Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
Charity Registration Number: 1159222
The Talking Taboos Foundation (a Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Annual Report and Unaudited Financial Statements For the Period Ended 31 December 2024
Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
| Contents | Page |
|---|---|
| Reference and administration information | 1 |
| Trustees’ annual report | 2 |
| Independent examiner’s report | 5 |
| Directors’ report | 7 |
| Accountants’ report | 8 |
| Statement of financial activities | 9 |
| Balance sheet | 10 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 11 |
Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Reference and Administration Information
Trustees Louise Margaret Grace McLaren (appointed 14[th] June 2024) Shivani Gangrade (appointed 14[th] June 2024) Katie Louise Mallion (appointed 14[th] June 2024) Hannah Marcus Giles Gibbons Registered Charity Number 1159222 Registered Office Unit 5, Callow pk Callow Hill Brinkworth SN15 5FD Independent Examiners Purple Lime Accountancy Limited Unit 5, Callow pk Callow Hill Brinkworth SN15 5FD Bankers The Royal Bank of Scotland 36 St Andrew Square Edinburgh EH2 2YB
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Ended 31 December 2024
Aims and Objectives
The Talking Taboos Foundation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered in the United Kingdom with the Charity Commission (no. 1159222).
The charity’s objects are:
- 1) The advancement of physical and mental health and the advancement of education into physical and mental health and healthcare for the public benefit, by such exclusively charitable means as the Trustees shall in their discretion determine charitable, and in particular (but without limitation) by the promotion of educational programmes and dialogue and (save for purposes incidental and ancillary to those objects), no other purposes.
Review of Activities and Achievements
This year the charity’s activities included two key areas: research and public events.
-
The charity ran three public events this year exploring three Taboos from our 2023 Todays’s Taboos Research. These were: Daily Disgusts at the Vagina Museum; Unruly Bowels online on Zoom; and Shameful Sex at Impact Hub London. Our panels brought together a range of charities, community champions and experts by experience working to bust these taboos.
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The charity’s annual Today’s Taboos bespoke and pioneering research combined a mix of methods, including media analysis, expert interviews and public opinion polling, to identify four timely taboos. We then worked with partner charities and experts by experience to further unearth the nature of these taboos. The four taboos identified will be the focus of the charity’s 2025 events and communications.
Public Benefit
The Trustees have complied with section 17(5) of the 2011 Charities Act, having due regard for the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives.
Structure, Governance And Management
Talking Taboos is limited by guarantee and its governing document is its Articles of Association dated 19 February 2017.
The charitable company is a Registered Charity, number 1159222. The charitable company is incorporated in England and Wales No. 08821654 and has its registered offices at Callow Pk, Callow Hill, Brinkworth, SN15 5FD.The members of the trustee board hold no shares in the charitable company, but each member is a guarantor to an amount not exceeding £1, in the event of the winding up of the charitable company.
Trustees are appointed based on expertise and experience in one or more of the following areas: taboo topics, research, design or communications, fundraising and partnerships, community outreach, financial and business administration, as well as lived experience of taboo topics.
Under the Articles of Association, decisions on appointments must be made by the board.
New trustees are provided with the Charity Commission Welcome Pack, the Articles of Association, the charity’s Trustee Handbook, and access to archived documents showing the history of the charity and significant projects and evaluation data. They also complete a Declaration of Interests Form and a Statement of Expertise.
Trustees are actively encouraged to attend board meetings to ensure that they are always up to date with the latest activities of the charitable company.
The charity is run by the board of trustees supported by a voluntary executive.
Designers, photographers, researchers and events and communications specialists are engaged on a freelance basis for specific projects and events. During the year under review the charity engaged a graphic design subcontractor to support the board of trustees to develop the Charity’s report design.
The charitable company is the sole shareholder of the company Common Collective Limited, incorporated in England and Wales No. 11005094.
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Ended 31 December 2024 (continued)
Financial Review
The charity is in a sustainable financial position. Unrestricted reserves increased in the year from £37,868 to £64,486. Our largest expenditure was again on staff salaries this year as well as funds spent on research and events.
Our financial position was particularly strengthened by our trading subsidiary’s strong performance and we received a donation of profits from Common Collective totalling £49,461.
