Staffordshire Sight Loss Association
(Registered charity, number 1176919)
Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2021
Page
Contents
Trustees, annual report
Independent examiner's report
Receipt5 & Payments Account
Statement of Asseis & Liabililies
Notes io the Accounts
io

staffordshire Sight Loss Association
Trustees, Annual Report
for the year ended 31 December 2021
Full name Slaffordshire Sight Loss Association
Registered charity number 1176919
Principal address
l Ketton Close
stoke-on-Trent
ST6 6UE
Trustees
Andrea Scott (Chairl
Linda Dunn {Treasurerl
Sandra 8arlow (Secretary)
lan Wilishaw
Bankers
Na￿est
Independent examiner
Daryl Denson ACMA
VAST
The Dudson Cenire
Hope Street
Hanley
stoke on Trent
STI 5DD
Charlty Objectives
For the public benefit to promote the relief of blind and partially sighted people, their friends,
families and carers who primarsly (but not exclusively) live in Staffordshire, including Ihose
who may not be registered as Blindl Severely Sight Impaired or Partially Sightedl Sight
Impaired, by such means as the trustees think tit including..
Providing services, advice and information, social activitieslopportunities and peer support,.
Increasing public awareness of the needs of blind and partially sighted people
Governance and rnanagement
The Charity is governed by a Charitable Incorporated Organisation Constitution (Foundation Model).
adopted on 31si January 2018.
The methods adopted for the recrultment and appointment of new trustees
The Iruslees ol the charity fflust be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened
meeting of the charity trustees
Related Parties
Staffordshire Sight Loss operates independently and has no related paty transactions.

Staffordshire Sight Loss Association
Trustees. Annual Report (continued)
for the year ended 31 December 2021
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit
Advice, infoTmation, and support around living independently with sight loss, including
welfare rights, concessions, advice about equipment. support with forms. grant
applications and housing issues.
Community Hubs which include a pop-up Resource Centre thai provides opportunities for
member5 of the commuT)ity to come and try a wide range of daily living equipment.
Beneficiaries can also attend our Community Hubs for advice and information, support
wilh forms and a coffee and chal. This geNice became available as a weekly seNice in
Hanley from June 2021 and a monthly service in Biddulph from Auoust 2021 with plans 10
expand lo other areas in 2022.
Peer supportl social groups, for the first part of 2021 these were delivered as online
groups with in-person groups being reintroduced from August in Hanley, Leek and
Newcastle. At the end of the year, we offer a blend of online and in-person social groups
with plans to expand our in-per50n groups to other lo¢aiions in 2022.
Weekly Hanley braille class which began in Augvst 2021.
Weekly online yoga class and monthly online book club
Group excursions.. In October we arranged a group visit to the British Ceramics Biennial
Festival for plate making and ceramics handling. In December we arranged a group visit
lo a local Art event presented by local Arts organisation Appetite. held at Staffordshire
University called 'Lookoul'. Vve plan to organise further outings in 2022.
Technology Support Service to support people lo use technology fDr independence,
including phones, lableis, computers and smart speakers.
Telephone peer supportl befrienijing service.. a weekly or fortnightly call from someone
with lived experience of sight loss
Regular newsletter produced in a range of formats lo maximise accessibility
Social media pages including a closed Facebook group for information sharing and peer
support and the delivery of Inieractive Facebook1ive videos for sharing informaiion,
asking questions and engaging with others.
Accessible volunteer opportunities
Public Beneflt
The trustees of the Charity are aware of the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit
and have had regard to it in their administration of the Charity.
Achievements and Performance
StatFordshire Sight L05s Association was set up in 2018 10 provide in-person support services
for blin¢J and partially sighied people living in North Slaffordshire, In 2020 like many other
charrties. we had lo adapi ihe way ihai we were delivering setvices due to the COVID19
pandemic. Face to face services were not possible and we adapted by providing a variety of
online and telephone-based services.
On the 41h January 2021 the country's third national lockdown began and in February 2021 the
Prime Minister announced the Govemmenl's planned 'Roadmap out of lockdown,, a 4-step
approach involving the gradual easing ol restrictions with the hope that all legal limits on social
contact would be removed by the end of June 2021.
From January until June we continued to provide online and telephone-based services including
advice and information, support with welfare rights issues, online groups and telephone peer
support. Staff and volunteers worked from home and trustee meetings were conducied online.

