Annual Report 2024/2025
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 now have a second project in Birmingham 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 Andrew Hart Co-Chair of Trustees Co-Chair of Trustees
Oscar Mucyo Donna McCluskey James Henney 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 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 strong communication and relationship skills, meaning that she has built strong reliable relationships with the women, our volunteers and the other agencies. She loves being part of Embrace.
Charlotte Hewitt is a Support Worker for Coventry Embrace, having stated in post in July 2024. Charlotte was a long standing volunteer with us prior to joining the staff team. She has beautiful strong relationships with the women who are fond of Charlotte and her warm emphatic personality
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 spearhead our new Birmingham Project and has done a wonderful job in recruiting volunteers, developing partner relationships with agencies and churches and establishing outreach and direct support work with women in 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 10 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 2024-2025
Coventry ~~a~~ a
This year, Charlotte Hewitt, one of our long standing volunteers joined our staff team as a Support Worker. We decided to expand our team in response to the urgency of the work that we do. Over the last few years we have seen a number of the women die as a result of health difficulties and/or a dangerous strain of drugs that had arrived in Coventry, leading to accidental overdoses. We felt this was an important step in meeting the current need and in expanding our reach with the women that we support. We welcomed Charlotte in July and she has settled well as a valued member of the team and has built warm and trusting reationships with the women.
Street outreach in Coventry 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 8 -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 services. We offer further support throughout the week, including supporting women to link with other services.
“I love the way you take care of us girls, you give us a kick in our day”
A woman’s response to us taking her a gift after finding out on outreach it was her birthday the next day.
Through our outreach in 2024 we:
provided 78 nights of outreach supported over 108 individual women
provided outreach support 593 times (a rise from previous years)
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; furniture delivery; 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 4-8 women each week. Ali and Charlotte have 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 64 bags in total. We enjoyed hand delivering 36 to the women at their homes, and took others 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, special and that we care at a time of the year that is often difficult and painful for many of them.
The women loved going through their bags, with one woman taking time to go through her bag with us in the office, taking out each item individually and spending time over it. This was so precious, as she enjoyed the time and was so thankful for each item.
Our office continues to be based at St Peter’s church and is a huge blessing for us and the women that we support. Women visit us at the office for a variety of reasons; to access clothing and food supplies when they are struggling, for a safe and warm place to sleep, for support with paper work, benefits, utilities and for linking with health and other agaencies. One of the biggest reasons is for company and relationship and one or two of those who visit regularly, pop in just to spend time with us and to chat. We love this!
~~Dn~~ Birmingham ~~ee~~
Embrace continues to expand in Birmingham. In September 2024 we hit one year of providing evening outreach and our project and reach continues to grow. We now have a committed team of 10 new volunteers, with more currently going through the application process. Outreach has taken place twice a month since September 2023, which built to three times a month in January. We are thrilled to now have our own Embrace vehicle for the Birmingham project which is such an asset to our Outreach and midweek support.
The highlight of the past year has been getting to meet and support so many incredible and resilient women in Birmingham who are selling sex on the streets. While it is so heartbreaking to see the levels of exploitation, trauma and disadvantage in the city, we are thankful to be able to offer support in an area where there are clearly huge gaps in services.
We have met 70 women across outreach and midweek visits and are now offering supporting to several women on a weekly or monthly basis; taking them out for lunch, supporting them to find new housing, visiting them in hospital, helping them to get to appointments and supplying them with items they need for thier homes.
Recently we met Sophie (pseudonym) on a cold night of outreach - her long term partner had died and this had led to her returning to selling sex on the streets, so that she could remain in the home that they had shared. She was grieving, hungry and feeling utterly lost. Sophie gave us her address and we said we’d try to visit with some food over the coming weeks. A few days later we showed up at her house unannounced. Sophie
was just closing her front door and starting to walk down the path, wheeling a shopping trolley bag. We explained that we had come to do a food shop for her. Sophie immediately began to cry and told us that she was on her way to the supermarket because she was starving, she didn’t have any money and was planning to shop lift so that she could eat. Our timely arrival filled her with relief to the point of tears. She gave us her shopping list, and we returned an hour later with enough food to carry her through to her next payment. This interaction felt miraculous, and we were so moved to be led to her front door in her moment of deep need.
