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← Pact For Autism

2024-05-31-accounts

PACT for Autism

Charity Registration Number 1148170 Company Registration 08076243

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024

PACT for Autism

CONTENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024

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Legal and administrative Information 1
Trustees Report 2-31
Statement of Financial Activities 32
Balance Sheet 33
Notes forming part of the financial statements 34-36
Independent Examination report 37
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PACT for Autism

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024

Trustees: Chloe Rich (Chair) Julia Carr (Vice Chair) Wendy Dunlop (Treasurer) Andrew McIntyre Debbie Hannam (appointed November 2023) Sam Fancett (appointed November 2023) Julie King (retired November 2023) June Fleming (retired June 2024)

Other members: June Fleming (appointed as Patron June 2024) Selina Avery (Co-opted) Vern Lacey (Co-opted) Ryan Carr (Co-opted retired November 2023) Aimee Carr (Co-opted retired November 2023)

Registered company number: 08076243

Registered charity number: 1148170

Premises: Office 50 Latton Bush Centre Southern Way Harlow CM18 7BL

Independent Examiner:

Community360 Winsley's House High Street Colchester Essex, CO1 1UG

Bankers: Lloyds Bank East Gate Harlow

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Trustees Annual Report 1[st] June 2023 – 31[st] May 2024

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PACT for Autism

Report of the Trustees Year ending 31 May 2024

The trustees are pleased to present their annual directors' report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 May 2024 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for the directors' report and accounts for Companies Act purposes. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, 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 UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015).

Chair's Report

As the newly appointed Chair of PACT for Autism, I am honoured to present this year's annual report, capturing our achievements, challenges, and aspirations for the future. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Julia Carr for her service as Chair, Julia remains on the board as a trustee.

Over the past year, PACT has remained steadfast in our commitment to support, advocate for, and enrich the lives of autistic and neurodivergent individuals and their families. The dedication of our team, including staff, volunteers, and trustees, has been pivotal in enabling us to meet rising demand, adapt our services, and continue to advocate for the inclusion and acceptance of neurodivergent individuals.

This year also marks the retirement of June Fleming as a trustee after years of unwavering dedication to PACT. June has been a cornerstone of our charity, contributing significantly to its growth and success. To recognise her exceptional commitment, we are delighted to announce that June has been appointed as our first Patron—a new level of membership that honours those who have gone above and beyond in supporting PACT. June’s contributions over the years have been invaluable, and we are deeply grateful for her continued association with the charity in this new role.

The past year has seen a surge in requests for support and a growing recognition of the importance of neurodiversity in our communities. In response, PACT has expanded its outreach, added new services, and developed valuable partnerships with local organisations, health services, and educational institutions. These collaborations are essential to our mission, as they allow us to drive meaningful change and address the evolving needs of our community.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Kevin, our Charity Manager, whose leadership and vision have been pivotal in navigating this year’s challenges and successes. Alongside Kevin, our dedicated staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to deliver meaningful support and services to those who rely on us. Their compassion, resilience, and commitment are the driving forces behind PACT’s impact.

Our efforts are made possible by the generosity of donors and the commitment of grant-giving bodies, whose support allows us to not only sustain our current programs but also to innovate and expand our offerings. From the success of our annual charity ball to the essential funding from community grants, we are deeply grateful for the resources that empower us to continue making a difference.

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As we look ahead, our focus remains on securing sustainable funding, enhancing support services, and raising awareness within our communities. With an increasing number of individuals seeking assistance, we are determined to grow our volunteer base, expand our team, and strengthen our ability to meet the needs of those we serve.

Thank you for your continued support and belief in the vital work we do. Together, we are building a more inclusive world where neurodivergent individuals are respected, empowered, and celebrated.

Chloe Rich

Chair of Board of Trustees

Legal and Administration

PACT for Autism is a registered charity limited by guarantee, originally established as PACT Harlow in December 2005. The charity is run by a small team of staff and volunteers, most of whom are parents of autistic individuals, as well as professionals with a special interest in Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND).

Our Purpose and Activities

PACT is increasingly aware of language preferences within our communities and the need to embrace those changes. There is a real need for all organisations to be more aware of neurodiversity and the neurodivergent community, in its entirety. Our ongoing desire is to continue highlighting the need for all of society to understand how the entire autistic spectrum and all neurodivergent individuals are perceived, accepted and acknowledged. It is essential that these differences are seen, more as a neurological difference and a unique way the world is experienced than, how they are often perceived within the medical model, as a disorder.

