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2023-03-31-accounts

Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

Basingstoke & District Disability Forum

BDDF Impact Report

(Annual Review & Accounts) for the year ended 31 March 2023

Registered Charity in England & Wales: 1155660

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

Table of Contents

Welcome from our Chair ...................................................................................3 Who we are: ........................................................................................................5 Our People: .........................................................................................................6 BDDF Board: ........................................................................................................6 Our Services: .......................................................................................................7 Our Reach: ...........................................................................................................8 Our Awareness Events & Community Collaboration: ...................................8 Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner..........................................10 Basis of independent examiner’s report..............................................................10 Independent examiner’s statement.....................................................................10 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES for the year ended 31 March 2023 ....................................................................................................................11 BALANCE SHEET as at 31 March 2023 ..........................................................12 NOTES to the accounts ....................................................................................13 Grants & Fundraising ......................................................................................17 Volunteering with BDDF - Come and Get Involved! ....................................17 Our Winter Survey - Giving Disabled people a Voice .................................17 Digital Divide ....................................................................................................18 How to Donate ..................................................................................................18 Contact us - How to get in touch & keep up to date ..................................18

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

Welcome from our Chair

Impact statement for the financial year ending 31st March 2023 for Basingstoke & District Disability Forum (BDDF).

BDDF exists to support Disabled people, their friends, family and carers, all living within Basingstoke and Deane.

£33,064 of income. These funds have been spent supporting Disabled people directly through our services and hundreds more indirectly via BDDF hosting events and forums that bring together our members and wider disabled community with local charities and groups who also support Disabled people. The Report and Accounts have been prepared on an accruals basis.

The Trustees met 10 times over this financial period. The Trustees alongside our staff and regular volunteers come together to consider our strategy, the financial position of the charity, along with risk management and operating activities of the charity.

The Digital Divide remains a key barrier so BDDF continues to focus on digital inclusivity and looks to support our members by removing barriers to getting online.

Post covid more charities are returning and there are less grants to apply for. This increased competition makes it harder to achieve successful grants. The events we organise ourselves draw less crowds as more competing fundraising activities return. We recognise that fundraising ability may be constrained for some time as the economic climate remains uncertain.

There remains an ever-increasing demand for support and services that provide support for a growing number of Disabled people. Coupled with an ageing society, an difficult economic situation and continued pressure on charities to do MORE with LESS, it really is a very challenging environment to survive in let alone thrive.

Nevertheless, our goals remains to listen to our members, enhance the impact we have and increase our membership base. The latter is to ensure we are reaching and supporting more members of the Disabled community from across all parts of Basingstoke.

Our annual fundraiser for 2022 was the third scarecrow trail. It was again a great success in both bringing in vital funds but also helping raise awareness of our charity. Thank you to all involved – it takes a real team of volunteers to coordinate, we couldn’t host a trail without the entrants and we thank all of the local venues and businesses that so generously support us. BDDF want to thank the communities of Chineham and Sherfield park for continuing to welcome the trail walkers.

We continue to focus on raising income through a variety of funding streams. This includes grants, sponsors, events, raffles, and individual donors and we thank all of those who have helped BDDF to continue.

If you are financially able and would like to donate, details about how to do this are at the end of this report.

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

If you have time to spare and would consider volunteering or even becoming a Trustee – we would love to hear from you.

On behalf of Basingstoke & District Disability Forum, I would like to express our extreme thanks to our staff old and new who make BDDF the wonderful charity is.

Extending gratitude also to our network of charity partners, supporters, volunteers, those who have supported events through donations and time and our of course our growing family of members – BDDF wouldn’t exist without you.

What BDDF achieved in 2022-2023:

Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

Who we are:

BDDF formed in 2008 to support the local disabled community. We achieved registered Charty status in 2014.

When BDDF formed there was no clear organisation representing the general disability community of Basingstoke. There was a gap in the accessibility of services available as well as a lack of inclusion or opportunities for Disabled people.

BDDF was founded by a group of residents with lived experience of disabilities with the aim of supporting the community, giving a voice and addressing the stigma.

