Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From: Period start date 04/04/2024 To: Period end date 05/04/2025
Charity name: World Dignity Project
Charity registration number: 1171219
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | Our objectives have not changed: We fight for mental health and well-being for all with equality of treatment and dignity in patient experience as a basic human right. https://worlddignityproject.org/ The well-being of global citizens is paramount in what we do to ensure that we advocate, teach and connect. Our website continues to be a resource for the public. Member publications and seminars are published open access here. One of our Founding Members has developed the first measurement scale for dignity in mental health service user experience which is shortly to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. |
| 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 |
Activities are publicised on our website and regularly updated. Activities focus on the following three groups: Public: Mobilising the public to ensure dignity in mental health is a reality: 1. Literacy (promoting knowledge about mental health). 2. Advocacy on behalf of vulnerable people and their families and carers. 3. Changing the public mind-set towards those with mental health issues. 4. Encouraging wider public discussion about mental health. |
| 5. Providing dignity and hope for people affected by mental illness. Mental Health Professionals 1. Helping mental health professionals to tackle self-stigma and promote a dignity experience for their patients, carers, and families. 2. Connecting professionals and sharing experiences. 3. Increasing understanding of the service user experience. 4. Continuing Professional Development. Policy Makers 1. Engaging and influencing policy makers to ensure policies protect and promote dignity and equality of treatment for those with mental health issues. Details of our activities from April 2024 to April 2025 are summarised in the Achievements and performance section of this document below. |
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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 regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit and have signed accordingly. The Trustees have regard to best practice guidance and the legal obligations of fundraising for Non-Profit Organisations in the UK. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | The World Dignity Project has a policy on grant making to support any application. |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | The Trustees have regard to best practice guidance and legal obligations with regards to social investment and programme related investment for Non-Profit Organisations in the UK. |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | The World Dignity Project has a volunteering policy to support the volunteer programme. It defines the role of volunteers within the organisation, and how they can expect to be treated. |
| Trustees, Volunteers, Researchers & Charity Secretary have contributed their time pro bono, covering a range of activities: - Administration including management of social media, regular bulletins and management of the website - Publications - Research - Organised events including educational events - Managing the World Dignity Champion awards |
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| Objectivesand policies | The Trustees have considered any risks to which the Foundation could potentially be exposed, reviewing these on an ongoing basis. |
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 | MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS APRIL 2024 TO APRIL 2025 During this period The World Dignity Project has made a difference to mental health professionals, members of the public and policy makers by participating in the following educational and awareness raising activities to better embed dignity in mental health: 1. The World Dignity Project Website a global resource: Maintaining and updating the World Dignity project website as a global resource for all: https://worlddignityproject.org/ 2. Academic and health professional engagement: We believe that we can promote dignity through academic research and publications including teaching and collaboration with other agencies and the Special Issue of Academia Mental Health and Well-Being will be completed in February 2026 and we plan to hold a global meeting to highlight lessons learned. We are very grateful to the Editor in Chief for enabling this collaboration to advance the dignity agenda to policy makers, academics, mental health professionals and interested |
members of the public which aligns with the objectives of The World Dignity Project https://shorturl.at/k57Yx 3. Lived Experience engagement A member has been involved in mentoring lived experience researchers affiliated with aves, a global peer network - (https://www.aves mh.org/), resulting in a conference presentation at the MGMH global conference. 4. Maintaining social media sites on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Ongoing 5. The World Dignity Project Website a global resource: Maintaining and updating the World Dignity project website as a global resource for all: https://worlddignityproject.org/ 6. Academic and health professional engagement : We believe that we can promote dignity through academic research and publications including teaching and collaboration with other agencies and the Special Issue of Academia Mental Health and Well-Being will be completed in February 2026 and we plan to hold a global meeting to highlight lessons learned. We are very grateful to the Editor in Chief for enabling this collaboration to advance the dignity agenda to policy makers, academics, mental health professionals and interested members of the public which aligns with the objectives of The World Dignity Project https://www.academia.edu/journals/academia- mental-health-and-well-being?source=all- journals-page This is an open access journal so all articles can be freely downloaded by members of the public. 3.Youth Engagement: We believe that young people hold the key to make significant change and have prioritised youth engagement in many of our social media activities and are grateful to the youth |
