voluntary and public sector bodies. These provide key networking and partnership opportunities plus sharing of best practice and infrastructure support.

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HOPS

A ctivities & Objectives

HOPS aims to relieve sickness and preserve and protect good health, principally by the provision of holistic healthcare, self care classes and non-residential respite and support for unpaid carers, older people and those in difficult circumstances, including those who are unemployed and/or socially isolated.

Achievements and Performance

HOPS provides opportunities for people to come together to socialise, share, relax and through our activities to help reduce stress, pain and anxiety; learn new skills, build confidence and recharge their batteries.

We do this around holistic therapies and activities, which are relaxing and boost the ability to cope with stress. Therapies can help a person to find a place of calm, from which they can develop emotional resilience, build confidence and think more clearly about how to cope with challenges in their life.

We hold monthly Coffee Mornings and Time Out days for unpaid carers. Both provide invaluable opportunities for respite, for social interaction and a chance to take a breath, to share worries and to chat in a safe and welcoming space. Time Out days offer 1 to 1 holistic therapies that support and promote both physical and mental health. Our team of experienced holistic practitioners provide a variety of therapies to encompass differing needs.

HOPS has continued to deliver classes and workshops – including Singing for Fun, Yoga and Circle Dancing alongside a variety of wellbeing workshops and craft activities. These promote self-care and support individuals to improve and maintain their health.

The number of unpaid carers registered with HOPS increased by 37% in 2024/25 to 134. During the same reporting period, HOPS activities had over 730 attendances.

It is difficult to accurately reflect on the time and effort that HOPS invests in supporting individual clients. We place significant value upon striving to build individual relationships. Many clients have complex situations to cope with, and we know that our support makes a vast difference to them as individuals but also to the families of carers. This indirect benefit of HOPS’ work is impossible to quantify, since it would be inappropriate to approach them; but we do get informal feedback from carers and we know that many of our carers look after more than one person in their family. What benefits our clients is actually benefitting a much larger number of individuals.

HOPS continues to focus upon generating income to further strengthen and develop the organisation, including through diversification of funding streams and increased capacity for therapies. We are developing a Workplace Wellbeing programme, allowing employers to support the wellbeing of their employees whilst also supporting HOPS’ work in the local community.

Trustees continue to look to strengthen and to diversify our trustee board in order to allow services to be expanded, to enhance inclusivity and to develop organisational sustainability.

HOPS strives to continually assess its impact and the need for our services. Feedback from those that attend our sessions lets us know what people need and want and informs ongoing delivery.

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HOPS

‘Is a lovely break from caring. At first I felt guilty as I could be doing housework. I learned I need HOPS to feel a bit normal so thanks.’

‘HOPS is a life saver for my health and mental wellbeing. Its a place I can go and totally switch off and relax also a chance to meet other carers and be able to talk freely about the challenges we face without judgement.’

‘As a person who has none of her family nearby I believe HOPS provides a social atmosphere for people like me. Meeting and chatting with members is so helpful. The therapies are so good and we look forward to getting a massage or other treatment.’

‘Once I am at HOPS, it is a relief, like I have escaped the real world and my duties as a carer. My headaches and anxiety go and I feel my body slowly relaxing. I get lovely feelings knowing I have no pressure and nobody is going to need me for anything. Especially the free therapy, e.g. head massage. I am so grateful for HOPS and the lovely, supportive nurturing workers that help me to feel at ease and happy to be there. The group of people who attend are always lovely and comforting and knowing there is someone to talk to if I choose.’

Public benefit

The trustees have considered the guidance produced by the Charity Commission on the provision of public benefit and they confirm that public benefit has been provided by the range of activities as described above.

Financial Review

The financial position for the year shows incoming funds of £65,780 and total outgoing funds of £62,782. With a balance brought forward from 2023/24 of £33,829 giving a carried forward figure of £36,827, of which £20,217 is restricted funds, £6,400 unrestricted funds and £10,210 as designated funds. The designated fund contains a £3,374 redundancy reserve and £6,836 for salaries.