At the last census (2021), 23% identified as having a disability. 27,778 Disabled people living in Basingstoke and Deane. BDDF are committed to offering a programme of core services that are relevant, impactful, and empowering to support those individuals and their families, carers and employers.

Our Aim: To healthily promote both visible and nonvisible disability. By increasing awareness, providing information and bringing people together.

BDDF partner and collaborate with fellow disability charities/groups and provide guidance to local businesses who are striving to be accessible and inclusive.

Membership:

BDDF is a free to join, membership-based organization. BDDF is for all Disabled adults, offering support for those over 18 with visible and invisible impairments. We are open to everyone and our members include people that have sensory, physical, learning, mental-health or chronic conditions.

Members receive access to all our free services, newsletter and activities.

Our services are created based on feedback from our members.

Increasing Demand:

BDDF follows the definition consistent with the Equality Act 2010. A person is considered disabled if they have a self-reported long-standing illness, condition, or impairment, which causes difficulty with day-to-day activities.

The UK has an ageing population. By 2040, it’s predicted that the number of people in the UK aged 85+ will double from 1.6 million to 3.2 million. People are living longer with multiple conditions. Demand for inclusion, support and services will continue to grow.

Our Mission:

To facilitate increased awareness, active involvement and healthy promotion of Disabled people and their impairments and health conditions.

Supported by our Strategic Objectives:

  1. Involvement - to improve the involvement and representation of Disabled people and their families/carers within Basingstoke.

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  1. Promotion - to promote greater awareness of disability through initiatives and activities that champion inclusivity, understanding and reduce barriers.

  2. Partnerships - To improve partnership working between agencies, both voluntary sector and statutory, who are involved in supporting disability.

Our Vision:

To create a community that sees the person, values the difference, and embraces awareness.

Actively promote awareness and understanding of the barriers faced by Disabled people.

Supported by our Operational Objectives:

  1. Improve the mental and physical wellbeing of Disabled people in Basingstoke.

  2. Tackle feelings of loneliness and reduce social isolation within the disabled community.

  3. Increase knowledge amongst members and the wider disabled community about support services available, both directly through BDDF and signposting to other local charities and organisations.

Our Strategy:

In 2022 the board, our volunteer and staff came together to set a clear strategy and structure to help everyone understand who BDDF are and what we do.

We have split ourselves into 4 key focus areas as follows:

  1. Access – digital and physical (tackling the digital divide and escalating physical barriers)

  2. Financial Inclusion – benefits, debt, job hunting / CVs, interview advice

  3. Diversity & Inclusion – appreciating intersectionality and pro-actively interacting with groups representing other minority groups such as via the local Hate Crime Network

  4. Mental & Physical health – this includes our direct services such as Chronic Pain and helping people to find information and advice to support their needs and reduce barriers.

All of which help us to better reflect the voice of the local disabled community .

Our People:

Our employees each play a vital role in helping BDDF to provide support and services to Disabled people and their families. We are so very proud of their achievements.

Staff:

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

Staff change:

BDDF Board:

We thank you all for the time and dedication you have continued to show BDDF.

BDDF Board members stepping down during this period:

Thank you for your hard work and dedication as trustees of BDDF. The energy and enthusiasm for the Disabled Community of Basingstoke has been inspiring and we wish you all the very best.

We continue to embed our updated Trustee recruitment policy and are actively seeking Trustees who will bring both action and passion to the board through lived experience as a Disabled person, diversity and skills.

