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2025-03-31-accounts

For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Annual report and financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Registered Charity Number: 1160773

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Contents

Reference and administrative details 3
Trustee report 5
Review of financial activities 6
Project reports and statements 7
Independent examiner’s report 12
Balance sheet 14
Notes to the financial statements 15

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Reference and administrative details - For the year ended 31 March 2025

Name of charity: Cornwall People First

Charity registration number: 1160773

Governing Documentation: CIO - Association Registered 5 March 2015

Trustees:

Sam Axon Daniel Ball Julie Pape Jason Pape Ann-Marie Dean

No trustee has a beneficial interest in the charity, although some benefit from the services provided, however these are only the same as anyone else with their disabilities.

Principal address:

Cornwall People First C/O The Lescudjack Centre Penmere Close Penzance Cornwall TR18 3PE

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Independent

Examiner:

Mr R Maule The Cross House South Woodchester GL5 5EL

Bankers: Lloyds Bank Plc 11 – 12 Killigrew Street Falmouth Cornwall TR11 3RA

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Trustees' report

For the year ended 31 March 2025

The Trustees of Cornwall People First present their annual report and audited accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 and confirm they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, the trust deed and the Charities SORP 2015.

The trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing their aims and objectives and in planning their future activities. In particular the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to those aims and objectives.

Cornwall People First is a user led charity. It is run by and for adults with learning disabilities and autism. It provides a platform where self-advocates can have a voice and be heard by those who commission services in Cornwall and surrounding areas. We offer a range of selfadvocacy Speak Up Groups across the area as part of the projects that we are working on, all with the aim of improving the lives of those with learning disabilities and/or autism. Cornwall People First can also signpost our members to appropriate people and services. We attract members from a variety of sources from residential homes, day services, social worker referrals and self-referrals.

Our organisation assists and enables participation in policy

development and planning of services for adults with learning disabilities and autism.

Results for the year

The results for the year are shown in the statement of financial activities.

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Review of Financial Activities

This year saw the continuation of our two projects funded by the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB). We received £60,068 in June for The Practice Partners Project to continue until March 31[st] 2025, and £19,054 for The Sunflower Project to carry on until 30[th] September 2024.

Alongside these projects we received £8,980.65 from the NHS to work with CIDER (Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research) and East London NHS Trust on a research project called ‘Iconic’. This work ran from January 2025.

We received £20,000 spread over 5 payments, from The Women’s Centre Cornwall. This was for a year-long Men’s Relationships Project. It started in May 2024.

In September we received £4,830 from Cornwall Community Foundation for book clubs.

As well as our larger projects we continue to find funding for smaller pieces of work. In February we received £300 from Well Connected for a day spent speaking to dental students at Peninsula Dental School about how to treat patients with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism. We also received £300 from Photosymbols for enabling them to come and speak to a group about AI and Easy Read.

In March we were paid £424.69 to attend a REN conference in Taunton. The conference was about the projects that were funded in the same way as our previous project, ‘Count Me In!’.

We were paid £100 in Pay pal charity donations.

We continue to work without an office space and are paying for a storage facility to be able to hold our files, resources and equipment. Our volunteer treasurer Christopher Jordan offered his services to us for free until his death in January 2025.

The trustees would like to extend a special thanks to Christopher Jordan for working so tirelessly on our behalf.

We received £5,245 on behalf of the Blue Light Day committee for the next Blue Light Day event.

We continued the year as a team of three members of staff (2 full time equivalent and one part time member of staff).

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

We have 19 volunteers.

Our work

We continued our two NHS projects this year – The Sunflower Project and The Practice Partners Project. The Sunflower Project is a research project looking at death, dying and loss. We facilitated a series of Sunflower Project workshops in day centres, talking about loss, grief, and then preparing for the future with a letter of wishes. We also held a few sessions in a day centre when one of their members died.

The Practice Partners project progressed this year. We continued to attend Patient Participation groups in GP Surgeries in Marazion, Saltash and Hayle with patients with LD/Autism.

