## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
**A company limited by guarantee**
**REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 31 Mar 2024**
**Charity number 1157078**
**Company number 08838624**
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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) (effective 1 January 2019).
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **Objectives:**
The principal object of the charity is to relieve the needs of children and young people, adults and families who have suffered from and/or are likely to suffer from violence in their homes or elsewhere particularly by the provision of support services and advice calculated to relieve those needs.
## **Our Mission Statement:**
We support children, young people and families affected by domestic violence and abuse, in North Tyneside and Northumberland. We aim to help survivors to recognise their own strengths and skills, putting the power of their recovery in their hands. Together, we stand tall.
## **Our values**
- physical and emotional safety
- trustworthiness and transparency
- choice and collaboration
- empowerment by having a voice
## **Our Aims:**
We will safeguard and promote the safety, welfare and rights of children, young people and their families who have suffered from violence and abuse within their home. We aim to:
- Improve the physical and mental health and well-being of families who have been impacted by domestic abuse;
- Increase their personal resources by building self-esteem, confidence and assertiveness; Empower them to increase their self-efficacy and live safely and independently;
- Connect them to like-minded peers and reduce isolation, improving personal support networks and reducing the need for intensive intervention in the future.
## **Significant activities:**
Acorns has been providing valued services to victims and survivors of domestic violence aged four to 18 and their family members in North Tyneside for over 20 years, and services in Northumberland since 2018. Acorns specialises in play therapy, one-to-one trauma informed counselling services, a wide range of wrap-around services such as parent and carer support, group work, prevention and healthy relationships work in schools and colleges, and one-to-one mental health and wellbeing support; in house, and in schools and the community.
## **Public benefit:**
Acorns works with survivors of domestic abuse of all ages towards achieving positive outcomes. Specialist services have been developed to tackle the incidence and impact of domestic violence and abuse by improving safety, improving mental and physical health, increasing self-esteem and confidence, thereby increasing individual and family life chances. Information is strongly promoted
1
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
to partner agencies and within the community to ensure services reach those in the greatest need, with a particular focus on safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk of harm.
The trustees consider that they comply with their duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to public benefit.
## **Volunteers:**
Acorns holds volunteers in high regard for their contributions at all levels of the organisation. Volunteers are trustees, fundraisers, peer supporters, and include our Adult Recovery Team and Family Support Team volunteers. As highly valued members of the team they receive induction and ongoing supervision and training.
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 2023/2024**
## **Context and background:**
We are a trauma informed organisation and all our services are designed around the needs of the individual and/or the family unit. We provide our services free, at our two premises in North Shields and our Wallsend Community hub, out in the community and within schools, colleges and children�s centres, including those throughout Northumberland. We are experts in delivering domestic abuse services and of developing our services to meet the ongoing needs of the families we work with.
Entry into the service is through a children�s referral. If a child has been accepted for one of our services, this grants access to our wraparound services for the rest of their family, such as supplementary activities and groups. This holistic, service user led approach aims to strengthen the family unit, focussing on resilience while improving attachment, trust and familial bonds.
## **One Door � Many Rooms:**
We provide a four-tier service, and families work with us to create a bespoke care plan, based on their individual needs:
## **Tier 1 - Prevention**
Advice & guidance and signposting for the whole family
- Text helpline for young people
- Prevention programmes including healthy relationships work Psychoeducational and introductory welcome workshops for parents Drop in and flexible support services
## **Tier 2 � Coping**
Crisis support First Response Service for children aged 11+ - risk & safety planning
- Group programmes � Roots (age 8-12 � wellbeing and coping strategies) and Healing Together® Emotional and practical support for carers (Family Support Service) Advocacy for adults and children
Ad hoc interim support while awaiting counselling
## **Tier 3 - Participating**
- Whole-family free activities to promote bonding and attachment for example: sports/water sports/day trips/short programmes
2
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** For the year ended 31 March 2024
- Adult peer support groups (parental engagement) - 'Intro to Acorns' sessions, crafts, coffee mornings, psychoeducation
- Adult Participation Board � regularly feeding into our work through co-production of adult services, consultations and feedback
- Open days and seasonal events
- Acorns Youth Panel - survivor voice panel, young people aged 13+, who deliver events, projects, marketing materials, and report to local domestic abuse strategic boards to ensure their voices are heard.
