2024-12-31-accounts - The Recovery Course

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01/01/2024 Period start date To 31/12/2024 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 associations 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,
city	and prison 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, prisons and Christian-based
organisations running or wishing to run The
Recovery Course throughout the UK and
beyond.

		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.
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. In 2024 The Charity developed and ran three free national online training sessions, which 154 delegates representing 121 churches attended. Some of these delegates were representing churches overseas including Brazil, USA, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Myanmar, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and Australia. Due to this increased interest in the Course since our 2023 Conference, it was decided that we would run our second national

Conference in Holborn, Central London, in the Spring of 2025. In Spring of 2024 The Recovery Course was asked by HMP Pentonville to prepare a new shortened version of the course consisting of 6 sessions focusing on relapse prevention. The course ran throughout March and April. Initially restricted to just 12 prisoners, the course had instant appeal and was oversubscribed three times over. For practical reasons this had to be reduced to 24 prisoners and not a single prisoner dropped out. In the summer of 2024 two people were invited to join us as Trustees. Both have a comprehensive understanding of the prison system and their role was to develop this new shortened course with a view to training up teams to take the course into prisons where around 70% of those in prison have addiction issues. The decision was made to launch this new resource at the 2025 Recovery Course Conference. Throughout 2024 The Recovery Course continued to expand in other countries, especially South Africa and Namibia where it runs in churches, rehabs and townships. 2024 was challenging financially and to this end the Trustees employed a Christian Fundraiser for a limited period, with a 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 2024 the charity had £27,278 on account. This equates to 170% 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 six 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 six months of operating costs are thus not put in reserve, rather they act as an alert once breached to focus on fundraising.
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)

Additional information (optional)	Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements		where relevant 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:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Effective 17thJune 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 29thJuly 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.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	Organisational structure During the year the Charity’s CEO retired, after more than a decade of support and work, due to ill health. Two other Trustees also retired after six and nine years of support respectively. The Trustees decided to appoint two new Trustees both with deep experience of running courses in prisons, as shown on the register, and to operate as a group with the Chair and Founder driving the strategy. The Operational Team continues to be led led by Kevin Campbell (Course work, 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

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
Rev Bob Street	Chair	Reappointed to third term 9th June 2022. Term ends June 2025.	The other trustees
Justyn Larcombe	Trustee	Retired 30 Sep2024
Nigel Skelsey	Trustee and Secretary	Appointed to first term 1stOctober 2021
Paul Martin	Trustee	Retired 30 Sep2024
Susan Flashman Jarvis	Trustee	Retired 30 Sep 2024
Gavin Marcus Wells	Trustee, Treasurer	Appointed to first term 16thNovember 2021
Revd Joanna Davies		Appointed to first term 15th May2024
Steven Page		Appointed to first term 15th May2024

– 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 asset	n/a

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type	Name	Address
n/a

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

n/a

Other optional information

n/a

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 14th September 2025

Charity Name No (if any) The Recovery Course 1170792

Receipts and payments accounts For the period Period start date Period end date To from 1-Jan-24 31-Dec-24

CC16a

Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted Restricted

to the nearest £ - - - 14,500 - - - - 14,500 - - - 14,500 Restricted funds	to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - Endowment funds	Total funds to the nearest £ 5,246 - - 4,000 14,500 1,000 3,000 1,500 2,000 31,246 - - - 31,246	Last year to the nearest £
			6,310
			2,000

			4,000

			-
			4,000
			1,500
			-
			17,810


			-
			-

14,500	-	31,246	17,810

- - - - - - - - - - - - 14,500 - 14,500	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	- - 60 330 11,625 489 3,163 145 - - - - - 15,812 - - - 15,812 15,435 - 11,844 27,279
			-
			-
			994
			292
			14,600
			593
			5,130
			145
			220
			-
			-
			-
			50
			22,024



			-

			22,024

14,500	-	15,435	- 4,214
-	-	-	-
	-	11,844	16,058
14,500	-	27,279	11,844

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

to nearest £ 16,778 - - 16,778 Unrestricted	to nearest £ 10,500 - - 10,500 Restricted	to nearest £ Endowment
16,778	10,500	-
-	-	-
-	-	-
16,778	10,500	-

B1 Cash funds

09/28/2025

B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Signed by one or two trustees on	Details Details Details Details Signature (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))	to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - Cost(optional) - - Cost(optional) - - - - - Print Name Mr Gavin Wells Agreement Error Agreement Error Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Fund to which ~~asset belongs~~ Fund to which ~~asset belongs~~ Fund to which Amount due ~~(~~ ~~)~~	OK to nearest £ - - - - - - - 15th March 2025 Endowment funds Current value ~~(optional)~~ Current value ~~(optional)~~ When due ~~(~~ ~~)~~ Date of ~~approval~~
			Date of
		Mr Gavin Wells	15th March 202 ~~approval~~

09/28/2025

London W5 5BX Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material Matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examinalion of charity accounts: directions and guidan forexaminers). Give here brief detalls of any items that the examinerwishes to disclose. None. IER Oct 2018