## **St Vincent’s Family Project**
## **Annual Report and Financial Statements**
31 March 2025
Charity Registration Number 1142095
Company Registration Number 07638620 (England and Wales)
**Contents**
|**Reports**||
|---|---|
|Reference and administration details|1|
|Trustees’ report|3|
|Independent auditor’s report|24|
|**Financial Statements**||
|Statement of financial activities|28|
|Balance sheet|29|
|Principal accounting policies|30|
|Notes to the financial statements|33|
St Vincent's Family Project
**Reference and administrative details** 31 March 2025
**Patron** Lady Viola G Grosvenor **Trustees** Philippa Gitlin (Chair) Tim Hassell Teresa Crowley Sister Liz Ferrie DC Sister Ruth O’Neill Sister Kathleen Kennedy DC (resigned on 13.09.24) Deacon Ali McMillan Ifeoma Okafor Joanna Wormell Rosemary Jackson (resigned on 02.12.24)
St Vincent's Family Project **1**
**Reference and administrative details** 31 March 2025
|**Principal office**|The Methodist Central|
|---|---|
||Hall Storey’s Gate|
||Westminster|
||London|
||SW1H 9NH|
|**Telephone:**|020 7654 5351|
|**Facsimile:**|020 7654 6902|
|**Company registration number**|07638620 (England and Wales)|
|**Charity registration number**|1142095|
|**Chief Executive**|Andrew Varley|
|**Auditor**|Buzzacott Audit LLP|
||130 Wood Street|
||London|
||EC2V 6DL|
|**Bankers**|Royal Bank of Scotland plc|
||4th Floor|
||2½ Devonshire Square|
||London|
||EC2M 4XJ|
|**Solicitors**|Wedlake Bell LLP|
||52 Bedford Row|
||London|
||WC1R 4LR|
St Vincent's Family Project **2**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
The trustees present their statutory report together with the financial statements of St Vincent's Family Project (SVFP or the Project) for the year ended 31 March 2025.
This report has been prepared in accordance with Part 8 of the Charities Act 2011 and constitutes a directors’ report for the purposes of company legislation.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on pages 25 to 28 of the attached financial statements and comply with the charitable company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, applicable laws and 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 United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
## **History**
St Vincent’s Family Project has its origins with the Spanish government, who in 1975 set up a neighbourhood programme staffed by Spanish Daughters of Charity to work with families from Spain who were living in London. They provided them with support and formed a community to help these young families. This eventually expanded to include all families within the area when the UK Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul became involved in the project in 1996. The project has been based at Methodist Central Hall since 2005 and maintains a strong relationship with the Methodist Central Hall Church. The Project is part of the Integrated Leadership of the South Westminster Family Hub and has links with different local providers, schools, faith organisations and businesses.
## **The need for our work**
South Westminster is an area of contrast between wealth, history and power alongside stark social deprivation. Areas in Pimlico wards are within the top 10% of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation. It is an area with high pay gaps, the highest housing and childcare costs and homelessness. There are many different communities and languages spoken sitting amongst the poverty, debt and insecure housing; social isolation is a significant problem in the area. Families with very young children have all the pressures of early parenthood, so it is unsurprising we see relationship conflicts, huge emotional stress on families leading often to mental and physical health problems. Various evidence shows that children in Westminster fare less favourably when it comes to obesity, oral hygiene, well-being, risk of involvement in crime and homelessness.
St Vincent's Family Project **3**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Principal aims**
St Vincent’s Family Project aims to support families in Westminster especially those who are experiencing difficulties. The Project aims to address the issues of parenting, child welfare and social exclusion by providing services for parents and children. The charity’s intended impact is developing resilience in families in their early years to have a lasting effect on their futures. It aims to offer an experience of community that inspires, supports and enables positive changes in the lives of those who use its services.
These aims reflect the purposes for which the charity was set up.
## **Public benefit**
The aims, objectives and activities of the Project are reviewed each year. As part of this process, the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. The review of activities illustrates the ways in which the charity serves the public benefit.
## **Values**
St Vincent’s Family Project has six Vincentian values that underpin our direct work with families and children. These are:
_**We are Respectful** :_ We celebrate the uniqueness of the individual. We welcome diversity and treat everyone non-judgmentally with equal care and attention.
_**We are Inspired** :_ We are committed to the nurturing of families in the belief that positive change is possible in a caring and loving environment. We seek to empower people to meet their full potential.
_**We are Travellers Together** :_ We are privileged to accompany families through a significant part of their journey. They are the heart of our charity, and we work with them in a spirit of mutuality and friendship, always ready to listen and learn from them.
_**We are Professional** :_ We aim for the highest of standards in our work drawing upon ‘best practice ’principles and programmes. We will always seek to improve the way we do things.
_**We are Holistic** :_ We are concerned for the different aspects of people’s lives and will provide support wherever possible. We seek to be alert to identify emerging needs and respond to them in a flexible and creative way.
_**We are Compassionate**_ : We use our resources for the benefit of the families always taking care to make our services affordable and accessible.
St Vincent's Family Project **4**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Family Space**
Family Space is open Monday to Friday to local families with children (from age 0-5) offering a range of facilities, activities, programmes and support available. We have very good facilities for children and families, to play, relax, share food and receive support.
For families on low incomes who need support, we offer a free crèche. We have a Sensory Room, where, amongst other things, sessions are offered to families of children with special educational needs.
For parents, throughout the year, SVFP offer a range of parenting and health courses designed to fit different needs, in group settings, which help parents to realise they are not alone in the many challenges and responsibilities facing them.
At Family Space we also offer support to families on low incomes who may be having problems with housing, debt, schools, relationship or legal issues. Our service is greatly enhanced in this area by joint working with local agencies from the Early Years Family Hub, Westminster CAB, Marylebone Educational Foundation and the Westminster Foodbank to name some.
Throughout the year we offer different fun family activities, including monthly trips, to help families develop, make friends and build confidence.
## _**Theory of Change- Family Space**_
St Vincent's Family Project **5**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Programmes, Activities and Events**
Again we concentrated on two parenting programmes over the last 12 months; Positive Parenting Programme (PPP) and Mellow Parenting for Mums. PPP is an excellent all-round programme teaching parents all aspects of parenting, ideal for new parents, or new to taught programmes, with short sessions over 7 -10 weeks we can be flexible with to meet the needs of families. Mellow Parenting is around 14 weeks for mums who have had some trauma related to parenting and is more discussive, with emphasis on sharing experience. We ran both programmes twice over the year.
