**“EDUCATION. SUPPORT. CHANGE.”** 

**ANNUAL REPORT &** 

**ACCOUNTS FYE 2025** 



## **Mission Statement** 

**We provide education, support, and counselling to individuals, families, and professionals affected by:** 

**Substance Misuse Volatile Substance Misuse Vaping County Lines** 

**Our aim: to provide education and support that prevent harm, reduce stigma, and build safer, healthier communities for young people and families.** 



# **IN LOVING MEMORY OF CHRISTIAN JOHN RUFFLEY** 

**THIS REPORT IS DEDICATED TO MY BEAUTIFUL NEPHEW, CHRISTIAN —** 

**A son. A grandson. A father. A brother. An uncle. A nephew. A friend. A rapper. A soul too bright for this world, too brave for his battles, too loved to ever be forgotten.** 

**He wasn’t perfect. None of us are. But he fought. God, he fought. He faced his demons with a fire that burned... and somehow, in his own way, he came full circle —** 

**Raw, real, and passionate. Christian’s story isn’t just his. It’s a lifeline. A lesson. A legacy. He mattered. He was loved. He is loved. And his story will keep changing lives — long after this page ends.** 

**To his mum, my sister Hayley — thank you for letting me carry his story forward. I love you. I honour you. I stand beside you.** 

**Rest in peace, darling boy. I love you with every beat of my heart. I miss you with every breath in my soul.** 

**“There ain’t no justice… there is just us.”** 

**Always, your Ally Aunty** 


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xxx<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>




## **IN LOVING MEMORY CHRISTIAN JOHN RUFFLEY 20/08/1983 - 25/03/2007** 

These affirmations were written by his classmates at Wirral Met, Twelve Quays College, where Christian had just completed his counselling diploma. Christian never got to read them. He was murdered the day before their final meeting. 

Now, they stand as a tribute — to his courage, his presence, and the love that surrounds him still. 



## **Founders** 

## **Barbara Skinner MBE** 

Her legacy continues to inspire everything we do. Forever loved, never forgotten... YNWA 

**Ally Hodgson CEO** Certified counsellor, educator, and passionate advocate. Her lived experience drives our mission forward. 



## **CEO Report** 

**2025 has been a year of growth, grit, and gratitude. We’ve responded to rising demand with compassion and clarity — especially around vaping and volatile substances. I’m proud to be back full-time and thrilled by our expanding reach. To our Trustees, Evolver’s YPAG, Funders, and Volunteers: Thank you.** 

**To every young person we’ve supported: We see you, we hear you, we’re here for you!!! Warm regards and Hugs, of course Ally Hodgson CEO Evolve... Tackling the Impact of Substance Misuse** 



## **2024-2025 AT A GLANCE** 

# **WORKSHOPS DELIVERED: 173** 

# **SCHOOLS REACHED: 50 WITH OUR VAPING TOOLKIT** 

**MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID SESSIONS: EXPANDED TO PROFESSIONALS AND CARERS** 

**COMMUNITY SUPPORT: SPONSORED FENDER FC SUPPORTED NOCTORUM & BEECHWOOD COMMUNITIES** 

**COUNSELLING HOURS:** evolve **207** 



## **Evolves Journey: A Timeline of Impact** 

## **2012 – The Spark** 

Barbara Skinner MBE & Ally Hodgson co-found Evolve with a vision to tackle volatile substance misuse through education and compassion. 

## **2012 – 2017 – Building Foundations** 

Evolve becomes a registered charity #1153938 in 2013 & we have our official launch at Liverpool Football Club. 

