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2023-08-31-accounts

www.talkfi rst.org TalkFIRST Family Mediation

Registered charily no. 1162110 Annual Report 2023 Buiia, Bekker Ill Tou.Can

Foreword by Chair – May 2024

Resilience, Creative Working and New Foundations

With the adverse effects of social isolation suffered during the Covid pandemic still surfacing and a cost-of-living crisis resonating through our communities, continued pressure on family life has meant demand for our family and relationship services continued to outstrip supply.

In an increasingly competitive funding climate resilience was key and we continued to adapt our strategies to embrace new opportunities that helped sustain and develop both our service delivery and our beneficiaries.

Sustainability and our dedicated mediation and relationship services

We continued to grow our accredited family mediation service through networking opportunities with social care and legal professionals across and beyond the borough, growing our unrestricted income capacity.

We seized the opportunity to engage in the roll out of a population mental health initiative called Connect 5, training two of our staff to deliver mental health training across the borough’s voluntary sector. This enriched our own skill set and created additional opportunities to generate unrestricted income.

We collaborated with local CIC, Action Stations who committed to making a modest but regular contribution toward the cost of sustaining our Tou-Can weekly perinatal initiative supporting parental mental health.

We collaborated with the Brick-by-Brick project delivering surplus consumer goods to families who need help most; helping household income stretch that bit further and providing items that help to make a house a home.

Creative Philanthropy

With social distancing restrictions finally behind us 2023 saw TalkFIRST embrace fundraising like we never have before: instead of taking a stall at a local fair, we successfully hosted our own: We negotiated with local fairground providers, brought in external stallholders and staged ten stalls of our own including a fun bus.

In a bid to support families over the summer holiday we embarked on probably the “Best Days Out Raffle” ever, offering no less than 24 different days out

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successfully begged from local and regional leisure outlets including Eureka, Gulliver’s World, Blue Planet Aquarium, Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic, many including food vouchers, spending money, rucksacks and even sun cream.

Such creativity and success provided impetus and the self-belief to think bigger and bolder in the year ahead as we look forward to stepping up our collaborations to a new level.

On behalf of the trustees of TalkFIRST, we are pleased to present the 2022-2023 annual report

Governance

Martine Delaney Chair of Trustees Shirley Martland Trustee with responsibility for Finance Damon Musgrave Trustee Joe Shaw Trustee Emma Klieve Trustee Brian Rees Trustee Lee Whalley Trustee

Staff

Tracy Sheppard CEO/Mediator

Martine Delaney Mediator

Stacey Keggin Building Better Relationships Worker

Beverley McIntyre Building Better Relationships Worker Sarah Cash Perinatal Worker

Christine Boydell Administrator

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About Us

TalkFIRST was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in June 2015 and was operational immediately. The CIO is a development of its predecessor Resolutions, a Community Interest Company, set up in 2012, operational from 2013. All work, finances and staff were seamlessly transferred into the CIO. We are based in a central location in the borough, offering easy access from all areas.

Governance

Our trustees understand their legal obligations and are committed to ensuring solvency, and compliance under charity law. Our Trustee’s Code of Conduct reinforces all aspects of the constitution, our policies and practice which are subject to annual review. Trustee board meetings have taken place bi-monthly and all meetings minuted to ensure transparency and accountability.

Our Vision, Our Mission and our Charitable Objectives

Our Vision is:-

To resolve conflict and inspire positive communication, recognising that healthy and supportive relationships are the cornerstone to aspire and achieve.

Our Mission Statement is:-

To empower individuals and families in all their forms to improve communication and build better family life.

Our charitable objectives are:-

To support children, young people and their families who are at risk of family conflict, anti-social behaviour, criminal activities or relationship breakdown, through the provision of family mediation, family support and group work activities.

Guided by our Vision and our Mission Statement, we provide bespoke, future focussed relationship services, working with families in all forms including intergenerational, non-blood, extended, step-families, carers and special guardians.

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Further accreditation achieved this year to deliver Child Inclusive Mediation enabled us to work with children and give them a voice in an age-appropriate way that helps inform struggling parents about their thoughts, feelings and wishes.

The recent extension of the Ministry of Justice Family Mediation Voucher Scheme has preserved the opportunity for families to access financial help with the cost of mediating about children arrangements.

