**Annual Report 2022 For the year ended 30 September 2022** |**Contents**|| |---|---| |**Our Vision**|**3**| |**Welcome from our Chair**|**4-5**| |**Welcome from our CEO**|**6**| |**Meet the Team**|**7-8**| |**Rebrand**
**Highlights**|**9**| |**Immediate Support Pathway**|**10**| |**For Our Stars**|**11**| |**Statistics**|**12-13**| |**Taryn's Story**|**14**| |**Our Impact**|**15**| |**Bereavement Rooms**|**16-17**| |**Memory Boxes**
**Immediate Support**|**18**
**19**| |**Ongoing Support**
**Children and Young People**
**Support for Professionals**|**20-22**
**23**
**24**| |**Gwent Project**|**25**| |**Jessica's Story**|**26**| |**Events and Fundraising - 10 for 10**
**Remembrance Service and Little Ball of Hope**
**Volunteers and Welfare Officers**
**Fundraising**|**27**
**28-29**
**30**
**31**| |**Chair's Statement**|**32-33**| |**Our Year at a Glance**
**Trustees Report**|**34-41**
**37**| |**Statement of Trustees Responsibilities**
**Independent Examiner's Report**
**Statement of Financial Activities**|**42**
**43**
**44**| |**Balance Sheet**
**Statement of Cash Flows**
**Notes to the Financial Statements**|**45**
**46**
**47-62**| |**Thank You**|**63**| ## **Our Vision** ## **Our Mission** When a family loses a child or young adult, the effects are devastating for all who knew and loved them. Our mission is to ensure that all those affected by the sudden and traumatic death of a child or young adult aged 25 or under throughout Wales receive the bereavement support they deserve. ## **Rhian’s Story** On the 22nd February my one-year old son George passed away. He died suddenly after suffering a seizure at home. It was discovered later that George was suffering from Bronchial Pneumonia and Type A Influenza. Just 5 days later, my husband and best friend Paul, tragically died. He was 33 years old. I was left alone to support my other two young children. Nobody came, no support was offered, and it was left to my family and friends to get me through my loss. 2wish was initially set up following their deaths as a simple memorial fund. However, due to the overwhelming support and generosity of a small Welsh community, the fund became a registered charity in October 2012. Bereaved families and professionals working with sudden death then started reaching out, identifying with the gap that my family had discovered. This gap in the system had to be filled. No parents should have to face loss alone. Paul was so traumatised by the loss of his son he walked out of his home, leaving a wife and two young children and never came back. ## **Our Aims** Ensure every Emergency Department in Wales has a suitable bereavement suite for bereaved families. Ensure that bereavement boxes are available for families at each of these hospitals. Ensure that immediate bereavement support is available for suddenly bereaved families. Provide a professional bereavement counselling service. - Provide support to individuals who witness the sudden and traumatic death of a child or young adult. Provide support for professionals who are affected by the sudden death of a child. Provide staff support and training. **-3-** ## **Welcome from our Chair** at this wonderful is an Every year charity, exceptional, transformational and busy one! However, 2022 has possibly been the busiest yet. Celebrating 10 years of the charity, so many fantastic things have been achieved to secure the growth and development for years to come and to continue to provide essential support to our families when they need us. In October 2021, the charity rebranded from the former to 2 Wish Upon a Star, to simply 2wish. And with the support and guidance of our branding agency, Stills, it allowed us to remind ourselves of the very important values we have as a charity of being Family Focused, Personable, Responsive and Bold. It gave us the confidence in that final value; to be Bold, because we are making such a difference to families and we need to be proud of everything that we do to support those during their darkest times. There have been so many achievements this year, including the incredibly important milestone of having our Petition debated at the Senedd and the agreement of the implementation of our Immediate Support Pathway ensuring that any family in Wales that experiences the sudden death of a child or young person, is offered the essential support from 2wish as a matter of policy. We are grateful to Lynne Neagle MS, Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing and Jack Sargeant MS and colleagues at Welsh Government for their support in bringing this important piece of work to fruition. Our ‘For Our Stars’ campaign in February 2022, marking 10 years since the death of our CEO Rhian’s son, George was an incredibly moving and poignant event as the team, ambassadors and supporters from across the country lit up every hospital and police headquarters in Wales with thousands of tealights. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend due to a family holiday, but my family and I lit our stars from Cinderella’s castle in Disneyland Paris. The event was a demonstration of the support and belief that professionals across Wales have in the charity and what it delivers. Our spectacular 10 for 10 events programme celebrating 10 years of 2wish, raised the profile of the charity, as well as the much needed funds that our predominantly self-funded charity needs to deliver our aims and objectives. The events programme included something for everyone from our Elephant Dip, to Wreath Making, to our Welsh 3 Peaks and Wickets & Wheels. We also had our incredibly moving and uplifting Remembrance Service as well as the highlight in our calendar, our Little Ball of Hope. Our Ambassadors for the charity are increasing in number from Young Ambassadors, to Ambassadors to Celebrity Ambassadors and we were incredibly fortunate this year that Ambassador, Amy Wadge wrote a song for us to celebrate our stars and to raise funds for us. ‘A Million Lights’ was performed and launched at our Little Ball of Hope in 2022 and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. **-4-** ## **Welcome from our Chair** We want to thank our Fundraisers, our Volunteers, our Ambassadors and anyone who has been involved in or supported any of our events and initiatives raising vital funds to support the charity. Our income this year generated by our fundraisers, our corporate partners and through grants and foundations has surpassed £690,000 which will allow us to continue to provide immediate support, counselling, memory boxes, bereavement rooms, focus support groups, complementary therapies, STAR residential weekends, play therapy and an ever growing amount of services to support our families and communities. Whilst this is a huge amount, each year the amount we need to raise to continue to support our families grows and that is why all of our fundraisers and partners are so important to us. To remind ourselves that very sadly, the reason that we exist is to support our families when they are experiencing the worst possibly times and during this financial year we have supported 5,218 people; parents, siblings, grandparents, friends and the wider community following the death of 1,063 children and young people. Of those, 769 were immediate and 294 historic referrals as we as a charity do not put a time limit on grief. So all that is left for me to say is thank you. Thank you to our incredible team, who are delivering such vital support and care to our families and who are raising such vital funds to enable us to deliver our work. Thank you to my fellow trustees who provide their time and support freely and who are always there to listen and guide. To our Ambassadors, Volunteers and Fundraisers, without whom we would not be able to continue to grow and develop and raise the profile and funds for the charity. And finally, to our exceptional CEO, Rhian Mannings, without whom none of these things would happen. Her drive and tenacity to ensure that no family is left without the vital support they need at such devastating times, is both inspirational and humbling and makes me so proud to support such a wonderful charity. Here's to another incredible year of growth, achievements and support. .............................. Jo Foxhall Chairperson Dated: 21.06.2023 **-5-** ## **Welcome from our CEO** After Paul and George died 10 years, I had an idea. After identifying a gap in the availability of bereavement support when your child dies suddenly, I wanted to make sure no other family walked out of the hospital carrying an information leaflet. 10 years on and that idea has developed into something very special. 2wish continues to help families across Wales who have faced the unimaginable loss. The team also look at who else has been affected and proactively work to support those caught up in the ripple effect of grief. Every day the team strive to be the best they can, supporting as many people as possible immediately after a child dies unexpectedly and for as long as that support is required. It’s been an incredible 10 years and its important, as a year in the charity’s history, it was one we would be very proud of. Rebranding was an important milestone for 2 Wish Upon A Star. Having been know simply as 2wish for many years it made sense at such a time of growth and development, to rebrand ourselves. It was a exciting stage for the charity reminding us of our values and allowing us to revisit our aims and objectives. We are working alongside national bereavement charities and despite our passion to remain a homegrown charity, we need to grow our brand on a national level. One of the highlights of the year for me was getting our petition debated by Welsh Government with them agreeing to support the development of an immediate support pathway across Wales to support those who lose a child or young adult suddenly. Since the charity began we have been campaigning for an improvement in support available for families after the sudden death of their child. No family should have to go looking for support and now, following our petition, families will get that offer of support wherever they live in Wales. Another highlight was our ‘For Our Stars’ campaign. Lighting up every hospital and police headquarters in Wales was not going to be easy but as always, our staff and volunteers did something really special. On the 22nd February, 10 years to the day since we lost George, tealights shone like stars across the country and despite being in bed with Covid, I watched on with pride and joy to see what our 2wish team had achieved once again. 