## **CHARITY INFORMATION**
Lives Not Knives Charitynumber 1153634, registered in England and Wales LNK Unit, Upper Mall, Centrale Shopping Centre, Croydon, CR0 1TY
www.livesnotknives.org info@livesnotknives.org
## **BOARD OF TRUSTEES:**
Monica Beckles, Chair
Kate Newton
Walter Verkaik
Rahim Hijri
Christine Williams
Charandeep Kaur Kaira
## **PRINCIPLE STAFF:**
Eliza Rebeiro, CEO Jack Price, Programmes Manager Paul Bogle, Content Manager
## **CHARTERED CERTIFIED**
## **ACCOUNTANTS:**
Maddox & Maddox
9 Commerical Yard
Barnard Castle County Durham DL12 8FE
## **Bankers:**
Metro Bank Centrale Shopping Centre CR0 1TY
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Paul, LNK Content Manager and former mentor, plays table tennis with a young person from our Engage
Programme. After discovering his passion for the sport through LNK, he has since joined a local table
tennis club and competed in national tournaments.
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **CEO STATEMENT: ELIZA REBEIRO**
At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: the young people we work with are entitled to a childhood that is safe, stable, and provides the foundations to grow both physically and mentally. A childhood shaped by love, consistent support, trusted role models, and the freedom to make choices for their own futures.
Youth violence is never a simple choice. For the young people we support, it is often a response to instability and limited options. Many grow up in families affected by poverty, in low-income households reliant on free school meals. Some have parents in prison and are supported by professionals such as case workers, while others are in the care system, where they may meet many adults and professionals but rarely receive consistent support. These circumstances cast a long shadow over their lives. In the UK, around one in five young people live in relative low-income families, and that figure continues to rise, leaving millions facing financial insecurity each year.
When a home lacks secure income, or when a young person moves in and out of care, the emotional and practical consequences accumulate. Many go on to face additional barriers in education: higher rates of special educational needs, low attainment, and persistent absence from school — factors that constrain opportunity rather than create it. Research shows that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are significantly more likely to be cautioned or sentenced by police than their peers from wealthier families, even when academic ability is similar.
This is not about blame. Socio-economic inequality shapes the world young people grow up in and limits the choices available to them. They did not choose the circumstances they are born into; they are responding to the world with the tools they have — often far fewer than they should. That is why preventative work is essential. At Lives Not Knives, prevention means showing up before a young person reaches crisis, listening before behaviour is criminalised, and offering consistent, trusted support when it matters most.
We exist to **Engage, Educate, and Empower** — to create the conditions where young people feel seen, valued, and supported, and where they can make positive choices because they believe in a future for themselves. Every conversation, every mentoring session, and every programme we deliver is about giving young people a childhood they deserve — one with stability, care, role models, and real opportunities to thrive.
This work is not easy, and it cannot be done alone. I want to thank our Board of Trustees for their guidance and challenge. To our staff and volunteers: your commitment and resilience change lives every day. I am also grateful to our funders and partners — your support makes a real difference to young people and the wider community.
While this report celebrates impact and progress, it also reminds us that the need continues to grow. Young people are still facing extraordinary pressures, and our work is far from finished. We must continue to invest in prevention, in community-led solutions, and in ensuring that every young person has the chance to simply be young.
**The work continues — and together, so must we.**
## **TRUSTEE STATEMENT: RAHIM HIRJI**
This year has been another important and impactful one for **Lives Not Knives** , and as I reflect on my second year as a Trustee, I am proud of the progress we have made in delivering meaningful and lasting change for young people and communities.
The work of Lives Not Knives is vital, but it is not easy. The young people we support are often navigating complex challenges, shaped by inequality, trauma and limited opportunity. Creating real, sustainable change requires trust, consistency and a long-term commitment to prevention rather than short-term solutions. It is this understanding that underpins everything Lives Not Knives does, and why our work continues to be so important.
Our core **Educate, Engage and Empower** programmes have continued to go from strength to strength, supporting young people at critical moments and equipping them with the tools, confidence and guidance needed to make positive life choices. A key milestone this year has been the successful rollout of Lives Not Knives' Educate Hub software platform, which enables us to deliver high-quality educational resources digitally to schools across the UK. This innovation has significantly expanded our reach and impact, ensuring that our preventative work can be accessed by more young people than ever before.
Over the past year, the Trustees have used their experience and areas of expertise to support and challenge the executive team, helping to ensure that the charity continues to move in the right direction strategically and operationally. We are pleased to report that Lives Not Knives remains in a healthy financial position, providing a strong foundation from which the charity can continue to deliver its programmes, support its staff and youth workers, and plan confidently for the future.
Finally, I would like to thank our partners and donors for their continued generosity, my fellow Trustees for their time and governance, and our employees and youth workers for their tireless commitment to the young people we serve.
## **FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS:**
## **EXPENDITURE:**
## **INCOMING:**
A total of £352,864, was spent on Program Costs, General Administration and Utiities. £324,310 paid for all programme costs, **92%** which incudes staff, training and equipment.
A total of £245,419 was accumulated from Grants, Donations and Commissioned Work. A total of £81,849 in Grants from Holiday **33%** and Food Fund, London Community Foundation. **51%** £124,223 was raised from individual donors, fundraising efforts and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
A total of £14,868 was spent on general **4%** administration costs, such as website, accounting, and insurance. Utilities came to a total of £13,686 **4%** including light, water and other essential bills.
Commissioned work came to a total of **16%** £39,005 for Lives Not Knives programmes.
## **STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS**
On 31 March 2025, Lives Not Knives employed 8 full-time members of staff and was supported by 6 Trustees.
The organisation continues to be rooted in the communities it serves, with over half of staff and trustees living in Croydon or neighbouring boroughs, and a significant proportion bringing lived experience that informs and strengthens our approach to youth violence prevention.
