Regtstered Charlty JTumber 1169989 ThensAard soulscape CREATING SPACE T• EXPL•RE LIFE rtJ•
Soulscape is a Charity registered in England and under number 1169989.
Soulscape is a Charity registered in England and under number 1169989. It was originally a Charitable Trust known as Wokingham Area School’s Christian Workers Trust, which was registered on 10 January 1996; charity number 1051870.
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|Reference and administrative details for Soulscape|1|
|Trustees report|2|
|Objectives and activities|3|
|Achievements and performance|4|
|Our Projects|5|
|10|
|Feedback from Staff and Students|
|Plans for the future|11|
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|Public benefit|
|Financial Review|12|
|Remuneration policy for key management personnel|12|
|Investment policy|12|
|Fundraising policy|12|
|Reserves policy and going concern|12|
|Risk|12|
|Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities|13|
|Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of Soulscape|14|
|Financial Statement|15|
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On 2 November 2016, Soulscape was registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and, following approval of the Charity Commission, the assets and liabilities of Wokingham Area School’s Christian Workers Trust were transferred to Soulscape.
Wokingham Area School’s Christian Workers Trust has now ceased and been removed from the Charity Commission register. Soulscape is governed by its Constitution dated 24 October 2016.
Board of Trustees
Sarah Burbedge (Chair of Trustees) Geoffrey Hulme (Treasurer) Jonathan Newport Nick Hudson Railton Blyth Dave Clarke
Executive team
Nick Barnett (CEO) Michelle McLeish (Operations Manager) Graham Preston (Finance & Resources Manager)
Charity address
The Emmbrook School, Emmbrook Road, Wokingham RG41 1JP Bankers
CAF Bank, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ Solicitors
Blandy & Blandy LLP, 1 Friar Street, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 1DA Independent Examiner
Phil Nixon, 28 Luckley Wood, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 2EW
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schools. support the teaching and learning of Christian faith, values and spirituality in
Soulscape is a charity committed to supporting young people’s physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. We work with schools, the young people themselves, and other stakeholders in a partnership of mutual respect, input and benefit. Rooted in and inspired by Christian values but serving those of all faiths and none, Soulscape’s approach is rooted in a conviction about the dignity and value of every young person, and that each young person should be the object of unconditional love and acceptance.
Soulscape brings real-life stories, and encourages young people to share their own, giving them space to hear and think about different opinions and perspectives. We use the creative arts to help young people express their true thoughts and feelings on the topics that most concern them. Through this active learning and empowerment, we aim to see young people transformed, resilient against the pressures around them, developing their own identities and living out their potential.
The charity works in partnership with schools to give young people the space they need to explore the issues that they have identified as affecting them.
The trustees submit the annual report and the independently examined financial statements of Soulscape for the year ended 31 August 2023.
The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity Constitution 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 2015).
Being a teenager has always been tough. But for today’s young people, peer ieee pressure happens around the clock, bullying invades their own homes, and exam pressures at school have ratcheted up. With pressure to keep up appearances online, be available 24/7, perfect (and share) their bodies, get the best grades, think and say the ‘right’ thing, and support their families too, teenagers live with a huge amount of stress.
The Charity is seeing a mental health epidemic in our young people. The number of teenagers with mental health problems has doubled in the last 20 years. In 2018, more than a fifth of 14-year-old girls said they had self-harmed. And for those who do not become ill, there is little time and space at school or home to switch off, breathe, reflect, and form their own opinions and ideas – something that is a crucial part of adolescence.
Young people don’t need yet another voice telling them what to think and do. Rather than pile more pressure onto them (“do these ten things to feel better”), the Charity believes in creating space away from it all. Space to reflect, to ask big questions, to explore what’s going on inside, and to creatively express their own ideas.
- Listening to young people’s ideas and requests about what they want to discuss, whether that be self-harm, pornography, or how to make good decisions.
• Running workshops on these topics in their schools, where they can explore, debate, reflect and express themselves through the creative arts. • Helping schools in Berkshire to run an effective PSHE and RE curriculum.