2wish was born out of such tragedy and every day our team hear of another young death. Our support team are there to ensure no family feels isolated after such loss and despite not being able to change the past, aim to help families discover a new and different future. 2wish continues to bring hope to families and creates communities of both support and fundraising. I continue to be proud of what our team achieves every day to meet the individual needs of those bereaved. I look forward to another busy year and finish the year, as always, sending love and strength to our special families. .............................. Rhian Mannings CEO & Founder Dated: 21.06.2023 **-6-** ## **Meet the Team** Rhian Mannings Emma Kneebone Rachel Williams Founder and Chief Deputy CEO and Head of Finance and Executive Bereavement Services Administration Manager Nicole Lloyd Bereavement Services Manager Becky Jones Helen Thomas Immediate Support Immediate Support Coordinator (South Wales) Coordinator (West Wales) Linda Hughes Immediate Support Coordinator (North Wales) Cas Dalton Louise Way **Counselling, Support &** Counselling Support **Fundraising Coordinator** Coordinator (South **(West Wales)** Wales) Ann Edwards Counselling Support Coordinator (North Wales) **-7-** ## **Meet the Team** Ellie Clemence Nicole Peacock Children and Young Partnership Liaison Person Coordinator Coordinator Anwen Fardy Atlanta Humphries Children and Young Immediate Support Person Coordinator Coordinator (Gwent Project) Jenna O'Sullivan **Jo Calcattera** Support and Finance **Event Coordinator** Administration **Jo Plow Corporate Relations & Business Development** Cara Lee Fundraising Coordinator North Wales Gaynor Ingram **Volunteer Coordinator** **Beverley Slocombe Fundraising Administrator** **Hannah Daley Digital Marketing Officer** **-8-** ## **Rebrand** October 2021 was an exciting month for 2 Wish Upon A Star as we knew it. The decision was made to rebrand the charity and to name it 2wish. The charity had been referred to as 2wish for many years, so it made sense. It was a time of huge growth and the expansion of our services so a perfect time to change our branding. It took months of planning alongside Stills, a local marketing and creative design organisation. We revisited our values and principles to ensure both the logo and the branding reflected our caring and family friendly charity, but also incorporated our vision and reflected our future. We held a rebrand evening at the Coed Y Mwstyr Hotel, Bridgend and invited our staff, Trustees, volunteers, ambassadors, and stakeholders to show the process and the information behind our decision making. We are thrilled with the final product! **----- Start of picture text -----**
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## **Immediate Support Pathway** In November our petition was successfully debated with the Welsh Government agreeing to support the development of an immediate support pathway across Wales for those who suddenly lose a child or young adult aged 25 years or under. 2wish has been working with health boards and police forces across Wales for years but we wanted a pathway to be statutory so no family would be missed. We are so proud that the launch of the Welsh Government Bereavement Pathway occurred on 12th August 2022. We were honoured to have Deputy Health Minister Lynne Neagle attended our annual Elephant Walk, to launch the pathway across Wales. We are so grateful to everyone who signed and supported the petition, making this pathway a reality! **“We are delighted that the pathway has been developed by Welsh Government. It is crucial that when a family is devastated by sudden child loss, there is an offer of support immediately. Families should not have to go looking for help and this pathway will ensure families are offered support when they need it most. 2wish works with every health board and police force across Wales and we receive daily referrals. However, having this pathway in place will ensure that no family is missed.”** Rhian Mannings, CEO and Founder **“Bereavement affects us all in different ways and I am committed to ensuring support and care is available to everyone across Wales. Working closely with the Bereavement Steering group we are making improvements to bereavement care at pace. We want health boards to take these model pathways and working together with partner agencies adapt them to the needs of their local communities. 2Wish and other charities across Wales are providing vital services and working together we can support those through their grief."** Deputy Minister for Mental Health, Lynne Neagle **-10-** ## **For Our Stars** On 22nd February 2022, we lit candles for our brightest stars, and remembered all of the young lives which were taken too soon. Families lit candles at home, and members of the 2wish team lit candles all across the country. A thousand tea lights were lit at the following locations by our staff and professional partners throughout Wales: - Senedd Cymru Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital Ysbyty Glan Clwyd Hospital Wrexham Maelor Hospital Bronglais General Hospital Withybush Hospital Glangwili Hospital Morriston Hospital Singleton Hospital Princess of Wales Hospital Royal Glamorgan Hospiytal Prince Charles Hospital University Hospital of Wales The Grange Hospital Royal Gwent Nevill Hall Hospital Dyfed Powys Police HQ North Wales Police HQ Gwent Police HQ South Wales Police HQ **----- Start of picture text -----**
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## **Statistics** From 1st October 2021 – 30th September 2022, we received 229 death referrals. Of those referrals, 180 of the referrals were immediate and 49 were historic. Immediate death referrals are classified as deaths referred into our service via the immediate support pathway, usually in the hours/days following the death. Historic deaths are when the death occurred two or more months prior to the referral coming into the organisation. **-12-** ## **Statistics Continued** 65% of referrals accepted the offer of a home visit from their Immediate Support Coordinator within the first two weeks of being referred. 92% of families were contacted within 48 hours. The remaining 8% were contacted with 72-120 hours as directed by the professional who made the referral. 38% of death referrals received were for females and 62% were for males. Our main referral partners continue to be hospitals and police forces across Wales. We have worked hard to embed our service and ensure that, with their consent, families are being referred directly into the charity by a professional. This approach allows for seamless support and also removes the possibility of an individual trawling through the internet trying to find an organisation that may, or may not, be able to support them. - 33% of referrals came from the hospitals and 28% from police officers. - 12% referred themselves and 10% were referred by a friend or family member. The Coroner’s Office accounted for 7%, and the remaining 10% were referred by Counsellor, Funeral Director, Health Visitor, Hospice or a mental health service. Since service delivery began, we have received 1,165 death referrals into the charity and have supported approximately 5,370 individuals. **Our main referral partners continue to be Hospitals and Police Forces across Wales.** **-13-** ## **Taryn's Story** April the 8th 2015 started as just another day. Little did we know when we got up that morning that it would end up as the worst day of our lives and a day no parent should ever have to face. That evening our beloved youngest daughter, Taryn Hope passed away suddenly and the bottom literally fell out of our world. We were left at Prince Charles Hospital in utter disbelief at what was going on. That was the first time we heard about 2wish when we were offered a Memory Box to help us in those initial stages. This gesture of kindness at such a traumatic time was totally priceless and something we will never forget. Especially George the Elephant cuddly toy which we were given for our eldest daughter Lyla who was 6 at the time. She quickly renamed the elephant Taryn after her best friend and little sister, and it has since played a huge part in her grieving process. In the weeks and months that followed the help and support we received from the team at 2wish was amazing. From our initial counselling as a family, to them going into Lyla’s school for counselling and the group sessions which were particularly helpful. Just being able to talk to other parents who were going through similar circumstances in coming to terms with such tragedy. Over three years later and we are still receiving help and support and they are always there to help in anyway they can. Thank you to Rhian and all the team for all you’ve done and continue to do to help us and other families who suffer such an unbearable loss. Gareth and Gemma Watkins **-14-** Our Impact -. 15- ## **Bereavement Rooms** ## **Bereavement Rooms** One of 2wish's aims is to ensure every hospital throughout Wales has a suitable Bereavement Room in every Accident & Emergency, Critical Care and Children's Department. These rooms are designed to give families a private and comforting space that is not too clinical, providing a calmer, quieter environment where families can wait for news, or be together when the worst has happened. The care families receive in hospital immediately following the death of a loved one needs to be thought through, as small details of the care they receive, including the environment they are in, can have a huge impact on their grieving process. **Before 2wish, I experienced children passing away, either in A&E or on the children’s ward, and the rooms you took the parents to were always cold and empty, as it was always the nearest empty, available room.** **A&E, Princess of Wales Hospital.** **----- Start of picture text -----**