The purpose of the charity is to provide for and advance the needs and welfare of autistic and neurodivergent children, young people and adults, along with their families and carers who live in West Essex and further afield.

In particular:

Plans For Future Periods

We look forward to the coming year when we aim to:

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Achievements and Performance

The charity has had another challenging but equally rewarding year, much has been down to the hard work and dedication of the entire PACT team, staff, volunteers and trustees.

We still see increasing numbers of families and individuals seeking a diagnosis and appropriate support. Key plans for our future are always to build resources and capacity within the charity, and with numbers rising across all areas of need, this year was essential to continue with this ethos. We have continued to work closely with many other organisations, local authorities and health partners to improve processes and work streams. However, there are still many challenges to get everything working together and for the improvements being made, to be felt by the communities which they are intended to support.

PACT for Autism continues to see rises in our registrations, and other contacts seeking support and information. These contacts include professionals working across many partner agencies, seeking better understanding and knowledge, so that they can better support families and individuals.

We have sort new funding streams by reaching out to local authorities and health partners for the essential funding required to keep up with the increased demand, in addition to changes in the landscape since the end of the COVD pandemic; something still impacting on our neurodivergent communities. This essential funding has allowed us to slowly increase resources and support, enabling us to reach those people in desperate need of support. We continue to see that our small charity is making a huge difference.

The PACT support team has continued to step up to the new challenges. One of our longest serving support staff member retired this year which required us to rethink some of the direction of travel and seek out new opportunities from within the community. We were thrilled to appoint Emma, who is a mum to two young neurodivergent individuals, and has a husband with ADHD diagnosis. Previously a head teacher with many years of teaching experience, Emma has brought a diverse set of skills to the charity, with experience and knowledge in home schooling, gender challenges and understanding around neurodivergent adults

New funding being received this year has enabled us to grow staff resources and provide opportunities to build resilience within the team. We started to design a specific adult-focussed service which required appointing an additional member of staff to investigate the key areas of adult support, diagnosis, and relevant organisations for signposting. We were grateful for the funding which allowed us to start investing in this area with this new adult-focused role within the charity.

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Our activities have grown and improved to meet the needs of a wider age range as we are now supporting families and individuals across all ages, something that is quite unique but essential.

PACT continues to be fully embedded into meetings with health commissioners and organisations commissioned to provide services. We are well respected across this landscape and often invited to join new projects and steering groups designed to improve and hold to account those delivering services. PACT front line staff having lived experience remains at the heart of everything, ensuring that feedback and updates are provided to our families and individuals, and improvements and changes to services are fully understood and challenged if things are not working well. Through coproduction and co-working we continue to help to build knowledge and evidence through the lived experiences of our children, young people and adults using the ethos of ‘nothing is done for them, without them’.

The achievements and success we have shown over this reporting period could not have happened without a dedicated and committed work force, enthusiastic volunteers and the engagement of an amazing community.

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Families (and Carers), Children and Young people

Support and Services

This reporting period has not been without challenges, but we have met them head on and built on another rewarding year with many achievements, adapting to the increased demand and continually ensuring we offer the best possible support in all areas of need.

PACT staff have again achieved and amazing amount of work this year, to finely balance many complex needs and to deliver support in a way that is appropriate and effective to everyone’s needs.

Level of Increasing Support

We still experience an increasing number of requests and registrations for our services, not only from parents and carers, but from individuals and professionals struggling with the amount of need and potential lack of appropriate support and services on offer. These needs range from families with children and young people requiring support around education, social care, benefits, behaviour, for pre and post diagnosis support. This also includes adults looking at their own neurodivergence, late diagnosis and associated mental health challenges, peer to peer support, assistance with benefit forms and review meetings.

Many people feel encouraged to register with us as it gives added benefits of access to regular ‘what’s on’ and community information emails. Those same families and individuals can then access our activities and events, as many of them are funded and designed exclusively for PACT registered families and individuals.

Numbers of people 31st May
2022		 31st May
2023		 %
increase
1yr (2yrs)		 Number
increase
1yr (2yrs)		 %
increase
1yr
(2yrs)
Contacting PACT through our social
media/Website		 1189 1638 2025 387 (836) 24%
(70%)
Registering with PACT to receive
direct support/services		 981 1341 1710 369 (729) 28%
(74%)

Newsletter

The PACT monthly newsletter continues to go from strength to strength and is continually adapted to needs, providing access to new and updated services. Requests for more and new events and activities have significantly increased. PACT newsletters are the best way to keep families updated on PACT events and activities, and to ensure new information and services are shared. The newsletter is sent via email to all registered individuals.

