OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2021-12-31-accounts

bjective s and A ctivities
soRp
reference
Introduction Donnie Berenblut was born on Thursday
20 April 2017.
He had Trisomy 18and was not expected to live more
than a few days or weeks.
ln the end, he lived 142
days, spending
the entirety of his life in neonatal
intensive
care at University
College Hospital,
London.
The care Donnie received was, at times,
ground-breaking,
creative, collaborative,
compassionate,
respectful
and outstanding,
And yet life
was really very hard for his family, who spent long
hours on the unit and faced uncertainty
and worry at all
times of day and night. Other families
with babies on
the neonatal
unit spoke of arduous
journeys,
stress and
financial sacrifices.
Donnie's
Fund seeks to address
some ofthese
challenges:
to improve
the lives of families
with babies
in neonatal
intensive
care through
projects that cannot
be paid for from NHS budgets.
The charity was founded
in 2017 and this 2021 report
is the charity's
fourth Annual
Report.
Summary
ofthe
purposes
of the
charity as set out in
its governing
document
Para 1.17 To promote
and protect good health for the public
benefit by: 1.providing
additional
resources,
equipment
and training
in University
College Hospitals,
London
and other hospitals,
hospices and medical facilities in
England; 2. To facilitate medical research
carried out in
England
and internationally;
and 3.To create resources
and raise awareness
for the furtherance
of
understanding
medical ethics.
Summary
ofthe
main activities
in
Para 1,17
and 1.19
Web-based camera system
relation to those
purposes
for the
public benefit,
in
articular
the
In 2018,the Trustees agreed to fund a statewf-the-art
camera system to allow families to see their babies
when away from the neonatal
unit. There is evidence
from the United States where such s stems are
activities, projects or widespread
that this alleviates
the logistical and
services identified in emotional
challenges
that families face when their baby
the accounts. is on a neonatal
unit.
The first shipment
offour neonatal
cameras arrived
in
the UK in 2019,the result ofsuccessfully
negotiating
a
cast-free trial period with the supplier,
Angel Eye, with
a
small number ofcameras.
We worked
very hard
in collaboration
with the neonatal
clinicians on logistics, governance,
engagement,
training
and feedback processes. Due to a combination
offactors, notably a hospital-wide
focus on the
installation
ofa new electronic patient record system,
the trial finally began
in January 2620.
Feedback from the staff and families was that the trial
was exceptionally
successful
in demonstrating
a
significant
positive impact on families without
unduly
impacting
on staff. We received
moving feedback from
some families who were fortunate
enough
to benefit
from the four trial cameras,
which remained
operational
throug hout 2020.
We finalised
our contract with the supplier,
the
additional
28 cameras were delivered
and all the IT
back-end
work was concluded
early
in 2020.
Unfortunately,
the Covid-19 pandemic
subsequently
placed heavy demands
on the entire hospital,
both
clinical and technical,
which
prevented
the additional
cameras
going live until
1 November
2020.
The Trustees negotiated
with the cameras'
supplier,
who agreed that our billing period should
begin from
1
November
2020. The 2021 accounts therefore
include
the first year's cost for the camera system.
Charitable
projects: Other
Donnie's
Fund pre-paid
for a year's worth ofmassage
therapy sessions for parents
in 2020. Unfortunately,
with the onset of Covid, the service had to be
suspended.
Sessions restarted
on 10 May 2021.The
relevant
expenditure
was therefore
in the 2020
accounts.
Even after resumption,
there were several weeks when
the practitioner
could not attend due to self-isolation
etc. Nonetheless,
across what was left of the year,
parents
received 134massages.
Among the many warm pieces offeedback received
were the following,
from parents,
each ofwhom spent
more than six months
on the neonatal
unit ("NNU"):
"Ithas been life changing.
A real change from the
madness
of having a child on the NNU. Thank you!
"These treatments
have made a huge difference to my
wellbeing
on the unit, and am very grateful for them.
I
hope it continues
to help other parents too. Thank you
so much!".
Statement The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the
confirming
whether
the trustees
have
guidance
issued by the Charity Commission
on public
benefit. This guidance
is on hand whenever
the
had regard to the
guidance
issued by
the Charity
Commission
on
Trustees meet and is referred to in particular
when
reviewing
the organisation's
aims and objectives and
planning
future activities and
in particular
when
decisions
regarding
spend are made.
in
ublic benefit
Additional Additional information information (optional) (optional)
You ma choose to indude further statements
where relevant about:
soRp
reference
Donnie's
Fund has no paid staff, and everything
it
Contribution
made
by volunteers
Para 1.38 achieves
is thanks to the efforts of volunteers.
We are
very grateful to the volunteers
who assist us and
provide
their skills and expertise
on a pro-bono basis,
including
maintaining
our website,
and our community
fundraisers.
In total, Donnie's
Fund raised just over E4,000 in the
year. This was significantly
down on previous
years
Performance of (approximately
f40,000 in 2020).
fundraising
activities
against objectives
set
Para 1.41 The reduced
income was the result of a considered
approach
by the Trustees,
who took the view that
active fundraising
should
not be pursued.
This position
was set at the 2020 Annual
General
Meeting, as
reported
last year, and confirmed
during 2021.
This was for two main reasons:
~
Donnie's
Fund has established
a reputation
for
successful
comedy events as its prime
mechanism
for fundraising.
The last such event
took place just before Covid
hit the UK in 2020.
With Covid rules fluctuating
throughout
2021, no
similar event could be planned.
~
successful
fundraising
in previous years, along
with the delayed
start of billing for the camera
system,
meant that the charity had cash in hand
and no driving need for active fundraising.
Therefore,
no income target was set for the year.
We remain
very grateful to our donors and all funds
raised are carefully used
in furtherance
ofour
charitable objectives.
We would
particularly
like to pay tribute to the late
Rosemary Beckett, a former midwife,
who heard ofthe
work ofour charity, was moved by it, and chose to
leave a legacy to Donnie's
Fund in her will. Itwas
extremely
kind of her to think ofus.
chieve men ts and Performance
SORP
reference
Web-based
camera system
We have received the following
data related to the
Summary
ofthe
main achievements
Para 1.20 usage of the camera system
in 2021:
ofthe charity,
identifying
the
difference
the
Number
offamilies signed
up in 2021; 325
Number
oftimes a camera was accessed by a family
in
charity's work has 2021:4,107
made to the Number
of minutes
cameras were viewed
by families
in
circumstances of its 2021:12,321
beneficiaries and
any wider benefits
society as a whole.
to Therefore, each of the 32 cameras was used by
approximately
10families
during
the course ofthe year,
each family used their camera approximately
12times,
and each viewing
session was 3 minutes,
on average.
The family with the most camera views
in 2021 viewed
their baby 199times
in the three months
that they
benefited
from our webcam
system.
We also received
moving
testimonials
about the impact
of the cameras,
in the year 2021.Three ofthese
comments
are included
here, verbatim:
"It's has been amazing
to have access to the camera
especially
for the extended
family, who can't meet our
baby right now including
my family
who live in another
country.
It also helped
me to establish
pumping
at the
beginning
of our journey. Thank you!"
"This is fantastic.
Really helped
with my own mental
health as was struggling
going through
big surgery
and
still not being able to see my baby. "
"My husband
and
I try to be there with our son 24hours
but there are occasions due to childcare for our eldest
that we cannot and having the camera to know he's not
crying
is a relief. "
Parents were surveyed
to ask them a raft ofquestions
about their attitudes
to the cameras. Among the
responses, 67.5%said having access "greatly reduces
my anxiety and stress", 100%felt that the system gave
them "a closer connection" to their bab
and 100%

