Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 1 12 2021 To 30 12 2022
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Stand-by-Me Bereavement Support Service for Children
Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1161035
Stand-by-me
Charity's principal address Hitchin Youth Trust Ltd Lambourne House 111 Walsworth Road Hitchin Postcode SG4 9SP
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesley Carol Morag READ |
Vice-Chair and Safeguarding |
|||
| Sandra Rosamond BLACKER |
Clinical | |||
| John BOTLEY | Treasurer | |||
| Keith Stuart WADSWORTH |
Secretary | |||
| James LAWRENCE | Marketing | |||
| Jane WALTON | ||||
| Andrew NELLIS | Digital | |||
| Neil CUTHBERTSON |
Human Resources | |||
| Ian COTTERILL | Chair | |||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Type of adviser | Name Address |
Name Address |
|---|---|---|
| Independent Examiner | Charles Goldstein | Heartwood Accountants Ltd Riverside House, 3 Place Farm Wheathampstead Herts AL4 8SB |
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | ||
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Charitable lncorporated Organisation (ClO) with a 'Foundation' model Type of governing document constitution which was registered on 24 March 2015 (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Trust How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) New Trustees are appointed by the existing trustees to maintain and Trustee selection methods ensure an appropriate skillset. Following retirements from the Trustees, (eg. appointed by, elected by) the Trust appointed a new Treasurer, someone with marketing experience and another to completely restructure digital record keeping and commensurate security, thus refreshing the charity's governance. The Trustees have also appointed a person with experience in Human Resources to ensure that employment practices, contracts and expectations of volunteers remain current, clear, proper and legal. New Trustees are appointed by invitation, consideration by all Trustees, references are sought and scrutinised. The Chair informed the Trustees of his intention to step down after serving since the inception of the Charity.
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
Trustees have in place a range of relevant policies including Safeguarding, You may choose to include Code of Conduct and Conflicts of lnterest. additional information, where The charity's Safeguarding Policy is reviewed annually and was developed relevant, about: significantly to enable online support to take place during the Covid policies and procedures restrictions. The following policies are reviewed every three years: adopted for the induction and Health & Safety training of trustees; Equality & Diversity Confidentiality the charity’s organisational Data Protection structure and any wider Lone Working network with which the charity Complaints works; Trustees receive induction, safeguarding and prevent training, as do staff relationship with any related and volunteers. parties; DBS clearance is mandatory for all.
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trustees’ consideration of Trustees have a detailed Risk Register as part of its Business Plan 2018major risks and the system 20. This is reviewed and updated on a regular basis and a thorough and procedures to manage review and new business plan is scheduled following the appointment of a them. new Chair. The particular and detailed policies written and approved in relation to the charity’s work during the Covid Pandemic were closely reviewed and adjusted as restrictions changed and demand for services increased. These related to the health and safety of administrative staff, volunteers and clients. Precise criteria were decided for online activities and once face to face sessions were allowed under Government guidelines. The changing regulations required quick but careful adjustments to practice and in some situations the charity’s normal operations were changed slightly to keep the service responsive – this particularly related to its links with schools through the Uniting Families programme. The Trustees erred on the side of extreme caution whilst doing its best to allow the Charity to continue to provide support to bereaved children and young people. Gradually, under careful review, the normal face-to-face contacts were restored and the Charity’s work returned to normal.
Section C Objectives and activities
| Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit) |
To provide and protect the health of bereaved children and young people aged 0-19 living in North Hertfordshire and Stevenage by helping to prevent the negative outcomes of grief affecting their health, education and future life prospects through the provision of information, advice, support and guidance to them, their families, carers and associated professionals involved in their day-to-day care. This has recently included developing targeted support for surviving parents but only in relation to their own support of their child/ren, not specific adult bereavement counselling. |
|---|---|
| 'Grief is in two parts. The first is loss. The second is the remaking of life' Anne Rolphe All trustees read the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when they were drafting Stand-by-Me's charitable objects as part of the successful application for charity registration as a ClO. Stand-by-Me's charity classification is: the advancement of education the advancement of health or the saving of lives. Trustees have received explicit evidence from self-assessment questionnaires filled in by bereaved children and teenagers and oral feedback from parents and family members that the charity's website and newsletter, free telephone advice line, and group programmes have all been beneficial and made a material difference to their lives following bereavement. These activities have 1. helped children and young people know what is happening and what can help 2. helped parents to understand and support their children 3. given professionals information to support bereaved children and young people 4. provided ways for bereaved families to meet and share their experiences. The main benefits to children and families have been the provision of an open access, early intervention, free at the point of need, varied level of bereavement support reduction in the need for referral to specialist services and target agencies because of escalating levels of need support for families to understand their grief reactions and |
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enhance family functioning
-
reduction of the social isolation frequently highlighted by children and families by creating new contacts with others experiencing bereavement
-
provision of opportunities for forging new friendships and learning from others
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
During the period covered by this report the charity has continued to enjoy support from two types of volunteers:
- (1) Volunteers, of which new ones have been trained and others upskilled by building on their experience of running group programmes for bereaved children and teenagers. These group programmes continue to be in much demand and remain at the core of what Stand-by-Me is seeking to provide as described above in its objects. Without the volunteers the delivery of the group programmes would be impossible. Two recipients of the Stand-by-me programme have become volunteers themselves.
