Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/01/2023 Period start date To 31/12/2023 Period end date
Charity name: The Recovery Course
Charity registration number: 1170792
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | For the public benefit, the advancement of education by raising awareness of the issue of addiction and the provision of recovery and support services to those affected by addiction |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
The Recovery Course is a Christian charity established to reach those suffering from the effects of addictions of all kinds, including alcohol, drugs, gambling pornography, food, social media and other compulsive habits. The charity does this through enabling, equipping and encouraging churches and other christian assocations to run The Recovery Course. The course is suitable for people of faith or no faith; the key requirement for a successful outcome is that course attendees have a desire to overcome their addiction. Ethos, vision and outcomes Ethos:We are passionate and committed to see people suffering from the pain and grip of addiction restored to wholeness and a new sense of purpose in life. Vision:Our vision for The Recovery Course is to see as many people as possible set free from their addiction. Mission:Our mission is to facilitate recovery from addiction through Christ and to share the good news of hope, freedom and reconciliation with as many people as possible. Ouroutcomes,being how we know that we are achieving our vision is: - For individuals – ongoing release for many from addictions of all kinds and protection of that freedom gained through support networks and faith community groups. |
| - For churches, help with organising, structuring and supporting recovery from addiction of all kinds. - For society, that individuals and agencies have hope that people can be set free from their addictions What we do – strategy and activities We will achieve our vision of seeing The Recovery Course run in every major town and city by: - Maintaining high quality resources - Promoting the course nationally - Giving easy access to the resources to those who want to run courses - Helping to establish new courses through training and explaining tried and tested methods - Establishing a recovery community where those who need it can locate the nearest course easily The development and distribution of TRC resources is key to the achievement of our goal and forms the tangible product we offer for no cost to all those wanting to run courses, so they in turn won’t charge the guests for participating. The resources include the following: - A 258 page course manual including a section on how to set up and run The Recovery Course - Written and filmed transcripts of all the weekly talks - A workbook with weekly ‘Pause for Thought’ coursework for the guests - A leaders’ manual - A resource section with links to other recovery groups - Filmed testimonies of individuals who have found freedom through the course - Leaders’ notes for group leaders for each session of the course - Access to free training and support online - An annual Recovery Course Conference We offer free training and support to churches and Christian-based organisations running or wishing to run The Recovery Course throughout the UK and beyond. |
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|---|---|---|
| The Recovery Course team also works alongside a number of other addiction-focussed charities and often speak to the media on issues surrounding addiction and our CEO speaks regularly to mainstream media specifically on issues of gambling and had supported national campaigns aiming to include safety mechanisms withing the gambling industry. Trustees’ responsibility statement The Trustees have due regard to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. |
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|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The trustees have all received and considered the Charity Commission Guidance, “The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do”, dated May 2018 |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | The charity is not grant making |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | Social investment made by the charity is practical not financial – achieved through the course it runs to free guests of their addiction, and through this to relieve the burden of addiction of those related to the guest and the community in which they live |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | The Trustees, group leaders and those involved in running The Recovery Course are volunteers for which the Trustees are grateful. While reasonable expenses of travel to speaking engagements are met, no payment is made for time spent |
| Other | Nothing further to add | |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | It was decided in 2023 that The Recovery Course would no longer be personally involved in running their own courses, instead devoting their time to training up teams from churches around the country who would then run their own. In this way far more people would be reached. The Charity developed and ran two free national online training sessions, which 93 delegates from 67 churches attended in the second half of the year. TRC was also approached by The Salvation Army to help train anyone interested in running a course through their 650 churches and centres and the Diocese of Rochester requested the same service for their 268 parishes throughout Kent. It was also decided to run a national Conference in Holborn, Central London, which was filled to capacity with 167 delegates The charity has also developed links with another nationwide organisation,Alpha in _Prisons,_with a view to training up teams to take the course into prisons where around 70% of those in prison have addiction issues._Alpha in Prisons_currently has access to around 40 prisons in England and Wales so there is a huge potential in this area, HMP Pentonville have asked as to produce a new 6 session course devoted to ‘Relapse Prevention’ and is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2024. The Recovery Course has also been expanding in other countries. In South Africa it runs in churches, rehabs and townships and TRC has been asked to modify a course to run in secondary schools for pupils aged 12-18. Work on this new manual and programme began towards the end of 2023 with a trial programme expected to take place in the 4th quarter of 2024 in Cape Town. |
2023 was challenging financially and to this end the Trustees employed a Christian Fundraiser for a limited period, with a small degree of success. To date, The Recovery Course remains a volunteer organisation so as to keep its operating costs to a minimum.