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Our reach

Whilst our grant funded initiatives are largely focused upon the Wigan Borough, our beneficiaries stretch way beyond the borough’s boundaries thanks to our growing profile, the power of remote working and word of mouth recommendations

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Our Year 2022-2023

Key events from our year 2022-23

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The Perinatal Agenda

Disappointingly, last year’s funding for our work in the Perinatal arena was not continued, despite the 5 groups involved demonstrating significant outcomes for Wigan’s new and nearly new parents and their little ones. The funding landscape is as challenging as ever, so whilst we are committed to regeneration of last year’s Tou-Can project, for now we will maintain the popular group. Held every Wednesday at our local community centre, Tou-Can’s group provides a place for peer support and friendship, whilst play, activities and singing are provided for children, and their parents to enjoy, build skills and promote a strong parent – child relationship.

Building Better Relationships

Our Building Better Relationships project entered its 3rd year, courtesy of The National Lottery Community Fund’s Reaching Communities programme.

Additional monitoring of our beneficiaries told us that 80% of young people who work with us have a diagnosis for, or are awaiting assessment for Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

The Future

We’re always looking two to three years ahead and have huge optimism for the growth and development of TalkFIRST. The commitment, drive, enthusiasm and skills of our staff and trustees, who working tirelessly to support and develop the amazing work we are beyond proud, means a secure, bright and successful future for our charity.

A Trustee’s Perspective – Brian Rees

When I retired after a long career in banking, I wanted to take the opportunity to give something back to the community. An opportunity arose to work with a local grass roots charity TalkFIRST.

After both sides completing their due diligence, I joined TalkFIRST – TalkFIRST engage at all levels with the local community and show drive and commitment to their cause every day.

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They first and foremost help families build better relationships - Tracy and her committed team strive every day to deliver the best version of themselves

They are a valuable community resource which adds value to the Wigan Borough

The Trustees give their time, energy and expertise to support TalkFIRST at a strategic level - this is ever more critical as grant funding is harder to come by and Tracy and her team are creative in their efforts to protect TalkFIRST's future

Above everything TalkFIRST is a team which strives every day support the local community - long may it continue

Fundraising Strategy and Next Steps

During the last financial year, we have focused on becoming sustainable in our own right, so we can support more struggling families to receive the support they need. We are working hard to grow all aspects of our services, both those we provide for free, and those we charge for, in order to extend our reach both geographically and in terms of the people we work with. Our Business Plan identified both optimistic and conservative plans for growth and development, with a second FMCA mediator now in place, our plans are beginning to come to fruition. We are working on a range of opportunities to develop a robust delivery model that will ensure our longevity with grants, and broadening our portfolio of strategic planning that covers the following areas for sustainability:

Family Mediation:

As our primary areas for generating income, we are pleased to see an increase in paid-for family mediation. Our plan to ‘grow our own’ family mediators is paying dividends already as we have our second mediator now taking paid work, with plans for a third in 2025. Our projected growth of mediation income for the coming year is set to increase by 25%, as our marketing strategy widens to focus on areas outside our usual catchment.

Corporate Partnerships:

We have been successful in cultivating partnerships with businesses aligned with the project's mission, offering financial contributions, employee volunteering, and in-kind support, hosting our first charity event, and local and regional supporters from the business community who have donated prizes.

Trusts and Foundations Funding:

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We have and will continue to seek support from funders who strongly align with our themes and values with single year and multi-year funders being approached to support our ongoing work.

We plan to develop and capitalise on our reputation and expertise, and engage in conversations, submit funding requests and work in partnership to raise awareness of what we do, and generate new relationships across the Trusts and Foundations sector.

Charitable Fundraising

Our fundraising plans, 2020 and 2021 were curtailed, by the pandemic, have been kickstarted at last with our first TalkFIRST summer fair, in August 2023 despite the misery of a last minute weather-related cancellation in July. A great time by all, around £2000 generated for our charity, and many lessons learned; a success all round! We are delighted to say, more opportunities for events, and working in partnership to raise awareness and funds are to come; funds generated by events underpin the delivery of work with local children and young people, and their families.

Partnerships

Collaborative working is vital to our work, and this year has been as busy as ever, working with our partners through mutual support - sharing ideas and expertise, taking and making referrals to ensure all beneficiaries get the help they need, and the new partnerships we have forged this year, as we kickstart our fundraising campaign that was brought to halt by the pandemic.