It has been possible to return training of volunteers to face-to-face as the Covid pandemic restrictions ended.
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
-
policy on grantmaking;
-
policy programme related investment;
-
contribution made by volunteers.
-
(2) Fundraising volunteers, have continued to front various events and actively participated in fund-raising events, organised by donors. These have been vital in providing funds to strengthen the charity's ability to make a direct approach to bereaved children, teenagers and their families. They have also considerably raised public awareness of what Stand-by-Me has to offer bereaved families and of what resources are needed from donors in order to deliver the charity's services.
-
(3) Trustees have also attended various functions to acknowledge the generosity of donors, raise awareness of the charity and educate people about the need for such a charity.
Volunteers continue to organise and manage the now annual 'Remember-me' day when young people who have used Stand-by-me’s programme, and their families, can reconnect. The Charity continues to enjoy free accommodation provided by Letchworth Heritage Foundation, Hitchin Youth Trust. All volunteers received a specially commissioned Safeguarding leaflet to explain the responsibilities placed upon them in accordance with the charity's Safeguarding Policy; and certificates for training have been created.
The Young Ambassadors programme has also initiated a number of fundraising activities with young people who have benefited from the charity’s programme now raising its profile and taking a lead in promoting it and raising funds. This programme is a powerful continuation of the effectiveness and positive outcome of the clinical programme.
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Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year
The Stand-by-me group sessions for children and young people remain at the heart of the Charity's work and have now supported over 600 bereaved children and young people. The demand continues and a list of prospective participants is maintained with support offered as early as possible. All children and young people are professionally assessed to ensure they are ready for involvement in group sessions. These full assessments, carried out prior to the young people joining a group, have increasingly led to volunteers offering support to other members of the children's families.
The Big Lottery donation to fund a Family Bereavement Support Worker (FBSW): this was in line with the charity’s planning and designed to employ a person to draw a link between the children/young people, their families and their schools. This has proved to be enormously successful in linking school, families and bereaved young people but has also lead to ‘pressure’ to provide support directly to bereaved parents. A pilot and very limited scheme has run.
During the pandemic the FBSW worked tirelessly to mitigate the gaps created by the curtailment of the normal group sessions. She made phone contact with families and schools to provide support. She supported schools which experienced significant issues when they reopened. Gradually her work is returning to the pre-pandemic model but the demands are increasing.
Groups have been re-established for face-to-face sessions. The Contact-me programme for schools has been adopted by all the secondary schools in the Charity's area and most of the primary schools, schools, with volunteers (the primary author of the scheme and a clinician) continuing to provide training sessions primarily in schools. This revision and retraining programme will continue as schools seek more and more support in their work with bereaved children.
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Section D Achievements and performance
The growth in the scale, and success, of both these aspects of the Charity's work required a review of staffing in line with a full review of the Charity's business plan, in terms of its future sustainability. The input of the Trustee with digital expertise has led to a further review of the administration side of the charity’s work and a plan for implementation has been drawn up for thorough consultation.
The Young Ambassadors programme has proved to be of great benefit to both the participants and to the Charity in terms of its profile and fundraising, with impressive presentations being made by the young people at various high-profile local events. A compilation of videos made by the young people themselves has been used for fund and awareness raising purposes and this approach will be used with new ambassadors in the following year. Individual, corporate and local group donations have supplemented the initial three-year Children ln Need grant.
The Charity was pleased to receive continuation funding from Children in Need after the delay caused by the pandemic. Funding is constantly under review and the continuation of the Uniting Families programme, pump-primed by the Big Lottery donation may depend on securing other funding streams.