Staffordshire Sight Loss Association
Trustees, Annual Report (continued)
for the year ended 31 December 2021
Achievements and Performance (¢ontinued)
In April 2021 non-essential shops reopened as well a5 hospitality venues. After careful
consideration, a thorough risk assessment, consultation with our community and taking into
account government guidance we decided lo open our Hanley Community Hub in a restricted
formal on the Isi June 2021. This would include a Resource Centre and would be a place where
the community could Come lo find out about and try a wide range of equipment that can help
with living independently. They could a150 gei specialist advice and information, find out about
seNices, get help with forms and claims. We held a small opening event thal was attended by
the Lord Mayor ol Sloke-on-Trenl, Dr Chandra Kanneganti, local MP Jo Gideon and staff and
volunteers. We initially delivered this service weekly on an appoiniment onty basis but later in
the year we were able to deliver this as a drop-in.
In June we also began lo offer advice and support through home visits which made this service
more accessible and practical for many people. On the 19lh July all restrictions on social contact
were lifted by the Government. By this point volunteers were able lo work from the office, helping
with aLlministration tasks. Many people in our community told us that they wanted in-person
social groups to become available while others undersiandably did not feel ready at that point.
Community venues were also reopening which would allow us to launch community-based
social groups and Community Hub drop-ins.
We continued to provide our online group5 and in August we launched in-person social groups
in Hanley, Leek and Newcaslle. a monthly Community-Hub drop-in at Biddulph Town Hall and
a weekly braille class in Hanley. In the Autumn we a150 planned some group outings including
a trip to the British Ceramics Biennial Feslival.
Al the end of the year, we continue to deliver a blend of in-person and remote services.
Feedback shows us thai this is meeTrng current needs. Despite the lifting of restrictions not
everyone is ready to mix publicly. the pandemic and stayinu al home for long periods has
affected people's confidence to go out and many people fear the risk oftransmission while using
public tran5POrt.
We are proud that we have been able to adapt quickly to the needs of our eommunity over whal
has been a very challenging lime for all charities. We know that in-person setvices are valued
by our beneficiaries as il 15 very difficult to know if a piece of daily living equipment will help
without trying it out in person or to learn how to use a smartphone without someone physically
being there 10 Show you.
We feel that we have been able to re-introduce face to face services in a safe way at ihe right
pace for our community. We have launched services that are new for our charity this year
including our Resource Centre, Community Hubs. and braille class. Our remote and in-person
services have achieved many positive outcomes tor the local people that we have supported.
and we have received lots ot very positive feedback trom the community. We could not have
delivered these services without the support of our volunteers. lunders, partners, and
supporters.
Volunteers have played a huge part in all areas oflhe charity's work in 2021 includirlg supporting
services (for example with administration tasks, technology support, telephone peer suppori
and hosting online social groups). attending Steering Group meetings, helping wrth SOCI￿ media
and fundraising. We wouSd also like to thank our panners who have helped us to spread the
word about the services that we offer. This year we have developed existing relationships and
forged new ones. Our partners Include ihe Eye Clinic Li￿sOn Officers al the Royal Stoke
Hospital, the Socal Sensory Teams at Stoke-on-Trent and siaffordshire County Council, local
Social Prescribers. The Macular Society, East Cheshire Eye Society, Disability Solutions. the
RNIB, Guide Dogs, Blind Veterans, Appetite and our local Talking Newspapers.
This year we have also welcomed a new Independent Living Coordinator to our team who is
supporting our social groups, drop-ins, and advice service. Al the end of the year our team is
made up of 4 trustees, 3 staff members and 16 volunteers.