We are extremely grateful to the approximately 60 volunteers who supported Lives Not Knives throughout the year. Volunteers from Amazon Fresh, Amazon Web Services, and the Pension Protection Fund contributed valuable time and expertise across events and projects. In addition, we benefited from corporate support and partnership engagement from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Wates, which enhanced our capacity to deliver impact.
There was no remuneration or benefits paid to Trustees, and no Trustee expenses were claimed during the year ended 31 March 2025 or the previous financial year.
## **FUNDRAISING**
**During the financial year, Lives Not Knives raised £124,223 through a combination of personal donations, corporate contributions, and community-led fundraising initiatives.**
We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated, fundraised, or helped raise awareness of our work. All funds raised throughout the year directly supported the delivery and development of our Engage, Educate, and Empower programmes, ensuring we could sustain and strengthen our work within schools and communities.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Friends and family of Kam Reel, take part in a charity football fundraiser organised by Nadzm
wearing LNK T-shirts to honour Kams’s memory and raise awareness of knife crime.
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **PROGRAMME: ENGAGE**
## **OVERVIEW**
Engage provides safe, out-of-school support that promotes young people’s mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing in Croydon. Delivered from the Lives Not Knives Unit, the Engage Holiday programme runs throughout school holidays, offering a safe space, hot meals, and enrichment activities for young people on free school meals or from low-income families.
Our Youth Hub, open on Mondays and Fridays, is a drop-in for all young people across Croydon to access mentoring, support, or simply a safe place to be themselves.
## **KEY OUTCOMES**
**515 young people attended our Engage Holiday programmes** during the year. All participants were eligible for free school meals and aged 10–15, ensuring targeted support for those most affected by holiday hardship.
A further **146 young people accessed support through our Youth Hub** drop-in sessions, held on Mondays and Fridays.
Young people supported through Engage came from a diverse range of backgrounds, including Black Caribbean (23%), White and Black African (18%), White and Black Caribbean (12%), White British (12%), and Mixed or Other ethnicities (35%).
A significant proportion of participants presented with additional needs, including diagnosed and undiagnosed ADHD (24%) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (18%), reinforcing the importance of accessible, inclusive provision.
**100% of participants reported that they felt safe, happy, and listened** to; enjoyed the programme; liked the staff; would recommend Lives Not Knives to their friends; and wanted to return.
Young people described Engage as: **“a very good place to make friends” “I really like the youth workers — they listen and encourage me to do my best” “fun, safe, perfect, interactive, joyful, enjoyable, and amazing”**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Young people from the Engage Half-Term Programme explore the National History Museum, taking part in an educational
and engaging experience designed to inspire learning, curiosity, and fun.
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Pupils at Ursuline High School meet with Jack, our Programmes Manager after choosing Lives Not Knives as
their charity for the First Give Programme. They used what they learned to create and deliver a thoughtful
presentation, demonstrating their enthusiasm and commitment to our mission.
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **PROGRAMME: EDUCATE**
## **OVERVIEW**
Educate brings Lives Not Knives’ preventative work directly into schools through mentoring, workshops, roadshows, and outreach.
At its core, is a targeted mentoring programme supporting young people at highest risk of exclusion, delivered by trained mentors with relatable lived experience who work weekly with mentees to build trust, resilience, and positive decision-making. Alongside mentoring, Educate raises awareness of knife crime and youth violence through school roadshows, and delivers healthy relationships workshops for Year 9 pupils, addressing violence against women and girls and harmful behaviours.
Together, Educate supports young people to remain in mainstream education, navigate personal challenges, and make safer, informed choices that support their long-term wellbeing.
## **KEY OUTCOMES**
During the academic year, **three youth workers delivered consistent 1:1 mentoring to 61 young people** across three Croydon secondary schools, providing targeted support to those most at risk of exclusion and wider vulnerability.
Alongside mentoring, **LNK delivered knife crime and youth violence roadshows to 1,850 young people across nine schools in three London boroughs** , supporting early intervention through education, awareness, and prevention messaging.
We also delivered **Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) education through three workshops reaching 425 young people across three schools** , alongside 48 1:1 support sessions delivered both in school and at the LNK Unit. We have a further 575 young people to reach through workshops and 52 additional 1:1 sessions planned, and we remain on track to complete delivery by July 2026.
Feedback from the VAWG workshops highlighted a significant increase in understanding. Before the session, 100% of participants reported they were unaware of the meaning of VAWG. Following the workshop:
- **85% said they understood what VAWG is**
- **85% said they knew ways they could help prevent VAWG**
- **80% said they understood the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships**
In one school, only 10% of pupils initially felt they had a trusted adult or knew where to go for help. Following the session, young people were reassured of the support available through the school safeguarding team, including access to LNK mentoring and guidance.
**IMPACT SNAPSHOT**
## **PROGRAMME: EDUCATE: CASE STUDY**
## **THE NEED**
Charlie has been supported through the LNK mentoring programme for three years, following significant concerns about her behaviour in and outside school. At referral, she was gang-affiliated, involved in fights, known to the police, and engaged in criminal activity. Having previously been permanently excluded, she joined her current school through a managed move, though concerns remained about her ability to sustain placement. She was also assessed as being at heightened risk of child sexual exploitation (CSE) and vulnerable within unhealthy relationships.
## **Mentoring (Educate Programme)**
In the academic year 2024–2025, LNK received 72 referrals for mentoring support and provided consistent 1:1 mentoring to 61 young people across the year. The remaining 11 disengaged due to managed moves, exclusions, and Year 11 exam pressures. Of the young people mentored, 39 were male and 22 were female.
All young people were referred as being at highest risk of school exclusion, and referral information highlighted complex, overlapping needs linked to trauma, unstable home environments, emotional dysregulation, and high-risk behaviours—often impacting attendance, behaviour, safeguarding, and long-term outcomes.