The ‘regular giving’ scheme the Trust designed has so far generated less than hoped but the marketing Trustee is actively seeking ways of promoting this, including exploring the possibility of contributions from local business.
The Trustees returned to face-to-face meetings as soon as pandemic restrictions were lifted.
Section E Financial review
The Trust’s has agreed to change its policy to hold reserves to cover no Brief statement of the less than six rather than three months expenses. charity’s policy on reserves Details of any funds materially in deficit Further financial review details (Optional information)
The Trust has no funds invested. lts income is entirely through charitable You may choose to include donations from individuals, local organisations, fund-raising organisations additional information, where outside the locality which have identified the Charity as one which they relevant about: wish to support on a one-off basis and from national supporters i.e. the charity’s principal Children in Need and The Big Lottery. sources of funds (including any fundraising); All income is directed exclusively to providing support for children and how expenditure has young people who have been bereaved and without the funding the supported the key objectives Charity could not continue. Whilst all the clinical and therapeutic support of the charity; is delivered by volunteers, they cannot also provide the essential administration, paperwork, etc. and this work is carried out, largely, by investment policy and paid employees of the Trust. As the Charity moderately expands its work,
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the administrative support required commensurately increases. The Trustees keep that carefully monitored, ensuring that staff are properly remunerated, supported, trained and, when possible, upskilled.
objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information
After two very difficult years which placed huge remands on the Charity – ironically at a time when it was more needed than ever – operations have largely returned to pre-pandemic status. Doubtless all charities have found fund-raising difficult and maintaining the charity’s work has required exceptional effort on the part of staff and volunteers. Certainly, moves towards more usual ways of delivering support are welcomed.
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
||
|---|---|---|
| Keith S Wadsworth | ||
| Secretary | ||
| August 20 2023 |
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| rO | RTHE | YEARE | NDED31DE | CEMBE,R}O | Z? | Z? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3lDec20223IDec2021 | ||||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | TotalfundsTotalfunds | |||
| funds | fund | fund | ||||
| Notes | f |
fg | f,f | |||
| INCOMINGRESOURCES | ||||||
| Incomingresourcesfrom | ||||||
| generatedfunds | ||||||
| Children inneed | 31,380 | 31,380 | 25,600 | |||
| Big Lottery | 32,294 | 32,294 | 31,678 | |||
| Herts Community Foundation | 5,000 | |||||
| StevenageCommunity Fund | 430 | |||||
| MrsSmith&MountTrust | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | |||
| Costcolocalgiving | 1,500- | 1,500 | ||||
| Hitchin YouthTrust Health | ||||||
| Campaign | 684 | |||||
| FundraisingEvents | L6S; | 1,682 | ||||
| JustGiving | 3,507 | 3,507 | 1,728 | |||
| Grants and donations | 63,150 | 63,150 | 23,9'18 | |||
| EnthuseDonations | 4,648 | 4,648 | 1,115 | |||
| Investmentand otherincome | 443 | 443 | 92 | |||
| Totalincomingresources | 73,430 | 70,174 | 143,604 | 95,305 | ||
| RESOURCES EXPENDED | ||||||
| Costs ofgenerating funds | ||||||
| Costsofgeneratingvoluntary | ||||||
| income | ||||||
| Charity runningcosts | 15,61; | 75,25; | 90,864 | 87,075 | ||
| Charitableactivities | ||||||
| Governance | ||||||
| Directcharitablespending | 9,146 | 898 | 10,044 | 9,812 | ||
