## The PeerTalk Charitable Foundation Registered charity no. 1169830 Annual Report 2024 This report describes the activities related to the purposes of the charity from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024. The audited and approved accounts for the year are included in this report. PeerTalk support groups are attended by people who live with depression, anxiety and similar psychological distress. The groups are facilitated by trained volunteers. PeerTalk host 17 support groups. PeerTalk's vision is to establish a national network of support groups across the UK in the forthcoming years. ## **PeerTalk’s Charitable Objects - Reg Charity 1169830** To promote and protect good mental health amongst people who live with depression, their families and carers, in particular by the provision of support and support networks including facilitating peer support groups and by providing mental health and related information and educational material in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This year marks PeerTalk’s tenth anniversary since its founding in 2014, inspired by the Irish organisation Aware. With generous support, we became a charity in 2016, and launched our first groups in 2017. Recently, we opened our 17th group in Stockton-on-Tees, continuing our mission to build a national network of volunteer-led groups supporting those with depression and emotional distress. Group attendees tell us the support makes a real difference. Despite challenges in securing funding, we remain committed to expanding. As I end my term as Chair, I extend my gratitude to our staff and volunteers who keep **Meg Munn** PeerTalk thriving. It has been a privilege to work with you. If you can support **Chair of Trustees** PeerTalk as a volunteer, trustee, or fundraiser, we’d love to hear from you. PeerTalk groups meet weekly and are typically attended by between five and seven individuals. Each PeerTalk group is facilitated by two **PeerTalk Support Group Locations** trained volunteers. Volunteer Facilitators do not offer advice, counsel or their own opinions as it is those who attend who offer each other support, encouragement and share coping skills. PeerTalk meetings are not therapy but they are therapeutic. Attendees don't need to have a ‘diagnosis’ or be referred and they can just turn up on any week and it is free. The meetings are confidential within normal limits and all are welcome without judgement. ## **Governance and Policies** PeerTalk is a charitable incorporated organisation with only the trustees as the members. The charity’s governing document is its constitution which is based on the Charity Commission’s model. Trustees are appointed to complement the organisational requirements based on knowledge, experience and skills. All trustees have been appropriately inducted and trained. ## **The PeerTalk Charitable Foundation Trustees** |**Meg Munn (Chair)**|**Graham Ilif**|**Andrew Varley**|**Roger Buterfeld**|| |---|---|---|---|---| |Trained as a social worker,|Graham spent many|Andrew is a Fellow of the|Roger is a Solicitor with|| |Meg served asMP for|years as a senior|Chartered Associaton of|38 years experience|| |Shefeld Heeley 2001 –|manager and Marketng|Certfed Accountants|working for local|| |2015, during which tme she|Director in the telecoms|
with a background of|authorites and several|| |was also Minister for|industry and more|working in|
years experience of|| |Women and Equality and a|recently has lectured in|manufacturing and|providing advice and|| |Foreign Ofce minister.|Marketng andBusiness|constructon. Recently|training to local|| |Meg is a non-executve|in higher educaton.|retred Andrew ofers a|authorites.|| |director and independent||wealth of fnancial||| |governance consultant.||experience||| |**Kate Chartres**|**Melissa Lauwers**|**Dr Susan Wishart**|**Nabihah Kauser**|| |Kate is an expert clinician|Melissa works in|
Susan is a registered|Nabihah is currently|| |across the mental health|Internatonal Project|social worker. Now|studying for her|| |feld, Nurse Consultant and|Management. Her main|retred Susan worked at|Doctorate in Psychology.|| |running her own|
experience is in the|a natonal level for the|Her previous experience|| |consultaton business|
charity management and|Prison Service in|
as a PeerTalk support|| |delivering specialist|
learning and|