## From initial referrals of the 61 young people:
## **Behaviour, Risk & Emotional Regulation**
90% had regular behaviour issues
The referral highlighted complex needs, including parental separation, traumatic experiences, vulnerability to peer pressure, an unstable family environment, low-income household, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, self-harm, social isolation, and exposure to friends or family involved in gangs and criminality.
79% were vulnerable to peer pressure
- 44% showed violent tendencies
- 34% were involved in anti-social behaviour
- 16% were known/flagged to police
## **LNK MENTORING SUPPORT**
The mentoring relationship with Charlie was established with ease, as she was already familiar with several Lives Not Knives staff members. The assigned mentor, was well equipped to support her and had received training in Domestic Abuse, Healthy Relationships, Mental Health First Aid, and bringing extensive youth work experience across a range of complex issues.
- 13% were linked to drug use
- 2% were linked to alcohol use
## **Mental Health & Trauma**
56% had experienced a traumatic life event
- 49% had poor self-esteem
Throughout the year, our mentor worked closely with Charlie, focusing on her personal wants, needs, and goals. Central to their work was helping Charlie understand that loving and valuing yourself is the foundation for making positive decisions and following a constructive path in life. Charlie was encouraged to engage fully with the range of provisions LNK offers, ensuring she benefited from wraparound support.
Charlie participated in multiple workshops and mentoring sessions on health and unhealthy relationships, which supported her in distancing herself from fast-paced, toxic friendships that put her at risk. Importantly, she began building relationships with peers who demonstrated genuine care, rather than following previous social pressures or status concerns.
- 34% had wider mental health needs
- 28% experienced anxiety
- 21% experienced depression
- 11% had self-harmed
## **Family, Poverty & School Pressures**
67% came from a low-income household
- 61% faced an unstable family dynamic
- 61% had poor attainment levels
## **OUTCOME**
Charlie began attending the Youth Hub regularly and quickly became one of its most enthusiastic visitors, enjoying informal mentoring, time to relax, and support with homework and revision. During school holidays, she actively participated in Engage: Holidays, becoming an integral member of the youth cohort — often helping staff, setting up activities, creating games, and warmly welcoming younger or new participants to the programme. A highlight for Charlie was visiting 10 Downing Street and meeting the Mayor of London as part of her work experience placement with a renowned charity. She credited much of her success, personal growth, and confidence to the mentoring support she received from LNK.
School reports highlighted significant improvements in and out of the classroom, with Charlie making positive decisions independently, excelling academically, and showing a marked reduction in behavioural challenges. Charlie herself reported feeling confident and optimistic as she approaches her final year of school, applying the lessons she has learned through mentoring.
A key area of personal growth for Charlie was in her relationships. She recognised that healthy connections start with a positive relationship **This image was taken during a visit to Ursuline High School, following the incredible decision by a** with herself, shaping how she allows others to treat her and how she treats those around her — with love, kindness, care, and respect. **group of pupils to choose Lives Not Knives as their chosen charity. The pupils met with one of our *This case study is annonymous and the young persons name has been changed to protect their identity. mentors to learn more about the work we do and thoughtfully tailored this information into a**
- 48% had high truancy/absence
- 48% had friends/family involved in gangs or criminality
- 48% were regularly excluded from school
- 75% had experienced parental separation
20% had previously been excluded and entered via managed move
**Despite being referred at the highest risk of school exclusion, young people reported overwhelmingly positive outcomes from their mentoring relationships. 98% said they liked speaking to their mentor and felt more supported, 100% said their mentor was a good listener and helped them engage with school more, and 96–98% said mentoring helped them express their emotions, reflect on their actions, understand their goals, and feel empowered to succeed in the future.**
**Importantly, 96% said mentoring helped them avoid conflict, 91% reported improved emotional regulation, and 82%said it helped them enjoy school more—supporting improved engagement, behaviour, and long-term stability.**
## **PROGRAMME: THE EDUCATE HUB**
**Knife violence is a rising epidemic and a national crisis affecting communities across the UK, not just London. In 2023, the West Midlands Police recorded the highest rate of knife crime offences in England, with Birmingham identified as a violent hotspot, and there were 3,775 hospital episodes due to assault by a sharp object nationwide (NHS Digital, 2022/23).**
## **OVERVIEW**
Many teachers are seeking support to educate young people on these issues, but LNK cannot deliver programmes across the country in person. In response, we developed the Educate Hub, an online platform designed by LNK, teachers, and young people to provide ready-to-use lesson plans and teaching resources that address knife crime, youth violence, and wider social issues. All content is created by professionals or people with lived experience, ensuring lessons are practical, relevant, and impactful. Contributors include the Met Police, psychologists, trauma specialists, Pooja Kanda (mother of Ronan Kanda), and interviews with prisoners at HMP Highpoint, helping young people understand the realities of crime and deglamourise prison.
The Educate Hub equips teachers across the UK to deliver informed, engaging lessons that educate, empower, and protect young people.
## **TESTING AND FEEDBACK**
"Education on youth violence should be mandatory in schools, and we are very lucky at our school that it is part of our PHSE program already, but I think resources like the Lives on Knives educate hub are going to make teachers more confident"
**MR JAMES FINCH - HEAD OF BIOLOCY WIRRAL BOYS GRAMMAR SCHOOL**
"Having the LNK resources allows educators to really feel empowered in order to know that our young people are accessing resources that have been developed by people who are aware of the context, aware of the dangers that young people exist in."
**SAQIB CHAUDHRI - OASIS SHIRLEY PARK SECONDARY AND SIXTH FORM PRINCIPAL**
## **FUTURE PLANS**
LNK will continue to update the Educate Hub in line with PSHE guidelines, expanding content to ensure teachers and young people have access to accurate, evidence-based information.
