2021-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1/4/2020 Period start date To 31/3/2021 Period end date

Charity name: Romsey Arthritis Hydrotherapy Group

Charity registration number: 1171462

Objectives and Activities

Summary of the purposes of the Charity

The objectives of Romsey Arthritis Hydrotherapy (RAHG) are to protect and promote good health among people of all ages living with arthritis in Romsey and the surrounding area by providing hydrotherapy sessions to optimise physical potential by assisting movement in non-weight bearing exercise in warm water designed to reduce arthritic pain, strengthen muscles and improve fitness.

Ensuring our work delivers our aims

We review our aims, objectives and activities monthly at our Trustees meetings. This review looks at what we achieved and the outcomes of our work in the previous month. The review looks at the success of each key activity and the benefits they have brought to those groups of people we are set up to help. The review also helps us ensure our aim, objectives and activities remained focused on our stated purposes. We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aim and objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.

How our activities deliver public benefit for those with arthritis in Romsey and the surrounding area

Figures produced by Arthritis UK identified that 8,919 people in the Southampton area suffer from arthritis of the hip and 15,056 of the knee. This is up to18% of the total population of this area. Arthritis can affect any joint in the body so many more are living with the pain and disability this disease causes. Approximately 68% of rheumatoid arthritis patients in the UK

Registered Charity Number 1171462

are physically inactive. Low physical activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis becomes a vicious cycle of disease progression and increased pain, thus affecting both physical and mental health. Treatment and support for people with chronic arthritic pain in primary care in the UK has been estimated to account for 4.6 million appointments per year, comparable to 793 whole time GPs. Only 12% of people with musculoskeletal conditions say they have been given a care plan compared to 13.8% of people with long term conditions. Only 18% of people with osteoarthritis have a care plan.

Arthritis Research UK have endorsed the use the of hydrotherapy as an effective and safe form of exercise and self-management for all forms of arthritis. Evidence based guidelines produced by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have recommended the use of hydrotherapy for the long-term treatment of arthritis.

Achievements and Performance

To address the overwhelming need to for an affordable, effective and achievable treatment and self-management for people suffering with arthritis RAHG has been successfully offering hydrotherapy classes at Red Lodge Community Pool in Southampton. Many of our members have improved their mobility and reduced their pain levels significantly. Members who were due to undergo joint replacements or surgery have found that their recovery post-surgery has been quicker due to their improved fitness and strength pre-operatively having attended the hydrotherapy classes. Many members have found that being able to exercise without pain in water, in a safe environment and monitored by a Physiotherapist has enabled them to lose weight. This has in turn had a positive effect on their arthritis symptoms by reducing the weight bearing on the effected joints thus slowing down the progression of the condition and delaying surgery.

Covid 19 and the extended lockdown caused Red Lodge Community Pool to be closed in line with the Government restrictions. During that time Katie Thorman, our Hydrotherapist, produced and distributed weekly exercise videos to all our members. This helped the health and wellbeing of our members at a very difficult time. Katie was also a valuable contact for many of our members who live alone.

As a result of the Covid 19 restrictions and social distancing guidelines we can currently only offer 3 weekly sessions for up to 15 members per session.

Our work goes beyond providing the hydrotherapy sessions. We also provide social events such as skittles evenings, coffee mornings and tea parties. A study published by UK data source in 2016 highlighted that 12% of people aged 65 and over are chronically lonely because of inactivity due to musculoskeletal disability. Many of our members can relate to this data and have found that the hydrotherapy sessions and social events has more than a physical benefit but a valuable improvement in their mental health too. Since August 2016 RAHG has organised many social events which were well attended by our members.

Financial Review

Registered Charity Number 1171462

Katie Thorman's creativity in producing and distributing the weekly exercise videos was well received by our members and helped to ensure the regular monthly income continued during the Covid 19 lockdowns. This helped RAHG survive during a very difficult and challenging time.

The reduced expenditure because Red Lodge pool was closed because of the Covid 19 lockdowns together with a focus on cost control and a generous donation from the Co-op Local Community Fund all helped achieve a modest surplus for the year of £420. Increasing the Bank balance to £4226.

However, without the generous donation of £1006 and fund raising of £271 the Charity would once again be operating at a loss.

The Bank balance in reserve increased by £420 from £3806 to £4226

Principal Funding Sources

The principal funding sources of the Charity is the sessional fees and fund raising. We have also been supported in the past with donations and grants, but these have been more difficult to obtain because of Covid 19 and fund raising was significantly reduced because of lockdowns and social distancing restrictions.

The Charity received a generous donation from the Co-Op Local Community fund of £1006.

Reserves Policy

The Trustees agreed a policy in March 2017 of having a reserve Bank balance of between £5000 and £10000, enough to cover three to six months planned expenditure. This has not yet been achieved but is moving each year in the right direction.

