Annual Report 2023/2024
Registered Charity No: 11382058:
Prepared By: Alison Maynard Prepared By: Alison Maynard
Embrace Mission
Embrace Warwickshire is a Christian charity, established in February 2008 in Coventry in response to the needs of women struggling with life controlling issues. Alongside our Coventry project, we have developed a similar project in Birmingham during this year, which began in September 2023. Embrace supports women who are involved in on-street prostitution, at risk of exploitation, struggling with life controlling issues and who are disadvantaged by circumstances. Our mission is to uphold the rights of all women to be accepted and heard, and to be equipped and empowered in their pursuit of freedom, purpose and fulfilment in life.
Our aim is to walk with those we support in the same way that Jesus walks with us, demonstrating the consistent, unchanging Love and Hope that we ourselves have found in Him. Whilst Embrace is faithbased, we respect and work with women of all faiths and none.
Under the Charity Commission Embrace’s charitable objects are:
To relieve the charitable needs for the public benefit of women in particular but not exclusively women who are in need by reason of homelessness, prostitution, addiction to drink or drugs, depression, abuse, trafficking or self harm in such ways as the trustees shall think fit consistent with the Christian faith.
To advance and promote the Christian faith.
Embrace Team
Beverley Samways Co-Chair of Trustees
Andrew Hart Oscar Mucyo Donna McCluskey James Henney Co-Chair of Trustees Trustee Trustee Trustee
Embrace Trustees
Trustees have the responsibility to oversee the governance and running of Embrace, ensuring that all its activities help to fulfil its mission and its values. The trustees are responsible for setting the direction of the organisation; making decisions about its priorities and how Embrace goes about achieving its objectives.
Bev and Andy share the Chair of Trustees role for Embrace, with Bev focusing on operations, and Andy focusing on finances, governance and procedures. Both Andy and Bev have many years of volunteering experience with Embrace and are passionate about the charity. We have a fabulous team of trustees who each bring their own expertise and passion to the role. Alongside their Trustee role, all Embrace's Trustees are involved in volunteering within our outreach team.
Embrace's Project Manager for Coventry and Project Development Manager for Birmingham are responsible for the day to day operational decisions, acting with the delegated authority to make operational decisions in line with Embrace's mission and values.
Embrace Staff
Ali Maynard has been our Project Manager for Coventry since September 2020. She has gradually developed our support and contact with the women over the years she has been in post. She has strong communication and relationship skills, meaning that she has built strong relationships with the women, our volunteers and the other agencies. She loves being part of Embrace - please keep her in your prayers as she continues with this difficult work. Alison Maynard, Project Manager Coventry
Kaeli Murphy, joined the staff team for Birmingham Embrace in May 2023 after being a valuable member of our Coventry volunteer team for 5 years. Kaeli was appointed to develop our new Birmingham Project, and has done a wonderful job in recruiting new volunteers, beginning an outreach service in Birmingham, developing partner relationships with agencies and churches and has begun direct support work with women in Birmingham. Please continue to pray for Kaeli and the team as the project builds.
Kaeli Murphy Project Development Manager Birmingham
Wider Embrace Team
The majority of our work in both Coventry and Birmingham is facilitated by volunteers, drawn from churches across the two cities. We have 25 volunteers for Coventry. The Birmingham team have recruited 7 volunteers this year and are currently onboarding others. Our volunteers predominately join our outreach team, although a small number also offer assistance with administration, practical help and midweek visits, being a vital support to our project managers in helping to build relationships with the women. We are so grateful for our volunteers and what they bring to the work of Embrace. We wouldn't exist without them and their contribution is invaluable.
Embrace Projects 2023-2024
Coventry
Street outreach in continues to take place twice a week on Sunday and Monday evenings. Using the Embrace car, a team provide support for women subject to on-street prostitution or at risk in the area. We offer a variety of support including food, hot drinks, basic clothing, hygiene bags, harm reduction items, and an opportunity for conversation and prayer. We frequently see between 6-12 women each evening. Outreach is a vital way of making contact and building trusting relationships with women who are often isolated and beyond the reach of many other agencies. We offer further support throughout the week, including supporting women to link with other services.
“I was hoping to see you tonight, it was just what I needed” A woman’s response to our outreach support
Through our outreach in 2023 we: provided 77 nights of outreach supported over 100 individual women
provided outreach support 561 times (a rise from last year)
Midweek support is varied and on a needs-led basis. We have provided: emotional and social support; taken women for lunch/coffee; practical help to move accommodation; signposting and referrals to agencies; benefit support and help with paperwork; support to attend health appointments; provision of food and clothing; and support to access substance misuse services. We support between 4-6 women each week. Our Project Manager, Ali has been able to key-work a number of women with complex support needs alongside out partnership agencies, providing them with weekly support to help them maintain stability.