The Hub will increasingly partner with schools, local authorities, law enforcement, and specialist services, providing a collaborative platform to educate young people about knife crime, youth violence, healthy relationships, and wider social issues. By equipping teachers with ready-to-use, high-quality resources created by professionals and people with lived experience, the Hub will empower educators to deliver engaging, informed lessons and support young people to make safe, positive choices.
Over time, the Educate Hub is set to become a key cornerstone of mainstream education, raising awareness, driving behavioural change, and creating safer, better-informed communities across the UK.
**POOJA KANDA - JUSTICE FORR RONAN KANDA**
**ALEX OKUWA - SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE**
**HABIBA MOHAMMED ADAMU - BEDE HOUSE**
**PC ZOE ROWBOTHAM - METROPOLITAN POLICE**
**TAYLOR COOPER - JOURNEY THROUGH PTSD**
**JAMES FINCH- WIRRAL BOYS GRAMMAR SCHOOL**
**DR JAE RHEE - THE PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCES IMPACT OF KNIFE CRIME**
**MALCOLM GILL - ST CHRISTOPHERS HOSPICE LAURA MAXWELL - WORKING IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY**
## **PROGRAMME: EMPOWER**
## **OVERVIEW**
Through our Empower Programme, LNK supports local families and individuals by providing food and essential household items to those who need a helping hand. We recognise that many households are facing increasing financial pressure, and that day-to-day essentials can quickly become unaffordable. By easing this burden, we help families redirect limited income towards other priorities, reduce stress at home, and create greater stability for children and young people.
Empower is rooted in dignity and practical support — ensuring our community feels seen, supported, and strengthened, while also helping to protect mental and physical wellbeing during the most challenging times.
In 2024, we continued our partnership with Amazon Web Services, with additional support from Amazon Fresh and TransAcct.
From the LNK Unit, we hosted two Giving Days one in September and one in December.
**38 volunteers from Amazon Fresh, Amazon Web Services and TransAcct helped manage, organise, and distribute**
**donations efficiently.**
**We supported 332 different households with vital necessities, ensuring families had access to essentials when they needed them most.**
**“It’s always a pleasure to work with Eliza and the team at Lives Not Knives. This year marks our third year running, and the indicative has grown significantly, enabling us to support more than 1,000 families in the local community, we look forward to the years to come.” NATHAN SWAMINATHAN SNR ENTERPRISE ACCOUNT MANAGER HCLS**
- **EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: PAUL BOGLE - CONTENT MANAGER**
**HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR LIVES NOT KNIVES?**
I’ve worked at Lives Not Knives for ten years. I originally began working with LNK after Eliza reached out to me for support with content and branding. Around 2016, there was a noticeable shift towards organisations needing a stronger online presence. Although LNK had always done an incredible job telling stories through the media, there was a gap when it came to having our own visual identity — a way to represent our work ourselves and tell our own stories authentically.
My role allows me to be creative while making a real difference. Some days are spent preparing production — from backdrops and scripts to questions for people with lived experience, creating videos for our Educate Hub. Other days, I’m able to share my interests with young people, teaching them how to use a camera and the fundamentals of taking a good photograph. That balance between creativity and impact is what’s kept me here.
**ONE THING YOU ACHIEVED THIS YEAR?**
This year, I was offered the role of Content Manager. At first, I was reluctant to take on the additional responsibility due to my own confidence and self-belief. I knew I could do the role, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready. I ultimately said yes because Eliza believed I could do it, and that showed me I had the support I needed. This role has pushed me to be more confident in my own work and recognise that I can also support others.
**“ENJOY YOUR CHILDHOOD AND DON’T RUSH. NOT EVERYTHING HAPPENS OVERNIGHT. I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN PUTTING IN THE HOURS TO MASTER YOUR CRAFT, KNOWING THAT ONE DAY THOSE EFFORTS WILL PAY OFF.”**
## **FAVOURITE MEMORY?**
I once mentored a young person at a local primary school for nearly two years. After the mentoring relationship ended, he came to visit me at work a year later to introduce me to his parents. They were incredibly appreciative of the positive impact I’d had on their son, and that moment has stayed with me.
For me, I was simply doing my job as a mentor — but the fact that he came back to visit showed that the conversations we’d had had really stayed with him. During the mentoring relationship, you don’t always realise how important those sessions are, or that a young person is taking that support home with them and reflecting on it long after.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Paul, LNK Content Manager, pictured with Alan Bacon,
founder of No Point Knives, following an interview for The
Educate Hub — sharing his powerful lived experience
and the story behind his campaign to ban pointed
kitchen knives.
**----- End of picture text -----**
**LIVES NOT KNIVES CHARITY NUMBER: 1153634 REGISTERED IN ENGLAND AND WALES REGISTERED OFFICE AND OPERATIONAL ADDRESS: LNK UNIT, UPPER MALL, CENTRALE SHOPPING CENTRE, CROYDON, CR0 1TY WWW.LIVESNOTKNIVES.ORG**
**REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: CE000143 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1153634**
## Report of the Trustees and
Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
for
Lives Not Knives
Maddox & Maddox Limited 9 Commercial Yard Barnard Castle Co. Durham DL12 8FE
Lives Not Knives
Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
||Page|
|---|---|
|Report of the Trustees|1 to 2|
|Independent Examiner's Report|3|
|Statement of Financial Activities|4|
|Balance Sheet|5 to 6|
|Cash Flow Statement|7|
|Notes to the Cash Flow Statement|8|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|9 to 16|
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities|17 to 18|
Lives Not Knives
## Report of the Trustees
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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 2019).