Safeguarding and|group Facilitator makes a|| |psychological therapy and|development sector.|working with sex|valuable contributon to|| |teaching.||ofenders.|the trustee team.|| ||**PeerTalk Policies and Procedures**|**PeerTalk Policies and Procedures**|**PeerTalk Policies and Procedures**||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |_Unchanged_|||_Reviewed or Revised_
_April 1st 2023 - March 31st_||_2024_| |Bullying and Harassment|Equality, Diversity||||| |Policy|& Inclusion Policy||Inducton for New Trustees|Terms|of Reference - Trustees| |Complaints Procedure|Financial Policy||Receipt of Donatons Policy|Trustee Code of Conduct|| |Confdentality Policy|Governance Risks||Recruitment and Selecton Policy|Volunteer Code of Practce|| |Conficts of Interest Policy|||Safeguarding Policy and Procedures|Volunteer Facilitator Role|| ||Grievance Procedure||||Descripton| |Data Protecton Policy|||||| |& Privacy Notce|Health and Safety Policy||Secure storage, handling, use,
retenton and disposal of Disclosures||Volunteer Policy| |Disciplinary Procedures|||and Disclosure Informaton Policy||| |Equal Opportunites Policy|Home Working Risk Assessment
||Statement of Values|Volunteer Facilitator|| ||||||Agreement| |Environment and|||||| |Sustainability Policy|Lone Working: Policy, Procedure
and||Terms of Reference for Advisory
Commitee|Whistleblowing Policy|| ||Practce Guidance||||| THE PEERTALK UIARITABLE FQUPKIATI(IN INDÉPENDENT EXAMINERS AEPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Independent examinerfs rep(Yt to the trustees of The PeerTalk Charilable FouTrdalion I report to the charrtytrustees on my examination of the accounts of The PeerTalk Charitable Foundation Ithe Foundation) for the year ended 31 March 2024. ReSponSib￿ltieS and basi5 of weport A5the charTtytru5tees of the FOundats"C￿ you are responsible forthe preparnts.on of the accounts in accordance with the requirements ot the Charits"es Act 2011 lthe Attl. I report in respect odmy examination of the Foundabon's accounts camed out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applKable Directions given by the Charity comm￿5 under section 14515llbl of the Act. Independent examiners. 5taiement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in Connec￿)n with the exarninalic￿ giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 111 accounting record5 were not kept in respect of the Foundation as required by seC￿n 130 of the Act,. or 121 the accounts do not accord wffh those records: or 131 the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirement5 concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulation$ 2(X)8 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent exarninat￿n. I have no concern5 and have come acr055 Tro other matter5 in connection wrth the examinabon to which anention should be drawn in rhi£ reporr in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. MrA T WriEtit 3 Meeting House Row Homby Road Wrav Lancaster 31 August 2024 **The PeerTalk Charitable Foundation - Receipts and Payments Account 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024** |RECEIPTS|**2023/2024**
**Totals**|**2022/2023**
**Totals**|**2022/2023**
**Totals**| |---|---|---|---| |
GRANTS & COMMISSIONS
**Grants: Restricted Funds**
NHS Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care Board
Affinity Care Community Panel (on behalf of NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board)
BD4+ Community Panel (on behalf of NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board)
One Community Foundation
Warrington Charity Trust
Warrington In Mind
West Yorkshire Methodist District
Jimmy Dickinson Fund
Garfield Weston Foundation
Hadrian Trust
Tudor Trust
**Grants: Unrestricted Funds**
Tudor Trust
**Commissioned Work**
Mental Health Matters - Knowsley
Thornaby Methodist Church
OTHER INCOME SOURCES
**Donations: Regular Giving**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Donations: One-off Gifts**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Fundraising**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**HMRC Gift Aid**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Interest**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
TOTAL RECEIPTS
**Restricted Funds**
**Unrestricted Funds**
|
68695.99
**44867.77**
9901.72
1500.00
2495.55
2970.5
500.00
3000.00
6000.00
1000.00
15000.00
500.00
2000.00
**10000.00**
10000.00
**15828.22**
7163
8665.22
43751.59
**421.00**
0.00
421.00
**33836.54**
8141.97
25694.57
**2728.79**
2611.91
116.88
**4189.43**
0.00
4189.43
**2575.83**
1690.71
885.12
114447.58