We attended the PPG meetings with a Self-Advocate and we worked together with the surgeries to support accessibility and better communication. This included the creation of a number of easy read resources, including an Annual Health Check letter and a guide to the automated phone system. We also continued to facilitate Access All Areas groups across the county in St Austell, Hayle, Marazion, Saltash and Launceston. We also facilitated a series of special women’s health groups in several day services where requested. These groups were very popular and provided a space for self-advocates to ask health professionals questions about their appointments, health conditions, or what they do.

Through both of these projects we have learnt a lot about how the NHS works and have been able to support our members to navigate the system more effectively.

In September 2024 we launched our book clubs. These were funded by the Cornwall Community Foundation, with the money coming from the Office for Police and Crime Commission (OPCC), therefore they needed to have a focus on safety and crime prevention. We used Beyond Words books and met across the county, in St Austell, Saltash and Marazion. These books don’t have words and mean the group discussion could flow freely as we interpreted the images on the page. We welcomed the Police Diverse Communities Team along to two groups and they were able to answer questions that came up as we read the books. The Marazion book club became a small closed group of around 10 SelfAdvocates that met regularly for the year.

In January we started work on a research project called ‘Iconic’. We worked with researchers from the NHS CIDER team, East London NHS

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Foundation Trust and Queen Mary University London. We met as a closed group with five Self-Advocates and spent time looking at the Dialogue+ tool. This is an app that mental health clinicians use with patients to improve their wellbeing. We talked about how it could be adapted to use with people with Learning Disabilities. This project lasted until May.

In March a small group of us attended a day at Peninsula Dental School organised by Well Connected. We spoke to around 80 Year 4 dental students throughout the day and shared ways in which they can adapt their practice to support patients with Learning Disabilities and Autism.

In June we held a big celebration day for Learning Disability Awareness week. It was based on the national theme; ‘Do You See Me?’ We spent time getting to know each other properly and created some art about our favourite things.

We remain a part of the Blue Light Day planning committee and organised the stage and finances for the 2024 day.

We have continued to grow our social media presence. Facebook has been a really useful way of contacting people and sharing the groups and work we are doing, while our website has been a good source of information for outside organisations.

Our Saltash group has continued to meet. Two of the group members are members of the Practice Partners Project so we have been able to talk about health-related issues within the group and they have shared what they have learnt at the PPG meetings.

Our lead volunteer and treasurer, Christopher Jordan, sadly died in January. He offered his bookkeeping services to us right up until the end of his life. We were privileged to be able to support him in hospital and with end of life planning.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Holocaust Memorial Day was held in person as well as being shown remotely and shared online afterwards. This year Chris Jordan was no longer with us but had been looking forward to the day. He was remembered on the day and a candle was lit in remembrance of him.

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Structure, Governance and Management

The trustees are responsible for the overall management and control of Cornwall People First and meet as a minimum, quarterly. The treasurer gives regular finance reports. All trustees give of their time freely and a small remuneration and expenses were paid in the year.

Organisational Management

The day to day running of the charity is delegated to the Operational and Development Leads, and is supported by Trustee Advisors and additionally by staff and Trustees.

Risk Management

The trustees and advisors are responsible for the overseeing of the risks faced by the charity. Risks are identified and assessed, and controls established throughout the year. A formal review of the charity’s risk management processes is undertaken.

Risk is managed under the headings of financial sustainability, safety, welfare, employment, events and community access. Through the risk management processes established for the Charity, the Trustees are satisfied that the major risks identified have been adequately lessened where necessary. It is recognised that systems can only provide reasonable but not absolute assurance that major risks have been adequately managed. The charity has taken out suitable insurance in order to cover any unforeseen problems

Reserves policy

The trustees aim to create sufficient reserves to cover 12 month’s expenditure to ensure the charity’s long-term viability and maintain its activities if incoming resources temporarily cease. The trustees have agreed a reserves policy for designated funds. This totals £169,385

This policy is reviewed annually.

Tax Status

As a registered charity, Cornwall People First is exempt from corporation tax on its investments and other non-trading income.

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Statement of Trustees' responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law).

The financial statements are required by law to give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charity and of the financial activities for that year. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue its operation.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which 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 Charities Act. They have general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the charity and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities. Laws applicable to charities in England and Wales require the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law).