**Tier 4 - Recovery**
- Counselling and music, art and play therapy for children and young people including Theraplay ® Traumaplay ®, Forest School, and Neurofeedback Therapy will be available from 2024
- Family therapies and family group work, parent and child bespoke interventions, young people�s group programmes
- One to one mental health and wellbeing case work, both in house and in schools and the community
- Parent/carer counselling service
## **The impact of our work**
Domestic abuse is a complex form of trauma, which presents in multifaceted ways. Survivors may experience a wide range of effects including: high levels of anxiety; self-blame; low self-esteem and self-worth; exhaustion; fear; anxiety; depression; loss of self-efficacy; social isolation; loss of trust; traumatic bonding; diminished perceptions of alternatives; hyper-arousal; hyper-vigilance; and impaired decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
Our work aims to:
- Improve the physical, mental health and well-being of service users who have been impacted by trauma;
- Increase their personal resources by building self-esteem, confidence and assertiveness;
- Empower them to increase their self-efficacy and live safely and independently.
Our work is based around the TIME (trauma informed model of empowerment) model. The key elements of this are:
- Place and retain the survivor at the centre of practice;
- Continuous assessment of need through review and reflection;
- Accessible: enable survivors to benefit from support;
- Responsive: meet survivors� needs;
- Adaptable: to respond to the needs of survivors at each point of contact;
- Safe environment: supporting survivors to reconnect with a sense of self and control;
- Relational connection to build relationships: facilitated though trust, compassion and empathy;
- Empowerment: identify and promote strengths;
- Effective interventions meet survivors needs: reduce the impacts of trauma.
3
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** For the year ended 31 March 2024
Our range of services can be put together as a holistic package for a family, ensuring their needs are met. This approach involves the whole family in decision making, and families work with us to develop their own support plans. We only work with families, not single adults for which other services are available.
We also provide access to family therapies, attachment work, and access to supplementary whole family activities, to help strengthen the family bonds and rebuild trust.
We work with children, young people and adults, and with more than one family member at a time. Most adults who use our services are women - around 96%, however we work with non-abusing male carers and an increasing number of men access our services.
## **The families who access our services say:**
terrible but over the last few weeks he rests/ goes to sleep when I say. He loves his time with you- he
4
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** For the year ended 31 March 2024
**Improving the lives of the people that use our services**
In 23-24 we offered 5058 1-1 sessions and delivered 4777 1-1 sessions to 420 children and young people, and 143 adults across all our teams and services. The team provided an additional 638 sessions through group activities.
We responded to an increase in demand for group programmes and participation opportunities, with impact measurements indicating equal or greater impact for those who attended group activities as who complete 1-1 interventions. 1-1 interventions took longer; around 60% of young people who received 1-1 support received over 13 sessions, rather than the planned 9-12 sessions. However, despite the diversification of services, and extended 1:1 support, wait times have remained steady, and in some areas have reduced, demonstrating that the teams are confidently managing these changes.
We recognise and acknowledge the dedication and hard work of our multi-skilled, highly effective staff team, who have made this possible.
We received over 800 referrals for all of our services in 23-24.
-
-
- Our Family Support team supported 30 parents/carers
-
- Our Adult Counselling Team supported 78 parents/carers
- An increase in our family and group offer saw 638 attendances at these events
- The team delivered information sharing sessions to over 300 professionals at meetings, events and focus groups, and training sessions.
5
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
We record all our case work on a bespoke case management system, Charity Log. This allows us to report on a wide range of data, which then helps to inform ongoing service improvements.
In addition, we carry out comprehensive evaluations with both primary carers and young people using our service, including:
- The CORE-IMS clinical monitoring tool which measures clinical improvements in mood and wellbeing for adults accessing their own therapy;
- The Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Health & Wellbeing Scale, for our outreach work with children and young people, and our family support work with parents and carers; We also phased out the SDQ (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and introduced a bespoke outcomes measure, the Acorns Goal Based Outcomes (GBO) Measure.