BDDF Patrons:

We give thanks to our Patrons who actively support BDDF within the community:

Our Services:

Activities that BDDF undertake are to improve the lives of our beneficiaries and make a difference. All are free to attend

Signposting
Service (SPS)		 Our Signpost Service remains a central aspect of BDDF.
Receiving queries in person, via email, telephone, and
messenger on Facebook. This is a tailored service where
our volunteers support the member with bespoke
responses signposting them to services we ofer that may
help or onto organisations who can support their specifc
needs, working with them throughout the journey often
for multipleissues over long periods of time.
Cuppa & Chat Cuppa & Chat has provided a regular support group for
our members to chat. Used as mini awareness events
BDDF organised a wide range of activities, key speakers /
guests &informationsessions.
Yoga Weekly seated yoga sessionsviaZoom. Wereturnedtoin

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person sessions, running the online lessons
simultaneouslyinahybrid approach.
IT Courses Face to face in a Covid secure location. Course helped our
members get more from their own technology allowing
them to better connect and to avoid isolation, enabling
them to attend our services most importantly help them
stay connectedtofriends andfamily.
Walking Group Due to Covid the Walking group has been running
intermittently. At some points BDDF were able to ofer 2
walking groups a week when lockdown restrictions
allowed.
Chronic Pain
Support Group		 Our monthly CPSG sessions restarted in person in
September ’21. These sessions provide a warm and
welcoming environment for individuals with chronic pain
conditions to come together to share their experiences.
Featuring guest speakers and practitioners providing
information and demos including:
-
Reiki
-
EFT
-
iTalk
-
NHSPhysiotherapist

Our Reach:

Social Media Reach:

Website:

The BDDF website showcases our work & enables us to update & inform our members more easily and clearly.

Has a dedicated signposting page full of information split into easy-tounderstand subcategories.

Our Awareness Events & Community Collaboration: Supporting our community through partnerships that deliver innovative projects that focus upon improving health and well-being.

Disability Awareness Day (DAD)

On Friday the 1st of April 2022, BDDF hosted its annual Disability Awareness Day. Open to the public from 9am to 4pm in The Malls Shopping Centre. With our key

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aims being to Provide information, offer advice and raise awareness.

Over 30 local organisations joined BDDF each of whom provide services for Disabled people. Volunteers and staff were on hand to answer questions on a wide range of topics including benefits, transport, health, housing, education, sports and more!

The Disability Awareness Day is our flagship event to healthily promote both visible and non-visible disability. By increasing awareness, providing information and bringing people together.

Ani Spalding Chair of BDDF said ‘It was fantastic to be back out there in person, the Digital divide has a huge impact on our members and the wider Disabled community. Getting the right information at the right time helps to make informed choices and by having the many different groups and charities in one place, together, the event allowed us all to provide direct face to face support as well as forging many new connections and deepening the local Disabled community network. Thank you to all who came.’

Community café

BDDF host quarterly networking sessions where local organisations and groups who support Disabled people are all welcome to attend to share what services and events they have on and to also problem solve issues with one another.

Our Newsletter

BDDF continues to regularly share information from member organisations regarding their activities and services via our website, social media and our newsletters. Each featured organisation is added to our website, invited to have a stall at DAD and is welcome to attend the Community Cafe.

Awareness Videos / Films to Schools

Back before Covid our Films to Schools programme took these films BDDF created into local primary schools to teach children a little more about disability and provide an interactive workshop. The children were given the opportunity to write a letter to a fictional child with a disability who would be joining their school. The winning letter would show empathy and inclusion. BDDF visited: 14 Primary Schools, 3 Cub Packs, 6 schools and reached over 3,000 local children mainly at Key Stage 2.

Ani Spalding

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO Chairman of Trustees Date 13.12.2023 io

Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

Report to the trustees of Basingstoke & District Disability Forum

I report to the charity trustees of Basingstoke & District Disability Forum, Charity number 1155660, on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31[st] March 2023.

Respective responsibilities of 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 under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 you as 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 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:

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

Patricia Fox FCCA

Chartered Certified Accountant 36 Essex Road

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

Basingstoke RG21 7TB Date: 25[th] January 2024 Fox…………………….

