2021-03-31-accounts - Sorted Counselling Services

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SORTED COUNSELLING SERVICES (A company limited by guarantee)

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Charity No: 1141928 Company No: 07437471

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SORTED COUNSELLING SERVICES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Report of the Trustees

The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021.

Legal status, governance and management

Charity Name: Sorted Counselling Services Charity Registration number: 1141928 Company registration number: 07437471 Registered Office: Chiltern House 81 High Street North Dunstable Beds LU6 1JJ

Trustees:

Sheila Pembroke Chair Andrew Perry Treasurer (Appointed 6[th] February 2020) Ginny Redbond Vice Chair Joy Simpson Tracy Palmer Appointed 8[th] October 2020

New Trustees are either recommended by existing Trustees or personally apply and undergo an interview process. Induction training is provided for all new trustees, where appropriate, and all trustees are encouraged to attend courses and conferences that would benefit them as trustees.

Staff:

Julie Bowes Director of Services Ann Day Clinical Manager Patrick Carroll Database & Administration Officer Janet Berry Finance Officer

Bankers :

Barclays Bank, High Street, Dunstable

The governing document is the Memorandum & Articles dated 14 March 2011. Management is through an executive committee up to a maximum of 12, nominated from members and elected at the AGM. Trustee meetings are held on a bi-monthly basis.

Objects of the charity

Our charitable objectives are to promote the relief of poverty, sickness and distress amongst young persons between the ages of 5 to 25 year olds. The charity meets its objects through the provision of one to one counselling, group work, workshops and school drop-ins.

To carry out these activities in the year to 31 March 2021 the organisation employed those persons listed above.

Public Benefit

The Trustees consider the charities activities, as set out in this report, are in compliance with their duty to ensure the public benefit. The positive impact of the Charity's activities on the lives of young people by improving their mental health enables young people to make informed decisions, and through developing life skills, not only benefits them but also benefits the wider community.

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SORTED COUNSELLING SERVICES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Report of the Trustees (Cont’d)

Trustees Report 2020-21

It is a matter of huge celebration that we have survived and indeed triumphed over the many setbacks experienced during this most difficult of times within living memory. Praise is owed to everyone in the service who rolled up their sleeves and ensured that we remained COVID safe and secure. They managed the opening up and closing back down again with fortitude and humour. The Trustees acknowledge our huge debt of gratitude to our small but resourceful band of office based staff- Julie, Ann, Patrick and Janet. Nothing seemed to offer an insurmountable challenge.

We opened when government lockdowns were lifted and closed down again as infection rates and hospitalisations increased – again following government guidelines.

Our cohort of counsellors, volunteers and students were both responsive and innovative. They remain the backbone of our service and willingly signed up for training opportunities in on line and digital counselling support. This is a huge credit to their commitment to our vulnerable young people. We offered a range of support vehicles and received a variety of responses – from ‘I would rather wait until we can use face to Face confidential meetings as all the family members might also be at home’ and that element of privacy could not be guaranteed. Each member of the Staff team came in on a rota basis and either dealt with mail and messages – often passing these upwards. All worked from home and kept abreast of their own area.

We have welcomed a new Trustee -Tracy Palmer who has fitted in right away and will bring her wealth of knowledge and expertise of working with and supporting young people to the Board.

Sorted has continued its partnership working with other local agencies and services and has managed to deliver support through both the CIN and Fortis projects. Our work with schools has reduced as schools faced the revolving door of enforced lockdowns.

The Trustees have braved Zoom and continued our regular cycle of meetings To those organisations who provided financial support – Tesco, BLCF and CBC (business support funding) we offer our grateful thanks

My final thanks go every counsellor, volunteers, students, Staff members and of course to my fellow Trustees –Andy, Joy, Tracy, and Ginny

We were fortunate in gaining a new Trustee, Andy Perry, who joined us last year and comes from a financial background and is already to take over the reins in the near future.

Sheila Pembroke Chair Sorted Counselling Services.

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SORTED COUNSELLING SERVICES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2020

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SORTED COUNSELLING SERVICES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2020

Financial Review and Reserves Policy

The charity ended the year with a surplus of £184,542 (2020: £130,203). At 31 March 2021 we held cash at bank of £187,658 (2020: £133.634). The charity had £4,570 of restricted funds (2020: £24,349) and unrestricted funds of £139,677 (2020: £65,854) of which £40,000 are designated. The financial position continues to be carefully monitored and the cash position considered.