Reserves Policy

HOPS is developing its reserves policy with the aim to build up unrestricted reserves which equate to 3 to 6 months expenditure. This will provide sufficient funds to cover management and administration support costs and redundancy liabilities and any emergencies that may arise from time to time.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees

Ms L Barefoot Trustee Dated: 20 January 2026

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HOPS Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Healing Opportunities Provision Scheme (HOPS) (Charity No 1137794)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Healing Opportunities Provision Scheme (HOPS) – (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act). The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required under section 144(2) of the Act and that an independent examination is required.

It is my responsibility to:

• (i) examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;

• (ii) to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and

• (iii) to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

• (a) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

• (i) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and

• (ii) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act

• have not been met; or

• (b) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Name: Colin J Scudder MAAT

90 Fennel Grove South Shields

Tyne & Wear Date: 20 January 2026

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HOPS

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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LIABILITIES AS AT 31 MARCH 2025

HOPS

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND

Signed by one of the Trustees on behalf of all the Trustees.

G Gill

Date of Approval: 20 January 2026

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HOPS

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

1. Accounting Policies

Basis of Preparation

These Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective January 2015) – Charities SORP (FRS 102).

Healing Opportunities Provision Scheme (HOPS) meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).

Reconciliation with previous Generally Accepted Accounting Practice

In preparing the accounts, the trustees have considered whether in applying the accounting policies required by the Charities SORP FRS 102 the restatement of comparative items was required. At the date of transition, no restatements were required.

Incoming Resources

These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when:

• the charity becomes entitled to the resources.

• the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the resources; and

• the monetary value can be measured with enough reliability.

Donations are only included in the SOFA when the charity has unconditional entitlement to the resources. Capital Grants are released over the economic useful life of the asset to which they relate.

Resources Expended and Liabilities

Resources expended have been analysed using a natural classification.

Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities. Registered Charity No. 1137794.

2. Funds

The Charity has 2 funds, an unrestricted general fund and a restricted fund used to fund the delivery of specific projects to support the organisation’s charitable objectives: hence all movements on each fund are disclosed. The charity gratefully acknowledges the support of Ballinger Charitable Trust, who provided unrestricted funding during the year. Part of the unrestricted general fund has been transferred to a designated fund to ringfence redundancy liabilities of £3,374 and ongoing salary payments.

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HOPS Restrictsd Funds Funder Bal blf Income Expenditure Transfer Bal clf {£) (£) (£) The funding from The Northem Powergnd Fund at tr Community Foundation Tyne and Wear and Northumberland for the pr(Msion of en￿[Onrnerta1IY themed workshops for unpaid carers 501 501 Coalfields Regeneration Trust - Development of group activities and individual therapies through partnerships 433 433 Postcode Neighbourhood Trust - Support programme foi unpaid carers 13,012 13,012 Chuter Ede CIO - Therapeutic workshops and classes 2,384 2,384 The National Lottery Community FurNJ, Awards for All. 0 19.977 3,367 16,610 SunderlarKI Council, Community Chest, Coalfields Area Committee, Come along say hello 4.841 2,097 2,744 Karbon Hornes Carers ConrEd 1,080 217 863 Total 16,330 26,898 22,011 0 20,217 Unrestrlcted Funds Designated furKJs General Fund Total 10,210 7,289 39,882 33,829 65,780 0 10,210 6,400 0 36,827 40,771 62,782

HOPS

Income and Expenditure Analysis 2024-25

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HOPS

3. Paid Employees and Contractors

4. Trustee Expenses

No Trustees (or persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefit from the charity during the year.

5. Tangible Fixed Assets

There are no tangible fixed assets held at this time.

6. Debtors and Prepayments

7. Creditors and Accruals

8. Transactions with related parties

There were no transactions with related parties during the period.

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