| Totalresources expended | 24,759 | 76,149 | 100,908 | 96,881 | ||
| EXCESSOFINCOME OVER | ||||||
| EXPEI{DITT]RE | 48,671 | (5,975) | 42,696 | (1,582) | ||
| Gain(Loss)onrevaluationof | ||||||
| investments | ||||||
| NETSURPLUS FORTHE | ||||||
| YEAR | 48,677 | (5,975) | 42,696 | (1,s82) | ||
| RECONCILIATIONOF | ||||||
| F'UNDS | ||||||
| Transfersbetweenfunds | (300) | 300 | ||||
| Totalfunds broughtforward | 48,022 | 22,162 | 70,184 | 71,766 | ||
| TOTALFT]}[DSCARRIED | ||||||
| F'ORWARD )t |
_2qfe3 | J6,487_ | 112,880 | 10,184 |
| 3lDec20223lDec2021 | 3lDec20223lDec2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | EndowmentTotalfunds | Totalfunds | ||
| funds | Restricted | fund | ||
| fund | ||||
| s | *. | cf,f. | ||
| FD(EDASSETS | ||||
| Invesfinents | ||||
| CURRENTASSETS Debtors Cash atbankandinhand |
q6'39s | ry4s; | d | -ul_ |
| 96J93 | 16,487 | 112,880 | 70,184 | |
| CREDITORS | ||||
| Amountsfallingduewithinone | ||||
| ysar | ||||
| NETCT]RRENTASSETS | 96,393 | 16,487 | 112,880 | 70,184 |
| TOTALASSETS LESS | ||||
| CURRENTLIABILITMS | 96,393 | 16,487 | 112,880 | 74,184 |
| NETASSETS | __96,393 | _1S/!{ | l&qqq | J04u |
| FT'I\DS | ||||
| Unrestricted funds | 96,393 | 48,022 | ||
| Restrictedfunds | 16,487- | 22,162 | ||
| Endowment firnds | ||||
| TOTALF'UNDS | 42,98q | -10)u. |
| Payments | unrestricted | restricted | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| t*,f,f. | ||||
| Proiect ManasersSalanes | 1.730 | 54,632 | 56,362 | s1.901 |
| Administrator&other salarvcosts | 11.180 | 16.s28 | 27.708 | 23.756 |
| Clinical/assessmentcosts | 503 | |||
| Recruitment | ||||
| Supervision&Trainins | 267 | L,224 | t.491 | 4.337 |
| Travelexpenses -volunteers/clients | 220 | 142 | 362 | 270 |
| GrouD-Resources/expensesilcurred | 2,102 | 2.t02 | 1.769 | |
| FamilyEvent&OtherChildrens | ||||
| Group | 1,734 | 32 | 1,766 | 268 |
| DBSClearance | 144 | 148 | 148 | |
| YouthAmbassadorsProjectfunded | ||||
| HCF | 339 | 339 | 3.253 | |
| BisLottervProiect-otherdirectcosts | 591 | 180 | 180 | |
| Communications-Mobiles /Postase | 1.385 | 300 | 1,685 | t.666 |
| Schools Programmecosts | 689 | |||
| Website suoportIITcosts | 3"618 | 144 | 3,74 | 3.707 |
| Access Insurance-Public&Liabilitv | ||||
| Insurance | 69s | 69s | 68s | |
| Stationerv/officecosts | 7 | 454 | 461 | 728 |
| Fundraisins&Marketinscosts | 846 | 846 | 1.483 | |
| Consultancv | 1.050 | 1,050 | ||
| Accountancv | 81s | 816 | 720 | |
| Other miscellaneouscosts | 129 | 729 | 822 | |
| Total | 24,759 | 76.149 | 100.908 | 96,886 |
| unrestricted | restricted | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recei | gs*.f | |||
| Grants | ||||
| Children InNeed | 31380 | 31.380 | 25"600 | |
| Bis Lotterv | 32294 | 32Jlg4 | 31.678 | |
| HertsCommunityFoundafion | 5.000 | |||
| CostcoLocalGivine | 1,500 | 1,500 | ||
| HitchinYouth Trust Mental Health | 684 | |||
| camoaisn | ||||
| StevenaseCommunitv Trust | ||||
| MrsSmith&MountTrust | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | |
| EnthuseDonations | 4,649 | 4,648 | i.115 | |
| Donations | 63.150 | 63.1s0 | 23.978 | |
| JustGivins | 3,507 | 3,507 | r.728 | |
| Fundraisinsevents | 1.682 | 1.682 | ||
| Otherincome | 443 | 443 | 92 | |
| total | 73,430 | 70.174 | 143.604 | 95,305 |
| MEMBERS OF'THE |
BOARD | OF TRUSTEES |
|---|---|---|
| MrIanCotterill | - | Chair(resigned30November2A22) |
| MrsCarolReed | - | Chair (appointedIDecember2022-previouslyDeputy Chair&Safeguarding |
| Trustee) | ||
| MrJohnBotley | - | Deputy Chair (appointed1December)&Finance |
| MrsSandraBlacker | - | ClinicalTrustee |
| MrJamesLawrence | - | MarketingTrustee |
| MrsJasKaur | - | HRTrustee(resigned31March2022) |
| Mr NeilCuthbertson | - | HRTrustee(appointed1Iily2022) |
| MrsJaneWalton | - | HealthTrustee |
| MrAndyNellis. | - | DigitalTrustee |
| MrKeithWadsworth | - | Secretary |
| MrsBobbiDhillon | - | VolunteerAssociate Trustee |