**Annual Report** – (1[st] September 2024 31[st] August 2025) ## **Our Vision** **Our Vision is to encourage girls to discover their strengths and know their true worth.** ## **Our Values** - **R Respect** - **U Understand** - **B Believe** - **I Inspire** - **E Encourage** - **S Stay Safe** ## **Our Aims** **Our Aims are to support girls to:** - **I. Increase Self-Esteem** - **II. Build Resilience** - **III. Stay Safe** ## **Our Board of Trustees** - **Chair: Ruth Fox** - **Trustee: Caroline Singleton (Treasurer)** - **Trustee: Vanessa Kirby** - **Trustee: Janet Tuner (Safeguarding Lead)** - **Trustee: Tracey Brittain** **Trustee: Jade Wadrop** ## **Charity Details** **Registered Address: 14 Middlesbrough Road, South Bank Middlesbrough TS6 6NR Telephone: 07307 848057** **Email: info@rubiescharity.org Website: www.rubiescharity.org Social Media: @Rubies Charity** **Registered Charity Number 1177332** ## **A Message from our Chair of Trustees** **Celebrating Another Year of Rubies!** **– This year we celebrated seven years of Rubies and what an incredible difference those years have made in the lives of girls and their families across our community.** — — Rubies has been a source of support, guidance, a listening ear, and most importantly hope for girls facing a variety of challenges. Through engaging activities like GLOW Groups, they’ve enjoyed crafts, beauty sessions, cooking, sports, and unforgettable experiences such as attending football matches, exploring London, touring the Houses of Parliament, and even meeting celebrities. Over time, our team has grown significantly. So much so that our current space no longer meets our needs, and we’re actively searching for a new place to call “home.” Volunteers have played a vital role — along the way bringing energy, fresh ideas, and valuable skills that continue to enrich our work. We’ve partnered with a range of thematic groups to raise awareness around the needs of young girls, and we’re proud to see their voices being heard more than ever. We firmly believe in listening to the girls themselves—it’s about what they want and need, not what we assume they do. It’s been a true privilege to be part of Rubies for the past six years. The girls continue to inspire me every day, and I know the team is more committed than ever to deepening their impact and reaching even more girls in meaningful ways. ## **Ruth Fox** ## **Schools Work** During this year we worked with **276 girls** in **15 primary** and **9 secondary** schools across Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland. **166 year 6/7 girls took part in our Self Esteem courses** · 100% of girls reported that working with Rubies had positive impact on their lives - 89% of girls reported an increase in Self-Esteem - 84% of girls reported an increase in Resilience - 62% reported feeling Safer We have continued to offer our **Empowerment Courses** in secondary schools. Based on a model called Philosophy for Children, these sessions are designed to support girls to develop their confidence and communication skills. ## **110 girls have taken part in Empowerment courses this year** · 99% reported that working with Rubies had a positive impact on their lives · 100% said they would like more Empowerment sessions ## **GLOW Girls Groups** ## **55 girls have attended GLOW this year!** In November 2024 our first Middlesbrough GLOW celebrated the group's second birthday! It's been brilliant to welcome a few new faces, but also to see so many of the original girls every week for the past 2 years. Awards were presented and of course there was cake Thank you to our staff & volunteers for working so hard to make this a friendly and nurturing group. We ended 2024 with a Christmas party for all 4 of our GLOW groups. Apparently we took more photos in the booth in 2 hours than most parties take in 4! Thank you to our amazing GLOW staff and volunteers for all their hard work in organising the event...and in clearing up afterwards! During the summer our Easterside GLOW group enjoyed a fab forest skills workshop with Woods & Waves Forest and Beach School CIC. Thanks to their team for this opportunity to get outside and connect with nature! Lisa from Kismet Yoga delivered a fantastic yoga session in June at our South Bank GLOW group. The girls loved it...and they'd never been so quiet and chilled out! ## **Staff Team** ## **Cat Barnett** In October 2024 we recruited Cat to the position of part time Administrator to Rubies. We were delighted to have been awarded funding from Children In Need which allowed us to strengthen our admin and office staff team. ## **Sarah Middeton** Our new Schools Coordinator Sarah joined the team in April and has made a fantastic contribution to the work we do in primary and secondary schools. ## **Congratulations!