## **STRATEGIC REPORT**
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document**
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company number**
CE000143 (England and Wales)
## **Registered Charity number**
1153634
## **Registered office**
LNK Unit Upper Mall Centrale Shopping Centre Croydon Surrey CR0 1TY
## **Trustees**
Monica Beckles Kate Newton Walter Verkaik Rahim Hirji Christine Williams Charandeep Kaur Khaira
## **Company Secretary**
## **Independent Examiner**
Simon Maddox FCCA Maddox & Maddox Limited 9 Commercial Yard Barnard Castle Co. Durham DL12 8FE
Page 1
Lives Not Knives
## Report of the Trustees
## for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Report of the trustees, incorporating a strategic report, approved by order of the board of trustees, as the company directors, on ............................................. and signed on the board's behalf by:
............................................................ Monica Beckles - Trustee
Page 2
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Lives Not Knives
## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Lives Not Knives ('the Company')**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination 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:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).
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.
Simon Maddox FCCA The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
Maddox & Maddox Limited 9 Commercial Yard Barnard Castle Co. Durham DL12 8FE
Date: .............................................
Page 3
Lives Not Knives
## Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|Notes
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**
Donations and legacies
2
**Charitable activities**
4
Education and life skill development
Other trading activities
3
**Total**
**EXPENDITURE ON**
Raising funds
5
**Charitable activities**
6
Education and life skill development
**Total**
**NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)**
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Total funds brought forward
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**|Unrestricted
fund
£
124,223
6,070
347
130,640
5,483
253,375
258,858
(128,218)
414,895
286,677|Restricted
funds
£
-
75,779
39,000
114,779
7,620
86,386
94,006
20,773
-
20,773|31.3.25
Total
funds
£
124,223
81,849
39,347
245,419
13,103
339,761
352,864
(107,445)
414,895
307,450|31.3.24
Total
funds
£
337,104
65,500
10,050|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||412,654|
|||||6,736
302,266|
|||||309,002|
|||||103,652
311,243|
|||||414,895|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 4
Lives Not Knives
## Balance Sheet 31 March 2025
|Notes
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
12
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
13
Cash at bank and in hand
**CREDITORS**
Amounts falling due within one year
14
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT**
**LIABILITIES**
**NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
15
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Unrestricted
fund
£
12,318
5,070
279,361
284,431
(10,072)
274,359
286,677
286,677|Restricted
funds
£
-
-
20,773
20,773
-
20,773
20,773
20,773|31.3.25
Total
funds
£
12,318
5,070
300,134
305,204
(10,072)
295,132
307,450
307,450
286,677
20,773
307,450|31.3.24
Total
funds
£
2,585
545
422,645
423,190
(10,880)
412,310
414,895
414,895
414,895
-
414,895|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
- (a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
- (b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on ............................................. and were signed on its behalf by:
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 5
continued...
Lives Not Knives
Balance Sheet - continued 31 March 2025
............................................. Monica Beckles - Trustee
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 6
Lives Not Knives
## Cash Flow Statement
## for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|Notes
**Cash flows from operating activities**
Cash generated from operations
1
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating
activities
**Cash flows from investing activities**
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Net cash used in investing activities
**Change in cash and cash**
**equivalents in the reporting**
**period**
**Cash and cash equivalents at the**
**beginning of the reporting period**
**Cash and cash equivalents at the**
**end of the reporting period**|31.3.25
£
(108,084)
(108,084)
(14,427)
(14,427)
(122,511)
422,645
300,134|31.3.24
£
89,650
89,650
(2,020)
(2,020)
87,630
335,015
422,645|
|---|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 7
Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Cash Flow Statement for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **1. RECONCILIATION OF NET (EXPENDITURE)/INCOME TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES**
|**Net (expenditure)/income for the reporting period (as per**
**the Statement of Financial Activities)**
**Adjustments for:**
Depreciation charges
Increase in debtors
Decrease in creditors
**Net cash (used in)/provided by operations**|31.3.25
£
(107,445)
4,694
(4,525)
(808)
(108,084)|31.3.24
£
103,652
1,243
(1)
(15,244)
89,650|
|---|---|---|
## **2. ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET FUNDS**
|**Net cash**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Total**|At 1.4.24
£
422,645
422,645
422,645|Cash flow
At 31.3.25
£
£
(122,511)
300,134
(122,511)
300,134
(122,511)
300,134|
|---|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 8
Lives Not Knives
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of preparing the financial statements**
The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
## **Income**
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
## **Expenditure**
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 a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## **Tangible fixed assets**
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.
## **Taxation**
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
## **Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits**
The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.
Page 9
continued...
## Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|**2.**
**DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**
Donations
**3.**
**OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES**
T Shirt sales
Commissioned work
Commission
**4.**
**INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
Activity
Grants
Education and life skill development
**5.**
**RAISING FUNDS**
**Other trading activities**
Purchases
**6.**
**CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS**
Direct
Costs
£
Education and life skill
development
339,439|31.3.25
£
124,223
31.3.25
£
342
39,000
5
39,347
31.3.25
£
81,849
31.3.25
£
13,103
Support
costs (see
note 7)
£
322|31.3.24
£
337,104|31.3.24
£
337,104|
|---|---|---|---|
|||31.3.24
£
-
10,015
35
10,050
31.3.24
£
65,500
31.3.24
£
6,736
Totals
£
339,761|31.3.24
£
-
10,015
35|
||||10,050|
||||31.3.24
£
65,500|
||||31.3.24
£
6,736|
Page 10
continued...
Lives Not Knives
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **7. SUPPORT COSTS**
|**SUPPORT COSTS**|||
|---|---|---|
|||Finance|
|||£|
|Education and life skill development||322|
|**NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)**|||
|Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):|||
||31.3.25|31.3.24|
||£|£|
|Depreciation - owned assets|4,694|1,243|
## **8. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)**
## **9. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS**
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **Trustees' expenses**
There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **10. STAFF COSTS**
|31.3.25
£
Wages and salaries
241,442
Social security costs
18,487
Other pension costs
10,435
270,364
The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
31.3.25
Staff
-|31.3.24
£
196,065
13,935
3,860|
|---|---|
||213,860|
||31.3.24
7|
No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.
