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← Chasing The Stigma

2025-04-05-accounts

Registered Charity Number: 1170757

Trustees’ Annual Report

and Financial Statements

for the year ended 5 April 2025

Doc ID: 68bc8e8dcdd5d1d61ff948f1d02ac0d300e33304

Chasing the Stigma Reference and administration information

Charity number 1170757

Registered office and operational address

Burlington House, Crosby Road North, L22 0PJ

Trustees

Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows:

Andrew Smith Nicola Croft-Girvan Elizabeth Israeli Sonya Clarkson Dr Anindita Sarkar Sarah Francis

Key management personnel

Jake Mills Chief Executive

Bankers

NatWest, City Branch, 2-8 Church Street, Liverpool, L1 3BG

Independent examiner

Patrick Morrello ACA, Third Sector Accountancy Limited, Holyoake House, Hanover Street, Manchester M60 0AS

Email: info@chasingthestigma.co.uk

Telephone: 0151 318 4747

Instagram: chasingstigma Twitter: @chasingstigma

Facebook: chasingstigma

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Chasing the Stigma Trustees annual report for the year ended 5 April 2025

The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements for the year ended 5 April 2025.

Reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102.

Our Details

Chasing the Stigma is a national mental health charity with big ambitions: to reduce suicide, eradicate stigma and enable everyone in the country to be able to access clear pathways to mental health care.

Head Office: Burlington House, Crosby Road North, Waterloo, Liverpool, L22 0PJ

Email: info@chasingthestigma.co.uk

Telephone: 0151 3184747

Instagram: chasingstigma

Twitter: @chasingstigma

Facebook: chasingstigma

Chasing the Stigma is a charitable incorporated organisation, registered as a charity on 14th December 2016 under charity number 1170757.

Chasing the Stigma is governed by a board of Trustees who are responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the charity as well as supporting the Chief Executive and staff in delivering on our key priorities. A list of Trustees can be found on our website.

All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity.

Objectives, Values and Vision

Chasing the Stigma is a national mental health charity on a mission to normalise and humanise conversations about mental health, ensuring that everyone in the UK can access clear pathways to support, whenever and wherever they need it.

With lived experience at our core, we are driven to create a society where there is no longer a stigma associated with mental health, where people are as comfortable talking about their mental health as their physical health, and where everyone can find appropriate support before they reach a point of crisis, leading to a significant long-term reduction in self-harm and suicide.

Our objectives are to:

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Chasing the Stigma Trustees annual report for the year ended 5 April 2025

Our vision is to live in a society where there is no longer a stigma associated with mental health, where people are as comfortable talking about their mental health as their physical health, and where everyone can access timely support wherever they are in the UK at any stage of their mental health journey.

We strive to achieve this mission by providing pioneering training services, delivering awareness-raising campaigns, lobbying for change and operating the UK’s largest and most comprehensive directory of community mental health services, the Hub of Hope.

Our values are important to us and must be embodied in all we do:

The 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 trustees report the success of each key activity and the benefits the charity has brought to those groups of people that it is set up to help. The review also helps the trustees 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 Commission's 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 that have been set which this year include the development of a new three-year strategic plan which will inform the charity’s work between 2025 and 2028.

Achievements and performance

Like many other charities, the reporting period 2024-2025 was one of financial challenges given wider developments in government policy, the national economic climate, sector-specific challenges (especially in relation to the funding and organisation of the NHS and wider public health priorities), and government-led changes to workforce-related policies and practices. Given this, our unremitting priority has been to ensure the long-term future of the charity through close regular monitoring of strategic investment and expenditure, enhanced budget control measures, and effective risk mitigation. We have continued to prioritise our core activities and investments, while further pursuing new opportunities to ensure the charity’s work remains sustainable and impactful. These activities, which are undertaken to advance Chasing the Stigma's charitable objectives for the benefit of the public, have included:

Governance

Membership of the Board of Trustees has remained stable throughout the reporting period, and has benefitted from the additional expertise brought by the appointment (effective 4 September 2023) of Dr Anindita Sarkar and Sarah Francis during the previous reporting period. In her capacity as Deputy Chair, Lizzie Pearl has brought additional

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Chasing the Stigma Trustees annual report for the year ended 5 April 2025

strengths to the leadership of the Board and supported the strategic development of its emerging operations during the reporting period.

