# **Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 31st March 2021**
The trustees present their report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31st March 2021. Reference and administrative information set out on page 26 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the charity’s constitution and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102. Charity Registration Number 1156517
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021 Contents
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I. 03
Letter from the Chair
II. Summary from CEO 04
III. Who we are, what we do and why we do it 06
IV. Our year in review 07
V. Challenges and lessons learned 10
VI. 5-year strategy 12
VII. Case studies 13
VIII. Governance and accountability 16
VIIII. Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Girls’ Network 18
X. Financials 21
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
## **Chair Letter from the**
As might be expected, the 2020/21 financial year was the most uniquely challenging and testing year to date for The Girls’ Network. When the pandemic hit in 2020, we had no idea what this would do to our business model which, at the time, was dependent on face-to-face delivery. We are enormously grateful to the hard work and dedication of our team without whom we would not have been able to, within a few weeks of the first school closures in March 2020, quickly pivot to a virtual programme and to switch over 70% of our in-person mentoring programmes to virtual mentoring. This is an achievement that we are extremely proud of and which has laid the foundations for a process of adapting to the ongoing challenges.
We continued to refine and improve our virtual offering to girls, and to support mentors through this change in dynamic. By the end of the financial year, we had trained over 1300 women across the country to mentor, and matched 1263 of them with a teenage girl from one of the least advantaged communities. We carried on collecting impact data from girls who were experiencing a wholly virtual programme and were pleased to find that this didn’t result in a decrease in impact compared with the in-person experience. This opens up a multitude of exciting possibilities when we consider the potential of virtual mentoring for widening our reach. While the logistics of the switch to virtual proved challenging, including important considerations relating to safeguarding young people online, this work led to efficiencies in our processes that the team will retain going forward.
This year was also pivotal for the rights of Black and other minoritised groups across the globe. As a charity fighting injustice, we need an equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy that lives up to our ambitious vision and values, and to the interests of our beneficiaries. We established a live EDI strategy and working group in early 2021, and we are working to ensure we are using a data-driven approach going forward, but one which is firmly grounded in our values as an organisation.
Sue Rimmer
The charity has made significant progress over the last 3 years towards our aim of ensuring financial sustainability. Despite the additional challenges we have faced this year, we are pleased that our financial results for FYE21 demonstrate that we have been able to achieve this aim ahead of plan. This has enabled us to not only support our mentees and mentors through the pandemic but also expand our reach, invest in core functions, and ensure we have at least three months unrestricted reserves in place should we need it. This has all been made possible by the generous support we have received from corporate partners, supporters, new and ongoing funders, as well as through the continued commitment of our network of schools.
We are acutely aware that pressure on school budgets will increase as they work hard to provide the tutoring and the catch-up education needed to replace months of lost education. It is also clear that as far as the pandemic is concerned, we are not out of the woods yet. We will therefore explore further ways in which we can support our school partners to ensure no girl misses out on a mentoring opportunity due to lack of funds.
We remain enormously grateful for the support we receive and while this gives us great confidence that we can continue to support our girls during the coming year, we still need support from current and prospective funders and stakeholders. We simply cannot do it alone. Every contribution enables us to grow, and we are committed to making further investments to ensure we continue to reach more and more girls.
As always, we want to sincerely thank our powerful network: our corporate partners, our funders, our partner schools, teachers, our mentors and all volunteers, and of course, our brilliant young women. Young people –and girls from the least advantaged communities particularly, who by virtue of being young, being women and living in underserved areas have been the pandemic’s hardest hit group – have demonstrated an astounding level of resilience throughout this year. Our work cannot stop, yet it will only continue with the generous support of current and future funders and supporters. We also urge businesses, governing bodies, and anyone in a position of power and leadership to continue listening to young women’s voices and continue shaping a world where every girl’s future, no matter her background or gender, is unlimited.
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
## **Summary from our CEO**
Women, those from the least advantaged communities, and young people have been the three hardest hit groups during this pandemic year.[1] And the girls we support through mentoring, networking and skills workshops at The Girls’ Network fit into all three. By far the biggest challenge for us over this financial year was seeing our girls’ daily lives upended and their futures jeopardised. This pandemic and the domino effect of the social and economic repercussions confirmed what we’ve long known to be true: the lives of the least advantaged are the first to be negatively impacted in any global crisis. It was important to us that the young women we support, and our wider network, immediately knew that we were still here, that our mission is as urgent as ever, that their futures aren’t cancelled.
As a charity premised on forging relationships with schools, connecting young people with local professionals at high-energy in-person events, and facilitating a series of transformational face to face meetings between mentor and mentee, we never expected that we would have to deal with school closures, ubiquitous remote working, and social distancing. And yet like so many, within just a few days at the start of the 2020/21 financial year, we had to reimagine and redesign many of the founding pillars of our work. A year on, the challenges are undeniable, but the learnings and achievements are just as apparent and worthy of note.
Our ‘year in review’ section below highlights our key impact this year. It was greatly encouraging to see our mentoring programme impact show signs of growth compared with last year, with girls overwhelmingly reporting positive increases in their confidence, their focus at school and how positive they feel about their future. We were also incredibly grateful to see the numbers of women putting themselves forward to mentor grow compared with last year.
We still need help to fulfil our vision, and we won’t be able to achieve our mission without support. Our hope is that our network will continue to grow, adding to the individuals and organisations who believe, like us, that a better world is one where every girl, regardless of race, gender or parental income, can realise her ambitions and shape her future. Our work is not just about cultivating that belief among young people, it’s about helping to make it a reality. From the practical development of skills and provision of opportunities to the dismantling of structures and systems that prevent them realising their ambitions, we are committed to ensuring unlimited futures for all young women.
Looking to the future, our approach will continue to be wholly collaborative. We will continue to get to know those in positions of power and influence and seek to change unfair structures by working alongside them. Crucially, the changes we want to see are informed by the girls we work with. We want to be the vehicles for their voices, and where possible allow them to speak directly to power. We’re excited to have collaborated with PwC this year in developing a methodology for better understanding the social return on investment of our work, alongside our ongoing work on the ‘ripple effect’ of 1:1 mentoring. When you join our movement and help a young woman who wouldn’t otherwise have had that support to be ambitious for her future, you are not just helping her, you are changing the course of the lives of many around her, too. We’re confident that the transformational potential and scale of this is communicated in this report, and we hope that if we’re not already working together and this excites you as much as it does us, you’ll get in touch. The next leg of The Girls’ Network’s journey will be a momentous one, and we’ll get there stronger if we travel together.