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | See above |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | See above |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | See above |
| Other | Nothing further to add | |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | At the end of 2023 the charity had £11,844 on account. This equates to 50% of the operating costs for the year. |
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The trustees aim to keep three months of operating expenses but not in reserve – see below. |
Amount of reserves held |
Para 1.22 | Zero |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | The Trustees believe that all funds should be put to use in support of the aims of the charity. The three months of operating costs are thus not put in reserve. |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | Not applicable |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | Where funds are used in support of the aims of the charity that reduce the reserves to three months operating expenses the Trustees would meet to discuss how to proceed. To date that has not happened. |
| Additional information (optional) Youmay choose toincludefurtherstatementswhererelevant about: |
Additional information (optional) Youmay choose toincludefurtherstatementswhererelevant about: |
Additional information (optional) Youmay choose toincludefurtherstatementswhererelevant about: |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | The charity receives monthly donations, either through the Charities Aid Foundation, or via Direct Debit. The rest of the donations come from grant and trust applications. |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | Not applicable |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | The charity maintains a risk register. The only high risk is identified as an income shortfall in which case operations would be scaled down, and the charity would become a voluntary repository of information for churches and prisons running the course. |
| Other | Nothing further to add |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
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|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Effective 17th June 2019, the charity was re-registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, having a foundation constitution based on the Charity Commission model. Prior to this, the charity was originally constituted as a company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 29th July 2015 and registered as a charity on 16th December 2016, and having a memorandum and articles of association. |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | As a CIO |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Trustees are selected by the existing Trustees |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | Recruitment, induction and training of Trustees During the period, the trustees were also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law. Under the requirements of the Constitution, the Trustees are elected to serve for a period of three years after which they must be re-elected for a second or third term. All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in the financial statements. Trustees are selected by the existing Trustees firstly to provide the charity with oversight of its addiction recovery activities through relevant knowledge, experience, and involvement, and secondly to provide the charity with oversight and governance of administrative matters through relevant legal and financial knowledge and experience. New Trustee induction includes consideration of Charity Commission guidance (CC3) and completion of a Charity Commission Trustee Declaration, discussion of current issues including the financial position of the charity, and completion of DBS checks. Ongoing training includes access to the |
|---|---|---|
| network and courses run by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Charity and Voluntary Sector Group. |
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|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | Organisational structure Trustees have appointed Justyn Larcombe, under a written agreement, to act as chief executive and team leader of the charity’s operations including setting vision and policy, representing and promoting the charity externally, building teams to run and supervise The Recovery Course locally, fund raising, and building a network of contacts and agencies that are seeking to run The Recovery Course. The Trustee Policy Manual includes a written job description, and written policies detailing the Chief Executive’s relationship with the Trustees. Group Leaders on The Recovery Course run by the charity are selected by a nominating group comprising Justyn and those Trustees actively engaged in running the course. The CEO has appointed an Operational Team led by Kevin Campbell (Communications, Marketing and Publicity) -Kevin is paid for four days a month. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | Not applicable |
| Other | Risk management Trustees maintain a risk register which identifies 11 major risks under 4 headings: strategic, governance and management; external; operational; and financial. Using the register, Trustees assess the significance and probability of each risk, mitigation, and specific Trustee action to monitor each net risk Safeguarding In recognition that those attending The Recovery Course are vulnerable adults, the Trustees appointed one Trustee to act as Safeguarding Officer providing a formal point of contact for queries and reporting of concerns and established a written policy on safeguarding. As the charity no longer runs courses, but enables others to do this, all those running the course are asked to confirm that they have safeguarding arrangements in place. |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | The Recovery Course |
|---|---|
Other name the charity uses |
|
Registered charity number |
1170792 |
| Charity’s principal address | c/o Tonbridge Baptist Church Darenth Avenue Tonbridge Kent TN10 3HZ |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year Nam e of pers on (or bod y) entit led to app oint trust ee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rev Bob Street | Chair | Reappointed to third term 9th June 2022. Term ends June 2025. The oth er trus tees |
|
| Justyn Larcombe | Trustee | Appointed to first term 1st October 2021 |
|
| Nigel Skelsey | Trustee | Appointed to first term 1st October 2021 |
|
| Paul Martin | Trustee | Appointed to first term 1st October 2021 |
|
| Susan Flashman Jarvis |
Trustee | Appointed to first term 28th October 2021 |
|
| Gavin Marcus Wells |
Trustee, Treasurer and Secretary |
Appointed to first term 16th November 2021 |
|
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name
n/a
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year n/a
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity |
n/a |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
n/a |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
n/a |
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
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| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members(Optional information) | |||
| Justyn Larcombe |
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