Staffordshire Sight Loss Association
Trustees, Annual Report (continued)
for the year ended 31 December 2021
Flnancial Review
Staffordshire Sight Loss Association had an income of £83,702.93 in the tinancial year 2021.
Most of this funding (£54,956) came from a 2-year Naiional Lottery Communrty Fund grani. The
grant was provided lo deliver our Independence and Wellbeing Project. and this has made up
much ol our service delivery for 2021. The iolal grant is for £140,477.08, and it5 aim was lo re-
introduce face to face services for blind and partially sighted people who live in North
Staffordshire.
The project began in February 2020 shortly before the first national lockdown which started in
March 2020 and as a result. we could not deliver this project in the way that we originally
intended. The Nationa1 Lollery has been very supportive in allowing us to adapt our project
through this challenging time lo Tneei the immediate needs of our communty and it has
supported a range ol online and telephone-based services,
We are approaching the end of our Independence and Wellbeinll Proje¢l, and we feel ihal we
have taken big steps 10 move the project back towards ils intended activities as reslriclions have
eased over the last 6 months. This has not however left us lime to fully execute all of our plans
which included community.based services across North St&ffordshlre.
We are however pleased that al the end of 2021 we are ai the final applicaiion stage lor a new
3-year grant from the National Lottery Community Fund which if successful will allow us lo
continue and develop the work ol our current projeci.
During 2021 we have also received a final payment of £819 from the Staffordshire Community
Foundation.. this payment was part ol a COVID support grant lotalling £2279. We received a
grant from the National Lottery's Awards for All funding stream to support us 10 meet an
increased demand for our Independent Living Service. We also received a grant for £5837 from
the Bishop Stamer Fund throuoh the Staffordshire Foundation, this oranl has enabled us to
furnish our Community Room.
The remainder of our income has come from an unfeslricied grani from the Edgar Lawley
Foundation1£1500}. a £2500 donation from the Etruscan Lodge, a grant 10 enable us lo take
part in VAST'S Community Health Champion Project1£2250 with a Tèmaining £750 to be paid
ai the end ol ihe proje¢t) as well as voluntary donations, fundraising aciivities, and sale ol daily
living equipment.
We rent an office space on Albion Street in Hanley and our assets con51st of our oftice ftjrnilure
and equipmeni (for example our printer, laptops, phones elc,). daily living equipmeni and
technology purchased lor demonstration purposes at our Community Hubs and stock for our
resource centre.
At year end the charity has a balance of £25,773. £6,203 01 this is unrestricted funds and the
remaining £19.569 is restricted.
Our expenditure for the year has been £111,525. Our expenditure 15 more than our income for
the year and this is largely due lo restricted grants received in 2020 for capital items {e.g..
equipment for demonstration and furniture) that were purchased in 2021. We were unable to
Use this grant money in Ihe previous year due io lockdowns, working from home and reslriclions
on seNices.
We are very grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund lor their support this year and lo
all our other funders and supporters.

Staffordshire Sight Loss Association
Trustees, Annual Report (continued)
for the year ended 31 December 2021
Reserves Policy
The charity has a reserves policy, As a relatively new charity that has been operaiing for just
under 4 years, we have been gradually building our reserves during that lime and reserves have
increased year on year, Unreslricled resetves are currently £6.203 which equates 10 just over I
month's running costs for current activity levels. Building up reserves has been challenging over
the last 18 months as fundraising aciivities have been impacted by the pandemic.
Our Reserves policy identities that we need 10 increase our reserves lo a level that will cover
continuity, restructuring 10 cover essential aciivilies where necessary lo source further income
and a Dis501ution Fund lo provide lor dissolution should the charity be unable to continue. Al this
point we aim to increase our Reserves to £20.000 and we have developed a Sustainability Plan
that will help us 10 achieve this goal over the next 3 years.
Due to the nature of the organisation and the regular review ol the budget our Reserves Poli¢y
will be reviewed on an annual basis lo ensure that il reffects what is needed for continuity, that
the reslrucluring element matches the requirements of our aclivitles, and that the dissolution
element matches the requirements ot staffing levels.
Signed on behalf of the charity's Iruslees..
Signed
Andrea Scott Chair
Date
Signed
Linda Dunn Treasurer
Date

