Empathy for special children Trustees’ Annual Report
June 2023 – June 2024
Contact Information
Empathy for special children Charity Number: 115472
Address. The Inclusion Hub Old Barclays Bank, Corvedale Road Craven Arms Shropshire Postcode SY7 9ND Email address’ Chair of Trustees chair@empathyforspecialchildren.org CEO – sam@empathyforspecialchildren.org Website www.empathyforspecialchildren.org
EmpathyForSpecialChildren
@empathyforspecialchildren
Charity Trustees
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Chair – Cherida Hughes ~~+O~~ 2
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Amie Smout
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Katie King
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Kirsty Perkins
Ex officiate board members
Sam Goddard – CEO
Eric Williams - Accounts and Finance
Structure, governance and management
Empathy is a Charitable Incorporated Company governed by articles of association, which can be found here
Trustee recruitment and appointment
Trustees are recruited in line with our safer recruitment policy and appointed both at the AGM by member vote or at any point during the year by exercising the organisation's ability to co-opt trustees.
Other organisations are not able to appoint trustees to the board
Objectives and activities
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Our charitable objectives can be viewed, in full, in our articles of association, but the aim put simply has always been to improve the lives of all those living with the impact of Autism, Neurodiversity or any Hidden Disability by providing supported social opportunities to make friends, have fun, try something new and find a supportive community with which to share the journey.
To ensure that no-one ever feels alone on this journey and to ensure that living with, or caring for someone, with Autism or a Hidden Disability is not a barrier to every child having an equal opportunity at a fun and fulfilled childhood.
The Work
Driven by the Vision and Mission the board have revisited all we do and are now working to 4 core themes or outcomes for any project.
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Currently, the work remains predominantly under the themes of Enjoy and Enable with Connect, Out and About, Unleashed and Sibs being the key projects delivered. The Enable team have been able to deliver some 1:1 work in the community, bringing support and respite to those families most urgently in need, and Empower has done some amazing voluntary work supporting parents to navigate the system and statutory services.
Going forward, the new inclusion hub will give the board and team the space to launch Embrace, increasing our reach to a wider age range and supporting those who fall through the gaps in statutory service. It is hoped that the Empower work can be expanded into a traded service, not only providing a vital, sustainable income for the charity but also bringing consistency for those in need of support
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What We Have Achieved
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Despite another challenging year financially, leading to the loss of the sibs sessions and a reduction in overall
provision however we have still supported 83 families and 127 individual children and young people with
32 CONNECT sessions
10 Out and About sessions , including a 3 day camp out
26 Coffee breaks with Empower
8 Social sessions , a highlight of which was the partnership with Rock Music School, giving young people access to
professional music tuition and the opportunity to play socially as a band.
Thus, we have once again consistently met our key outcomes for all, bringing a community within a community together
to provide mutual support, to try something new, to make friends and to have fun; all of which improve not only lives but physical and mental health in the long term.
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Accounts
Please see the accounts for the year below without any new large project grants the majority of the income has relied upon the outreach work, which in turn has contributed to an increase in staff costs .
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The Future is True Inclusion !
Recognising the need for change and advancement, the board has worked hard over the last six months to create a new seven-year strategic plan to take Empathy to its 20th birthday as an organisation fit for purpose andone that can do more, for more, well, and with longevity.
7 year goals
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And the hard work begins !
Inclusion Hub – Craven Arms – Opening Autumn 24 !
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Signed on behalf of the charity trustees:
Declaration
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Sam Goddard
Print name
[EC
CEO
Designation
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10/07/24
Date
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