The level of reserves relates to the organisation’s level of both current and projected activity.

Accordingly, the charity’s Trustees are seeking to maintain sufficient reserves to continue operations in spite of challenges that may occur from any change in circumstances and to allow for an orderly reduction in activities or cessation of operations should this prove necessary.

The Trustees have determined a minimum of reserves as three months operating costs plus any longterm contractual liabilities that may be outstanding. The Trustees review this policy regularly and the

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policy itself annually. This year’s unrestricted funds at 31 March 2020 total £139,677 and amounts to approximately 12 months budgeted expenditure.

The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis which the Trustees believe is appropriate.

Risk Management

The Trustees keep the charity’s activities under review, particularly with regard to any major risks that may arise from time to time. The major risks that are identified by this process have been mitigated to an acceptable level by internal control systems and other factors as appropriate.

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf on 27 /07/2021 by:

.............................................

Sheila Pembroke – Chair

Director report April 2020- March 20201

We have continued through a testing year to offer a safe space for children and young people from across Central Bedfordshire and to explore the range of difficulties they have faced. This year it was made more complex by the pandemic and all the changes it has brought. We had to, as a whole service, adapt quickly to change the way worked not only in delivery of counselling. The staff team of 4 part-time staff were flexible in running the service -working in shifts in the office and from home.

The team of 22 counsellors rallied to the challenge undertaking a raft of free training to upskill in online and phone counselling. This enabled them not only to continue supporting the clients we were working with but also to work with new clients using these new methods. The counselling team has consisted of 11 volunteers of which 8 were on student placement either in the second year of their Level 4 Diploma or their Master’s Degree. The 11 Sessional qualified counsellors continued to deliver School counselling and project work online during this time. The clinical staff continued to work hard ensuring that all aspects of this way of working were considered and safeguarding a high priority.

During the ongoing lockdowns and returning to face to face services the needs of the children and young people have been uppermost with staff and counsellors ensuring the building was COVID secure with the relevant risk assessments in place.

The Trustee meetings have continued to happen every 6 weeks via Zoom with this forming a crucial role in planning for closing face to face services and guidance of when and how to return and reopening. I thank the Trustee Board for their continued support through the year.

We have offered 1758 Sessions and worked with 148 children and young people through the Community service. We have offered 414 Sessions and worked with 35 children and young people through the Fortis project. Sadly, we were not able to offer as much support in schools during this time although we did stay in close contact with our contracting schools and did support pupils through Zoom or Teams where needed.

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We have continued to work with Tokko during this time, with counsellors working online or phone to support the young people of Luton under the CCG funded project.

Clinical supervision has remained particularly important with all counsellors accessing this via Zoom or by phone to ensure they are working safely and ethically within the new ways of working and the ever changing situation. We are grateful to our Supervisor Caroline McBride for her support.

We have continued to recruit Volunteer counsellors both qualified and also students in placement. This has been disrupted due to the lockdowns but we are pleased that all are now working and offering us their valuable time and benefitting the children and young people that are attending for counselling here at Sorted.

CPD Training - the clinical team undertook some brilliant training with Zoe Lodrick on Trauma and the effects on young people. This was undertaken on Zoom and was well attended by the team, with lots to take forward to counselling sessions. We had hoped to gather as a team to undertake some training face to face but this has still not been possible due to the Government guidance regarding groups meeting indoors. Hopefully we can soon be able to do this.

We received emergency grant funding from BLCF and Tesco to support with the IT and providing tablets for Trustees and staff as we had to change the way we held meeting and sessions. We thank them for the way they reacted to the situation all the voluntary sector faced. We have received a grant from a charity called ‘Angel Our House’, who recognised similar values and the importance of early intervention as they had to close and redistribute their funds to other charities. We thank them for their support.

We have continued to be supported by Houghton Regis Town Council, Children in Need and the Big Lottery with all funders offering to be flexible regarding delivery, changing payment schedules or offering support with their grants which was greatly appreciated.

Our time as a Chosen Charity ended with the Coop. Their support was very much appreciated, sadly due to the lockdowns were not able to visit the staff members and stores as planned but we did write to them all thanking them for their very generous contributions to our Service.

I attended an online Rotary Club meeting where I spoke about the changes we have had to make and how the pandemic was impacting on children and young people. We thank them for their donation.