The Board continues to regularly monitor any emerging skills gaps and needs which need to be addressed proactively, and will continue to explore the timely recruitment of additional trustees where appropriate to ensure its activities remain as effective as possible. The current Chair, Professor Andy Smith, will step down from his role at the end of his tenure in early 2026. A recruitment process to find his replacement recently concluded. Amy Yarker, whose term of office is intended to commence on 1 January 2026, will take over from Professor Smith.

Staff Growth and Development

As noted earlier, the current reporting period has been one marked by a consolidation of staffing expertise and strategic prioritisation which has been supported by several years of substantial investment in the staffing base. We have continued to invest where appropriate, but this has been more modest. We have continued to develop and refine our working practices, actively listening to colleagues’ feedback and needs. Considerable effort has continued to be invested into refining our culture, clarifying our values and behaviours, and developing a clear professional career development framework for all staff. This framework continues to guide our strategic priorities and growth, investment in the future talent pipeline, approaches to and acting upon staff feedback, and conduct of staff appraisals mid-year and annually. The current staffing base has allowed the charity to remain agile and responsive to emerging opportunities while pursuing our new strategic priorities in a sustainable, responsible, and impactful way.

National Recognition and Partnerships

Chasing the Stigma and the Hub of Hope are now undoubtedly nationally recognised for the vital role we play in suicide prevention and mental health support across the UK. The Hub of Hope especially has been widely promoted by NHS England, integrated into mandates, and recognised as “the main national signposting tool for mental health services” in the policies and practices of national and local organisations.

Collaboration has always been at the heart of the charity’s mission, amplifying its reach, influence, and resources. This partnership-led approach has been especially crucial during the current reporting period, and has ensured the charity has remained as resilient as possible to the challenging external environment in which it operates. By working with like-minded organisations, Chasing the Stigma continues to share expertise, access additional funding, and expand its capacity to deliver vital services and initiatives. These partnerships also foster a unified effort within the mental health sector, driving long-term change and systemic improvements. Examples of these trailblazing partnerships include our multi-year partnership with Network Rail, NHS England, Mind, Mental Health First England, the Student Roost “Behind Every Door” initiative, and engagement with diverse NHS Trusts and providers across the country.

Hub of Hope

The Hub of Hope remains the cornerstone of Chasing the Stigma's work and the most crucial element of our mission. Our funding, partnerships, training, and overall sustainability are all closely tied to the effectiveness of the Hub of Hope as a safe, reliable, and productive platform which has benefitted from further significant investment in the current reporting period. This investment has enabled us to further improve the functionality of the Hub, diversify its content, and deepen its reach and engagement with new services and communities.

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Chasing the Stigma Trustees annual report for the year ended 5 April 2025

The data and insight generated by the Hub is significant, and can provide a unique opportunity to offer tailored insight into local mental health services, including their use and latent demand. It also has considerable potential to continue informing national and regional mental health policy, and we remain committed to investing in its future growth to capitalise on its potential in maximising the impact of the charity. The success of the charity remains inseparable from the success of the Hub.

We are particularly grateful to our technology partner, Hiyield, in whom we have invested significantly to future-proof the Hub. Their work has ensured that the Hub is an even more user-friendly platform which generates actionable insights that drive meaningful impact. The Hub continues to support over 400,000 users annually, while helping people conduct almost 1 million searches for mental health support. The continued growth and engagement with the Hub following Hiyield’s work has represented excellent value for money.

Hope in the Community – Westminster

Launched in February 2024, Hope in the Community Westminster is a collaborative, non-clinical physical space located on the ground floor of Gordon Hospital in Westminster. The space is owned by Central and North West London NHS Trust (CNWL) but branded in partnership with Chasing the Stigma, making collaboration a central aspect of its design and operation. The space was co-designed through extensive collaboration with CTS, local Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, as well as patients, carers, and residents from Westminster.

The launch of the space preceded the formal policy announcements in the NHS 10-year plan which, among other things, emphasises government priorities for shifting the focus of health and care from hospital to neighbourhoods and communities, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. However, the principles and ways of working are very similar, and we anticipate our approach to community prevention and support being an especially important feature of our future work.

