## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 2023/24** **From** 5th April 2023 – 4[th] April 2024 **Charity name:** FASD AWARENESS **Charity registration number:** 1176933 ## **Objectives and Activities** |Summary of the
purposes of the
charity as set out in
its governing
document|The Objects of the charity are:
1. To relieve the needs of sufferers of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder (FASD) and those whose lives are affected by the
condition who live or work in the area of benefit or
neighbouring areas, through the provision of support,
education and practical advice.
2. To advance the education of the public in all areas relating
to Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) including the
promotion of research for the public benefit in all aspects of
FASD and to publish the useful results.
The area of benefit is the Southeast of England, County of Kent
and Medway Unitary Authority, United Kingdom and worldwide.| |---|---| |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.|1. To raise awareness of the key features and lived experience
of individuals affected by Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
(FASD) via talks, training, films and social media.
2. To provide support for individuals and families affected by
FASD eg via support groups and group outings.
3. To develop relationships with key partners, in particular
with the Kent & Medway CCG, and create a system to
ensure professionals offer appropriate, expert help.
4. To continue to develop relationships with other FASD &
Neurodisability charities both locally and nationwide.| |Statement
confirming
whether the
trustees have had
regard to the
guidance issued by
the Charity
Commission on
public benefit|The trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission
guidance on public benefit. They can confirm that all the activities
carried out in the year 2023/24 were consistent with this benefit.
The trustees met quarterly in-person during the year and discussed
issues between meetings via email and the Trustees’ WhatsApp
Group.| A new chair (Peggy Murphy) was appointed, and a skills audit carried out to look for gaps in expertise on the board of trustees. New trustees are being sourced as a result. ## **Achievements and Performance** |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.|2023/24 threw up challenges for us as we unexpectedly lost funding from
the ICB, despite the larger number of families we were still supporting.
However, we have managed to streamline our services effectively and
continue to deliver a vital support to the FASD community whilst creating
greater awareness in a wider audience. We may not have been able to
expand our services in the way we hoped due to funding cuts, but we
have focused on improving the delivery of what we do best and increased
our clientele by nearly 200% in 2023.
Our support groups and friendship groups continue to be the bedrock of
our organisation. Numbers are increasing, but the impact of the sessions
is becoming more evident as the years progress. Many of the families who
join, have 1:1 emergency sessions, engage with these sessions, and find
the strategies and resources have transformed their family lives. The
feedback is often touching and profound.
Our sourced guest speakers for webinars are led by our service users’
needs. The bonds built in the friendship groups run by Maggie May, are
really beginning to gel; a rare thing for individuals with FASD. We have
regular attendees who are now requesting 2 sessions per month. We
have also identified the need for a “mentorship” programme, siblings
group and_Guys_support group. We are including these in our funding
applications through 2024.
Following the success of our #BeAware educational films and case studies,
we completed another case study film#3; “Sushma & Layla’s story”. This
film tells the uplifting story of a young child (Layla) diagnosed with FASD
who is adopted by her foster family and was launched in FASD Awareness
month September2023.
Our webinars are proving more popular and are being shared worldwide.
Quotes and soundbites from the webinars are being requested by
organisations as evidence to support their own awareness campaigns.
The Eventbrite evaluation forms are very complimentary and gives us a
clear idea of what our attendees enjoy, potential future guest suggestions
and also the demographics of the audience. There is a good mix of
professionals from all sectors and parent/ carers. It is also adding to our
database by 200 per month.
