6-8 Bridge Street LEIGHTON BUZZARD Beds. LU7 1AL 01525 375740 info@reclaimlife.net or visit www.reclaimlife.net
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Trustees’ Annual Report
From: May 2023 To: May 2024
Charity name: Reclaim Life
Charity registration number: 1138735
Objectives and Purpose
Reclaim Life offers a free, therapeutic and wellbeing life coaching programme, delivered through a dedicated team of volunteer life coaches.
Our life coaches help people who are experiencing emotional distress to understand their emotional needs, learn coping strategies and techniques to help with managing stress, anxiety, anger, trauma, and depression.
Since 2010, we have been offering our free life coaching to people in Leighton Buzzard, surrounding areas and across Bedfordshire.
Impact and Activities
Reclaim Life Centre — we held the official opening of the Centre on 30[th] June 2023 and were joined by Andrew Selous MP, along with volunteers, supporters and friends of Reclaim Life.
Increase in Demand for Services – Reclaim Life has supported over 1800 people since starting in 2010. Since 2019, the last pre-COVID year, we have experienced a 127% rise in self-referrals. The most significant increases in yearly referral numbers have occurred following the opening of the Reclaim Life Centre.
Staff - we continued with a full time Manager and following an increase in demand for our support, we introduced an ‘emergency support session service’ to offer an urgent coaching session for someone experiencing a high level of emotional distress prior to starting the 5 sessions. To help provide this service, we trialled having a sessional life coach for 15 hours a week and continued to do this through 2023 and into 2024. Our longstanding office manager retired from the role and in July 2023 we were joined by Jane Atkins on a part time basis in administration/secretary role.
Volunteers — since opening the Centre we have increased the number of people who are giving their time to support Reclaim Life. This includes volunteer life coaches, welcomers and the Serendipity team. Following a successful training programme we recruited 10 new life coaches.
Charitable Trust no. 1138735
Fundraising — despite ongoing challenges in securing fundraising opportunities, we remained proactive in exploring and applying for grants for which we were eligible. This included funding from Central Bedfordshire Council and a £500 Community Grant from Leighton Linslade Town Council. Recognising changes in donation habits, we also invested in a payment terminal for the Centre with support from Ward Councillor funding. This allows clients to make donations via card or phone after completing their five sessions, helping to increase contributions.
Partnership Working — our partnership work with The Lighthouse (ELFT) came to an end in September 2023, as they made changes to their service. We continued to deliver online wellbeing workshops for social care professionals in Buckinghamshire Council as part of their bi-monthly Wellbeing Weeks, whilst looking into other opportunities.
Operating Model
We offer our service to people in the community who are over 18. We support people from all backgrounds, ages, cultures, and life experiences who are experiencing emotional distress.
We can offer our 5-session programme for free as it is delivered by trained and dedicated volunteers. We fund our work with income from donations, grant funding applications and fundraising.
Our main costs are staff salaries, office and running costs for resources such as mobile phones and volunteer expenses.
Reclaim Life has a clinical supervisor to oversee the supervision of the volunteer life coaches and support provided.
Governance and Decision Making
Reclaim Life has a board of Trustees who oversee the governance of the charity, reviewing changes to policies, ensuring Reclaim Life is working within the values it holds and are involved in decision making for the direction and the way forward of the organisation.
The Reclaim Life Manager reports directly to the Chair of Reclaim Life for operational activities and tasks for the day to day running of the charity.
| Reclaim Life Trustees | Date of Appointment |
|---|---|
| Linda Sear-Chair | November2010 |
| Helen Louise O'Connell | January 2018 |
| LyndaWelford | June2016 |
| Haneefah Muhammad | July 2014 |
| Dr Miheengari Shafi | April 2012 |
| Brian Sadler | April2012 |
| Robert Harry Sear | November 2010 |
Charitable Trust no. 1138735
~~Reclaim~~ promoting emotional wellbeing Life Life
6-8 Bridge St LEIGHTON BUZZARD Beds. LU7 1AL 01525 375740
info@reclaimlife.net
www.reclaimlife.net
RECLAIM LIFE Registered Charity: 1138735
STATEMENT OF INCOME & EXPENDITURE – for the year ending 30/05/2024
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| INCOME | ||
| Serendipity-centre donations | 17,870 | 16,628 |
| Coaching sessions | 11,250 | 10,550 |
| Donations | 10,107 | 8,018 |
| Fundraising | 4,805 | 120 |
| Grant-local authority | 1,800 | 30,000 |
| Grant-to fund Admin Manager | 0 | 6,943 |
| Training | 0 | 400 |
| 45,833 | 72,659 | |
| EXPENDITURE | ||
| Payroll | 26,422 | 28,325 |
| Administration | 13,794 | 8,895 |
| Rent | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| Depreciation | 5,656 | 5,656 |
| Office Expense | 3,175 | 2,727 |
| Insurance | 700 | 634 |
| Stationary/Office Supplies | 86 | 0 |
| Mobile Phones | 212 | 212 |
| Computer costs | 16 | 0 |
| Registrations | 0 | 35 |
| 57,847 | 54,574 | |
| (DEFICIT)/SURPLUS available for charitable | (12,014) | 18,084 |
| activities |
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~~Reclaim~~ promoting emotional wellbeing Life Life
6-8 Bridge St LEIGHTON BUZZARD Beds. LU7 1AL 01525 375740 info@reclaimlife.net
www.reclaimlife.net
RECLAIM LIFE Registered Charity: 1138735
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION – @ 30/05/2024
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| ASSETS | ||
| Office Refurbishment | 20,738 | 26,393 |
| Bank account | 28,178 | 32,199 |
| 48,916 | 58,593 | |
| FUNDS | ||
| Unrestricted funds available for Reclaim Life | 40,916 | 58,593 |
| 40,916 | 58,593 | |
| LIABILITIES | ||
| Rent | 8,000 | 0 |
| 8,000 | 0 |
Accounts prepared by: Alan Gordon ACCA Accounts approved by: Linda Sear, on behalf of the trustees
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name RECLAIM LIFE members of On accounts for the year 30/05/2024 Charity no 1138735 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1-2 (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 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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) 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.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Amion Mbele Date: 21/03/2025 ~~PO [|~~ Name: Amion Mbele FCCA ~~Cs~~ Relevant professional ACCA Qualified Accountant qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 5 Anglers Avenue Whittlesey Peterborough, PE7 1GT
October 2018
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IER
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).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
Accounts prepared by Alan Gordon ACCA
October 2018
2
IER