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Young people in 2024/25 encountered numerous mental health challenges influenced by social,
economic, and technological factors.
These challenges include:
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Increased screen time and social media usage: This has led to comparison culture, cyberbullying, body image issues, fear of missing out, pressure to curate a ‘perfect’ online life, and exposure to distressing global news and misinformation.
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Academic and career pressures: Rising competition for jobs and university placements creates stress and anxiety. Economic uncertainty and the cost-of-living crisis make future planning overwhelming, while the pressure to excel in exams and extracurricular activities can contribute to burnout.
• Financial stress: Young people struggle with rising rent, student debt, and inflation, impacting their mental well-being and leading to feelings of being ‘stuck.’
- Post-pandemic effects: Many young people find it difficult to rebuild in-person social skills. Remote learning and work have reduced faceto-face interactions, and the breakdown of traditional community support systems leaves young people feeling isolated.
A survey conducted by Young Minds reveals that in 2023, one in five children and young people aged eight to 25 were likely experiencing a mental health condition.
This figure has been increasing since 2017, particularly among those aged 17 to 19.
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Between 2023 and 2024, the number of children and young people referred to emergency mental healthcare increased by 10%. Many of these young individuals have faced long waits on NHS support lists, sometimes for months or even years.
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In 2022, suicide was the leading cause of death for individuals aged 5 to 35 in England, with approximately three-quarters of these cases involving boys or young men.
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Nearly one-third (32.8%) of 17 to 24-year-olds have either self-harmed or attempted to do so at some point in their lives. This percentage rises dramatically to 69.5% among young people with a probable mental health condition.
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The rising cost of living in the UK is putting significant pressure on the mental health of young people, with a staggering 90% expressing concerns about their ability to earn enough money to support themselves
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We continue to see the challenges and the impact on young people’s mental health as we work with them in Berkshire schools. With the demand on mental health services in Berkshire reaching crisis point with more than 5,800 young people being referred for mental health support during 2024 and a waiting time of 89 weeks for a first appointment, it has never been more important for Soulscape to provide Tier 1 early intervention and prevention services for young people and to promote their wellbeing.
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Lack of mental health services: Long waiting lists and a shortage of mental health services leave many without professional help, while stigma continues to hinder open conversations about struggles with anxiety, depression, and other conditions.
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Concerns about climate change and environmental issues: These contribute to stress, helplessness, and eco-anxiety. The feeling that governments and corporations are not doing enough can lead to frustration and existential distress.
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Pressures surrounding gender identity, sexual orientation, and cultural identity: These complicate self-expression, especially in an increasingly polarized social and political landscape.
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Wars, political instability, and global conflicts: These create a sense of insecurity and stress. Constant exposure to crisis news contributes to emotional fatigue and distress.
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Specialised inpatient CAMHS and intensive community treatment services
Specialist multidisciplinary outpatient CAMHS teams
REAL stands for Relationships, Esteem, Aspiration and Lifestyle. REAL lessons provide space for young people to explore real-life issues that concern them; for example ‘body image and the media’, ‘what makes me unique’, or the ‘consequences of sexting’.
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Beam
me
up
Heidi…
REAL
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A combination of some specialist CAMHS services and some community-based services, including promary mental health workers
Universal non-specialised services consisting of all primary care agencies (e.g. GP’s, school nursing, health visiting and schools)
Early intervention is crucial for young people; however, with decreasing school budgets and cuts to universal services, along with the pressure to demonstrate positive outcomes in student achievement, schools are feeling overwhelmed by the increasing mental health needs of their students. This has created a significant gap that is being addressed by Soulscape.
REvive workshops are not sit-down classes but instead offer a variety of active and stimulating activities that challenge and question, helping to bring the RE curriculum to life. From sharing reallife stories and points of view, to getting out and about visiting different places of worship, the aim is to awaken curiosity and interest and to create space for young people to explore a wide range of ideas and opinions.
