Trustees’ Annual Report for the period February 2021 to November 2021
The Clare Project
Charity number: 1165746
Objectives and Activities
To preserve and protect the good health of people, particularly those who are or who identify as transgender and those who support them by providing a safe and supportive environment for people to explore issues surrounding their gender identity and to be affirmed in their journey through a weekly drop in; psychotherapeutic support; crisis support and such other services as the trustees shall think fit.
Activities – how the charity spends its money
Peer support and signposting for those questioning their gender identity or struggling with gender norms in society. We provide safe spaces to nurture and inform as well as providing information to individuals seeking to change their assigned gender. Activities include drop-in support groups, psychotherapeutic support, health and social care advice and advocacy services.
What the charity does:
-
education/training
-
the advancement of health or saving of lives
-
human rights/religious or racial harmony/equality or diversity
Who the charity helps:
-
elderly/old people
-
people with disabilities
-
other defined groups
-
the general public/mankind
How the charity helps:
-
provides human resources
-
provides buildings/facilities/open space
-
provides services
-
provides advocacy/advice/information
-
acts as an umbrella or resource body
Where the charity operates:
Brighton and Hove, East Sussex
Trustees Annual Report, The Clare Project, Charity no. 1165746
Page 1 of 4
Achievements and Performance
During this period, The Clare Project
-
embarked on a three-year funding with National Lottery Communities Fund
-
released the Train & Treat Report (July 2021, Josetta Malcolm) under NHS Inclusion Engagement Funding
-
continued our psychotherapy offering, supported by Dorset Gardens Methodist Church donations
-
developed more than ten community-written resources in print and PDF
-
started running a neurodivergent/ADHD meet-up group
-
started Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) consultations.
We also engaged and consulted with over 1000 community members across Sussex, on various issues via groups, surveys. In the face of the ever-changing Covid-19 situation, we have continued successfully to juggle online and face-to-face services.
One good by-product of this situation is that due to our online reach, our engagement is significantly more pan-Sussex than before, with broadening diversification in age group, gender spectrum and experience.
Less good, has been the need to fill gaps while other services have not re-opened, whilst also navigating the needs of Covid-anxiety and/or social anxiety in the community. Covidworsened delays in GICs/gender affirming healthcare have made lives much more difficult.
This has certainly been a period of learning, and needing to be more responsive and flexible to community as lockdowns have eased. Various groups, such as older people and neurodivergent people, have reacted differently to the uncertainties. There has been a long period of separation from our long-standing service users, and re-engagement still requires a careful approach.
We have nonetheless pushed forward with a bold agenda. There are exciting NHS Inclusion Engagement plans to push Trans Non-Binary and Intersex (TNBI) inclusion in primary care in East Sussex (primarily Hastings and surrounding areas). Much work needs to be done on making our support intersectionally inclusive and accessible. In order to ensure sustainability, we continue to develop our training and consultancy offering. The Clare Project is nothing without its dedicated and skilled employees and volunteers.
Our long-standing and much-loved and respected facilitator Julia Trangmar, sadly passed away from Covid-19 in February. She is deeply missed, and we are looking to memorialise her with a bench in the Dorset Gardens.
As noted below, our income has increased more than threefold, from £31,019 in the year ending 31 March 2020 to £106,377 in the year ending 31 March 2021. This places us in a robust position from which to expand our services whilst improving internal administration.
Financial Review
Due to a significant underspend on restricted funds in the year, entirely due to decreased activity due to the pandemic, the charity’s funds show a positive balance sheet.
Reserves are higher than would normally be expected; again, due to the impact of the pandemic and being unable to deliver all the services that we would have wished.
Trustees Annual Report, The Clare Project, Charity no. 1165746
Page 2 of 4
Restricted funds underspend at 31 March 2021 £31,427 with a further £15,761 of unrestricted reserves to carry forward.
Whilst the pandemic situation now allows us to operate normally, we have no concerns over our ability to fund our activities and remain a going concern.
Our principal sources of funding are the National Lottery, the NHS and the Rainbow Fund, representing approximately 90% of our income of the financial year.
The principal risk to the charity is loss of funding and/or the loss of any key members of staff. Overheads, other than wages, remain low.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity from foundation in February 2016 has been a CIO association. The consideration at the time was whether it might develop a membership mechanism and require this model, but at no time has such a mechanism been derived or any member been admitted. Its current consideration is to change its CIO registration as soon as practicable to that of foundation, since membership is not envisaged as an appropriate model.
Trustees are sought from time to time to keep a rotation and skills availability on the board, with a recommended period of service of three years. The Constitution requires a minimum of three trustees. Trustees are appointed by the Board.
