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2025-03-31-accounts

THE LIFE PROJECT (BATH)

ANNUAL REPORT for the year ended 31 March 2025

The Life Project (Bath)

1. Reference and Administrative Information

Charity Name: The Life Project (Bath)

Charity Registration Number: 1142459

Company registration number: 07573284

Registered Office and Operational Address:

The Old Acorn Barn Englishcombe Bath BA2 9DU

Board of Trustees

Ben Stokes (Chair) (Re-appointed 29 October 2023) Clive Brooks (Company Secretary) (Re-appointed 29 October 2023) Kay Labate (Appointed 29 October 2023) Kenny Nelson (Appointed 29 October 2023) Pip Phillips (Appointed 29 October 2023) Richard Penwell (Appointed 29 October 2023) Rob Trickey (Re-appointed 29 October 2023) Rob Appleyard (Retired 31 July 2024) Paul Bright (Appointed 29 October 2023)[1]

Senior Management

Richard Blake-Lobb*, Chief Executive[2]

Independent Examiner:

Colin Goater, 102 Freeview Road, Bath, BA2 1DZ

Banks

The Co-operative Bank Plc, PO Box 250, Skelmersdale, WN8 6WT Triodos Bank UK Ltd, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AS

1 Post end of year note: resigned 6th June 2025

2 Post end of year note: resigned September 2025

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2. Structure, Governance and Management

2.1 Governing Document

The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. The company was incorporated on 22 March 2011. The company was registered as a charity on 17 June 2011.

2.2 Recruitment and Appointment of Board of Trustees

The Directors of the company are also charity Trustees for the purposes of charity law. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, Trustees are appointed by the Charity’s members, normally at the Annual General Meeting. Trustees are appointed without a time limit to their term of office but one third of Trustees must resign each year. The Trustees to retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment. Trustees who resign may be reappointed at the next Annual General Meeting. The Board must have a minimum of three Trustees but there is no limit to the number of Trustees it may have.

The Board of Trustees seeks to ensure that the needs of people with learning disabilities are appropriately reflected through the diversity of the Trustee body. Due to the nature of learning disabilities this representation typically comes through parent carers sitting on the board; during the 2024/25 year three of the nine Trustees were parent carers of adults with learning disabilities. A further two trustees have direct personal or professional experience of young people and adults learning difficulties.

The Board represents a broad mix of skills and experience. In an effort to maintain this broad skill mix, Trustees are requested to provide a list of their skills (and update it each year) and in the event of new skills being identified as necessary or particular skills being lost due to retirements, individuals are approached to offer themselves for appointment to the Board of Trustees.

All members of the Board of Trustees give their time voluntarily and received no benefits from the Charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the Charity are set out in note 4 to the accounts.

2.3 Trustee Induction and Training

Induction is seen as a key element in retaining and supporting Trustees. New Trustees are invited to visit Life Project activities, sessions and events to become familiar with the work of the Charity. All Trustees are encouraged to make a project visit at least once per calendar year.

New Trustees are provided with a Trustee Induction Checklist, which includes information on:

The Life Project (Bath) is a member of the local third sector network 3SG and access to the training, support and guidance is available to Trustees.

2.4 Risk Management

The Board of Trustees takes seriously the potential risks to which the Charity is exposed. A risk register has been established and it is regularly reviewed at Trustee meetings and is updated at least annually. Each risk is assigned to a Trustee as a lead responsibility. Where possible, systems or procedures have been established to mitigate the risks the Charity faces. Internal control risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of transactions and projects. Procedures are in place to

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ensure compliance with health and safety of staff, volunteers, service users and visitors. These procedures are periodically reviewed to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the Charity.

2.5 Organisational Structure

The Board of Trustees meet at least six times per year and in addition meet for a longer time at an ‘Away Day’. Trustees are responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the Charity. A scheme of delegation is in place with day to day responsibility for the provision of the services resting with the senior management. There are two Committees of the Board. One is the Strategic Finance Committee and the other is the Resources Committee (primarily concerned with fundraising activities); both Committees report into the Board and have agreed terms of reference.

3. Objectives and activities

3.1 Objectives, Vision & Mission

Our Charity’s objectives: - are as set out in the objects contained in the company’s Memorandum & Articles of Association: ‘The Charity’s objects (“Objects”) are for the public benefit to promote and protect the health and well-being of persons with learning difficulties or other mental or physical disabilities in Bath and in such other parts of the United Kingdom as the Trustees may from time to time think fit according to Christian principles particularly but not exclusively by the provision of accommodation and other facilities to enable them to live within communities and to fulfil their individual potential.’