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Charly Young
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1 www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52176666
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# **Nothing can dim the light that shines from within. Maya Angelou** , American poet and civil rights activist
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
## **Who we are and how we do it**
The Girls’ Network aims to inspire and empower girls aged 14-19 from the least advantaged communities by connecting them to a mentor and a network of professional role models who are women. We believe that no girl’s future should be limited by her background, gender or parental income.
We reach girls via relationships with schools in London, Sussex, Portsmouth, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, the Tees Valley, Tyne & Wear and Merseyside, and support over 1000 girls each year. Volunteer mentors are trained by our team and meet their mentee at least once a month for a year.
At the end of the mentoring journey, mentees become ambassadors of The Girls’ Network: a free lifelong membership enabling them to continue accessing support and opportunities and offering them a platform to have their voice heard. We hope ambassadors will return as mentors once they’ve entered the world of work, helping us create a self-sustaining social movement with the goal of achieving unlimited futures for all young women.
## **Why we do it:**
Girls from the least advantaged communities face a double disadvantage. Gender inequality is exacerbated by poverty: both the ‘glass ceiling’ and the ‘class ceiling’ hold girls back.
**106,000** There are 106,000 more young women than young men who are NEET – not in employment, education, or training – and economically inactive (ONS)
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16% 50%
Only 16% of girls aged 11-21 spoken to in 2018 Only 16% of girls aged 11-21 spoken to in 2018
reported feeling very happy (Girlguiding) reported feeling very happy (Girlguiding)
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## **Our solution:**
If we want to break the cycle of disadvantage and equality that these girls face, then we need to ensure that we equip girls with:
>> the **self-belief** to realise their ambition
>> the **opportunities** to develop a voice
- >> the **support** to tackle the obstacles along the way
Our work is not just about cultivating girls’ belief that they can achieve; it’s also about providing them with concrete opportunities and equipping them with the skills to seize them.
**Why mentoring:** Mentoring is a journey, helping mentees get from where they are to where they want to be. **Our mentors help to:**
- >> Build confidence and self-worth by being a consistent presence in their mentee’s life and showing them they’re worth investing time in
- >> Develop key skills that girls will need in education, work and life
- >> Encourage girls to take opportunities, and support them to make the most of them
- >> Open up networks of professionals that the girls otherwise could not access. Several studies[2] show that the catalyst for girls to challenge stereotypical or restrictive views of what careers are available to them is most often a personal experience, meeting a professional and having a conversation with them, or experiencing the work environment themselves.
## **What success looks like for us:**
>> Girls who are in themselves **confident**
- >> Girls who are **confident** about how to get where it is that they want to go
>> Girls who know how to **conduct** themselves in professional environments
- >> Girls who can **communicate** effectively and have the skills to succeed in
- whatever it is they are passionate about
- >> Girls who are **resilient** and **ambitious** for their futures, and who are embarking on further study, training or work post-18: applying to competitive universities, exploring careers they might not have considered before, taking opportunities – work experience, internships, and leadership development
- >> A network of girls and women who **support** and **encourage** each other
## **How we measure it:**
We survey the girls three times during the mentoring year. Our main categories of assessment are:
>> Girls’ confidence
- >> Girls’ skills (for example leadership, resilience, and communication)
- >> Their access to and knowledge of career paths
>> Their networks and role models
We establish a baseline at the start of the mentoring programme, and this initial survey is repeated twice during the mentoring year: once at the half-way point, and once at end of the mentoring year. This method and frequency allow us to learn about immediate programme needs as well as to identify and report on long-term trends. In addition to surveys, we hugely value qualitative data and stories, and we collect testimonies from mentees, ambassadors, parents, and teachers and run focus groups.
2 Ofsted’s report on Girls’ Career Aspirations (2011), a study called “It’s Who You Meet: Why Employer Contacts at School Make a Difference to the Employment Prospects of Young Adults” (2012)
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## **Our year in review**
**1522 1263** women **applied** girls **matched** to mentor for with a **mentor** the **first time 1329[2916 ] hours** of women **virtual trained mentoring virtually** nationwide virtual workshops aimed at girls, and **4 virtual workshops** aimed at professional women. Workshop engagement among girls went up **25+** by **100% nationally** compared to before the pandemic
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98%
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81%
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said virtual mentoring had improved their confidence during this time (96% last year, and exceeding our year 1 key measure)
said virtual mentoring helped them focus more on school work (73% last year)
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98%
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76%
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of girls used their mentor as a source of support outside of sessions (74% last year)
of girls believed their mentor helped them feel more positive about the future (98% last year)
## **Finance**
Our financial position at the end of the financial year was positive, especially given how quickly we had to adapt our programme and ways of working. We achieved our goal of 3 months unrestricted cash in reserves a quarter early (by the end of Q3) and ended the year with almost 5 months of unrestricted cash reserves. We appointed a new Head of Finance and Operations at the end of FY21, further investing in our infrastructure as we grow. The role encompasses both the existing finance function and adds further resource for HR to support our growing team and technology to drive efficiency and enhance our programme offering.
## **Fundraising**
Strong partnerships sit at the heart of every facet of our activities, and we’re so grateful to all those who prioritised working with us particularly during the pandemic. We continue to be delighted by the breadth of companies – from SMEs to multinationals – expressing interest in engaging with us and embedding us within their wider strategy.
There is no singular way of collaborating with our partners: this year alone we kicked off a multi-faceted strategic partnership with E.l.f Cosmetics and were Audible’s chosen charity partner for their podcast series ‘Women Unlocked’. We also piloted and grew our membership offerings both nationally and regionally. We will strive to broaden the scope of our relationships, with the goal of diversifying our income base. Even though we’ve made big strides, we’re excited to have only scratched the surface of partnership possibilities.