PACT Website

This is an area we are still looking to improve, to ensure a ‘one stop shop’ for information, events, activities, and fund-raising opportunities etc. This is an ongoing project and one we hope will be developed and improved during the next reporting period.

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Social Media

Our social media platforms continue to see increased numbers seeking information and support, as well as visuals shared from other sites.

We fully understand that communication via social media is vital and often the quickest way to provide information to the widest audience.

Number of people following PACT 31st May
2022		 31st May
2023		 31st May
2024		 Number
increase
1yr (2yrs)		 %
increase
1yr (2yrs)
Facebook 2,422 2,990 3,699 709
(1,277)		 24%
(53%)
Instagram 709 860 912 52
(203)		 6% (29%)

PACT Website

This is an area we are still looking to improve, to ensure a ‘one stop shop’ for information, events, activities, and fund-raising opportunities etc. This is an ongoing project and one we hope will be developed and improved during the next reporting period.

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Support and Information Phone Lines

This essential service remains in place but with changes implemented to manage increased use and provide measures to protect the wellbeing of our support staff. We continue to acknowledge that this remains a lifeline for many families and individuals, but we made the difficult decision to remove mobile phone numbers from public view, to maintain control of capacity and resources. A new method of contact was set up utilising our website to give people access to a contact form. The form collects detailed information, which is then triaged to staff who can then deliver appropriate support. If a phone call is still required then an appointment is arranged, and PACT make the call to the individual.

Telephone helplines are services we have seen many other charities stop providing. However, with control measures in place, we are still able to deliver this essential ‘one to one’ support service.

Support Groups and Training Workshops

The PACT support team are constantly looking at the best way to deliver a range of support across a variety of platforms, as well as much needed and requested face to face sessions, to ensure accessibility for all. Staff continually seek the most appropriate delivery method as well as offering more diversity content often led by need, and at the request of the families and individuals who we support. We continual look to get feedback from families and individuals, allowing us to plan for the most appropriate support, with the most appropriate services.

Parent / Carer drop-in sessions have increased, giving options to discuss areas of concern and support needs, allowing friendship groups to develop, and peer to peer support networks flourish. We are delivering more coffee mornings in both primary and secondary schools across the west quadrant of Essex. This not only gives access to parents for support and information sharing but also to staff working alongside them.

We started to provide ‘Walk and Talk’ sessions in a local park, allowing people to meet up, with the benefits of getting out in the open air and increasing exercise, all great for mental wellbeing. We are also offering ‘Pop Up’ coffee and catch-up sessions, spreading our support across all areas of West Essex. Many of these sessions are now themed and can include invites to professionals or other organisations, to increase the knowledge and understanding of those more complex areas of need.

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PACT networking provides opportunities for us to call on specialist knowledge available and have this delivered straight from the source. This not only supports families and individuals but also helps the professionals from within the services, by improving knowledge and gaining valuable experiences. We have developed new groups to better support family members of autistic and neurodivergent individuals and, through the diagnosis process, are now looking to seek diagnosis for themselves. Support sessions are available for different age ranges, allowing freedom of topics to be discussed as we are identifying that all these groups are having very different needs and varied discussion topics.

During this period, we were aware that one of our longest serving staff members was to retire, Debbie Hannam. Not only was she one of the founding members, a hugely influential and integral part of the team but also developed and delivered our talks and training services. We reached out to Essex Community Foundation to help fund our Activities and Events Coordinator role to take on the additional Talks role. With a career history of primary school teacher and experience in delivering training, together with lived experience of having two neurodivergent children, Ruth has embraced the newly expanded role at PACT, allowing a continued seamlessly ongoing service.

PACT continues to offer a range of workshops and talks from a lived experience perspective. These have included several workshops to various organisations including Young Carers, We are purple and Anglia Ruskin University (nursing staff).

Other workshops and professional speakers are invited to introduce specific support and services to PACT families and individuals, for example, SENDIASS and Families InFocus, who continue to be support partners and have developed a range of topics.

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Fatnilies InFocus DLA wort<5hops Parent workshop Clearsteps / Sleep and Toileting 13 Professional Workshops / Information Sessions (Virtual / In person) Dean Beadle- Executive functioning / Anxiety Young Carers 150 attendees SENDIASS Tran5¥tiot)s / EHCP DreamBox li

Adult Support

PACT continue to support an increasing number of adults who are exploring their own neurodivergence or seeking support around pre or post diagnosis. The PACT support team are increasing their own knowledge whilst linking with appropriate organisations and support services.