We thank all our partners for their support, in all sectors, from Voluntary and Community Organisations, solicitors with whom we work on family mediation cases, those who work in Ashland House with us, the wonderful people at Ince Rose Bridge Sports and Community Club who hosted events for us and the kind and generous business community who donate prizes, and Wigan Council.

Funding

This year, we have received £106,379 in grants from: Wigan Council, Groundwork, Cheshire, National Lottery Community Fund’s Reaching Communities and Awards For All programmes, Trusthouse, Making a Difference Locally and The Coalfield Regeneration Trust.

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We thank our funders for their support; without it we could not provide the level of service to the families who need us.

Beneficiaries and Outcomes

MEDIATION:

82 families, consisting of 303 individuals referred themselves or were signposted to us for family mediation. Many of these referrals were made as a result of personal recommendations from previous users of the service, others from social care or solicitors and others got in touch with us following an internet search. From those referrals, 34 mediation sessions were held.

BUILDING BETTER RELATIONSHIPS:

74 families, comprising 119 adults and 137 children, benefited from one of the many services provided by Building Better Relationships.

Building Better Relationships (BBR)

Case Study – Building Better Relationships

OVERVIEW

Family: (names changed) Joe 14 (subject of referral), Ben 17, Jade 7 mum and dad (step dad to Joe and Ben)

We started work with the family following a call from mum, on recommendation from Wigan Council’s Start Well team, who were involved following safeguarding concerns. They recommended family mediation, though following assessment, it was found unsuitable. Alternative means of working were offered.

The family was in crisis, with relationships at a low point, with Joe seen as a troublesome family member, who was not engaging with the family unless unavoidable. Parents used harsh means of trying to manage Joe, who on occasion went missing from home, was thought to engage in low-level antisocial behaviour and demonstrated lack of willingness to take part in family life.

Our work with the family

We started work with the family following a call from mum, on recommendation from Wigan Council’s Start Well team, who were involved following safeguarding

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concerns. They recommended family mediation, though following assessment, it was found unsuitable. Alternative means of working were offered.

The family were in crisis, with relationships at an all-time low. Joe seen as the troublesome family member. Parents used harsh means of trying to manage Joe, who on occasion went missing from home, was thought to engage in low-level antisocial behaviour and demonstrated lack of willingness to take part in family life, or converse on anything more than a cursory level.

A variety of means (locations and times, Zoom, different family members) of family engagement were attempted, with stepdad and Ben refusing to be involved, resulting in separated meetings with Sebastian, and with mum.

Joe’s sessions of work took place school, where he engaged well, and developed a trusting relationship with his worker. Work centred around support for his mental health, self-esteem and opportunities to off-load, as well as coping strategies and reflection on family life and rights and responsibilities for all family members.

Mum’s engagement fluctuated over several weeks, further barriers to change were her focus on Joe’s behaviour, and her struggles to see how changes within the whole family were needed if they were to achieve the settled and happy family life she hoped for. A 6 week plan was offered, and accepted. Mum met Stacey and worked through relationships-focused work, underpinned by The Solihull Approach, not only looking at the current situation, but reflecting with mum on issues from her own childhood and since, and how these influence the present.

Work focussed on:

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Outcomes

The outcome for our sessions is to promote understanding between all concerned and through understanding this should support better communication.

Mum eventually engaged really well with these sessions; Joe continued to engage with sessions at his school.

Reviewing our sessions Mum reported that she felt she was more confident when dealing with difficult messages from Sebastian, learning how to respond, spend time with him and understand how he may be thinking, feeling, and reported this has supported their relationship.

Joe also reported that homelife had improved, his relationship with his mum was better and they had started to speak more, have better conversations and go on monthly shopping trips which helped them to build their relationships. The family had 22 sessions in total.

Feedback

Building Better Relationships testimonial – Partner Agency

TalkFIRST puts family relationships at the heart of early intervention. They offer families the opportunity to engage in experiences and direct work focussing on positive, safe and stable relationship building that develops secure attachments, self-confidence, self-esteem, and resilience whilst contributing to a strong sense of identity and belonging. This work is pivotal to family wellbeing, and their specialism is a valuable resources to which to signpost our families.