## _**Healthy Living**_
Again Friday mornings have been our regular Healthy Living Session, usually beginning with an exercise class run by a Personal Trainer, followed by a session covering a different aspect of health. Since September we have had one session each month at the Ebury Bridge Community Centre. This has allowed us to get out locally and engage new families who might not know about us. In addition we have been going out to local nurseries in the area delivering Dental Hygiene sessions to children, providing them with toothbrushes and toothpaste.
## _**Welfare Support**_
SVFP continued to support families in debt, struggling with the cost-of-living, hygiene poverty, inadequate and overcrowded housing. We noticed families were frustrated by waiting for services, particularly speech and language, developmental assessments, counselling or dental health.
Towards the end of the year a number of families had been moved from hotel accommodation to outside of the borough, where we were engaged with supporting them. This year we were able to engage a Senior Family Support Worker, intended to have someone experienced with complex welfare issues providing support. Again, we were able to access Food Banks, donated goods, School Uniform Grants from St. Marylebone Educational Foundation, as well as work with a wide range of local services such as Cardinal Hume Centre and Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
## _**Crèche**_
Crèche is available on our programme days to allow parents to attend other sessions, but it is also available to those who want to do other things. Our provision has always had some structure to develop children whilst with us, but this year we have been developing this model of how we work in response to national and local concerns about children starting education unready, for example not being toilet trained, something which has been highlighted since the Covid-19 pandemic. We ended the year using a model which helps us be clearer about developing children across different areas which we are hopeful will contribute to their readiness.
## _**Activities, Events Trips**_
Through the year we have had a number of activities and celebrations for families as part of our regular drop-in. This has included a free cranio-sacral osteopathy session for families on a Tuesday morning, and baby massage, both led by professionals volunteering for us.
Trips provided once a month have included Water and Steam, Horniman and Postal Museums, Kew Gardens, Mudchute Farm, amongst others and give families a space for getting to know each other, making friends as well as enjoying an affordable family day out.
St Vincent's Family Project **6**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Programmes, Activities and Events** (continued)
## _**Activities, Events Trips** (continued)_
We also ran whole school half term activities with a range of activities for families. This has been a great way for families to be introduced to us.
We were also able to provide a package of events for Christmas, including a grotto, with gifts provided to local children by Santa Claus himself.
## _**Outcomes**_
180 families were supported by SVFP over the year.
The diagram shows the proportion of families using different services, indicating a general evenness across all of them.
## **Outcomes**
This year we looked to develop our outcomes model to show more detail, without being over intrusive with families. We also have particularly looked to create a robust model for preparing children to be ready for school, so some of the detail shows the beginnings of this programme.
We surveyed families to determine the overall _resilience_ they have developed since being with us, with questions covering areas of social isolation, health and well-being, development of parental skills, confidence and knowledge, as well as children’s improved readiness for school/formal education. Some examples of the responses are below of the response from parents
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**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Families/Parents**
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**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Families/Parents** (continued)
## **Summary**
Overall families have experienced an improvement in reducing social isolation, confidence and sense of well-being. Certainly linking in with support services and making other social connections has been very successful this year. We have worked well with a number of statutory and third sector agencies as part of the Westminster Family Hub over the last few years, and this may be part of the reason for this.
## **Children Readiness for School**
We first introduced this model in January 2025, so it reflects part of the year, but we intend to develop and use this more in future reports.
- In **Physical Development** . For example: my child has better hand skills (e.g., holding a pencil, cutting with scissors) and moves more confidently (e.g., running, jumping, balancing).
- 55.9% of parents said they had noticed improvements.
- In **Cognitive Skills** . For example: my child talks more, knows new words, and solves problems better (e.g., puzzles, figuring things out).
- 64.7% of parents said they had noticed improvements
- In **Social & Emotional Development** . For example: my child is better at managing emotions (e.g., staying calm, expressing feelings), more independent (e.g., dressing themselves, making choices), building positive relationships (e.g., making friends, sharing), and feels more comfortable in groups (e.g., joining activities, playing with others).
- 76.5 % of parents said they had noticed improvements
St Vincent's Family Project **9**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
- In **Communication Skills** . For example: my child expresses thoughts and needs more clearly, listens and understands better (e.g., follows instructions), and takes turns in conversations (e.g., waiting to speak, asking questions).
- 61.8% of parents said they had noticed improvements
## **Summary**
Given this model is only a few months old at the time of reporting within the first year we are looking to set a benchmark within which to then push to make improvements.
## **Feedback and Comments**
Question asked to parents: _Have you noticed any other aspects of growth from your child while attending SVFP?_
- More engaged and feel very confident with other kids around
- Child became more confident, friendly - knows how to share toys and etc.
- Confidence and motivation
- Confidence in playing
- My older child was uncomfortable with crèche settings before SVFP and is now a welladjusted school age. My 9-month-old has benefitted greatly from social time with children of varying ages and the consistent presence of SVFP adults, who truly stand in for elder family members who are far overseas! The social-emotional skills modelled by educated and compassionate SVFP adults is unparalleled in any other space.
- she gained more words and confidence
## General Comments:
- The place makes my day :) I feel happy to talk with staff and carers who are there.
- You are the best, it’s such a pleasure to meet you every time
- The best place for parents and children than other I attended
- Volunteers are great help and supportive.
- I found a family that I don't have in London
- The most supportive staff!
- SVFP has been a lifeline for me and my children. Their positive modeling has made me a better parent, and access to their sensory spaces helps to regulate me and my children.
- I feel better mentally. I feel like I have a support system.
## **Creative Arts and Drama Therapy**
SVFP supports children of Primary School Age in Westminster whose education is being affected by emotional, mental or behavioural problems through the use of Creative Arts and Drama Therapy. The use of play enables young children to be able to settle and communicate difficult feelings with the therapist. Often, as a side benefit it also helps to stimulate interest in the arts.
St Vincent's Family Project **10**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Creative Arts and Drama Therapy** (continued)
At the beginning of the year (April 2024) St. Vincent’s Family Project provided therapy across 10 Primary schools in Westminster. However, we were aware that some schools were struggling financially and by the start of the new school year (from September) this had reduced to 5 schools. All the schools here utilised the part funding from St. Giles and St. George which has allowed those schools to cover a half a day a week of therapy across the school terms. Again, this year we have used both Arts and Drama Therapists in different schools. By the end of the year we were providing therapy to 25 children.
