Sandycroft Charity
Empowering Communities and individuals to reach their full potential in life
Report of the Trustees for the period start date 01 April 2023 – 30[th] June 2024
Administration
Charity Name: Sandycroft
Registered Charity Number 1169610
Charity’s principle address: West Avenue, Smallwood. Redditch. B98 7DH
Names of Charity Trustees
Donna Millimono Chair
Susan Small Trustee
Charlotte Hallett Trustee
Tanweer Dean Trustee
Chief Executive Officer Lee Mckenzie
The Sandycroft Trustees present their first report and financial statements as a Charitable Incorporated organization (CIO) for the charity’s first period ending 3oth May 2024.
The financial statement complies with current statutory requirements including Accounting and reporting by charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts.
This CIO was incorporated on the 11[th] of October 2016.
Type of Governing document: Foundation
Summary of Purposes of the Charity as set out in its governing document:
To advance and empower communities to reach their full potential in life by removing barriers
by offering a holistically tailored package of support irrespective of race, age, sexuality, status
and disability through education, advice & Guidance ,mental health and family support as well as through positive activities.
Purposes and Aims
Sandycroft is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged communities within Redditch and its environs.
We aim to support our service users by empowering individuals and communities so that they can become more active citizens and increase resilience. We have a strong emphasis on Mental Health, Domestic Abuse, Education and Training, the alleviation of poverty and social inclusion. By offering multiple services under one roof, we can pursue our objectives by offering high quality services so that individuals can develop the skills, experience and capabilities to succeed in life and remove barriers to their progress.
Sandycroft welcomes joint working with other organizations and universities so that they add value to our services as well as offer financial security by partnership working to reduce high staffing costs.
Objectives and Activities
The Sandycroft Trustees review the aims, objectives and activities of the charity each year. This report looks at what the charity has achieved and the outcomes of its work in the reporting period. The Sandycroft charity reports the success of each activity and the benefits the charity has brought to those groups of people that it was set up to help. The review also helps the Trustees to ensure the Charity’s aims, objectives and activities remain focused on its stated purposes.
The trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commissions general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Charity’s aims and objectives and in planning its
future activities. In Particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives set.
Achievements and performance.
The Sandycroft Centre maintains a strong commitment to tackling health and social inequalities by adapting its services to meet the evolving needs of the community. Through its wide range of projects including Mental health support, clinical therapeutic counselling, wellbeing programs, educational initiatives and specialist services like the Eve Project for Domestic Abuse services – the Center is ensuring that its aims and objectives are being met but also to Industry specific standards. We are proud of the commitment that all Sandycroft staff members and volunteers are fully committed to Continuous professional development, and we aim to be identified as a Centre of Excellence.
Counselling Agency
We are proud of our Counselling Agency because it represents hope, healing and empowerment for the individuals and families we serve. Our commitment to providing compassionate, professional and person-centered support has created a service that is trusted by the community and recognised for its impact. We are proud because we change lives every day, we help people overcome trauma, mental health struggles and life’s challenges, empowering them to rebuild their futures.
We offer a space that is nonjudgmental, an inclusive environment where individuals can be seen, heard and valued. Our team of Qualified and student Counsellors uphold the highest ethical standards, ensuring that every client receives safe, confidential and effective support.
We listen carefully to the involving needs of our community and adapt our services, accordingly, ensuring no one is left behind. We are committed to making our services accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. Through early intervention, therapeutic support and community outreach, we contribute to creating a healthier, stronger and more connected society.
Education
Education is a power resource for us to help service users to develop their personal skills in an environment with structured programs of work so that they feel safe. We aim to improve skills that either improve their chances of employment, higher education or progression. Confidence building and improved esteem plays an important part of work within education here at the
Centre as it is a barrier to their progression. They are offered guidance and support to identify pathways to improving their life opportunities.
We have a good partnership working with the three major educational providers within the County and they deliver much of our provision in the educational department, which is cost effective as it generates an income so that we can achieve our outcomes as well as capacity building our organization and offering choice to our service users.
We work in partnerships with individuals, groups and agencies to plan projects and programs to meet the needs of potential and existing learners. The Charity liaises with a variety of agencies to engage with potential learners and to establish referral systems. We also use their networks to provide progression routes for our learners.
Domestic Abuse Services
Victims of Domestic Abuse need to be provided with information in order to make informed choices as to their future. This may be to go into are refuge but for a majority of victims it will to be supported in the community and therefor it is essential that DA services within Centers like ours are able to run therapeutic programs and advice for these individuals and their families.
1 in 4 women experience domestic abuse and 1 in 6 men
Domestic abuse incidents + 16% of all violent incidents – British Crime Survey
Nearly 1 in 5 counselling sessions held in Relate centers mentioned Domestic Abuse as an issue – Stanko 2002
Police receive a call every minute for public assistance in Domestic Abuse – Stenko
We aim to relieve the distress and suffering of all who have suffered all forms of Domestic abuse whether, physical, sexual or mental abuse through the provision of services and amenities.
