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2023-03-31-accounts

2022/2023

ANNUAL REPORT

Supporting children and young people with Down's syndrome and their community.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

I am pleased to report that we have continued to grow over the past year and are supporting more young people and their families than ever with a wider range of service provision.

As the cost of living crisis continues to disproportionately affect disabled children and their families, it has also made obtaining funding much more competitive. In light of this, this year we have focused on ensuring our services are both sustainable and accessible. We have built resilience into our staffing team and financial policies to ensure that we maintain quality and consistency in our services.

21 Together are committed to ensuring our services are accessible to as many people in our community as possible, we have reduced the costs associated with many of our groups and have continued to make sure financial support is available to all who need it. We have made good progress in providing groups to support those with more complex needs and this is an area we will continue to build on as part of our 3-year strategy.

This year also marked the start of our Regional Hubs, the goal of which is to provide more localised support in what is a vast county, enabling more local connections to be made by families. We will continue to improve these services to better support more young people.

Thanks, as ever, to our incredible staff and volunteers, whose dedication and ambition to provide the best for our young people is unwavering, and to our trustee board who give their time and experience so willingly. To all our supporters who fundraise, donate, share and vote for us - thank you for helping us to continue to provide vital services, we couldn’t do it without you. We look forward to further growth in the next year, we are excited for our plans going forward, and our continued ambition to ensure we provide wide-ranging, meaningful opportunities and support for young people with Down’s syndrome and their families in Kent.

Becky Clark - Chair of Trustees

TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT

"We are genuinely grateful for all the help you have provided to Mabel and us as a family. This past 5 years wouldn’t have been the same without your support.”

Nina (Parent)

Objects of the Charity

CIO - Foundation Registered 25 Jan 2016 as amended on 25 Sep 2020.

  1. To relieve the needs of people with Down's syndrome, living particularly but not exclusively in Kent, and their families and carers through the provision of training, support, education, and practical advice, and by such other means as the trustees may determine.

  2. To advance the education of the public and in particular the parents and carers of people with Down's syndrome and professionals involved in their care and education, in the specific needs and abilities of people with Down's syndrome.

VISION

Everyone has the right to live their lives to the fullest of their potential, regardless of disability or disadvantage.

MISSION

To support children and young people with Down's syndrome and their families to access the right support to live full and vibrant lives.

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OUR AIMS
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Enable people with Down's syndrome to be fully included in society by giving them access to the early intervention and skills needed to achieve the best possible outcomes in their lives.

Educate families and professionals to enable them to provide the best possible support for people with Down's syndrome.

Support families through peer networks, parent support groups and online forums.

Advocate and build awareness of the achievements of people with Down's syndrome. Recognising the positive impact of our community on the wider world is key in promoting true inclusion and cohesion.

Promote raised expectations of what is possible within our community and the wider community.

Regional Hubs Together we are stronger!

Letting our families lead the way

After much consultation and discussion, we have launched the beginnings of our regional hub project.

The project will split the vast area of Kent and Medway into 5 smaller regions, allowing families to connect and share on a much more local level.

Building support networks and peer groups with those who not only understand their journey but live close enough to become part of their everyday lives.

While we will be delivering events and information, the real aim is to help people connect outside of 21 Together, building friendships for the future.

"Just wanted to say a huge thank you for today. We loved the groups. It’s so important to have a chance to listen to others’ experiences and know that you’re not alone, to be honest, and share in a space that is safe and supported. It is inspiring and incredibly positive to be with all of the children you are so resilient and you can see them shining and growing.

Thank you for welcoming us and we cannot wait to see you all again. Love Jade, Ollie and Ottie x”

Impact of the Cost of Living Crisis

The aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic have plunged our community, particularly families relying on disability benefits, into unprecedented challenges. Shockingly, 42% of these families now live in poverty, demanding urgent attention to address this stark reality. Over the past fifteen years, an additional 1.8 million people in families with a disabled member have fallen into poverty. Despite efforts to lighten caseloads, the numbers of those relying on disability benefits remain persistently high.

The disability employment gap, exceeding 40 percentage points for many, paints a poignant picture of the barriers faced by those with mental health conditions and learning disabilities.

The financial strain is palpable, with real-term costs of disability benefits soaring by £16 billion (48%) from 2000/01 to 2018/19, with an anticipated £4 billion increase by 2024/25.

In response, we've intensified our commitment to providing support. By reducing the costs of our services, we aim to ease the financial burden on families relying on disability benefits. No family should face the heartbreaking choice between supporting their disabled child with us and meeting basic needs. We have also seen our financial support requests more than double during this year, further impacting our ability to provide services and maintain our commitment to providing services for every child that needs it.

However, the current cost of living crisis has not spared us. Our operational costs have surged, while fundraising has seen a decline at the community level. Grants and Trusts fundraising has become hugely more competitive and this has significantly impacted our success levels. This poses an additional challenge in maintaining our support initiatives. As we navigate these turbulent waters, your support becomes even more critical.