For older children and adults we have continued to see a demand for therapy services, but the year has again been difficult in finding sustainable funding. We hope that by next year we will have been able to expand and meet this need.
## _**Theory of Change – Creative Arts Therapy**_
## **Volunteer Space**
We have a robust volunteering programme that provides a range of volunteering activities for local residents, corporations, therapeutic placements, student interns and those wanting to make a difference within the community.
Companies that have supported us this year have been Draker Lettings, PGIM, and Step, particularly raising funds or goods for family events.
- ♦ Roles include direct work with families, administration, marketing and fundraising.
- ♦ Volunteers can see how a charity works within an urban, hyper-diverse context.
- ♦ Volunteers discover our Vincentian values and can incorporate them and their corresponding behaviours into their good reflective practice.
- ♦ We had 35 volunteers in total including 6 students from OMNES Education London School, 2 students from University of Essex, 2 from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, 1 from King’s College London and 1 student from CAPA, The Global Education Network.
St Vincent's Family Project **11**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
- ♦ 3,116 hours of volunteered time to the charity, valued at £ 43,289.8 _(based on London Living Wage)_
- ♦ Involvement: parenting courses, healthy living course, 1:1 support, fitness sessions, DropIn sessions, crèche, dental workshops, outings, events such as Christmas party, sports day, social media and communication, outreach, database management, small fundraising, decorating of the project, and filming and video editing
- ♦ 9 Trustees gave time outside of the scheduled board meetings and planning days during the year
## **Equal opportunities**
St Vincent’s Family Project strives to apply the principle of equal opportunities throughout the organisation, and to that end regularly reviews its Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy.
The charity is pleased to welcome families, especially those experiencing difficulties, irrespective of age, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, gender, religion or status. Its aim is always to help those who would otherwise find themselves marginalised and excluded from the means of support they need.
The charity aims to apply equal opportunities for both paid staff and volunteers.
## **Safeguarding**
The charity recognises the need to protect children from harm and promote their welfare and to that end maintains a robust Child Safeguarding Policy.
All staff and volunteers are required to be checked through the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) and receive training in child and adult protection and safeguarding issues. As part of their induction process, they are required to read the charity’s policies within the Employee Handbook and/or SVFP Policy Folder.
## **Fundraising**
The period from April to September 2024 was marked by a difficult cash flow problem, noted elsewhere. Some grounds were made with new corporate funds, but the summer was made difficult with two previous funders no longer able to support us financially. However, the second half of the year saw success at key targeted funds, with some new additional ones which saw the charity stabilise. This last year we were particularly pleased that we were able to attract core funding and also to have a successful fundraising campaign based around a baking competition supported by Draker Lettings Ltd.
St Vincent's Family Project **12**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Financial review**
## _**Results for the year**_
A summary of the results for the year to 31 March 2025 is given on page 23 of this annual report and financial statements.
During the year, income totalled £ 327,265 (2024 - £329,098). Donation and Grant income amounted to £ 314,102 (2024 - £319,413).
Expenditure totalled £ 288,086 (2024 - £340,303) and included staff costs of £204,329 (2024 - £251,935), and premises costs of £38,049 (2024 - £40,840).
## **Financial position**
At 31 March 2025 the charity had total negative funds of £ 4,643 (2024 –£43,822). All funds were unrestricted.
## _**Reserves policy**_
The charity is highly committed to ensuring a continuing service to the children and families reliant on its services. In order to provide sufficient flexibility to cover temporary shortfalls in income due to timing differences in cash flows and to respond to unforeseen events, the trustees aim to maintain general reserves equal to at least three months of expenditure, which equates to approximately £90,000. The reserves of the charity are currently below this position.
## _**Going concern assessment**_
Following the temporary closure of St. Vincent’s Family Project in July 2024 because of cash flow problems, the charity reopened and recovered financially during the second part of the year. This largely came about through the arrival of already predicted funds, as well as an emergency grant from Westminster Council. In addition, some expected cost reductions also had an impact. The charity has been meeting its monthly repayments of the loan provided by the Daughters of Charity Trust and not had to use additional loans or any form of emergency grant since July 2024. What was clear from this challenging period was the acknowledgement from Westminster Council and others as to the importance of the charity and the services it provides.
In addition the charity has kept to a cautious budget and been looking to maintain grant funding, despite the difficult climate for the sector. Since the summer targeted funds have been achieved, with some new funds also being available such as from the London Masonic Charity.
Whilst continuing on this path, we are expecting to, over the next two years, pay off our loan, create a surplus and build up some reserves. There are still potential opportunities for multiyear funding, which we hope to capitalise on.
St Vincent's Family Project **13**
**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Future plans**
Through 2025-26, St Vincent’s Family Project will aim to achieve the following objectives:
- ♦ Develop our project of getting children ready for school.
- ♦ Continue to work towards stabilising our financial position and developing reserve
- ♦ Be active locally influencing strategic plans for families in Westminster.
- ♦ Build on the fundraising activities (non-grants) providing more events to fundraise
- ♦ Target opportunities for multi-year funding
## **Governance, structure and management**
## _**Governance**_
The charitable company, which is governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association, was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee (Company Registration Number 07638620 (England and Wales)) on 18 May 2011 and is a registered charity (Charity Registration Number 1142095).
The sole member of the company, and thus its parent entity, is DCSVP Services, a registered charity (Charity Registration Number 1149326) and a company limited by guarantee (Company Registration Number 07638065 (England and Wales)), set up by the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, to safeguard the Vincentian ethos in various projects such as St Vincent’s Family Project.
In the event of St Vincent’s Family Project winding up, the member is required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.
Potential SVFP trustees are sourced via suggestions from the Chair, trustees and the Chief Executive. Potential candidates are then interviewed by the Chief Executive with an initial recommendation to the SVFP trustees. The next stage is for an interview by a trustee. The candidate is then asked to attend a trustees’ meeting as an observer and asked to make a short statement to the trustees, followed by questions and answers by the candidate and trustees. The trustees take a majority vote on whether to accept the candidate as a trustee. A new trustee must be approved by the Board of DCSVP Services before they can be appointed. On appointment, the new trustee receives a short induction, and they are DBS checked.