Page 11
continued...
Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|**11.**
**COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
Unrestricted
Restricted
fund
funds
£
£
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**
Donations and legacies
286,804
50,300
**Charitable activities**
Education and life skill development
-
65,500
Other trading activities
10,050
-
**Total**
296,854
115,800
**EXPENDITURE ON**
Raising funds
6,736
-
**Charitable activities**
Education and life skill development
186,466
115,800
**Total**
193,202
115,800
**NET INCOME**
103,652
-
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Total funds brought forward
311,243
-
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED**
**FORWARD**
414,895
-|Total
funds
£
337,104
65,500
10,050|
|---|---|
||412,654|
||6,736
302,266|
||309,002|
||103,652
311,243|
||414,895|
Page 12
continued...
Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|**12.**
**TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
Plant and
Computer
machinery
equipment
£
£
**COST**
At 1 April 2024
-
7,052
Additions
11,040
3,387
At 31 March 2025
11,040
10,439
**DEPRECIATION**
At 1 April 2024
-
4,467
Charge for year
2,760
1,934
At 31 March 2025
2,760
6,401
**NET BOOK VALUE**
At 31 March 2025
8,280
4,038
At 31 March 2024
-
2,585
**13.**
**DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
31.3.25
£
Prepayments and accrued income
3,036
Prepayments
2,034
5,070
**14.**
**CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
31.3.25
£
Social security and other taxes
5,687
Other creditors
1,385
Accrued expenses
3,000
10,072|Totals
£
7,052
14,427|
|---|---|
||21,479|
||4,467
4,694|
||9,161|
||12,318|
||2,585|
||31.3.24
£
-
545
545
31.3.24
£
6,236
1,644
3,000|
||10,880|
Page 13
continued...
Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
|At 1.4.24
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
414,895
**Restricted funds**
Restricted
-
**TOTAL FUNDS**
414,895
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Incoming
resources
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
130,640
**Restricted funds**
LNK Educate Programme
39,000
Restricted
75,779
114,779
**TOTAL FUNDS**
245,419
**Comparatives for movement in funds**
At 1.4.23
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
311,243
**TOTAL FUNDS**
311,243|Net
movement
in funds
£
(128,218)
20,773
(107,445)
Resources
expended
£
(258,858)
(39,000)
(55,006)
(94,006)
(352,864)
Net
movement
in funds
£
103,652
103,652|At
31.3.25
£
286,677
20,773
307,450
Movement
in funds
£
(128,218)
-
20,773
20,773
(107,445)
At
31.3.24
£
414,895
414,895|
|---|---|---|
Page 14
continued...
Lives Not Knives
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued**
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
|**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**Restricted funds**
LNK Educate Programme
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Incoming
resources
£
296,854
115,800
412,654|Resources
expended
£
(193,202)
(115,800)
(309,002)|Movement
in funds
£
103,652
-
103,652|
|---|---|---|---|
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:
|At 1.4.23
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
311,243
**Restricted funds**
Restricted
-
**TOTAL FUNDS**
311,243
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined
included in the above are as follows:
Incoming
resources
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
427,494
**Restricted funds**
LNK Educate Programme
154,800
Restricted
75,779
230,579
**TOTAL FUNDS**
658,073|Net
movement
At
in funds
31.3.25
£
£
(24,566)
286,677
20,773
20,773
(3,793)
307,450
net movement in fund
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(452,060)
(24,566)
(154,800)
-
(55,006)
20,773
(209,806)
20,773
(661,866)
(3,793)|
|---|---|
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Page 15
continued...
Lives Not Knives
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **16. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES**
There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Page 16
Lives Not Knives
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS**
**Donations and legacies**
Donations
**Other trading activities**
T Shirt sales
Commissioned work
Commission
**Charitable activities**
Grants
**Total incoming resources**
**EXPENDITURE**
**Other trading activities**
Programme expenses
**Charitable activities**
Wages
Social security
Pensions
Rates and water
Insurance
Light and heat
Telephone
Postage and stationery
Advertising
Sundries
Consultancy
Accountancy
Professional fees
Counselling
Website IT and computer costs
Subscriptions
Travel
Cleaning
Staff Training
Carried forward|31.3.25
£
124,223
342
39,000
5
39,347
81,849
245,419
13,103
241,442
18,487
10,435
3,268
773
8,341
1,304
180
1,461
469
9,150
3,000
224
3,250
7,680
3,285
5,039
216
1,226
319,230|31.3.24
£
337,104
-
10,015
35|
|---|---|---|
|||10,050
65,500|
|||412,654
6,736
196,065
13,935
3,860
3,230
773
7,611
597
384
4,789
2,326
44,272
3,000
150
1,640
8,430
781
3,593
291
2,050
297,777|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 17
Lives Not Knives
## Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025|||
|---|---|---|
|**Charitable activities**
Brought forward
Repairs and renewals
Staff welfare
Medical insurance
Recruitment
Charitable donations
Plant and machinery
Computer equipment
**Support costs**
**Finance**
Bank charges
Total resources expended
**Net (expenditure)/income**|31.3.25
£
319,230
4,947
1,899
3,661
4,968
40
2,760
1,934
339,439
322
352,864
(107,445)|31.3.24
£
297,777
1,975
710
241
-
-
-
1,243|
|||301,946
320|
|||309,002|
|||103,652|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 18
**REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: CE000143 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1153634**
## Report of the Trustees and
Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
for
Lives Not Knives
Maddox & Maddox Limited 9 Commercial Yard Barnard Castle Co. Durham DL12 8FE
Lives Not Knives
Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
||Page|
|---|---|
|Report of the Trustees|1 to 2|
|Independent Examiner's Report|3|
|Statement of Financial Activities|4|
|Balance Sheet|5 to 6|
|Cash Flow Statement|7|
|Notes to the Cash Flow Statement|8|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|9 to 16|
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities|17 to 18|
Lives Not Knives
## Report of the Trustees
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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 2019).