Growing and sharing our community fundraising offering will also be a high priority area. We’re pleased to have created more opportunities for men, as well as mentors’ friends, family, and colleagues to get involved in supporting our work. All in all, despite obvious challenges the year has brought, it has been a fruitful year.
## **Programme**
The rapid switch to virtual mentoring within the first few weeks of the first lockdown signified the biggest change our mentoring programme has seen since the charity’s birth. Though we were able to shift most pairs to a virtual programme, some girls have been unable to continue with mentoring online because of technical challenges or issues acquiring the necessary consent from schools or parents. We continue to nurture our school relationships and develop our virtual offering to ensure all girls can access our programmes. We’ve been awe struck by the adaptability of both the mentors and mentees that have communicated virtually, and we supported these online sessions throughout the year with bespoke resources and activity ideas.
We managed to match more girls with a mentor than expected, providing 1263 rather than 1200 girls with a professional woman mentor this year. Due to the challenges of Covid-19 and unmet need in regions where we already operate, we have chosen to prioritise growth within our existing regions to meet this demand, while also investing in our core infrastructure, before expanding into new regions. This will ensure we’re in a better position to increase our impact in future years. Having piloted a fully virtual mentoring programme this year, we are now piloting this as an alternative programme to sit alongside the in-person mentoring.
Girl-led ‘reverse’ mentoring has been an addition to our strategic plan this year, driven by a desire to influence levers of power and to provide a platform for girls’ voices to be heard and valued. This is being piloted with the Metropolitan Police **Find out more.** and has so far been hugely beneficial for all involved.
2 Ofsted’s report on Girls’ Career Aspirations (2011), a study called “It’s Who You Meet: Why Employer Contacts at School Make a Difference to the Employment Prospects of Young Adults” (2012)
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- **The Girls' Network has shown me how to be myself.**
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## **Communications**
In a suddenly almost wholly virtual world, the importance of communications gained sharper focus. We immediately prioritised engagement of our mentor and mentee network with frequent newsletters and strong messaging across social channels too, reminding girls that their future wasn’t cancelled, and motivating mentors to strengthen their commitment to our programme. It was also important for us to communicate to the wider world that we were still here, despite being a charity partly premised on the power of in-person connection.
We used our three key campaigns this year to put girls’ voices at the forefront of our communication (Day of the Girl, October – Lockdown Life), to lift people’s spirits with humour while drawing attention to ridiculous inequalities that our girls will still face upon entering the world of work if they’re not challenged today (Christmas – The Empowerium), and to push young women’s agendas after a year that threatened their futures most violently of all (Women’s Day, March – Save the Class of 2021).
The support of external agencies, both creative and PR, was vital in producing and sharing these high-quality, visually powerful campaigns. The Empowerium was a standout success and was a awarded a D&AD pencil award in the ‘writing for design’ category. Limited capacity in communications continues to be an area for development, and we’re excited for the widening possibilities as we get closer to being able to grow this department.
Keeping girls’ voices at the centre of everything we do continues to be the driver of all our communications, as well as capitalising, through engagement, on the powerful and committed network of professional women who make up The Girls’ Network.
## **Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)**
The aim of our equity, diversity and inclusion strategy is to remove negative biases and inequalities in our current systems and thinking, so that the girls are represented, and their voices are heard and included at every layer of the movement we are building. We established a ‘live strategy’ in January 2021 with an audit year laid out for 2021-22. This strategy will be reviewed in December 2021 to formalise plans for subsequent years. As part of this work, we set up a working group with stakeholders from across our network – a mentor, a trustee, a mentee, an ambassador, and two staff members. The purpose of this is to help shape the strategy, consult, feedback and co-create. The working group will help the charity create a robust and lasting approach to our EDI work. In terms of
communicating externally, we released a blog written by our CEO and co-founder which was one of our most viewed website pages throughout the week of its release, with positive feedback from the network. Furthermore, our EDI lead and the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Manager have been working together to make positive changes to our data collection, introducing a staff survey, and questions about mentee/mentor identity as well as mentee priorities when they’re matched with a mentor.
## **Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL)**
This is the first year we’ve been able to formally report on monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning, having welcomed our MERL Manager to the team in summer 2020. In the initial phases of establishing this workstream we focused on key groundwork: reviewing and updating our theory of change, upgrading and improving the impact data collection process including platforms we use to do it, and widening impact data collection to include more stakeholder groups, including mentors.
It was fortuitous to bring more rigour to this area of work during the first 12 months of the pandemic as it meant we were able to confidently demonstrate, as outlined in our Covid-19 report, that virtual mentoring didn’t lead to a decrease in impact. Our MERL manager has also undertaken an analysis of our staff, trustee, mentee, and mentor identity characteristics to help inform the work being done by our equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) working group. As a charity working towards empowering girls, striving for gender equality, and dismantling systems of oppression, we are actively challenging ourselves to be more inclusive and better represent that in our movement. The analysis done by our MERL manager will be invaluable in shaping this work.
2 Ofsted’s report on Girls’ Career Aspirations (2011), a study called “It’s Who You Meet: Why Employer Contacts at School Make a Difference to the Employment Prospects of Young Adults” (2012)
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## **Challenges and lessons learned**
Our biggest challenge over the last year has been witnessing young women facing this huge change, often without the resources or support to cope with it. Other challenges have included:
**Logistics:** We had to consider how the natural solution of switching in-person programmes to virtual was going to take place logistically, and how we would ensure the impact of mentoring was as unaffected as possible. Not all girls have the technology or even privacy required by virtual mentoring. We considered what it would take to meet at least part of this need and continue to explore ways we can support girls with tech needs, but we recognise this might be an ongoing challenge.
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**Safeguarding:** School closures and the lockdown pushed many young people into unsafe or challenging home situations. Our commitment to upholding the highest standards of child protection meant in the face of this challenge we updated our safeguarding guidelines rapidly but thoroughly in line with online safety best practice.
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**Income streams:** The biggest challenge is the uncertainty for the future. We can't know for sure how an ongoing pandemic and any associated recession will affect income streams long term. To address this we focused on individual giving, enabling audiences to donate virtually, and we’re working to further diversify income streams.
