## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
**From: 01/04/24 (Period start date) To: 31/03/25 (Period end date)**
**Charity name: Corbridge Youth Initiative CIO**
**Charity registration number: 1154200**
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The objectives of the Corbridge Youth
Initiative CIO
are to support the personal
development and resilience of all young
people, through informal educational
activities, to help them achieve their
individual potential and contribute
positively to society.|
|Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|Corbridge Youth Initiative provides age-
appropriate activities on 4 evenings every
week in term time and during parts of
school holiday periods for young people
from ages 9-19. Young people have access
to their own premises in the center of the
village, staffed by qualified youth workers.
Our attendance numbers remain high, on
average we work with 100 to 120 young
people a week.
We run 4 Juniors groups covering school
years 5-8, a Girls’ group, a Seniors group
and a Drama Club, which is a new addition
to our timetable.
Also provided are two lunchtime drop ins at
Queen Elizabeth High School and
Corbridge Middle School. During the
school drop ins, we offer support and
mentoring, reaching new members who
don’t already attend our centre sessions. 1
to 1 mentoring and help with job
applications continues when requested.
We have an Allotment which we use to
further engage our young people in hands-
on activities whilst developing new
horticultural skills.
Our annual Summer Scheme provides
activities for 3 weeks during the summer
holidays.
The public benefit is that without Corbridge
Youth Initiative and its qualified staff,
young people in Corbridge would not have|
|||the support and opportunities that are made
available to them through this project.|
|---|---|---|
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|The trustees keep in mind the Charity
Commission’s guidance on public benefit
and actively monitor the programme for its
inclusiveness and openness. The responses
of the young people, of stakeholders and of
members of the public, to the work
undertaken, are monitored through
feedback and through independently
assessed monitoring|
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
||
SORP
reference||
|---|---|---|
|Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|N/A|
|Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|Surplus funds which are not immediately
required to pay for activities are placed on
deposit to earn interest.|
|Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|Volunteers are a significant part of the
support system of the charity. There is an
active fundraising committee of volunteers
from the community. This group organises
events throughout the year and raises funds
to benefit young people by helping to
finance the Summer Scheme and by
keeping the profile of the charity at the
forefront of the minds of members of the
community.
Businesses in the community are also active
supporters of the project by helping to
organise fundraising activities.
Volunteers have also worked to help
maintain and support the project’s
allotment. This has enabled young people
to get involved in the development of the
allotment, growing fruit and vegetables,
using it for barbecues in the summer and
soup in the winter.
Volunteers also play a role in leading
occasional specialist sessions for the benefit
of the young people, with youth leaders in
attendance.|
|Other||N/A|
**Achievements and Performance**
||SORP
reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference
the charity’s work has made
to the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|Corbridge is viewed as an affluent village
but in fact a significant proportion of the
resident families live in social housing,
have low incomes, are single
parent/separated families or are on the
periphery of the local community without
transport and suffering rural and social
isolation.
The CYI Youth and Community Centre
offers an easily accessible safe place within
the village where all young people can
attend, whatever the income background of
the family. The charity connects with young
people and offers support to all, including
those who are known to be vulnerable.
Strong contacts have been made with multi-
disciplinary agencies to ease access for
those needing specialist help.
The project in 2024-5 is staffed by a senior
youth worker and all staff employed to
work with the young people have
appropriate qualifications for the work in
which they are engaged. All are IT literate
and know the area well including the
problems that face families and young
people.
**Juniors**(4 groups from years 5,6,7,8, in
different sessions) Basic cooking and craft
skills, games, mini fundraising challenges,
and trips out to activities for which the
group has raised money. Opportunities are
provided to enable young people to relax
after school and mix with friends in a safe
environment, to learn mutual respect for
themselves, others and their community,
learn about online safety and behaviour and
have access to other informal educational
activities, helping them to develop personal
skills.
**Seniors (**a group for years 9+) Young
people can relax with friends, play pool,
table tennis, darts, enjoy team games,
access health and relationship information
and support, and have access to small group
discussions with youth workers. Young
people are also able to learn about dangers
online, access to contraception through C
card and STI screening and where
necessary access to other agencies. Issue
based activities are provided and focused
on topics that are relevant and important to
the young people.
**Allotment Group**. Available through
March to October, young people can|
|||develop the site and grow fruit and
vegetables as well as hold barbecues and
meet outdoors in the summer months. At
times they are able to enter produce in the
Village Show and make soup for the
Christmas Fair.