Together, let's ensure that no family in our community is left to face these challenges alone.

"The team at 21 together are incredibly supportive, passionate and knowledgeable when it comes to Down Syndrome. Sam and the team have gone above and beyond to help my son in his communication development and in supporting us as a family. Thank you for all that you are doing and continue to do."

Revti - Parent

Challenges

Meeting the Need

We have seen a significant increases in our waiting lists, events have been booked out very quickly with families unable to access some events due to numbers. In a post pandemic world, families are now looking to reconnect at a time when household incomes are low and budgets stretched. This is all impacting our ability to meet the growing need.

Economic Impact and Cost of Living

We have successfully managed the staff needs during this time and ensured we have protected staff as much as possible both in their wellbeing and the financial aspects. However, like most charities the cost of delivering services has rocketed which further squeezes our ability to build new services and expand others to help fulfil the needs in our area.

Growth

Our continued growth reflects our positive impact on the community. While we aim for further expansion, sustainability remains paramount. We emphasise clear and strategic plans to uphold the quality of interventions and adapt to new ways of working. As we consider extending services, our commitment to a sustainable and impactful future remains unwavering.

Impact Measurement and Evaluation

While services thrive and are busier than ever, the internal staff team endeavour to maintain our very high standard of service evaluation. Quality is a key pillar of our offer and everything we do must be done with the voice of our community. We have trialled external evaluators during this time but found the quality of provision is better held internally.

Fundraising

As we move into 23/24, we anticipate challenges with rising inflation and the ongoing energy crisis. While developing plans to navigate these uncertainties, we recognise that local businesses, grant-making trusts, and community fundraising will also be exploring cost-saving measures. We are looking at new ways to enhance and diversify our income.

WHO DO WE HELP?

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USER TYPE TOTAL

UNIQUE USERS 42% 408
INDIVIDUALS with DOWN'S
110
SYNDROME
FAMILY GROUPS 187
PROFESSIONALS 49
ESTABLISHMENTS/SETTINGS 32

PREVIOUSLY KNOWN INDIVIDUALS 99
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*Compared to last year's figure.

408 TOTAL CHARITY USERS IN KENT

Our overall number of unique individuals being supported by the charity continued to rise, with a 42% increase on last year.

We directly supported 110 children and young people (CYP) with Down's syndrome, 49 professionals, and 249 individuals made up of family members/carers/supporters of a person with Down's syndrome. This included 187 family groups, meaning 77 families accessed services not directly aimed at CYP, like training, wellbeing, and community support. This sits well with our commitment to supporting wider networks as well as the CYP.

This year, we saw an increase in the number of establishments and professionals accessing services. Last year, we saw a decrease in this and so worked hard to review how we interacted with professionals and what the barriers were to accessing support. We contacted more schools directly with training opportunities and made more connections through our Community Support Service. This resulted in double the number of establishments accessing our services this year.

We are very happy to report that we are continuing to increase the number of children and young people with Down’s syndrome accessing direct support from us. This is something we are continually reviewing, and are in the early stages of researching the possibility of opening a second centre in the Thanet region so as to be accessible to even more of our community.

Words used to describe our groups:

SERVICE OVERVIEW

Below is a breakdown of the services accessed based on the survey responses. S Club was our most accessed service, with Pre-school groups being the second most accessed.

The volume numbers are very impressive showing that individuals and families accessed services multiple times because they find them to be so useful and engaging. In the last year there were almost 2000 attendances at groups, camps and training courses.

SERVICE OVERVIEW

Service users were asked to rate their experiences when accessing our direct intervention groups. On average across the groups, all responses were at least 89% satisfied with the areas specified below, with most over 90%. The scores recorded less than 90% tended to be for ‘Accessibility’ and ‘Meets my family’s needs’ for all groups. We are aware of the geographical challenges we face, which is why we are in the early stages of researching a potential second centre based in Thanet which will replicate our services. We are also looking to make accessibility easier through the development of our Regional Hubs. This will involve providing more services in key areas around Kent so that parents/carers will not have to travel so far to access services such as information sessions with our Community Support Coordinator and social meetups with other people in the community. Of the 49 families asked, ALL parents/carers asked would recommend our services to others.

We remain committed to being as accessible and inclusive as possible. Since the appointment of our Community Support Co-ordinator, we have been actively seeking new and improved ways to better access hard-to-reach communities. This has been successful and is shown by the 42% rise in unique users this year, including doubling the number of professional establishments that we have supported. We will continue to build on this success in the coming year, by offering more ‘outreach’ sessions to schools of our children to ensure that professionals working with them have the best knowledge of how to support.