At Christmas we gave out our annual Embrace Goodie bags, delivering 70 in total. We enjoyed hand delivering 29 to the women at their homes, and took others to a partner Charity’s supported accommodation (where many of the women live) and to the Kairos Christmas party with which we partnered. It is always a privilege to be able to give gifts to the women to remind them that they are valued and special and that we care at a time of the year that is often difficult and painful for many of them.
We have been in our office at St Peter’s church for just over a year and having a base has been a huge asset for us. It is right in the heart of the region where many of the women work and live and some of them have started to drop in to see us. We have had a few occasions where women have accessed the office for a safe place to sleep if they have been on the streets and for a hot meal and supplies. The office is also a space where we can arrange meetings with other professionals and service users.
Recently a woman we know from outreach to have been homeless and rough sleeping, visited St Peter’s, joining us for our worship service and then having a meal and a sleep at the centre. The following day we were able to help with further support: more food, warm clothing, supplies and together making phone calls to look for accommodation. A few weeks later she was given accommodation as a result of those calls. We have also been able to set her up with a food parcel as she moves in and some essential items. She has been so grateful to have had this support and expressed how good it was to have had a safe space to sleep for a few hours when she first visited. This may not sound like much, but she told us that this made such a difference and her gratitude and appreciation was so moving for us.
It is with great sadness that we report that we have seen several of the women we support die as a result of accidental overdoses and ill health in the last year. A number of these deaths were the result of a dangerous strain of drugs that had arrived in Coventry. This has led us to reflect on the increased urgency of the work we do, and the need to expand our impact. Having just one paid project manager sometimes means that we cannot respond to the women as quickly as we would like to. There are times when, if we had more capacity, we could make spontaneous visits or check more regularly on women we are particularly concerned about.
As a result, we have recruited and appointed a part time support worker, Charlotte Hewitt, who has been one of our volunteers for a number of years. We feel this is an important step to meet the current needs and are looking forward to welcoming Charlotte in the next few months.
Birmingham
As a result of 6-12 months of researching and building partner relationships with churches and agencies, and in respond to a lack of street based outreach in the city, Embrace launched a new project into Birmingham in Autumn 2023 This has been led by our Project Development Manager, Kaeli Murphy, with the project aim being to provide the same support and services in Birmingham as we do through the Coventry project. It has been really exciting to watch Embrace grow in Birmingham.
We have a committed team of 7 new volunteers, with a further 4 currently going through the applicant process. Outreach has been taking place twice a month since September 2023, while we have sourced a car for the project. We are thrilled to now have a brand new Embrace car for the Birmingham project, allowing us to start weekly outreach from May and to facilitate an increase and consistency in the support we can offer.
We have already connected with over 40 different women. We’ve had the joy of delivering Christmas Goodie bags full of lovely presents and spring parcels full of Easter chocolates, cleaning supplies and helpful hygiene products which has been a great way to develop deeper relationships with some of the women we’ve met on outreach.
Recently our mid-week visits have been so encouraging. We visited a woman we support in hospital to take her clothing supplies, treats and and a colouring book to keep her entertained. She expressed her sadness that many of the other patients had visitors every day and she felt lonely. She was so grateful that we could come and be the source of encouragement that she needed and spend a couple of hours keeping her company on that day.
Fundraising
This year, our two Embrace projects joined forces on a fundraiser to walk/cycle the canal path between our two cities. This was an incredible 42 miles, 21 miles per team, meeting together in the middle to finish and have a celebratory meal together. Thank you to everyone who took part in the challenge and donated towards it. It was not easy but we made it! We raised over £2000 for the work that we do.
Partners
Embrace continues to be part of the Sex Workers Assistance Network (SWAN) and the West Midlands Sex Worker Forum which meet regularly to work together to provide multi-agency support for women subject to street based prostitution. We also work in partnership with other agencies in both cities that provide support to the women, including Turnaround, Kairos Women working together, CGL (Change Grow Live), RSVP, the SAFE project, Anaheim, the Police and Local Community Network Support Officers.
In the last year, we have had the privilege of sharing our work at a number of Coventry churches such as St Marks, Elim and Holy Trinity. In Birmingham, the team have been visiting and building new relationships with Churches including Anchor Church, Birmingham City Church, Elim Kingstanding, Gas Street, Christ Church Birmingham, Oikos Church and Lighthouse St Mary’s.
Finances and Supporters
Embrace relies entirely on financial gifts from churches, grant organisations, individual donors and fundraising efforts. We are incredibly grateful to Kevin Randall our treasurer, who has done an amazing job over the last few years in taking care of our finances.