The staff and volunteers at Soulscape are well-positioned and equipped to identify and provide effective early support for young people at risk of negative outcomes. They either offer the necessary support or direct individuals to other available services.
During this year we have had the privilege of working with 4,797 young people in 21 schools delivering 9 projects, REAL, Revive, Object, Mind The Gap, More inside Out, Pause, Mentoring and The Lounge. We also worked with some of the 105,000 young people at Reading Festival, over 122 hours with 54 volunteers.
Mind The Gap is a Soulscape project designed to help young people make a happy and successful transition from primary to secondary school. For the past ten years, Mind The Gap has provided support for thousands of young people – through this project, we have now worked with almost all the current secondary school students in Wokingham Town and more in the wider area.
Object explores the issues around pornography through classroom discussion. The thought-provoking presentation examines the issues raised by the increasing and instant availability of pornographic images on the internet and the damaging effects this may have in young people’s lives and relationships.
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FUSE is all about being part of a community. It’s a project for Year 5 and up, where we explore what it means to be kind to and care for ourselves and others within a community. Feeling part of a good community is important for young people for many reasons. We think it’s important that young people raised in an individualistic culture and encouraged to focus on their own personal goals and dreams also have space to consider what it means to exist in a community – something bigger than just themselves. We’d like to see our young people grow up understanding the balance between rights and responsibilities.
More Inside Out was created to support young people, focusing on their wellbeing and enabling them to express themselves through art without necessarily having to find the words. Art is widely recognised as a therapeutic process across a range of mental health needs as well as a means of building a sense of community. The aim is to work with Year 6 students who will be transitioning to Secondary School and need a boost of self-confidence, may struggle with anxieties, have a fear of failure and/or struggle to express themselves.
The Lounge is a space within school to “come as you are” and step away from the pressure. The Lounge is run by our trained volunteers and Soulscape staff, who are on hand to chat with any student who wants to talk. It’s a space to share what’s on your mind, process what you’re feeling, or just to take some time out from the pressure and relax. We believe that creating a space like this within school is the ideal scenario, as all the young people are already there and can easily access it. Our experience is that school can be a pressurised place and young people really value a place to rest and reflect during the day.
Soulscape’s trained mentors work with students in primary and secondary schools. It’s an opportunity for young people to be supported one-on-one, prioritise their mental wellbeing and personal development, and talk through whatever is on their mind before it becomes a bigger problem. Many studies have shown that a stable, trusting relationship with a significant adult is the biggest factor determining how well a young person navigates through life. Parents, carers and teachers are obvious potential role models and sources of support, but not every young person has these in place.
PAUSE is Soulscape’s interactive prayer space for young people at school. Carving out space during the busy school day for personal reflection and prayer, it invites young people of all faiths and none to think about what and who is important in their lives. There are opportunities to remember people loved and lost, opportunities to explore hopes and dreams and opportunities to recognise and let go of regrets. PAUSE is primarily a space for personal exploration, time to ‘be’, an opportunity to stop looking at the clock
Festival Republic have introduced AIR Hubs to Reading Festival which is mostly attended by 15 to 21 year olds. The purpose of the AIR Huns is to provide Assistance, Information and Response to those attending the festival, running 24 hours a day for 6 days. Soulscape has been running Air Hubs for the past 2 years at Reading Festival and in addition to assistance, information and response, provides wellbeing support to festival goers, many of whom can feel overwhelmed.
CAKE is Care And Kindness in Education. Teachers spend a lot of time with young people and are often under a lot of pressure in their role. Food is something that brings people together and on cake day in schools, staff enjoy gathering together in the staff room. Our teams of bakers produce wonderful homemade bakes to deliver to the schools. A practical way to show kindness, letting staff know they’re appreciated.
Give &Take engages students in creative, interactive discussions about what people might offer to give them – and what they might take in return; giving love and respect or taking advantage; how giving drugs to others can take away their freedom. Using video and conversation, we explore positive life narratives, decisionmaking, and resisting peer pressure. We don’t lecture; instead, we encourage self-expression and critical thinking. The goal is to help students build aspirations and consider alternative lifestyles. By addressing risks early, we aim to prevent future vulnerability to exploitation and addiction, fostering resilience and awareness through collaboration, creativity and meaningful dialogue rather than authority-led instruction.