We have been able to attract some of the most influential figures in the
FASD world to present webinars, from clinicians to those with the lived
experience. These have become very popular with our audiences as they
provide a greater understanding of what it looks like to live with FASD, as
well as what resources,maskingmethods and strategies are commonly| |---|---| used to get through each and every day. They provide helpful information for families, educators, social care, and medical professionals alike. These webinars are then posted onto our YouTube channel where many people then go on to view the entire series of webinars. We have been delivering a series of online training sessions at different times in the day to suit a varied audience (“An overview of FASD”). These have included an adult with FASD sharing the lived experience perspective. All sessions have been well-attended and cater to the great number of requests from local authorities, public sector workers and parent carers for training. It has also provided the charity with a muchneeded form of income. We also deliver bespoke training “live” in schools and at foster and adoption services. Since the FASD NICE quality standards were launched, we have prepared ourselves to accommodate the increased demand for awareness of FASD and support ICB’s and other sectors to manage the greater numbers of individuals and families needing advice and support. |Achievements
against
objectives set|We use our Business & Development Plan which includes a tracker that
trustees use to monitor progress towards meeting goals. We have
collected data and we know that, typically, we have around 30 attendees
to the day out events and 6 – 12 people at each of our Youth and Adult
support group meetings.
An impact report collated all evaluations following webinars, support
groups and training sessions. A survey was also carried out to identify key
areas of success and areas where we could improve our services. In the
large part, these were very encouraging and, at times. incredibly touching.
However, it also identified that many families needed alternative timings
for the activities that are delivered.
We have been networking with local organisations and have developed
close connections with other charities, local councillors, fundraising
organisations, and trusts. We attended the Medway Voluntary Action
AGM and have joined their new online referral service, ‘Joy’. Our
connection with Medway Neurological Network has helped us set up the
Neuro Café Programme. We have worked closely with Kent Community
Foundation and Tunstall Jubilee Foundation to establish continued
funding in order to support the future programmes to be able to fill the
gaps that we have identified. These long-term relationships will help FASD
Awareness grow and be better supported where needed.
We have achieved our objective of being a voice for people with FASD.
Through the inclusion of many people with FASD in our training and on
our Webinar series, we are giving a voice to the lived experience. Locally,
we have done that via being a member of the NHS ICB group responsible
for FASD and nationally through the FASD UK Alliance. Our #BeAware
campaign continues to be shared worldwide and included in training for
other medical professionals and organisations worldwide.| |---|---| ||We have identified, through our support program, that many families are
struggling with individuals transitioning into adulthood and getting
involved in the Criminal Justice System. As a result, our CEO has become
part of a collaborative project to research and collate data around FASD in
the CJS. Meetings are being held regularly with multiple agencies
including, the Police, Judiciary, Legal, Probation, Charitable organisations,
Academics in Salford, Bristol and Cardiff Metropolitan Universities and
families with lived experience. We have added this as a goal to our
Strategic Plan moving forward in 2024.
Internally, we are looking to further strengthen our board and have a
small group of committed trustees who give many hours to the charity.
We have also looked at the growth and sustainability of the charity. We
are looking to bring in a company to support these ends.| |---|---| |Performance
of fundraising
activities
against
objectives set|We met our fundraising target for the year, despite some initial
challenges. Significant time and resource was reallocated to meet this
target.| ## **Financial Review** |Review of the
charity’s financial
position at the end
of the period|Despite a difficult time sourcing funding, we have been able to
increase our reserves, while focusing on streamlining our activities
and support offer. A much better year financially, gives the charity
a good base to move forward into the next financial period whilst
focusing on our key deliverables.| |---|---| |Statement
explaining the policy
for holding reserves
stating why they are
held|As funding becomes ever more difficult to source, the charity took
the decision that it would be good practice to ensure we hold a
minimum of 3 months core running costs as a reserve. This was
estimated to be the minimum period of time that services could be
streamlined as required whilst additional funding is sourced.| |Amount of reserves
held|£ 10,000| |Reasons for holding
zero reserves|N/A| |Details of fund
materiallyin deficit|N/A| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about
the charity
continuing as a
goingconcern|N/A| ||| |The charity’s
principal sources of|Our main sources of funding are grant-giving trusts. In addition, we
receive a small amount of money from individual donations and
from businesses.| |funds (including any
fundraising)|| |---|---| |Investment policy
and objectives
including any social
investment policy
adopted|We have not adopted an Investment Policy as do not have funds to
invest. We have a small amount of reserves which is kept in our
savings bank account.| |A description of the
principal risks facing
the charity|Lack of funding and not maintaining our staff and volunteers are
our biggest risks. Our staff are under constant pressure to do a lot
with not very much resource. There is also a risk in that the charity
relies heavily on a very small number of people.