Fantastic facility, has such a positive impact. Vital provision for my young man. He has made so much progress in his communication and social skills. He thoroughly enjoys meeting up with other young people and has made great friends. All staff are professional, knowledgeable and helpful plus lots of fun!! - Sarah (Parent)

" Can't thank you and the team enough for the sessions last term. It's an absolutely essential part of Matthew's week since he gets no independence support at school." - Parent/carer

WHAT’S NEW

After extensive consultation and discussion, we have updated our vision for the future. Improvement plans are a pillar of our approach and we are always looking for ways to improve services and create new support. Here are some of the things we will be working on:

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Overnight skills sessions
Evening / Weekend support
School Holiday Programme
More availability for EHCP support
Another centre for groups
Hospital Support Package
More mixed age events
Video of sessions for
learning
Outreach to pre-schools
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Here is what the community said:

I cannot really put into words the difference this service made for my family in Lockdown. I really dont think my son would have progressed as well as he has and as a family, we would have struggled so much more.

Accessing the services from 21 Together have absolutely made our daughter more confident and got her ready for starting school. Without this support the gap between her and the other children would have been so much larger, even from a starting age.

I love that my son gets so excited at seeing the other children and has a real chance to just be himself without worrying about being judged. I also get the chance to relax for a bit and talk to other parents about any concerns without feeling like a failure.

What can I say, 21 Together are just an amazing service and their staff are so caring and supportive. At times it can be very lonely facing all these additional problems with our children and they just get that and seem to have the right words to help.

SERVICE OVERVIEW

Each service we offer aligns seamlessly with our overarching objective: nurturing children and young individuals to realise their full potential while empowering and supporting the networks that surround them. Recognising that no child exists in isolation, our approach emphasizes equipping parents, caregivers, and professionals with the necessary skills to effectively and positively support the holistic development of our children and young people.

Children and Young People

Our comprehensive intervention services, spanning from birth to 25 years old, are designed to address each crucial step into adulthood. Our offerings encompass a spectrum of support, including speech and language services, educational support, wellbeing groups, social engagement opportunities, life skill development programs, and access to expert guidance on personal safety, friendships, and relationships.

Families / Carers

For busy parents and carers, finding time for themselves is a rarity. That's why 21 Together's support sessions are tailored for those who need a moment to recharge. Our offerings include training services, advice and support, and community events for parents to connect with others. We empower families to navigate challenges at home and address difficulties in accessing education, health, and social care.

Our new plans for regional hubs will continue to develop this thread and provide even more support.

Professionals

Professionals play a crucial role in our network for children and young people. The Community Support Co-ordinator has enhanced connectivity with these networks, and we are expanding the roles of our Education Lead and specialists to support professionals and disseminate their expertise across schools, health, and social care. We have cultivated extensive professional connections, from SENCO networks to health visitors, ensuring that professionals are aware of our presence and the ways in which we can provide assistance.

Feedback:

“Thank you so much for a brilliant presentation yesterday! It was so lovely to hear all the amazing things you are doing to support!!! The Sencos found it extremely insightful.” - Ifield School

"21 Together provide invaluable support to my daughter and to us as a family. They have been there for us since our daughter's birth - weekly sessions, Early Intervention Groups, advice and support, training and events, supporting us at meetings. They are incredible and we are so thankful to have them."

- Andrea (Parent)

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Helen H Trustees and supporters
Supporting our teens at Deal QHOF Ball
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Volunteers

OUR UNSUNG HEROS

Volunteers are a vital driving force propelling 21 Together forward. Our diverse volunteer base, ranging from medical students to fully qualified teachers, contributes to a variety of roles, from working directly with children to wrapping gifts, organising resources, and engaging in fundraising efforts. This collective effort allows us to instill our message of hope in the professionals of the future.

A special thank you goes to those working behind the scenes, enhancing IT systems and aiding with building maintenance and equipment.

Finally, our dedicated Trustee board persists in investing time and energy, steering the charity with diligence to fulfill its objectives and fortify foundations for the future.

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"Sincere thanks go to our incredible volunteers, especially Tabitha, whose unwavering support on World Down’s Syndrome Day embodies the spirit of generosity that makes our events so special."

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Tabitha
Volunteer
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- Charity Manager

Finance Statement

21 Together has continued its work to be the go to, inclusive, Kent based charity promoting skills for life to allow individuals with Down's syndrome to be able to actively participate in society.

It is important to the Charity that, despite increasing costs in all areas currently, we continue to provide affordable, quality services to users so that they are accessible to all users within our remit. Reducing the costs of our services proves our commitment to this and these decisions are carefully balanced with the need to ensure attendance and maintain quality.

It is also a key aim from a financial perspective to ensure continuity of core services to its users as the impact of losing these services was evidenced during the Covid lockdowns. For core services to be maintained, the Charity needs stability of income and conscious cost management; both of which are a challenge in today’s economic climate with inflation having reached double digits in this financial year.