Ambassador of Hope

The charity places a strong emphasis on improving community and workplace mental health and creating environments of understanding, by partnering with businesses and organisations to provide mental health training in an accessible, non-clinical manner.

We use our Ambassador of Hope training programme, which is written and delivered from a lived experience point of view to offer an accessible and affordable resource designed to enhance mental health practices to individuals and workplaces.

These initiatives not only support employee well-being but also contribute to income generation for the charity, helping to sustain and expand its vital work.

The Ambassador of Hope training continues to prove to be highly successful, reaching 2,010 participants across 31 organisations between April 2024 and April 2025. The programme engaged a diverse range of partners, including key organisations such as Regenda Housing, University for the Creative Arts, Lancashire Police, MSV Housing, Derbyshire Public Health, Brentford FC, Blackpool Council, and Sheffield United, among others.

With participants spanning multiple sectors, including housing, education, public health, sports, and community development, the training sessions were held at various locations throughout the year. This widespread collaboration not only expanded the initiative’s reach and impact but also played a key role in income generation for the charity.

Over 2,000 trained Ambassadors of Hope are now equipped to inspire and support both themselves and their communities, furthering mental health awareness and continuing to generate essential funding to sustain the charity’s mission.

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Chasing the Stigma Trustees annual report for the year ended 5 April 2025

Fundraising

While Chasing the Stigma does not have internal expertise or dedicated support for fundraising activities, the charity experienced another significant increase in fundraising compared to 2023-2024. In the current reporting period, donations received totalled £128,914, an increase of £31,140.

We remain indebted to the many organisations and individuals who have donated their time and money so generously during the reporting period. Their support, commitment and advancement of the charity’s mission and values has been critical for enabling us to continue supporting the mental health of everyone.

We are sincerely grateful to every person who fundraised or donated to Chasing the Stigma. Your generosity ensures that we can continue our work and make a lasting difference in the lives of those affected by mental health challenges. We truly couldn’t do it without you.

Plans for the Future

The trustees are focused on ensuring the charity's long-term sustainability and maximising its impact. Supported by our new strategic plan for 2025-2028, our main priorities over the next 12 months are:

The trustees are confident that these strategies will strengthen the charity’s ability to meet future challenges while staying true to its mission of creating lasting, meaningful change in mental health support and awareness.

Financial review

The financial statements show the funds balance as:

Restricted funds: £0 Unrestricted funds: £471,918 Total funds carried forward: £471,918 Total fixed assets: £111,333 (not freely available to be spent on operating costs) Expenditure on charitable activities: £586,242

Income is generated through donations and legacies, fundraising activities, grants and the trading of Ambassador of Hope training, as well as Hub of Hope licensing. We remain extremely grateful to all those who fundraised for Chasing the Stigma across the year.

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Chasing the Stigma Trustees annual report for the year ended 5 April 2025

Reserves policy

Restricted funds are excluded from charity reserves, so any such amounts held are for defined purposes. The charity seeks to build reserves sufficient to cover operational costs for three months should there be a significant loss of income.

The Trustees have agreed that reserves held are to grow in line with the overall growth of the organisation.

In addition, there will be a contingency reserve at the discretion of the committee to reflect known risk areas for the forthcoming year. The balance of unrestricted reserves is to be included in the budgeted spend for the forthcoming year.

The free reserves of the charity currently stand at £310,585 which significantly exceeds the free reserves target of approximately £150,000.

Principal Risks and Uncertainties

The trustees have identified several principal risks and uncertainties facing the charity, including financial sustainability, the need to proactively develop a diversified fundraising strategy, ensuring operational capacity can meet growing demand, and actively reviewing the potential impact of misinformation or data inaccuracies in service delivery.

These risks are further compounded by external factors such as changes in government policy and economic pressures that may affect funding opportunities and service accessibility.

To mitigate these risks, the charity has implemented a robust risk management framework, including regular financial reviews, diversified income generation strategies, and the development of sustainable funding partnerships.

Operational risks are managed through enhanced training for staff and volunteers, comprehensive service verification protocols, and the adoption of digital tools to streamline processes and ensure data accuracy. The trustees remain committed to ongoing risk assessment and proactive planning to safeguard the charity’s mission and ensure its long-term impact.