All the tools show positive improvements in mental health and wellbeing for service users.
## **Volunteers**
Our volunteer development continued and volunteer support within our adult counselling service is well established with the service performing extremely highly in this period. The CORE (see above) impact data from this service shows an improvement in _89%_ of _completed_ cases, which is an exceptional result for counselling services for this client group. _Overall average_ of scores in the period shows consistent improvement with scores dropping from Moderate Severe clinical need to Mild clinical need.
We now have a group of ten volunteers in our adult counselling service, and our trainee children�s counsellors continue to excel. In 23-24 we offered additional volunteer opportunities within our Family Support team, creating opportunities for peer support for parents and carers, and have two regular contributors.
## **Partnership Working**
Partnership and collaborative working is central to delivering effective services for all our service users:
- Partnership work is a strength across all our teams, and has been acknowledged across all services. Workers talk about the importance of their relationships with schools, early help workers, youth justice and others. We know we can achieve better outcomes for children and young people when we can work together effectively and feedback from our partners is very important to us. We are part of an integrated service of providers in Northumberland, and work closely with Harbour, NDAS (Northumberland Domestic Abuse Service), Cygnus Support and Rape Crisis to support survivors and their families. In North Tyneside and Northumberland, we work at a multiagency level to ensure the safety of our beneficiaries.
- We partner with North Tyneside Art Studio and share a local community hub in Wallsend that brings people in the local community together, improving mental health and reducing isolation. Our Family Support team linked with two solicitors� practices who now offer free advice to our adult service users.
- We are part of the North Tyneside Mental Health Alliance, regularly attending events and offering support to other organisations.
6
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** For the year ended 31 March 2024
- Our Youth Panel has been involved in national consultations including with Safe Lives, and with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner�s Office, and producing a guide for professionals which has been disseminated throughout North Tyneside and Northumberland, and a video which was very positively received.
- Our CEO attended a Government Round Table with the Secretary for Safeguarding in September 2023 and presented Acorns Model as an example of best practice for working with children affected by domestic abuse.
## **Financial Stability**
In this period, we successfully managed all contracts and grants reaching targets and milestones as required. We received funding from:
- National Lottery Community Fund
- 1989 Willan Charitable Trust
- St James Place Foundation
- NLCF Awards for All
- Angus Lawson Memorial Trust
- LGA Foundation
- Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
- Masonic Charitable Foundation
- Sir James Knott Trust
- Garfield Weston Foundation
- Postcode Lottery Fund
- Community Foundation � Northumberland Village Homes Trust
- NOPCC Community DA and SV Fund
- NOPCC PVSC Fund 22/23
- Ballinger Charitable Trust REACH fund
- The Coutts Foundation
- North Tyneside Council
- Northumberland County Council
In total over 2023/24 we received income from these 19 separate funding sources, and raised over £10,000 from fundraising, donations, and one-off unrestricted grants.
## **Networking and Information Sharing**
Our website is regularly updated, and we connect with service users, the public and professional through our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linked In pages. We are registered for Google My Business, and between November 2023 and April 2024 we registered:
- 637 business interactions
- 2549 people viewed
- 120 calls made
- 260 directions
- 257 website clicks
7
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** For the year ended 31 March 2024
## **Strengthening the organisation**
## **Training**
We are strongly committed to developing our workforce and staff undertook training, including child protection, first aid, data protection, equality and diversity and health & safety training, and undertaking continuous professional development opportunities appropriate to their roles, such as Forest School and our TIME (trauma informed model of empowerment) training.
## **Organisational Development**
This year, we have:
- Continued to improve our case management and reporting systems, and our outcome measurement to reflect the increased complex range of services we offer, allowing for detailed reporting and performance management
- Continued to invest in IT hardware and software
- Maintained a full staff team
- Refined monitoring systems and started to make use of emerging trends in data to develop services
- Come to the end of a successful 3-year Strategy covering 2021 � 2024, and we began planning for the next three years
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **Reserves policy**
We aim to maintain a level of free reserves sufficient to meet the charity�s working capital requirements for at least 6 months in the event of a significant drop in funding. The reserves are needed to meet the working capital requirements of the charity in order to maintain the charity's current activities. The present level of reserves available to the charity of £210,040 equivalent to four months of annual expenditure does not meet this target level.
