## **The**
## **Smallest Things**
_The Smallest Things trustees present their report for the year ending 15 December 2021._
_Catriona Ogilvy (charity founder and trustee), Sarah Miles (trustee) and Matt Wilkinson (trustee)_
## **Our Aims:**
Our overarching charitable aim is to promote the good health of premature babies and their families; raising awareness of premature birth and the needs of families following intensive care and promoting high quality care for mothers affected by postnatal depression, anxiety and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder associated with premature birth.
## **Our Objectives:**
The Smallest Things is a tiny charity with a big voice.
Our objectives reflect our charity’s aims and ethos and are targeted to benefit parents of premature babies and the long-term outcomes for children born prematurely directly.
In our work to support and promote the good health of premature babies and their families the trustees have acknowledge the need for the charity to continue to develop and grow and welcomed new volunteers to our team over the last year.
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance.
## _**Our key objectives for 2021 year have been:**_
- To continue to grow and expand The Smallest Things charity, raising awareness and providing support for families.
- To grow the Prem Aware Award scheme, supporting schools to help children born prematurely.
- To provide a parent voice in research supporting the long-term outcomes of children born prematurely.
**www.thesmallesttings.org**
**The Smallest Things Annual Report 2021**
**Achievements and Performance**
## **The Prem Aware Award Scheme:**
While being born early does not mean a child will have special educational needs (SEN), it does increase the chances. And with an average of two to three children in every classroom being born early, we felt it was essential for teachers to be aware of potential issues – and equipped with some strategies on how they can help.
The Prem Aware Scheme was launched in October 2020 to support teachers and schools to better understand how prematurity
can affect development, to recognise any additional learning needs and to support children on their journey through education to achieve their potential.
The scheme has grown over the last year and we now have schools across the UK undertaking the simple steps to become ‘Prem Aware’ **#PremAware**
## 1. **Train staff**
Senior members of your staff team will complete the free online training Preterm Birth Information for Educational Professionals developed by the PRISM study team and funded by the charity Action Medical Research. Training will then be cascaded to all school teaching staff.
## 2. **Raise awareness**
Encourage parents to share details of their child’s birth history, including specific questions relating to neonatal stays and preterm birth, through your school’s admission procedure for new pupils. Where information is made available from families and carers, teachers are to be aware of which children in their class were born preterm. PRISM poster will be displayed in the school.
## 3. **Ask for feedback**
Your school will seek the views of parents and carers to review and inform the Special Educational Needs support provided.
**www.thesmallesttings.org**
**The Smallest Things Annual Report 2021**
## **Growth**
In June 2021 we were delighted to welcome our first employee. Until this time the Charity had been run entirely by a team of dedicated volunteers. Funding for a one-year part time contact has allowed us to take on an Operations Manager, who is overseeing the day-to-day running of the charity and helping us to support many more families.
## **Newsletter**
Our monthly newsletter now goes out to families and supporters, providing our latest news and ways to support the ongoing work of the charity.
## **After NICU 2021: A Post Pandemic Report**
We published our After NICU 2021: A post pandemic report.
The report gave valuable insight into the long-term impact after premature birth and put the voice of parents at the very heart of the publication. Our report, published on World Prematurity Day, illustrates the importance of the Smallest Things work to improve the outcomes of children born prematurely and the experiences of families after neonatal intensive care.
## **Festival**
We celebrated world prematurity day with our first ever virtual festival. The day bought together professionals, parents and employers who all work to make the world a better place for children born prematurely and their families. The festival saw the launch of the After NICU 2021 report, hosted an ‘Employer with Heart’ panel, shared information about our Prem Aware award and the educational needs of children born prematurely, as well as hosting a ‘Dads do NICU’ discussion group.
**www.thesmallesttings.org**
**The Smallest Things Annual Report 2021**
## **Employer with Heart**
The Smallest Things knows that the journey does not end when you bring your baby home from hospital.