We continually strive to upskill our knowledge and understanding of the different pathways and support services being offered. We have forged new ties and connections with adult social care, employment support, mental health services and different teams within local authority and health teams. These connections made a huge difference to the support we can provide, as we have autistic individuals who can offer a voice and a different level of experience. We have learnt with them and from them, whilst continuing to support them. Our support groups also provide an opportunity to develop much needed ‘peer to peer’ support and friendships.

During this reporting period it was decided that we needed to develop and grow this area of support, as it was becoming unsustainable in its current format. We approached Essex Community Foundation to explore the possibilities of employing an additional member of staff to concentrate and coordinate our adult support, allowing us much more flexibility and capacity to manage this growing area of need. We were successful in securing £10,000 to help set this in motion and with the additional support of Essex County Council who agreed to match fund this project, we had the funds for recruitment.

Our adult Support groups continually asked for more face-toface interaction, we listened and delivered, with a variety of sessions at suitable, local locations. This was a good example of where we had asked for feedback on what the group needed and worked together with them, to provide the right service to meet needs. We continually look at ways to support more people and create bespoke groups, including helping some group members with increased self-support and advocacy. Our adult group have worked closely with Healthwatch Essex and represent PACT on a disability forum, discussing some really impactive subjects and offering that essential, lived experience.

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Adult Christmas Cruise with Canalability

This trip was so popular on the previous occasions, we had to do it again. A private hire to ensure a safe and accessible trip to unwind and enjoy the pleasures of the local canals and wildlife. Food was provided and some quiet Christmas songs, everyone was happy. Some great headwear was worn, and certificates awarded for those who helped navigate the local waters.

Collaboration / Support / Talks

PACT collaborated with local charities Rainbow services (our local Community Voluntary Services hub) and United in Kind, to set up a Neurodiverse meet up in the park. This was a safe meeting space where we could all connect, inform and explore different ways to support each other and share experiences. With a small funding pot and free use of a local community space, we created a place for new and existing adult group members to explore their own Autistic identity and have control on what the group wanted to explore. This included how they wanted the group to develop, inviting guest speakers into their environment to better understand services and share their own lived experiences, with the aim to better inform change and improvements. The group had the opportunity to invite Dean Beadle back to talk about his experiences, notably Autistic Joy and Anxiety.

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Leisure and Well Being Activities

PACT for Autism actively explore opportunities and seek out any leisure and wellbeing activities that could be accessible to our autistic community. We also link with other sport activities that our communities could benefit from, and actively encourage, support and share details.

This year, with Ruth gaining momentum with her role, we had the opportunity to connect with local services and organisations to improve our network and reach into our communities. This has allowed us to expand our activities and add a variety of events alongside the monthly activities that remain the centre of our support and connection strategy.

Ruth continues to explore and reach out, as our activities and events coordinator, and has shown an amazing ability to connect and arrange a variety of sessions that have proved extremely popular.

Regular PACT activities

Wild and Wacky Soft Play

This essential monthly inclusive family activity continues to be extremely popular for our PACT families. This is a place where many of our new families are introduced to PACT and receive helpful ‘face to face’ support from PACT staff and volunteers as well as developing friendships and peer networks to support each other into the future.

We hold regular sessions each month, alongside some additional celebrations during Easter and Christmas school holidays.

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Wild n Wacky PACT Christmas Party

We had the return of our Amazing and ever popular ‘Wild n Wacky’ Christmas party.

47 children along with their families enjoyed an amazing evening with a very special ‘Guest appearance’ party food and an early Christmas gift. ��

Gamers Cage

Our Gamers cage sessions continue to run and have become so popular that we have introduced two sessions for our younger group as well as looking at the opportunities of an adult group. This activity continues to be a favourite for our young people, allowing parents and carers to have their own space in the café, where they can link in with PACT staff and volunteers, meet and chat with others, or just have time for themselves. Gamers Cage also included a Christmas session where pizza and a small gift were provided.

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Art Empowerment (Art Therapy)

PACT Art Empowerment sessions have continued to be well attended, a place where we offer support for teenage girls, non-binary, and young women who are struggling through education, late diagnosis and often dealing with identity and sexual orientation challenges. We further identified that a younger age group could also benefit from these unique sessions, so have increased the availability and started to offer sessions across two age ranges: 11 – 16yrs and 18 – 25yrs. All the private hire and staffing for these sessions, along with our trained art therapist Hannah, are now being funded by the West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG - NHS).

Freshwater Swimming

PACT families have been requesting access to suitable swimming opportunities since other local options had closed (after the pandemic) or were inaccessible. PACT decided to look into taster sessions by privately hiring a small local school pool, with the addition of specialised staff to ensure safety. This proved such a success that we had further sessions throughout the year and have now established this as a regular activity under the funding grant from the West Essex CCG.