Fundraising
We continue to hold fundraisers for both of our projects. In the last financial year we have not had a large organised fundraiser but we have had opportunities for small events, which helps to raise funds, such as our Christmas craft evening in Coventry for the team, friends and supporters.
Plans are afoot for our next large fundraiser, which will be held later this year. This will be both a fundraiser and an official launch of our Birmingham project. Now that the project is established and growing consistently, it feels the right time to officially launch this project to our supporters and networks. We are also growing a new trustee board for the Birmingham team who will take over the project gradually in the coming year.
Our forthcoming fundraiser is a an Embrace Ball and Auction, which will be held at Gas Street Church, Birmingham on Friday 4th July. We will be inviting partners and supporters to join us for an evening of live music, great food and an auction, This will be a chance to celebrate the work of Embrace since it was founded in 2008 until now and to launch the Birmingham branch as a sister project. We will be sharing stories and testimonies of our work and celebrating together all that God has done in and through Embrace over the years.
Partners
Embrace continues to be part of 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), Coventy City Council Rough Sleeper Team, RSVP, the SAFE project, Anawim, 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 and Birmingham churches.
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:
Harry Payne Heart of England Community Foundation, Heart of England Coventry & Warwickshire Community
Fund, The Passionists, Creflo Dollar Ministries,
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,
Birmingham City Church, Elim Life Church (Kingstanding),
Rea Church, Gas Street Church,
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 2024-2025
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 Ltd, c/o Elim Pentecostal ChurchButts, Coventry, CV1 3GR Tel (024) 7622 6493 info@embrace-uk.org Charity Number 1138205
| Embrace Warwickshire Limited - Coventry | 2025 | Full Year | Full Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income Statement | February | 2024/5 | 2023/4 |
| Income | |||
| Donation from churches | 200.00 | 10,638.35 |
24,737.81 |
| Donations from individuals(irregular) | 767.10 | 2,180.00 |
|
| Donations from individuals(irregular) Gift Aid | 180.94 | 825.94 |
1,540.00 |
| Donations from individuals(regular) | 245.00 | 2,225.00 |
1,960.00 |
| Donations from individuals(regular) Gift Aid | 368.25 | 5,169.00 |
3,445.53 |
| Donations through localgiving | 3,150.00 | ||
| Fundraiser income | 125.00 | ||
| Donations from Weston Garfield Foundation | 0.00 | 3,000.00 |
|
| Grant - Heart of England | 2,250.00 | 2,000.00 |
|
| Grant - Soutter | 0.00 | 2,400.00 |
|
| Grants - Other | 0.00 | 300.00 |
|
| HMRC Gift Aid Recovery | 1,453.18 | 1,095.14 |
|
| Total Income | 994.19 | 26,603.57 | 42,658.48 |
| Direct support to services users(general) | (89.96) | (1,002.92) | (749.44) |
| Direct support - larger items for home | (327.71) | (290.00) | |
| Direct support - mobilephone or credit | (218.94) | (568.43) | (20.00) |
| Direct support - other | (8.00) | (96.00) | (136.00) |
| Stock | (33.53) | (1,929.46) | (1,539.51) |
| Total Support/Stock | (350.43) | (3,924.52) | (2,734.95) |
| Administrative Expenses | |||
| Salary - Ali Maynard | (1,267.50) | (15,201.50) | (14,734.60) |
| Salary - Charlotte Hewitt | (583.09) | (4,664.92) | |
| Income Tax | (243.60) | (2,340.60) | (1,078.60) |
| National Insurance | (30.76) | (376.82) | (481.09) |
| Pension Contribution | (63.88) | (766.56) | (733.10) |
| Conference | (2.86) | ||
| Payroll software | (23.04) | (255.48) | (236.38) |
| Telephone | (56.56) | (337.39) | |
| Annual Insurance | (128.99) | (128.99) | (219.34) |
| Hospitality Gifts | (574.24) | (139.43) | |
| Printing, Postage, Stationary | (17.00) | (193.24) | (195.54) |