**Staff wellbeing:** None of our work would be possible without our u dynamic team. We have been very mindful of staff wellbeing, trying to show the same adaptability and flexibility that the new situation demanded of them. As for everyone, it’s been a challenging year in this respect, and we’ve introduced additional wellbeing measures and support for the team.
## **What the data tells us:**
Despite barriers, including lack of technology or a private space at home to talk, we are seeing a higher average number of sessions per mentor/mentee pair. This is really encouraging and due, in part, to the increased ease of accessibility for some girls who might previously have struggled to make it to all in-person sessions. We are now therefore considering a hybrid of virtual and in-person, so that girls who may find it more difficult to attend sessions and pairs who may be struggling to organise in-person meet ups can still ensure they’re having a full programme of at least ten sessions.
Data showed that girls who started the mentoring programme during the pandemic had, on average, lower self-reported confidence. This lower confidence could be explained by the fear and uncertainty the pandemic brought. More girls increased in confidence across the mentoring, however a smaller proportion reported the highest levels of confidence. Again, this may be due to the added uncertainty generated by the pandemic, as well as fewer opportunities to try new things and step out of their comfort zone. In response to this we’re striving to ensure The Girls’ Network remains a source of opportunities, work experience, exciting workshops, new professional relationships, and enriching challenges for girls. We do this through our communications with both mentors and mentees, our newsletters, the way we harness our wider network, and our virtual workshop offering.
At the end of a year of mentoring during Covid-19, most mentees agree that their mentor helped them think positively about their future. Exposing young women to professional mentors that demystify career pathways and facilitate networking opportunities can help them maintain a hopeful outlook even during an employment crisis. We continue to nurture our school relationships and develop our virtual offering to ensure all girls can access our programmes. We’ve been awe struck by the adaptability of both the mentors and mentees that have communicated virtually, and we supported these online sessions throughout the year with bespoke resources and activity ideas.
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# **You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.**
**Oprah Winfrey** , media proprietor, talk show host, actress and philanthropist
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## **Strategy**
Our five year (2020/21 – 2025/26) strategy which was included in last year’s report remains current. However, the last 18 months has seen the world as we know it change considerably. This has impacted on all businesses and organisations in many and varying ways. The Board of Trustees and the Senior Leadership Team will therefore be reviewing our strategic plan and business model to ensure we take full account of the lessons we have learnt during the pandemic as we look to the future and the ‘new normal’.
**Our longer-term aim is still to grow our reach from 1% to 25% of girls from the least advantaged communities across England (and the UK) by 2030. Our ambition:**
- >> Girls and young women have the skills, confidence and opportunities to realise their ambitions
- >> There is an engaged and active network of Ambassadors who continue to be supported to realise their ambitions, discover their self-worth, and develop their capacity to shape their world and their future
- >> There is a growing positive and engaged network of volunteers, supporters, partners, funders, mentors, mentees and ambassadors who support us in realising our vision of unlimited futures for all young women
- >> The Girls’ Network is a sustainable organisation, able to support growth and respond to a changing environment, in order to support more girls and young women
## **Our priorities for the upcoming year (year two of our five-year strategy) are to:**
## >> **Deliver a high-impact mentoring programme for girls and young women across the UK**
- What we’ll measure to determine success: 70% of girls report at the end of the year that they believe they can achieve whatever they want to achieve
## >> **Grow our reach**
- What we’ll measure: 1,400 girls matched with a trained mentor
- 2,000 Ambassadors engaged in our Ambassador Programme
## >> **Become a thought- leader and provide a platform for the voice of girls and young women**
- What we’ll measure: 25% of girls at the end of the year say that The Girls’ Network provided a platform for their voice to be heard
Girl-led mentoring piloted and evaluated – 100% of girls in the pilot believe that their ideas and voices deserve to be heard.
100% of girls in the pilot believe they can influence leaders in their local area Media mentions
Creation and dissemination of impact reports
- >> **Create an engaged and revenue-generating network of organisations and individuals**
- What we’ll measure: 50% increase in revenue from individual fundraising and fundraising events
- 75% of mentors report that The Girls’ Network has added value to them At least 15 Partner Members signed up, with at least seven committing to a multi-year relationship
- >> **Develop the internal infrastructure needed to support the successful growth and sustainability of the charity**
- What we’ll measure: We maintain at least 3 months’ reserves throughout FYE22 The staff survey shows that staff understand what is expected of them Monitoring compliance internally Roles defined and streamlined
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## **Case Studies**
**(Amy’s story was picked up by local media – read more in The Argus here!)**
Amy, 17, from Eastbourne joined The Girls’ Network mentoring programme when she was in year 10 at Causeway School and is now on her way to realising her dream of becoming a patisserie chef.
Amy says that her mentor is responsible for helping her to transform from a girl who was painfully shy and lacked confidence and self-belief - which was preventing her from pursuing her dream career - into a determined, confident and ambitious young woman who is on her way to building a successful career as a chef.
From a young age Amy knew that her future lay in cooking but was unsure how to convert her passion into a career. When she heard about The Girls’ Network in an assembly at school, she jumped at the opportunity to get involved. She turned to her mentor for advice, support and confidence coaching and knows that if she is ever feeling overwhelmed, she has not only her mentor to turn to but an entire network.
Amy commented, “I really don’t know what I would’ve done without my mentor. I was so painfully shy and lacked any sort of confidence before I joined The Girls’ Network and it was really holding me back from believing that I had a future as a chef. I knew exactly what I wanted to do after my GCSE’s, but my fear of rejection and my lack of self-belief was preventing me from applying for the course I wanted to do.
“My mentor helped me realise that I had a great deal of talent and skills to offer the catering world which helped me to believe in myself. She also taught me how to project myself in a confident and charismatic manner, even when I was feeling nervous underneath. I was able to use these skills in my college interview and secure a place on the course I only ever dreamed of. Now I am on a pathway to pursuing a career as a pastry chef and really believe I can become a success.
“I feel like joining The Girls’ Network was one of the best decisions of my life so far and it has made me into the person I am today. I am ambitious, determined and confident, although still shy and nervous underneath at times, but I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for The Girls’ Network.”