**Girls’ Group (Year 7+) **This group
enables girls to socialise and develop
confidence, to discuss topics relevant to
their experiences without fear of
intimidation and participate in group
activities. Informal activities include issue-
based workshops, baking and cooking,
crafts and sports. Access to information and
support is also provided.
**Drama Club (Year 5+)**
The Drama Club was established by staff in
response to requests from young people
who wanted a creative and expressive space
to develop their performing arts skills. The
club runs weekly and offers participants the
opportunity to build confidence, enhance
artistic skills and develop teamwork as well
as communication. The Drama Club
attendance is healthy and is currently
preparing for a musical production
scheduled to be performed in February
2026 half-term. The performance rights
have been purchased and authorised by
MTI UK.
**The 1-1 Mentoring Service**. This is
offered to all young people who attend the
youth project as well as the local high
school and middle school. Mentoring is
available for young people requiring
support, particularly with issues of self-
harm, substance misuse, negative
relationships, family issues, anger
management and mental health issues**.**
**Job Mentoring**. Support is available for
those who have already left education. Job
mentoring provides help in developing
understanding
of
responsibilities,
understand CV writing and how to cope
with interviews. How to apply for and
gain apprenticeships or access college
courses and how to apply directly for
employment is rehearsed. Opportunities for
young people to volunteer within the
organisation are also available, supported
by staff mentorship.
**Summer Scheme.**Staff and young people
developed a programme of activities
organised for the summer to give young
people opportunities to enjoy purposeful
fun and skill-based activities and trips.
Opportunities were also provided to allow|
|---|---|---|
participants to catch up with friends and relax for 3 weeks during the summer holidays. Corbridge based activities were ran at the centre, allotment and local parks, there were also trips to Inspired Pots, Forum Cinema, Haltwhistle Lesiure Centre, South Shields Surf School and Flamingoland. All these sessions and activities encourage young people of the village to be participants and to accept and manage challenges. The activities offer experiences and help, which enable young people to understand how to accept responsibility, how to manage aspects of their lives and to cope with the choices they will need to make. The activities provide stimulating leisure time pursuits. None of these activities would be available in the village without CYI. The extended support to more vulnerable young people and their families has helped them to access external multi agency services which would otherwise not be available within the village or the immediate area. CYI has worked with 265 young people across all groups during the year.
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|
Achievements against
objectives set|
Para 1.41|
By the provision of the facilities, the well
qualified staff and activities described
above, the charity achieves its objectives to
the benefit of the participants.|
|---|---|---|
|Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|By the provision of the facilities, the well
qualified staff and activities described
above, the charity achieves its objectives to
the benefit of the participants.|
|Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|The only investments that the charity makes
is in the form of bank deposits to gain
interest.|
|Other|||
## **Financial Review**
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|The funding landscape has been a
challenging one. The Charity has had to
apply for smaller grants from a range of
funders including;
Corbridge Parish|
|---|---|---|
|||Council, Wellesley Trust (Community
Foundation), Awards for All (Lottery),
NCC Community Chest, High Sheriff of
Northumberland (Community Foundation),
EC Belford Trust & The Hadrian Trust.
Corbridge Parish Council remain
committed to supporting our work with a
core grant annually. Local Businesses,
individual donors and income from the
volunteer fundraising committee have been
critical in supporting the finances. It is labor
intensive work, much of it carried out by
Trustees and the Project Coordinator.
Reserves are committed to cover long
awaited bills for service and maintenance
charges provided by our landlord
Northumberland County Council.
Income generation has remained a key
focus over the year with an action plan
agreed to support.|
|---|---|---|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Corbridge Youth Initiative Trustees have
determined that an appropriate level of free
reserves should be equivalent to not less
than six months operating costs plus a sum
for exit costs. Our policy is therefore to
build up this fund again and when it reaches
this level to maintain the reserves which
will be carried forward for future core
activities as identified by the Trustees. This
policy will be reviewed annually to ensure
that it still meets the needs of the project.|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£23,000|
|Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|N/A|
|Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|N/A|
|Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|Challenges facing the charity include -
1. The necessity for constantly fundraising
and relying on small funders rather than
having a single large reliable funding source
leads to uncertainty about the financial
welfare of the charity for long term
development work.
2. Negotiations about the lease renewal are
still ongoing with Northumberland County
Council.