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## **Bereavement Rooms Continued** ## **Bereavement Rooms** 2wish have now designed twelve bereavement rooms across Wales including: University Hospital of Wales – Accident and Emergency, Cardiff and the Vale University Hospital of Wales – Paediatric Critical Care Unit, Cardiff and the Vale Prince Charles Hospital, Cwm Taf Morgannwg - Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Cwm Taf Morgannwg Princess of Wales Hospital, Cwm Taf Morgannwg Royal Gwent, Aneurin Bevan Nevil Hall, Aneurin Bevan - Coroner’s Office, Cardiff and the Vale - Ysbyty Gwynedd, Accident and Emergency, Betsi Cadwaladr Morriston Hospital, Acute Paediatric Unit, Swansea Bay Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Accident and Emergency, Betsi Cadwaladr Princess of Wales Hospital, Accident and Emergency, - Cwm Taf Morganwg **Since 2wish have come along it has improved so, so much and there is a comforting and safe space where families can go. I will always be grateful not only for myself but for those families going through the most horrendous of times. Thank you.** **A&E, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.** **----- Start of picture text -----**
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## **Memory Boxes** ## **Memory Boxes** Every Emergency Unit across Wales stores our memory boxes to give immediately to families once their child has passed away. One of our main charity aims is to ensure that families who have lost a child or young person suddenly, are offered one of our Memory Boxes, which are stocked in every hospital throughout Wales. We have spent £14,830 providing 423 Memory Boxes to families affected by the sudden death of a child or young person. The Memory Boxes contain carefully selected items, including the following: - Organza bags for locks of hair. Inkless hand and footprint kits. Two Gorgeous George elephants. A votive candle. - Forget-me-not seeds. Tissues. - Pen and note paper. Small star pin badge. **Our Gorgeous George's are soft toy elephants: One elephant stays with the family whilst the other remains with the child who has died. We use elephants for two reasons; firstly, an elephant never forgets and secondly, child death often remains the elephant in the room.** - A support pack of information about our services and a ‘When Your Child Dies’ booklet of practical guidance. Families can add their own special pieces to the box if they wish, or safely place it away until they are ready to look inside. **-18-** ## **Immediate Support** ## **Immediate Support** 2wish offers immediate support after the sudden and unexpected death of a child or young person aged 25 years and under. With consent, a professional will pass on the person's details, and they will then be contacted by telephone within 48 hours of the referral by one of our Immediate Support Coordinators. When making the initial telephone contact, the Immediate Support Coordinator will arrange a home visit with the family as soon as possible and assess the individual needs of the person or family they are supporting. Our Immediate Support Coordinators are there to help individuals understand the procedure following the sudden death of a child, provide emotional support, and help in any way they can such as providing advocacy and contacting agencies for families. Immediate support is provided for as long as risk and need are present. Of the 229 deaths from 1st October 2021 – 30th September 2022, 49 were historic resulting in 180 families requiring immediate support. 100% of families have received an initial support call within 48 hours. **“The support that we’ve had from 2wish has been amazing. We were a bit adrift. Helen was amazing and set us on the right track.** **You were a lifeline – we weren’t alone and had you to turn to.** **-19-** ## **Ongoing Support** ## **Ongoing Family Support** Over time, we see individuals gain more independence, meaning the Immediate Support comes to an end. The Immediate Support Coordinator will inform individuals about other ways they can access ongoing support through 2wish, should they need it. The ongoing support is not time limited, allowing access any time after the death of a child or young person. We do not put a timeline on grief and our services can be accessed at any time, whether the death happened yesterday or twenty years ago. ## **Counselling** Counselling doesn’t aim to hurry the process along; it supports people as they grieve, in their own way and in their own time. 2wish provide funded sessions of 1:1 counselling with a local, qualified, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) registered counsellor. This service can be accessed as an individual, a couple, or as a young person. We can also offer counselling sessions via instant messaging or over the phone if preferred. In the past year, we have approximately 106 Counsellors, 29 Play Therapists and 22 Complimentary Therapists working with us to provide ongoing support for those who need it. **I can't thank you enough for putting this into place for me. She's an amazing lady and has listened to me drone on and break down in front of her without judgment.** **Helped with expectation management of the grief journey. It doesn’t get easier, it gets different.** **Just being able to speak without any judgement to other parents who understand completely makes a big difference. There is nothing like a hug from another grieving parent – they just get it. I’ve made friends for the future.** ## **Focus Support Groups** Focus Support Groups are closed groups facilitated by two qualified and registered counsellors and are held weekly for six weeks. The focus groups bring together a small group of bereaved family members who have lost their loved one in a similar way. The focus is on group talking, sharing and helping each other. They cover a number of different areas relating to grief such as the physical affects, recognising triggers and coping mechanisms. **-20-** ## **Ongoing Support Continued** ## **Complementary Therapy** 2wish offers complementary therapies like reflexology, aromatherapy massage and Yoga. All are proven to have calming, soothing, and rebalancing benefits, effective for treating stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Complementary therapies can be used solely or combined with counselling. ## **Monthly Support Events** Regular support events are held throughout the year. They are tailored for Mum’s, Dads, siblings, extended family, and friends. Our events offer the opportunity to enjoy new experiences whilst coming together with others who understand the journey of bereavement and loss. Support events included: - Ceramic workshop Christmas at Bute Park Breathing techniques Penuchadre Organic Dairy Farm Chocolate workshop Mindfulness session **-21-** ## **Ongoing Support Continued** ## **S.T.A.R. Weekend** On 13-15th May 2022, we hosted our first S.T.A.R (Stand Together And Remember) residential. Five families from across Wales joined our Counselling Support Coordinators, Ann and Louise, at Glan Llyn Isa, Bala in North Wales. The weekend was full of outdoor activities provided by Glan Llyn from high ropes, wall climbing, kayaking, swimming, boat trip followed by relaxing evenings which included pizza making and toasting marshmallows by the fire and, by pure chance, a Eurovision song contest competition. **I really enjoyed talking to other parents. I felt useful that my own experience may have helped someone else.** **It was the first time I've felt able to be as open in front of others about our situation.** **-22-** ## **Children and Young People** ## **Children and Young People** 2wish offers support for any child or young person following the sudden and unexpected death of a child or young person aged 25 years and under. With consent from a parent or guardian, our Children and Young Person Coordinator will provide immediate and ongoing emotional and practical support to siblings, relatives, and friends. We understand that sometimes young people feel isolated in their grief and may struggle with difficult emotions or feel alone. We offer a safe space for them to speak privately with one of our friendly team about their feelings, emotions, and anything else they wish to talk about. We hold regular support events giving children and young people the opportunity to enjoy new experiences in a safe environment and meet others who have experienced a similar loss. 2wish also help schools, colleges and universities with bereavement support which can be provided through bespoke workshops, group, and individual sessions. ## **Play Therapy** Play Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses play to help children deal with emotional and mental health issues. By using play and creative techniques, children are able to explore their feelings and thoughts and begin to process and understand muddled feeling and upsetting events. Play Therapy is suitable for children aged 4-12 years old. All of our Play Therapists are British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT) or Play Therapy UK (PTUK) registered. **My youngest son is also having counselling, provided by yourselves. I went everywhere looking for help for him, and due to his age nobody would help him, and his school were worried about him, but couldn't do anything for him. 2wish is amazing!!