**73140.58**
**41307.00**
||| |||109907.77|| ||||**84907.77**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||10000.00| ||||| ||||| ||||**25000.00**| ||||25000.00| ||||**0.00**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||30789.84| ||||**2560.20**| ||||0.00| ||||2560.20| ||||**12743.28**| ||||0.00| ||||12743.28| ||||**14440.35**| ||||6257.58| ||||8182.77| ||||**1922.57**| ||||921.57| ||||
1001.00| ||||
**1683.64**| ||||1153.61| ||||530.03| ||||| |||143257.81|| |||**93240.53**|| |||**50017.28**|| ||||| |BALANCES|**2023/2024 Totals**|**2022/2023 Totals**| |---|---|---| |CAF Bank|12374.73|21029.97| |Methodist Church Central Finance Board|45586.86|67623.63| |**TOTAL**|**57961.59**|**88653.60**| |Starting Balance, 1st April 2023|88653.60|| |2023/2024 Income|114447.58|| |Less 2023/2024 Expenditure|-145139.59|| |**Closing Balance, 31st March 2024**|**57961.59**|| ||PAYMENTS|**2023/2024**
**Totals**|**2022/2023**
**Totals**|**2022/2023**
**Totals**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||
CORE ORGANISATIONAL COSTS
**Staff/Contractor Costs**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Admin, Website, Annual Fees & Equipment**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**General Publicity**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Staff & Key Volunteer General Travel**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Trustees Meeting Costs**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
SUPPORT GROUP MAINTENANCE COSTS
**Staff/Contractor Costs**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Support Group Venues**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Group Volunteer Travel**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Staff Travel to Cover Facilitating Groups**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Support Group Coordinator Expenses**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Volunteer Facilitator Ongoing Training**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Training New Volunteers (Existing Groups)**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Existing Volunteers DBS (Existing Groups)**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Local Publicity**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Volunteer Facilitator Support Meetings (VFSM)**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
GROWTH COSTS
**Staff/Contractor Costs**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Training Days**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Group Launch Costs**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
**Evaluation**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
FUNDRAISING COSTS
**Cost of Fundraising**
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
TOTAL PAYMENTS
**Restricted Funds**
**Unrestricted Funds**|
82957.23
**75377.60**
39225.61
36151.99
**6152.45**
367.76
5784.69
**0.00**
0.00
0.00
**1170.48**
782.82
387.66
**256.70**
165.10
91.60
59128.45
**29717.41**
28430.89
1286.52
**14559.02**
12863.23
1695.79
**2308.22**
2193.60
114.62
**2910.30**
2647.05
263.25
**1735.43**
1357.86
377.57
**3.06**
3.06
0.00
**3653.10**
3163.19
489.91
**60.00**
60.00
0.00
**1359.71**
1148.11
211.60
**2822.20**
2763.70
58.50
2391.51
**0.00**
0.00
0.00
**802.48**
802.48
0.00
**484.38**
484.38
0.00
**1104.65**
1104.65
0.00
662.40
**662.40**
46.75
615.65
145139.59
**97610.24**
**47529.35**||| |||||39228.84| |||||**29652.83**| |||||21175.12| |||||8477.71| |||||**7449.22**| |||||1475.87
| |||||5973.35
| |||||**222.00**
| |||||53.00
| |||||169.00
| |||||**1511.60**
| |||||650.14
| |||||861.46| |||||**93.19**| |||||352.89| |||||40.30| |||||| |||||92725.56| |||||**59998.84**| |||||48234.38| |||||11764.46
| |||||**14740.94**| |||||13723.16| |||||1017.78
| |||||**3336.85**
| |||||3143.32
| |||||193.53
| |||||**3189.73**
| |||||2288.13
| |||||901.60
| |||||**840.11**
| |||||574.60
| |||||265.51
| |||||**0.00**| |||||0.00| |||||0.00| |||||**5238.70**| |||||4428.00| |||||810.70| |||||**60.00**| |||||48.00| |||||12.00| |||||**1237.92**| |||||980.05| |||||257.87| |||||**4082.47**| |||||3918.67| |||||163.80| |||||| |||||25554.15| |||||**21433.84**| |||||13758.00| |||||7675.84| |||||**1699.64**| |||||1699.64| |||||0.00| |||||**860.67**| |||||860.67| |||||0.00| |||||**1560.00**| |||||1260.00| |||||300.00| |||||| |||||0.00| |||||**0.00**| |||||0.00| |||||0.00| |||||| ||||157508.55|| ||||**118623.64**|| ||||**38884.91**|| |||||| ## **The PeerTalk Charitable Foundation** ## Statement of Assets and Liabilities ## at 31st March 2024 ## **Cash