Remuneration Policy for Key Management Personnel

The remuneration of key management personnel is determined by the trustees based on a commitment to transparency, fairness, and the responsible use of charitable funds. Pay levels are benchmarked against similar roles in charities of comparable size, scope, and location to ensure competitiveness and appropriateness.

The roles and responsibilities of key management personnel are carefully evaluated to reflect the required skills, experience, and contributions to achieving the charity’s objectives. Trustees ensure that remuneration is affordable within the charity’s financial capacity and does not compromise its ability to deliver on its mission.

Pay reviews are linked to the achievement of strategic goals and individual performance, fostering accountability and alignment with organisational priorities. Where necessary, external professional advice is sought to guide decisions, ensuring compliance with best practices and legal obligations.

This policy is reviewed annually to ensure it remains aligned with the charity’s values, financial health, and strategic objectives.

Going Concern

The board of Trustees are confident that the charity remains sufficiently financially healthy to continue operating for the foreseeable future.

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Chasing the Stigma Trustees annual report for the year ended 5 April 2025

Structure, Governance, and Management

Chasing the Stigma is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) with no share capital. The charity was registered on 14 December 2016 and is governed by its constitution, which sets out its objects and powers.

Board Composition and Trustee Appointment

The Board of Trustees, which can have up to 13 members, is responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity. Trustees are appointed based on their skills and expertise to ensure the board maintains a balanced and effective leadership. New trustees are nominated and elected by the existing board in line with the charity’s constitution. The Chair of Trustees is also nominated and appointed by the trustees. The terms of appointment are set out in the charity’s constitution.

Trustee Induction and Training

Chasing the Stigma recognises the importance of ongoing development and support for its trustees to ensure they are fully equipped to carry out their roles effectively. The charity has an established structured onboarding and training process, which includes:

Induction Meetings: New trustees are invited to the charity’s offices to meet staff and gain a deeper understanding of the organisation’s work, culture, and strategic priorities.

Staff Presentations: The team provides an overview of the charity’s operations, key programmes, and impact, ensuring trustees are well-informed from the outset.

Governance and Policy Review: Trustees are provided with key governance documents, including the charity’s constitution, strategic plan, financial reports, and policies on safeguarding, risk management, and compliance.

Ongoing Development: Trustees are encouraged to attend relevant training sessions, including governance best practices, charity finance, risk management, and mental health awareness.

All of the above processes are reviewed periodically to reflect current practice, and ongoing compliance with all relevant regulatory matters.

Decision-Making and Delegation

The charity operates under a clear governance and decision-making framework to ensure effective leadership and accountability:

Strategic Oversight: The Board of Trustees is responsible for setting the overall strategy, risk appetite, and governance policies. It ensures the appropriate risk management procedures and internal controls are in place. Trustees act as a critical friend to the Chief Executive, offering guidance and challenge where needed.

Operational Decision-Making: The Senior Leadership Team (SLT), led by the Chief Executive, manages the charity’s day-to-day operations. Trustees delegate operational decisions to the SLT, which is responsible for programme delivery, resource allocation, and implementation of the strategic plan.

Board Meetings: The Board meets at least four times per year to review progress, assess risks, and approve key decisions. These are complemented by other bi-monthly meetings with the CEO on agreed areas of work to inform the implementation of the strategic plan.

Subcommittees and Working Groups: Where necessary, the Board may establish subcommittees or working groups to oversee specific areas, such as finance and people and culture, with trustees with occupational expertise in these

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areas being responsible for the leadership of those sub-groups. The outcomes of these are reported under as standing items (where appropriate) during formal Board meetings.

This governance structure ensures effective oversight while allowing the charity’s leadership team the flexibility to make informed and timely operational decisions.

Statement of Responsibilities of the Trustees

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Charity law 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, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper 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 corporate 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.

The trustees’ annual report has been approved by the trustees on 17/12/2025 and signed on their behalf by

Professor Andy Smith, Chair of Board of Trustees.

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Chasing the Stigma

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees for the year ended 5 April 2025

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 5 April 2025 set out on pages 11 to 27.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Charities Act”) and that an independent examination is needed. The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of ICAEW .