## **STRATEGIC REPORT**
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document**
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company number**
CE000143 (England and Wales)
## **Registered Charity number**
1153634
## **Registered office**
LNK Unit Upper Mall Centrale Shopping Centre Croydon Surrey CR0 1TY
## **Trustees**
Monica Beckles Kate Newton Walter Verkaik Rahim Hirji Christine Williams Charandeep Kaur Khaira
## **Company Secretary**
## **Independent Examiner**
Simon Maddox FCCA Maddox & Maddox Limited 9 Commercial Yard Barnard Castle Co. Durham DL12 8FE
Page 1
Lives Not Knives
## Report of the Trustees
## for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Report of the trustees, incorporating a strategic report, approved by order of the board of trustees, as the company directors, on ............................................. and signed on the board's behalf by:
............................................................ Monica Beckles - Trustee
Page 2
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Lives Not Knives
## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Lives Not Knives ('the Company')**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination 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:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).
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.
Simon Maddox FCCA The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
Maddox & Maddox Limited 9 Commercial Yard Barnard Castle Co. Durham DL12 8FE
Date: .............................................
Page 3
Lives Not Knives
## Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|Notes
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**
Donations and legacies
2
**Charitable activities**
4
Education and life skill development
Other trading activities
3
**Total**
**EXPENDITURE ON**
Raising funds
5
**Charitable activities**
6
Education and life skill development
**Total**
**NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)**
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Total funds brought forward
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**|Unrestricted
fund
£
124,223
6,070
347
130,640
5,483
253,375
258,858
(128,218)
414,895
286,677|Restricted
funds
£
-
75,779
39,000
114,779
7,620
86,386
94,006
20,773
-
20,773|31.3.25
Total
funds
£
124,223
81,849
39,347
245,419
13,103
339,761
352,864
(107,445)
414,895
307,450|31.3.24
Total
funds
£
337,104
65,500
10,050|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||412,654|
|||||6,736
302,266|
|||||309,002|
|||||103,652
311,243|
|||||414,895|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 4
Lives Not Knives
## Balance Sheet 31 March 2025
|Notes
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
12
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
13
Cash at bank and in hand
**CREDITORS**
Amounts falling due within one year
14
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT**
**LIABILITIES**
**NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
15
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Unrestricted
fund
£
12,318
5,070
279,361
284,431
(10,072)
274,359
286,677
286,677|Restricted
funds
£
-
-
20,773
20,773
-
20,773
20,773
20,773|31.3.25
Total
funds
£
12,318
5,070
300,134
305,204
(10,072)
295,132
307,450
307,450
286,677
20,773
307,450|31.3.24
Total
funds
£
2,585
545
422,645
423,190
(10,880)
412,310
414,895
414,895
414,895
-
414,895|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
- (a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
- (b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on ............................................. and were signed on its behalf by:
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 5
continued...
Lives Not Knives
Balance Sheet - continued 31 March 2025
............................................. Monica Beckles - Trustee
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 6
Lives Not Knives
## Cash Flow Statement
## for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|Notes
**Cash flows from operating activities**
Cash generated from operations
1
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating
activities
**Cash flows from investing activities**
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Net cash used in investing activities
**Change in cash and cash**
**equivalents in the reporting**
**period**
**Cash and cash equivalents at the**
**beginning of the reporting period**
**Cash and cash equivalents at the**
**end of the reporting period**|31.3.25
£
(108,084)
(108,084)
(14,427)
(14,427)
(122,511)
422,645
300,134|31.3.24
£
89,650
89,650
(2,020)
(2,020)
87,630
335,015
422,645|
|---|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 7
Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Cash Flow Statement for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **1. RECONCILIATION OF NET (EXPENDITURE)/INCOME TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES**
|**Net (expenditure)/income for the reporting period (as per**
**the Statement of Financial Activities)**
**Adjustments for:**
Depreciation charges
Increase in debtors
Decrease in creditors
**Net cash (used in)/provided by operations**|31.3.25
£
(107,445)
4,694
(4,525)
(808)
(108,084)|31.3.24
£
103,652
1,243
(1)
(15,244)
89,650|
|---|---|---|
## **2. ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET FUNDS**
|**Net cash**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Total**|At 1.4.24
£
422,645
422,645
422,645|Cash flow
At 31.3.25
£
£
(122,511)
300,134
(122,511)
300,134
(122,511)
300,134|
|---|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 8
Lives Not Knives
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of preparing the financial statements**
The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
## **Income**
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
## **Expenditure**
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 a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## **Tangible fixed assets**
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.
## **Taxation**
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
## **Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits**
The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.
Page 9
continued...
## Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|**2.**
**DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**
Donations
**3.**
**OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES**
T Shirt sales
Commissioned work
Commission
**4.**
**INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
Activity
Grants
Education and life skill development
**5.**
**RAISING FUNDS**
**Other trading activities**
Purchases
**6.**
**CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS**
Direct
Costs
£
Education and life skill
development
339,439|31.3.25
£
124,223
31.3.25
£
342
39,000
5
39,347
31.3.25
£
81,849
31.3.25
£
13,103
Support
costs (see
note 7)
£
322|31.3.24
£
337,104|31.3.24
£
337,104|
|---|---|---|---|
|||31.3.24
£
-
10,015
35
10,050
31.3.24
£
65,500
31.3.24
£
6,736
Totals
£
339,761|31.3.24
£
-
10,015
35|
||||10,050|
||||31.3.24
£
65,500|
||||31.3.24
£
6,736|
Page 10
continued...