Our Vision: - is for an inclusive world in which people with learning disabilities know they belong.

Our Mission: - is to create and model supportive community for people with learning disabilities, their families, and carers.

3.2 Activities

The primary activities of The Life Project are as follows:

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3.3 The Public Benefit

The Trustees, in exercising their oversight of the Charity have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. The sections in this report regarding the activities and performance of the Charity for 2024/25 demonstrate that public benefit is at the heart of what The Life Project is all about. Specifically, the benefits such that our activities enhance the lives in a variety of ways of those who have learning difficulties and disabilities and in so doing we enhance the lives and well-being of their parent-carers and families. Given that the direct cost of our services would be prohibitively expensive for parent-carers (even with financial benefits received from the state), our efforts to raise funds through a variety of ways is an additional and very tangible benefit.

4. Highlights of 2024/25

The Life Project has not been able to achieve as much as it hoped it would when we set out our aims and objectives for 2024/25 in our annual report for 2023/24. We have experienced some ‘turbulence’ but the positive news is that at the time of publication of this annual report (October 2025), the Charity is in good heart and is well placed to move forward. This is no mean feat in what appears to be an increasingly tough funding environment, when many small and medium charities are struggling to survive or are not surviving at all.

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4.1 Front of House

The Life Project only exists to provide meaningful activities for those with learning disabilities – activities which nourish relationships, our spiritual heart and our capacity for learning and enjoyment. Our ‘front of house’ activities include:

4.2 Behind the Scenes

In order to provide a quality ‘front-line’ service a considerable amount of resource and time on the part of management and Trustees must be given ‘behind the scenes’. This ensures both the development of good systems and policies and their implementation. In addition, there have been the inevitable challenges posed by the departure of key staff. Significant events this year have been:

4.3 Balancing the Books: Fund-raising

Like many charities, the Life Project is dependent on raising funds to do its work. Although our Makers (and their Parent-Carers and local authorities) pay fees for their daily attendance at the Old Acorn Barn, these direct fees only account for roughly 60% of the Charity’s total expenditure. In 2024/25, our non-fee income amounted to just over £43,000. As can be seen in the detailed accounts, this non fee income came from the following sources:

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news as previous recipients have had grants in excess of £30,000. A provisional sum of £30,000 has been included in the budget for 2025/26.]

5. Overall financial review for 2024/25

5.1 Income and expenditure

Income: Total income for the year was £114,548 (2024: £108,974)

The main source of income for the year was from fees charged for Day Services activities ie £71,412 (2024: £58,617). Fees effectively covers the direct costs of providing day services.

Our income from donations (£15,896) was significantly down on 2024 (£37,867 – which included an accrued legacy of £10,000). The reduction in income was partially mitigated by (a) an increase in fundraising activities - £15,174 (2024: £8,976) and (b) an increase in grant income -a one-off grant of £10,000 from Garfield Weston (2024: Grant income £1,500). As noted in the previous section, we expect to have a grant of (at least) £30,000 from Community Matters.

Expenditure: Total expenditure for the year was £120,402 (2024: £98,216). The significant increases in expenditure were staffing - £86,959 (2024: £78,786) and Day Services running costs - £16,461 (2024: £11,916). In addition, there was an increase of professional fees from £335 to £5,700. The increase primarily relates to the HR audit undertaken by an external consultant.

Net Expenditure/Income: There was an excess of expenditure over income of £5,854 compared with a surplus of income over expenditure in 2024 of £10,856. As a result of the 2025 deficit, the funds held by the Charity reduced from £71,499 (2024) to £65,596 (2025). The Trustees do not expect to report a deficit at the end of the 2025/26 year.

5.2 Investment Policy

The Life Project holds funds in an instant access Deposit Account as well as a 90-day notice Treasurer’s Reserve Account, in order to gain interest on funds held. Both accounts are with Triodos Bank, which has a strong ethical investments policy. We may be in a position to move further funds from our current account into the Reserve Account as the year progresses.

5.3 Reserves Policy

The Trustees have agreed that we should continue to hold three months of operating costs in reserve (currently around £25,000), as a contingency should unrestricted income decrease unexpectedly.