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Other matters

Your attention is to drawn to the fact that the charity has prepared the accounts (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 been withdrawn. We understand that this has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

  1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:

  2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and

  3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act

have not been met; or

  1. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Patrick Morrello ACA

Third Sector Accountancy Limited Holyoake House Hanover Street Manchester, M60 0AS

Date: 05 / 01 / 2026

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Chasing The Stigma

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 5 April 2025

Unrestricted
funds
Note
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
3
128,914
Charitable activities
4
403,808
Total income
532,722
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
5
43,920
Charitable activities
6
475,346
Total expenditure
519,266
8
13,456
Transfer between funds
113,501
Net movement in funds for the year
126,957
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
344,961
Total funds carried forward
471,918
Net income for the year		 Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
110,896
110,896
(110,896)
(113,501)
(224,397)
224,397
-		 Total funds
2025
£
128,914
403,808
532,722
43,920
586,242
630,162
(97,440)
-
(97,440)
569,358
471,918		 Unrestricted
funds
£
97,774
333,282
431,056
46,428
447,961
494,389
(63,333)
-
(63,333)
408,294
344,961		 Restricted
funds
£
-
206,900
206,900
-
168,378
168,378
38,522
-
38,522
185,875
224,397		 Total funds
2024
£
97,774
540,182
637,956
46,428
616,339
662,767
(24,811)
-
(24,811)
594,169
569,358

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

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Chasing The Stigma

Balance sheet as at 5 April 2025

Note 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Intangible fixed assets 13 107,658 44,657
Tangible fixed assets 14 3,675 8,984
Total fixed assets 111,333 53,641
Current assets
Debtors 15 132,421 17,149
Cash at bank and in hand 283,395 507,615
Total current assets 415,816 524,764
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling
due in less than one year 16 (55,231) (9,047)
Net current assets 360,585 515,717
Total assets less current liabilities 471,918 569,358
Net assets 471,918 569,358
The funds of the charity:
Restricted income funds 17 - 224,397
Unrestricted income funds 18 471,918 344,961
Total charity funds 471,918 569,358

For the year in question, the charity was entitled to exemption from an audit under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011. The Charity Commission has not ordered an audit to be carried out under Section 146 of Charities Act 2011.

The notes on pages to form part of these accounts.14 27

02 / 01 / 2026 Approved by the trustees on ................................. and signed on their behalf by:

Prof. Andy Smith

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Chasing The Stigma

Statement of Cash Flows

for the year ending 5 April 2025

Notes
Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities
21
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities
Interest paid
Cash provided by/(used in) financing activities
Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year		 2025
£
(109,496)
(114,662)
(114,662)
(62)
(62)
(224,220)
507,615
283,395		 2024
£
105,132
(9,632)
(9,632)
(324)
(324)
95,176
412,439
507,615

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Chasing The Stigma

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025

1 Accounting policies

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

a Basis of preparation

The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: 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) issued in October 2019 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2019.

The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared to give a ‘true and fair’ view and 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 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) issued in October 2019 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.

Chasing The Stigma meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note.

The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £ sterling.

b Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charities ability to continue as a going concern.

c Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

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Chasing The Stigma

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

Income received in advance of a provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.

Income generated by sales of licences for usage of the Hub of Hope is recognised in the period of receipt and not deferred. There is no right to claw back or matched expenditure in future periods.

d Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose.

Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity’s work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.

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. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

g Allocation of support costs

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support the charity's programmes and activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities. The bases on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 7.

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Chasing The Stigma

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

h Tangible and intangible fixed assets

Individual fixed assets costing £500 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows:

Office fixtures and equipment 33% Intangible assets: software 20%

i Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

j Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

k Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

l Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

m Pensions

Employees of the charity are entitled to join a defined contribution ‘money purchase’ scheme. The charity’s contribution is restricted to the contributions disclosed in note 9. There were no outstanding contributions at the year end.

The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered in England and Wales and has no share capital. The registered office address is disclosed on page 1.