“I would recommend the experience to anyone who gets presented with the opportunity. It is not an experience you can ever lose from, you can only gain.”
## **Ambassador Amy in Sussex**
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## **Case Studies**
**(Ishrat was interviewed about her experience with The Girls’ Network for a podcast: listen to the episode of Actually Mummy here!)**
18 year old Ishrat from Newham joined The Girls’ Network mentoring programme when she was in Year 11 at Sarah Bonnell Comprehensive School and attributes her increase in confidence and self-belief to her mentoring experience.
She says that her mentor also coached her in how to alleviate her nerves and present herself as a confident, ambitious, and eloquent young woman which helped with interviews for both work and university.
Ishrat is passionate about politics and wants to help improve the lives of people from disadvantaged communities both by helping people to live a life free from crime and showing them the support available to them.
She is currently one of the mentors involved in The Girls’ Network girl-led mentoring campaign with the Met Police. She is helping the police to not only get closer to the communities they serve but also address the ongoing issues around stop and search, gang violence, online crime, and social inequality.
Ishrat is one of just three young women selected by The Girls’ Network to take part in the six-month pilot project, with each girl addressing a different issue among their local community.
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The campaign Ishrat is involved in aims to help change the perspective of both the police and young people and bring down the rate of ‘stop and searches’ among black and ethnic minority communities, while also reducing the numbers of people carrying knives. If the campaign proves to be successful it could be rolled out in other boroughs across London as well as other police forces around the country.
Ishrat said “I don’t feel like people from disadvantaged communities like mine get enough support and guidance and I want to play my part in changing that. People in local and national government have so much power and influence and I am determined to find a way of making an impact.”
As well as being involved in the Met Police campaign, mentoring the head of frontline policing, Ishrat has also secured a place on an International Politics course at the University of Exeter and is excited to be starting her journey into a career in politics.
“The Girls’ Network has opened so many doors for me and I am so grateful for that. I would recommend the experience to anyone who has the opportunity to join. I would never have had the confidence or drive to put myself forward for both the Met Police scheme and university if it hadn’t of been for my mentor. I am so grateful for all the opportunities The Girls’ Network has given me and am now excited about my future.”
**Ambassador Ishrat in London**
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## **Case Studies**
**Melanie, mentor in the North East – first person account (adapted from a blog Melanie wrote for her employer)**
My happy place is volunteering to mentor girls in schools through The Girls’ Network...
I’ve worked with The Girls’ Network for the past two years mentoring two 14-year-old girls. Mentoring is a structured programme over the period of a year covering topics such as careers, confidence, questioning and resilience. The sessions were a mix of face-to-face (before Covid), moving to virtual once lockdown prevented meeting in person. Going forward, the sessions will be delivered as a hybrid of virtual and face-to-face (when Government guidelines allow).
This volunteering opportunity makes me happy knowing that I could really help someone who was at a crossroads in their life make decisions that would impact their future. Over the year of volunteering, you get to see your mentee grow and celebrate with them in an awards presentation at the end of the year.
I get a real sense of achievement in providing a perspective to choices that the mentee wouldn’t necessarily have had without The Girls’ Network. The support that I provided is around things the girls won’t necessarily get at home or school. The more volunteer mentors that the charity have, the more girls they can support. They really couldn’t do what they do without the support of female professionals volunteering their time.
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
## **Governance and accountability**
## **Charity object**
To advance for the public benefit the education of girls and young women in such ways as the trustees think fit, including but not limited to making facilities and services available to them with the particular (but not limited) aim of helping them win places at universities, colleges or institutions of higher education.
## **Public benefit**
All of our activities are undertaken to further our purposes for the public benefit, and are overseen by the Trustees to ensure that this is the case.
**Name of the charity:** The Girls’ Network
1156517 **Charity registration number:**
**Address of the principal office of the charity:** Unit 1, 41 Wenlock Road, London, N1 7SG
## **Charity Trustees**
## **Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows:**
Sue Rimmer OBE (Chair)
Hannah Essex (Vice-Chair)
Philippa Wilson (Resigned 10th December 2020
Claire Hopkins (Resigned 4th March 2021)
Gemma Gooch (Resigned 4th March 2021)
Michelle Rodrigues Sarah Vawda
## **Key Management Personnel**
CEO: Charly Young
Head of Programme: Krishna Hathi Head of Communications and Impact: Natalia Rossetti
Head of Fundraising: Nina Gopal Head of Finance and Operations: Fiona Stancombe
## **Auditor**
Slade & Cooper Limited
Beehive Mill, Jersey St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6JG
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The Girls’ Network is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, whose only voting members are its charity trustees.
The charity had a board of seven trustees and one CEO. The charity had a payroll of 20 full time staff, including the CEO.
Trustees are recruited through existing networks of professionals, mentors and partner organisations. Advertisements are also posted on national news websites and charity sector websites, including Reach. Trustee roles are outlined following an audit of the existing skills and resource on the board, and an examination of the key needs of the charity over the subsequent three years.
Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee is appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
## **Induction and training**
All trustees receive training in their role as a trustee and safeguarding. Every trustee receives an induction pack, is invited to mentor and expected to attend at least one mentoring event within their first six months of service to better understand the work of the charity and the impact that it has on the girls that we support.
## **Decision-making and governance**
Charity trustees make decisions about spends over £5,000 that are not part of the agreed budget for the charity. They also agree budgets for each year, including the cost of expanding the programme into a new region.
Trustees make decisions about partnerships or associations that could be deemed a risk to reputation or quality of delivery of the programme, as identified by the CEO. Trustees delegate the day-to-day running, recruitment and staff management, growth planning and spending decisions that are part of the core business of the charity to the CEO of the charity.
## **Financial Review: financial activity and financial position**
The Statement of Financial Activities and Balance Sheet can be found on page 20. The Charity’s reserves increased by £306,661 during the year (2020: increased by £66,003). The balance sheet shows total net assets of £453,263 (2020: £146,602).