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6. Personnel 6.1 In Memoriam

The Trustees record their sincere thanks for the life and service of Rob Appleyard, who died on the 14[th] October, 2024. Rob who was a distinguished public servant and former Mayor of Bath gave his time generously to the Life Project both while serving in public office and later as a Trustee himself. As has been noted already in this report, he retired as a Trustee due to declining health on 31[st] July. We placed on record that his contributions are warmly remembered by Trustees, staff, volunteers and makers. Our thoughts and prayers continue for his wife Amanda and the rest of the Appleyard family.

6.2 Staff changes

In September 2024, Fiona Day stepped down from her role as Activity Leader to dedicate her time to pursuing her vision for a forest school. We also said goodbye to Esme Zarate who served as our Day Services Manager. The Trustees are grateful to Fiona and Esme for their dedicated service to the Life Project.

In January 2025 we welcomed Ruth Powell and Aimee Corbet to the team who have both been serving as Day Services Activity Leaders.

7. Plans for the future

The T rustees remain focused on building from the progress made during the 2024/25 year. Work has continued since the year end to strengthen staffing, management structures, and service delivery, ensuring that the Life Project is well placed for the year ahead.

The Trustees are confident that the Charity will make good progress in 2026 with achieving its longer-term goals. These remain:

Fortunately, the Charity is expected to have a degree of financial ‘cushion’ for 2026 & 2027 when it can invest in or pump-prime some of the above activity. That said, it will continue to seek additional income beyond the fees it receives, in order not only to maintain what it does but to expand.

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE LIFE PROJECT (BATH)

I report to the Charity Trustees on my examinamon of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the Charity’s Trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your Charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Address: 102 Freeview Road,

Bath

BA2 1DZ

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
INCOME
Note
Donamons
Gin Aid on donamons
Grants receivable
Contribumons towards acmvimes
Fundraising income
Interest on bank
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE
Fundraising costs
Charitable acdvides
Staf costs
Staf expenses
Staf training & development
Day Services running costs
Family Support running costs
Allotment
Springs / Mini Springs costs
Administramon
Insurance
Professional fees
Accountancy costs
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
Net (expenditure)/income for the year
3
Reconciliamon of funds:
Fund balances brought forward at 1 April
Fund balances carried forward at 31 March		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total Funds
2025
Total Funds
2024
£
£
£
£
15,896
0
15,896
37,867
1,393
0
1,393
1,235
10,000
0
10,000
1,500
71,412
0
71,412
58,617
15,174
0
15,174
8,976
672
0
672
777
114,548
0
114,548
108,974
826
0
826
901
86,959
0
86,959
78,786
1,921
0
1,921
1,101
2,453
0
2,453
25
16,461
0
16,461
11,916
0
0
0
922
714
0
714
394
0
714
714
293
3,770
0
3,770
2,558
634
0
634
616
5,700
0
5,700
355
250
0
250
250
118,861
714
119,576
97,216
119,688
714
120,402
98,117
(5,140)
(714)
(5,854)
10,856
69,185
2,264
71,449
60,594
64,046
1,550
65,596
71,449

All of the Charity’s operamons are classed as conmnuing. The notes on pages 3 to 8 form part of these accounts. See Note 2 for fund accounmng comparamve figures.

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BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2025

Notes
Current Assets
Debtors – Gin Aid + fees
Prepayments
Accrued income
Cash at bank
Total Current Assets
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
Accruals and deferred income
5
Net Current Assets
Funds of the Charity
Restricted
6
Unrestricted
7
Total Charity Funds		 2025
2024
£
£
1,393
2,146
1,523
1,201
269
10,595
68,580
59,429
71,765
73,371
6,170
1,922
65,596
71,449
1,550
2,264
64,046
69,185
65,596
71,449

Act 2006 (the Act) relamng to the audit of the financial statements for the year by virtue of secmon 477, and that no member or members have requested an audit pursuant to secmon 476 of the Act.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilimes for:

companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006. These accounts have been delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

Approved by the Trustees on 5[th] November 2025 and signed on their behalf by

Name: ……………………………………... Ben Stokes

Date:

…………………….

COMPANY NO. 07573284 The notes on pages 12 to 16 form part of these accounts.

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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Note 1: Accoundng Policies

Basis of preparaIon

Statement of Recommended Pracmce applicable to charimes preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Repormng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effecmve 1 January 2015) - (Charimes SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Repormng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. Life Project (Bath) meets the definimon of a public benefit enmty under FRS 102. Assets and liabilimes are inimally recognised at historical cost or transacmon value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounmng policy note(s).