We would like to thank the organisations and trust funds which have supported us financially and/or practically with gifts this year. These include:
Church Welfare Association, Souter Trust, Creflo Dollar Ministries, Heart of England
Garfield Weston Foundation, West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner Helping Communities Fund, Heart of England Co-operative Helping Hearts
We also wish to thank our supporters. We are continually overwhelmed by the consistent generosity of local churches and our individual supporters. A particular thanks to the churches that have supported and partnered us this year financially or/and practically:
All Saints Allesley, Holy Trinity Church, Elim Pentecostal Church,
St Marks Coventry, Rugby Methodist Church, Resurrection Life Assembly,
Anchor Church Birmingham, Birmingham City Church, Elim Life Church (Kingstanding)
Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year, through sponsorship or direct donations.
Our Annual Financial Report can be found below. Please feel free to address any questions about this to beverley@embrace-uk.org or andrew@embrace-uk.org.
Please email ali@embrace-uk.org to join the mailing list to receive termly updates.
Annual Financial Report 2023-2024
Embrace Warwickshire Ltd, c/o Elim Pentecostal ChurchButts, Coventry, CV1 3GR Tel (024) 7622 6493 info@embrace-uk.org Charity Number 1138205
Embrace Warwickshire Ltd, c/o Elim Pentecostal ChurchButts, Coventry, CV1 3GR Tel (024) 7622 6493 info@embrace-uk.org Charity Number 1138205
| Embrace Warwickshire Limited - Coventry Income Statement |
2024 Full Year Feb 2023-4 200.00 24,737.81 (25.00) 2,140.00 540.00 170.00 2,000.00 383.25 4,445.53 3,000.00 2,000.00 2,400.00 300.00 1,095.14 728.25 42,658.48 (36.22) (749.44) (20.00) (290.00) (8.00) (136.00) (18.40) (1,539.51) |
Full Year **2022-3 ** |
|---|---|---|
| Income | ||
| Donation from churches | 4,578.71 | |
| Donations from individuals (irregular) | 3,506.14 | |
| Donations from individuals (irregular) Gift Aid | 2,922.00 | |
| Donations from individuals (regular) | 1,130.00 | |
| Donations from individuals (regular) Gift Aid | 2,184.00 | |
| Donations through local giving | 20.19 | |
| Fundraiser income | 327.00 | |
| Donations through Stewardship | 370.00 | |
| Donations from Weston Garfield Foundation | ||
| Grant - Church Welfare Association | ||
| Grant - Heart of England | 533.03 | |
| Grant - National Lottery | 1,798.30 | |
| Grant - Soutter | 2,500.00 | |
| Grants - Other | ||
| HMRC Gift Aid Recovery | 769.27 | |
| Total Income | 20,638.64 | |
| Direct support to services users (general) | (1,502.83) | |
| Direct support - mobile phone or credit | (334.97) | |
| Direct support - larger items for home | ||
| Direct support - other | (236.25) | |
| Stock | (938.50) | |
| Total Support/Stock | (62.62) (2,734.95) (1,259.80) (14,734.60) (97.80) (1,078.60) (38.46) (481.09) (63.88) (733.10) (22.43) (236.38) (5.00) (337.39) (219.34) (139.43) (195.54) (120.00) (200.00) (2,400.00) (47.92) (2,142.74) (244.80) (50.72) (1.33) (141.43) (1,736.62) (23,255.16) (1,070.99) 16,668.37 |
(3,012.55) |
| Administrative Expenses | ||
| Salary - Ali Maynard | (14,067.33) | |
| Salary - Kaeli Spina | (1,128.00) | |
| Income Tax | (811.60) | |
| National Insurance | (542.91) | |
| Pension Contribution | (677.42) | |
| Payroll software | (212.40) | |
| Telephone | (74.64) | |
| Annual Insurance | (422.08) | |
| Hospitality Gifts | (355.77) | |
| Printing, Postage, Stationary | (362.51) | |
| Training | (116.02) | |
| Office Rent | (750.00) | |
| Vehicle expenses and parking | (2,803.16) | |
| Website and IT Costs | (246.00) | |
| Equipment Purchases | (135.00) | |
| Security costs | (74.30) | |
| Bank Charges | (249.42) | |
| Total Expenditures | (23,028.56) | |
| Net Surplus (Deficit) | ||
| (5,402.47) | ||
| Embrace Warwickshire Limited - Birmingham Income Statement |
2024 Full Year Feb 2023-4 700.00 1,865.70 60.00 1,234.00 950.00 228.00 1,548.00 190.31 2,043.72 3,000.00 1,178.31 10,641.42 (25.90) (110.48) (10.00) (74.50) (242.06) |
Full Year **2022-3 ** |
| Income | ||
| Donation from churches | ||
| Donations from individuals (irregular) | ||
| Donations from individuals (irregular) Gift Aid | ||
| Donations from individuals (regular) | ||
| Donations from individuals (regular) Gift Aid | ||