Signed……Patricia

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES for the year ended 31 March 2023

Note
s
Incoming resources
Donations received
3.1
Fundraising events
3.2
Grant income
3.3
HMRC Job retention
Bank interest
Total income resources
Resources expended
Costs of charitable activities
4
Total resources
expended
Net (expenditure) /
income
Gross transfers between
funds
Net movements in funds
Fund balances brought
forward
Funds balances carried
forward		 Unrestricte
d funds
£
Restricte
d funds
£
Total
2023
£
Total
2022
£
3,228
-
3,228
4,630
7,118
-
7,118
7,173
-
22,717
22,717
30,468
-
-
-
1
-
1
1
10,347
22,717
33,064
42,272
11,787
23,065
34,852
43,274
11,787
23,065
43,274
(1,440)
(348)
(1,788)
(1,002)
(348)
348
-
-
(1,788)
-
(1,788)
(1,002)
18,486
-
18,486
19,488
16,698
-
16,698
18,486

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO 13

Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

BALANCE SHEET as at 31 March 2023

Not
es
Current assets
Accounts
receivable
Cash at bank and
in hand
Total current
assets
Creditors
Deferred income
7.1
Other creditors –
sundry creditors
Creditors:
amounts falling
due within one
year
Net current
assets
Net assets
Unrestricted
funds
Total charity
funds		 Unrestric
ted
funds
2023
£
Restricted
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2022
£
155
-
155
71
17,110
9,28
0
26390
32,469
17,265
9,280 26545
32,540
-
9,28
0
9,280
12,660
567
-
-
1,394
567
9,280
9,847
14,054
16,698
-
16,698
18,486
16,698
-
16,698
18,486
16,698
-
16,698
18,486
16,698
-
16,698
18,486

Approved by the Trustees on …29.01.2024………………. and signed on its behalf by

A. Spalding M. Soutter Trustee Trustee

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

NOTES to the accounts

  1. Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities – Statement of Recommended Practice (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard (FRS102) issued in October 2019).

  1. Accounting policies

  2. 2.1.Recognition of incoming resources: these are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SofA) when the charity becomes entitled to the resources and when Trustees are confident that income will be received and the monetary value can be reasonably measured.

  3. 2.2.Costs of charitable activities included in the Statement of Financial Activities are on an accruals basis, inclusive of any VAT which cannot be recovered. Expenditure is directly attributable to specific activities and has been included in those cost categories.

  4. 2.3.Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, when it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified as Restricted when Grantors have place restrictions on how and when the funds shall be spent. Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading. Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

  5. 2.4.Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

  6. 2.5.Unrestricted funds: these comprise those funds which the Trustees are free to use in accordance with the charitable objects.

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3. Analysis of income

Analysis of income
3.
1
Donations received during the year
3.
2
Fundraising events
3.
3
Grants income - Restricted
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council –
Strengthening Communities
Edward Gostling Trust
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community
Foundation
Hampshire County Council – Local Solutions
Grant
Albert Hunt Trust
Arnold Clark Community Fund
Magic Little Grants
Jubilee Trust
Infortrend
Basingstoke Round Table
Four Lanes Trust Grant
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council – CVS
grant
Tackling Inequalities Fund (Sport England) -
DRUK
Total Grants - Restricted
Grant income - Unrestricted
Greenham Trust via Good Exchange
Virgin Media O2 Together Fund		 Neighbourly
Ecclesiastical - Movement for Good Award
Total Grants - Unrestricted
Total Grants
7,118
7,173
6,497
-
5,000
-
4,988
4,260
2,067
2,835
2,000
-
510
-
500
1,000
500
-
159
250
466
-
30
290
-
14,805
-
2,410
22,717
25,850
-
2,618
-
1,000
-
1,000
-
4,61
8
22,717
30,468

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

4. Costs of Charitable activities

. Costs of Charitable activities
2023 2022
Unrestrict
ed		 Restricte
d		 Total Total
£ £ £ £
Advertising & Marketing 284 187 471 188
Audit & Accountancy fees 596 834 1,430 1,423
Bank Fees - 83 83 17
Business Insurance (18) 248 230 267
Employee Training 0 75 75 340
Event Costs 501 791 1,292 2,436
General Expenses - 114 114 109
IT Software, Subscriptions and
Support		 508 775 1,283 1,597
Legal & professional fees &
licences		 50 35 85 204
Postage - 229 229 115
Printing - 895 895 77
Rent 1,460 1,460 2,920 2,479
Room Hire 14 548 562 1,407
Salaries 7,893 15,226 23,119 29,336
Stationery & ofce equipment - 330 330 126
Subcontractor and Fees re
Events		 306 1,093 1,399 2,864
Subscriptions 96 29 125 97
Telephone line rental and calls 97 113 211 192
11,787 23,065 34,852 43,274

5. Corporation Tax

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or Section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1962 to the extent that are applied to its charitable objects.