- Early workshops delivered in schools across Merseyside 

- First partnerships with youth services and local councils 

- Community trust begins to grow 

## **2017 – 2021 – Expanding Reach** 

- Launch of Volatile Substance Misuse programme 

- Counselling services introduced 

- First awards received for community impact 

- Deepening Support 

- County Lines awareness added to core curriculum 

- Mental Health First Aid training begins 

- Evolve becomes a trusted name in safeguarding education 



## **2021 – 2023 – Resilience & Recovery** 

- Navigating pandemic challenges with virtual workshops Increased demand for youth support 

- Return to in-person delivery with renewed energy 

- 2024 – Growth & Gratitude 

- Full-time hours reinstated 

- New Development Officer joins the team 

- Launch of Vaping Awareness Toolkit 

- Launch of Evolve Empowermemt Programme Financial recovery and surplus achieved 

## **2025 – Legacy & Leadership** 

- Farewell to Trustees Alan Skinner, Barbara Yates & Esther Maple 

- Toolkit adopted by 40+ schools 

- Sponsorship of Fender FC continues 

- Evolves reach and reputation stronger than ever 

- Support of Noctorum & Beechwood communities continues 


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2021 – 2023<br>Resilience<br>Recovery<br>evolve<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>





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WHY WE ARE SHARING THIS -<br>Our Children's Stories<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


_**“This flyer isn’t here to judge - it’s here because we lost our children. If sharing their stories helps even one person make a safer choice, then their lives continue to mean something.”**_ 



## **To Our Amazing Supporters… Thank You!** 

**Because of you, we’ve reached more young people, expanded our services, and responded to urgent needs with compassion and clarity. Your generosity fuels every workshop, every counselling session, every life changed. "Evolve gave me the tools to understand what I was going through — and the courage to ask for help." — Young Person, 2025 We couldn’t do this without you. With heartfelt thanks, Ally Hodgson & the Evolve Team** 



## **THANKYOU** 

**To our funders, partners, and supporters: You make this possible. Your belief in our mission fuels every workshop, every counselling session, every life changed.** 



## **EVOLVE ACCOUNTS 2024-2025** 

# **LJS ACCOUNTING SERVICES (UK) LTD INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT** 

**EVOLVE TACKLING THE IMPACT OF SUBSTANCE MISUSE & STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025** S ERVI S (a 



Evolve 

## Tackling The Impact Of Substance Misuse (Registered number: 1153938) 

Income Statement 

for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 

||31.3.25|31.3.24|
|---|---|---|
||£|£|
|**TURNOVER**|3,486|1,311|
|Administrative expenses|40,235|18,380|
||(36,749)|(17,069)|
|Other operating income|39,842|50,450|
|**OPERATING SURPLUS and**|||
|**SURPLUS BEFORE TAXATION**|||
||3,093|33,381|
|Tax on surplus|-|-|
|**SURPLUS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR**|||
||3,093|33,381|





Evolve 

Tackling The Impact Of Substance Misuse (Registered number: 1153938) 

## Balance Sheet 

|Balance Sheet||||
|---|---|---|---|
|31 March 2025||||
|||31.3.25|31.3.24|
||Notes|£|£|
|**CURRENT ASSETS**||||
|Cash at bank||37,396|34,303|
|**CREDITORS**||||
|Amounts falling due within one year||||
||5|600|600|
|**NET CURRENT ASSETS**||||
|**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT**||36,796|33,703|
|**LIABILITIES**||||
|||36,796|33,703|
|**RESERVES**||||
|Income and expenditure account|6|36,796|33,703|
|||36,796|33,703|



## **Approval** 

This balance sheet was approved by the Board of Trustees on  07th November 2025 and signed on its behalf 

> ........................................................................ Marty Boule Chair 



Evolve 

Tackling The Impact Of Substance Misuse (Registered number: 1153938) 

## **LJS Accounting Services (UK) Ltd** 

## Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of 

## **Evolve Tackling The Impact Of Substance Misuse** 

Ireport on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31st March 2025 which are set out on the following pages. **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** 

The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. 

