Durham Pride UK Annual Report 2023/2024
Headings
1. Legal and administrative information.
2. Trustees report.
3. Structure, governance and management.
4. Background and history.
5. Our mission statements.
6. Our values.
7. Purpose aims and objectives.
8. Review of the reporting year and activities.
9. Plans and priorities for the future.
10. Financial review and independent examination report. 11. Statement regarding the responsibility of trustees. 12. The Chairs report.
1 | P a g
1. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Durham Pride UK is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The registration number is 1159910.
This report will consider our Durham Pride UK activities and important administrative information from April 2023 up until the financial year end to 31 March 2024.
Durham Pride UK Officers
Mel Metcalf - Tracy Reeves - Daniel Wilkes - Joanne Metcalf – Charlie Cooper
Public Benefit Statement
The Trustees consider that they have complied with their duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
Day to Day Responsibility
The Chair of the charity is delegated full day to day responsibility.
The Principal Office of Durham Pride UK
Rainbow Office St Aidan’s College Windmill Hill Durham DH1 3LJ
Relevant Organisations
Banking - Unity Trust Bank Plc Nine Brindley Place Birmingham B1 2HB
Insurance - Towergate, Kings Court, London Road, Stevenage SG1 2GA
2. TRUSTEES REPORT
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statement of Durham Pride UK for the year ending 31 March 2024.
The provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) were issued in March 2005. The Trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the charity comply with the current statutory 3 requirement, the requirement of the charity’s governing document.
3. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Constitution: The Charity is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and is managed and administered in accordance with the charity’s constitution by the Trustees duly adopted on the 15th of January 2015.
Appointment of charity Trustees: In selecting individuals for appointment as charity Trustees, the charity Trustees always have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
2 | P a g
Policies: Are adopted for the induction and training of Durham Pride UK trustees who has access to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Charity Commission websites and Trustees are encouraged to review documents around ‘good governance’ as well as other learning opportunities both internal and external to ensure they have the knowledge, experience and skills expected of their role.
Decision making : Durham Pride UK is administered by a board of Trustees who meet quarterly. Delegated authority within the constitutional governing document is given for the day-to-day decisions and general operations, including all and any financial transactions to be authorised by the chair of the charity.
Risk management: The major risks facing the charity have been reviewed and systems or procedures have been established to manage those risks which include the task of monitoring the charity’s financial control systems.
4. BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
Durham Pride UK was founded back in 2014 by Mel Metcalf who had started asking why our beautiful County Durham wasn’t celebrating and raising awareness for more LGBT+ equality and diversity through a Pride event. Mel formed an events committee with support from Dr Jamie Lawson and Dr Susan Frenk, Principal St Aidan’s College at Durham University.
Mel held Pride meetings and was told he couldn’t do it by some, that it would only be another student event by others and that there wouldn’t any interest by many. Less than 6 months later the first Pride happened on a lovely sunny Thursday evening with an estimated audience of 2,500 and a magnificent mix of people. So, he did it and a wonderful LGBT+ community and its many fabulously supportive friends, families and allies came together to celebrate diversity and put County Durham and Darlington on the LGBT+ map.
5. OUR MISSION STATEMENT
‘Working in partnership to celebrate diversity and promote equality for LGBT+ people, their friends, families and allies living and working in Co Durham and Darlington’.
6. OUR VALUES
Values are important to us:
We will work for LGBT+ to feel safe - everyone deserves the right to feel safe and not live-in fear just because of whom they are and how they identify.
We will work and campaign to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues and difficulties living in County Durham and Darlington - helping agencies understand and recognise the needs of the LGBT+ community.
We will work to provide professional high-quality LGBT+ advice and guidance that meet the needs of our members.
3 | P a g
We will work to empower the LGBT+ community and always put them at the centre of what we do, going that extra mile to achieve our aims.
We will work to always respect and acknowledge all people are individuals and recognise everyone’s
unique qualities, abilities and experiences and we will strive to pursue equality in everything we do.
We will always believe and be proud of what we can achieve by providing outstanding services to our members, stakeholders and agencies. These are the values that inspire us to support the LGBT+ community to the best of our ability.
Durham Pride Trustees and supporters give hope, courage and determination to many and we will campaign to raise awareness and improve LGBT+ experiences for individuals and families in County Durham.