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For the year ending 31 March 2025 Name of Charity: Cornwall People First Charity registration Number: 1160773

Statement of disclosure to independent examiner

In so far as the trustees are aware:

There is no relevant information of which the charity’s independent examiner is unaware; and the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the independent examiner is aware of that information.

By order of the board

..................................................

D. Bull (Treasurer)

C/O The Lescudjack Centre Penmere Close PENZANCE TR18 3PE

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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Cornwall People First

I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31[st] March 2025 which are set out on pages 13 to 20.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 you as 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 matter has come to my attention:

have not been met; or

Dick Maule FCA

The Cross House South Woodchester GL5 5EL

Date

12

Cornwall People First

Statement of Financial Activities [including Income and Expenditure Account] for the year ended 31st. March 2025

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Funds Funds Funds Funds
Notes 2025 2025 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Income from
Donations - - - 1,720
Investment income 2,954 - 2,954 2,308
Grants and contracts 98,025 5,245 103,270 102,088
Fee and miscellaneous income 19,405 - 19,405 10,672
Total Income 120,384 5,245 125,629 116,789
Expenditure on (7)
Charitable activities 25 100,561 100,586 87,113
Net income/[expenditure] 120,359 (95,316) 25,043 29,676
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 138,942 124,500 263,442 233,766
Tranfers between reserves - - - -
Total funds carried forward 259,301 29,184 288,485 263,442

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Cornwall People First

Balance sheet as at 31st. March 2025

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
(2)
Current assets
Debtors and prepayments
Cash at bank and on hand
Total current assets
Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling
due within 12 months
(3)
Net Current assets
Net assets
The funds of the charity:
Unrestricted funds
(6)
General funds
Designated funds
Restricted Funds
Total charity funds
2025
£
2,050
291,086
293,136
(4,651)
£
-
288,485
288,485
107,833
169,385
11,266
288,485
2024
£
-
264,192
264,192
(750)
£
-
263,442
263,442
36,242
102,700
124,500
263,442

These financial statements were approved by the Trustees.............

On behalf of the Trustees ...............................

dated:-

page 14 of 20

Cornwall People First

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2025

(1) Principal Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below and have remained unchanged from the previous years.

(a) Basis of preparation

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. 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) as updated by Update Bulletin 2, and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

(b) Fund accounting

[i] Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.

[ii]Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the Management Committee for particular purposes.

[iii] Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.

(c) Income

Income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity

is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income.

[i] Income received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full

in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is not

conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.

[ii] Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified.

[iii]The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.

[iv] Investment income is included when receivable.

[v]Income from charitable trading activity are accounted for when earned.

[vi]Income from grants, where related to performance and specific deliverables,

are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance.

(d) Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered

[i]Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes.

[ii] Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them [iii]All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SoFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis.

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Cornwall People First

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2025

(1) Principal Accounting Policies

(e) Fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are written off over the expected useful life of the asset, at 25% per annum on the reducing balance method .

Items costing over £500 are capitalised.

(2) Fixed Assets
Fittings
& equipment
£
Cost : balance brought forward
6,285
Depreciation
balance brought forward
6,285
charge for the year
-
6,285
Net book value 31st. March 2025
-
Net book value 31st. March 2024
-
(3) Debtors
2025
£
Sundry debtors
-
(4) Creditors
Amounts falling due within 12 months
Sundry creditors
4,651
(5) Employee information
Number of employees
2.5
No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000.
The average weekly number of employees during the year were calculated on
the average head count basis.
The total employee benefits of key management personnel were £74,881 [2024: £54203]
£
Salaries and wages
66,699
Pension
6,120
Social security costs
8,313
81,132
(6) Trustees information
£
Trustees remuneration and expenses
-
2024
£
-
750
2.5
£
60,135
4,594
6,072
70,801
£
-

Expenses relate to Trustees' travel and subsistence at meetings.

