W AVENEY DO M E STIC I V OLEN C E & ABU S E F ORU M
REPOR T O F T HE T RU ST EE S For the YEAR ENDED 31[st] M AR C H 202 5
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WAVENEY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & ABUSE FORUM
Charity Regn. no. 1149288
The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their Annual Report for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2025
The Waveney Domestic Violence & Abuse Forum is registered with the Charity Commissioners, no. 1149288, and is constituted by a Deed adopted on 21[st] February 2012, and amended on 27[th] September 2012 and 17[th] May 2015. The registered address is Kirkley Resource Centre, 154 London Road South, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0AZ.
It is administered by a management committee comprising all the Trustees named below, who served throughout the year unless indicated, a Charity Manager and one Advice and Guidance worker and one Admin Assistant, who are not Trustees.
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|Trustees:|Christina Batters|Appointed Chair 19.02.2025|
|Jennifer Jones|
|Christine Tripp|
|Karen Calver|
|Lynda Ball|Resigned 23.11.2024|
|Tamara Allen|Appointed 22.8.2024|
|Lucy Johnson|Appointed 04.09.2024|
|Andrea Carr|Appointed 14.11.2024|
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Trustees are not appointed for any specific period and are not therefore required to seek re-election.
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|Administration:|Helen Rogers|Administration|
|Irina Hodkinson|Charity Manager|
|Lynn Ball|Resigned 23/11/2024|
|Victoria Smith|Advice and Guidance Coordinator|
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Objects and activity:
The objects of the charity are to provide the relief of emotional distress and suffering and the preservation and protection of the mental and physical health of men, women, young people and children who have suffered or are exposed to domestic violence and abuse in the Waveney area. We work locally with over 45 statutory and voluntary agencies, to help people escape domestic violence and abuse.
Financial information:
The Charity is funded solely from grants and donations with the majority of its income being derived from grants received for specific projects for a specific period of time. It works closely with the Suffolk Police & Crime Commissioners and is very grateful for the grants received from them.
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Income is spread evenly over the duration of the projects, ensuring a fairer matching of expenditure with income. Amounts received after the year end date, which were expended during the financial year, are shown in the Balance Sheet as ‘Grants receivable’.
The total funding receivable during the next financial year from uncompleted projects and approved grants is £8,750.00 (2024 £9,260.00).
The Trustees are satisfied that the funds held at 31[st] March 2025 are sufficient for all uncompleted projects. Whilst there is no guarantee of future funding, they are also confident that funding receivable in the next financial year, as well as grants currently being applied for, will enable the Charity to continue its work beyond the next twelve months.
The Charity employed members of staff during the year whose costs were £55,295 (2024 £49,834). All consultation and advice services are provided by external consultants or freelance workers on specific projects. £292 (2024 £478) was paid to reimburse Trustees for expenses incurred by them wholly for the purposes of the Charity.
Analysis of Risk:
The trustees have identified that the main risks and uncertainties to ensuring the Forum is able to continue its objectives are:
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1 The charity’s funding is derived from a number of relatively short-term grants and awards. If circumstances should change so that this funding is no longer available, or grant awarders decide to meet their needs from alternative providers, then the reduction in the Charity’s income would have a very serious impact on its ability to continue. The Trustees mitigate this risk by maintaining an extremely good relationship with funding bodies, ensuring they provide the highest quality of service and with the best value for money for fund providers.
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2 The charity’s ability to recruit and retain key staff is essential in being able to deliver continued and quality service and places a high value on the performance and excellence of service providers.
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3 With the number of individual grants, effective cashflow control is essential in ensuring that funds are always available in order to engage service providers. In addition to retaining sufficient funds to complete all on-going projects the trustees ensure that there is always a minimum of £8,000 available in unrestricted funds to enable the charity to be would up should no further funding for any future projects be received.
The charity’s bankers are HSBC Bank plc, London Road North, Lowestoft, Suffolk. The External Examiner is Mr K R Vincent, 23 Wannock Close, Carlton Colville, NR338DW
For and on behalf of the Trustees
Mrs Christina Batters 17[th] July 2025
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WAVENEY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & ABUSE FORUM
| WAVENEY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & ABUSE FORUM | WAVENEY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & ABUSE FORUM | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Income & Expenditure Account | 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025 | ||
| Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL 2025 |
Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL 2024 |
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| INCOME: PCC Coordinator Mult Year Lotery Misc donatons |
35,000.00 35,000.00 58,500.00 58,500.00 950.20 4,446.22 5,396.42 |
35,000.00 35,000.00 48,000.00 48,000.00 256.00 10,677.20 10,933.20 |
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| Total income | 950.20 97,946.22 98,896.42 |
256.00 93,677.20 93,933.20 |
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| EXPENDITURE: Freelance Workers Administraton wages Accommodaton costs Promoton, communicaton Miscellaneous |
17,095.00 17,095.00 55,294.97 55,294.97 9,078.24 9,078.24 1,303.64 1,303.64 8,730.20 8,730.20 |
30,565.10 30,565.10 49,834.33 49,834.33 8,731.92 8,731.92 1,837.65 1,837.65 8,069.47 8,069.47 |
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| Total expenditure | - 91,502.05 91,502.05 |
- 99,038.47 99,038.47 |
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| Surplus (defcit) Funds at 01.04.2024 Transfers between funds |
950.20 6,444.17 7,394.37 14,414.92 17,679.37 32,094.29 2,059.98 2,059.98 - - |
256.00 (5,361.27) 5,105.27 - 14,158.92 23,040.64 37,199.56 - |
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| Funds at 31.03.2025 | 17,425.10 22,063.56 39,488.66 |
14,414.92 17,679.37 32,094.29 |
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| Balance Sheet | 31st March 2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
| Current assets: Grants receivable Cash & bank balances |
8,750.00 31,238.66 |
9,260.00 25,583.09 |
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| 39,988.66 | 34,843.09 | |||
| Current liabilites: Creditors |
500.00 | 2,748.80 | ||
| 500.00 | 2,748.80 | |||
| Net Current assets | 39,488.66 | 32,094.29 | ||
| TOTAL ASSETS | 39,488.66 | 32,094.29 | ||
| Represented by: Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds |
22,063.56 17,425.10 |
17,679.37 14,414.92 |
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| Total Individual Funds | 39,488.66 | 32,094.29 | ||
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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Waveney Domestic Violence & Abuse Forum
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31[st] March 2025, which are set out on pages 2 to 4.
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 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 43 of the 1993 Act;
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 43 (7)(b) of the 1993 Act’; and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of examiner’s report
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 consideration 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 no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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1 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements.
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(a) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the Act; and
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(b) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the Act
have not been met; or
- 2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts should be reached.
Keith Vincent
23 Wannock Close Carlton Colville Lowestoft NR33 8DW K R Vincent
17[th] July 2025
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