These are the values that will make a difference by offering new and creative platforms of reporting, learning and training to eliminate all forms of LGBT+ related discrimination, reducing incidents of same sex domestic/sexual violence and abuse and tackling the destructive effects of Hate Crime for victims.
7. PURPOSE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To promote equality and diversity for the public benefit and in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity of those living in County Durham and Darlington and the surrounding areas but not exclusively by:
-
a) Raising awareness and educating the public about the issues and difficulties affecting the lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT+) people.
-
b) Cultivating a sentiment in favour of equality and diversity through celebrating the diversity of the LGBT+ community.
-
c) Staging an annual LGBT+ festival and smaller events, including regular social events for the LGBT+ community and allies in a safe environment throughout the year.
-
d) To preserve and protect the health of LGBT+ people in County Durham and Darlington, in particular but not exclusively those living with HIV and aids by the provision of information and support.
We review our aims, objectives and what we do each year. This review looks at what we have achieved and the outcomes of our work in the previous year. The review evaluates the success of the projects we have provided and the benefits they have brought to the people or services we have supported.
The review also helps us to ensure that our aims, objectives and projects remain focused on our stated purposes. We have referred to guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and when planning our future project delivery. In particular, the Trustees consider how planned projects will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.
4 | P a g
Our focus for the year continued to be the promotion of services available to LGBT+ in County Durham and Darlington. We continued providing and enhancing emergency safe spaces for victims of same sex violence and abuse, a community helpline for victims of hate crime, IDVA/ISVA outreach support, training around same sex domestic/sexual violence and abuse and hate crime awareness. We delivered a large range of Pride related events across County Durham and Darlington.
5 | P a g
The strategies we used included promoting the need of services which are reflective of relevant quality standards, we challenged services to deliver on issues relating to LGBT+, we focused upon raising awareness of LGBT+ in the wider community and we provided specialist training to frontline agencies.
Our funding limits the projects we can provide but we continue to support who we can and that is prioritised according to the risk and needs of those seeking help.
All our services are provided free. Durham Pride UK is a fully inclusive charity and equal access to all our projects is an important principle to us. We believe that equal access to our projects and events is vital to our success and will only charge a minimum to cover event costs. The main areas of our charitable activity remain LGBT+ advice and information with the provision of a helpline, a safe space for victims, 1-1 specialist support, specialised training around same sex domestic violence, LGBT+ awareness and combatting Hate Crime.
8. REVIEW OF THE REPORTING YEAR AND ACTIVITIES
Our work promoting and raising awareness for LGBT+ people continues. Durham is becoming recognised as having a more welcoming, inclusive culture with a safe city celebrating diversity and promoting LGBT+ equality. The charities and frontline agencies (our partnership working aspirations) who usually use our annual event to engage with the LGBT+ community have continued to work with us and form a large part of the NEERA network project.
Again, this year Durham Pride UK has delivered specialist training to a range of front-line agencies around same sex domestic violence, raising awareness of LGBT+ issues including same sex rape, sexual violence and LGBT+ sex work. We took part in LGBT History Month as well as World Holocaust Memorial Day. Durham Pride attends the Durham FA Inclusion Advisory Group and CPS hate crime scrutiny panel. We are members of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the National LGBT Consortium.
We remain the largest by and for LGBT+ charity in County Durham and proud to represent an estimated 25,000 people with the development of Durham Pride’s very own Rainbow Alliance. This is a strategic group looking at mapping and improving services for LGBT+ in County Durham and across the Northeast.
Social Media Durham Prides social media presence has grown with 12000+ people following us and regular TV and radio appearances reaching more than 2 million people, keeping LGBT+ issues on the local agenda, our website keeps a focus on information for the LGBT+ community.
9. PLANS AND PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTURE
Durham Pride UK plans and priorities for the coming year.
a) Continue to manage and embed the Rainbow Alliance.
- b) We will endeavor to secure funding and will seek further opportunities to develop and deliver innovative projects.
6 | P a g
- c) Durham Pride Trustees and members will continue to live the charities values and strive to meet its objectives.
7 | P a g
-
d) Improve multi-agency work around same sex domestic/sexual violence and abuse utilising joint working ensuring the best service is available to all our LGBT+ community.
-
e) Promote and invest in training, developing relationships with external agencies. Value everyone’s contribution and what they achieve for LGBT+ through our Rainbow Alliance project.