** ## **Children and Young People Events** We hold regular support events giving children and young people the opportunity to enjoy new experiences in a safe environment and meet others who have experienced a similar loss. 2wish also help schools, colleges and universities with bereavement support which can be provided through bespoke workshops, group, and individual sessions. Some of the events include: Escape Rooms and Pizza Paint Your Own Pottery Pili Palas **-23-** ## **Support for Professionals** **"For a long time the perception has been that emergency services are somehow different, somehow invincible, and they shouldn't experience mental health problems - that they should be stronger that that. And that's total rubbish. We are human beings, and we have mental health problems the same as everyone else."** It may be assumed that because of someone's job role, that they may encounter death, it won't affect them and that it's part of the job and they 'used to it'. However we know that this isn't necessarily the case - it could be immediate or it may take days, weeks, months or years, but the feelings of grief may catch up with that person. Professionals such as funeral directors, GPs, teachers, sports coaches, health visitors, legal teams and so many more who have to deal with child death as part of their working lives, but may never have received support or training in how to best support or training in how to best support the loved ones they come into contact with. In 2016, we officially extended the offer of support to professionals from any sector who, at any point in their career, have been affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a child or young person. We are able to offer support in a number of ways, all of which are confidential and arranged by 2wish. We strive to work with professionals to ensure that we can offer support in a way that fits with work commitments and daily life. **As a clinician who has dealt with many child deaths I did not identify that I was struggling, but 2wish helped and supported me through this. The counsellor I saw was amazing and listened to me, helping me find a way forward.** **-24-** ## **Gwent Project** ## **Gwent Project: Supporting Families Bereaved by Suicide in Gwent** In September 2020, we secured funding from Welsh Government to run a pilot bereavement service for families affected by the suicide of an individual, of any age, in Gwent. The service, which was initially set up for a period of 12 months, was such a success that we have continued to run the project. By continuing the project, this enabled families to receive our whole service; not just the immediate support, but an opportunity to access our ongoing support services like counselling, complementary therapy and family events for the months and years following their sudden loss. Our long-term aim is to ensure that everyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a loved one, of any age, is supported and this pilot serves as the first step towards ensuring that all those affected by sudden death in Wales get the support they deserve. The death of someone important can cause great pain and sadness, whatever the cause of death. However, families bereaved by and dealing with loss from suicide may also have to face agonising questions, intrusive public scrutiny, and cope with extra emotions such as guilt, shame and selfblame. Up until now the charity 2 Wish have only had sufficient funds to offer specialised bereavement support to families affected by a suicide of someone aged 25 or under. We have been grateful for this support and impressed by the feedback from their clients. As a group we strongly believe that this service should be available to anyone affected by a suicide, regardless of the age of the person who died. This is why our group supported their bid. ## **Steven Maloney, Detective Chief Inspector, Gwent Police:** “We are really dedicated to helping individuals and families impacted by suicide. We know that 2 Wish Upon A Star offer great support and care during a very traumatic time and look forward to working in partnership with them around this pilot. We are pleased this is taking place in Gwent and hope this will help the communities we serve”. This year, 2wish have supported 42 families who have been affected by a suicide in the Gwent area. **-25-** ## **Jessica's Story** The family of Jessica were referred to 2Wish on the 22nd of July 2022 following her sudden and unexpected death. She had taken her own life following a struggle with her Mental Health. The referral was made on behalf of the family by Gwent Police. Her family consisted of her Parents, Sister, Partner, Grandparents, Great Grandfather, niece and nephews. Contact was made with her parents within 48hours, and they immediately welcomed the offer of support. At this stage, they had not received a memory box and were unaware of the 2wish pathway. The Immediate Support Coordinator visited the family 2 days later to offer emotional and practical support, taking along Memory Boxes, elephants and books for the children. Time was spent talking about the uniqueness of grief and how differently people react. The offer was made to take handprints which the family welcomed. We spoke at length about Jessica and her close relationship with her family. It was important to the family that they were able to carry out Jessica's wishes which were documented on her laptop that had been taken as part of the investigation. We immediate contact the Police to ensure that her family would have access to the information they needed. Through continued visits from the Immediate Support Coordinator, we were able to help the family during the time leading up to her funeral and beyond. We were able to help them navigate the coroner’s investigation, detailing what would happen and the expectations of them as a family. Following a period of immediate support, some members of Jessica’s family felt that they would benefit from additional support in the form of counselling and complementary therapy. A referral was made, and this was put in place for those who had requested. Jessica’s family are aware that the support available from 2wish is ongoing and they can contact us at any time. **-26-** Fundraising -27- SJO. )F _ll" -'FINISH rsio rydLmte4p ## **Events and Fundraising** 2wish holds many fantastic events each year, which brings together groups of people from all walks of life, raising invaluable awareness and funds for 2wish. ## **10 for 10 Events** Between October 2021 and September 2022, we celebrated 2wish's tenth year by organising 10 events for 10 years. An opportunity to unite, celebrate and face challenges together. Here's a selection of them below. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Raised: £1,192.50 Raised: £813.65 Raised: £831.81
Raised: £5,640.61 Raised: £26,940.80
Raised: £15,641.16 Raised: £2,805.11
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**-29-** ## **Remembrance Service and Little Ball of Hope** On May 6th 2022, the biggest Little Ball of Hope was held at the ICC in Newport, with 500 guests filling the room with love and support for the charity. It followed a beautiful service of remembrance at Llandaff Cathedral, hosted by our ambassador Nick Knowles. The evening was full of both tears and laughter with several special guests in attendance including Jagger and Woody from Heart Radio hosting the auction, and Amy Wadge, our ambassador, performing for the first time 'A Million Lights' - written by Amy for 2wish, and performed by her and Michael Ball. The venue looked stunning with the entertainment including Cor Tadau Trisant which left us all in awe. Over £27,000 was raised on the night. Our biggest amount yet and a real highlight of the year. People’s kindness and generosity for 2wish remains staggering. **-30-** ## **Volunteers and Welfare Officers** 2wish currently provide a team of trained volunteers to attend some major running events here in Wales, to provide support to individual runners and their families in the case of an emergency. Following the sudden death of two runners at the Cardiff Half Marathon in 2018, the charity was approached by Run 4 Wales and the idea of Welfare Officers was discussed. These officers, who have received training from us, attend the events representing 2wish and are on hand to support in the event of an emergency. Depending on the size of the Welfare Team, volunteers are placed at ‘Event Information/Event Control’ and out on the course, and are linked by radio contact. If a situation arises, the team are to help find the runners relatives and if necessary, accompany them to the local hospital. They will remain with the family until they feel the time is right to leave. In the event of a fatal incident – the welfare team at the hospital will take the contact details from the family (with consent) and ensure a Memory Box is offered. If the person who dies is 25 years or under, 2wish will support the family with immediate support and further services. If the person who dies is over 25 years of age, 2wish will offer immediate support as above and any counselling or further support required will be sourced by 2wish but funded by the event organisers. As well as family members, anyone affected by the tragedy be it volunteers, staff or witnesses can also access ongoing support. ## **Chair's Statement** Every year at this wonderful charity is an exceptional, transformational