n/a
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
Full name(s) Gavin Wells Position (eg Secretary, Treasurer Chair, etc)
Date 5th September 2024
| Charity Name | Charity Name | No (if any) | No (if any) | No (if any) | No (if any) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Recovery Course | 1170792 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Receipts and payments accounts | CC16a | |||||||||||||||||||
| For the period from |
Period start date 1-Jan-23 |
To | Period end date 31-Dec-23 |
|||||||||||||||||
| Section A Receipts and | payments Unrestricted |
Restricted | Endowment | Total funds | Last year | |||||||||||||||
| to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | ||||||||||||||||
| A1 Receipts | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Grants, gits and donations | - | 6,310- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 6,310- | - | 1,424- | ||||||||||
| The Recovery Conference | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| Bank interest | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 100- | ||||||||||
| Recovery Course Tyne Valley | - | -- | - | -- | - | 288- | ||||||||||||||
| TW Crisis Recovery | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 5,000- | ||||||||||
| Albert Hunt Trust | - | 2,000- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 2,000- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| Soutar Charitable Trust | - | 4,000- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 4,000- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| SMB Charitable Trust | - | 1,500- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 1,500- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| GEM donation | - | 4,000- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 4,000- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | - | 17,810- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 17,810- | - | 6,812- |
| Charity Name The Recovery Course |
Charity Name The Recovery Course |
Charity Name The Recovery Course |
Charity Name The Recovery Course |
Charity Name The Recovery Course |
No (if any) 1170792 |
No (if any) 1170792 |
No (if any) 1170792 |
CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the period from |
Period start date 1-Jan-23 |
To | Period end date 31-Dec-23 |
||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||
A1 Receipts |
Unrestricted to the nearest £ |
Restricted to the nearest £ |
Endowment to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||||
Grants, gits and donations |
- 6,310- - -- - -- - -- - -- - 2,000- - 4,000- - 1,500- - 4,000- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 6,310- |
- 1,424- |
||||
| The Recovery Conference | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||
| Bank interest | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 100- |
||||
| Recovery Course Tyne Valley | - -- |
- -- |
- 288- |
||||||
| TW Crisis Recovery | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 5,000- |
||||
| Albert Hunt Trust | - 2,000- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 2,000- |
- -- |
||||
| Soutar Charitable Trust | - 4,000- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 4,000- |
- -- |
||||
| SMB Charitable Trust | - 1,500- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 1,500- |
- -- |
||||
| GEM donation | - 4,000- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 4,000- |
- -- |
||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | - 17,810- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 17,810- |
- 6,812- |
||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, | |||||||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||||
| Sub total Total receipts A3 Payments |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||
| - 17,810- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 17,810- |
- 6,812- |
|||||
| Faithworks Wessex - seconded staff | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||||
| The Recovery Conference | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||
| Conference | - 994- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 994- |
- -- |
||||
| Course costs | - 292- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 292- |
- 542- |
||||
| Operations and Publicity | - 14,600- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 14,600- |
- 10,800- |
||||
| Publicity and Marketing materials | - 593- |
- 593- |
- 493- |
||||||
| Fundraising | - 5,130- |
- -- |
- 5,130- |
- -- |
|||||
| DBS checks | - 145- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 145- |
- 129- |
||||
| Insurance | - 220- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 220- |
- -- |
||||
| Bank charges | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||||
| Just Giving Fees | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||||
| Postage | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||||
| Donation | - 50- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 50- |
- -- |
||||
| **Sub total ** | - 22,024- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 22,024- |
- 11,964- |
||||
| A4 Asset and investment | |||||||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||||
| Sub total Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end **Cash funds this year end ** |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||||
| - 22,024- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 22,024- |
- 11,964- |
|||||
| - 4,214- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 4,214- |
- 5,152- |
|||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||||
| - 16,058- |
- -- |
- 16,058- |
- 21,210- |
||||||
| - 11,844- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 11,844- |
- 16,058- |
|||||
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | |||||||||
| Categories B1 Cash funds |
Details Natwest Current a/c Natwest Investment a/c |
Unrestricted to nearest £ - 11,844- - -- |
Restricted to nearest £ - -- - -- |
Endowment to nearest £ |
|||||
| Natwest Current a/c | - 11,844- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||||
| Natwest Investment a/c | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
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- -- |
- -- |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities Signed by one or two trustees on |
Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Details Details Details Signature |
- 11,844- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||
| OK | ||||||||
| Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - -- - -- - -- - -- Fund to which Cost (optional) - -- - -- Fund to which Cost (optional) - -- - -- - -- Fund to which Amount due ( ) - -- - -- Print Name |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||||||
| - -- |
||||||||
| - -- |
||||||||
| Current value |
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| ( ) - -- |
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| - -- |
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| Current value |
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| ( ) - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| When due |
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| ( ) |
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| Date of | ||||||||
| Mr Gavin Wells | 27th July 2024 | |||||||
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