NB, Early Help Coordinator, Wigan Council

TOU-CAN testimonial – PARTNER AGENCY

The Tou Can Family sessions run by Talk First at Ince Community Centre are a greatly needed asset to the local community.

Higher Ince is an area of high deprivation with many single parent and nonworking families, the ever rising cost of living impacts on these families the most causing worry, anxiety and stress as to how to manage day by day.

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The sessions, provide a place for families, parents, carers, grandparents to meet while the children are kept busy with activities. The adults can chat, swap information, offer support to one another and gain advice about any issues around bringing up young children. Advice is also available to mums to be, how to take of themselves during pregnancy, how to manage work, apply for benefits. Emotional support for the families is on hand from TalkFIRST. The sessions are very popular, to the point we wish we were able to provide a larger space or more frequent sessions.’

HS Trust Manager, Douglas Valley Community

TOU-CAN testimonial – BENEFICIARY

This is the only group for us round here. It’s really good for my little boy, and for me. It’s helped me get out and meet new people. The staff are great and always make us feel welcome. There is always something new to do.

Family Mediation

Feedback

Following mediation with TalkFIRST, I would like to thank you again for the outstanding, kind, caring & professional Service provided. It has been an enormous support & blessing in a very difficult season in my life.

The Ministry of Justice Family Mediation Voucher Scheme

We are pleased that the Ministry of Justice introduced the Mediation Voucher Scheme for a further 3 years. In 2022-2023, 25 sets of separated parents have used the voucher mediated through TalkFIRST, to work out how they can jointly meet the needs of their if not other children, through mutual understanding and future-focussed and child-centred negotiations. family courts, and to encourage parents to work together in making arrangements for their children.

This initiative has been a valuable asset to TalkFIRST, enabling those parents to come to us without the financial pressures that otherwise might not have been able to afford our services.

In the months between April and the end of this financial year, we saw 24 families mediate successfully using the vouchers, applied for by our mediator, and administered by The Family Council.

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End of the year – vision for the next 12 months

With a growing complement of services evolving to meet increasing gaps in service we are excited to be spreading our wings and reaching out across and beyond the borough, both in our funded and income-generating services. Training for staff is in the pile to help raise broaden our ability reach different sectors of the mediation world.

Expanding our mediation capacity and extending our reach to serve perinatal mental health through the launch of our Tou-can project means vertical and horizontal expansion.

With existing partnerships strengthened and new collaborations on the horizon with VCSE and corporate partners alike, we are looking forward to supporting more families in the year ahead.

Finance for year 31/08/22 – 01/09/23

Please see following pages:

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TALK FIRST Trustees. Report and Financlal Statements For the year ended 31 August 2023 R•glstored number. CE003520 Charfty number. 1162110 15

TALK FIRST coKrENTS FOR nE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGIIST 2023 CONTENTS L•gal and athlnl•tratlv• Infomiallon Pag• 1 Pag• 2 Ind•￿nd•￿t Examln•r8' Pty•4 P•g• 6 Balan¢• •h••t P•g• 7 Notss fornilng part of th• flnanclal statem•nts Pa9• 9 16

TALK FIRST LEQAL AND ADMINISTRATive INFORMAT)N FOR THE YEAR ENDED J1 AUGUST 2023 a. Delaney {Chair) J. Shaw {Renod - 01112r21y23) B. Rees S. Martland IR•sW- 01107r2023) D. Muggrov D. Cwghh'n (Re8lgned- 0110￿2023) L. Whaley (Nw)trtsd- 01110r2023) cOmp￿Y R•gl•tsrod Number- CE1103520 Ch•rlty R•g1St•r￿ Numb•r - 1162110 141 Fh)or Ashland House Dobson Park Way In(* kn MakwThold w￿an WN2 2DX Accourtsnts 8Soorrrfiekl' Bboomfiehl Cwrt 76 Factory Street Wost Atherton. Man¢￿tar M46 OEF 17