## **Financial position**
Incoming resources in the period were £650,015 (2023: £628,004). Of this amount £173,240 (2023: £217,220) related to restricted project activities. There was a surplus of £9,174 (2023: £3,945) in the period. At 31 March 2024 total reserves were £210,040 (2023: £200,866) of which restricted funds were £nil (2023: £nil) and £210,040 (2023: £200,866) of unrestricted.
Acorns could not carry out the work that it does without the generous support of its funders. We would like to thank all of our funders, the list of whom is shown above, for their valued support.
8
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
Key financial details of the year are:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Income increased by 3.5% to £650k
Annual Costs increased by 2.6% to £641k
Operating Surplus increased by £5k to £9k
Average Staff numbers 2
Net Current Assets � these are the funds we have available increased by 4.6% to £210k
to meet our monthly costs.
How long would our net current assets last, until our 110 days
running costs reduced them to nil?
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Going concern statement**
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. In making their assessment the trustees have reviewed and considered relevant information, including their annual budget and future cash flows. The Trustees are of the view that the immediate future of the charity for the next 12 months is secure and that on this basis the charity is a going concern.
## **Risk Management**
The Trustees have a risk management strategy that comprises:
- An annual review of the risks the charity may face;
- The implementation and review of a formal risk mapping system and procedures to mitigate identified risks;
- The implementation of systems and procedures designed to minimise any potential impact on the Trust should they materialise.
## **Financial Risk**
The organisation undertakes an annual strategic review to assess uncertainty in the economic climate and to mitigate any significant external risks to funding. Each year the organisation produces updated Business and Action Plans on which trustees and staff are fully consulted and progress against these is reviewed quarterly. A key element in the management of financial risk is the setting of a Reserves Policy and its regular review by trustees.
## **FUTURE PLANS**
Over 2023/24 we have begun work to prioritise business development and income generation plans, working towards making our organisation more sustainable, and identifying/seeking alternative funding streams as longer-term grants come to an end. We plan to increase the funds incoming through corporate fundraising, by extending our networks and creating mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses.
We are actively seeking a new premises as part of these plans, that will also allow us to further embed our services in our communities, and to work in partnership with other like-minded organisations.
9
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
We will further develop our participation objective, with our Youth Panel actively involved in local, regional and national work, supporting them effectively to ensure their voices are heard. Our Adult Participation Board also has plans for activism and consultancy work.
We will release our next 3-Year strategy for Acorns, with consultation currently underway with staff, our beneficiaries and commissioners and stakeholders.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **Registered company number:**
08838624 (England and Wales)
## **Registered charity number:**
1157078
## **Registered Office**
7 Alma Place North Shields Tyne and Wear NE29 0LZ
## **Trustees**
Ruth Lewis Keith John Williamson - Treasurer Deborah Heron � Deputy Chair Fabienne Thompson - Chair Stefenie Anderson Lisa Stephenson
Resigned 10 May 2024
## **Company Secretary**
A Traynor
## **Key Management Personnel**
A Traynor
## **Independent Examiner**
Jim Dodds 33 The Glebe Morpeth NE61 6HW
## **Bankers**
Barclays Bank Plc 3 Northumberland Square North Shields Tyne and Wear NE30 1QX
10
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
## **Governing Document**
Acorns (North Tyneside) is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 9th January 2014 and registered as a charity on 16th May 2014. The company was established under Articles of Association establishing the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.
## **Recruitment and appointment of new trustees**
The Charity must have a minimum of three trustees with no maximum, the age eligibility is 16 years or over, all of whom must support the objects of the charity. The trustees are elected on a rolling basis at Board Meetings.
## **Organisational structure**
The charity and its property are administered and managed by the trustees in accordance with the Memorandum, the Articles and the Companies and Charities Acts.
## **Induction and training of new trustees**
New trustees meet with the Chief Executive Officer and the Board who provide them with a comprehensive introduction to Acorns. They receive the charitable status handbook, a copy of the Articles and the last published Financial Statements and are offered training in areas where they perceive they may have weaknesses.