| Training | (40.00) | (534.55) | (120.00) |
| Office Rent | (200.00) | (2,400.00) | (2,400.00) |
| Vehicle expenses andparking | (1,470.67) | (2,904.76) | (2,142.74) |
| Website and IT Costs | (253.93) | (244.80) | |
| Equipment Purchases | (591.63) | ||
| Security costs | (8.16) | (74.94) | (50.72) |
| Professional Fees | (200.00) | ||
| Bank Charges | (73.05) | (141.43) | |
| Total Expenditures | (4,076.69) | (31,594.63) | (23,255.16) |
| Net Surplus(Deficit) | (3,432.93) | (8,915.58) | 16,668.37 |
| Embrace Warwickshire Limited - Birmingham | 2025 | YTD | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income Statement | January | 2024/5 | 2023/4 |
| Income | |||
| Donation from churches | 11,160.00 | 1,865.70 |
|
| Donations from individuals(irregular) | 3,299.25 | 2,032.00 |
|
| Donations from individuals(irregular) Gift Aid | |||
| 50.00 | 376.67 |
950.00 |
|
| Donations from individuals(regular) | 311.00 | 4,098.00 |
750.00 |
| Donations from individuals(regular) Gift Aid | 240.31 | 2,508.72 |
2,043.72 |
| Fundraiser income | 545.00 | 545.00 |
|
| Grant - Church Welfare Association | 0.00 | 3,000.00 |
|
| HMRC Gift Aid Recovery | 429.71 | ||
| Total Income | 1,146.31 | 22,417.35 | 10,641.42 |
| Direct support to services users(general) | (77.50) | (580.02) | (110.48) |
| Direct support - larger items for home | (156.93) | ||
| Direct support - mobilephone or credit | 0.00 | (74.50) |
|
| Stock | (70.54) | (791.39) | (242.06) |
| Total Support/Stock | (148.04) | (1,528.34) | (427.04) |
| Administrative Expenses | |||
| Salary - Kaeli Murphy | (739.52) | (6,613.20) | (4,194.53) |
| Income Tax | (105.60) | (688.00) | (359.00) |
| Pension Contribution | (23.71) | (49.28) | |
| Conferences | (832.65) | ||
| Consultancy Fees | 0.00 | (500.00) |
|
| Telephone | (4.50) | (59.30) | (25.50) |
| Annual Insurance | (128.99) | (128.99) | |
| Hospitality Gifts | (34.33) | (78.52) | |
| Printing, Postage, Stationary | (17.00) | (196.42) | (239.69) |
| Training | (117.66) | (135.40) | |
| Vehicle expenses andparking | (63.46) | (6,013.11) | (221.99) |
| Fundraiser Expense | (471.00) | (471.00) | |
| Security costs | (67.38) | (39.30) | |
| Bank Charges | (15.76) | (38.23) | (32.58) |
| Total Expenditures | (1,603.87) | (15,353.74) | (5,747.99) |
| Net Surplus(Deficit) | (605.60) | 5,535.27 | 4,466.39 |
| Consolidated Net Surplus/(Deficit) | |||
| (4,038.53) | (3,380.31) | 21,134.76 |
| Balance Sheet As at: | 28/02/2025 | 29/02/2024 |
| Bank & Cash Balances | ||
| The Cooperative Bank | ||
| Embrace Coventry | 8,847 | 26,154 |
| Embrace Birmingham | 25,612 | 14,271 |
| Cash | 61 | 61 |
| Bank & Cash Balances | 34,520 | 40,486 |
| Other Assets: | ||
| Prepaid Public Liability Insurance | ||
| Sundry Debtor/Other Income | ||
| Vehicle | 1 | 1 |
| Other Assets | 1 | 1 |
| Net Assets | 34,521 | 40,487 |
| Current Liabilities | ||
| Embrace Coventry | 636 | 358 |
| Embrace Birmingham | 240 | 104 |
| Total Current Liabilities | 876 | 462 |
| Funds and Reserves | ||
| Heart of England Foundation | ||
| Resurrection Life Assembly | ||
| WM Police & Crime Commissioner | 3,000 | |
| 0 | 3,000 | |
| Unrestricted Funds | ||
| Total Capital and Reserves | 0 | 3,000 |
| Net Assets | 33,645 | 37,025 |
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 28 February 2025 Charity no 1138205 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 - 3 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 28/02/2025. DD / MM / YYYY .
- 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:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
-
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: 25 November 2025 ~~Ps |~~ Name: Nana Opoku Barfi ~~Ce~~ Relevant professional 1. Member - Association of Charity Independent Examiners (MCIE) qualification(s) or body 2. Fellow - Association of Certified Public Accountants (FCPA) (if any):
Address: 16 Butlers Grove
Great Linford
Milton Keynes, MK14 5DT
- Section B Disclosure ~~ee~~
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