## **Policies on reserves**
The Girls' Network' s policy on reserves is to aim to achieve 6 months’ total reserves (total reserves being unrestricted plus restricted reserves); and to have an aim to achieve a minimum of 3 months’ unrestricted reserves. This is to ensure that the charity is able to carry out its work should there be a break in funding. The charity is taking measures to ensure that future funding is in place and acknowledges that, in the current financial climate in particular, it is prudent to aim to have 3 months’ running costs as a minimum for reserves.
## **Going Concern**
The charity has adequate financial resources, included a good level of cash in hand, and so is well placed to manage the business risks. Our planning process, including financial projections, has taken into consideration the current economic climate and its potential impact on the various sources of income and planned expenditure.
The accounts are approved during a period where there is much uncertainty as a result of Covid-19. The Charity is constantly assessing the short and long term impact on its fundraising activities in the current climate.
The ultimate impact of Covid-19 on the charity is yet to be seen. Our cash deposits could easily be drawn down should working capital be required. Appropriate consideration of risks as part of the charity’s normal risk management processes, and the mitigating actions, has and continues to be taken.
The trustees believe that although there is uncertainty regarding Covid-19 the charity remains in a strong position and consider it appropriate for the going concern basis to be adopted for these accounts.
There are no other material uncertainties that call into doubt the charity’s ability to continue.
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
## **Governance and accountability**
## **Third party indemnity provisions**
There are no third-party indemnity provisions to disclose.
**Fundraising Compliance**
We undertake a range of fundraising activities in support of our charitable aims. Our approach includes:
>> partnerships with corporate supporters;
>> securing grants from trusts and foundations;
>> donations from individuals;
- >> sponsorship raised by individuals for challenge events, and sponsorship related to other events.
All of our fundraising activity is managed in-house. We did not engage the services of any professional fundraising agencies to undertake direct response fundraising solicitation or cultivation either by phone or face-to-face, during the year. We are committed to observing the highest possible standards in fundraising. We are required to comply with all relevant law and regulations.
## **Trustees' Responsibilities**
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities Act 2011 and the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Notwithstanding the explicit requirement in the extant statutory regulations, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the SORP 2005, in view of the fact that the SORP 2005 has been withdrawn, the Trustees determined to interpret this responsibility as requiring them to follow current best practice and prepare the accounts according to the FRS 102 SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting by Charities) 2015, (as amended by the Bulletin issued in February 2016), (The SORP).
In particular, charity law requires the Trustees, if they prepare accounts on an accruals basis, to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the end of the financial year and of the surplus or deficit of the charity. In preparing those financial statements the Trustees are required to:
>> prepare the accounts in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law);
>> select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; make Judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
>> prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business;
>> state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
The law requires that the trustees must not approve the accounts unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the surplus or deficit of the charity for the year.
The Trustees are also responsible for maintaining adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with regulations made under the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The Trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning its future activities. In particular, the Trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set.
The Trustees are also responsible for the contents of the Trustees' report, and the statutory responsibility of the Independent Examiner in relation to the Trustees' report is limited to examining the report and ensuring that, on the face of the report, there are no material inconsistencies with the figures disclosed in the financial statements.
## **Auditors**
Slade & Cooper Ltd were re-appointed as the charity's auditors during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.
**This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 30th September 2021 and signed on their behalf by Sue Rimmer OBE, Chair of Trustees.**
## **Signed** Sue Rimmer
## **Date 30 September 2021**
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
## **Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Girls’ Network**
**Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of The Girls’ Network (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2021 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and the related notes. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
## **In our opinion the financial statements:**
- >> give a true and fair view of the state of the charity’s affairs as at 31 March 2021, and of its incoming resources and application of resources, for the year then ended;
- >> have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- >> have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
## **Basis for opinion**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
## **Conclusions relating to going concern**
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use
of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
## **Conclusions relating to going concern**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to
## **Other information**
The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have
performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- >> the information given in the financial statements is inconsistent in any
material respect with the trustees’ report; or
- >> sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or
>> the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records; or
- >> we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit
## **Responsibilities of trustees**
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page XYZ, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of financial statements which give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
## **Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Girls’ Network** (Cont)
**Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements** We have been appointed as auditor under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with regulations made under section 154 of that Act. Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
- >> enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims.
- >> enquiry of the charity's staff, management and those charged with governance to identify any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations.
- >> reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance.
- >> reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting - - - Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/Our Work/Audit/Audit and assurance/ - - - - - - - Standards and guidance/Standards and guidance for auditors/Auditors - - - - - - - responsibilites for audit/Descripton of auditors responsibilites for audit.aspx This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
**Slade & Cooper Limited Statutory Auditors Beehive Jersey Street Manchester M4 6JG**
## **Date: 24 November 2021**
Slade & Cooper Limited is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.
- >> auditing the risk of management override of controls, including through testing journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, and evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business.
Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
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020
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# **I want every girl to know that her voice can change the world.**
**Malala Yousafzai** , Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest noble prize laureate
Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
Contents
021
Financials
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
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## **The Girls’ Network Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2021**
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Unrestricted Restricted Total funds Total funds
Note
funds (£) funds (£) 2021 (£) 2020 (£)
Income From:
–
Donations and legacies 3 250,103 250,103 195,793
Charitable activities:
4 308,312 419,487 727,799 464,836
Mentoring programme
Total Income 558,415 419,487 977,902 660,629
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities:
5 219,518 451,723 671,241 594,626
Mentoring programme
Total expenditure 219,518 451,723 671,241 594,626
Net income/(expenditure) before net
338,897 (32,236) 306,661 66,003
gains/(losses) on investments
Net income/(expenditure) for the year 5 338,897 (32,236) 306,661 66,003
– – – –
Transfer between funds
Net movement in funds for the year 338,897 (32,236) 306,661 66,003
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 31,446 115,156 146,602 80,599
Total funds carried forward 370,343 82,920 453,263 146,602
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The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
## **The Girls’ Network Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2021**
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2021 2020
Note
(£) (£)
Fixed Assets:
– –
Tangible assets 10 2,344 2,181
– –
Total fixed assets 2,344 2,181
Current Assets:
– –
Debtors 11 69,523 144,690
– –
Cash at bank and in hand 12 616,753 236,018
– –
Total current assets 686,276 380,708
Liabilities:
Creditors: amounts falling – –
13 (235,357) (236,287)
due in less than one year
– –
Net current assets 450,919 144,421
– –
Total assets less current liabilities 453,263 146,602
– –
Net assets 453,263 146,602
Funds of the charity:
– –
Restricted income funds 15 82,920 115,156
– –
Unrestricted income funds 16 370,343 31,446
– –
Total charity funds 453,263 146,602
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The notes on pages 22 to 30 form part of these accounts. Approved by the trustees on 30/09/2021 and signed on their behalf by: Sarah Vawda (Chair of Audit and Finance Committee)
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## **The Girls' Network Statement of Cash Flows for the year ending 31 March 2021**
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2021 2020
Note
(£) (£)
Cash provided by/(used in) – –
18 382,617 62,363
operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
– –
Purchase of tangible fixed assets (1,882) (3,271)
Cash provided by/(used in) – –
(1,822) (3,271)
operating activities
Increase/(decrease) in cash and – –
380,735 59,092
cash equivalents in the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the – –
236,018 176,926
beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents – –
616,753 236,018
at the end of the year
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## **The Girls' Network**
## **Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021**
**Accounting policies**
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
## **a. Basis of preparation**
The financial statements 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 applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), second edition - October 2019 (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared to give a 'true and fair view' and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair view'. This departure has involved following Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), second edition - October 2019, rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
The Girls' Network meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note.
