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Trustee Annual
Report June
2025
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REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Reference and Administrative Information:
Charity Name: Free Legal Advice Group for Domestic Violence Charity Registration number: 1154070
Registered Office and operational address:
Broadway House The Broadway Newbury Berkshire RG14 1BA
Trustees
C. Capel - Chair of Trustees - Appointed 05/2020
R. Handsombe - Treasurer - Appointed 01/2026
I. Skapin Osborne - Appointed 12/2016
I. Summers - Appointed 08/2021
D. Bonner - Appointed 08/2024
M. Barnes - Appointed 04/2024
S. Clarke - Appointed 12/2025
V. Best - Appointed 12/2025
Senior Management Team
Laura Hunter – Chief Executive Lynne Cumming – Head of Operations Colline Watts – Finance Officer
Bank: Metro Bank, 64 - 65 Northbrook St, Newbury RG14 1AE Auditors: EJBC 2, Toomers Wharf, Canal Walk, Newbury RG14 1DY
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STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
FLAG DV is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by a board of trustees who are responsible for the strategic direction, financial oversight, and compliance of the charity.
The trustees meet regularly to review performance, financial position, safeguarding, and risk. Day-to-day operations are delegated to the Chief Executive and senior management team.
During the reporting period, governance arrangements remained consistent. The trustees maintained oversight of financial performance, service delivery, and safeguarding.
Objectives and Activities
The charity exists to relieve the needs of individuals experiencing domestic abuse by providing free legal advice and practical support, enabling them to make informed decisions and safely navigate the family court system.
FLAG DV delivers public benefit through:
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Free, confidential family law legal advice delivered by volunteer solicitors
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Practical and emotional support for survivors navigating the Family Court process
The trustees confirm that they have paid regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and activities.
Strategic Overview (Trustee Perspective)
During the reporting period, the charity experienced sustained high demand for its services, alongside increasing complexity in the needs of those supported.
The charity received 936 referrals for legal advice, with 687 clients successfully engaging with the service. Average waiting times for legal advice were 20 days, reflecting ongoing pressure on capacity.
A key development during the year was the establishment of the Family Court Support Service. The charity received 51 referrals to this service, with 33 individuals engaging during the reporting period.
As a newly established, referral-based service, some referrals did not proceed where needs fell outside the scope of family court support, and referral pathways continued to develop during the year. Access to court support is through professional referral, and referral pathways continued to develop during the year.
The trustees recognise that demand consistently placed pressure on available capacity, alongside an increase in higher-risk cases and safeguarding disclosures.
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At the end of the reporting period, the charity had established a new area of service delivery while continuing to operate under sustained demand and capacity constraints.
Achievements and Performance
Service Delivery
During the reporting period, the charity delivered:
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987 total referrals received across all services
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936 referrals received for legal advice
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687 clients successfully engaged and received legal advice
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51 referrals received for court support, with 16 individuals supported during the reporting period
Outcomes
Service data shows that:
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85% of respondents reported increased understanding of their legal situation
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64% reported feeling more in control of their situation
The trustees note that these outcomes are particularly significant given the vulnerability of the client group and the complexity of cases supported.
Demographics and Reach
The charity supported a diverse range of beneficiaries during the reporting period.
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87% of clients identified as female, 8% as male, with 5% identifying as non-binary or not disclosing gender.
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32% of clients identified as being from ethnic minority backgrounds, a level of representation higher than the national population average.
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6% of clients required translation support to access services.
The charity delivered services across multiple counties, including Berkshire (51%), Oxfordshire (24%), Buckinghamshire (17%), and Hampshire (8%).
The higher proportion of clients in Berkshire reflects the current scope of service delivery, as the Family Court Support Service was only available in Berkshire during the reporting period, while legal advice was accessible across all areas.
The trustees recognise the importance of maintaining equitable access to services and addressing barriers faced by marginalised groups.
Service Development
During the reporting period, the charity’s service delivery continued to evolve in response to increasing demand and complexity of cases.
The charity:
- Continued delivery and early development of its Family Court Support Service
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Strengthened safeguarding processes, including undertaking a safeguarding audit and developing standard operating procedures
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Appointed a designated safeguarding trustee to provide additional oversight at board level
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Adapted service delivery in response to an increase in higher-risk cases and safeguarding disclosures
The trustees recognise that the complexity of cases increased during the year, requiring ongoing adjustments to service delivery and oversight.
Towards the end of the reporting period, the trustees identified the need to further strengthen senior operational capacity to support the delivery of services in a higher-risk environment.
Future Plans:
At the end of the reporting period, the trustees identified the need to strengthen the charity’s capacity to safely manage increasing demand and case complexity.