The majority of the Charity’s income is received from grant and trust funding, and this has continued to be the case this year with an increase of 40% on prior year’s income; providing the Trustee’s with security of services over the next 12 months. However, the charity has started to see a decrease in success rates with grant applications due to the sheer volume of applications to funders. It is anticipated that this trend will continue in the next 12 months.

The charity’s biggest expense is staff and professional services. These costs are essential to allow the Charity to continue to provide high-quality and syndromespecific services to its users with highly trained, specialist staff running our groups. We are proud to be a living wage employer and recognise the challenging economic times faced not only by our service users but also by our valued employees. Continuing to ensure we are a living wage employer is core to our values but will mean a continued increase to our cost base in the next 12 months.

To ensure the continued financial stability of the Charity’s core services, the decision has been taken to restrict £35,000 of currently unrestricted funds to a restricted Core Group fund. This gives better financial stability to these core services and allows the Charity to continue planning for these services over the next 12 months in light of the above challenges to income and costs. This further restriction of funds reduces the Charity’s unrestricted funds to £104,567, in line with the Charity’s reserves policy. Over the next 12 months, the Charity is seeking to continually improve its financial governance by setting up a Finance Subcommittee including subject matter experts to give a fresh perspective on the financial risks, review of management accounts and financial policies. This is part of the Charity’s ongoing commitment to adhere to the Charity Commission’s Governance Framework and apply best practices in our financial risk management as appropriate to the size of the Charity.

We look forward to being able to continue to provide high-quality services to our users over the next 12 months with our robust financial policies providing the financial stability to be able to do so.

Melissa Jones - Treasurer

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: CE005262 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1165305

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

FOR

21 TOGETHER

Ashdown Hurrey Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers 20 Havelock Road Hastings East Sussex TN34 1BP

21 TOGETHER

CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Page
Report of the Trustees 1
Independent Examiner's Report 2
Statement of Financial Activities 3
Balance Sheet 4
Notes to the Financial Statements 5 to 13
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities 14 to 15

21 TOGETHER

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company number

CE005262 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1165305

Registered office

Maidstone Community Support Centre Maidstone Kent ME14 1HH

Trustees

R Smith (appointed 25.5.22) R Butcher M Jones J Kemp R Clark S P M Ainsworth

Company Secretary

Independent Examiner

Ashdown Hurrey Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers 20 Havelock Road Hastings East Sussex TN34 1BP

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 22 December 2023 and signed on its behalf by:

R Clark - Trustee

Page 1

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF 21 TOGETHER

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of 21 Together ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  2. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

  3. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

S.R. SAMPSON BFP FCA FCIE DChA

Ashdown Hurrey Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers 20 Havelock Road Hastings East Sussex TN34 1BP

5 January 2024

Page 2

21 TOGETHER

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Unrestricted
fund
Notes
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations, legacies and grants
34,581
Charitable activities
Charitable Activities
1,522
Other trading activities
2
1,341
Investment income
3
397
Total
37,841
EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds
2,025
Charitable activities
Charitable Activities
3,583
Other
1,350
Total
6,958
NET INCOME
30,883
Transfers between funds
11
(35,000)
Net movement in funds
(4,117)
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
104,567
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
100,450
Restricted
funds
£
243,037
38,427
-
-
281,464
(139)
236,579
12,896
249,336
32,128
35,000
67,128
120,971
188,099
31.3.23
Total
funds
£
277,618
39,949
1,341
397
319,305
1,886
240,162
14,246
256,294
63,011
-
63,011
225,538
288,549
31.3.22
Total
funds
£
199,808
41,489
11,072
-
252,369
1,451
212,087
4,510
218,048
34,321
-
34,321
191,217
225,538

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 3

21 TOGETHER

BALANCE SHEET 31 MARCH 2023

Unrestricted
fund
Notes
£
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets
7
2,916
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
8
4,145
Cash at bank
98,140
102,285
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year
9
(4,751)
NET CURRENT ASSETS
97,534
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES
100,450
NET ASSETS
100,450
FUNDS
11
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
TOTAL FUNDS
Restricted
funds
£
-
-
189,036
189,036
(937)
188,099
188,099
188,099
31.3.23
Total
funds
£
2,916
4,145
287,176
291,321
(5,688)
285,633
288,549
288,549
100,450
188,099
288,549
31.3.22
Total
funds
£
2,916
1,454
227,806
229,260
(6,638)
222,622
225,538
225,538
104,567
120,971
225,538

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2023.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 4 January 2024 and were signed on its behalf by:

R Clark - Trustee

M Jones - Trustee

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 4

21 TOGETHER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Hire purchase and leasing commitments

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

2. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
31.3.23 31.3.22
£ £
Fundraising events 259 10,396
Shop income 1,063 469
Christmas cards 19 207
1,341 11,072

continued...