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Our CEO and Operations Manager remain active in local advisory groups, Wokingham SACRE (the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education); Community and Faith Sector Steering Group – Children, Young People and Families; and Chaplaincy And Schools Work Around Reading
We continue to outsource our communication to Fresh01 Ltd, a digital agency, who meet all of the charities marketing, social media, website, publishing and other needs.
Feedback is received from students and staff to enable the trustees to shape the work of the Charity in accordance with its purposes and resources.
We are confident in the effectiveness of our projects and recognize the ongoing need for their implementation in schools. However, we are committed to thoroughly reviewing each project to ensure its continued relevance. To facilitate this, we will maintain our young people’s forums, which provide a platform for young individuals to express their concerns and for us to discuss how our projects can address these issues.
Our Lounge project has gained significant traction in schools, as it resembles group mentoring, and we view this as a promising area for growth. Additionally, we are focused on building partnerships with churches to secure volunteers and funding necessary for our expansion.
In response to the positive feedback from schools in Reading, we plan to broaden our impact by launching more projects in that area, aiming to continue establishing ourselves as a charity serving the entire Berkshire region. We are dedicated to raising awareness of Soulscape and our initiatives, ensuring we are included in discussions about young people’s wellbeing in Berkshire.
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year 8 pupil school’
yr 9 pupil
‘Pornography is having
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Mind The Gap was there
the lives of young people.
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Headteacher,
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no worries’
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year 7 response to
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We have cultivated strong relationships with various charities, both locally and nationally, and we intend to continue this collaborative approach.
Lastly, we aim to enhance our financial stability by exploring alternative funding sources, including business partnerships, local authority support, and grants.
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties. The public benefit of the Charity’s activities is defined in our objectives (see above) and these are achieved principally by supporting local schools in helping students to deal with life pressures e.g. stress at school, bullying, sexual pressures and drugs.
The Charity also supports the Religious Education curriculum in schools by encouraging and supporting the teaching and learning of Christian faith, values and spirituality. All services are rooted in and inspired by Christian values but serving those of all faiths and none.
year 7 pupil
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year 9 teacher
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Head of RE, Forest School
The Charity receives feedback from students and staff of the schools it visits in Berkshire to enable it to create new activities and to update/tailor current workshops/activities to keep them relevant.
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The Charity’s bank balance closed at £20.3k, marginally up from the opening balance of £20.0k, this represents 2.7 months of average costs and is above our target of holding at least two months of operating costs.
The Charities Commission accounts show a net of cash receipts and payments of £253. Adjusting this for timing differences by using accruals the current year shows a positive net income of £2.3k, which is a £6.8k improvement on the net loss of £4.5k in the previous year.
Gross income increased over the previous year by £11.6k due to £6k of MoreArts grant, £3.2k donations from other organisations, and a £3k increase from our services provided to the Festival Republic Reading festival.
Expenditure increased over the previous year by £4.9k due to £3k increase in salaries and £3.6k of Internet Marketing. During the year the staffing model changed, moving tasks from staff to paid or voluntary support, resulting in a reduction of permanent staff numbers from three to one.
The trustees have identified the charity’s CEO and Operations Manager as the key management personnel of the charity. Executive pay is determined by the Trustees, with decisions about executive pay being informed by comparison to salaries within the sector, and subject to a “value for money” test. Salaries are reviewed annually..
The Charity has power to do anything which is calculated to further its Objects or is conducive or incidental to doing so. In particular, the CIO has power to: deposit or invest funds, employ a professional fund-manager and arrange for the investments or other property of the CIO to be held in the name of a nominee, in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as the trustees of a trust are permitted to do by the Trustee Act 2000; and do anything else within the law which is incidental and conducive to the Objects.