and busy one! However, 2022 has possibly been the busiest yet. Celebrating 10 years of the charity, so many fantastic things have been achieved to secure the growth and development for years to come and to continue to provide essential support to our families when they need us. In October 2021, the charity rebranded from the former to 2 Wish Upon a Star, to simply 2wish. And with the support and guidance of our branding agency, Stills, it allowed us to remind ourselves of the very important values we have as a charity of being Family Focused, Personable, Responsive and Bold. It gave us the confidence in that final value; to be Bold, because we are making such a difference to families and we need to be proud of everything that we do to support those during their darkest times. There have been so many achievements this year, including the incredibly important milestone of having our Petition debated at the Senedd and the agreement of the implementation of our Immediate Support Pathway ensuring that any family in Wales that experiences the sudden death of a child or young person, is offered the essential support from 2wish as a matter of policy. We are grateful to Lynne Neagle MS, Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing and Jack Sargeant MS and colleagues at Welsh Government for their support in bringing this important piece of work to fruition. Our ‘For Our Stars’ campaign in February 2022, marking 10 years since the death of our CEO Rhian’s son, George, was an incredibly moving and poignant event as the team, ambassadors and supporters from across the country lit up every hospital and police headquarters in Wales with thousands of tealights. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend due to a family holiday, but my family and I lit our stars from Cinderella’s castle in Disneyland Paris. The event was a demonstration of the support and belief that professionals across Wales have in the charity and what it delivers. Our spectacular 10 for 10 events programme celebrating 10 years of 2wish, raised the profile of the charity, as well as the much-needed funds that our predominantly self-funded charity needs to deliver our aims and objectives. The events programme included something for everyone from our Elephant Dip, to Wreath Making, to our Welsh 3 Peaks and Wickets & Wheels. We also had our incredibly moving and uplifting Remembrance Service as well as the highlight in our calendar, our Little Ball of Hope. Our Ambassadors for the charity are increasing in number from Young Ambassadors, to Ambassadors to Celebrity Ambassadors and we were incredibly fortunate this year that Ambassador, Amy Wadge wrote a song for us to celebrate our stars and to raise funds for us. ‘A Million Lights’ was performed and launched at our Little Ball of Hope in 2022 and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. We want to thank our Fundraisers, our Volunteers, our Ambassadors and anyone who has been involved in or supported any of our events and initiatives raising vital funds to support the charity. Our income this year generated by our fundraisers, our corporate partners and through grants and foundations has surpassed £690,000 which will allow us to continue to provide immediate support, counselling, memory boxes, bereavement rooms, focus support groups, complementary therapies, STAR residential weekends, play therapy and an ever-growing amount of services to support our families and communities. **-32-** ## **Chair's Statement Continued** Whilst this is a huge amount, each year the amount we need to raise to continue to support our families grows and that is why all of our fundraisers and partners are so important to us. To remind ourselves that very sadly, the reason that we exist is to support our families when they are experiencing the worst possible times, and during this financial year we have supported 5,218 people; parents, siblings, grandparents, friends and the wider community following the death of 1,063 children and young people. Of those, 769 were immediate and 294 historic referrals as we as a charity do not put a time limit on grief. So all that is left for me to say is thank you. Thank you to our incredible team, who are delivering such vital support and care to our families and who are raising such vital funds to enable us to deliver our work. Thank you to my fellow trustees who provide their time and support freely and who are always there to listen and guide. To our Ambassadors, Volunteers and Fundraisers, without whom we would not be able to continue to grow and develop and raise the profile and funds for the charity. And finally, to our exceptional CEO, Rhian Mannings, without whom none of these things would happen. Her drive and tenacity to ensure that no family is left without the vital support they need at such devastating times, is both inspirational and humbling and makes me so proud to support such a wonderful charity Here's to another incredible year of growth, achievements and support. **-33-** ## **Trustees Report** The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2022. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and "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)". ## Objectives and activities The objects of the CIO are, for the benefit of the public, the preservation and protection of physical and mental health of those in Wales and such other areas as the trustees may decide, who have suffered a bereavement of a child or young adult under 25 years of age by: - 1.A. the provision of services including, but not exclusively, the provision of counsel support; and B. the advancement of education and awareness of the public in relation to the effect that a bereavement or loss can have on families and others. ## The charity’s aims: Following the opening of our first bereavement suite in 2013, 2wish has refurbished or established 12 bereavement suites in total. These rooms are an important facility and one that should be accessible to any family member in distress. The rooms are comfortable and bring much comfort to families at such a difficult time. Discussions have been held with Welsh Government and it has been established by the premises team that no emergency unit in any Welsh Hospital will be refurbished without consideration for such family facilities in the future. The charity works alongside 106 counsellors, 29 play therapists and 22 complimentary therapists to offer high quality service to suddenly bereaved families. With a bank of play therapists established to support bereaved young siblings we are offering an excellent service. With short waiting lists we are extremely proud of the difference we are making. 2wish has also established a bank of complementary therapists to offer family members an alternative to talking therapies. Focused support groups continue to take place across Wales. Uptake is good at these groups; they are open to anyone who has suffered a traumatic and sudden loss of a child or young adult. Regular events involving bereaved siblings are held throughout the period, giving families and young people the opportunity to come together with the support staff who are available for any ongoing advice. There remain many families struggling across Wales. As an organisation it is important we continue to raise awareness so families are aware of the support we can offer. This involves multi-agency working and spreading our message so both professionals and families know about 2wish. Helping to reduce the stigma in respect of mental health also plays an important part in our work. We feel early intervention could reduce the long-term effects of sudden bereavement and we are working with other mental health organisations to improve awareness and bring down barriers. The staff comprises a team of 20 led by the CEO Rhian Mannings. The team consists of a fundraising and Events **-34-** ## **Trustees Report Continued** events team, finance, and a support team, who work closely together to make a difference for bereaved families. Based in South Wales, with staff in North Wales and West Wales, the charity has gone from strength to strength in the last 12 months with both referrals and public interest increasing. As well as securely recording family information, we regularly analyse this information, looking for trends or factors that may be contributing to sudden child death. We produce statistics to show where deaths occur, causes of death and other factors which we hope may help reduce sudden death in children and young people in the future. To raise awareness of our charity and importance of bereavement support. To provide training for professionals including health staff and police officers. To provide immediate support for families following the death of a child or young adult. To provide support for anyone who witnesses a traumatic death of a child or young adult. The charity offers a unique service here in Wales, working closely with both health professionals and police forces. Every Welsh emergency and critical care unit has access to the immediate support pathway constructed by 2wish. The charity can receive a phone call minutes after the death if a parent consents, allowing our team to support that family. Between October 2021 and September 2022 we supported 229 families, the majority using our immediate pathway to access our support. Families can, however, access our services at any time during their journey through their grief. The CEO and Deputy CEO continue to attend training sessions and conferences across the country to promote 2wish but also to discuss bereavement care in sudden and traumatic situations. Many hours have been spent with police officers to discuss how to support families and the importance of a sensitive approach to families. Work has also been done with Emergency Unit and mortuary