In the current period one new trustee was appointed, the chair of trustees retired and an existing member was appointed chair. There are currently two appointments pending approval, one expression of interest, and one pending retirement.
Reference and Administrative details
The Clare Project Dorset Gardens Methodist Church Dorset Gardens Brighton BN2 1RL Charity number: 1165746
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
Andie Davidson Chair 01 August 2019 Martine Noble Trustee 22 August 2016 Maria Young Trustee 25 May 2021
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
The Charity holds no funds on behalf of others.
Trustees Annual Report, The Clare Project, Charity no. 1165746
Page 3 of 4
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Andie Davidson Position Chair of Trustees Date 6 December 2021
Trustees Annual Report, The Clare Project, Charity no. 1165746
Page 4 of 4
| The Clare Project | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YE 31 March 2021 | ||||
| £ | ||||
| 1 | The total turnover for the period ending 31 March: | £106,377 | ||
| Restricted funds: | £96,571 | |||
| Unrestricted funds: | £9,806 | |||
| 2 | The total expenditure for the period ending 31 March: | £81,186 | ||
| Restricted funds: | £70,012 | |||
| Unrestricted funds: | £11,174 | |||
| Net surplus | from both funds for year | £25,191 | ||
| 3 | Restricted funds total balance c/fwd to 1st April 2021 | £26,559 | ||
| Unrestricted funds total balance for year to 31 March 2021 | (£1,368) | |||
| £25,191 | ||||
| 4 | Restricted funds total balance c/fwd to 1st April 2021 represented by : | |||
| Restricted | Funds National Lottery: | £25,614 | ||
| Restricted Funds NHS: | £2,792 | |||
| Restricted funds Rainbow: | (£1,888) | |||
| Restricted funds Sussex Community: | £40 | |||
| £26,559 | ||||
| 5 | Total Restricted funds to c/fwd to 1st April 2021 | |||
| Restricted Funds LGBT Consortium: | Unused balance from 31st March 2020 | £4,868 | ||
| Restricted funds total balance c/fwd to 1st April 2021 | £26,559 | |||
| Total Restricted funds c/wd to 1st April 2021 | £31,427 |
The Clare Project Financial Activities by Donor April 2020 - March 2021
| Income Services Total Income Total Expenditures Total Expenditures Net Operating Income Other Expenditures Depreciation Restricted Funds cfwd Total Other Expenditures Net Other Income Net Income/(Expenditure) |
Total Restricted |
Total Unrestricted |
TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96,571 | 9,806 | 106,377 | |
| 96,571 | 9,806 | 106,377 | |
| 96,571 | 9,806 | 106,377 - |
|
| 70,012 | 10,544 | 80,556 | |
| 26,559 - - 26,559 |
- 738 - 630 - |
25,821 - 630 26,559 |
|
| - | 630 | 630 | |
| - | - 630 | - 630 | |
| 0 | - 1,368 | - 1,368 |
The Clare Project Balance Sheet
As of March 31, 2021
| Fixed Asset Total Fixed Asset Cash at bank and in hand Total Cash at bank and in hand Debtors Total Debtors Current Assets Total Current Assets Net current assets Trade Creditors Creditors Total Trade Creditors Current Liabilities Accruals Pension Control Restricted Funds LGBT Consortium Restricted Funds National Lottery Restricted Funds NHS Restricted funds Rainbow Restricted funds Sussex Community Salaries control Total Current Liabilities Total Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Net current assets (liabilities) Total assets less current liabilities Charity funds Retained Earnings Surplus/(Deficit) Total Charity funds |
Total £ 1,933 £ 30,157 £ 17,425 £ 17,425 £ 3,403 £ 50,985 £ 556 £ 556 £ 1,200 £ 702 £ 4,868 £ 25,614 £ 2,792 -£ 1,888 £ 40 £ 3,272 £ 36,601 £ 37,157 £ 13,828 £ 15,761 £ 17,129 -£ 1,368 £ 15,761 |
|---|---|
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ members of
Charity Name
THE CLARE PROJECT
On accounts for the year ended
31 MARCH 2021
Charity 1165746 no (if any)
Set out on pages
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/ 03 /2021.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
[The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed body]]. Delete [ ] if not applicable.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
-
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
-
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.
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.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed:
Date:
1
Name: MRS SUSHMA CLARK
Relevant CIMA professional qualification(s) or body (if any):
Address: 10 SUDELEY PLACE BRIGHTON BN2 1HF
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
2
Give here brief details of any items N/A that the examiner wishes to disclose .
3