TALK FIRST TrUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ÉNDED 31 AutX￿ 2 R•fw•nc• •nd Admlnlstrallon Inftn Tre Try￿, who ￿ a160 direclors 01 ctrwlly for tho of Comwleg Aca 20CK8, prg8ent their report with the ffinanrAal Statements of th8 for tho year ènded 31 August 2023. Th8 Trustee$ have adopted the provl8bns of tr Statement of RocommoThJed Prnctice {SORP) 'Pux)unts'ng and Reporthg by Charitig$' issugd n Marth 2005 and UFdated May 2008. Talk Firnl 16 a company Ilmlted by guwants• •rKI a Gharity registe￿1 ¥￿th tr Charty Commi33knn for Engl8nd arKI Walgs under nwit•r 1162110. Th8 TruooF of Ihg charity th• principlo of Ihe charity are Isted on ￿ge 1. The report was prep8fvAI kn accordan￿ ith tho spo¢iJl pro¥isK)ns wilhk) part 15 of tho Compan188 Act 2006. ObJ•cUv•¥ arml ACIMIIM of th• Ch•rity T1￿ main otiieclives of the charlty 8re to support ¢hlhJron. young pgopl8 th￿r fam11￿ are at risk of famify eonPdrt ￿l￿¢￿ra1 b•havior, cThrinal aclfvlty or r8talion$hip bro1kn4n, thrw#i the wovl8bn of fam1￿ medlatbn. fwnly and s¥wp wrk actlvltlgs. RMults A ￿nTh￿ry Of￿ r••uli8 oflh• y•orf$ kj IrKorporaled In the Slatsmfml of F￿￿n¢la1 All revonue from the tharitable athl1￿• are rwlrKtsd and applbwj for tho ¢haritablg obpth ofth• CoM￿ny. tXJrlrwJ thè year the charty TeceWI £53,898 In fundln9 from tha Nath)nal Lottory Corrffiunity Fund a6 part of Reathing CCnmLmlls￿artnew3h1p8 progrwnme. Dlrnetors TnMtMs The drnctorn 8Th1 trustse5 dLrirvJ the ywrworg u follows:. . D818n•y (Chatr) 8. Rees S. MarflarKJ D. Cwlkn J. Shaw E. Kli8ve D. Musgro L. wh￿￿Y 51thm￿t of Dlr•ctry¥' •nd TnwtsH' RIV￿lbIll1l•O diractoTr and trustees are required ty1gW to prepare the fin8ndal ststwnants for eath finan(ial yoar vthlth gl¥e a and fair vbw of ts financial aclivibes of the charity of i 18

TALK FIRST TRUSTEES. REPORT FOR M YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 Ilnanda posltim al the 8nd of the JEar. In Pfewtng those financlal atsments the dtr8ctorn and tru8to88 are rwwir•d to.. Selecl Jtsble act￿0￿j polKle8 and then appty tr￿M conskst8nty; Make NKlgements and e8lmale# that are r￿¢¢nable and pnthL Preparn finandal slatemerts M the WINJ con(m ba•b urAe81 It 1$ inappr05x￿ to weswne that kn conyny will c￿linUe wi ￿siness. Thg (fwBdors a￿1 twstees are responsible k08pk¥J prnper ￿Xm￿ling rKcKds Tknlch dls(*)8e with r8asonab16 ac£uracy at any the financial pogitnn of tho conpany and lo enable them lo ensure thal the financial ststernents cc4mpty wllh Companies Act 2006. They a￿ 81$0 reS￿nSIble for sateguwdirrfj assets of the (xJrnp8ny and hen￿ for l&kirKJ rna60nabl8 6tep5 for iho preventbn and detoclon of tra￿1 and other lrrewlarft1￿. 8fflall Compary 8totu• Th58 rew1 ha8 been WePar￿ in accordan￿ wlth thè 8p8dal pro¥tskins relalkng to ciThpan60s to th• smal ccmpaTh•8 rngime Part 15 of ts Ccffipwl88 Ad 2CK6. 81ywd by vdor of th• BoArd 01Tru•t•￿ •nd th• Dlr•ctorn M. D•lan•y Cha Date &3 2024 19