In order to mitigate these risks, we now have clear funding
priorities and clear costings of projects and core work. This has
helped us to maintain a steady growth in funding. We are also
looking at sourcing an outside company to help us with the
charity’s growth and sustainability.| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |How is the charity
constituted?|Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), only voting members are
its charity trustees. ‘Foundation’ Model.| |---|---| |Trustee selection
methods including
details of any
constitutional
provisions.|In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the
trustees have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed
for the effective administration of the CIO and what skills are missing
from the trustee board.
Apart from the first charity trustees, trustees are appointed for a
term of 3 years by a resolution passed at a properly convened
meeting of the charity trustees; normally this is our AGM. They may
stand for a second term but after that there must a gap of at least
one year before re-appointment.
Trustees are interviewed in accordance with the Safer Recruitment
policy and all necessary DBS checks and references are taken.| ## **Conclusion** In conclusion, we have found that our focus on the Business & Development Plan which includes a tracker that trustees use to monitor progress towards goals, has helped us streamline our operations without distraction. This has helped us to target the areas that have the greatest impact whilst looking into improving other key areas of our work. We are always grateful for the tireless work of our small team, and the constant stream of appreciative messages from the families, organisations and individuals that we support. ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charityname|FASD Awareness| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|FASD Awareness South East| |Registered charity number|1176933| |Charity’s principal address|1b William Street.
Rainham, Gillingham
KENT
ME8 8HN| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**|**Name of person who**
**interviewed/ appointed trustee**| |---|---|---|---| |Peggy Murphy|Chair|Appointed as Chair on 14th
June 2023|A Keeping and Andy
Nichols| |Dr Adesoji Abiona||2018 (reappointed at AGM)|Founding trustee| |Deborah
Matthews|Treasurer|Appointed January 2020|A Keeping and P Rorison| |Paul Allen||2018 (Reappointed at AGM)|Founding trustee| |Andy Nichols|Vice –
Chair|Appointed 20th September
2021|A Keeping and W Spears| |Sophie Cartwright||Appointed July 2020|A Keeping and W Spears| |Lyndon McLean||Appointed 20thSeptember
2021
Stood down on 13th
September 2023|A Keeping and W Spears| ||||| ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** Peggy Mur h p y Deborah Matthews **Full name(s)** Peggy Murphy **Position (eg Secretary,** Chair Treasurer **Chair, etc) Date** October 8th 2024 WARENESS FASD Awareness Flnanclals 2023 - 2024 £31th61 SI￿4 £L¢èJ. É6aA7 *i¥o £3$ £81.9J HIARt i¢k ar< FASOirnh IMIMnc4& Renl TO. £0. uaSAI atrfl¥t St￿ work￿k￿￿r0￿ ?1￿*# Adm I￿￿j>j nim IJ £510 *¥ Éui li tcs PrthTI rtc6 CCG W*bknors 5¢hool& c(¢ £625 41 QYTI TJF £12Q( 7Q MDTQ KCF OwÈ¥qn ¥arf 1850 202>14 510x0 TrAtPT TPL £4.256 l]F £a CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to tho trusteesl members of A)? On accounts for the year ended Charity no (if any) 1171, (33 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {"the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan￿ with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (llhe Act") I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's 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 Charity Commission under section 145151(bl of the Act. Independent IThe charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualified to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of linsert name of applicable listed bodyll. Delete I l if not 8pplicable. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examinalion lolher than that disclosed below ') which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not keo in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act.. or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records,. or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 otherthan any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter onsidered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have Gome across no other matters in connertion with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 2v Name: Relevant professional qualificationls) or body LOrf/&£i i) //Jiii . 1-6oE.HIq Oct 2018 IER lif any): Address: rtLLo¢JfiLL Si i /ihJ6"_4c. c k Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlighl material matters of con￿rn (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disGlose. J/k IER Oct 2018