The names of the trustees who served during the year are set out on page 1 of this report and financial statements and brief biographical details on each of the trustees are given below:
## _Teresa Crowley_
Teresa retired as a Pastoral Liaison Officer and Careers Leader at Notre Dame School. In both roles she dealt with outside agencies and as a school liaison for many different businesses, charities and local authority agencies. Teresa has a degree in Social Sciences and a Post Graduation Qualification in Careers Leadership. She loved her job at Notre Dame working on enrichment projects with the students which include programmes like an art project around the First World War that was exhibited at The Guildhall, a dance project with Rambert which saw the students perform at their studio and writing a book of memories with the local elderly day centre.
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**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Governance, structure and management** (continued)
## _**Governance** (continued)_
## _Sister Liz Ferrie_
Sister Liz Ferrie has been a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul for 58 years. She is both a qualified Nursery Nurse and RGN for adults. Her working life is one of caring for people of every age and conditions. She has also travelled abroad for short-term missions during humanitarian crises. She spent 6 years in the Mother House of the community in Paris as English-speaking Secretary. At present she volunteers with REVIVE CIO, Manchester. This project provides advocacy, advice and support to refugees and people seeking asylum.
## _Philippa Gitlin_
Philippa Gitlin worked both as a CEO and trustee in the UK charity sector and served 3 school governing bodies before retiring in 2010. Since then, she has served on the board of a French Charity addition to providing consultancy on governance to other charities in the UK. She was also until recently a trustee of FARA Foundation UK, a charity supporting services to severely disadvantaged children and families living in poverty in Romania. Philippa is also a Trustee of the Charles Plater Trust.
## _Sister Kathleen Kennedy_
Sister Kathleen Kennedy entered the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul in 1966. She worked in residential child care for fourteen years, after which she ran a pre-school group in a primary school setting. She qualified as a teacher with Bachelor of Arts with Qualified Teacher Status (BAQTS) and taught in an inner-city primary school for sixteen years. She worked as part of a city-wide Evangelisation Team in Hull before being appointed to the Provincial Council of the Daughters of Charity. Sr Kathleen resigned on 13[th] September 2024.
## _Deacon Ali McMillan_
Deacon of the Methodist Church at the Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, Deacon Ali McMillan had been a Teacher in Secondary Schools and Sixth form colleges before joining the ministry. She has, through her pastoral activities, worked with all age ranges in the community.
## _Ifeoma Okafor_
Ifeoma Okafor’s first degree was in Microbiology, but she then went on to complete an MSc in Financial Economics. She currently works as a Senior financial reporting manager in the financial services industry. She has a background in supporting charities’ work and coaching people into employment.
## _Joanna Wormell_
Joanna Wormell is a qualified solicitor with a focus on risk management and governance. Having lived in a variety of places and experienced a range of different cultures and approaches, she is keen to give back to the community where she lives in South Westminster. She firmly believes in the importance of the early years to lay down a good foundation for the rest of children’s lives.
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**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Governance, structure and management** (continued)
## _**Governance** (continued)_
## _Rosemary Jackson_
Rosemary Jackson works at MasterCard International and holds the position of Sr. Vice President, Real Time Payments Solutions. Working for Mastercard for 20 years, based out of Sydney, Singapore and London’. Rosemary resigned (2 December 2024) to return to Australia with her family.
## _Tim Hassell_
Tim Hassell is the Managing Director of Draker Lettings, a property lettings company in West London. From modest origins in Liverpool, Tim has always been motivated to pass on the kindness and support he experienced growing up and getting to where he is. He has been a Trustee for the Breast Cancer Trust and Robert Grace Trust.
## _Sr Ruth O’Neill_
Sister Ruth O’Neill has been a Daughters of Charity for 40+ years. She initiated the development of the Family Project whilst managing the St. Vincent’s Nursery which offered affordable day care and education. For a few years she worked with children and young people providing Family and Pastoral Support in Schools and Social Services. After studying M.Sc. Management of Care, she founded two Projects in Cardiff, Wales for persons who were destitute as a result of the Asylum System in the UK and provided Accommodation and a Drop-in Centre with a range of services. She now lives in Manchester, continues her connection with refugee work and is a member of the Leadership Team of the Community.
## _**Structure and management reporting**_
The ultimate responsibility for the charity lies with the trustees. The day-to-day management is delegated to the Chief Executive. Meetings are held regularly with the trustees, service users and the staff team to ensure the quality of service and the aims of the charity are being met.
## _**Key management**_
The trustees consider that they, together with the Chief Executive, comprise the key management of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis.
The pay of the Chief Executive is reviewed annually by the trustees.
## _**Risk management**_
The trustees undertake an annual review of the principal risks and uncertainties that the charity faces categorising the risks between those affecting the governance and management of the charity, operational risks, financial risks, reputational risks and those which occur because of circumstances outside of the charity's control such as changes in government policy, laws and regulations. They regularly review the measures already in place, or needing to be put in place, to establish policies, systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified in the annual review and ensure that action is taken to implement changes to those policies, systems and procedures should they be needed to minimise or manage any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise.
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**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Governance, structure and management** (continued)
## _**Risk management** (continued)_
The trustees have identified five main areas where risks may occur: governance and management, operational, financial, reputational and regulatory.
**Governance and management** considers the risk of the charity, suffering from a lack of direction, at the skills and training of its members and staff, and the good use of its resources.
**Operational** considers the risks inherent in the charity’s activities including any potential shortcomings in the services provided, staffing, poor health and safety, and the disaster recovery plan.
**Financial** risks include those arising as a result of declining income, poor budgetary control, inappropriate spending and poor accounting.
**Reputational** risk would be possible damage to the charity’s reputation.
**Regulatory** risk considers the effects of government policies, the consequences of noncompliance with laws and regulations and poor risk assessment.
Having assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, the trustees believe that by monitoring reserve levels, by ensuring controls exist over key financial systems, and by examining the operational and business risks faced by the charity, they have established effective systems to mitigate those risks.
However, they acknowledge also that the charity’s activities expose it to a variety of financial risks. The charity has in place a risk management programme that seeks to identify and mitigate the effects of the risk on its finances. The principal financial risk remains the impact of the general economic conditions and its impact on charitable funding.
Whilst the current level of funding for 2025-2026 suggests that the charity will reach its income targets, the trustees remain mindful that continued efforts need to be made to attract new funding and additional income streams.