Page 5

21 TOGETHER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

3. INVESTMENT INCOME

INVESTMENT INCOME
31.3.23 31.3.22
£ £
Interest received 397 -
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):
Other operating leases
31.3.23
£
21,851
31.3.22
£
16,853

4. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

5. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2023 nor for the year ended 31 March 2022.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2023 nor for the year ended 31 March 2022.

6. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted
fund
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations, legacies and grants
31,370
Charitable activities
Charitable Activities
4,823
Other trading activities
11,072
Total
47,265
EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds
1,451
Charitable activities
Charitable Activities
9,121
Other
1,331
Total
11,903
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
35,362
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
69,205
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
104,567
Restricted
funds
£
168,438
36,666
-
205,104
-
202,966
3,179
206,145
(1,041)
122,012
120,971
Total
funds
£
199,808
41,489
11,072
252,369
1,451
212,087
4,510
218,048
34,321
191,217
225,538

continued...

Page 6

21 TOGETHER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

7. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

7. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
Computer
equipment
£
COST
At 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 2,916
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 March 2023 2,916
At 31 March 2022 2,916
8. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Trade debtors 31.3.23
£
4,145
31.3.22
£
1,454
9. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Bank loans and overdrafts (see note 10) 31.3.23
£
937
31.3.22
£
5,234
Trade creditors 104 -
Social security and other taxes 3,747 504
Accrued expenses 900 900
5,688 6,638
10. LOANS
An analysis of the maturity of loans is given below:
Amounts falling due within one year on demand: 31.3.23
£
31.3.22
£
Bank overdrafts 937 5,234

The above overdraft relates to funds where funds were spent prior to the grant being received. This has since been received and is no longer overdrawn.

continued...

Page 7

21 TOGETHER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Communication for Life
Operations and Development - Core Costs
Training
Early Years Full Project
Community Support Service
FSG
KCC Reconnect
Morrisons
Whitehead Monckton
KCC Strategic Fund
Cobtree
Kent Police
Activities for C&YP
CIN - Money Heroes
The National Lottery - EFL
Groups - General
Awards for All
Canticorum
Tesco - Groundworks
KCC - Railways
Beacon Lodge
Garfield Weston
Groundworks - Comic Relief
The Wakeham Trust
Edward Gosling
B&Q
Cole Charitable Trust
Awareness
TOTAL FUNDS
At 1.4.22
£
104,567
25,427
66,906
789
2,572
(51)
1,170
9,502
(5,183)
1,200
6,704
223
200
2,320
1,000
8,192
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
120,971
225,538
Net
movement
in funds
£
30,883
(25,427)
6,112
3,391
-
51
(308)
(9,502)
5,183
(780)
(6,704)
(223)
(200)
1,447
(1,000)
(2,746)
30,965
375
1,396
10,000
1,541
6,510
4,627
(937)
835
5,000
886
1,300
336
32,128
63,011
Transfers
between
funds
£
(35,000)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
35,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
35,000
-
At
31.3.23
£
100,450
-
73,018
4,180
2,572
-
862
-
-
420
-
-
-
3,767
-
5,446
65,965
375
1,396
10,000
1,541
6,510
4,627
(937)
835
5,000
886
1,300
336
188,099
288,549

continued...

Page 8

21 TOGETHER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Communication for Life
Operations and Development - Core Costs
Training
Community Support Service
FSG
KCC Reconnect
Morrisons
Whitehead Monckton
KCC Strategic Fund
Cobtree
Kent Police
Activities for C&YP
CIN - Money Heroes
The National Lottery - EFL
Groups - General
Awards for All
Canticorum
Tesco - Groundworks
KCC/KCF - Digital Inclusion
KCC - Railways
KCF - Micro John Hobson
Beacon Lodge
Garfield Weston
Clothworkers
Michael Cornish
Groundworks - Comic Relief
Comic Relief - Cost of Living
Card Factory
The Wakeham Trust
Edward Gosling
B&Q
Arnold Clark
Cole Charitable Trust
Canterbury Members
KCC - Resource Library
Awareness
TOTAL FUNDS
Incoming
resources
£
37,841
34,056
35,506
3,410
5,800
-
-
7,000
-
-
-
1
2,265
-
73,560
34,403
8,016
2,000
10,000
7,800
1,686
2,001
10,000
10,000
7,301
1,000
8,433
4,793
1,014
835
5,000
1,630
1,000
1,300
250
850
554
281,464
319,305
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(6,958)
30,883
(59,483)
(25,427)
(29,394)
6,112
(19)
3,391
(5,749)
51
(308)
(308)
(9,502)
(9,502)
(1,817)
5,183
(780)
(780)
(6,704)
(6,704)
(223)
(223)
(201)
(200)
(818)
1,447
(1,000)
(1,000)
(76,306)
(2,746)
(3,438)
30,965
(7,641)
375
(604)
1,396
-
10,000
(7,800)
-
(145)
1,541
(2,001)
-
(3,490)
6,510
(5,373)
4,627
(7,301)
-
(1,000)
-
(9,370)
(937)
(4,793)
-
(1,014)
-
-
835
-
5,000
(744)
886
(1,000)
-
-
1,300
(250)
-
(850)
-
(218)
336
(249,336)
32,128
(256,294)
63,011

continued...