The board will continue to focus on the charity’s trading arm, funding and partnership strategy to boost the charity’s income further.
Common Collective Limited was profitable in the year ended 31 December and continues to be profitable in the current financial year, continuing to strengthen and grow its partnerships. The charity therefore expects to receive another donation into core funds in the next financial year, ensuring our financial stability and allowing the charity to sustain its reach in the coming financial year.
Reserves Policy
The trustees have adopted a policy of maintaining sufficient cash reserves to cover ongoing overheads for the foreseeable future. The charity will only commit to expenditure it can cover with current reserves held, and that the charity will hold 3 months' salaries and overheads in cash as a minimum.
The trustees have prepared a budget and have concluded that the charity continues to be a going concern for the foreseeable future. On that basis they have continued to adopt the going concern basis when preparing the financial statements.
Going concern
The Trustees have given due consideration to the charity’s ability to meet its obligations for the foreseeable future. Given the robust reserves policy in place and the Trustee consider it is appropriate to adopt the going concern principle in preparing these financial statements.
Remuneration of Key Management
Key Management Personnel consists of the charity Trustees, none of whom are remunerated for their services and the Charity’s Director and Associate Director who are paid for their role. Transactions with Trustees during the period are disclosed at Note 5 to the financial statements.
Plans for Future Periods
The charity will continue to focus its efforts on annual research and awareness raising and educational events around taboo topics. This centres on Today’s Taboos that focuses on unearthing taboo subjects that require urgent public attention. The topical roundup will again be built from groundbreaking and robust research, funded by the charity, that identifies timely taboo topics and is followed by free public events and wider communications around the taboos to help people affected by taboos and those supporting them to feel accepted, more comfortable and access the support they need.
The charity will continue to work in partnership with people fighting to dismantle the stigma around taboos and collaborate with other charities that focus on specific taboos while Talking Taboos continues its taboo-wide focus.
Principal Risks and Uncertainties
The board of trustees has examined the major strategic, business and operational risks which the charitable company faces, namely economic uncertainty and the retention of key personnel and confirms that systems have been established to enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen these risks.
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period Ended 31 December 2024 (continued)
Responsibilities of the Trustees
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
-
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019 (FRS 102);
-
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
-
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
-
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 and the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. 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.
Statement of Disclosure to Independent Examiners
So far as the Board of Trustees are aware:
-
There is no relevant information of which the charity’s independent examiners are unaware; and
-
They have taken all steps that they ought to have taken as Trustees in order to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the Charity’s independent examiners are aware of that information.
Purple Lime Accountancy Limited will be proposed for reappointment as Independent Examiners.
Signed by order of the Board of Trustees
Louise McLaren Chair of Trustees
Date: 9/29/2025
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the Charity Name trustees/directors/ The Talking Taboos Foundation members of On accounts for the year 31 December 2025 ended Charity no.: 1159222 Company no.: 08821654 Set out on pages 1-15 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31/12/2024 Responsibilities and As the charity’s trustees of the Company (who are also the directors of the basis of report company for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited for this year under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”). In carrying out my examination, I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that: • 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 no concerns and 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.
| Signed: | Date: | Date: 9/29/2025 ~~[~~ |
Date: 9/29/2025 ~~[~~ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name: | Sam Thomas |
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
Relevant professional ICAEW qualification(s) or body (if any):
Address: Unit 5 Callow Park, Callow Hill
Brinkworth, Wiltshire
SN15 5FD
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation Company No. 08821654 Directors' Report For The Year Ended 31 December 2024
The directors present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Directors
The directors who held office during the year were as follows:
Giles Gibbons
Katherine Jennings Vincent Nolan Resigned 14/06/2024 Shivani Gangrade Appointed 14/06/2024 Katie Mallion Appointed 14/06/2024 Hannah Marcus Louise McLaren Appointed 14/06/2024
Statement of Directors' Responsibilities
The directors are responsible for preparing the Directors' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing the financial statements the directors are required to:
-
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
-
make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
-
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Small Company Rules
This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006. On behalf of the board
Katherine Jennings Director Date 9/29/2025
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation Accountants' Report For The Year Ended 31 December 2024
Report to the directors on the preparation of the unaudited statutory accounts of The Talking Taboos Foundation for the year ended 31 December 2024
To assist you to fulfil your duties under the Companies Act 2006, we have prepared for your approval the accounts of The Talking Taboos Foundation which comprise the Profit and Loss Account, the Balance Sheet and the related notes, from the company’s accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.