TALK FIRST IPmEPEIi)ENfEX4MWER'S REPORT TO THE DL4ECTORJ ANO TRU8TEE8 OF TALK FRST RMp•ctlv• v••pon8lbllllts• ol tru•tM• and •xamln•r Tho charfV8 trust￿ {tK aro dtre¢tCrf8 of th• eorwny for purp08e of conp8ny Lth¥l we resFons1b￿ for the pr8p8ralion of the acwunts. Thg trustges wnsKler that an audtt 18 not r8quired for this year und8r socllon 144 of the Ch&rlles Acl 2011 (the CharlUe8 Act) and Ilkql an Independent exthn8tion Is rothd. Th• trustogs havg ad(rMywknW. tyi ts baknnco tholr r88Fon8lbllllo8 lor on$uthw that Ihfj ujmpany keeps 8ccounllNJ recon18 whkh compty wfth seCt￿n 396 of lh8 Compwios Act 20￿, 8nd for prepar￿￿ fknandal slatements vthlth 8 true and fair vl8w of the slate of affalrs of the lxrfnpany and cl rts surpluslldefKitl the finandal year. In arx¢nknrA V•th th• IrrftrucU(Th, w• have prepwod tho frnn(x•l •l•tsmwts on p•g•$ 7- 12 from tho accountnig rerx)r¥18 01 tho Conv￿ and on th• ba818 of Inlomth arml eyplarsgllons ￿ hgve bogn ￿n. Ills my reswnsibility to". Examkne the {urJ•r ￿¢{1￿ 145 ofthe Charldes Acl) To follow Ihe procedures l#ld down bn the Genoral DlreAlon8 glven by Cha Comrnlssion (urthr 8ecknon 14515Xbl of the Char6ts8 Act). and To stal8 partbxlar matters have com8 to my 8tt8ntKin Bas1# of Ind•p•nd•nt •xamln•rf8 •lat•m•nt fvty examlnallon was carried out in accorda￿￿ ith General Directions given by the Ch¥Fty C(¥nmi$sionor5. An emm1￿￿0￿ incl￿8 rovl of th8 accounling rncords kept by the charlty and 8 comparlson of Ihe ao))urts presgntgd vlth ttv)se rerAyd¥. tt also indLKle¥ ?)n￿derat￿Jrt ofany unusual liwn$ or dl$dosures In the accJ)Jnts and seeking eX￿ana￿c￿S from the trustees C4Jf)ceming any such malters. The procedures ￿Jartakeft do not yovOd• all th• wk1enc th81 would bo w(¥rod in an and ¢onsequenly no cflrdon Is glven as to vthethor Ihe aC£o￿ts present a "true and fair ViV•V" and tho roport ks limrled to those matters set out in the staternant nd•nt •xamln•rf• •t•tsm•nt In the of my oyanwnation, no mthr has lo my attenli( 1. Vthith gi￿# m• rna80nable cause lo bellow that kn, malerw r•spBrt th• Iru9t•o$ have Tr)t met the requlrements.. To keep K£4)unting reccds in aco)rdK• wilh 8octhn 130 of th• C￿tio8 Act and S386 of the Ccffipanlos Act 2006,. and . To prepwo acr¥)unts acwd wth Ihe a(xounting reLx>rds and comply wlth tha accounllng wulrwnenl cl Sectk>n 396 ofthe CO￿an￿o$ Acr 2C￿ aTrJ th the melhtyJ$ and princ4ples of the Statefffinl ol Reo)mIn￿￿O￿ Pract￿￿9.. Ac4>)unting and ROpo￿rtu by Charitios.. or 2. To fili. In my opinlon, attonl1￿ 9hould be drawn to enable a wopgr underst8￿ing of Ihe xcounts to bg rpath9d. 20

TALK FIRST IIKIEPENDEiif LWIINERI IIEPORT TO THE DMIECT(IR8AWD TF¢U8Tr8 OP TNLK FIRST K Bloomlleld CPAA For on behalf of 8knmllekl's ACC￿ntents Lh)It8d BI￿rnfiekl Court 76 Factory Str8&t WeBI Atherton Manthfr8ter M46 OEF 21

TALK FIRST 8TATEIENT OF FINANCL4L ACIMTIES TIE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 IIIC011114G R&IOURCE8 Vc4wtsry I￿l¥ TOTAL IICOMIIIG RE8OiIiCE8 c￿1• TOTAL IIE8OLIiCES ExPEl￿ED IIEf {OUT130WOyINCOIIIMO NET MIMIW111 FUND8 r* FUND PALANCE8 AT 31 Auqwl 22