Page 9

21 TOGETHER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net
movement
At 1.4.21
in funds
£
£
Unrestricted funds
General fund
69,205
35,362
Restricted funds
Communication for Life
7,762
17,665
Operations and Development - Core Costs
77,086
(10,382)
Training
7,196
(6,407)
Early Years Full Project
2,572
-
Community Support Service
(230)
179
FSG
2,283
(1,113)
Teach Me Too
25,343
(25,343)
KCC Reconnect
-
9,502
Morrisons
-
(5,183)
Whitehead Monckton
-
1,200
KCC Strategic Fund
-
6,704
Cobtree
-
223
Kent Police
-
200
Activities for C&YP
-
2,320
CIN - Money Heroes
-
1,000
The National Lottery - EFL
-
8,394
122,012
(1,041)
TOTAL FUNDS
191,217
34,321
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Incoming
resources
£
Unrestricted funds
General fund
47,265
Restricted funds
Communication for Life
75,019
Operations and Development - Core Costs
11,990
Training
409
Community Support Service
5,000
FSG
-
Teach Me Too
(16,895)
KCC Reconnect
9,764
Morrisons
-
Whitehead Monckton
2,000
KCC Strategic Fund
8,000
Cobtree
984
Kent Police
500
Activities for C&YP
3,599
CIN - Money Heroes
1,000
The National Lottery - EFL
103,734
205,104
TOTAL FUNDS
252,369
Transfers
between
At
funds
31.3.22
£
£
-
104,567
-
25,427
202
66,906
-
789
-
2,572
-
(51)
-
1,170
-
-
-
9,502
-
(5,183)
-
1,200
-
6,704
-
223
-
200
-
2,320
-
1,000
(202)
8,192
-
120,971
-
225,538
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(11,903)
35,362
(57,354)
17,665
(22,372)
(10,382)
(6,816)
(6,407)
(4,821)
179
(1,113)
(1,113)
(8,448)
(25,343)
(262)
9,502
(5,183)
(5,183)
(800)
1,200
(1,296)
6,704
(761)
223
(300)
200
(1,279)
2,320
-
1,000
(95,340)
8,394
(206,145)
(1,041)
(218,048)
34,321

continued...

Page 10

21 TOGETHER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Communication for Life
Operations and Development - Core Costs
Training
Early Years Full Project
Community Support Service
FSG
Teach Me Too
Whitehead Monckton
Activities for C&YP
The National Lottery - EFL
Groups - General
Awards for All
Canticorum
Tesco - Groundworks
KCC - Railways
Beacon Lodge
Garfield Weston
Groundworks - Comic Relief
The Wakeham Trust
Edward Gosling
B&Q
Cole Charitable Trust
Awareness
TOTAL FUNDS
At 1.4.21
£
69,205
7,762
77,086
7,196
2,572
(230)
2,283
25,343
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
122,012
191,217
Net
movement
in funds
£
66,245
(7,762)
(4,270)
(3,016)
-
230
(1,421)
(25,343)
420
3,767
5,648
30,965
375
1,396
10,000
1,541
6,510
4,627
(937)
835
5,000
886
1,300
336
31,087
97,332
Transfers
between
funds
£
(35,000)
-
202
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
(202)
35,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
35,000
-
At
31.3.23
£
100,450
-
73,018
4,180
2,572
-
862
-
420
3,767
5,446
65,965
375
1,396
10,000
1,541
6,510
4,627
(937)
835
5,000
886
1,300
336
188,099
288,549

continued...