The trustees monitor all these issues at
regular meetings to safeguard against such
failures. Funding bids are prepared
regularly to cover the costs of the service,
its changing needs and to upgrade facilities.|
|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|
|---|---|---|
|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including|Para 1.47|EC Belford Trust, TNL Community Fund,
Community Foundation, Northumberland
County Council, William Webster and Karbon|
|any fundraising)||Homes, The Parish Council and local
organisations. Volunteers fundraise for CYI at
a range of fundraising events, some conducted
as joint activities with other charities in
Corbridge, allowing greater reach for public
support.|
|---|---|---|
|Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|CYI does not invest in the stock market or in
social investment funds.|
|A description of the
principal risks facing the
charity|Para 1.46|The principal risk is the failure to secure
adequate finance to employ the suitably
qualified staff required to lead the project.
Adequate finance is also required to pay the
rental and heating costs of the premises.
Further risks would be the loss of the premises
which are rented from Northumberland County
Council before other suitable accommodation
is secured. The possibility of a failure in
safeguarding or failure in leadership and appeal
to young people are also issues which are
monitored. An Away Day in November 2022
with the young people has enabled us to draft
our three-year business plan and programme
requirements, this will be revised and renewed
in early 2026.
The trustees meet quarterly and sub committees
more frequently, to monitor accounts, staffing,
programme and activities. Policies and
procedures are also monitored and updated to
try to minimise all such risks|
|Other|||
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution adopted August 2nd2013|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g. unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Charitable Incorporated Organisation|
|Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Trustees are recruited with regard to
appropriate skills, knowledge and experience
needed to administer the charity CIO. They are
interviewed by at least two trustees and are
appointed at the AGM after recommendation
by the interviewers. Trustees can be re-
appointed to post every 4 years after
nomination and election at the AGM.|
|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|
|---|---|---|
|Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
training of trustees|Para 1.51|Prospective trustees are given a copy of the
CYI constitution and are referred to the
Charity Commission website and advised to
read the publication “The Essential Trustee”.
DBS checks are carried out and there is a
child protection policy in place. A member of
the trustees will also discuss roles and
responsibilities of a trustee. There is a staff
handbook of CYI policies and procedures
which is also available to trustees.|
|The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|The charity’s trustees give their time
voluntarily and receive no benefits or
remuneration. They work on a variety of
committees e.g. staffing, management,
fundraising, all of which complete minutes
and report back to the trustees at quarterly
trustee meetings, where minutes are also kept.
Trustees take advice to revise policies and
procedures regularly to bring them in line
with current legislation and the Charity
Commission’s requirements.
The chair of the charity meets regularly with
the senior youth worker to supervise and
monitor the delivery of the programme and
discuss any issues which have arisen.
The charity works on occasion with Hexham
Youth Initiative, local middle and high
schools,
Tynedale
Youth
Forum,
Northumberland Youth Work Network,
Corbridge Health Centre, Co-op Foodshare
programme, Children’s Services, CAB, DWP
and Northumberland Youth Service,
Jobcentre Plus, Northumbria Police,
Northumberland Homefinder/Homeless Team
and Adult Social Services.
The Charity works with Corbridge
Community Partnership, Corbridge Cricket
Club and Charlotte Straker Project on
fundraising events.|
|Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|N/A|
|Other||N/A|
## **Reference and Administrative details**
|Charity name|Corbridge Youth Initiative CIO|
|---|---|
|Other name the charity uses|CYI|
|||
|---|---|
|Registered charity number|1154200|
|Charity’s principal address|Corbridge Youth Initiative, Youth and Community Centre,
Hill Street, Corbridge, Northumberland. NE45 5AA|
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee**
**(ifany)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Chris Bray|Chair|04.12.2025|The trustees themselves and
CYI members at the AGM
when positions are confirmed
byelection.|
||Abbie Foster|Secretary|10.07.2025||
||Chris Nevis||||
||William
Cunningham||||
||Karren Spowart||||
||Helen Mason||||
||Lisa Graham||||
||John Liddle||||
||John Shackleton||||
||Daniel Gennery||||
||Susan Graham||||
Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved
|**Director name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**||
|---|---|---|
|N/A|||
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
|**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**||
|---|---|---|
|N/A|||
**Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
|Description of the assets held in this capacity|N/A|
|---|---|
|Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|N/A|
|Details of arrangements for safe custody and
segregation of such assets from the charity’s own
assets|N/A|
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
|**Type of Advisor**|**Name**|**Address**|
|---|---|---|
|Independent treasurer|Mandy Senior|7, Stonecroft, Horsley,
Northumberland, NE15 0AF|
## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information):**
Chris Bray, Chair of Trustees.