As a practising member firm of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, we are subject to its ethical and other professional requirements which are detailed at http://www.accaglobal.com/en/member/professional-standards/rulesstandards/acca-rulebook.html.
This report is made to the directors of The Talking Taboos Foundation , as a body, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the accounts of The Talking Taboos Foundation and state those matters that we have agreed to state to the directors of The Talking Taboos Foundation , as a body, in this report in accordance with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants as detailed at
http://www.accaglobal.com/content/dam/ACCA_Global/Technical/fact/technical-factsheet-163.pdf. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than The Talking Taboos Foundation and its directors as a body for our work or for this report.
It is your duty to ensure that The Talking Taboos Foundation has kept adequate accounting records and to prepare statutory accounts that give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of The Talking Taboos Foundation . You consider that The Talking Taboos Foundation is exempt from the statutory audit requirement for the year.
We have not been instructed to carry out an audit or a review of the accounts of The Talking Taboos Foundation . For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on the financial statements. Signed
Purple Lime Accountancy Ltd Date 9/29/2025 Purple Lime Accountancy Unit 5 Callow Park Callow Hill Brinkworth SN15 5FD
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account) For the period ended 31 December 2024
| Notes Income from: Donations 2 Total Expenditure on: Charitable activities 3 Total Net income and movement Transfers between funds 11 Net movement in funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward 11 |
Unrestricted funds £ 56,111 |
Restricted funds £ - |
Total funds 2024 £ 56,111 |
Total funds 2023 £ 22,064 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56,111 | - | 56,111 | 22,064 | |
| 29,493 | - | 29,493 | 13,603 | |
| 29,493 | - | 29,493 | 13,603 | |
| 26,618 | - | 26,618 | 8,461 | |
| - | - | - | - | |
| 26,618 | - | 26,618 | 8,461 | |
| 37,868 | - | 37,868 | 29,407 | |
| 64,486 | - | 64,487 | 37,868 |
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Balance sheet as at 31 December 2024 Charity number 1159222
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | £ | £ | |
| Current assets | |||
| Debtors | 8 | 50,092 | 22,896 |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 17,399 | 15,872 | |
| 67,491 | 38,768 | ||
| Current liabilities | 9 | (3,005) | (900) |
| Net assets | 64,486 | 37,868 | |
| Funds | |||
| Restricted funds | 12 | - | - |
| Unrestricted funds | 12 | 64,486 | 37,868 |
| Total funds | 64,486 | 37,868 |
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for:
- (a) ensuring that the organisation keeps proper accounting records; and (b) preparing accounts which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the
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).
9/29/2025 The financial statements were approved by the Board on ............................................ and were signed on its behalf by:
............................................. Louise McLaren Trustee
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Notes for the period ended 31 December 2024
1 Accounting policies
1.1 Legal status of the charity
The Talking Taboos Foundation was founded in the United Kingdom as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (charity number 1159222) on 19 Decembr 2013. It is limited by guarentee. Its registered address is Unit 5 Callow Park, Callow Hill, Brinkworth, SN15 5FD. The number of members as at 31 December 2024 was 5 (2024: 4), as disclosed in the Trustees' Annual Report.
1.2 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) (effective 1 January 2019).
1.3 Going concern
The financial statements are prepared on the going concern basis. The charity has reported strong financial performance during the reporting period.
The charity holds a strong financial position at the reporting date and the Trustees have set a robust reserves policy to ensure all foreseeable financial commitments can be met as they fall due.
1.4 Income
Donations and other income are credited to the statement of financial activities in the year to which they relate. Donations will be recognised on an accruals basis, when receipt is probable and amounts are measureable.
Income is recognised when the conditions of entitlement, probability and measurement have been met, unless it relates to a specific future period, in which case it is deferred.
1.5 Expenditure
Expenditure is accrued as soon as a liability is considered probable. Charitable activities include expenditure associated with activities performed and includes both the direct costs and support costs relating to these activities.
Governance costs include those incurred in the governance of the charity and its assets and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements and are included within support costs.
Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Notes for the period ended 31 December 2024
1.6 Creditors
Creditors are recognised when 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 are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due. Concessionary loans received which are repayable on demand are measured at the amount received and no adjustment is made.
1.7 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.
1.8 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.
1.9 Taxation
As a charity the organisation is exempt from UK corporation tax to the extent that its income is applied to its charitable objects. No liability arose in the period.
Due to its current activities the charity is not registered for VAT and as such cannot recover any input VAT incurred.
1.10 Funds
The unrestricted income fund consists of funds to be used for the purposes of the charity’s objectives at the discretion of its Trustees, and to meet overheads.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
1.11 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.
1.12 Critical accounting estimates and key sources of estimation uncertainty
Preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements and estimates. The Trustees consider that there are no material judgements or sources of estimation in applying accounting policies.
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Notes for the period ended 31 December 2024
2 Donations
| Donations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Donations | 2024 £ 56,111 56,111 |
2023 £ 22,064 |
| 542,072 |
Included in donations are non cash donations totaling £6,650 relating to research and provision events.
3 Analysis of total expenditure
| Charitable activities Events Total expenditure |
Direct costs £ 4,998 4,998 |
Support costs £ 24,495 24,495 |
2024 £ 29,493 29,493 |
2023 £ 13,603 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 122,067 |
4 Support costs
| Wages Advertising and promotional costs Office costs Travel and subsistence Room hire Market research costs Accountancy fees Independent examiner fees |
2024 £ 13,189 508 199 1,758 5,000 1,861 1,980 24,495 |
2023 £ 7,741 328 - - - 1,847 - |
|---|---|---|
| 9,916 |
The Charity's independent examiner received £1,861 during the year in respect of other financial services rendered to the Charity.
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Notes for the period ended 31 December 2024
5 Staff costs and Trustee remuneration
The Charity had an average of 2 employees during the reporting period (2023: 2). No Trustee or any person connected with a Trustee has received or is due to receive any remuneration.
One Trustee claimed expenses totalling £23 during the financial period (2023: £nil) for direct costs of delivering the charity's objects including travel and subsistence and reimbursements of charity expenses.
Other transactions with Trustees and related entities during the reporting period are disclosed at Note 13.
A director was paid £3,810 during the financial period. Wages are comprising of salaries of £13,083, social security of £nil and employer pension contributions of £106.
There are no employees who received employee benefits excluding employer pension costs) of more than £60,000.
8 Debtors
| Prepayments and accrued income Other taxes 9 Accruals and deferred income Creditors: amounts falling due within one year |
2024 £ 49,260 832 50,092 2024 £ 3,005 3,005 |
2023 £ 22,064 832 |
|---|---|---|
| 22,896 | ||
| 2023 £ 900 |
||
| 900 |
10 Financial commitments
At 31 December 2024 the company had no disclosable financial commitments (2023: none).
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Docusign Envelope ID: AA81DFA3-C7E1-4426-AC5F-22D5D4FC8D6C
The Talking Taboos Foundation
Notes for the period ended 31 December 2024
11 Reconciliation of movement in funds
For the period ended 31 December 2024:
| Restricted funds None Unrestricted funds General fund TOTAL FUNDS |
As at 1 April 2023 £ - 37,868 37,868 |
Income £ - 56,111 56,111 |
Expenditure £ - (29,493) (29,493) |
Transfers £ - - - |
At 31 December 2024 £ - 64,486 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64,486 |
Funds were provided by specific donors to advance the charitable objectives of the charity.
For the period ended 31 December 2023:
| As at 1 January 2023 Restricted funds None - Unrestricted funds General fund 29,407 TOTAL FUNDS 29,407 Current assets Current liabilities Net assets Analysis of net assets between funds |
Income £ - 22,064 22,064 |
Expenditure £ - (13,603) (13,603) Unrestricted funds £ 67,491 (3,005) 64,486 |
Transfers £ - - - Restricted funds £ - - - |
At 31 December 2023 £ - 37,868 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37,868 | ||||
| Total £ - - |
||||
| - |
12 Analysis of net assets between funds
13 Related party transactions and relationships
During the year Talking Taboos received a donation of £49,261 (2023: £22,064) from Common Collective Limited, it's subsidiary company.
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