Funds** **57961.59** ||**Restricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Total**| |---|---|---|---| |**Other Monetary Assets**|**4512.33**|**260.47**|**4772.80**| |HMRC Gift Aid Claim|1827.75|260.47|2088.22| |Mental Health Matters|2684.58|0.00|2684.58| |**Investment Assets**|**0.00**|**0.00**|**0.00**| |**Assets Retained for the Charity's Own Use**|||| |1x Laptop for Staff|||| |3x Mobile Phones for Staff|||| |1x Projector for Presentations|||| |3x Roller Banners for Publicity|||| |2x A-frames for Publicity at Groups|||| |**Liabilities**|**2855.53**|**738.74**|**3594.27**| |Business Planner|1671.46|738.74|2410.20| |VFSM|836.00||836.00| |HMRC|240.52||240.52| |Staff Expenses|94.05||94.05| |Volunteer Expenses|13.50||13.50| |**Cash funds plus monetary assets, less liabilities**|||**59140.12**| ||NOTES (REMAININGFUND BALANCES)
**Restricted**
**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**Unrestricted**
**Undesignated**|| |---|---|---| ||



Any Charitable Purpose
7505.68
Redundancy Reserve
792.40
Admin & Finance Officer
2405.09
Business Planner
327.75
Calendar Year (funds to spend within calendar year on existing work)
8753.95
Calendar Year, designated to Annual Fees
2025.00
CEO/Director of Development Salary and Expenses
1500.00
Staff & Volunteer Wellbeing, Volunteer Meetings Designated
1470.06
NORTHEAST Gateshead, North Shields, Sunderland and Whitley Bay
6717.72
NORTHEAST Gateshead Sunderland, Gateshead venues designated
300.00
NORTHEAST North Tyneside (North Shields and Whitley Bay)
629.17
NORTHEAST Thornaby
5237.03
NORTHEAST Thornaby Restricted re Equipment
456.53
NORTHWEST Knowsley Restricted
2062.42
NORTHWEST Preston Intact + volunteer support for both groups
901.97
NORTHWEST Preston (Central and Intact)
4990.96
NORTHWEST Warrington
2040.09
SOUTH Bordon, Farnham & Guildford
690.27
SOUTH Farnham
1573.09
SOUTH Guildford
73.41
YORKSHIRE All Purposes
3116.53
YORKSHIRE Bradford
3355.31
YORKSHIRE Kirklees (Batley and Huddersfield) Group Venues
108.51
YORKSHIRE Kirklees (Batley and Huddersfield) Support
2107.18
**TOTALS**
**48436.95**
**3197.49**
**7505.68**|| |||Total:
**59140.12**| Staff from Sheffield Hallam University undertook a service evaluation of our support groups which was published as a research article in a nursing journal. ## **An extract of the conclusion reads: -** This study has helpfully articulated the continued need for peer support services and highlighted the benefits gained by participants who attend. These include an effective way to combat loneliness and isolation, instilling hope, a speedy alternative/adjunct to statutory services, and promoting recovery and self-efficacy. Many of the participants of the peer support groups we interviewed gain value not only from sharing their own experiences but also from helping others. It is perhaps within this symbiotic relationship that the true value of peer support lies. In light of their continued relevance and value, nurses and other healthcare professionals have a moral and professional responsibility to educate themselves about peer support and proactively direct service users to local groups wherever possible. The full published article can be read here htps://peertalk.org.uk/SHU.pdf ## **Volunteer Facilitator Keith writes about his experience:** After attending a PeerTalk meeting having needed to share how anxiety was affecting my life; I recognised that I could give something back and benefit by becoming a Facilitator. Training was appropriately challenging and wonderfully informative; with a focus on active listening wrapped up in a shell of creating a safe space for all. Attendees gain acceptance and reassurance from other members of the group. Everyone understands the facilitators set the tone and “guide” any disruptive voices. Recently when 15 people attended the group, I was in awe of how the members of the group gave opportunity to all those who wanted to share. The group were using the methods demonstrated by the previous facilitators. I regularly go home with a smile on my face. ## **Internal evaluation** On occasions when we collect attendance data we also ask our attendees to describe how they benefit from attending the group **Thank you to all individuals, community groups, companies, churches, charitable trusts and funders who supported our work during 2023 –2024.** **Jimmy Dickinson** **What we achieve is because of all the help and support we receive from all our supporters, volunteers, trainers, advisers and friends. Together we make a difference! Thank you.**