The board reviewed the associated operational and safeguarding risks and approved the recruitment of additional senior capacity within the service. This forms part of a planned approach to organisational growth, ensuring that service expansion is supported by appropriate oversight and expertise.
The trustees recognised that this approach would place pressure on reserves in the short term. However, this was considered a proportionate and managed risk, with plans in place to strengthen income and rebuild reserves over time.
Following a strategic review with the board, the charity also identified opportunities to expand its support through structured group-based provision. As a result, the Family Court Survivor Support Programme was developed and proposed to the Police and Crime Commissioner, with a commissioned agreement secured to support its development.
The programme is expected to launch during the 2025–2026 year and is intended to increase reach, provide accessible support to a greater number of survivors, and complement existing one-to-one services.
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FINANCIAL REVIEW
Financial Performance
The charity reported total incoming resources of £186,533 and total expenditure of £171,924, resulting in a net profit of £14,609 for the year.
Reserves Policy
The charity defines reserves as unrestricted funds that are freely available to spend on its charitable purposes. The trustees aim to maintain reserves equivalent to between three and six months of operating expenditure, with an additional contingency to manage unforeseen financial pressures.
At the end of the reporting period, reserves were £33,158, equivalent to approximately 3 months of operating expenditure.
The trustees consider this level of reserves to be in line with the target range set out in the policy.
The trustees recognised the need to strengthen reserves and identified this as a priority at the year end. The trustees will continue to monitor reserve levels closely in line with the charity’s financial position and funding outlook.
Going concern
After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.
Future Developments
The Charity will continue to look at diversifying its grant and fundraising efforts. To ensure growth is sustainable.
Statement of Trustees' responsibilities
The Trustees (who are also the directors of the Charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);
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make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA)
For the year ended 30 June 2025
| Incoming resources | Unrestricted (£) | Restricted (£) | Total 2024/25 (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations and grants | - | 161,843 | 161,843 |
| Fundraising income | 24,690 | - | 24,690 |
| Other income | - | - | - |
| Total income | 24,690 | 161,843 | 186,533 |
| Expenditure | Unrestricted (£) | Restricted (£) | Total 2024/25 (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charitable activities | - | 171,924 | 171,924 |
| Raising funds | - | - | - |
| Governance costs | - | - | - |
| Total 2024/25 (£) | |
|---|---|
| Net income / (expenditure) | 14,609 |
| Funds brought forward | 34,189 |
| Funds carried forward | 48,798 |
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Balance Sheet
As of 30 June 2025
| Assets | £ |
|---|---|
| Cash at bank and in hand | 48,798 |
| Debtors | - |
| Total current assets | 48,798 |
| Liabilities | |
| Creditors (amounts falling due within one year) | - |
| Net assets | 48,798 |
| Reserves | |
| Main Account | 15,640 |
| Reserves Account | 33,158 |
| Total Funds | 48,798 |
Statement of Trustees' responsibilities
Disclosure of information to auditors
Each of the persons who are Trustees at the time when this Trustees' report is approved has confirmed that:
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so far as that Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charity's auditors are unaware, and
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that Trustee has taken all the steps that ought to have been taken as a Trustee in order to be aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditors are aware of that information.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 20th April 2025. and signed on its behalf by:
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................................................................. C Capel - Chair - Trustee
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Jeibc chartered accountants Td.. 01S35 46174 T." 01491845381 To: The Trustees of FLAGDV 27 February 2026 Re: Free Legal Advice Group lor Domestic Violence {Charfty Numb•r 1154070) I can confirm that I have rnpleted an independent examination of the finanrjal statements for Free Legal Advice Group for Domestic VlenCe (Chanty Numbef 1154070) for the year ended 30 June 2025. Responsibilities and b•sls of report As the charity Iwstees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance wrth the requirements of the Charrties Act 2011 1 rewrt in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts camed out in line wrth the applirable Directions gNen by the Chanty Commission. Indep•ndont examinerfs Statement My examination included a VW of the accounting recixds of FLAGDV and a Comparison to the accounts presented and prepared with those records It also included consideration of any unusual rtems or disclosures In the accounts and discussions with the Treasurer regarding the accountj'ng records. The review I have undertaken does not provhle all the evidence which woukj be required for a full audrt and as such I do not exwess an audrt oynion on the accounts. In connection wth my examination and the final balance as listed In the accounts of £48.798,1 can confim that no matter has ¢(Yne to my attention. a) Which gives me cause to believe that, in any material spect. the general requirements to keep accounting records in accordance wrth UK accounting pnnriples have not been met. b} Which. in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understandiry of the accounts to be reathed. Emma Thomas ACA, FCCA, CTA For E.J. Business Consunants Ltd •45TITVTE (* CHARTEIIED CIknTJTr4TS 10 | Page