The other key risk for the charity, as identified by the trustees, arises because operationally the charity works with children and vulnerable adults. The trustees recognise the absolute necessity of ensuring the protection and safety of all those that the charity serves. This means that all those who work or volunteer for the charity and work with children or vulnerable adults must obtain clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
## _**Statement of trustees responsibilities**_
The trustees (who are directors of St Vincent’s Family Project for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the income and expenditure of the charitable company for that period.
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**Trustees’ report** Year ended 31 March 2025
## **Governance, structure and management** (continued)
## _**Statement of trustees responsibilities** (continued)_
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- ♦ select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
- ♦ observe the methods and principles in the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102);
- ♦ make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
- ♦ state whether applicable United Kingdom Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- ♦ to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Each of the trustees confirms that:
- ♦ so far as the trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and
- ♦ the trustee has taken all the steps that he/she ought to have taken as a trustee in order to make himself/herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charitable company’s auditor is aware of that information.
This confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of s418 of the Companies Act 2006.
Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
**Philippa Gitlin** Trustee
Approved by the trustees on: **4 December 2025**
St Vincent's Family Project **18**
## **Independent auditor’s report** Year to 31 March 2025
## **Independent auditor’s report to the member of St Vincent’s Family Project**
## **Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of St Vincent’s Family Project (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the principal accounting policies and the notes to the financial statements. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
- ♦ give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2025 and of its income and expenditure for the year then ended;
- ♦ have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- ♦ have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
## **Basis for opinion**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
## **Conclusions relating to going concern**
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
**Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.**
## **Other information**
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report , including the trustees’ report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
St Vincent's Family Project **19**
**Independent auditor’s report** Year to 31 March 2025
## **Other information** (continued)
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006**
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
♦ the information given in the trustees’ report, which is also the directors’ report for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
♦ the trustees’ report, which is also the directors’ report for the purposes of company law, has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements .
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- ♦ adequate accounting records have not been kept; or
- ♦ the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- ♦ certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
- ♦ we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
- ♦ the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small company’s regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the trustees’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
## **Responsibilities of trustees**
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
St Vincent's Family Project **20**
**Independent auditor’s report** Year to 31 March 2025
## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements**
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.
Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:
- ♦ the Senior Statutory Auditor ensured that the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence, capabilities and skills to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations; and
- ♦ we obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that are applicable to the charitable company and determined that the most significant frameworks which are directly relevant to specific assertions in the financial statements are those that relate to the reporting framework (Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
We assessed the susceptibility of the charity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:
- ♦ making enquiries of management as to their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud; and
- ♦ considering the internal controls in place to mitigate risks of fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations.
To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:
- ♦ performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships.
- ♦ carried out substantive testing of expenditure including the authorisation thereof.
- ♦ reviewed journal entries to identify unusual transactions and substantiated these where appropriate; and
- ♦ assessed whether judgements and assumptions made in determining the accounting estimates were indicative of potential bias.
St Vincent's Family Project **21**
## **Independent auditor’s report** Year to 31 March 2025
## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements** (continued)
In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:
- ♦ review of the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance; and
- ♦ enquiring of management as to actual and potential litigation and claims.
There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the trustees and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.
Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
## **Use of our report**
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Peter Mackereth (Senior Statutory Auditor)
For and on behalf of Buzzacott Audit LLP, Statutory Auditor 130 Wood Street London EC2V 6DL
Date: **8 December 2025**
St Vincent's Family Project **22**
## **Statement of financial activities (including income and expenditure account)** Year to 31 March 2025
|||**Un-**||**2025**|Un-||2024|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**restricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|restricted|Restricted|Total|
|||**funds**|**funds**|**funds**|funds|funds|funds|
||Notes|**£**|**£**|**£**|£|£|£|
|**Income:**||||||||
|Donations and grants|1|**111,824**|**202,278**|**314,102**|132,031|187,382|319,413|
|Bank interest||**438**|—|**438**|421|—|421|
|Crèche and||||||||
|Creative Art||||||||
|Therapy fees||—|**12,725**|**12,725**|—|9,264|9,264|
|**Total income**||**112,262**|**215,003**|**327,265**|132,452|196,646|329,098|
|**Expenditure:**||||||||
|Charitable activities||||||||
|. Provision of services to||||||||
|vulnerable families and||||||||
|children|2|**48,641**|**239,445**|**288,086**|96,679|243,624|340,303|
|**Total expenditure**||**48,641**|**239,445**|**288,086**|96,679|243,624|340,303|
|**Net income**||||||||
|**(expenditure) before**||||||||
|**transfers**||**63,621**|**(24,442)**|**39,179**|35,773|(46,978)|(11,205)|
|Transfers between funds|
9|**(24,442)**|**24,442**|—|(46,978)|46,978|—|
|**Net income (expenditure) and**||||||||
|**net**||||||||
|**movement in funds for the**||||||||
|**year**3||**39,179**|—|**39,179**|(11,205)|—|(11,205)|
|**Reconciliation of funds:**||||||||
|Balance brought forward at||||||||
|1 April 2024||**(43,822)**|**—**|**(43,822)**|(32,617)|—|(32,617)|
|**Balance carried forward at**||||||||
|**31 March 2025**||**(4,643)**|—|**(4,643)**|(43,822)|—|(43,822)|
All recognised gains and losses are included in the above statement of financial activities. All of the
charity’s activities continued during the above two financial years.
St Vincent's Family Project **23**
## **Balance sheet** 31 March 2025
|**Fixed assets:**
Tangible assets
Notes
6
**2025**
**£**
**Current assets:**
Debtors
7
**4,090**
Cash at bank and in hand
**35,334**||**2025**
**£**
**673**
2024
£
9,203
5,390||2024
£
1,347|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Total current assets**
**39,424**
**Liabilities:**
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
8
**(26,740)**||14,593
(59,762)|||
|**Net current asset**||**12,684**||(45,169)|
|**Total Assets less current**
**liabilities**
Creditors: amounts falling due
In greater than one year
8||**13,357**
**(18,000)**||(43,822)
—|
|**Total net (liabilities)**||**(4,643)**||(43,822)|
|**Represented by:**
**The funds of the charity**
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
9
. General fund||—
**(4,643)**||—
(43,822)|
|**Total charity funds**||**(4,643)**||(43,822)|
Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
## **Philippa Gitlin**
## Trustee
Approved by the trustees on: **4 December 2025**
St Vincent’s Family Project – Company Registration Number 07638620 (England and Wales)
St Vincent's Family Project **24**
**Principal accounting policies** 31 March 2025
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are laid out below.