6. Staff numbers

The Charity currently employs 3 members (2022: 3) of staff on a part-time basis.

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

  1. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

7.1.Deferred income

7.1.Deferred income
BDBC Strengthening Communities
Arthur Bate Fund
Arnold Clark Community Fund
Didymus Fund
Action Hampshire
Rotary (BIB)
Four Lanes Trust
The Edward Gostling Trust
Hampshire County Council – HCC Local Solutions
Albert Hunt Trust
Hampshire County Council
Infortrend		 2023
£
2022
£
3,502
-
1,500
1,500
1,490
-
1,398
1,398
750
-
600
-
40
70
-
5,000
-
2,066
-
2,000
-
466
-
160
9,280
12,660
  1. Related party transactions

There were no related party transactions in the year.

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Grants & Fundraising

We have invested in new fundraising technology to make donating to BDDF easier than ever, including:

We thank each of the individual donators, fund and grant providers that have supported BDDF. Your donations enable us to continue to provide all services and activities to our members.

Volunteering with BDDF - Come and Get

Involved!

Are you passionate about people, a good listener or have skills with regards to sport, IT, finances?

Maybe you enjoy socialising and helping other by problem solving. BDDF have roles for everyone that play to your strengths and interests.

We need volunteers who can donate time, energy and skills to support our work. Most of all you just need to want to help.

If you would like to help but feel there is a barrier please talk to us, we will do everything we can to make the volunteer opportunity accessible to all. We can find a way for you to help us.

Get involved, get active and have fun! There are a variety of ways you can help BDDF to raise vital funds.

Why volunteer

Our Winter Survey - Giving Disabled people a

Voice

We asked our members and the wider community to share their views and experiences about living in Basingstoke and what their primary challenges and barriers are. 163 responses were received, and we have used this information to focus our work moving forward

Top 3 issues and challenges respondents were facing:

  1. Physical barriers and access issues = 55%

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

  1. Feelings of isolation = 8%

  2. Social barriers = 38%.

57% of respondents felt awareness and education about disability is a key route to tackle these barriers.

Digital Divide

Digital exclusion is affecting our communities and the move to technology triggered by the pandemic is deepening the divide.

3million people in the UK have never used the internet. 56% of adults not on the internet are Disabled people . (ONS statistics 2019)

Independence is heavily reliant on access to information and with more information than ever before being online we must break down the barriers and reduce the digital gap

BDDF swiftly moved services online where possible, created a more accessible website and established IT support sessions to help our members get online. However, there are still a vast proportion of the population who are not able to access the internet and more must be done by BDDF and society in general to be inclusive.

How to Donate

Easy Fundraising

Raise donations for BDDF as you shop. It costs you nothing (totally free to do) when you purchase something it provides vital funds to our charity – please do this if you can. Basingstoke & District Disability Forum Fundraising | Easyfundraising

Basingstoke and Deane Community Lottery

PayPal

Please consider adding BDDF as your chosen Charity through the PayPal Giving Fund

Or donate directly Donate with PayPal Giving Fund

Contact us - How to get in touch & keep up to date

Please get in touch via:

Newsletters

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Basingstoke and District Disability Forum CIO

Website Information on all our free services is updated regularly on our website http://www.bddf.org.uk/

Social Media Keep up to date by liking our page on Facebook, Instagram or tweet us!

Physical and Registered address

Basingstoke & District Disability Forum White Hart Lane The Orchard RG21 4AF T: 01256 423869 E: info@bddf.org.uk Registered Charity in England & Wales since 2014: no.1155660

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