R eview ofthe eview ofthe eview ofthe eview ofthe eview ofthe eview ofthe Para 1,21 During 2020, Donnie's
Fund received a total income
of
ch arity's financial E4,097.56. Fundraising
costs were zero.
po
th
sition at
e period
the end of Qf total expenditure
off24, 853.39, the vast majority
was on charitable
activities,
with f24,178spent on the
cameras project. Donnie's
Fund ended 2020 with
F92,937.95 in funds.
At the 2021 Annual
General
Meeting, the Trustees
reviewed
the financial
position
and opted to continue
the approach set in 2020 to hold back from significant
fundraising
for the present.
At the end of2021, the charity therefore
remained
comfortably
within the parameters
ofthe reserves
policy
',see below), but the policy will need to be
reviewed as part ofthe thinking
about the overall
strategy
of the charity.
Statement explaining Para 1.22 The Trustees have
in the past agreed to work towards;
the policy for holding
reserves
stating
why
they are held
~
Holding
sufficient
funds
to guarantee
the
continued
funding
of the camera project for
three financial years.
~
holding
reserves off10,000to fund shortfalls
in
income when
income does not reach expected
levels.
The remaining
general funds are held
in an accessible
current account as unrestricted
funds which may be
used generally
to further the Donnie's
Fund objectives.
The Trustees
will assess the need for investment
periodically,
including
at the AGM. Any funds invested
will be in schemes
marketed as 'low risk'.
Amount of reserves Para 1.22 Our reserves at 31 December 2021 were f92,937.95.
held
Reasons for holding Para 1.22 n/a
zero reserves
Details of fund Para 124 n/a
materiall in deficit
Explanation ofany Para 1.23 n/a
uncertainties about
the charity
continuing as a
oln con earn

tructure, Governance and Mana gement
Description ofcharity's
trusts:
Type ofgoverning
document
Para 1.25 Constitution
How is the charity Para 1.25 CIO
constituted?
Trustee selection methods Para 1,25 Trustees were appointed to four-year terms
including
details of any
constitutional
provisions e.g,
at the inception
of the charity. Methods
selection ofreplacement
Trustees are
for
to be
election to post or name of decided.
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees

eference and Administ rative
detai ls
Chari
name
Donnie's Fund
Other name the charit
uses
n/a
R
istered chari
number 1174829
Charity's
principal
address 58 Broadfieids Ave, Edgware, Middx HA8 8SW

~ ~
~ t
~ ~ ~ . ~ ~
~ ~
~ ~ ~
~ - t ~ ~ ~ I ~
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
~ - ~
~
~t
a