Parents have told us of the ongoing medical needs of babies born too soon, the complex array of mental health difficulties experienced by mothers and financial pressure placed upon families. Returning to work so soon after a baby has come home from hospital, whilst the trauma remains so raw and babies
are still so small, is an enormous strain on families, one which sees mothers leaving the workforce or taking periods of long-term sick leave. So, the Smallest Things has continued to ask employers to support parents of premature babies through our **Employer with Heart** scheme.
_**Organisations have continued to sign up to our charter, with many more working making the change.**_
## **A parent voice in research - supporting the long-term outcomes of children born prematurely:**
The Smallest Things has continued our involvement in research that considers the long-term outcomes for children born prematurely, ensuring the voice of parents is central to the projects taking place, as well as working to ensure that the findings of latest research are disseminated in an accessible way to families and that practical action is taken based on the findings. A particular focus this year has been on the educational needs of children born prematurely and readmissions to hospital after being discharged from neonatal care.
## **Finances and Accounts**
The Smallest Things is a small charity who receive small donations that’s to fundraising events throughout the year. This year we were selected as a company charity of the year, receiving a £6,250 donation and were thankful to receive a one-off personal donation of £20,000 to fund a part-time one-year contract for an operations manager post.
Details of our February 2021-February 2022 accounts can be seen below:
**www.thesmallesttings.org**
**The Smallest Things Annual Report 2021**
|Date|Details||Debit|Credit|Balance|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|25-Feb-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||4,100.50|
|22-Mar-
21|ACCENTURE UK LTD Donation|||6,250.00|10,350.57|
|25-Mar-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||10,332.57|
|26-Mar-
21|PERSONAL Donation|||20,000.00|30,332.57|
|30-Mar-
21|JUSTGIVING|||48.05|30,380.62|
|31-Mar-
21|Service Charge||-18||30,362.60|
|07-Apr-
21|JUSTGIVING|||146.55|30,509.17|
|21-Apr-
21|B/P to: Ms S L Miles||-66.24||30,442.93|
|26-Apr-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||30,424.93|
|28-Apr-
21|B/P to: Michelle Hird Infographics/Design||-200||30,224.93|
|05-May-
21|JUSTGIVING|||9.61|30,234.54|
|07-May-
21|B/P to: Valerie Wallace||-90||30,144.54|
|25-May-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||30,126.54|
|01-Jun-
21|JUSTGIVING|||193.59|30,320.13|
|02-Jun-
21|B/P to: Valerie Wallace||-60||30,260.13|
|25-Jun-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||30,242.13|
|28-Jun-
21|JUSTGIVING|||179.47|30,421.60|
|30-Jun-
21|B/P to: Fundraising Regula||-50||30,371.60|
|30-Jun-
21|Service Charge||-18||30,353.60|
|06-Jul-
21|JUSTGIVING|||485.47|30,839.07|
|12-Jul-
21|JUSTGIVING|||367.37|31,206.44|
|20-Jul-
21|GIVING COM LTD SAFEGUARD|||789.74|31,996.18|
|26-Jul-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||31,978.18|
|29-Jul-
21|B/P to: Matt Wilkinson||-203.47||31,774.71|
|29-Jul-
21|B/P to: Fiona Hatcher (Staff Salary)||-
1,501.91||30,272.80|
|03-Aug-
21|GIVING COM LTD SAFEGUARD|||155.18|30,427.98|
|10-Aug-