** Our Senior Support Worker Dawn completed her Level 2 Counselling Skills Qualification in May 2025. ## **Volunteers** 17 wonderful women gave up their time to support Rubies in schools, GLOW girls groups and behind the scenes this year. This equates to more than 500 hours of support! We are really thankful for all our volunteers and for their dedication and commitment to our work supporting local girls. **Teesside University Volunteering Awards** took place in May and Liz & Barbara were proud to represent Rubies as the student volunteers were recognised for their commitment and support for a range of charities and local organisations. Congratulations to Helena who received a Gold Plus Award and Chayse for a Bronze Award. Special congratulations to Niamh who also received a Platinum Plus Award AND The Transforming Lives Award in recognition of her dedication & support for our schools work. Abbie also received an award for her amazing work with The Bungalow Project. ## **Counselling Project** Rubies is committed to providing free counselling for girls, and for this to be available for as long as it is needed. During 2024/25 4 girls have attended long term counselling. 118 counselling sessions have taken place in schools and in our own space in a local community centre. We will be expanding the service in the coming year. ## **Fundraising Spotlight** In October we received £1000 towards food for our South Bank GLOW groups thanks to Tesco customers at Eston and Coulby Newham Stores voting for Rubies with their blue tokens as part of the Stronger Starts campaign. In Autumn one of our wonderful Trustees Jade and her partner Danny swam 22 miles over 10 weeks to raise money for Rubies. They raised £600 which is a fantastic achievement! ## **Thank you to the following funders for supporting our work this year** Awards for All - Badur Foundation - Ballinger Charitable Trust - BBC Children in Need - - Cheshire Community Foundation Greggs Foundation Middlesbrough Community Foundation Middlesbrough Council - North East Ladies Day - Point North - Tees Valley Community Foundation The Teesside Charity - Tesco - The National Lottery Community Fund - UK Youth - Warburtons Woodward Charitable Trust Annual Accounts (1st September 2024 - 31" August 2025) CHARITY COMMISSION Fok ENGLAND AND WALES ReGeipts and payments accounts CC16a Fof the period from To 0110912024 3110812025 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds iothTrffl•areBt Restricted fund8 Endowment fund8 Ttstsi funds Lasty&Ar tolhe noartBtÈ thè n&arèfjt£ A1 Re¢&1 Gr&ntsReslTrL*ed Gre 5 FgundatioTr T8esVall Comnullit Found*ion ComicRdielcon￿unl Wocdimith foLmd*ion 20.000 .SDD 5.000 1.6 20.OD .DDD 5.000 2.5DO lafid ooo 38.ODD Thg BUt￿man Pio Tha GosheTh Ha Travfrj FoundaliDn Tosco Stro 8r S1arts I.DD Tne Nelional Lollerycommunrty Fund- R8athin CommuThiliÉS 203 34.202 Fldur Fpund£l Ch8shii8 con￿￿￿ni￿ FrAJr￿ation Mi1￿1?5brQU Gronls LlnrgStnttth1 UK You WotstTrward ¢￿ri13b1￿TIUYl Npnh EB51 Lpdi?s Da UK You1h Le 10.OOD 12,500 1.ODU 27.¥ 1,300 2,000 11.C(l) 15.0 20.000 2Q.DDU Olhermtonjp 7.B83 126,047 12S,047 9,8É9 9.$$9 2.367 1,320 1,320 Y.iZS l.D20 14J24 Inc￿efroM s¢V*￿¢¢￿￿￿rS￿s GirlsGfOUP Em tyw$th?ntC￿i￿$¢$ &820 5.&2Q DWP Sub totallGross incom8 forARI 2 Asset and investment sales, 15ee table). 18T.687 *.703 286. 17$.234 Sub total 187.68Y 98,703 286,390 176,2 A3P mtnts 2.485 3$0 292 At¢wn15 & Payrol B?nk Ch¥r9PS Building andrunnirycost ¢ounsÈllin9 Sérvite ConfidÉncèÈuildiny Émpo¥s*rm8nl CoulSÉS GÉntS¢ts￿9¢ rfj$15 Gkr15 Griwp SoLrth BaTrk GLrt5 GrTrJp Easlersth Gir15 Gr￿p¥ IODU Gins GfvTrip5 ÉadslartHAF lrt$uronr* & Legal Lèi*è 2É0 2&2 Y01 470 603 B38 1155 559 2.397 2.892 4723 3.239 1455 1332 647 2A66 1958 214 55 2.275 66 7.375 8.275 Publicily & proThiDI $87 40.384 687 12fj.27Q 7.78Q 4rwJ ts&.906 EKleiD?I SupPTr75￿rn tsSU VcAuA￿rÈxp9fis$S S¢￿5 cour5e5 8tralgoicPIÉn￿yÉIUÉlIon 1.B 10.2 1,884 455 1028 4.72Z 1.84S 1.881 Post Positive PFOIFCt CCXX Rl aCCOuntylSSI %210312028 Sub total 7QB53 109.891 fe0,744 144788 A4 Asset and in¥Ègtment urchases, Sub total Totalpayment$ 7Q,853 109.891 180.744 144,786 Nel of Iecelpt￿fpaYMOnts? A5 TraD5fer& btheen funds A6 Cash fund$ 1881 yeai gnd C8sh funds this ye8rend 116,834 10 6U,563 177,407 1115,646 31,448 10 fjB.188 56.990 12B,76? 234M97 31.440 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds Restrieted lund8 Endovlment funds to B1 Cash lunds Pptty Ca 292 Bank Tot81 cash funds 177,407 56,990 UnrÈstri¢t8d funds lo nèw•8t£ Ro8tricted funds tortèaTeHt£ Endowment funds Fund B••t b•lon curr￿￿¥81 B3 Investment assets Fundtowhirh ¢oytloptloNII ¢uff¢nty￿U* 84 A$s•ts r8tsined forthe charlty's own use Fundtowhlch rd•t dug B5 Llabllitr &gftq¢ by on90r￿OI￿$tIeS0n b•hdl Print NamB Dale of roval e SIN& CCXX R? accounts ISSI 1210312026 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl mèmbers of Rubies On accounts for the year ended 3118125 Charity no (if any} 1177332 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the abcive charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 31108 12023. Responslbilllles