The Trustees will utilize their powers to provide an all-round specialist Domestic Abuse service for men, women and children with the Redditch Community and its surrounding areas.
The criteria for achieving objectives for 2025/6:
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Maintain existing provision whilst expanding the IDVA service. And Trauma Counselling
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Provide appropriate new services and gain Leading Lights Accreditation.
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Fulfill statutory requirements.
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Fulfill our aims and objectives.
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Secure appropriate funding for each project.
The objective is to become the North Worcestershire specialist provider of choice of Domestic Abuse services meeting the needs of women and children and men for:
Domestic Abuse Support.
Advice to victims
Advice to agencies.
Advice to perpetrators.
The Eve project is our specialist service designed to support individuals affected by domestic abuse and gender-based violence. It rooted in compassion, empowerment and recovery, the Eve Project provides a safe, confidential space where survivors can begin to heal, rebuild their lives and regain their independence. 2023/24 has saw the service undertake significant development in its workforce and upskilling. Our IDVA service is now expanding, and all workers are working to industry specific standards. We have been working with SafeLives on our accreditation and are now in a position to go forward to the award panel which will give s the Leading Light Accreditation, which we are immensely proud of.
Wellbeing and Social Inclusion
At the Sandycroft Centre, Wellbeing and social inclusion are at the heart of what we do. We believe that every person deserves the opportunity to thrive regardless of their personal circumstances or challenges. Through a range of trauma informed services including clinical therapeutic counselling, mental health support, domestic abuse services, community education and peer support groups – we work to remove barriers that prevent individuals from fully participating in society.
Our inclusive approach ensures that support is tailored to the needs of marginalized groups, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment. From targeted interventions to peer led programs and community connecting initiatives, we create a safe, supportive space where individuals can rebuild confidence, develop new skills and connect with others. This not only improves personal wellbeing but also strengthens community resilience and cohesion across Redditch.
Beneficiaries.
The Charity works with around 2000 people per year either through one to one support or groups. The provision is mainly 18+ but we are continuing to capacity build the organization to expand further into children and young people. At the moment children are only seen at the Centre for either, counselling, Domestic abuse support or family learning.
We have a significant percentage of BME participants due to our location even though as a whole Worcestershire has a small BME count that does relate to Redditch which has the highest percentages of Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities living in the Central ward where we are based.
Plans for the Future
The Trustees believe they are already making a significant contribution to the lives of many people living in Redditch and its surrounding areas and is well positioned to deepen our impact over the next 12 months. The Trustees will be holding strategy meetings with department leads to build strategies which will build upon our good progress. There will be a focus on capacity and the level of spending dependent on funding. It is planned that we will start to expand out of district utilizing our expertise to help other organizations with regards training and capacity building. We hope to be part of a movement to help district specialist organisations become more commission friendly by working together.
Public Benefit.
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regards to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties. The public benefit of the Charity is the support and enablement of disadvantaged people, and these have been achieved by the services that have been offered and the engagement and retention of service users.
Structure and Governance
Sandycroft was established in October 2016 after identifying a need. The Trustees and management board have developed services and a budget to achieve the objectives of the Charity, and the Chief Executive Officer has been charged by the board for being responsible for the delivery of this plan, reporting to the board on performance.
The Trustees delegate responsibility for the day-to-day operation and management of the Charity to The Chief Executive Officer. The CEO attends charity networking events and meets colleagues so that any relevant, such as new charity Commission requirements, and sectoral relating to good practice and impact measurement, are reported to the Trustees.
The Trustees consider recruitment of new trustees as the need arises. Applications from suitable candidates would be sought by identifying specific gaps in professional skills and seeking recommendations of professionally qualified candidates. Applicants would be provided with an information pack outlining the history of the organization, its structure, activities and objectives, roles and responsibilities plus any other supporting information. A new Trustee would be provided with information on the activities, financing and management structure of the Charity, together with the Charity Commission guidance and codes of conduct relating to the roles and responsibilities of Trustees.
Financial Overview
The results of the CIO’S first period were in line with the Trustees’ expectations, with income mainly from our Support services. The Trustees plan to continue with the planned program of services whilst expecting to see stronger links made with commissioners of services to attract revenue funding, capital funding would be an additional bonus but there is limited expectation here due to the financial climate with regards capital funding.
Reserves and On-Going Concern
The Trustees would like to see the potential growth of contingency funding to provide stability in any event of the downturn; three months of annual expenditure would be optimum it is in the planning to achieve this through robust and careful financial planning. The Charities income of £113569 at the end of the period suggests that we are maintaining an appropriate level of liquidity. This is reviewed regularly.
All the funds at present are unrestricted and a Volunteering Fundraising subgroup has been established to help generate income to fund the activities as regards fundraising.
The Trustees have identified that there is no medium to long term financial risks to the Charity’s continued operation because we have strived to make all necessary actions to mitigate the risk from a reduction in Funding but an increase in running costs due to the financial climate. The Trustees and management are working closely to establish new funding pathways to generate more sustainable income and not rely on historical opportunities.