staff to highlight the work that the charity undertakes. Support is available for those who witness the death of a child or young adult and for those working in professional services. The charity regularly receives referrals from police officers and GP’s enquiring about support for those people who are not related to the individual who passes away. The charity is educating Welsh organisations about this pathway and the importance of supporting all of those involved in trauma and sudden loss. Everything 2wish does follows the above aims and objectives. We work hard to benefit families and those affected by the sudden death of a child or young adult and, using these aims, we believe we are making a difference by helping families through the most difficult of times. Emphasis is on the immediate family consisting of parents and siblings, but our organisation over the last few years has developed the support available for everyone affected by sudden loss. Grief and bereavement affects everyone very differently so it is important our staff are aware that these individual needs are met. Our services are always evolving and, by working with professionals involved directly with the bereaved families, our support has an incredible impact. **-35-** ## **Trustees Report Continued** ## Public Benefit 2wish has worked hard to build successful relationships with police forces and health boards across Wales, and this has led to formal partnership agreements being developed. Families can then be discussed, safeguarding can be considered for both staff and families, and partnership working has shown that families receive the support they deserve. This also means that as more organisations become aware of 2wish and the support we offer, an increasing number of families will be referred to the charity. The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. 2wish continue to be very proud of their achievements. It has been another very busy period with the number of families being referred increasing, here are the figures for our financial year: 15 families in 2014/15 84 families in 2015/16 117 families in 2016/17 136 families in 2017/18 (109 immediate, 27 historic) 207 families in 2018/19 (135 immediate, 72 historic) 195 families in 2019/20 (145 immediate, 50 historic) 177 families in 2020/21 (135 immediate, 42 historic) 229 families in 2021/22 (180 immediate, 49 historic) Each family can have multiple individuals needing help, fundraising has needed to increase to meet the demand. There have been many successful events and meetings to raise awareness and to highlight the importance of supporting suddenly bereaved families. Regular meetings continue between 2wish staff and important stakeholders across Wales. The response to our work has always been positive and has resulted in the development of several partnerships. Without the support of police forces, health boards and other organisations 2wish would not be able to support families. Our team has also changed over the last 12 months. The support team consists of four immediate support coordinators working alongside three members of staff who coordinate the long-term counselling and support for the families. A volunteer coordinator has been appointed to ensure that the volunteers feel valued and appreciated whilst recruiting new volunteers. They are involved in both our own events and in community events. There are over 65 volunteers, all of whom contribute and make a difference. Working with the staff and volunteers is a growing group of counsellors and play therapists. These individuals work with our families and are paid by the charity to provide the care and support families require. The number of counsellors, play therapists and complementary therapists continues to grow due to the increase in referrals. The support team meet regularly with them and working together is the only way we can provide the best service. Our events continue to be very successful in terms of raising both awareness of the charity and funds. Many of our events combine fundraising with raising awareness, as well as being social occasions for the families we support. In this respect our fundraising, events and marketing team offer services beyond the normal remit of simply fundraising. Our events fulfil part of our aims and objectives too. **-36-** ## **Our Year at a Glance** ## **October** ## **May** Cardiff Half Marathon Global Make Some Noise Support 2wish Rebrand Service of Remembrance – Llandaff Cathedral Little Ball of Hope A Million Lights Released Petition Committee Meeting – Welsh Government Pride of Britain Awards – Rhian attends Swansea Neo Natal FSG Sky Dive Welsh 3 Peaks 2wish Gin Night Eisteddfod Yr Urdd – Denbigh S.T.A.R. Weekend – North Wales 13-15 May Suicide Focus Support Group - Narbeth Vilomay Cardiff Bay 10k ## **November** Petition debated by WAG Rhian receives MBE Windsor Castle Elephant Dip West Wales 2wish Wreath Making – online South Support Event – Ceramic workshop Support Event – Christmas at Bute Park Ceramic Workshop (Adult) - South Christmas at Bute Park (Family) - south Saundersfoot Christmas light switch on ## **June** Wickets and Wheels Cynnig Cymraeg Awarded Chocolate workshop (Adults) - South ISO9001 Accreditation 80’s Disco Haverfordwest ## **December** 2wish Christmas Soiree Grief Awareness Week launch in London Staf Blue Skying Thinking and Annual Planning 2wish Virtual Remembrance Service Office Reopened ## **January** Rhian CID training course for South Wales Police £800 from the Gannett Foundation 10 for 10 launched Swansea Half Marathon Support event - Hand reflexology workshop - West ## **July** Jo Foxhall wins Managing Director of the Year - Welsh Woman's Awards Tai-Chi and Vitamin Sea Event – Mumbles Porthcawl 10k The Paul Burke XL in SW London - £1,056 was raised Reflexology Support Event Rhian “guest of honour” at Queen's College, Taunton Speech Day ## **February** 11 Mile Walk for George Light Up Wales – For Our Stars Virtual Kilimanjaro ## **March** Cardiff Half Support Event – Breathing and relaxation workshop Support Event - Spring Wreath Making (in person) West Pembrokeshire Cake Sale ## **April** Woman In Wales Lunch and Donation South Support Event – Penuchadre Organic Dairy Farm (family) ## **August** Elephant Walk – North, South and West Wales Immediate Support Pathway WAG – Launched Altrad Golf Day – West Prendergast Villa Football tournament – West 4-week sound bath meditation workshop Barry 10k ## **September** South Wales Police Awards – Certificate of Commendation South Support Event – Mindfulness morning (Adult) Swansea Neo Natal Focus Support Group Narberth Older teens Focus Support Group Cardiff 10k Llanelli Half Marathon **-37-** ## **Trustee's Report Continued** ## **Financial Review** ## **Results** ## **Reserves** The operational deficit above can be seen to be attributed to an unrestricted deficit totalling £78,163 and a restricted surplus of £31,052 (2021: unrestricted surplus totalling £35,009 and restricted surplus of £8,005). The charity made an unrestricted loss on investments of £60,916 (2021: gain £16,341) during the year which resulted in a net unrestricted deficit of £139,079 (2021: gain of £51,350). The unrestricted reserves as at 30th September 2022 totalled £542,846 (2021: £681,925), of which £86,077 (2021: £225,798) are free reserves (unrestricted reserves less intangible assets, less fixed asssets, less designated funds). The charity became a charitable incorporated organisation on 8th July 2016 and the net assets from the unincorporated charity were transferred to the new entity on 14th September 2016. The net assets transferred totalled £466,696. This money has been accumulated during the period from 26th October 2012 to 14th September 2016 being the period that the unincorporated charity commenced its activities until its incorporation. 2wish has a current policy of maintaining reserves as outlined in our reserves policy. As awareness of the work of the charity grows, so do referrals which require support and therefore funding. The charity’s plans for expansion to extend across Wales, increasing awareness and support is crucial to our aims and objectives and funding is required for these future projects. The support and services provided to families is ongoing and it is imperative that this support can continue should there be a fall in income. Reserves of £495,000, based on one year’s costs assumptions are considered appropriate for this purpose. We continue to work hard to build our reserves. The principal risks and uncertainties facing the charity as identified by the charity trustees are: Funding: We are a mainly self-funded charity and rely on the generosity of our supporters. The charity sector is generally flooded with much competition for supporters’ donations. One of the main issues affecting charities is the ability to raise funds from events effectively. There is no certainty in such events bringing in similar income as the previous year. To mitigate this, we have increased our fundraising and events team and have set targets. We are also looking at alternative funding streams which are spread over a longer period or for specific projects. **-38-** ## **Trustee's Report Continued** Competition: Although the charity has excellent local support it is not as established and well-known as other local charities like Ty Hafan & Velindre. We are always working to improve awareness of our work, which in time should help us to become even better known. Succession: There is a clear need for succession within the charity. This goes hand-in-hand with the staff structure and is high on the agenda for focus in the coming year. There has been a period of very rapid expansion of our services and our staff. We have focused on the staff structure in the future to allow for succession planning. ## Plans