The Charity does engage in public fundraising (through volunteers and commercial participators) but does not use professional fundraisers. We monitor the relevant fundraising regulations and codes to ensure compliance, if relevant. During the year there was no non-compliance of these regulations and codes and the Charity received no complaints relating to its fundraising practice.
Law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity’s 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:
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•select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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•observe the methods and principals in the Charities SORP;
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•make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis 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 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.
Philip John Nixon was appointed as the charity’s examiner during the period and has expressed his willingness to act in that capacity.
This report was approved by the Trustees on 12 June 2025 and signed by:
Sarah Burbedge Chair of Trustees
The Charity has agreed to maintain a liquid balance of income equal to at least two months of salary expenditure to meet its commitments and provide stability in the event of any deterioration in voluntary giving.
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 the risk register. We minimise finance risk by the preparation and monitoring of budgets; strategic risk by the maintenance of good practice in delivery of our services; and operational risk and regulation compliance risk through the regular review of activities and the use of professional advisers, where appropriate.
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SOULSCAPE CIO 1169989
(ae? FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period 01/09/2023 31/08/2024
To
from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Total Sponsoring Churches 21,042 - - 21,042 25,047
Regular Giving 19,146 - - 19,146 17,582
Regular Giving - Gift aided 11,818 - - 11,818 11,442
Donations from Organisations 1,200 - - 1,200 -
Other Fund Raising 3,437 - - 3,437 2,103
Grants 8,000 - - 8,000 1,330
Schools 18,623 - - 18,623 15,157
Chargeable events/Items 5,100 - - 5,100 2,100
Bank Interest 360 - - 360 229
Sub total (Gross income for
88,725 - - 88,725 74,990
AR)
Total receipts 88,725 - - 88,725 74,990
[ [ [i | [
A3 Payments
Total Personnel Costs 74,103 - - 74,103 76,217
Direct Wages - - - - -
Training and Travel 4,962 - - 4,962 1,298
Project Resources 1,521 - - 1,521 1,179
Office and Telephones 698 - - 698 888
Stationery and office supplies 305 - - 305 584
Insurance 560 - - 560 534
Computer Equipment & Software 916 - - 916 1,187
D & B Checks 426 - - 426 406
Volunteer Appreciation/Expenses 110 - - 110 51
Payroll Agency Charges 331 - - 331 359
Communication & Publicity 3,699 - - 3,699 562
Miscellaneous 111 - - 111 572
Fundraising Expenses 669 - - 669 31
Bank Charges 60 - - 60 60
Sub total 88,472 - - 88,472 83,928
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total payments 88,472 - - 88,472 83,928
Net of receipts/(payments) 253 - - 253 - 8,938
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 20,021 - - 20,021 28,960
Cash funds this year end 20,275 - - 20,275 20,021
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories | Details | Details | Details | Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||||
| B1 Cash funds | CAF Cash | 1,422 | - | - | |||||
| CAF Gold | 18,703 | - | - | ||||||
| Petty Cash | 150 | - | - | ||||||
| Total cash funds | Total cash funds | 20,275 | - | - | |||||
| (agree balances w ith receipts and payments account(s)) |
|||||||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | Accounts Receivable | 2,835 | - | - | |||||
| ~~a~~ | Details ~~a~~ |
~~a | ~~ | Fund to which asset belongs ~~ |
~~ | ||||
| B3 Investment assets ~~a~~ |
~~a~~ | ~~a | ~~ | ~~ | ~~ | ||||
| ~~a~~ | Details ~~a~~ |
~~a | ~~ | Fund to which asset belongs ~~ |
~~ | ||||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
- | - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Details | Fund to which liability relates |
Amount due (optional) |
When due (optional) |
||||||
| B5 Liabilities | Sundry Accruals | Unrestricted | 520 | ||||||
| Deferred Income | Unrestricted | - | |||||||
| Pay as You Earn | Unrestricted | 775 | |||||||
| NEST Control | Unrestricted | 219 | |||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Print Name | Date of approval |
||||||
| G J Hulme | |||||||||
12 June 2025
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Registered Charity Number 1169989
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