Risk
The major risks to which the Charity is exposed have been identified by the Trustees and procedures established to mitigate these risks are monitored and reviewed regularly and have been recorded in Trustee meetings. We minimize risk financial risk by the preparation and monitoring of budgets, strategic risk by the maintenance of good practice in research and intelligence and operational risk through review of our activities and now the use of professional advisors who now act as to inform Trustees and management on good practice.
Statement of Trustee responsibilities
Law applicable to charities in England and wales require the Trustees to prepare a financial statement for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the Charities financial activities during the period and of its financial position at the end of the period. In preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view, the Trustees should follow best practice and:
Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently:
Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
State whether applicable UK Accounting standards and statements of recommendation have been followed; subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements
Prepare the financial statements on the going concern unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate 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. 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 the financial information included on the Charity’s website.
This report was approved by the Trustees on 30/04/2025
I would like to sincerely start by saying how much we appreciate all the hard work given by all our supporters. It is through their hard work and commitment that we are able to reach and support as many people as we do.
2023/24 has been a hard year, a reduction in funding, increased costs; yet more demands on our service than ever to help those in need making it challenging but every day we remain inspired by the difference we make to people’s lives and that is a great motivator.
We are committed to driving forward some new business ideas this year to help us maximize our income and look to expand. We are very lucky to have a great team of Trustees, Management and supporters and together is where the magic happens.
Signed
D Millimono
Trustee
Registered Office: West Avenue, Smallwood. Redditch. Worcestershire. B98 7DH.
Charity Registration 1169610
Charity Number 1169610
Sandycroft
Receipts and Payments Accounts For the Period 1st April 2023 to 30th June 2024
| RECEIPTS Room Hire Education & Training Support Services Donations Grants Sundry Income Total Receipts PAYMENTS Salaries and Wages Staff Pension Costs Sub Contractors Staff Welware Recruitment Costs Telephone & Internet Business Insurance Advertising Bank Charges Printing, Postage & Stationery Travel & Subsistence Subscriptions Training Costs Rent Light and Heat Water Cleaning Repairs & Maintenance Waste Services Events Charitable Donations Legal & Professional Fees Total Payments Sub Total Asset and Investment Purchases Net Receipts/(Payments) Cash Funds at 31.03.2023 (31.03.2022) Cash Funds at 30.06.2024 (31.03.2023) |
Unrestricted Funds 2024 £ 4,820 4,200 98,568 2,375 1,500 2,106 113,569 16,430 1,589 36,233 1,697 266 4,803 421 249 105 1,719 10,983 2,070 496 19,629 10,354 441 719 4,368 351 230 280 35 113,468 101 - 101 37,309 37,410 |
Restricted Funds 2024 £ - - - - - - |
Total Funds 2024 £ 4,820 4,200 98,568 2,375 1,500 2,106 113,569 16,430 1,589 36,233 1,697 266 4,803 421 249 105 1,719 10,983 2,070 496 19,629 10,354 441 719 4,368 351 230 280 35 113,468 101 - 101 37,309 37,410 |
Total Funds 2023 £ 1,268 - 31,533 - 74,134 - 106,935 45,995 - 33,251 190 - 2,276 65 - 90 1,080 8,064 2,178 2,750 1,625 3,538 98 2,985 2,439 150 - - 56 106,830 105 - 105 37,204 37,309 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sandycroft
Charity Number 1169610
Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 30th June 2024
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Restricted | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | Funds Total Funds |
||
| 2024 | 2024 | |||
| Cash Funds | Cash at Bank and in Hand | £ 37,410 |
£ | £ - 37,410 |
| Total Cash Funds | 37,410 | - 37,410 |
||
| Unrestricted Funds 2024 |
Restricted Funds 2024 Total Funds |
|||
| Other Monetary Assets | Customer Invoices not yet Paid | £ 5,179 Unrestricted Funds 2024 |
£ £ - 5,179 Restricted Funds 2024 Total Funds |
|
| Assets retained for the | Equipment, Fixtures & Fittings | £ 15,947 |
£ 1,219 |
£ 17,166 |
| Charity’s own use | Unrestricted Funds 2024 |
Restricted Funds 2024 Total Funds |
||
| Liabilities | Amounts due to Staff | £ - |
£ | £ - - |
| Supplier Invoices not yet Paid | 8,250 | - 8,250 |
||
| Total Liabilities | 8,250 | - 8,250 |
30/04/2025 Approved by: ............................................... Date: ..................................... Donna Millimono
Charity Number 1169610
Sandycroft
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Sandycroft
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the Accounts of Sandycroft for the Period Ended 30th June 2024.
Responsibilities and Basis of Report
As the Charity Trustees of Sandycroft, 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 Sandycroft'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
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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Accounting records were not kept as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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The Accounts do not accord with those records.
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.
Sandra Kansy Redditch Tax Advisers
Mason House, 96 Evesham Road, Headless Cross, Redditch, Worcestershire B97 5ES 30th April 2025