Page 11

21 TOGETHER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Communication for Life
Operations and Development - Core Costs
Training
Community Support Service
FSG
Teach Me Too
KCC Reconnect
Morrisons
Whitehead Monckton
KCC Strategic Fund
Cobtree
Kent Police
Activities for C&YP
CIN - Money Heroes
The National Lottery - EFL
Groups - General
Awards for All
Canticorum
Tesco - Groundworks
KCC/KCF - Digital Inclusion
KCC - Railways
KCF - Micro John Hobson
Beacon Lodge
Garfield Weston
Clothworkers
Michael Cornish
Groundworks - Comic Relief
Comic Relief - Cost of Living
Card Factory
The Wakeham Trust
Edward Gosling
B&Q
Arnold Clark
Cole Charitable Trust
Canterbury Members
KCC - Resource Library
Awareness
TOTAL FUNDS
Incoming
resources
£
85,106
109,075
47,496
3,819
10,800
-
(16,895)
9,764
7,000
2,000
8,000
984
501
5,864
1,000
177,294
34,403
8,016
2,000
10,000
7,800
1,686
2,001
10,000
10,000
7,301
1,000
8,433
4,793
1,014
835
5,000
1,630
1,000
1,300
250
850
554
486,568
571,674
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(18,861)
66,245
(116,837)
(7,762)
(51,766)
(4,270)
(6,835)
(3,016)
(10,570)
230
(1,421)
(1,421)
(8,448)
(25,343)
(9,764)
-
(7,000)
-
(1,580)
420
(8,000)
-
(984)
-
(501)
-
(2,097)
3,767
(1,000)
-
(171,646)
5,648
(3,438)
30,965
(7,641)
375
(604)
1,396
-
10,000
(7,800)
-
(145)
1,541
(2,001)
-
(3,490)
6,510
(5,373)
4,627
(7,301)
-
(1,000)
-
(9,370)
(937)
(4,793)
-
(1,014)
-
-
835
-
5,000
(744)
886
(1,000)
-
-
1,300
(250)
-
(850)
-
(218)
336
(455,481)
31,087
(474,342)
97,332

continued...

Page 12

21 TOGETHER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

12. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2023.

Page 13

21 TOGETHER

DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
31.3.23 31.3.22
£ £
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
Donations, legacies and grants
Donations 35,426 (3,372)
Gift aid 1,184 1,399
Grants 241,008 201,781
Other trading activities 277,618 199,808
Fundraising events 259 10,396
Shop income 1,063 469
Christmas cards 19 207
Investment income 1,341 11,072
Interest received 397 -
Charitable activities
Communication groups 4,989 6,365
Circle groups 3,993 -
Courses 3,485 3,473
Education services - 420
Early intervention fees 10,288 2,740
TMT 1st edition pack - 11,342
Camp revenue - 4,828
Celebrate together (230) -
S-Club 10,997 8,650
50/50 Lottery Sales 2,185 2,410
WDSD 2022 - 244
Events 1,081 592
Awareness sessions 675 425
Summer camp 2,486 -
39,949 41,489
Total incoming resources 319,305 252,369
EXPENDITURE
Raising donations and legacies
Products for fundraising 988 960
50/50 winners 898 491
1,886 1,451
Charitable activities
Wages 156,770 90,755
Social security (1,099) 19,771
Pensions 2,111 2,694
Other operating leases 21,851 16,853
Staff training 2,589 4,761
Venues 10,873 10,910
Carried forward 193,095 145,744

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

Page 14

21 TOGETHER

DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
31.3.23 31.3.22
£ £
Charitable activities
Brought forward 193,095 145,744
Travel 268 469
Symbol costs 4,847 -
Speakers and trainers - 7,925
Bought-in services - 20,392
Supervision 9,409 8,449
Early years intervention 806 -
Holiday camp costs 271 893
Saturday communication group - 92
Apprenticeship (1,302) 33
Paypal fees 128 263
Stripe fees 127 -
Other 207,649 184,260
Trustee and volunteer expenses 373 933
Sundry expenses - 489
General resources 13,657 2,188
Support costs 14,030 3,610
Management
Insurance 778 334
Telephone 106 616
Postage and stationery 754 325
Advertising 1,354 499
Website 500 448
Computer expenses 9,218 14,080
Accountancy 900 900
Bank charges 72 96
Legal and professional 12,237 3,600
Payroll, recruitment and staff costs 4,276 4,877
Subscriptions 1,672 852
Consulting - 2,100
Office Furniture 862 -
32,729 28,727
Total resources expended 256,294 218,048
Net income 63,011 34,321

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

Page 15

RESERVE POLICY – 23/24

21 Together Reserve Policy

April 2023/2024

21 Together is a charity supporting people with Down’s syndrome, their families and the professionals that support them. We deliver a wide range of projects to fulfil our charitable purposes with wide variations in cost and expense. We run direct intervention sessions for children aged 0 - 25, parents support groups, training programmes, awareness programmes and individualised support. We have an office base and 7 full members of office staff, including a Charity Manager. We also have a therapy room base and classroom, to run our other services we regularly hire additional hall space within our building. We have core running costs and additional project costs. Additionally, we currently employ 8 - 10 members of staff, all on a part-time basis to run our direct contact projects. We contract with Speech Therapists, OT’s, specialist teachers and Physios to provide supervision and support for our staff. Our training is delivered by outside expert speakers and is contracted on a course-by-course basis. Therefore we have ongoing staff liabilities in addition to externally contracted liabilities. We also have a minimum three month rent and overhead liabilities to consider.