-
f) We will promote our charity as the leading promoter of LGBT+ services in County Durham and involve our members and stakeholders in reviewing what we deliver.
-
g) Campaign and raise awareness of hate crime in all its forms highlighting the devastating impact it has on victims particularly within our LGBT+ community.
10. FINANCIAL REVIEW
Durham Pride UK will continue to look for funding to celebrate Pride and will seek further opportunities to develop and deliver new and innovative projects for the benefit of LGBT+. We will continue to work with other agencies ensuring the best service is available to all our members and stakeholders.
-
a) Reserve’s Policy – The Trustees of Durham Pride UK have considered the charity commission recommendations in respect of holding funds for general use to meet any shortfall in funding and are reflected in this financial statement.
-
b) Risk Assessment – The Trustees of Durham Pride UK have considered whether there are any risks to which the charity is exposed as of 31 January 2024. It is the opinion of the Trustees that there is no significant or material risk to which Durham Pride UK is exposed.
11. STATEMENT TO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TRUSTEES
All the Trustees are aware of their responsibility (Charities Act 1992 and 1993 and subsequent amendments) collectively to keep proper accounting records, to ensure that at any time a statement can be produced showing the up-to-date position of the charity in respect of income and expenditure, assets and liabilities and to produce a set of annual accounts according to the Reporting and Accounting Statement of the Recommended Practice 2005.
Trustees confirm that suitable policies are selected, and they have been applied consistently, have observed the methods of principles in the Charities SORP, have made judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent and prepared the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
8 | P a g
----- Start of picture text -----
Durham Pride UK 1159910
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period from 01/04/2023 To 31/03/2024
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Pitch Income 1,104 - - 1,104
National Lottery Community Fund 25,000 - 25,000
Contributions/Other 42,175 42,175
Fairground/Food Income 1,450 - - 1,450 -
Donations/Sponsor 48,000 - - 48,000
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for AR) [ 92,729 ] 25,000 - 117,729 -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
=== (see table). ===
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
——— Total receipts 92,729 25,000 - 117,729 -
A3 Payments
Consultancy 12,500 - - 12,500
Outreach services 14,400 - - 14,400
Pride 2023 55,000 - - 55,000
Volunteers 10,000 - - 10,000
NEERA project 25,000 - 25,000
-
- - - -
65S Sub total 91,900 25,000 - 116,900 -
A4 Asset and investment = SS
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - - -
—————— Total payments 91,900 25,000 - 116,900 -
Net of receipts/(payments) 829 - - 829 -
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end - - - - -
Cash funds this year end 829 - - 829 -
———— Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Categories Details funds funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash funds At bank 34 - -
- - -
- - -
——— Total cash funds 34 - -
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s)) Agreement Error OK OK
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
funds funds funds
Details to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B2 Other monetary assets Nil - - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
===
Details Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) Current value (optional)
B3 Investment assets Nil - -
- -
- -
- -
- -
SSS
Details Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) Current value (optional)
B4 Assets retained for the Safe space 1 DPUK - -
charity’s own use Safe space 2 DPUK - -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Fund to which Amount due When due
Details liability relates (optional) (optional)
B5 Liabilities Storage/Ground Rent DPUK -
-
-
-
-
—S==E===
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees Signature Print Name approvalDate of
M J M etcalf MJ Metcalf 29/01/2024
————————
----- End of picture text -----
10 | P a
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name Durham Pride UK members of On accounts for the year 31/03/2024 Charity no 1159910 ended (if any) Set out on pages N/A
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/03/2024
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: T Howcroft Date: 25/01/2025 ~~eeee~~ Name: Thomas Howcroft ~~PO~~ Relevant professional N/A qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: St Aidan’s, Windmill Hill, Durham DH1 3LJ ~~Ps~~
12. MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF TRUSTEES
Durham Pride continues to grow, and I would just like to thank everyone who has made it the success it is today. We could not have achieved as much without the help of so many from our proud LGBT+ community or indeed the exceptional allies to our cause. Every year we face fresh challenges but we will overcome them, until the day comes that Pride charities like ours are no longer needed.
THIS REPORT WAS APPROVED BY THE TRUSTEES ON 31 JAN 2025 AND SIGNED ON THEIR BEHALF BY:
MJ Metcalf
Melvin J. Metcalf
BEM
CHAIR
31 JANUARY 2025