page 16 of 20

Cornwall People First

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2025

(7) Movements in funds

(7) Movements in funds
Balance Balance
1st April Income Expenditure Balance 31st. March
2024 Transfers 2025
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
Designated Funds 102,700 - - 66,685 169,385
General Fund 36,242 120,384 (25) (49,124) 107,476
138,942 120,384 (25) 17,561 276,861
Restricted funds
Blue Light Day 2,487 5,245 (3,548) 7,439 11,623
Better Together 5,157 - (5,157) -
Practice Partners Project 72,431 - (47,431) (25,000) -
Sunflower Project 44,425 - (44,425) - -
124,500 5,245 (100,561) (17,561) 11,623
Total funds 263,442 125,629 (100,586) - 288,485
Designated Funds
The trustees have designated the following funds: 2025 2024
£ £
Long term staff sickness, maternity leave, staff leaving and recruitment costs 10,000 10,000
Redundancy costs 22,000 11,000
Legal and accountancy costs for closure of CPF 4,500 4,500
The time to the expiry of leases on property - 6 months (Penzance) 2,640 1,200
That staff can continue working, primarily to secure new
funding (3 months) 105,545 30,000
Employee Pensions 3,200 1,000
Employer NI Contribution 13,500 -
Deficit through reduction in Cornwall Council funding - 3,000
Grant not renewed CPF (6 months) - 40,000
Expenses and Resources 6,000 -
Other contingencies 2,000 2,000
TOTAL 169,385 102,700

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Cornwall People First

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2025

(8) Movements in funds prior year

Balance Balance
1st April Income Expenditure Balance 31st. March
2023 Transfers 2024
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
Designated Funds 102,700 - - - 102,700
General Fund 41,565 25,201 (30,524) - 36,242
144,265 25,201 (30,524) - 138,942
Restricted funds
Blue Light Day 2,467 2,500 (2,480) 2,487
Better Together 20,011 - (14,854) 5,157
Practice Partners Project 21,998 70,034 (19,601) 72,431
Sunflower Project 45,025 19,054 (19,654) - 44,425
89,501 91,588 (56,589) - 124,500
Total funds 233,766 116,789 (87,113) - 263,442

Designated Funds

The trustees have designated the following funds:
Long term staff sickness, maternity leave, staff leaving and recruitment costs
Redundancy costs
Legal and accountancy costs for closure of CPF
The time to the expiry of leases on property - 6 months (Penzance)
That staff can continue working, primarily to secure new
funding (3 months)
Employee Pensions
Deficit through reduction in Cornwall Council funding
Grant not renewed CPF (6 months)
Other contingencies
TOTAL
2024
£
10,000
11,000
4,500
1,200
30,000
1,000
3,000
40,000
2,000
102,700
2023
£
10,000
11,000
4,500
1,200
30,000
1,000
3,000
40,000
2,000
102,700

page 18 of 20

Cornwall People First

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st. March 2025

(7) Charitable expenditure Total Total
2025 2024
£ £
Wages and salaries 81,132 70,801
Staff costs 72 1,163
Telephone 437 502
Print, post and stationery 1,846 349
Insurance and subscriptions 1,710 1,416
Room hire 2,062 1,950
Refreshments & CPF forums 65 670
Travel expenses 4,126 4,212
Computer and IT costs 646 1,073
Legal and professional fees 1,031 424
Reporting accountant's fees 1,928 750
Rent and rates 2,712 2,278
Depreciation -
Sundry expenses 2,821 68
Office equipment charges - 1,280
Non capitalised equipment - 178
100,586 87,113

(8) Analysis of net assets between funds

General Designated Restricted
Funds Funds Funds Total
£ £ £ £
Fixed assets - - - -
Current assets 112,484 169,385 11,266 293,136
Current liabilities (4,651) - - (4,651)
Net assets at 31st March 2025 107,833 169,385 11,266 288,485

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Cornwall People First

(9) Analysis of prior year funds

Statement of Financial Activities [including Income and Expenditure Account] for the year ended 31st. March 2024

for the year ended 31st. March 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Funds Funds Funds Funds
2024 2024 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Income from
Donations 1,720 - 1,720 12,699
Investment income 2,308 - 2,308 413
Grants and contracts 10,500 91,588 102,088 88,914
Fee and miscellaneous income 10,672 - 10,672 2,885
Total Income 25,201 91,588 116,789 104,911
Expenditure on
Charitable activities 30,524 56,589 87,113 72,995
Net income/[expenditure] (5,323) 34,999 29,676 31,916
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 144,265 89,501 233,766 201,850
Tranfers between reserves - - - -
Total funds carried forward 138,942 124,500 263,442 233,766

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