I thank the staff team, Trustee Board and our team of counsellors who have continued to work tirelessly through this time that has been difficult for everyone, putting the work we do first and always working for the best interests of the children and young people we support.

Julie Bowes – Director

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Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees of Sorted Counselling Services

I report on the accounts of the company which are set out on pages following this report.

Respective responsibilities of trustee and examiner

The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.

The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by
examiner’s statement 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 the 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:

which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and section 386 of the Companies Act 2006
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act

have not been met; or

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

A S Jenkinson FCCA (Fellow of the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants)

The Old Vicarage Carrhill Road Mossley OL5 0BL

Dated 27 July 2021

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Sorted Counsellin Services Annual accounts for the eriod P811Lend date Penod 5Èridat8 01•.20 To 3141 ststement of financial activities Re5trictsd incomè lund$ Unr8Stridèd bJnd$ dtswrnènt funds Prior yèar nds Totsl lund$ Incomin Donations Gnts Fees and ott)erincome resourLYs £17,309 £48,)0 £1603 £17,3LVJ £114,127 £26,581 £5,300 £119,804 £4875 £66,127 £X),978 Rental inGome and bank Inte st £1,155 £R(*7 £1,155 £159,1n Q557 £1K2,536 Tolal £B7,105 Charitable aGlivilEs Q1318 £82,535 £1048S3 £112,746 Total £4318 £82,535 £104l53 £112,746 Netincome/ nditure before otheritems Change in aGGruals, Gredibrs and deblots thy aluslnEnt Netlncomel(expendkure) afteradstMet £4749 £54319 £49,) 055 1A13 £432 £4769 £4570 Transfer from and CbSU of tsslri¢ted fund Gaiyls or kisses dm)sl01 assets Netmovementln funds £4769 £4570 £¥432 Reconcmlatlon of funds.. Totalfunds brou1 fonvard Totalfunds catThdlorward £0 £130203 £184 £130,3 £179 972 £79,771 £130 91Page

Balance sheet

Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total this year Total last year £ £ £ £ £	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total this year Total last year £ £ £ £ £	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total this year Total last year £ £ £ £ £	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total this year Total last year £ £ £ £ £	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total this year Total last year £ £ £ £ £
			£0	£0
			£0	£0
			£0	£0
			£0	£0
£0	£0	£0	£0	£0

			£0	£0
£24			£24	£60
			£0	£0
£187,658			£187,658	£133,634
£187,682	£0	£0	£187,682	£133,694

£3,435			£3,435	£3,491

£184,247	£0	£0	£184,247	£130,203

£184,247	£0	£0	£184,247	£130,203

			£0	£0
£0	£0	£0	£0

£184,247	£0	£0	£184,247	£130,203


£40,000			£40,000 £4,570 £139,677 £295	£40,000
	£4,570			£24,349
£139,677				£65,854
£295
£179,972	£4,570	£0	£184,542	£130,203


Signature		Print Name		Date of approval

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1.1 Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with:

the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in

and with*  accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014
• and with*  the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)
and with the Charities Act 2011.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined  by FRS 102.*

1.2 Income recognition

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity becomes entitled to the income.

1.3 Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis when the laibity falls due.

1.4 Cash flow statement

The charity has taken advantage of the exemption in FRS1 from preparing a Cash Flow statement on the grounds that it is a small entity.

1.5 Going concern

There are no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

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Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)

Note 2 Analysis of income

Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £ Analysis	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £ Analysis	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £ Analysis	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £ Analysis	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £ Analysis	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £ Analysis
Donations				-
Other donations	17,309			17,309	5,300
				-	-
Total Donations	*17,309*			*17,309*	5,300
Total

Grants
Children in Need		38,470		38,470	40,094
Big Lottery		26,952		26,952	48,773
Houghton Regis town council	2,000			2,000	4,000
Central Beds	46,000			46,000	300
Wixamtree Trust				-	-
Souter Charitable Trust				-	-
Beds & Luton Council Fund		705		705	9,851
				-
Total Grants	*48,000*	*66,127*	-	*114,127*	103,018
Total
Tokko		20,978		20,978	20,787
Schools & PP contracts	4,630			4,630	30,875
NHS East london				-	-
Sundry income adjustment	973			973	-
				-
Total from Counselling Services	5,603	20,978	-	26,581	51,662
Total
Interest income	267			267	232
room rental	888			888	2,325
		-	-	-
Total Other	1,155			1,155	2,557
Total 72,067 87,105 - 159,172 162,536
	72,067	87,105	-	159,172	162,536

