2023-03-01-accounts - The Cerebral Visual Impairment Society

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The Cerebral Visual Impairment Society

Charity No. 1155765

Trustees Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23

December 2023

For Period 2[nd] March 2022 – 1[st] March 2023

Charity Details

The Cerebral Visual Impairment Society (The CVI Society) Registered Charity Number: 1155765

Wyngarth, 15 Furlong Close, Fontwell, West Sussex. BN18 0UU.

Trustees

Charlotte Eldridge Baker

Janet Harwood – Chair of Trustees

Suzanne Little

Katherine Nason - Treasurer

Dawn Tennison - Secretary

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:

We have no paid staff and minimal running costs however trustees are actively 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 for whom we have provided training. Expenditure is minimal at present, the running of the website and very occasional expenses incurred carrying out activities on behalf of the charity.
There has been no change in trustees, but we have appointed a new Young Ambassador who has cerebral visual impairment to join our other two Young Ambassadors. They are writing blogs for our website which are greatly appreciated by families and also other young adults with the condition.
Trustees had their first in person ‘away’ meeting since before Covid 19. This proved extremely positive after a lengthy period of online only contact. They were able to make plans for short- and longterm goals and development of the charity.
Policies have been restructured and updated as appropriate.
Increased provision of direct support and general advice to families, young adults with the condition, and increasingly adults and professionals supporting them.
The decision to reinstate our ‘in person’ convention was made and booked well ahead for April 2023. This was well received by many

families and people with the condition, alongside professionals. Keynote speakers are booked alongside other speakers who will be of great interest to our audience, several of whom have firsthand experience of living with the cerebral visual impairment.

Since 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 must be limited due to capacity and time involved in report preparation.
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 875 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 as residential weekends for training of Qualified Teachers of the Vision Impaired are ongoing. This is helpful at increasing awareness of the broad spectrum of the condition and the importance of appropriate support whilst in education for those affected by it.
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.
Colour Tent Therapy work developing UK wide with an increasing number of Qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired and Special Schools involved.
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 leading medical professionals in the field, who also continue to refer families back to The CVI Society.
Whilst the Charity is UK based, we also have contacts with interested individuals outside the UK, including people with the condition.

Financial Statement

The CVI Society had an income of £3350 (£2,658) in the year 2022/23 (2021/22), an increase of 30%.
Expenditure for last year increased by 25% to £2216 (£1779).
Overall the CVI Society made a profit of £1135 (£891) in 2022/23 (2021/22).
There was no CVI Society Convention in this year but some income and expenditure transactions for the 2023 Convention are included.
Other income came from general donations (£300), online cashback schemes (£60) and additional donations of £600 prompted by support, training and advice services.
The total cost of I.T. Services were £687.
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.

CVI Societ - Year End Statement 2022 - 2023 y

Budget Totals	Actual Last Year	Actual Last Year	Change
Total Income This Year	£3,350 £2,568		30%
Total Expenditure This Year	£2,216 £1,779		25%
Nett Amount	£1,135 £891		27%

Funds Balance From Last Year	£6,217
Available Funds	£7,352 £6,217		18%
Debtors/-Creditors	£0	£0
	£7,352 £7,352 £0 £0
Calculated Bank Balance	£7,352
Actual Bank Balance
Error	£0

Assets	£0

Declaration

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

Signed on behalf of The Trustees of The CVI Society.

Janet Harwood Dawn Tennison Chair of trustees Secretary

14th December 2023 14[th] December 2023

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