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of
Staffordshire Sight Loss Association
for the year ended 31 December 2021
I report to ihe charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the period
ended 31 March 2021 which are set out on pages 7 to 9.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
As the charity's trustees of Staffordshire Sighi Loss Association, you are responsible for the
preparation of the accounts in accordance with requirements of the Charities Act 20111'the Act).
I report in respeci of my examination of Slaffordshire Sight Loss Asso¢iaiion accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the
applicable Directions given by the Charrty Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in
connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect..
l. Accounting records were not kept in respect of Slaffordshire Sight Loss Association as
required by section 130 of ihe Act.. or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records., or
3. the accounts to not comply wtth the accounting requirements concerning the form and
content of aceounts sei out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports} Regulations 2008
other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view, which is not
matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to
which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding ol the
accounis to be reached.
Signed
Daryl Denson AC
VAST
Dale
2511012022

Staffordshire Sight Loss Association
Receipts & Payments Account
for the year ended 31 December 2021
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2021
Total
2020
Receipts
Social Groups
Grants
Donation
Events
Sales
Fundraising
Miscellaneous income
Total receipts
78
6,250
210
217
2.797
650
2,769
12,971
78
76.981
210
217
2,797
650
2,769
83,702
70.731
93,333
546
402
238
704
95.266
70.731
Payments
Equipment
Other Purchases
Salaries plus expenses
Adfflinistrator
Social Groups
Volunteer Expenses
Rent and Storage
Room Hire
ottice Set Up
Daiabase
Staff Training
Miscellaneous expenditure
Yoga
Fundraising
Accountsncy
Phone and Inlernel
Stationary and Poslage
Insurance
Professional Services
Rates
Subscriptions & Memberships
Monitoring & Evaluation
Project Managemeni Support
Transcripts
Repairs & Decoraiions
Marketing
Total payments
4,946
2,349
23,542
28,488
2.349
33,031
12,427
1.819
875
13,242
714
3,086
33,031
12.427
1,776
787
12.355
714
19,794
6,534
425
493
6,247
43
88
887
3,007
1,900
369
704
308
344
95
551
708
469
665
816
449
816
462
264
522
13
264
522
34
210
50
1.311
737
724
1,345
947
774
160
162
6,000
5,100
244
311
535
101,181
160
295
6.000
5,100
433
552
909
111,524
133
189
241
374
10,343
1,322
47,021
Net receiptsl{payments)
Cash funds at siart of ihis period
Transfers between funds
Cash lunds at end of this period
2.628
3,575
(30,450)
50,020
(27.822)
53,595
48,245
5,350
6.203
19,570
25,773
53,595

staffordshire Sight Loss Association
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
at 31 December 2021
20
2020
Cash assets
Bank Current Accouni
25,773
25,773
53,595
53,595
Liabilites due
Accountancy Fees
600
600
570
570
These financial statements
re accepted on behalf of the charity by..
Dated I
Signed
Andrea Scott Chair
KO
Signed
Linda Dunn Treasurer
Dated 24LL2L

Staffordshire Sight Loss Association
Notes to the Accounts
for the year ended 31 December 2021
l. Receipts & payments accounts
Receipts and payments accounts are statements that summarise the movement ol eash into and
out of the charity during the financial year. In this context'cash. includes cash equiv8lents. for
example, bank accounts where cash can be readily withdrawn to pay lor debts as they become
due. For the purposes of understanding a statement ol assels and liabilities at the year-end has
been included.
2. Trustees, remuneration
Trustees received no expenses. remuneration or benefits in this year.
3. Funds
Opening
balance
Receipts
Payments
Closing
balante
Restricted Funds
National Lottery- CF
National Lottery - Awards for All
Community Foundation Staffordshire
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Tackling Inequalities Fund
One Family Foundaiion
43,903
54,956
9,119
6,656
(82,0781
19,1191
14,1341
{850}
16,781
2,525
850
264
5,000
50,020
264
5,000
101,181
70,731
19,570
Unrestrlcted Funds
General Funds
3,575
3,575
12,971
12.971
10.343
10,343
6,203
6.203
Total
53,595
83,702
{111,524
25,773
io