**b. Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis** The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
There were no key judgments which the trustees have made which have a
significant effect on the accounts.
The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.
## **c. Income**
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the charity that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor’s intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.
Income received in advance of a provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.
## **d. Donated services and facilities**
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated
item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), general volunteer time is not recognised; refer to the trustees’ annual report for more information about their contribution.
On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
## **e. Interest receivable** |
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.
## **f. Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of charity.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose.
Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity’s work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.
## **g. Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
## **The Girls' Network**
## **Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **h. Operating leases**
Operating leases are leases in which the title to the assets, and the risks and rewards of ownership, remain with the lessor. Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.
## **i. Tangible fixed assets**
Individual fixed assets costing £250 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows:
## **Office fixtures and equipment 3 years**
## **j. Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **n. Pensions**
Employees of the charity are auto-enrolled in a defined contribution ‘money purchase’ scheme after 3 months' service. The charity’s contribution is restricted to the contributions disclosed in note 11. The outstanding contributions at the year end were £2,511.76 (2020: £1,752). There were no costs associated with running the defined contribution scheme.
The money purchase plan is managed by NEST and the plan invests the contributions made by the employee and employer in an investment fund to build up over the term of the plan a pension fund which is then converted into a pension upon the employee’s normal retirement year age when eligible for a state pension. The trust has no liability beyond making its contributions and paying across the deductions for the employee’s contributions.
## **k. Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
## **l. Creditors and provisions**
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.
## **m. Financial instruments**
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
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**Income from charitable activities**
## **Legal status of the charity**
The charity is a charitable incorporated organisation, registered as a charity in England & Wales.
**Income from donations and legacies**
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Unrestricted Restricted Total funds
Current reporting period
funds (£) funds (£) 2021 (£)
–
Donations 250,103 250,103
–
Total Income 250,103 250,103
Unrestricted Restricted Total funds
Previous reporting period
funds (£) funds (£) 2020 (£)
–
Donations 195,793 195,793
–
Total Income 195,793 195,793
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Unrestricted Restricted Total funds
Current reporting period
funds (£) funds (£) 2021 (£)
–
Income from schools 283,850 283,850
–
Income from Unrestricted Grants 24,462 24,462
–
Income from City & Guilds 37,420 37,420
–
Income from TVCA 60,000 60,000
–
Income from Dulverton Trust 31,000 31,000
–
Income from Big Lottery 145,558 145,558
–
Income from HIWCF 5,688 5,688
–
Income from Tampon Tax Community Fund 3,260 3,260
–
Income from Impact 100 15,000 15,000
–
Income from Joseph Levy 8,628 8,628
–
Income from People's Postcode Lottery 19,500 19,500
–
Income from Steve Morgan 11,250 11,250
–
Income from Sussex 4,997 4,997
–
Income from Wellesley 10,000 10,000
–
Income from Big Lottery - Covid emergency Fund 67,186 67,186
Subtotal for mentoring programme 308,312 419,487 727,799
Total Income 308,312 419,487 727,799
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## **Income from charitable activities cont.**
## **Net income/(expenditure) for the year**
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Unrestricted Restricted Total funds
Previous reporting period
funds (£) funds (£) 2020 (£)
–
Income from schools 224,616 224,616
–
Income from City & Guilds 34,050 34,050
–
Income from RSA 2,600 2,600
–
Income from Big Lottery 151,070 151,070
–
Income from St James's 2,500 2,500
–
Income from Tampon Tax Community Fund 5,000 5,000
–
Income from Millby Foundation 45,000 45,000
Subtotal for mentoring programme 224,616 240,220 464,836
Total Income 224,616 240,220 464,836
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**Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities**
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Total 2021 Total 2020
(£) (£)
Staff costs 600,348 472,171
Rent and office costs 41,067 59,854
Programme costs 25,108 58,092
Depreciation 1,718 1,509
Governance costs (Audit fee) 3,000 3,000
671,241 594,626
Restricted expenditure 451,723 294,588
Unrestricted expenditure 219,518 300,038
671,241 594,626
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Total 2021 Total 2020
This is stated after charging/(crediting):
(£) (£)
Depreciation 1,718 1,509
Auditor's remuneration - audit fees 3,000 3,000
Staff costs
Total 2021 Total 2020
Staff costs during the year were as follows:
(£) (£)
Wages and salaries 499,662 411,334
Social security costs 43,233 35,897
Pension costs 10,499 8,225
Contractor costs 47,604 16,715
600,998 472,171
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No employees has employee benefits in excess of £60,000 (2020: Nil).
The average number of staff employed during the period was 17.9 (2020: 14.7).
The average full time equivalent number of staff employed during the period was 17 (2020: 14).
The key management personnel of the charity comprise the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Management Team. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £158,429 (2020: £149,614).