Other Trips and Events

Ice Skating Chelmsford

During this reporting period we were thrilled to approached by a local transport company A2B cars, who wanted to support us as their ‘Charity of the Year.’ One of the events they wanted to fund was an ice skating trip to Cherlmsford. They would supply cars and drivers to transport families to and

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from the venue. The event was offered to families and an amazing 52 children, young people and families attended, slipping and sliding their way to a very successful trip.

Colchester Swim Trip

One of our most popular trips was repeated this year, and after receiving feedback last year we also gave families the option of travelling by coach or meeting up at the venue. Additional staffing and capacity allowed us to book 2 of these sessions so that many more families could experience this special fun filled event.

Over the two trips, 103 PACT family members took us up on the offer and were treated to private use of this amazing leisure facility, safely and securely. Families often feedback that they cannot access swimming for their children and young people, so this private hire and fun venue is perfect, and often sold out within days of advertising.

Gulliver’s World – PACT Annual Trip.

First big PACT trip, in a few years now. Off to Gulliver's Land Resort with 80 excited people. So lovely to see so many happy faces again...

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PACT for Autism Annual Panto Trip Harlow Playhouse.

261 tickets, with Goody bags, for our families to enjoy an amazing show.

Beauty and the Beast

Thank you, Tony Batten, for all the fundraising you have done to make this one possible.

Relaxed performance show - Sister Act – Dominium Theatre.

Taking 45 children, young people and families to an amazing, relaxed performance. What a Show!!

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Autism Awareness and Acceptance

Talks and Training Workshops

PACT Talks and Awareness workshops have always been very popular. This year our amazing Talks & Training lead Debbie Hannam took early retirement and will be sadly missed. However, with targeted funding, we were able to take an opportunity to review these workshops and develop a plan bringing in fresh perspectives and experiences.

PACT Talks are always delivered from a unique perspective of lived experience and learned knowledge, collected and researched over many years. We also utilise the opportunity of continued support to one of our Autistic adults to further develop the ‘Theory and Experience’ Talks that were becoming more popular, especially in the young person and adult sectors. Initially these workshops continued to be led and developed by Debbie, but then we started to transition to our new lead Ruth Bolwerk, who was already

Grandparents Tea Party

This wonderful event has returned, generous funding has giving PACT the opportunity to give our grandparents, often the unforgotten carers within our families, to not only connect to other grandparents but also just to enjoy a tasty afternoon tea, supplied by our own college students who run a community restaurant within Harlow College. This reporting period allowed us to run two of these wonderful events that not only bring our older carers together, gives us the ability to give a big thank you and raise a little bit of money through our exciting raffles.

running our events and activities. Ruth brought a fresh perspective to these talks with a different layer of lived experience through her two young children but also through professional experience of previously being a schoolteacher and SENDCO.

Since December 2023 Ruth has taken the Talks lead, further developed them and they continue to be a request of many schools and health sectors seeking knowledge and understanding from a lived experience perspective. We continue to deliver these talks to schools, organisations and other charities, to improve knowledge and bring greater understanding of autism and neurodiversity.

We are always looking to improve our talks and range of workshops. This work is designed to give individuals, families and carers as much confidence and understanding as possible, to improve lives of our autistic community and to put self-advocacy at the forefront of our ongoing mission.

We have continued to support Essex Young Carers with workshops and talks, not only to improve staff awareness and understanding but also the young carers themselves, giving them additional confidence in understanding the challenges that Autism and Neurodiversity can bring to a family. We

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have delivered talks to Anglia Ruskin University nursing training, schools and other educational establishments.

All opportunities for talks and training workshops are shared via PACT social media sites and the newsletter sent to all PACT registered individuals.

‘The experience v The Theory’ developed and delivered by our own Ruth Bolwerk, continues to be popular. Offering a personal insight into her lived experience of being a mother to 2 x neurodivergent young persons (the theory), together with Deb, an autistic female with a late diagnosis and many related mental health challenges (the experience).

A real and powerful training package!! This unique insight into two very different autistic perspectives, delivers some really important information and strategies for professionals working with neurodivergent people.

This continues to be delivered online with the possibility of some face-to-face sessions being considered.

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Roadshows, Networking and Community events.

We continue to work closely with the Essex Family Forum (EFF) through our Charity Manager, Kev Gay who is in his second year as chair of the Essex Family Forum Management Committee. This has given our charity more opportunities and exposure across the wider area of Essex. We have a great relationship with our West EFF family champion lead Stacey Gladden, to ensure the experiences and feedback from our SEND families have a conduit to inform and improve services within education, health and social care.