| Grant- Church Welfare Association | ||
| Total Income | ||
| Direct support to services users (general) | ||
| Direct support - mobile phone or credit | ||
| Stock | ||
| Total Support/Stock | (35.90) (427.04) (458.91) (4,194.53) (52.20) (359.00) (500.00) (239.69) (25.50) (25.50) (135.40) (98.30) (221.99) (39.30) (32.58) (634.91) (5,747.99) 507.50 4,466.39 |
|
| Administrative Expenses | ||
| Salary - Kaeli Murphy | ||
| Income Tax | ||
| Consultancy Fees | ||
| Printing, Postage, Stationary | ||
| Telephone | ||
| Training | ||
| Vehicle expenses and parking | ||
| Security costs | ||
| Bank Charges | ||
| Total Expenditures | ||
| Net Surplus (Deficit) | ||
| Consolidated NetSurplus/(Deficit) | (563.49) **21,134.76 ** |
(5,402.47) |
| Balance Sheet As at: 28/02/2024 28/02/2023 Bank & Cash Balances The Cooperative Bank Embrace Coventry 26,154 7,192 Embrace Birmingham 14,271 9,700 Cash 61 71 Bank & Cash Balances 40,486 16,963 Other Assets: Prepaid Public Liability Insurance Sundry Debtor/Other Income Vehicle 1 1 Other Assets 1 1 Net Assets 40,487 16,964 Current Liabilities Embrace Coventry 358 1,073 Embrace Birmingham 104 Total Current Liabilities 462 1,073 Funds and Reserves Heart of England Foundation Resurrection Life Assembly WM Police & Crime Commissioner 3,000 3,000 Unrestricted Funds Total Capital and Reserves 3,000 Net Assets 37,025 15,891 |
Balance Sheet As at: 28/02/2024 28/02/2023 Bank & Cash Balances The Cooperative Bank Embrace Coventry 26,154 7,192 Embrace Birmingham 14,271 9,700 Cash 61 71 Bank & Cash Balances 40,486 16,963 Other Assets: Prepaid Public Liability Insurance Sundry Debtor/Other Income Vehicle 1 1 Other Assets 1 1 Net Assets 40,487 16,964 Current Liabilities Embrace Coventry 358 1,073 Embrace Birmingham 104 Total Current Liabilities 462 1,073 Funds and Reserves Heart of England Foundation Resurrection Life Assembly WM Police & Crime Commissioner 3,000 3,000 Unrestricted Funds Total Capital and Reserves 3,000 Net Assets 37,025 15,891 |
Balance Sheet As at: 28/02/2024 28/02/2023 Bank & Cash Balances The Cooperative Bank Embrace Coventry 26,154 7,192 Embrace Birmingham 14,271 9,700 Cash 61 71 Bank & Cash Balances 40,486 16,963 Other Assets: Prepaid Public Liability Insurance Sundry Debtor/Other Income Vehicle 1 1 Other Assets 1 1 Net Assets 40,487 16,964 Current Liabilities Embrace Coventry 358 1,073 Embrace Birmingham 104 Total Current Liabilities 462 1,073 Funds and Reserves Heart of England Foundation Resurrection Life Assembly WM Police & Crime Commissioner 3,000 3,000 Unrestricted Funds Total Capital and Reserves 3,000 Net Assets 37,025 15,891 |
|---|---|---|
| Balance Sheet As at: Bank & Cash Balances The Cooperative Bank Embrace Coventry Embrace Birmingham Cash Bank & Cash Balances Other Assets: Prepaid Public Liability Insurance Sundry Debtor/Other Income Vehicle Other Assets Net Assets Current Liabilities Embrace Coventry Embrace Birmingham Total Current Liabilities Funds and Reserves Heart of England Foundation Resurrection Life Assembly WM Police & Crime Commissioner Unrestricted Funds Total Capital and Reserves Net Assets |
28/02/2024 28/02/2023 |
|
| 26,154 7,192 |
||
| 14,271 9,700 |
||
| 61 71 |
||
| 40,486 16,963 |
||
| 1 1 |
||
| 1 1 |
||
| 40,487 16,964 |
||
| 358 1,073 |
||
| 104 | ||
| 462 1,073 |
||
| 3,000 | ||
| 3,000 | ||
| 3,000 | ||
| 37,025 15,891 |
||
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name Embrace Warwickshire Limited members of On accounts for the year 29 February 2024 Charity no 1138205 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 - 3 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
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I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 29/02/2024. DD / MM / YYYY .
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Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:[Nana Opoku Barfi ]
Date: 29 November 2024
Name: Nana Opoku Barfi
Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):
- Member - Association of Charity Independent Examiners (MCIE) 2. Fellow - Association of Certified Public Accountants (FCPA)
Address: 16 Butlers Grove Great Linford Milton Keynes, MK14 5DT
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
1
October 2018
IER
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
2
October 2018
IER