for future periods Our motto, “When it rains look for rainbows, when its dark look for stars’ has never meant more. We continue to see what a difference our charity makes and how adaptable we are as individuals and as a team. An element of hybrid working will remain, with staff working in the office, out and about and from home. The office will remain open for our guests and families, but staff will have a more flexible approach to where they work. ## Structure, governance and management ## Organisation structure and decision making The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation formed on 8th July 2016. The charity’s governing document is CIO – Foundation registered 8th July 2016. We became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation during the period as it was agreed that this was a structure better suited to us. The charity is managed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who delegates authority for project management and charitable activities to the Deputy CEO, Finance Manager, Bereavement Service Manager and other office based administrators and self-employed field staff (counsellors) and employed field staff. The CEO meets with the administrative team daily and keeps in regular contact with field members. The Board of Trustees meets on a bi-monthly basis. Specific issues are brought to the attention of the Chair or other members of the board for a review, thereafter, being ratified at a full board meeting. All day-to-day management decisions are made through the above outlined management structure. Decisions which are brought to the Board relate to changes in strategic direction or policy, or risk management. ## Risk management The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. A risk register has been adopted using a traffic light system to flag up risks. Any amber or red risks are reviewed and assessed by the trustees at each Board of Trustee meeting and thereby ensure that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to major risks. Key management personnel The pay of key management personnel is reviewed annually alongside a general review of all staff salaries. Salaries are benchmarked against similar size charities who operate in the region. Policies and the risk register are reviewed regularly and to a schedule. **-39-** ## **Trustee's Report Continued** All of the trustees are required to submit a curriculum vitae and complete an informal application process where they are invited to set out what skills and benefits they can bring to the board. A prospective applicant then typically meets the CEO and/or the Chair to discuss the application The applicant may also attend a board meeting as an observer. If acceptable to both sides, an applicant will be proposed to the Board after the process and the appointment is put to a vote. The formation of the Board of Trustees is undertaken based on skills need analysis as well as a general risk management and assessment of the needs of the charity. The charity aims to attract trustees who can add value to the charity. The requisite management skills are deemed to be accountancy, human resources, legal, public relations, marketing and communications, all of which are represented by highly experienced individuals on the Board. All trustees are provided with a welcome pack which includes legal and regulatory framework regarding their responsibilities on recruitment. Induction is on a one-to-one basis with other trustees or the CEO. The trustees can meet with operatives of the charity, visit projects, and also participate in further training and charitable events. We are continually looking out for potential trustees who may add to our board’s skill and knowledge set. ## Trustees’ recruitment and induction Approach to financial investments Decisions about the investment strategy are governed by the finance committee and approved by the board. 2wish's investment portfolio was managed by Nugenis Financial Planning (formally Maven) during 2021/2022 according to the board's instructions. The board recognises it has a responsibility to consider any ethical implications of its investments. The investment strategy is reviewed by the board with investment managers on an annual basis. Investments reports are disseminated to the board monthly with the management accounts, to review performance. 2wish does not depend on investment returns to fund its short-term operational requirements and is, therefore, able to tolerate short-term volatility of its investment portfolio. Our investments are risk adverse, which is consistent with a strategy of seeking to generate longer term income. **-40-** ## **Trustee's Report Continued** Reference and Administrative Details Registered Charity Number 1168140 Principal Address Ground Floor, Unit 7 Magden Park Llantrisant CF72 8XT Trustees J Foxall - Chair B Emanuel - Trustee (resigned 27/07/2022) A Beckely - Treasurer T Agland - Trustee T Jones - Trustee (resigned 22/03/2023) S Bolton - Trustee S Simpson - Trustee Key management personnel R Mannings - CEO R Williams - Finance Manager E Kneebone - Deputy CEO Independent examiners Azets Audit Services Ty Derw Lime Tree Court Cardiff Gate Business Park Cardiff CF23 8AB Dr L Groves - Trustee I Smith - Trustee (resigned 30/11/2021) M Jones - Trustee (appointed 30/11/2022) L Sheehy - Trustee (appointed 12/07/2022) J Jones - Trustee (appointed 18/03/2022) M O'Shea - Trustee (appointed 16/03/2022) Bankers Lloyds Bank 31 Fore Street Taunton TA1 1HN Investment providers Maven Wealth Management Oak Tree Court Mulberry Drive Pontprennau Cardiff CF23 8RS The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees. .............................. J Foxall Trustee Dated: ...28/07/2023...... **-41-** ## **Statement of Trustee's Responsibilities** The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that year. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. The trustees are responsible for keeping sufficient accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions **-42-** ## **Independent Examiner's Report** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of 2wish (the charity) for the year ended 30 September 2022. ## Responsibilities and basis of report As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. ## Independent examiner's statement Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies. Your attention is drawn to the fact that the charity has prepared financial statements in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has now been withdrawn. I understand that this has been done in order for financial statements to provide a true and fair view in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015. 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 that in any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or the financial statements do not accord with those records; or - the financial statements do 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 financial statements to be reached. Dated: .....28/07/2023..... Claire Thompson FCCA DChA Azets Audit Services Ty Derw, Lime Tree Court Cardiff Gate Business Park Cardiff CF23 8AB **-43-** ## **Statement of Financial Activities** Statement of Financial Activities Including Income and Expenditure Account The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised this year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. **-44-** ## **Balance Sheet** The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 28/07/2023 ......................... J Foxall Trustee Dated: .....28/07/2023..... **-45-** ¥ Statement of Cash Flows 2022 2021 Notes Cash flows from operatlng actfivltles Cash (absc*bèd byyg8n8ratèd from operations 27 (167,338) 120,165 Investlng actlvltles Purchase of bntangible assets Purchase of tangible fixed assets Procè8ds on dispD>al of tangiblè r￿ed assets PurehasÈ of investments Procè8d3 on dispD831 of investmènts Inv8Stm8nt In￿Me received (4,000) {3,762) (5,974) (323,715) 119,726 1,840 (172,768) 172,908 4,361 Net cash used In Investlng actlvltles (209,911) (1,468) Net cash used In flnanclng actlvltles Net {decreaseVlncrea3e In cash and cash equfival•nts (377,249) 118,697 Cash and eash equivalents at ￿gInn1Thg of year 545,088 426,391 Cash and cash equlvalents at ènd of year 167,839 545,088 -46- ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** ## 1 Accounting policies ## Charity information ## 2wish is a charitable incorporated organisation registered on 8th July 2016. ## 1.1 Accounting convention The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and "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)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a true and fair view. This departure has involved following the Statement of Recommended Practice for charities applying FRS 102 rather than the version of the Statement of Recommended Practice which is referred to in the Regulations but which has since been withdrawn. The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below. ## 1.2 Going concern At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements. ## 1.3 Charitable funds Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives. Designated funds comprise funds which have been set aside at the discretion of the trustees for specific purposes. The purposes and uses of the designated funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements. Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements. ## 1.4 Incoming resources Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions **-47-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received. Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation. Event and sponsorship income is recognised when the event is held or the service is provided . Any amounts received in advance are deferred. Fundraising income is recognised on receipt. Grants are only included in the SoFA when the general income recognition criteria are met. In the case of performance related grants, income must only be recognised to the extent that the charity has provided the specified goods or services, as entitlement to the grant only occurs when the performance related conditions are met. Capital grants are released to the Statement of Financial Activities in the year of receipt. Fixed assets relating to capital grants are capitalised, and depreciation charged is offset against the grant income, in a restricted fund. Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents amounts receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business, net of discounts, VAT and other sales related taxes. ## 1.5 Resources expended Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Costs of raising funds comprise the costs in relation to generating income such as fundraising activities. Expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs relating to the furtherance of the charity’s objectives as stated in the trustees report and their associated support costs. Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice. **-48-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred. There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses. 1.6 Intangible fixed assets other than goodwill Intangible assets acquired separately from a business are recognised at cost and are subsequently measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses. Intangible assets acquired on business combinations are recognised separately from goodwill at the acquisition date where it is probable that the expected future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to the entity and the fair value of the asset can be measured reliably; the intangible asset arises from contractual or other legal rights; and the intangible asset is separable from the entity. Amortisation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases: Software 3 years straight line basis 1.7 Tangible fixed assets Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses. Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases: Leasehold Improvements 20% straight line basis Office Equipment 20% straight line basis The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the period. ## 1.8 Fixed asset investments Fixed asset investments are initially measured at transaction price excluding transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at fair value at each reporting date. Changes in fair value are recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred. ## 1.9 Impairment of fixed assets At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible and intangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). **-49-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** 1.10 Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities. 1.11 Financial instruments The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments. Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously. ## Basic financial assets Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised. ## Derecognition of financial assets Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the charity transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party. ## Basic financial liabilities Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised. Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method. Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. ## Derecognition of financial liabilities Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled. **-50-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 1.12 Employee benefits The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received. Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits. ## 1.13 Retirement benefits Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due. ## 1.14 Leases Rentals payable under operating leases are charged as an expense on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease. ## 2. Critical accounting estimates and judgements In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods. ## 3. Donations and Legacies **-51-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 3. Donations and legacies ## 4. Charitable activities **-52-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 5. Other trading activities ## 6. Investments ## 7. Other income **-53-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 8. Raising funds ## 9. Charitable activities **-54-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 10. Support costs ## 11. Trustees None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration from the charity during the year. No trustees was reimbursed for expenses during the current or prior year. ## 12. Employees The average monthly number of employees during the year was: Employees earning > £60k No employee earned more than £60,000 during the current or prior year. **-55-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## Key management personnel The key management personnel as detailed in the trustees report received benefits (including gross salary, employers national insurance and employers pension contributions totalling £107,541 (2021: £97,733). There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000. ## 13. Other ## 14. Net gains/(losses) on investments **-56-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 15. Intangible fixed assets ## 16. Tangible fixed assests **-57-** ¥ Notes to the Financial Statements Continued 17 Flxèd assèt ImièStm•nts Listed Inv•stm•nts Cash ln portfolio Totsl Cost tr valuation At 1 OclotEI 2021 Additions ValualiDn chan9ES Cash movement Di8P05als 225,n7 323,71 S 162,$91) 2,322 228.099 323.715 (62.691) 1.774 <119.726) 1.774 (119,726) At 30 September 2022 367,07S 4,098 371.171 Ca￿1￿¥ ArYK)urtt At 30 September 2022 367,07S 4,096 371.171 At 30 September 2021 22S,777 2,322 228.ogg 2022 2021 Carryirtg Imtsunt crf financial In$trutnÈntS trÈ*5tsred al falr Value thrt>Ugh profil tr1085 367,07S 225.777 19 D•btOffa 122 2021 Amounts fAlllng du• wlthln onè y•llr: Trade debt(Irs Olher debtors Prepsyments and arnued in(x)me 58.232 83.259 10,602 3.730 885 152.093 4.gs5 c￿dItors. Amtsurtts fèlllng du* vAthln ￿&r 2022 2021 Olher taxalit￿ and socÈal security Deferred income Trade credttor& Olher ￿edItorS A(mia45 and dEfEr￿d kncotne 11,412 72.01D 5.833 6.4S 42.761 1.139 17.638 2.7NJ 21 3,069 .324 70.697 -58- ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 22. Retirement benefit schemes ## Defined contribution schemes The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. The charge to profit or loss in respect of defined contribution schemes was £6,610 (2021: £4,727). There was £1,539 outstanding at the year end (2021: £886) **-59-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 23. Restricted funds The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes: ## Welsh Government Grant funding received towards the provision of memory box contents for bereaved families who have lost a child or young adult. ## Moondance Foundation Funding received to support staff costs. ## Big Lottery Fund Funding received to cover a five-year project based in North Wales. The restricted grant covers salary two members of staff both working in our support team along with travel costs. The total grant value over five years is £252,710. ## Aneurin Bevan University Health Board Funding received received towards the provision of memory box contents for bereaved families who have lost a child or young adult and training. ## Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Scheme accessed to fund an element of wages costs during the pandemic. Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Funds received for a pilot project to give support to families who lose a person of any age from suicide within the Gwent health board. Global Make Some Noise Funds for wages, focus support groups and family events. Value for 6 months funding in FY21/22 **-60-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 24. Designated funds The income funds of the charity include the following designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes: ## Support and overheads This funding has been designated to support the Counselling Service and Overheads to run the charity including wages, to allow the service to continue to be delivered and wound down should funding cease. ## North Wales activities This funding has been designated to support North Wales service including wages, to allow the service to continue to be delivered and wound down should funding cease. ## Fixed asset fund This fund has been set up to designate the unrestricted net book value of the charity's fixed assets. **-61-** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements Continued** ## 25. Analysis of net assets between funds ## 26. Related party transactions There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2021 - none). 28. Analysis of changes in net funds The charity has no debt during the year. **-62-** ## **Thank You** Thank you to all of our trustees, volunteers, fundraisers and partners for supporting us this year. Without you, we could not provide immediate and ongoing bereavement support for families, individuals and professionals affected by the sudden and traumatic death of a child or young adult aged 25 or under. Best wishes, Rhian and the 2wish staff x **-63-** Since 2012, we have been at the forefront of providing compassionate and caring sudden bereavement support in Wales and have developed incredible services that we know make a huge difference to people's lives. As the number of those in need sadly continues to grow, we are determined to always be there whenever we are needed. ## **@2wishcharity** Ground Floor, Unit 7, Magden Park, Llantrisant, CF72 8XT info@2wish.org.uk | 01443 853125