Having satisfied myself that the charity is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to: 

- (a) Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act 

- (b) Following procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act, as amended) 

- (c) State whether particular matters have come to my attention 

## **Basis of independent examiner’s statement** 

My examination was carried out in accordance with generation directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the account presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustee’s concerning 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: 

To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 

LJS Accounting Services (UK) Ltd 



Evolve 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

## Tackling The Impact Of Substance Misuse (Registered number: 1153938) 

for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 

## 1. **STATUTORY INFORMATION** 

Evolve Tackling The Impact Of Substance Misuse is a charity, registered in England and Wales. The charity’s registered number and registered office address can be found on the Company Information page. 

## **2** . **ACCOUNTING POLICIES** 

## 1. **Basisof preparation of accounts** 

The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the statement of recommended practice, accounting and reporting by Charities (SORP 2005) issued in March 2005. 

## 2. **Incoming resources** 

Voluntary income and donations are included in incoming resources when they are received, except when the donors specify that they must be used for future accounting periods or donors conditions have been fulfilled, then the income is deferred. The income from fundraising ventures is shown gross, with the associated costs in fundraising costs. 

## 3. **Resourcesexpended** 

Resources expended are included in the statement of financial activities on an accrual basis, inclusive of VAT which cannot be recovered. 

Expenditure which is directly attributable to specific activities has been included in these cost categories. Where costs are attributable to more than one activity, they have been apportioned across the cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of these resources. 

## 4. **Tangible fixed assets** 

Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost after deducting any specific grants received. Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the cost over their expected useful economic lives. 

## 5. **Governance Costs** 

Governance costs include those incurred in the governance of the charity and its assets and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements. 

## 3. **EMPLOYEES AND DIRECTORS** 

The average number of employees during the year was 1 (2024 - 1). 



Evolve 

## Tackling The Impact Of Substance Misuse (Registered number: 1153938) 

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued 

for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 

## 4. **TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS** 

|4.|**TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**|||
|---|---|---|---|
||||Fixtures|
||||and|
||||fittings|
||||£|
||**COST**|||
||At 1 April 2024 and|||
||31 March 2025||630|
||**DEPRECIATION**|||
||At 1 April 2024|||
||and 31 March 2025||630|
||**NETBOOKVALUE**|||
||At 31 March 2025||-|
||At 31 March 2024||-|
|5.|**CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**|||
|||31.3.25|31.3.24|
|||£|£|
||Accruals and deferred income|600|600|
|6.|**RESERVES**|||
||||Income|
||||and|
||||expenditure|
||||account|
||||£|
||At 1 April 2024||33,703|
||Surplus for the year||3,093|
||At 31 March 2025||36,796|





Evolve 

## Tackling The Impact Of Substance Misuse (Registered number: 1153938) 

Detailed Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 

||31.3.25||31.3.24||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||£|£|£|£|
|**Turnover**|||||
|Unrestricted Funds||3,486||1,311|
|**Other income**|||||
|Government grants||39,842||50,450|
|||43,328||51,761|
|**Expenditure**|||||
|Insurance|270||270||
|Wages|25,417||7,846||
|Pensions|1,160||269||
|Post and stationery|2,005||3,371||
|Advertising|410||-||
|Travel and subsistence|1,837||5,573||
|Computer costs|4,400||246||
|Sundry expenses|1,624||-||
|Subscriptions|445||204||
|Accountancy|708||600||
|Legal fees|1,959||-||
|||40,235||18,379|
|||3,093||33,382|
|**Finance costs**|||||
|Bank charges||-||1|
|**NET SURPLUS**|||||
|||3,093||33,381|





BEACONSFIELD COMMUNITY HOUSE ROCK FERRY WIRRAL MERSEYSIDE CH42 3YN 

## **EVOLVE TACKLING THE IMPACT OF SUBSTANCE MISUSE** 

EVOLVE.AH@OUTLOOK.COM 074494 77737 WWW.EVOLVENORTHWEST.COM evolve_substancemisuse @Evolvecharity 

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