## **Working relationships**
We work closely with the local authority domestic abuse teams, children's services and with Harbour, and local schools and colleges to support families affected by domestic abuse. We feed into MARAC (Multi-agency Risk Assessment Conference) processes and are members of the North Tyneside and Northumberland Domestic Abuse Partnerships, and are involved with the Domestic Abuse Champions scheme.
## **Trustees responsibilities in relation to the financial statement**
The charity trustees are responsible for preparing a trustees� annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable group for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice); make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
11
**ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)** (A company limited by guarantee)
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** For the year ended 31 March 2024
- The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and the group and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial
governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 27 November 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
Fabienne Thompson Chairperson
12
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
I report on the financial statements of Acorns (North Tyneside) for the year ended 31 March 2024, which are set out on pages 14 to 26.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity's trustees (who are also directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a Fellow of the Association of Charity Independent Examiners.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act), and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's statement**
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; or
- the accounts do not accord with such records; or
- the accounts do not comply with relevant accounting requirements under section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102).
I have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Jim Dodds FCIE 33 The Glebe Morpeth NE61 6HW Date: 27
13
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
(INCLUDING SUMMARY INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)
For the year ended 31 March 2024
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Funds Funds 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Income from:
Donations and legacies 6 5,290 - 5,290 31,084
Charitable activities
Grants and contracts 7 461,794 173,240 635,034 591,541
Other trading activities 8 9,677 - 9,677 5,364
Investments 9 14 - 14 15
Total income 476,775 173,240 650,015 628,004
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 10 173 - 173 251
Charitable activities
Operation of the charity 11 467,428 173,240 640,668 623,808
Total expenditure 467,601 173,240 640,841 624,059
Net income/(expenditure) and net -
9,174 9,174 3,945
movement of funds
Reconciliation of funds
-
Total funds brought forward 200,866 200,866 196,921
Total funds carried forward 210,040 - 210,040 200,866
Notes
**----- End of picture text -----**
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The notes on pages 17 to 26 form an integral part of these accounts.
14
Charity Number 1157078
Company Number 08838624
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **BALANCE SHEET**
As at 31 March 2024
|**Current assets**
Debtors
18
Cash at bank and in hand
19
**_Total current assets_**
**Creditors:**amounts falling due within
one year
20
**_Net current assets_**
**_Total assets less current liabilities_**
**_Total net assets or liabilities_**
**Funds of the charity**
Unrestricted income funds
Restricted income funds
**_Total funds_**
Notes|**£**
6,131
276,914
**283,045**
**( 73,005 )**|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**210,040**
**210,040**
**210,040**
210,040
-
**210,040**|**£**
10,931
224,386
**235,317**
**( 34,451 )**|**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**200,866**
**200,866**
**200,866**
200,866
-
**200,866**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The company was entitled to an exemption from audit under s477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act with the respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to small companies subject to the small companies regime and in accordance with FRS102 SORP.
The notes on pages 17 to 26 form an integral part of these accounts.
These financial statements were approved by the Board on:
and are signed on its behalf by: Keith Willamson Trustee
15
Charity Number 1157078 Company Number 08838624
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2024 2023
£ £
Cash flows from operating activities
Net Movement in funds 9,174 3,945
Add back:
Deduct interest income shown in investment activities ( 14 ) ( 15 )
Decrease in trade receivables 4,800 ( 10,931 )
Increase in trade payables 38,554 ( 53,568 )
Cash generated from operations 52,514 ( 60,569 )
Cash flow from investing activities
Interest received 14 15
Net cash used in investing activities 14 15
Increase in cash and cash equivalents 52,528 ( 60,554 )
Cash and cash equivalents at start of year 224,386 284,940
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 276,914 224,386
Notes
**----- End of picture text -----**
The notes on pages 17 to 26 form an integral part of these accounts.