The reserves only stand at £4226, representing 2.5 months of planned expenditure.

As a result of Covid 19, lockdowns and social distancing guidelines we can only offer 3 weekly classes of up to 15 members per class.

We previously offered 4 weekly classes with up to 20 members per class. The cost per class remains the same.

The Trustees therefore reluctantly agreed to increase the monthly fees from £25 to £33 from 1/4/2021

The cost of each class would then increase from £6 to £8

The breakeven number at the current costs are 16 members per class. The Bank balance in reserve will help for periods of the year when we are operating below this level.

Plans for future periods

Registered Charity Number 1171462

The charity plans continuing the activities outlined above in the forthcoming years subject to satisfactory funding arrangements. The Charity is also considering new sources of funding from different organisations and finding different ways to fund raise within the group.

The charity will also continue to work towards the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and the Aquatic Therapy Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (ATACP) Standards for hydrotherapy services. These provide a set of quality standards for hydrotherapy services. Widely used by physiotherapists, they are endorsed by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

The organisation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with Voting Members. Registered as a charity on 3[rd] February 2017. The company was established with a constitution as its governing document. In the event of the company being wound up members have no liability to contribute to its assets and no personal responsibility for settling its debts and liabilities. Prior to registering as a charity, RAHG was operating as a small unregistered charity with a gross annual income of under £5,000.

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees and Management Committee

The Trustees of the charity are also the Management Committee in accordance with the General Regulations. Under the requirements of the Constitution one third of the Trustees shall retire from office at every Annual General Meeting. are elected to serve for a period of three years after which they must be re-elected at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM). Vacancies arising from this can be filled by the decision of its members at the AGM. Under the constitution any Trustee who retires from office is eligible for reappointment. The members or the Trustees may appoint a new Trustee as an additional Trustee at any time providing the number of Trustees does not exceed 12. Two members were approached by Katie Thorman to consider becoming Trustees, Christine Stiling and Peggy Gow. They both have had a background in health care and will make a valuable contribution as Trustees. They were appointed as Trustees at the Trustee meeting on 18/11/2019.

All the Trustees give their time voluntarily and received no benefits from the charity. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are recorded in the accounts.

Trustees retire by rotation and, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election.

Due to the nature of arthritis the majority of the charities work focuses upon older people. The Trustees seek to ensure that the needs of this group are appropriately reflected through the diversity of the trustee body. To enhance the potential pool of trustees, the charity has, through selective advertising within the organisation and networking with local medical practitioners, sought to identify carers and those suffering from arthritis who would be willing to become members of the group and use their own experience to assist the charity.

Registered Charity Number 1171462

The more traditional business and medical skills are well represented on the Board of Trustees. To maintain this broad skill mix, members of the board of Trustees are requested to provide a list of their skills on application.

The Chairman and Trustees all expressed their thanks to Katie Thorman for her continued enthusiasm, commitment and energy in delivering the weekly hydrotherapy classes and the creativity in producing and distributing the weekly exercise videos.

They also expressed their thanks for all the secretarial and administrative work undertaken which increased considerably as a result of Covid 19.

Trustee Induction and Training

Most of our Trustees are either directly or by association involved in the charity so are fully aware of the practical work of the charity. New Trustees are encouraged to read the Charities Commissions guidance document ‘The Essential Trustee’ to understand their duties as a Trustee. They are also given the charities constitution.

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Romsey Arthritis Hydrotherapy Group
Other name the charity uses	RAHG
Registered charity number	1171462
Charity’s principal address	Sunnyside, 18, School Road, West Wellow, Hampshire, England SO51 6AR.

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
	Graham Milner	Chairperson / Treasurer		RAHG Trustees
	Linda Hill			RAHG Trustees
	Christine Stiling			RAHG Trustees
	PeggyGow			RAHG Trustees
	CherryPayne			RAHG Trustees
	EmilyGambel			RAHG Trustees
	Katrina Thorman	Secretary		RAHG Trustees
	AnthonyWebber			RAHG Trustees

Registered Charity Number 1171462

Corporate trustees–names of	the directors at the date the report was approved	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

Registered Charity Number 1171462

RAHG INCOME & EXPENDITURE 1/4/20 TO 31/3/2021

INCOME £ Monthly Fees 14834 Lottery net of prizes 200 Fundraising 71 Donations 1006 Total Income 16111

EXPENDITURE Hydrotherapist 13845 Red Lodge Pool Hire 1283 Annual Insurance 184 Office Expenditure 339 Data Prorection 40 Total Expenditure 15691 Bank Balance 1/4/20 3806 Income less expenditure 420 Bank Balance 31/3/21 4226