21 Together are committed to ensuring that we act in the charity’s best interests and manage the charity’s resources responsibly. As a charity, we are directly supporting vulnerable children and young people. It is vital that we can sustain our support over prolonged periods without the need to pause/cease support if funding streams fluctuate or stop. 21 Together has a fluctuating funding structure. Much of our income is derived through trusts/grants along with corporate supporters. A smaller proportion comes through individual giving and other routes. This means that we could be significantly financially impacted if any of our corporate partners decide not to support the charity in that year or if the trust/grant market becomes even more competitive, as is the case since the pandemic. Both these funding streams are unpredictable in nature. We also have multi-year restricted projects funded by a specific trust that are a large proportion of our cost, one of these ceased in April 23 and the other ends in June 2024. Alongside that, we have seen a big increase in requests for financial support for our paid services, and we expect this to increase over the next few years. All these areas mean our income has become more unpredictable. We need to consider gaps in funding for key projects that directly deliver young people coming up in the next year that require significant levels of financing as a proportion of total outgoings. This will be considered when setting our reserves target level.

This policy must be reviewed in line with any significant budget changes or at least annually.

1

April 1, 2022

RESERVE POLICY – 23/24

21 Together have ongoing liabilities and overheads. We rent office space, rooms and employ staff. We must recognise the stable nature of our outgoings compared to the relative instability of our income. This does not mean that this approach is not appropriate for the charity, but it does mean that we must ensure our reserve policy can build the necessary stability into the charity finances. Therefore, it is vital that our reserve policy builds in staged alerts to changes in reserve levels and that it identifies clear steps to be taken to ensure financial stability.

These factors have led us to set a reserve level of £100,000; this considers the certainty of multi-year funding. It also considers the increase in running costs associated with significant growth last two years and the likelihood of continued increases in demand for services. It incorporates the need to increase the reserves from previous years in line with charity growth and the current economic backdrop. Our reserve limit reflects the 3-6 months running cost guidance set out by the charity commission.

As a charity supporting children and young people with disabilities, it is sensible and prudent to acknowledge that unforeseen costs can often be expensive. Costs are likely to include specialist equipment as well as expensive expert contractors to supervise projects or deliver training. We also have highly trained staff which means the loss of a staff member would be expensive to cover and would also cost the charity significant sums to train a new member of staff to the appropriate level. Our reserve limit is designed to be a dynamic figure and should be reviewed whenever the budget is reviewed and at least annually.

Our current reserve target is £100,000 . This is using the projected year budget of £330,000 outgoing for the 2023/2024. It is important to note that this relates to free reserves and does not include restricted monies.

Reserve Level Steps to be taken
More than £130,000 Trustees to formally review charitable purposes and
plan how they will spend the money to best meet the
charitable purposes. It may be necessary to review and
alter charitable purposes to allow the money to be
spent effectively.
Reserve target - £130,000 To be kept under review by manager – no action
needed. Trustees to continue using the information to
plan future spending.
£80,000 – reserve target Trustees to be alerted.
Trustees to consider future spending and fundraising
opportunities and to record their plans in the minutes.
Action to be taken in accordance with their plans.
Below £80,000 Trustees to be alerted – Review of the financial plans,
activities and future activities of the charity. Substantial
steps to improve/change the funding streams and
considered removing some services to save funds.
Should be viewed as a high alert and needs a significant
and unified response by the trustee board. Trustees
must agree on a financial plan with immediate effect.

This policy must be reviewed in line with any significant budget changes or at least annually.

2

April 1, 2022

RESERVE POLICY – 23/24

Less than £60,000 High level alert. Emergency Trustee meeting to be
called if it is unexpected or unplanned for. Approx. 3
months of running cost left. Steps should be taken
immediately to give notice on any contractual
obligations including office rent and staff unless a clear,
substantial and concrete finance plan is in place and the
trustees are in agreement to continue the charities
activities. To be reviewed monthly until the reserve
goes above £40,000

This policy must be reviewed in line with any significant budget changes or at least annually.

3

April 1, 2022

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Charity Registration Number: 1165305 Trustees during the reporting period:

Rebecca Clark - Chair

Trustees standing down during the reporting period:

None

Melissa Jones - Treasurer Sinead Ainsworth Robin Smith Toyin Olukoya (appointed March 23)

The Key Management Personnel are the Trustees and the Charity Manager:

Johanna Aiyathurai – Charity Manager

Registered Office & Operational Addresses:

MCSC, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1HH

Independent Examiner:

S R Sampson BFP FCA FCIE DChA, Ashdown Hurrey Auditors Limited, 20 Havelock Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 1BP

Bank:

CAF Bank, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4TA

Governance and Structure:

Type of governing document Foundation Registered 25 Jan 2016 as amended on 25 Sep 2020

How the charity is constituted

Foundation CIO

Trustee selection methods

Trustees are appointed by the existing Trustees

DECLARATION:

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees:

----- Start of picture text -----
Rebecca Clark
Chair
Signature Rebecca Clark
Date 8th Jan 24
Melissa Jones
Treasurer
Signature Melissa Jones
Date 8th Jan 24
----- End of picture text -----

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