We continue to be involved and have close working with as many charities as possible, reaching out and sharing resources and ideas to better support the widest range of our community, not only sharing specific knowledge and experiences but allowing joint working and resourcing where possible to better manage costs and capacity across the third sector organisations.

The whole team at the West SEND Roadshow – Harlow Hotel.

Helping families and professionals meet the team and have a better understanding of what support can be offered.

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PACT as a key partner, working together with many other organisations, on this year’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week .

PACT attending the ICE Communication annual event at Hylands park. Some great guest speakers including Andrew Whitehouse. Highlighting our services and networking with many other organisations and individuals.

PACT was also chosen as the Chairs charity for Harlow and events will EFF – West lead Stacey Gladden be held to raise funds throughout PACT – manager / EFF this year. Management committee chair - Kev Gay Autism central (peer educator)/ EFF management committee member Ange Neale

Working together to support and inform at the West SEND roadshow in Uttlesford

Harlow Community Day – Harlow Museum The team out raising awareness and sharing experiences.

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Harlow Family Fund Day

The team out raising awareness working closely with Essex Carers Network and some of the ASL / Bridget’s team providing great entertainment.

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PACT was delighted to be chosen as one of the Harlow Councils Gems of Harlow . In recognition of the hard work and dedication to the communities of Harlow.

Here is Debbie Hannam receiving the award from Chair of the council Cllr Andrew Johnson and Dan Swords leader of the Council.

One of our longest serving volunteers and trustee, June Fleming was recognised in the Harlow Council Civic and Community awards and here seen receiving that accolade with the Chair of the council Cllr Andrew Johnson

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PACT Community Engagement

All PACT staff continue to be proactive and extremely busy! Not only have they been planning and running all the support services and activities throughout this reporting period, but also attending meetings and networking across all areas of education, health, social care and local authorities, as well as building relationships with other organisations and charities.

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Grants, Fund Raising and Donations

Annual Charity Ball

The PACT for Autism Annual Charity Ball has always been the major fund-raising event for many years and enabled us to ensure continued support and delivery of essential services for our entire Autistic and Neurodiverse communities.

This year was another amazing event with some top acts performing and a very special guest!

PACT for Autism charity ball ‘007 Licence to Thrill’ 2024

215 guests enjoyed a night of fun and entertainment with amazing company and a little bit of fundraising through the raffle and auction………What a night! Over £9,000 was raised, which is a great achievement and will help keep services growing to meet the needs of our very special communities.

Grants

The charity managed to secure several grants this year, which have ensured that our ongoing work can continue with the additional opportunities to build services and continue to support individuals, families and professionals.

PACT for Autism would like to particularly thank the following organisations their amazing support.

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Other Donations and Fundraising

Huge thanks to Tony Batten (The Walking Dad) who AGAIN committed himself to completing a number of walking challenges throughout the year. Tony also found other ways to raise money including a disco at a local pub (raising an additional £250) and helping out at a school fete. A dad of 4, one of which once told him ‘ You can’t do it dad’ which spurred on these epic endurance challenges.

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Thank you to the PACT Team of Andrew McIntyre, Lucy White, Ruth Bolwerk, Ilona Alaburda and Kevin Gay who, as ‘The PACT Plodders’ raised £2,410 by walking the 25km Thames Bridge Walk

Thank you to Greenway Business Centre who raised funds throughout the year with several activities and events raising an amazing £768.50

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A massive thank you to Cllr Andrew Johnson who chose PACT alongside another local charity

(Plant Pots and Wellies) to be the Harlow Council Chair charities of the year.

Several events were arranged including a golf match (won by the PACT Team!), civic dinner and quiz night. The years fundraising amounted to an amazing £18,000 to be split equally between the two charities.

Essex Lottery – Regular monthly donation received from 7 supporters generating approx. £260 per year.

Many generous ‘one off’ and anonymous donations received through PayPal and JustGiving.

Donations were also received from the following organisations:

Pitney Bowes – Employee volunteer recognition and employee giving matching scheme

PACT for Autism express our deepest thanks to all those who provided

grants, made donations, and raised money for us this year.

Thank you!

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PACT for Autism

Trustees and Governance

PACT for Autism's governing document is its Memorandum of Association. The liability of the members is limited to a sum not exceeding £10, being the amount that each member undertakes to contribute to the assets of the charity in the event of it being wound up while he/she is a member, or within one year after he/she ceases to be a member.