## **Basis of preparation**
These financial statements have been prepared for the year to 31 March 2025 with comparative information given in respect to the year to 31 March 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policies below or the notes to these accounts.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the principles set out in 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 United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (Charities SORP FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are presented in sterling and are rounded to the nearest pound.
## **Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement**
Preparation of the financial statements requires the trustees and management to make significant judgements and estimates.
The main judgement or estimate that has been made in these financial statements relates to the assessment of future income and expenditure as part of the budgetary process and assessment of going concern.
## **Assessment of going concern**
Reflecting the going concern assessment (Page 13) the trustees have seen the charity meet it’s income plan over the year following the summer, with no recourse to requiring additional loans or emergency grants. They have noted the stabilization of income and some additions to the targeted fundraising organisations supporting the charity. Trustees expect this to continue and are aware of good future opportunities for fundraising. The charity expects to pay off it’s one loan and over the next few years build up a working reserve. And, because there is very strong support for the charity from Westminster the trustees believe the charity is a going concern.
The trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in preparing these accounts. The trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period of one year from the date of approval of these accounts.
St Vincent's Family Project **25**
**Principal accounting policies** 31 March 2025
## **Assessment of going concern** _(_ continued)
The trustees of the charity have concluded that there are no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees are of the opinion that the charity will have sufficient resources to meet its liabilities as they fall due.
## **Income recognition**
Income is recognised in the period in which the charitable company is entitled to receipt, the amount can be measured with reasonable certainty, and it is probable that the income will be received.
Income comprises donations, grants, bank interest, crèche and creative art therapy fees, income from other trading activities, and miscellaneous income.
Donations and grants are recognised when the charity has confirmation of both the amount and settlement date. In the event of donations pledged but not received, the amount is accrued for where the receipt is considered probable. In the event that a donation or grant is subject to conditions that require a level of performance before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity, and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.
In accordance with the Charities SORP FRS 102 volunteer time is not recognised.
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
Income derived from the levying of charges for Crèche and Creative Art Therapy and income from trading activities is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable, excluding discounts and rebates.
Miscellaneous income is measured at fair value and accounted for on an accrual’s basis.
## **Expenditure recognition**
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
All expenditure is accounted for on an accrual’s basis.
Expenditure on charitable activities comprises expenditure on the provision of a safe and stimulating environment where parents and children can take part in activities together and as individuals.
St Vincent's Family Project **26**
**Principal accounting policies** 31 March 2025
## **Expenditure recognition** (continued)
Governance costs are costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charitable company that relate to the general running of the charitable company as opposed to those costs associated with fundraising or charitable activity. Included within this category are costs associated with the strategic as opposed to day-to-day management of the charitable company’s activities.
Costs are apportioned based on the number of sessions provided at the Family Project for each activity.
All expenditure is stated inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
## **Tangible fixed assets**
All assets costing more than £3,000 and with an expected useful life exceeding one year are capitalised.
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rate in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life:
♦ Computer equipment 25% on cost
## **Debtors**
Debtors are recognised at their settlement amount, less any provision for nonrecoverability. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid. They have been discounted to the present value of the future cash receipt where such discounting is material.
## **Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and in hand represents such accounts and instruments that are available on demand or have a maturity of less than three months from the date of acquisition.
## **Creditors and provisions**
Creditors and provisions are recognised when there is an obligation at the balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are recognised at the amount the charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt. They have been discounted to the present value of the future cash payment where such discounting is material.
## **Fund structure**
Restricted funds comprise monies raised for, or their use restricted to, a specific purpose, or contributions subject to donor-imposed conditions.
General funds represent monies which are freely available for application towards achieving any charitable purpose that falls within the charitable company’s charitable objects.
St Vincent's Family Project **27**
**Principal accounting policies** 31 March 2025
## **Leased assets**
Rentals applicable to operating leases where substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor are charged to the statement of financial activities on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.
St Vincent's Family Project **28**
**Notes to the financial statements** 31 March 2025
## **1 Donations and grants**
||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**||
|---|---|---|---|
||**Funds**|**Funds**||
||**2025**|**2025**|**2025**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**_Grants_**||||
|National Lottery|**_—_**|**20,000**|**20,000**|
|Young Westminster Foundation|**_—_**|**13,695**|**13,695**|
|London Masons|**_—_**|**5,000**|**5,000**|
|Bouygues UK Limited|**_—_**|**4,000**|**4,000**|
|March Charitable Trust|**1,000**|**_—_**|**1,000**|
|HPPEC Rector & CW|**6,000**|**_—_**|**6,000**|
|The Austin & Hope Pilkington|**1,000**|**_—_**|**1,000**|
|Landsec CAF|**3,000**|**_—_**|**3,000**|
|Harold Hood|**3,000**|**_—_**|**3,000**|
|Arnold Clark Auto|**3,000**|**_—_**|**3,000**|
|Angela Gallagher|**1,000**|**_—_**|**1,000**|
