The Cerebral Visual Impairment Society
Charity No. 1155765
## **Trustees Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21**
**November 2021**
**For Period 2[nd] March 2020 – 1[st] March 2021**
## **Charity Details**
**The Cerebral Visual Impairment Society (The CVI Society) Registered Charity Number: 1155765**
**Wyngarth, 15 Furlong Close, Fontwell, West Sussex. BN18 0UU.**
## **Trustees**
**Janet Harwood – Chair of Trustees**
**Timothy Lavender – Treasurer/Secretary**
**Suzanne Little**
**Jean Thompson**
**Charlotte Eldridge Baker**
**Sophie Tennison**
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Institution (Foundation Model) Charitable status was granted on 13[th] February 2014.
Full details are in the charity’s governing document.
## **Objectives**
**The objectives of The CVI Society are to relieve the charitable needs of people with cerebral visual impairment and their families and carers by the provision of services, advice and support as the trustees shall determine.**
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## **Main Activities**
## **The CVI Society undertakes the following activities:**
- Further developing networks and links to other organisations, including other charities.
- Continued awareness raising of CVIs and training for parents and
- professionals by individual trustees and as a group
- Organisation of an annual convention for parents, people with CVIs and professional delegates
- Providing advice and support to families and professionals via website contact, direct contact and social media
- Trustees with a professional status speak at events, both national and regional, to raise awareness of CVIs and deliver training on the condition.
## **Main Achievements of the Year:**
**This year our activities ‘in person’ were completely curtailed by the Covid 19 pandemic, however virtual events and family support has increased significantly.**
- A new trustee appointed, Sophie Tennison one of our Young Ambassadors has taken on the role of Trustee which the Trustees are extremely pleased about as we now have a person with the condition who is able to bring their perspective to the organisation and contribute directly to decision making.
- Links developed with a person who heads up a charity and has significant contacts in the health re vision sector in health and close links with technology companies which may prove helpful to some of our service users in future.
- Continued provision of direct support and general advice to families, young adults with the condition, and increasingly adults and professionals supporting them.
- Due to Covid 19 educational tribunal cases are conducted virtually. A trustee has attended and supported families of children with the condition accessing appropriate support.
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- The transfer to virtual meetings via ‘Zoom’ and ‘Teams’ has meant that we have been kept busier this year iattending meetings on behalf of children and adults we support.
- Bristol based “The CVI Project” being overseen by Professor Cathy Williams published their very important research findings which we contributed towards. This evidenced what we suspected from our work, that far more children at present in mainstream settings have the condition and as yet have often gone unrecognised.
- Our social media following also continues to grow – our main Facebook page reach increases, providing general CVI information and further information and blogposts written by people with CVIs have been added to the main website.
- Our closed Facebook based forum continues to grow, we now have over 750 members. This continues to link families and those with CVI as a confidential space where they can gain mutual support and share advice.
- Links with the University of Birmingham QTVI course have bene via a request for a presentation as due to Covid 19, all in person presentations have been suspended.
- Colour Tent Project developed and overseen by one trustee now has more formal links to Great Ormond Street CVI Lead Ophthalmologist is taking this further and the steps to secure grant funding have been initiated which has required a lot of input from one trustee. We wish to continue to work with Adam Sutcliffe and Hal Dubuisson, who have finished the baby dome trial. Modifications which may be needed for a wider formal trial, should grant funding be secured have also been proposed and discussed and further funding provided by The CVI Society.
- Increased reach to families of affected children demonstrated by steady increase in email communication, newsletter signup and social media engagement.
- Letters of support and reports have continued to be provided for families of affected children and adults who have had difficulties accessing support, be it educational, financial, or otherwise. The general lack of awareness of the condition means that still professionals have often not heard of it.
- Direct support and advice given to certain families who are having difficulty accessing educational support continues to play a big part of what we do.
- Levels of face to face and telephone support to families and individuals have continued to rise.
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- Continued development of links to hospitals and medical research centres around the country, including Great Ormond Street, who also continue to refer families back to The CVI Society.
## **Financial Statement**
- The CVI Society had an income of £2,568 [£10,647] in the year 2019/20 [2018/19], a decrease of 76%.
- Expenditure for last year also dropped massively to £1,779 [£11,538].
- Overall the CVI Society made a profit of £789 [£891] in 2020/21 [2019/20].
- The Covid-19 pandemic prevented the CVI Society from running a conference. This is the major source of income and cost to the Society which explains the drop in figures.
- Income came from donations (£1,727), online cashback schemes (£272, up from £165) and gift aid (£308).
- I.T. costs increased to £694 because of a Zoom subscription and increased mail marketing costs.
- The final funding payment of £580 was made to the Colour Tent Research Project.
- The website costs remained at £486 for the year.
- All charity activities are resourced on a voluntary basis.
- The CVI Society has no assets, funds in deficit or reserves.
## **Appendix A shows the end of year summary statement of accounts.**
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## **Declaration**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of The Trustees of The CVI Society.**
**Janet Harwood Timothy Lavender Chair of trustees Treasurer**
**1[st] June 2021**
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## Appendix A
## **CVI Societ - Year End Statement 2020 - 2021 y**
|**Budget Totals**|**Actual**
**Last Year**|**Actual**
**Last Year**|**Change **|
|---|---|---|---|
|Total Income This Year|£2,568
£10,647||-76%|
|Total Expenditure This Year|£1,779
£11,538||-85%|
|Nett Amount|£789
£891||-11%|
|||||
|Funds Balance From Last Year|£5,698|||
|Available Funds|£6,487
£5,698||14%|
|Debtors/-Creditors|£0|£0||
||£6,487
£6,487
£0
£0|||
|Calculated Bank Balance|£6,487|||
|Actual Bank Balance||||
|Error|£0|||
|||||
|Assets|£0|||
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