TALK FIRsr BALANCE SHEEr FOR THE YE￿ ENOED 31 AUGLI8TX2¥ CURRENT ASSETS Cash baTh In har ,750 1C563 ¢REDITOR8: tsling du• o yoar Not pJrrerrt TOTAL A38Ef8 LE88 CURREI(r UABILMES 8OA18 CREDifoiis'. Amofv fallry du• aft•r (Y ar NEf ASSET5 CHATY FUN TP• dlr•kn •)d tru8t••8 con•kl•r th￿ tho company Is •nIh￿ lo •xwplkn twi tr• r•qub•)wl tr) JJlt und•r tho dS.480 ollh Comp¥th knt 2C4)8. PktTh)Jc• from th• ffl•mbw• SA76 ofth• Coirpvl•b A 2rth thè (¥ry•nyto h•w ￿ •Jll b••n d•prA￿ thè thftyny. ccryty S.3￿ ol the CC)Yn￿ Act 2006. bJ forprepedng a In 8ry1 vknvofth• sl ol th• Aff￿1 ol gynpany al 31￿JJO￿t 2023 •nd of Ni nei txpyJllur• for Iho tr •rthd in attLYdorKo thB TrquliBTrrt d S.396. tyA whith othww4• vAh th& fewkomonts dth¥ Th• fl￿￿1￿1 •tthnvnlB h•vv bBen k¥pF••d n aLwdanc• 41h th• 4JKiil prfr+i¥KJrts r•latr¥ kn rA￿￿￿•S wJbJ•d tr) th• IM￿ r￿Mp•¥I' *ilhin Part 15 ￿ tho C(xrwn￿AcI2C￿6. 23

TALK FIRST FOR TIIE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 2024 •nd on thdr by. Th• pw g b 10 krfm pwtdlhw finwJal•tolThnts. 24

TALK FIRST IIOTES TO FINANCIAL STATE1￿119 FOR The YEAR EKIED 31 AiKIU8T 2023 •Th1 E￿nd￿lI 1$ rKty•d th th•trAxAts onth• ba484tth• da1•OntAt4rt￿ •￿t T￿ h•¥ 1fj￿ of th• •xnpIK￿ in Fhndd Roputre 81v#l•rd No. 1 lffAn rn4uhnwntlo a cBshlkM al￿￿8n1 on the ttwl rt Smdl ¢xMiyary. kn¢¢m• 12 d l¢ts ltsm¢ymt t•qUant￿l llh •¢¢ur•¢y. 1J T•x•th Ktyn•applhDd W tor. mjln (arlt•ble FUK¥J¥•. COIIIMG REsOU￿E5 FROM OENERATED FUNDS oth•r Orants Tai X*23 C08TSOF GENERAnNG FUNDS Tot•1 2023 2023 2022 ln CREDffOR&. AmguThts f•Mlng fthln OD• Jwr. Sc4S i•￿1ty oth•rt&x•s 1,&31 18.242 4.752 25

TALK FIRST IIOTE8 TO FTrIAMCIAL STATEIIENT8 FIJR nE YE￿ ENDED 31 Auousf I￿> ANLY818 OF NEfASSEf3 BETY￿EN FUP Totsl Fund• 2023 TL Fupés nd• 2023 Not wY•nt 1.418 Crv&tors.' allw on• 13 Su￿nE￿ t rA>rrtrbul• a aum ￿•xe• £10 ts) Conw￿ lh￿￿1 tt b•wournJ ￿. 310 Au1￿￿ 2023 Ihw• S m•rr*¥4 26

Reserves Policy

The reserve parameters identified aim to provide financial stability and the means for the development of our principal activities.

To protect TalkFIRST and its beneficiaries and employees, TalkFIRST intends to establish and maintain reserves at a level sufficient to cover approximately six months running costs plus requisite redundancy considerations.

Reserves will be utilised in the following manner:-

  1. In the event of a drop in income; to protect against short-term fluctuations

  2. In the event of a drop in income to make provision for necessary redundancy payments should the organisation find it is unable to sustain staffing levels

  3. To allow TalkFIRST to take advantage of new opportunities aligned with its aims.

To achieve this, we will aim to put £5k per year into reserves from unrestricted (mediation) income until that level is achieved. Requisite reserve figures will be reviewed annually in accordance with current staffing and other relevant responsibilities to ensure that they are adequate to fulfil our continuing obligations.

Income £129,860 Expenditure £109,700

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28 Tel: 01942 243620 www.talkfirst.org tracy@talkfirst.org