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

3 Income from donations and legacies

Small grants and donations
Total
4
Income from charitable activities
Mental health education services
Restricted grants
Total		 Unrestricted
£
128,914
128,914
Unrestricted
£
403,808
-
403,808		 Restricted
£
-
-
Restricted
£
-
-
-		 Total 2025
£
128,914
128,914
Total 2025
£
403,808
-
403,808		 Unrestricted
£
97,774
97,774
Unrestricted
£
333,282
-
333,282		 Restricted
£
-
-
Restricted
£
-
206,900
206,900		 Total 2024
£
97,774
97,774
Total 2024
£
333,282
206,900
540,182

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

5
Cost of raising funds
Unrestricted
£
Staff costs
28,850
Fundraising
2,716
Support costs (see note 7)
11,055
Governance costs (see note 7)
1,299
43,920
6
Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities
Staff costs
Depreciation
IT costs
Professional fees
Support costs (see note 7)
Governance costs (see note 7)
Restricted expenditure
Unrestricted expenditure		 Restricted
£
-
-
-
-
-		 2025
£
28,850
2,716
11,055
1,299
43,920
2025
£
369,318
51,662
550
6,561
141,526
16,625
586,242
110,896
475,346
586,242		 Unrestricted
£
29,699
801
14,423
1,505
46,428		 Restricted
£
-
-
-
-
-		 2024
£
29,699
801
14,423
1,505
46,428
2024
£
341,556
38,112
20,562
32,929
165,878
17,302
616,339
168,378
447,961
616,339

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

7 Analysis of support and governance costs

Staff costs
Premises
Administration
Accountancy
Finance costs
Depreciation
IT costs
Travel and subsistence
Advertising and marketing
Professional fees
Allocated in proportion to staff costs as
Cost of raising funds
Charitable activities		 Support
£
37,761
43,413
32,580
4,918
429
5,309
13,698
8,311
1,699
4,464
152,582
follows:
11,055
141,526
152,581		 Governance
£
17,923
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
17,923
1,299
16,625
17,924		 Total 2025
£
55,684
43,413
32,580
4,918
429
5,309
13,698
8,311
1,699
4,464
170,505
12,354
158,151
170,505		 Support
£
31,597
23,512
41,614
4,653
451
6,484
12,713
8,906
14,205
36,167
180,302
14,423
165,878
180,301		 Governance
£
17,643
-
519
-
-
-
-
645
-
-
18,807
1,505
17,302
18,807		 Total 2024
£
49,240
23,512
42,133
4,653
451
6,484
12,713
9,551
14,205
36,167
199,109
15,928
183,180
199,108

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

This is stated after charging/(crediting):
Depreciation
Interest payable
Operating lease rentals: property
Staff costs
Staff costs during the year were as follows:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs
Staff training
Freelance workers
Allocated as follows:
Cost of raising funds
Charitable activities
Support costs
Governance costs
Independent examiner's fee - other
Independent examiner's fee - independent exam
Independent examiner's fee - accounts		 2025
£
56,970
26,837
460
1,840
2,623
2025
£
405,856
34,818
8,552
55
4,571
453,852
28,850
369,318
37,761
17,923
453,852		 2024
£
44,596
324
10,064
415
1,665
2,573
2024
£
362,824
30,987
8,413
490
17,781
420,495
29,699
341,556
31,597
17,643
420,495

9 Staff costs

No employee has employee benefits in excess of £60,000 (2024: Nil).

The average number of staff employed during the period was 12.8 (2024: 11.3).

The key management personnel of the charity comprise the trustees and the Chief Executive Officer. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £61,586 (2024: £61,586).

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

10 Trustee remuneration and expenses, and related party transactions

Neither the trustees nor any persons connected with them received any remuneration during the year (2024: £nil).

Two trustees received travel and subsistence expenses during the year; the total amount reimbursed was £87 (2024: £355).

Aggregate donations from related parties were nil (2024: £nil).

There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties.

Jake Mills, CEO of the charity, is married to the owner of Lovebug Films. During the year, the charity paid £846 to Lovebug Films for promotional materials (2024: £1,680).

11 Government grants

The government grants recognised in the accounts were as follows:

2025 2024
£ £
NHS England - 156,900

There were no unfulfilled conditions and contingencies at the end of the period.

12 Corporation tax

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within Chapter 3 of Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the charity.