21|JUSTGIVING|||311.12|30,739.10|
|13-Aug-
21|B/P to: HMRC Cumbernauld||-398.83||30,340.27|
|16-Aug-
21|JUSTGIVING|||129.26|30,469.53|
|25-Aug-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||30,451.53|
|27-Aug-
21|B/P to: Catriona Ogilvy||-309.99||30,141.54|
**www.thesmallesttings.org**
**The Smallest Things Annual Report 2021**
|27-Aug-
21|B/P to: Fiona Hatcher (Staff Salary)||-
1,325.44||28,816.10|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|14-Sep-
21|GIVING COM LTD SAFEGUARD|||347.57|29,163.67|
|15-Sep-
21|Direct Debit (ENABLE LTD)||-475.2||28,688.47|
|21-Sep-
21|GIVING COM LTD SAFEGUARD|||157.22|28,845.69|
|27-Sep-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||28,827.69|
|28-Sep-
21|B/P to: Fiona Hatcher (Staff Salary)||-922.87||27,904.82|
|28-Sep-
21|B/P to: HMRC Cumbernauld||-279.85||27,624.97|
|28-Sep-
21|B/P to: Matt Wilkinson||-35.98||27,588.99|
|30-Sep-
21|Service Charge||-18||27,570.99|
|01-Oct-
21|VOCATIONAL SKILLS SOLUTIONS LIMITED - Do-
nation|||1,500.00|29,070.99|
|06-Oct-
21|B/P to: Ms S L Miles||-54||29,016.99|
|06-Oct-
21|B/P to: HMRC Cumbernauld||-15.32||29,001.67|
|11-Oct-
21|Direct Debit (NEST)||-28.58||28,973.09|
|12-Oct-
21|JUSTGIVING|||137.14|29,110.23|
|25-Oct-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||29,092.23|
|28-Oct-
21|B/P to: Fiona Hatcher (Staff Salary)||-801.96||28,290.27|
|01-Nov-
21|JUSTGIVING|||38.84|28,329.11|
|10-Nov-
21|Direct Debit (NEST)||-16.15||28,312.96|
|25-Nov-
21|EVENTBRITE WPD Fesitval|||191.85|28,504.81|
|25-Nov-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||28,486.81|
|29-Nov-
21|B/P to: Catriona Ogilvy||-62.39||28,424.42|
|29-Nov-
21|B/P to: MARTIN COTTERELL||-500||27,924.42|
|29-Nov-
21|B/P to: Catriona Ogilvy||-50||27,874.42|
|29-Nov-
21|B/P to: Fiona Hatcher (Staff Salary)||-801.96||27,072.46|
|30-Nov-
21|JUSTGIVING|||33.73|27,106.19|
|10-Dec-
21|Direct Debit (NEST)||-68.6||27,037.59|
|24-Dec-
21|JUSTGIVING|||29.03|27,066.62|
|24-Dec-
21|B/P to: Fiona Hatcher (Staff Salary)||-840.22||26,226.40|
|29-Dec-
21|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||26,208.40|
|31-Dec-
21|Service Charge||-18||26,190.40|
|10-Jan-
22|Direct Debit (NEST)||-24.9||26,165.50|
**www.thesmallesttings.org**
**The Smallest Things Annual Report 2021**
|10-Jan-
22|Inward Payment - SMURFIT KAPPA UK LTD|||250|26,415.50|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|11-Jan-
22|B/P to: Ms S L Miles||-66.24||26,349.26|
|18-Jan-
22|JUSTGIVING|||117.12|26,466.38|
|25-Jan-
22|Direct Debit (GIVING.COM / JUSTG)||-18||26,448.38|
|28-Jan-
22|B/P to: Fiona Hatcher (Staff Salary)||-
1,287.04||25,161.34|
|01-Feb-
22|JUSTGIVING|||48.85|25,210.19|
|10-Feb-
22|Direct Debit (NEST)||-68.6||25,141.59|
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The Smallest Things trustees, who all volunteer their time freely and no remuneration or expenses have been paid this year, have continued to meet regularly via video conferencing. They look forward to meeting face-to-face, the first time since the start of the Covid19 pandemic in April 2022.
An activity plan continues to structure our work for the year and enables us to evaluate our effectiveness. Our overarching objectives are now clearly documented in our formal 20202023 strategy document.
**The Smallest Things 1171631 104 Strathyre Avenue, SW16 4RQ www.thesmallestthings.org**
## **ENDs**
**www.thesmallesttings.org**
**The Smallest Things Annual Report 2021**