PACT for Autism is governed by the board of trustees. The directors of the charity are trustees and are referred to as such throughout the annual report and accounts. There are currently six trustees who cover a breadth of skills, five of whom are parents of young autistic adults. All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no monetary benefits from the charity.

The trustees may by ordinary resolution appoint a person who is willing to be a trustee either to fill a vacancy or become an additional trustee. At a general meeting a person may be appointed trustee if he or she is recommended by the trustees in accordance with the Articles or is a member qualified to vote at the meeting nominates a person in accordance with the Articles. The maximum number of trustees is 7.

Trustees' Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements

The charity trustees (who are also the directors of PACT for Autism for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing a trustees' annual report and financial statements in accordance with the applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Statement as to disclosure to our auditors

In so far as the trustees are aware at the time of approving our trustees' annual report:

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themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

Staff and Volunteers

PACT for Autism has five part time paid staff and a small, dedicated team of volunteers, working on a regular basis. The trustees express deepest thanks to the Charity Manager Kevin Gay and his team including Lisa Gay, Kim Darby, Emma Berou and Ruth Bolwerk, together with the energy and enthusiasm of our volunteers Mike Doe, Alison Doe, Kath Rencontre, Callum Gay, Deb Butler, Michelle Freeman, Nikki McIntyre and Tess Millar. This small team of highly motivated, committed individuals work together as a team to deliver the objectives of the charity.

Pay Policy for Senior Staff

No member of staff receives a FTE salary over £60,000 p.a. A market rate, based on the size of the charity, is used to set all salary scales. Pay rates are reviewed annually in line with inflation.

Risk Management

The trustees regularly review the risks facing the organisation. The principal risks during the financial period ending 31st May 2024 were the increased demand on services and support for neuro diverse families and specifically adults, along with sustaining funding streams to maintain existing services. The trustees regularly review controls, including the budget, to sustain the required levels of services.

Public Benefit

The trustees confirm that they have paid due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit in making decisions on the activities undertaken by PACT for Autism. Our information and support services are provided free of charge to neuro diverse families and individuals, with just a small contribution requested towards the cost of heavily subsidised leisure activities and events. Our autism awareness talks are tailored to meet the needs of the audiences and often open to the wider public.

Financial Review

PACT for Autism's turnover for the year ending 31st May 2024 was £135,600 (prior year £82,602). Expenditure was £104,905 (prior year £80,589). This resulted in a surplus for the year of £30,695 (prior year £2,013). The increased income was in part due to additional grants received to fund the newly created Adult Services role. Donations increased, as more fund-raising activities re-established following the lifting of restrictions since the global pandemic.

Reserves Policy and Going Concern

The trustees regularly review the charity's financial reserves to ensure that the minimum policy requirements of 6 months running costs for reserves is achieved. This is held within the designated funds. The trustees increased the designated funds to £87,447 (prior year £56,752) with plans to utilise a significant amount in the next financial year, for improving website and database facilities and further increasing adult services to meet the growing needs from neurodivergent adults.

The accounts are prepared on a Going Concern basis.

Investment Powers and Policy

The trustees have kept available funds in an interest-bearing deposit account. Total interest received during the year totalled £1,246.

Small Companies Provisions

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

30

Signed by order of the Trustees

………………………………………………. Chloe Rich Chair

27.01.2025 Date …………………………………….

31

PACT for Autism

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024

Note
Incoming resources from
generated funds
Investment income
2
Incoming resources from
charitable activities
Total incoming resources
Resources expended
Costs of generating voluntary
4
funds
Charitable activities
5
Total resources expended
Net incoming resources
before transfers
Gross transfers between funds
Net income for the year
Total funds brought forward
at 1 June 2023
Total funds carried forward
at 31 May 2024
3		 Unrestricted
Fund
£
1,246
102,407
15,188
56,663
71,851
(8,068)
22,487
22,487
30,555
-
101,161		 Designated
Fund
£
-
-
-
-
-
8,068
8,068
64,820
-
56,752
-		 Restricted
Fund
£
-
33,193
-
33,193
33,193
-
-
-
-
-
33,193		 2024
Total
£
1,246
135,600
15,188
89,857
105,045
-
30,555
87,307
30,555
56,752
134,354		 2023
Total
£
266
82,602
12,690
67,899
80,589
-
2,013
56,752
2,013
54,739
82,336

Notes on pages 34 - 36 form part of these financial statements

32

PACT for Autism

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 May 2024

Notes
Current assets
Debtors
6
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling
7
due within one year
Net current assets / (liabilities)
Total assets less current liabilities
Funds of the charity
Restricted Funds
Designated Funds
8
Unresticted Funds
Total Funds		 2024
£
3,451
97,761
101,212
13,905
87,307
87,307
-
64,820
87,307		 2023
£
4,857
72,888
77,745
20,994
56,752
56,752
-
56,752
56,752

For the year ended 31 May 2024 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to small companies regime.