16
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
## 1 **Accounting Policies**
The principle accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
## 2 **Basis of accounting**
## 2.1 **Basis of preparation**
These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) �Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
Acorns (North Tyneside) meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
## 2.2 **Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis**
The charity reported total unrestricted funds at the year end of £210,040 and has already secured a significant amount of funding for the current year. The trustees are of the view that the immediate future of the charity for the next 12 to 18 months is secure and that on this basis the charity is a going concern.
## 3 **Income**
## 3.1 **Recognition of income**
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the resources, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is more likely than not that the resources will be received and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliably.
## 3.2 **Offsetting**
There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses, unless required or permitted by FRS102 SORP or FRS102.
## 3.3 **Grants and donations**
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.
Income received in advance or provision of other specified service is deferred until the criteria of income recognition are met.
17
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
## 3.4 **Donated goods and services**
Donated goods are measured at fair value (the amount for which the asset could be exchanged) unless impractical to do so.
Donated services and facilities are included in the SoFA when received at the value of the gift to the charity provided that the value of the gift can be measured reliably. Donated services and facilities that are consumed immediately are recognised as income with the equivalent amount recognised as an expense under the appropriate heading in the SoFA.
## 3.5 **Volunteer help**
The value of volunteer help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees' annual report.
## 3.6 **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.
## 3.7 **Income from membership subscriptions**
Membership subscriptions received in the nature of a gift are recognised in donations and legacies.
Membership subscriptions which gives a member the right to buy services or other benefits are recognised as income earned from the provision of goods and services as income from charitable activities.
## 3.8 **Investment gains and losses**
This includes any realised or unrealised gains or losses on the sale of investment and any gain or loss resulting from revaluing investments to market value at the end of the year.
## 3.9 **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 charities' work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.
## 4 **Expenditure and liabilities**
## 4.1 **Liability recognition**
Liabilities are recognised when it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
## 4.2 **Charitable activities**
All expenditure is accounted for on an accrual basis. Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of services to families and other activities undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated
18
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
## 4.3 **Governance and support costs**
Support costs have been allocated between governance cost and other support. Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice.
Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## 4.4 **Irrecoverable VAT**
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
## 4.5 **Creditors**
The charity has creditors which are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts.
## 4.6 **Provisions for liabilities**
A liability is measured on recognition at its historical cost and then subsequently measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date.
## 4.6 **Pensions**
The pension costs charged in the financial statements represent the contribution payable by the charity during the year.
## 5 **Assets**
## 5.1 **Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity**
Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows:
The Charity currently has no tangible fixed assets.
## 5.2 **Debtors**
Debtors are measured at their recoverable amounts, being the amount the charity anticipates it will receive in settlement of the dept.
19
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
|**Analysis of income**
6
**Donations and legacies**
7
**Charitable activities**
Income from grants
_Sub total_
National Lottery Fund RC North East Region
BBC Children in Need
LGA Foundation
Postcode Trust
Donations
Grey College
The Coutts Foundation
Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
Sir James Knott Trust
Garfield Weston Foundation
1989 Willan Trust
Sy James's Place Foundation
The Bay Church
The Elsie Davis Trust
REACH Fund
Community Foundation Northumberland Village
Homes Trust
Masonic Charitable Foundation
Other small grants
National Lottery Fund Awards for All
Ballinger Charitable Trust
Angus Lawson Memorial Trust|Unrestricted
Funds
£
5,290
-
-
-
5,290
58,700
-
-
15,000
40,000
-
30,000
-
15,000
30,000
-
-
-
-
5,000
-
-
193,700|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
10,000
10,000
-
-
-
-
10,000
-
-
20,000
5,000
5,000
5,540
-
5,000
-
70,540|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**5,290**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**5,290**
**58,700**
**10,000**
**10,000**
**15,000**
**40,000**
**-**
**30,000**
**10,000**
**15,000**
**30,000**
**20,000**
**5,000**
**5,000**
**5,540**
**5,000**
**5,000**
**-**
**264,240**|Total
2023
£
12,042
8,542
5,500
5,000
31,084
40,000
-
-
-
-
34,026
30,000
10,000
-
-
20,000
-
-
-
5,000
-
930
139,956|
|---|---|---|---|---|
20
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
## 7 **Charitable activities** continued
|8
9|_Brought forward_
Statutory income
Other income
**Other trading activities**
Fundraising events
Earned income
**Income from investments**
North Tyneside Council
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
(PVSC Fund)
Other income
North Tyneside CCG
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
(Community DA and SV Fund)
Northumberland County Council
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
(Supporting Victims Fund)
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
(CADA Fund)
Room hire
Bank interest|Unrestricted
Funds
£
193,700
158,000
-
98,324
-
-
-
6,770
5,000
461,794
5,658
2,826
1,193
9,677
14
14|Restricted
Funds
£
70,540
-
-
-
-
-
42,500
60,200
-
173,240
-
-
-
-
-
-|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**264,240**
**158,000**
**-**
**98,324**
**-**
**-**
**42,500**
**66,970**
**5,000**
**635,034**
**5,658**
**2,826**
**1,193**
**9,677**
**14**
**14**|Total
2023
£
139,956
189,213
16,314
106,659
16,494
41,996
42,500
33,360
5,049
591,541
2,600
2,764
-
5,364
15
15|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income was £650,015 (2023: £628,004) of which £476,775 was unrestricted or designated (2023: £410,784) and £173,240 was restricted (2023: £217,220).