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

13 Fixed assets: intangible assets

Cost
Additions
Depreciation
Charge for the year
Net book value
Fixed assets: tangible assets
Cost
Depreciation
Charge for the year
Net book value
At 5 April 2024
At 5 April 2025
At 5 April 2025
At 5 April 2025
At 6 April 2024
At 5 April 2025
At 5 April 2025
At 6 April 2024
At 5 April 2024
At 6 April 2024
At 5 April 2025
At 6 April 2024		 Software
£
190,560
114,662
305,222
145,903
51,661
197,564
107,658
44,657
Equipment
£
20,671
20,671
11,687
5,309
16,996
3,675
8,984

14 Fixed assets: tangible assets

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

15 Debtors

Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
Other debtors
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Trade creditors
Tax and social security
Other creditors and accruals		 2025
£
127,548
4,473
400
132,421
2025
£
19
52,912
2,300
55,231		 2024
£
3,000
13,749
400
17,149
2024
£
-
6,574
2,473
9,047

16 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

17 Analysis of movements in restricted funds

NHS England
Nominet
Total
New Philanthropy
Capital		 Balance at 6
April 2024
£
211,664
5,125
7,608
224,397		 Income
£
-
-
-
-		 Expenditure
£
(98,002)
(5,286)
(7,608)
(110,896)		 Transfers
£
(113,662)
161
-
(113,501)		 Balance at 5
April 2025
£
-
-
-
-

£113,662 has been transferred from the NHS England restricted fund to unrestricted as it was used to develop the Hub of Hope asset which is held for general and not restricted purposes. The remaining transfer relates to a small overspend which has been covered by unrestricted funds.

Comparative period

NHS England
Nominet
Total
Enterprise
Development Fund		 Balance at 6
April 2023
£
145,875
40,000
-
185,875		 Income
£
156,900
-
50,000
206,900		 Expenditure
£
(91,111)
(34,875)
(42,392)
(168,378)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
-		 Balance at 5
April 2024
£
211,664
5,125
7,608
224,397

Name of restricted fund

Description, nature and purposes of the fund

NHS England To further charitable activities. Nominet For the development of the Hub of Hope. New Philanthropy For the Signpost+ programme, which aims to improve mental Capital health signposting for young people.

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18 Analysis of movement in unrestricted funds

Fixed assets
Hub of Hope
Comparative period
Fixed assets
Hub of Hope
Designated fund:
General fund
General fund
Designated fund:		 Balance at 6
April 2024
£
241,319
53,642
50,000
344,961
Balance at 6
April 2023
£
314,411
93,883
408,294		 Income
£
532,722
-
-
532,722
Income
£
431,057
-
431,057		 Expenditure
£
(462,295)
(56,971)
-
(519,266)
Expenditure
£
(456,277)
(38,112)
(494,389)		 Transfers
£
(1,161)
114,662
-
113,501
Transfers
£
(47,871)
(2,129)
50,000
-		 As at 5 April
2025
£
310,585
111,333
50,000
471,918
As at 5 April
2024
£
241,319
53,642
50,000
344,961

Name of Description, nature and purposes of the fund unrestricted fund

General fund The free reserves after allowing for all designated funds. Designated fund - The fixed assets are essential for the future operation of the charity and so are Fixed assets excluded from free reserves. Designated fund - Hub Development of the intangible asset application 'The Hub of Hope', a mental of Hope health support portal.

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

19 Analysis of net assets between funds

Intangible fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets
Net current assets
Total
Comparative period
Intangible fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets
Net current assets/(liabilities)
Total		 General
fund
£
-
-
310,586
310,586
General
fund
£
-
-
241,320
241,320		 Designated
funds
£
107,658
3,675
49,999
161,332
Designated
funds
£
44,657
8,984
50,000
103,641		 Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
Restricted
funds
£
-
-
224,397
224,397		 Total 2025
£
107,658
3,675
360,585
471,918
Total 2024
£
44,657
8,984
515,717
569,358

The charity's total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases is as follows

Less than one year
One to five years
Over five years		 2025
2024
£
£
6,709
26,837
-
6,709
-
-
6,709
33,546
Property		 2025
2024
£
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Equipment

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 (continued)

21 Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income/(expenditure)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation expense
Interest paid
Decrease in receivables
Decrease in payables
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating
activities		 2025
£
(97,440)
56,970
61
(115,272)
46,185
(109,496)

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