**Trustee remuneration and expenses, and related party transactions**
No trustee nor any persons connected with them received any remuneration or reimbursed expenses during the year (2020: Nil).
There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties.
No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity, including guarantees, during the year (2020: nil).
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
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## **Corporation tax**
## **Debtors**
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within Chapter 3 of Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the charity.
## **Fixed assets: tangible assets**
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Cost Computer equipment (£)
At 1 April 2020 4,527
Additions 1,882
–
Disposals
At 31 March 2021 6,409
Depreciation Computer equipment (£)
At 1 April 2020 2,346
Charge for the year 1,719
–
Disposals
At 31 March 2021 4,065
Net book value Computer equipment (£)
At 31 March 2020 2,344
At 31 March 2021 2,181
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Total 2021 Total 2020
(£) (£)
Trade debtors 60,752 67,225
Prepayments and accrued income 8,771 77,465
69,523 144,690
Cash at bank and in hand
Total 2021 Total 2020
(£) (£)
Cash at bank and on hand 616,753 236,018
616,753 236,018
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Total 2021 Total 2020
(£) (£)
Trade creditors 7,508 15,947
Short term compensated absences (holiday pay) 13,216 7,143
Other creditors and accruals 9,543 11,858
Deferred income 202,578 185,226
Taxation and social security costs 2,512 16,113
235,357 236,287
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
029
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## **Deferred income**
|**Balance at**
**1 April 2020**
**(£)**
**Income received**
**(£)**
**Released in year**
**(£)**
**Balance at**
**31 March 2021**
**(£)**|**Balance at**
**1 April 2020**
**(£)**
**Income received**
**(£)**
**Released in year**
**(£)**
**Balance at**
**31 March 2021**
**(£)**|**Balance at**
**1 April 2020**
**(£)**
**Income received**
**(£)**
**Released in year**
**(£)**
**Balance at**
**31 March 2021**
**(£)**|**Balance at**
**1 April 2020**
**(£)**
**Income received**
**(£)**
**Released in year**
**(£)**
**Balance at**
**31 March 2021**
**(£)**|**Balance at**
**1 April 2020**
**(£)**
**Income received**
**(£)**
**Released in year**
**(£)**
**Balance at**
**31 March 2021**
**(£)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Schools|185,226|301,200|(283,848)|202,578|
## **Analysis of movements in restricted funds**
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Balance at Balance at
Income Expenditure Transfers
Current reporting period 1 April 2020 31 March 2021
(£) (£) (£)
(£) (£)
Mentoring programme
– –
Dulverton 31,000 (12,917) 18,083
– – –
Esmae Fairbairn (149) (149)
– – -
RSA 1,535 (1,535)
–
Big Lottery 59,878 145,558 (153,250) 52,186
–
City & Guilds 11,182 37,420 (36,655) 11,947
–
Tampon Tax Community Fund 4,384 3,260 (7,605) 39
– –
St James 46 (32) 14
– –
Millby Foundation 38,280 (45,646) (7,366)
– –
TVCA 60,000 (59,860) 140
– – –
HIWCF 5,688 (5,688)
– – –
Impact 100 15,000 (15,000)
– –
Joseph Levy 8,628 (7,886) 742
– –
People's Postcode 19,500 (16,250) 3,250
– –
Steve Morgan 11,250 (9,626) 1,624
– –
Sussex 4,997 (2,498) 2,499
– – –
Wellesley 10,000 (10,000)
– –
Big Lottery - Covid fund 67,186 (67,275) (89)
–
115,156 419,487 (451,723) 82,920
–
Total 115,156 419,487 (451,723) 82,920
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Balance at Balance at
Income Expenditure Transfers
Previous reporting period 1 April 2019 31 March 2020
(£) (£) (£)
(£) (£)
Mentoring programme
– – –
Dulverton 1,800 (1,800)
– –
Esmae Fairbairn 11,896 (12,045) (149)
–
RSA 1,622 2,600 (2,687) 1,535
Big Lottery 55,165 151,070 (223,786) 77,429 59,878
–
City & Guilds 14,112 34,050 (36,980) 11,182
– –
Tampon Tax Community Fund 5,000 (616) 4,384
– –
St James 2,500 (2,454) 46
– –
Millby Foundation 45,000 (6,720) 38,280
– – –
The Fore 7,500 (7,500)
92,095 240,220 (294,588) 77,429 115,156
Total 92,095 240,220 (294,588) 77,429 115,156
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## **Analysis of movement in unrestricted funds**
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Balance at Balance at
Income Expenditure Transfers
Current reporting period 1 April 2020 31 March 2021
(£) (£) (£)
(£) (£)
–
General fund 31,446 558,415 (219,518) 370,343
–
31,446 558,415 (219,518) 370,343
Balance at Balance at
Income Expenditure Transfers
Previous reporting period 1 April 2019 31 March 2020
(£) (£) (£)
(£) (£)
General fund (11,496) 420,409 (300,038) (77,429) 31,446
(11,496) 420,409 (300,038) (77,429) 31,446
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**Name of unrestricted fund Description, nature and purposes of the fund** General fund The free reserves after allowing for all designated funds
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Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
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**Analysis of net assets between funds**
## **Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2021 2020
(£) (£)
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Designated Restricted
General fund Total
funds funds
Current reporting period
(£) (£)
(£) (£)
Mentoring programme
– –
Tangible fixed assets 2,344 2,344
–
Other net current assets/(liabilities) 367,999 82,920 450,919
–
Total 370,343 82,920 453,263
Designated Restricted
General fund Total
funds funds
Previous Reporting Period
(£) (£)
(£) (£)
Mentoring programme
– –
Tangible fixed assets 2,181 2,181
–
Other net current assets/(liabilities) 29,265 115,156 144,421
–
Total 31,446 115,156 146,602
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||||
|---|---|---|
|**Net income/(expenditure) for the year**|**306,661**|**66,003**|
|**Adjustments for**|||
|Depreciaton charge|1,719|1,509|
|Decrease/(increase) in debtors|75,167|(78,284)|
|Increase/(decrease) in creditors|(930)|73,135|
|**Net cash provided by/(used in) operatng actvites**|**382,617**|**62,363**|
Trustee Annual Report & Accounts 2021
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