Lives Not Knives
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **7. SUPPORT COSTS**
|**SUPPORT COSTS**|||
|---|---|---|
|||Finance|
|||£|
|Education and life skill development||322|
|**NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)**|||
|Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):|||
||31.3.25|31.3.24|
||£|£|
|Depreciation - owned assets|4,694|1,243|
## **8. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)**
## **9. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS**
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **Trustees' expenses**
There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **10. STAFF COSTS**
|31.3.25
£
Wages and salaries
241,442
Social security costs
18,487
Other pension costs
10,435
270,364
The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
31.3.25
Staff
-|31.3.24
£
196,065
13,935
3,860|
|---|---|
||213,860|
||31.3.24
7|
No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.
Page 11
continued...
Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|**11.**
**COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
Unrestricted
Restricted
fund
funds
£
£
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**
Donations and legacies
286,804
50,300
**Charitable activities**
Education and life skill development
-
65,500
Other trading activities
10,050
-
**Total**
296,854
115,800
**EXPENDITURE ON**
Raising funds
6,736
-
**Charitable activities**
Education and life skill development
186,466
115,800
**Total**
193,202
115,800
**NET INCOME**
103,652
-
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Total funds brought forward
311,243
-
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED**
**FORWARD**
414,895
-|Total
funds
£
337,104
65,500
10,050|
|---|---|
||412,654|
||6,736
302,266|
||309,002|
||103,652
311,243|
||414,895|
Page 12
continued...
Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|**12.**
**TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
Plant and
Computer
machinery
equipment
£
£
**COST**
At 1 April 2024
-
7,052
Additions
11,040
3,387
At 31 March 2025
11,040
10,439
**DEPRECIATION**
At 1 April 2024
-
4,467
Charge for year
2,760
1,934
At 31 March 2025
2,760
6,401
**NET BOOK VALUE**
At 31 March 2025
8,280
4,038
At 31 March 2024
-
2,585
**13.**
**DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
31.3.25
£
Prepayments and accrued income
3,036
Prepayments
2,034
5,070
**14.**
**CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
31.3.25
£
Social security and other taxes
5,687
Other creditors
1,385
Accrued expenses
3,000
10,072|Totals
£
7,052
14,427|
|---|---|
||21,479|
||4,467
4,694|
||9,161|
||12,318|
||2,585|
||31.3.24
£
-
545
545
31.3.24
£
6,236
1,644
3,000|
||10,880|
Page 13
continued...
Lives Not Knives
## Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
|At 1.4.24
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
414,895
**Restricted funds**
Restricted
-
**TOTAL FUNDS**
414,895
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Incoming
resources
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
130,640
**Restricted funds**
LNK Educate Programme
39,000
Restricted
75,779
114,779
**TOTAL FUNDS**
245,419
**Comparatives for movement in funds**
At 1.4.23
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
311,243
**TOTAL FUNDS**
311,243|Net
movement
in funds
£
(128,218)
20,773
(107,445)
Resources
expended
£
(258,858)
(39,000)
(55,006)
(94,006)
(352,864)
Net
movement
in funds
£
103,652
103,652|At
31.3.25
£
286,677
20,773
307,450
Movement
in funds
£
(128,218)
-
20,773
20,773
(107,445)
At
31.3.24
£
414,895
414,895|
|---|---|---|
Page 14
continued...
Lives Not Knives
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued**
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
|**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**Restricted funds**
LNK Educate Programme
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Incoming
resources
£
296,854
115,800
412,654|Resources
expended
£
(193,202)
(115,800)
(309,002)|Movement
in funds
£
103,652
-
103,652|
|---|---|---|---|
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:
|At 1.4.23
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
311,243
**Restricted funds**
Restricted
-
**TOTAL FUNDS**
311,243
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined
included in the above are as follows:
Incoming
resources
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
427,494
**Restricted funds**
LNK Educate Programme
154,800
Restricted
75,779
230,579
**TOTAL FUNDS**
658,073|Net
movement
At
in funds
31.3.25
£
£
(24,566)
286,677
20,773
20,773
(3,793)
307,450
net movement in fund
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(452,060)
(24,566)
(154,800)
-
(55,006)
20,773
(209,806)
20,773
(661,866)
(3,793)|
|---|---|
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Page 15
continued...
Lives Not Knives
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **16. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES**
There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Page 16
Lives Not Knives
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS**
**Donations and legacies**
Donations
**Other trading activities**
T Shirt sales
Commissioned work
Commission
**Charitable activities**
Grants
**Total incoming resources**
**EXPENDITURE**
**Other trading activities**
Programme expenses
**Charitable activities**
Wages
Social security
Pensions
Rates and water
Insurance
Light and heat
Telephone
Postage and stationery
Advertising
Sundries
Consultancy
Accountancy
Professional fees
Counselling
Website IT and computer costs
Subscriptions
Travel
Cleaning
Staff Training
Carried forward|31.3.25
£
124,223
342
39,000
5
39,347
81,849
245,419
13,103
241,442
18,487
10,435
3,268
773
8,341
1,304
180
1,461
469
9,150
3,000
224
3,250
7,680
3,285
5,039
216
1,226
319,230|31.3.24
£
337,104
-
10,015
35|
|---|---|---|
|||10,050
65,500|
|||412,654
6,736
196,065
13,935
3,860
3,230
773
7,611
597
384
4,789
2,326
44,272
3,000
150
1,640
8,430
781
3,593
291
2,050
297,777|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 17
Lives Not Knives
## Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025|||
|---|---|---|
|**Charitable activities**
Brought forward
Repairs and renewals
Staff welfare
Medical insurance
Recruitment
Charitable donations
Plant and machinery
Computer equipment
**Support costs**
**Finance**
Bank charges
Total resources expended
**Net (expenditure)/income**|31.3.25
£
319,230
4,947
1,899
3,661
4,968
40
2,760
1,934
339,439
322
352,864
(107,445)|31.3.24
£
297,777
1,975
710
241
-
-
-
1,243|
|||301,946
320|
|||309,002|
|||103,652|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 18