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Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)

Note 3 Analysis of expenditure

Analysis	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £	Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year £ £
Staff costs	22,318	35,365	-	57,683	56,467
Sessional staff		17,874	-	17,874	31,719
Volunteer costs & training		5,743	-	5,743	5,796
	-	-	-	-	-
Total expenditure on charitable activities	22,318	58,982	-	81,300	93,982

Premises		13,437	-	13,437	10,874
Insurance		1,061	-	1,061	1,129
Office supplies and consumable equipment		3,087	-	3,087	1,843
Publicity		1,966	-	1,966	141
Database		1,725	-	1,725	2,026
Subscriptions	-	480	-	480	-
	-	-	-	-	-
Total expenditure on charitable activities	-	21,756	-	21,756	16,013

Accountancyfeespaid in theyear		850	-	850	1,913
Payroll management		540	-	540	540
Other related(Zoom)	-	158	-	158	-
Bank charges		192	-	192	298
Sundry		57	-	57	-
Total other expenditure	-	1,797	-	1,797	2,751

	22,318	82,535	-	104,853	112,746

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Notes to the accounts

Note 3.2 Paid employees

Note 3.2 Paid employees
Salaries and wages Income tax & social security costs Other employee benefits *Total staff costs* Pension costs (defined contribution scheme)	*Current*	*Prior*
	£	£
	49,366	48,806
	5,458	5,882
	2,078	1,779
	781	-
	*57,683*	56,467

Fundraising Charitable Activities Governance (finance) Other (data admin) *Total* *Note 3.3 Average head count in the year* *Full time Equivalents* The parts of the charity in which the employees work	Fundraising Charitable Activities Governance (finance) Other (data admin) *Total* *Note 3.3 Average head count in the year* *Full time Equivalents* The parts of the charity in which the employees work	*Current*	*Current*
*Full time Equivalents* The parts of the charity in which the employees work		*Number*	*Number*
	Fundraising	*0.57*	0.57
	Charitable Activities	*0.57*	0.57
	Governance (finance)	*0.29*	0.29
	Other (data admin)	*0.60*	0.60
	*Total*	*2.03*	2.03

Note 3.4 Corporation tax

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within S505 of ICTA 1998 or section 256 of the taxation of chargeable gains act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects

Trustee with the highest re-imbursed expense claims All other Trustee re- imbursed expense claims *Total* *Note 3.5 Trustees expenses and remuneration*		*Current*



Trustee with the highest re-imbursed expense claims	*None claimed*	*None claimed*
All other Trustee re- imbursed expense claims	*None claimed*	*None claimed*
*Total*	£0	£0

No Trustee had any material interest in any transaction relating to the associations affairs, either directly or via a third party

One trustee provided a payroll service at an arms length commercial rate following the cessation from trade by the prior provider. This service provided by a trustee ceased on the retirement of that trustee in October 2020

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Notes to the Accounts continued

Note 4 Debtors and prepayments

Amountsfallingdue within one year	Amountsfallingdue within one year	Amountsfallingdue after more than one year	Amountsfallingdue after more than one year
*Current* *Prior*		*Current* *Prior*
£24	£0
£24	£0	N/A	N/A

Note 5 Cash at bank and in hand

Short term deposits Cash at bank and on hand Total

*Current*	*Prior*
nil	nil
£187,658	£133,634
£187,658	£133,634

Note 6 Creditors and accruals

Trade creditors Accounting accruals Deposits held on behalf of third parties

Amountsfallingdue within one year	Amountsfallingdue within one year	Amountsfallingdue after more than one year	Amountsfallingdue after more than one year
*Current* *Prior*		*Current* *Prior*
£2,595	£2,666
£840	£825

£3,435	£3,491	N/A	N/A

Note 7 Movement in funds

1 April	Transfers In	Transfers Out	Adjustment	31 March
£65,854	£73,823		£295	£139,972
£40,000				£40,000
£24,349		-£19,779		£4,570
£130,203	£73,823	-£19,779	£295	£184,542

Note 8 Rental commitments

The charities premises are rented under a 3 month rolling licence Notice period for the termination of the contract is 3 months.

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