The directors declare that they have approved the accounts above.

----- Start of picture text -----
Date 27.01.2025
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Chloe Rich (Chair)

33

PACT for Autism

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024

1. Accounting policies

1.1 Basis of the preparation of the accounts

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and

Reporting by Charities: Statement on Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015)-(Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Cash flow statement

The directors have taken advantage of the exemption in Financial Reporting Standard 1

(revised) from including a cash flow statement in the financial statements on the grounds that the company is small.

1.2 Incoming Resources

Income from donations and grants, including capital grants, is included in incoming resources when these are receivable.

When donors specify that donations and grants, including capital grants are for a particular restricted purpose, this income is included in incoming resources of restricted funds when receivable.

1.3 Resources expended and recognition of liabilities

All expenditure is incurred on an accruals basis. The majority of costs are directly attributable to the specific charitable activities.

Liabilities are recognised on the accruals basis in accordance with normal accounting principles.

1.4 Fund Accounting

Funds held by the Charity are either:

Unrestricted general funds - these are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the Trustees.

Designated funds - these are funds set aside by the trustees out of unrestricted funds for specific future purposes or projects.

Restricted funds - these are funds that can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity.

1.5 Taxation Status

The company is a registered charity and is not subject to Corporation tax on its charitable activities.

2. Investment income

Investment income
Interest receivable		 Unrestricted
Fund
£
1,244
1,244		 Restricted
Fund
£
-
-		 Total
2024
£
1,244
1,244		 Total
2023
£
264
264

34

PACT for Autism

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
3. Incoming resources from Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
charitable activities Fund Fund 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Donations & legacies 34,690 - 34,690 21,405
Fundraising 1,063 - 1,063 495
Trading income 22,591 - 22,591 22,841
Income from Charity Services 4,446 2,561 7,007 4,507
Grants 38,371 30,632 69,003 33,088
101,161 33,193 134,354 82,336
2023 60,464 21,827 82,336
4. Costs of generating voluntary funds Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Fund Fund 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Charity Ball 14,500 - 14,500 12,443
Charity promoted events 472 - 472 31
Online giving website service 216 - 216 216
-
15,188 15,188 12,690
2023 12,690 - 12,690
5. Charitable activities Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Fund Fund 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Charitable activities 11,880 10,747 22,627 14,071
Insurance 526 - 526 727
Rent and Rates 3,660 - 3,660 3,482
Office expenses 728 - 728 954
IT Costs - Software applications 619 - 619 470
Travel & Subsistence 544 401 945 1,239
Training 1,163 - 1,163 92
Professional Fees 702 - 702 563
Office phone and broadband 649 - 649 647
Finance charges - booking tool 876 398 1,274 950
Salaries 34,302 21,122 55,424 42,063
Staff & volunteers promotional uniform - - - 2,250
Office equipment 606 525 1,131 51
Accountancy & Companies House 409 - 409 340
Total 56,663 33,193 89,857 67,899
2023 45,252 22,647 67,899
----- End of picture text -----

35

PACT for Autism

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024

6. Debtors
Debtors
Prepayments
Total
7. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Accruals
Creditors
Deferred income (Grants)
Total		 Total
2024
£
1,796
1,655
3,451
Total
2024
£
695
1,547
11,663
13,905		 Total
2023
£
28
4,829
4,857
Total
2023
£
556
2,576
17,862
20,994

8. Designated Funds

The designated funds are represented as below:

Personnel Fund(incl addtl roles 2024)
Total		 £
64,820
64,820

9. None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year

10. Going concern

The charity is operating on a going concern basis.

11. Related parties

There were no related parties within the year.

12. Key Personal

During the year total remuneration of £20,868 was paid to key management personnel. The remuneration of key management personnel is decided upon and authorised by the trustees.

36

PACT FOR AUTISM

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024

I report on the accounts of PACT for Autism for the year ended 31 May 2024 which are set out on pages 32 to 36.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The Charity’s Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Charity’s Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 (The Act) but that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s Statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes considerations of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent examiner’s statement

In the course of my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I 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.

David Courtier FMAAT AATQB for and on behalf of: Community360

Winsley’s House, High Street, Colchester, Essex

----- Start of picture text -----
Date 27/01/2025
----- End of picture text -----

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