2022-03-01-accounts - The Cerebral Visual Impairment Society

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The Cerebral Visual Impairment Society

Charity No. 1155765

Trustees Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22

December 2022

For Period 2[nd] March 2021 – 1[st] March 2022

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

Charlotte Eldridge Baker – Treasurer/Secretary

Suzanne Little

Katherine Nason

Sophie Tennison

Jean Thompson

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.

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 still often curtailed by the Covid 19 pandemic, however virtual events and family support has continued to rise. We also have seen an increase in the number of adults with a diagnosis or who believe they may have CVIs contacting the charity for advice and support.

As we have no paid staff and minimal running costs the covid 19 pandemic has not unduly affected our finances however trustees are looking at future ways of raising funds to allow us to provide extra services and grow. Income at present is reliant on donations from supporters or from some organisations we have provided training for. Expenditure is minimal at present, the running of the website and occasional expenses incurred carrying out activities on behalf of the charity.
One trustee stepped down from the role but is happy to offer informal support, in particular with regards to the convention as they have a great deal of invaluable technical expertise.
A new trustee has been appointed. They bring significant skills which will be extremely valuable to the charity due to the roles they have had in employment.
Policies have been restructured and updated as appropriate.

Continued provision of direct support and general advice to families, young adults with the condition, and increasingly adults and professionals supporting them.
The decision was made to reinstate our ‘in person’ convention which has been booked well ahead for April 2023. This has been well received by many families and people with the condition, alongside professionals. Keynote speakers have been booked alongside other speakers who will be of great interest to our audience, several of whom have first hand experience of living with the cerebral visual impairments.
Due to Covid 19 educational tribunal cases are conducted virtually. We have supported families to successful outcomes for children concerned but further requests for expertise at tribunals at present have to be limited due to capacity and time involved.
The continued transfer to virtual meetings via ‘Zoom’ and ‘Teams’ has meant that we have been able to attend more virtual meetings on behalf of children, families and in one very significant case, support of an adult with the condition.
We have also provided much more virtual training, some bespoke to individuals and some general training to organisations including other charities.
Our social media following continues to grow – our main Facebook page reach increases, providing general CVI information and links to posts on the website. We have added more blogposts written by people with CVIs to the main website.
Our closed Facebook forum continues to grow, we now have over 830 members. This continues to link families and those with CVI as a confidential space where they can gain mutual support and share advice.
In person attendance to deliver training on CVIs and links with the University of Birmingham QTVI course have begun again as residential weekends for training of Qualified Teachers of the Vision Impaired have now resumed after Covid 19 cessation.
Two trustees, one of whom has cerebral visual impairment contributed to a working group set up to devise the new Curriculum Framework for Children and Young people with a Vision Impairment.
The Colour Tent Therapy Project developed and overseen by one trustee continues to be promoted via a Great Ormond Street CVI Lead Ophthalmologist who is taking this further and the steps to secure grant funding are ongoing. This has required a lot of input

from one trustee. We continue to work with Adam Sutcliffe and Hal Dubuisson, the baby dome designers.

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 major part of what we do.
Levels of face to face via ‘zoom’ and telephone support to families and individuals have greatly increased.
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.
Whilst the Charity is UK based, we also have developed contacts with interested individuals outside the UK.

Financial Statement

The CVI Society had an income of £2,062 (£2,568) in the year 2021/22 (2020/21), a decrease of 20%.
Expenditure for last year increased by 14% to £2,022 (£1,779).
Overall the CVI Society made a profit of £41(£789) in 2021/22 (2020/21).
There was no CVI Society Convention for the second year running because of the impact of the after effects of lockdown restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Income came from general donations (£1,339) and online cashback schemes (£123) with an additional donation of £600 prompted by support and advice services.
I.T. costs increased by 5% to £730.
There was a £1,000 deposit for the 2023 conference venue which will be recouped from conference revenue next 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.

Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of The Trustees of The CVI Society.

Janet Harwood Charlotte Eldridge Baker Chair of trustees Treasurer

9[th] December 2022 9[th] December 2022

Appendix A

CVI Society - Year End Statement 2021 - 2022

Budget Totals Actual Last Year Change	Budget Totals Actual Last Year Change	Budget Totals Actual Last Year Change
Total Income This Year £2,062 £2,568 -20%
Total Expenditure This Year £2,022 £1,779 14%
Nett Amount £41 £891 -95%

Funds Balance From Last Year	£6,487
Available Funds £6,527 £5,698 15%
Debtors/-Creditors	£0	£0

Calculated Bank Balance	£6,527