21
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
## **Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities**
|10
11|**_Raising funds_**
**_Charitable activities_**
Direct costs
Support costs
Governance costs
Management staff salaries
Training
Rent
General running costs
Trustees meeting costs
Events and activities
Sessional work
Volunteer costs
Client expenses
Room hire
Recruitment
Professional fees
Independent examiner's fees for reporting on
the accounts
Staff salaries
Staff travel & other staff costs
Equipment and materials
Fundraising costs
Consultancy and supervision|Unrestricted
Funds
£
173
173
228,810
7,443
1,470
5,211
6,112
26
774
6,591
3,262
7,126
1,449
94,568
52,913
39,743
10,744
236
950
467,428|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
145,875
5,202
926
3,630
1,662
27
341
4,608
198
4,701
530
-
-
-
5,540
-
-
173,240|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**173**
**173**
**374,685**
**12,645**
**2,396**
**8,841**
**7,774**
**53**
**1,115**
**11,199**
**3,460**
**11,827**
**1,979**
**94,568**
**52,913**
**39,743**
**16,284**
**236**
**950**
**640,668**|Total
2023
£
251
251
368,973
10,400
3,363
7,993
5,364
422
415
10,913
4,901
8,426
1,517
92,572
50,958
45,819
10,822
-
950
623,808|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Expenditure on charitable activities was £640,841 (2023: £624,059) of which £467,601 was unrestricted or designated (2023: £386,055) and £173,240 was restricted (2023: £238,004).
## 12 **Fees for examination of the accounts**
|Independent examiner's fees for reporting on the accounts|**2024**
**£**
**950**
**950**|2023
£
950
950|
|---|---|---|
There were no other fees paid to the examiner (2023: £nil)
22
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
## 13 **Analysis of staff costs, and the cost of key management personnel**
|Pension costs (defined contribution pension plan)
Salaries and wages
Social security costs|**2024**
**£**
**426,941**
**33,927**
**8,385**
**469,253**|2023
£
420,792
33,509
7,245
461,545|
|---|---|---|
No employee received remuneration above £60,000 (2023: nil).
The key management personnel of the charity, comprise the Trustees and the Chief Executive. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £51,147 (2023: £51,567).
## 14 **Staff Numbers**
The average monthly head count was 21 staff (2023: 21 staff) and the average monthly number of full-time equivalent employees during the year were as follows:
|Charitable activities
Administration
The parts of the charity in which the employee's work:|**2024**
**Number**
**15.5**
**1.8**
**17.3**|2023
Number
14.0
1.8
15.8|
|---|---|---|
## 15 **Transactions with trustees**
None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with their charity or a related entity.
## **Trustees' expenses**
No trustee expenses have been incurred in the year.
## **Transaction(s) with related parties**
There has been no related party transactions in the reporting period.
## 16 **Defined contribution pension scheme**
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
The employer's pension costs represent contributions payable by the charity to the fund and amount to £8,385 (2023: £7,245). There was £1,668 outstanding as at 31 March 2024 (2023: £1,583).