PreparaIon of the accounts on a going concern basis

The Trustees have considered the immediate future of the Charity for the next 12 to 18 months and consider that there are no material uncertainmes about the Charity’s ability to conmnue as a going concern.

Income recogniIon

All income is recognised once the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.

Income is deferred only when the Charity has to fulfil conditions before becoming entitled to it or where the donor has specified that the income is to be expended in a future period.

Grants and donations are credited to the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which they are receivable and are allocated to the appropriate fund. Investment income is included when receivable.

Expenditure recogniIon and irrecoverable VAT

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the Charity to that expenditure, it is probable that settlement will be required, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accrual basis in the year in which the expenditure is incurred.

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the Charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. As the Charity has only one activity, all costs are allocated against the charitable activity. They include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.

Fund accounIng

Funds held by the Charity are:

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 (condnued)

Further explanamon of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.

Note 2: Prior Year (2024) Comparadves

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
INCOME
Donamons
Gin aid on donamons
Grants receivable
Contribumons towards acmvimes
Fundraising income
Interest on bank
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE
Fundraising costs
Charitable Acdvides
Staf costs
Staf expenses
Day Services running costs
Family Support running costs
Allotment
Springs / Mini Springs Costs
Administramon
Insurance
Professional fees
Accountancy costs
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
Net (expenditure)/income for the year		 Unrestric
ted
Restricted
Total Funds
Funds
Funds
2024
£
£
£
37,867
0
37,867
1,235
0
1,235
0
1500
1,500
58,587
30
58,617
8,976
0
8,976
777
0
777
107,444
1,530
108,974
901
0
901
76,048
2,738
78,786
1,101
0
1,101
25
0
25
11,916
0
11,916
0
922
922
178
216
394
0
293
293
2,558
0
2,558
616
0
616
250
0
250
93,047
4,169
97,216
93,948
4,169
98,117
13,496
(2,638)
10,856

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 (condnued)

Note 3: Net Income/(Expenditure) for the year

This is stated aner charging: 2025
2024
£ £
Independent examiner’s remuneramon 250 250

Gross wages and salaries
Pension contribumons		 2025
2024
Total
Total
83,146
75,789
3,813
2,996
86,959
78,785

Note

None of the Trustees received fees or reimbursed expenses in respect of their Trusteeship. The value of waived expenses was not considered significant. There are no other related party transacmons that require disclosure in the accounts.

The aggregate value of donamons received from Trustees and related parmes was £1,218. (2023 - £1,050).

The Trustees considers its key management personnel is the Chief Execumve who received total employment benefits of £31,647. No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000.

The average number of persons employed as full-mme or full-mme
equivalents by the Charity during the year is detailed below.
Management
Carers / other		 2025
2024
Number
Number
1.0
1.0
1.6
1.6
2.6
2.6

The average headcount during the year was 7.9 (2024 – 7.3).

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 (condnued)

Note 5: Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

Note 5: Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
HMRC liabilimes
Other accruals
Deferred income		 2025
2024
£
£
2,924
762
2,346
853
900
307
6,170
1,922

Note 6: Restricted Funds

Barn acdvides
&
Springs allotment Totals
b/f 1 April 2024 980 1,284 2264
Income 0 0 0
Expenditure 714 0 714
c/f 31 Mar 2025 266 1,284 1550

Purpose of Funds:

Springs - Springs caters for adults with learning disabilimes which meets twice a month in the evening, supported by volunteers.

Barn Ac.vi.es and Allotment – Grant to improve and develop the allotment.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 (condnued)

Note 7: Unrestricted Funds

Note 7: Unrestricted Funds
General Fund
Total		 Balance
Income
Expenditure
Balance
at 1 April
at 31 March
2024
2025
£
£
£
£
69,185
114,548
119,688
64,046
69,185
114,548
119,688
64,046

Note 8: Analysis of Net Assets between Funds

Current assets + debtors
Cash at bank
Current liabilimes
TOTAL		 General
Restricted
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
£
£
£
3,185
0
3,185
67,030
1,550
68,580
6,170
0
6,170
64,046
1,550
65,596

Note 9: Bank Balances 31 March 2025

£
Peuy Cash 0
Current Account 16,421
Deposit Account 10,485
Treasurer’s Account 41,674
TOTAL 68,580

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