|---|---|---|
| members of our organisation. 2) PLAN 2025-2026 • To hold an online meeting to promote Dignity in Mental Health to academics and the general public • To hold a symposium to highlight the lessons learned from the Special Issue of Academia Mental Health and Well-Being • To hold an online webinar to promote dignity for young people • To publish the Dignity Experience Scale (developed by a Founding Member) and publicize its potential use to improve the measurement of dignity in mental health service user experience |
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|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | There was no fundraising activities against objectives set because members have donated their time as volunteers pro bono. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | There was no investment performance against objectives because members have donated their time as volunteers pro bono. |
| Other | The new address for the charity is: c/o Dr Ivbijaro’s Practice The Wood Street Health Centre 6 Linford Road London E17 3LA Professor Ivbijaro made a personal contribution to Steve Maingot for his support of £10,800 |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The trustees have no policy of retaining significant reserves, other than to ensure that sufficient funds are held at any one |
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | There was no fund-raising activities against our objectives set in the last year. Trustees, Volunteers, Researchers & Charity Secretary have contributed their time pro bono, covering a range of activities: - Administration including management of social media, regular bulletins and management of the website - Publication - Research - Organised events including educational events - Managing the World Dignity Champion awards |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | The Trustees have regard to best practice guidance and legal obligations with regards to social investment and programme related investment for Non-Profit Organisations in the UK. |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | The Trustees have considered any risks to which the Charity could potentially be exposed, reviewing on an ongoing basis. |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
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|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 |
World Dignity Project is governed by its constitution and controlled by the Board of Trustees who will act as Directors for the purposes of company law and Trustees for the purposes of charity law. Decisions are made by a simple majority vote. |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Association |
| 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 | New Trustees, need to apply to the President and would be interviewed by the Board of Trustees to determine suitability. A vote of the Board will ensue and will determine acceptance or otherwise. |
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 | Management of the charity is the responsibility of the Trustees. The roles and responsibilities required to manage the activities of the charity fall within the remit of the Board of Trustees The Board of Trustees are required to set the charity's goals and aims and are required to oversee their successful fulfilment. The charity has no permanent employees |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | Members will come from the following regions: • Africa • The Americas • South-East Asia • Europe • Eastern Mediterranean • Western Pacific Membership is of four types: a) Individual members b) Organisational Members c) Honorary Members d) Founding Members |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | World Dignity Project |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | WDP |
| Registered charity number | 1171219 |
| Charity’s principal address | c/o Dr Ivbijaro’s Practice The Wood Street Health Centre 6 Linford Road London E17 3LA |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professor Gabriel Ivbijaro MBE |
President | Not applicable | The World Dignity Project Board |
|
| Professor Lucja Kolkiewicz |
Vice President | Not applicable | The World Dignity Project Board |
|
| Ms Lisa Weston | Legal Advisor | Not applicable | The World Dignity Project Board |
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
| Director name | Office | Dates acted if not for wholeyear |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Michelle Riba | Director for Diversity, Equality and Inclusion & Director of Scientific Publications |
Not Applicable |
| Ms Claire Brooks | Director of Research & Development |
Not Applicable |
| Professor Jean-Luc Roelandt |
Director for Collaboration | Not Applicable |
| Professor Pierre Thomas | Director of Professional Development |
Not Applicable |
| Professor Henk Parmentier | Director of NGO Relationships |
Not Applicable |
| Ms Claire Brooks | Director of Research & Development |
Not Applicable |
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year | |
|---|---|---|
| None | Not Applicable | |
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets Not Applicable held in this capacity Name and objects of the Not applicable charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for Not Applicable safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Not Applicable
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Not Applicable
Other optional information
None
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
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Signature(s)
Full name(s) Professor Gabriel Ivbijaro MBE Professor Lucja Kolkiewicz
a
Position (eg Secretary,
Chair, etc) e [President ] Vice President e
Date
10/02/2026
|
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