|St Marylebone Educational Foundation|**_—_**|**5,200**|**5,200**|
|Westminster Almshouse|**10,000**|**_—_**|**10,000**|
|Westminster City Council|**50,272**|**33,208**|**83,480**|
|LD Rope|**_—_**|**5,200**|**5,200**|
|Ironmongers|**_—_**|**25,000**|**25,000**|
|Swire Charitable Trust|**15,000**|**_—_**|**15,000**|
|The St Giles-in-the-Fields and William Shelton|**_—_**|**44,400**|**44,400**|
|Educational Charity||||
|Westminster Foundation|**_—_**|**1,575**|**1,575**|
|John Lyons Charity|**_—_**|**45,000**|**45,000**|
||**93,272**|**202,278**|**295,550**|
|**_Donations_**||||
|Other donations|**18,552**|**_—_**|**18,552**|
||**18,552**|**_—_**|**18,552**|
|**2025 Total funds**|**111,824**|**202,278**|**314,102**|
St Vincent's Family Project **29**
**Notes to the financial statements** 31 March 2025
## **1 Donations and grants** (continued)
||_Unrestricted_|_Restricted_||
|---|---|---|---|
||_funds_|_funds_||
||_2024_|_2024_|_2024_|
||_£_|_£_|_£_|
|_Grants_||||
|_National Lottery_|_—_|_10,000_|_10,000_|
|_Young Westminster_|_—_|_18,128_|_18,128_|
|_Pimlico Millions_|_—_|_2,433_|_2,433_|
|_Angela Gallagher_|_1,000_|_—_|_1,000_|
|_St Marylebone Educational Foundation_|_—_|_5,200_|_5,200_|
|_Westminster Almshouse_|_10,500_|_—_|_10,500_|
|_Westminster Winter Grant_|_—_|_2,239_|_2,239_|
|_Westminster Ward_|_—_|_1,693_|_1,693_|
|_Westminster City Council_|_15,000_|_5,000_|_20,000_|
|_Groundwork_|_—_|_1,000_|_1,000_|
|_LD Rope_|_—_|_5,200_|_5,200_|
|_Ironmongers_|_—_|_25,000_|_25,000_|
|_Strand Parish Trust_|_—_|_5,000_|_5,000_|
|_Hobsons_|_—_|_4,166_|_4,166_|
|_Swire Charitable Trust_|_15,000_|_—_|_15,000_|
|_The St Giles-in-the-Fields and William Shelton Educational_|_—_|_44,823_|_44,823_|
|_Charity_||||
|_Edward Harvest Trust_|_—_|_2,500_|_2,500_|
|_Westminster Foundation_|_—_|_10,000_|_10,000_|
|_Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, Charitable Trust_|_40,000_|_—_|_40,000_|
|_Methodist Central Hall_|_23,750_|_—_|_23,750_|
|_John Lyons Charity_|_—_|_45,000_|_45,000_|
||_105,250_|_187,382_|_292,632_|
|_Donations_||||
|_Other donations_|_26,781_|_—_|_26,781_|
||_26,781_|_—_|_26,781_|
|_2024 Total funds_|_132,031_|_187,382_|_319,413_|
St Vincent's Family Project **30**
## **Notes to the financial statements** 31 March 2025
## **2 Charitable activities**
||||**2025**|||2024|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|Unrestricted|Restricted|Total|
||**funds**|**funds**|**funds**|funds|funds|funds|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|£|£|£|
|**Provision of services to**|||||||
|**vulnerable families and children**|||||||
|Staff costs|**40,486**|**122,824**|**163,310**|76,975|120,523|197,498|
|Creative Arts Therapy|—|**41,019**|**41,019**|—|54,437|54,437|
|Family Space|—|**11,320**|**11,320**|—|14,036|14,036|
|Volunteer Space|—|**1,464**|**1,464**|—|1,614|1,614|
|Premises|—|**38,049**|**38,049**|—|40,840|40,840|
|Furniture and equipment|—|**713**|**713**||1,772|1,772|
|Insurance|**1,282**|**3,306**|**4,588**|5,455|—|5,455|
|Printing, postage, telephone|||||||
|and stationery|—|**3,965**|**3,965**|—|3,161|3,161|
|Recruitment and training|—|**1,114**|**1,114**|910|—|910|
|Travel and subsistence|—|**186**|**186**|—|203|203|
|Professional fees|**3,071**|**9,280**|**12,351**|7,871|—|7,871|
|Subscriptions|—|**6,205**|**6,205**|—|6,943|6,943|
|Governance costs|**2,430**|—|**2,430**|2,850|—|2,850|
|Miscellaneous|**1,372**|—|**1,372**|2,618|95|2,713|
|**2025 Total funds**|**48,641**|**239,445**|**288,086**|96,679|243,624|340,303|
## **3. Net expenditure and net movement in funds for the year**
This is stated after charging:
|**Net expenditure and net movement in funds for the year**
This is stated after charging:|||
|---|---|---|
||2025
£|2024
£|
|Staff costs (note 4)
Auditor’s remuneration (including VAT)
. Current year statutory audit services
Depreciation|204,329
3,000
674|251,935
2,850
673|
As the charity is part of a large group, it is required to have its accounts audited rather than an independent examination. The difference between the independent examination fee and audit fee is £2,750 (2024 - £2,500), which has been paid by the parent charity, DC Services.
St Vincent's Family Project **31**
**Notes to the financial statements** 31 March 2025
- **4 Staff costs and remuneration of key management personnel**
|
**personnel**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|2024|
||**£**|£|
|Staff costs during the year were as follows:|||
|Wages and salaries|**151,454**|183,207|
|Pension costs|**3,006**|3,516|
|Social security costs|**8,850**|10,775|
||**163,310**|197,498|
|Contract staff|**41,019**|54,437|
||**204,329**|251,935|
Included within wages and salaries are redundancy costs of £nil (2024 – 10,679). The average number of employees, based on head count, was 5 (2024 – 7) whereas the average number of employees, based on full time equivalents, was 3.6 (2024 – 6). There were no employees who earned £60,000 per annum or more (including benefits) during the year (2024 – none).
The trustees consider that they together with the Chief Executive comprise the key management of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. The total remuneration (including taxable benefits and employer’s pension contributions) of the key management personnel for the year was £56,590 (2024 - £64,158).
None of the trustees received any remuneration in respect of their services during either year (2024 – none). Expenses were £none reimbursed to the trustees (2024 – none).
## **5. Taxation**
St Vincent's Family Project is a registered charity and, therefore, is not liable to income tax or corporation tax on income derived from its charitable activities, as it falls within the various exemptions available to registered charities.
St Vincent's Family Project **32**
**Notes to the financial statements** 31 March 2025
## **6 Tangible fixed assets**
|||Computer||
|---|---|---|---|
|||equipment|**Total**|
|||£|**£**|
||**Cost**|||
||At 1 April 2024 and|2,693|**2,693**|
||Additions|—|—|
||Disposals|—|—|
||At 31 March 2025|2,693|**2,693**|
||**Depreciation**|||
||At 1 April 2024|1,346|**1,346**|
||Charge for year|674|**674**|
||On disposals|—|—|
||At 31 March 2025|2,020|**2,020**|
||**Net book values**|||
||At 31 March 2025|673|**673**|
||At 31 March 2024|1,347|**1,347**|
|**7**|**Debtors**|||
|||**2025**|2024|
|||**£**|£|
||Other debtors|**3,380**|3,219|
||CAT fees|**710**|5,984|
|||**4,090**|9,203|
St Vincent's Family Project **33**
**Notes to the financial statements** 31 March 2025
## **8 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
|**8** **Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|2024|
||**£**|£|
|Accruals|**3,000**|2,850|
|Amount due to Methodist Central Hall (note 14)|**2,412**|2,412|
|Amount due to the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul|||
|Charitable Trust|**18,500**|54,500|
|HMRC|**2,828**|—|
||**26,740**|59,762|
||**2025**|2024|
||**£**|£|
|Deferred income at 1 April|—|25,000|
|Amounts released from previous years|—|(25,000)|
|Resources deferred in the year|—|—|
|Deferred income at 31 March|—|—|
Deferred income relates to grants received in advance of the year to which they relate.