## 17 **Corporation Taxation**
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objectives.
23
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
|18 **Debtors and prepayments (receivable within 1 year)**
Other debtors
Prepayments
Trade debtors|**2024**
**£**
**608**
**5,523**
**-**
**6,131**|2023
£
9,638
-
1,293
10,931|
|---|---|---|
|19
Short term deposits
Cash at bank
Cash in hand
**Cash at bank and in hand**|**2024**
**£**
**6**
**276,613**
**295**
**276,914**|2023
£
6
224,080
300
224,386|
|---|---|---|
## 20 **Creditors and accruals (payable within 1 year)**
|Other creditors
Taxation and social security
Deferred income
Trade creditors
Pension
Independent examination of accounts
Accruals
Other accruals|**2024**
**£**
**-**
**6,887**
**1,668**
**950**
**-**
**63,500**
**-**
**73,005**|2023
£
47
-
1,583
950
633
-
31,238
34,451|
|---|---|---|
## 21 **Deferred income**
Deferred income comprises of advance payments from grants that relate to future periods
|Amount deferred in year
Amount released to income earned from
charitable activities
Balance brought forward
Balance carried forward|**2024**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**63,500**
**63,500**|
|---|---|
## 22 **Events after the end of the reporting period**
No events (not requiring adjustment to the accounts) have occurred after the end of the reporting period but before the accounts are authorised which relate to conditions that arose after the end of the reporting period.
24
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
## 23 **Analysis of charitable funds**
## **Analysis of movements in unrestricted funds**
|**Unrestricted funds**
General unrestricted fund
**_Totals_**|**Fund**
**balances**
**brought**
**forward**
£
200,866
200,866|**Incoming**
**resources**
£
476,775
476,775|**Resources**
**expended**
£
( 467,601 )
( 467,601 )|**Transfers**
£
-
-|**Fund**
**balances**
**carried**
**forward**
**£**
**210,040**
**210,040**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## **Purpose of unrestricted funds**
General unrestricted fund The 'free reserves' of the charity.
## **Analysis of movement in restricted funds**
|**Restricted funds**
Prevent and Cope Adults
Prevent and Cope Children and
Young People
Recovery North Tyneside
Recovery Northumberland
Reach Fund
**_Totals_**|**Fund**
**balances**
**brought**
**forward**
£
-
-
-
-
-
-|**Incoming**
**resources**
£
20,000
62,700
45,000
40,000
5,540
173,240|**Resources**
**expended**
£
( 20,000 )
( 62,700 )
( 45,000 )
( 40,000 )
( 5,540 )
( 173,240 )|**Transfers**
£
-
-
-
-
-
-|**Fund**
**balances**
**carried**
**forward**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## **Purpose of restricted funds**
Restricted funds represent income resources used for a specific purpose within the charity as identified by the donor.
Prevent and Cope Adults
Prevent and Cope Children and Young People
Recovery North Tyneside
Recovery Northumberland
Reach Fund
Adult counselling service and Family Support service working with adults aged 18+.
Young people's outreach 1-1 service, teen relationship service, First Response Service, flexible drop in for teens, group programme provision.
Therapeutic interventions and counselling for children and young people aged 4-18 in North Tyneside.
Therapeutic interventions and counselling for children and young people aged 4-14 in Northumberland.
Consultancy support with locating new premises.
25
## **ACORNS (NORTH TYNESIDE)**
(A company limited by guarantee)
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
For the year ended 31 March 2024
## 24 **Capital commitments**
As at 31 March 2024, the charity had no capital commitments (2023 -£nil).
## 25 **Analysis of net assets between funds**
|Cash at bank and in hand
Other net current assets/(liabilities)
Other net current assets/(liabilities)
Cash at bank and in hand|Unrestricted
Funds
£
276,914
( 66,874 )
210,040
Unrestricted
Funds
£
224,386
( 23,520 )
200,866|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**276,914**
**( 66,874 )**
**210,040**
**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**224,386**
**( 23,520 )**
**200,866**|
|---|---|---|---|
26