Amber Robinson, Senior Youth Worker
## **Additional information (optional)**
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
N/A
## **Other optional information**
N/A
## **Declarations**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:**
**Signature(s) Full name(s)**
**Position (e.g. Secretary, Chair, etc.)**
Date
## **CORBRIDGE YOUTH INITIATIVE**
## **Corbridge Youth Initiative**
## **Financial Statements**
**For the year ended 31 March 2025**
**Corbridge Youth Initiative CIO Reg. Charity No 1154200.**
1
## **CORBRIDGE YOUTH INITIATIVE**
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Corbridge Youth Initiative**
I report on the accounts of Corbridge Youth Initiative for the year ending 31 March 2025 which are set out on pages 3, 4 and 5.
## **Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and Examiner**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year Section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
Examine the accounts (under sections 43(3) (a) of the 1993 Act) To follow the procedures lad down in the General directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under section 43(7) (b) of the 1993 Act); and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of the independent examiner’s report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention.
1. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the 1993 Act and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 1993 Act
Have not been met; or
2. To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
2
## **CORBRIDGE YOUTH INITIATIVE**
## **Cashflow Summary from 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025**
|Business receipts
Business payments
Cash deficit generated by the business
Net cash inflow
Bank and cash balance at 1 April 2024
Bank and cash balance at 31 March 2025
Increase in bank and cash balances for the period|**£**
103,253.85
75,162.32|
|---|---|
||28,091.53
28,091.53
40,860.59
69,161.72
28,301.13|
3
## **CORBRIDGE YOUTH INITIATIVE**
|**Corbridge Youth Initiative 2024-25**
**Receipts & Payments**
**Income**
Premises - Rental Income
Sessions
Donations
Grants
Fundraising
HMRC JRS Grant
Miscellaneous - interest, refunds
Bank account interest
**Expenditure**
Premises/Administration
Costs of sessions / Staffing
Consumables
Allotment costs
Training
Fundraising costs
Trips/Workshops
Transport
Sessions and centre running costs
**Net Income**
Balance brought forward
Balance carried forward
Current Account
Deposit Account
Petty Cash
**Being restricted funds:**
Staff
Project Co-ordinator
Sessional staff
Allotment
Premises
Pending rent/maintenance charge
Reserves|**01 April 2023**
**31 March 2024**
**£**
-
-
3,942.95
41,910.00
3,068.99
1,209.76
-
-
**50,131.70**
14,615.03
40,308.72
294.28
725.28
1,096.45
312.13
329.82
1,811.00
**59,492.71**
**(9,361.01)**
50,054.53
40,860.59
7,897.58
32,795.94
167.07
**40,860.59**
12,420.94
7,456.50
994.39
4,988.76
15,000.00
**40,860.59**|**01 April 2024**
**31 March 2025**
**£**
59.89
2,719.99
89,680.00
8,233.80
1,140.48
1,419.69|
|---|---|---|
|||**103,253.85**|
|||14,835.71
54,874.07
138.99
1,560.00
376.67
1,972.00
304.88
1,100.00|
|||**75,162.32**|
|||**28,091.53**
40,860.59
69,161.72
7,446.00
61,313.03
464.04|
|||**69,223.07**|
|||14,814.86
7,528.01
762.45
8,617.75
14,000.00
23,500.00|
|||**69,223.07**|
4
## **CORBRIDGE YOUTH INITIATIVE**
**Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31st March 2025**
## **Monetary Assets - All Restricted**
||**2025**|**2024**|**2023**|**2022**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||
|Bank Current Account|7,446.00
£|7,897.58
£|19,515.43
£|4,712.44
£|
||||||
|Bank Deposit Account|61,313.03
£|32,795.94
£|30,539.10
£|70,469.13
£|
||||||
|Cash|464.04
£|167.07
£|167.07
£|394.34
£|
||||||
|**TOTAL**|**69,223.07**
**£**|**40,860.59**
**£**|**50,221.60**
**£**|**75,575.91**
**£**|
5
**Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner’s Report Report to the trustees/** Corbridge Youth Initiative **members of** ~~2 po~~ **On accounts for the year** 31 March 2025 **Charity no** 1154200 **ended (if any)** ~~po~~ **Set out on pages** 3-5 of attached Financial Statements (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) ~~Po~~ **Respective** The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. **responsibilities of** The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year **trustees and examiner** under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
**Basis of independent examiner’s statement**
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
**Independent** In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention **examiner's statement** (other than that disclosed below *)
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
- have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
* _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._
**Date:** 22/01/26 **Signed:** ~~=~~ **Name:** Christoph Atkins ~~oe~~
1
**March 2025**
**IER**
**Relevant professional** ACA - ICAEW **qualification(s) or body (if any):**
**Address:**
2 Intake Way Hexham NE461RU
## **Section B Disclosure**
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems.
**Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** .
2
**March 2025**
**IER**