## **Creditors: amounts falling due in greater than one year**
|**Creditors: amounts falling due in greater than one year**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|2024|
||**£**|£|
|Amount due to the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul|**18,000**|—|
|Charitable Trust|||
||**18,000**|—|
St Vincent's Family Project **34**
**Notes to the financial statements** 31 March 2025
## **9. Restricted funds**
The income funds of the charity include the following restricted funds:
||**At 1 April**
**2024**
**Income**
**Expenditure**
**Transfers**
**between**
**funds**
**At 31**
**March**
**2025**|
|---|---|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Family Space Project
Creative Arts Therapy Project|—
**184,278**
**(184,278)**
—
—
—
**30,725**
**(55,167)**
**24,442**
—|
||—
**215,003**
**(239,445)**
**24,442**
—|
|||||||_At 31_|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||_At_|_1 April_||||_March_|
||||||_Transfer_||
||_2023_||_Income_|_Expenditure_|_between funds_|_2024_|
|||_£_|_£_|_£_|_£_|_£_|
|_Family Space Project_||_—_|_157,560_|_(157,560)_|_—_|_—_|
|_Creative Arts Therapy_|||||||
|_Project_||_—_|_39,086_|_(86,064)_|_46,978_|_—_|
|||_—_|_196,646_|_(243,624)_|_46,978_|_—_|
The transfers between unrestricted into restricted funds occurs to ensure there is no deficit in the year end position for restricted funds. The specific purposes for which the funds were received and applied in 2024 and 2025 are as follows:
## _Family Space Project_
Funds provided to assist with the Family Space Project.
## _Creative Arts Therapy Project_
Funds provided specifically as a contribution towards the costs associated with the Creative Arts Therapy Project.
St Vincent's Family Project **35**
**Notes to the financial statements** 31 March 2025
## **10. Analysis of net assets between funds**
||**Un-**
**2025**
Un-
2024|
|---|---|
||**restricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
restricted
Restricted
Total
**funds**
**funds**
**funds**
funds
funds
funds
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
£
£|
|**Fund balances are**
**represented by:**
Fixed assets
Current assets
Creditors: amounts falling
due within one year|**673**
—
**673**
1,347
—
1,347
**39,424**
—
**39,424**
14,593
—
14,593
**(44,740)**
—
**(44,740)**
(59,762)
—
(59,762)|
|**Total net assets**|**(4,643)**
—
**(4,643)**
(43,822)
—
(43,822)|
## **11. Operating lease commitments**
At 31 March 2025 the charity had the following future minimum commitments under noncancellable operating leases in respect of a photocopier:
||**2025**
2024|
|---|---|
||**£**
£|
|Leases which expire:
. Within one year
. Between one and five years|**2,617**
2,538
**5,888**
8,248|
||**8,505**
10,786|
## **12. Liability of member**
The charity is constituted as a company limited by guarantee. In the event of the charity being wound up its member is required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.
## **13. Control**
Control of the charitable company lies with its member and parent entity, DCSVP Services, a registered charity (Charity Registration Number 1149326) and a company limited by guarantee (Company Registration Number 07638065 (England and Wales)). The registered office of DCSVP Services is St Vincent’s Centre, Carlisle Place, London, SW1P 1NL. The financial statements of DCSVP Services can be obtained from the registered office of DCSVP Services is St Vincent’s Centre, Carlisle Place, London, SW1P 1NL.
St Vincent's Family Project **36**
**Notes to the financial statements** 31 March 2025
## **14. Related party transactions**
During the year, trustees, the CEO and their connected parties made donations of £10,320 to the charity (2024 –£400). There are no other related party transactions requiring disclosure (2024 – none).
## **Methodist Central Hall**
St Vincent’s Family Project is connected to Methodist Central Hall by virtue of the fact that one of its trustees is a senior employee and trustee of Methodist Central Hall.
- ♦ During the year the Project contributed service charges to Methodist Central Hall of £ 5,844 (2024 - £5,844), £487 (2024 - £487) of which was accrued at the year end. In addition, the Project paid rent to Methodist Central Hall of £22,800 (2024 - £22,800). £1,900 (2024 - £1,900) of which was accrued at the year end.
- ♦ During the year Methodist Central Hall gave a donation of £nil (2024 – £23,750) to the Project for use in meeting core costs.
## **Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul Services**
St Vincent Family Project is a subsidiary of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul Services, which prepares group accounts, including St Vincent Family Project. The Daughters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul Services will pay £2,750 of the audit fee for St Vincent Family Project (2024: £2,500). See note 3 for further detail. the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul Services, a registered charity (Charity Registration Number 1149326) and a company limited by guarantee (Company Registration Number 07638065 (England and Wales)) is considered the ultimate controlling party of St Vincent Family Project, as it is its sole member This Control is normally exercised by the appointment of Trustees. Should the subsidiary drift away from its core mission, Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul Services has the power also to remove the Trustees of the subsidiary.
The registered office address of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul Services is St Vincent’s Centre, Carlisle Place, London, SW1P 1NL. The group accounts of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul Services can be obtained from the registered office address. The principal purposes and activities of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul Services are to support charities within the group, including St Vincent Family Project. The principal purposes and activities of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul Services are to safeguard and deepen the Vincentian character of, and provide support to, the charities within the group, including St Vincent Family Project.
## **15. Post balance sheet events**
Subsequent to the year end, the charity was notified that it was not eligible for certain employment tax reliefs which had been claimed. Whilst the charity intends to appeal against this outcome, in the event that such an appeal is unsuccessful the charity may need to repay reliefs claimed for the past five tax years. The Daughters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul Services Limited has committed to provide the charity with funding to cover this liability. Therefore, no provisions have been included within these financial statements for any potential liability due
St Vincent's Family Project **37**