and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basls of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of Ihe 2011 Acl and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the appliGable Directions given by the Charity Commi31 sion under section 14515)(bl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material mattens have come to my attention in conne￿10n wilh the examination which give4C> me ause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statemont I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in orderlo enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Slgned: Date: Name: ec-WA(4 ￿LI& Relevant professional qualification(sl or body (if any): AAT Diploma in Charity Accounting (The Institute of Chartered Accountant:" England and Wales) Address: Nuneaton Drive Hemlington TS8 9PR IER October 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of Gon￿r￿(see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brlef detalls of any items that the examinerwishes to disclose. IER October 21018 Recommended Terms of Appointment for Independent Examlner Name of Charity Rubies CIO Cthe ChariV,'Us9 Name of Independent Examiner l. Engagement as Independent Examiner The purwse of this agreement IS to confirm the basis on which You as the Examiner will act as independent examiner to prepare a report in respect of the Charity's financial ststements for the year ended 3110812025 in accordan￿ with Section 145 of the Charitles Act 2011 Cthe ACY). 2. Responslbilltles of the Charlty The Charity and its Charty Trustees are responsible for a) maintaining proper accounting records and preparing accounts which comply with the requirements of the Act and the Charities SORP; b) for determining whether, in respect of the year to ￿ examined, the Charity meets the conditions for exemption from an audit of the accounts set out in Section 145(1) of the Act. and c} for providing You with information and explanations required for Your examination. 3. Responsibilities of the Examiner 3.1 As an independent examiner You hove a statutory duty to: a) state in Your report whether any matter has come to Your attention in connection with the examination which gives You reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect accounting records have not been properly kept in accordance with Section 130 of the Att or do not accord with the accounting records or comply with the Regulatlons other than in respect of the requirement for a true and fair view; b) disclose in Your report matters coming to Your attention during the examination to which, in Your opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached; ) make any written report to the Charity Commission in Complian￿ wSth Section 156 of the Act. 3.2 You will plan your work on the basis that an independent examiner's reFx)rt on the accounts is required for that year, unless we inform you in writing to the contrary. 4. Scope of the Examinerfs work 4.1 Your work as an InderEndent examlner will be carried out Irs accordan￿ wlth general directions of the Charity Commission. Your examination will be a le55 onerous fomi of scrutiny th me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's ststement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in conni>ction with the examination to whi¢h attention should be drawn in order to iJnable a proper understanding of the a¢counts to be reached. Slgned: Date: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body lif any): AT Diploma in Charity Accounting ￿he Institute of Chartered Accountanl4i in England and Wales) Addres$: 44 Nuneaton Drive Hemlington TS8 9PR IER octobe￿ 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidan￿ for examiners). Give here brfef detsils of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 21018 Recommended Terms of Appointment for Independent Examiner Name of Charity Rubi 10 Cthe Charity,, 'Us') Name of Independent Examiner l. Engagement as Independent Examiner The purpose of this agreement is to confirm the basis on which You as the Examiner will act as independent examiner to p￿pare a retX)rt in respect of the Charity's financial statements for the year ended 3110812025 in accordance with Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 Cthe Att,). 2. Responsibilities of the Charity The Charity and its Charity Trustees are responsible for a) maintsining proper accounting records and p￿parIng accounts which compty with the requirements of the Act and the Charities SORP: b) for determining whether, in respect of the year to be examined, the Charity meets the conditions for exemption from an audit of the accounts set out in Section 14511) of the Act; and c) for providing You with informatlon and explanations required for Your examination. 3. Responsibllities of the Examiner 3.1 As an independent examiner You have a statlttory duty to: a) state in Your report whether any matter has come to Your attention in connection with the examination which gives You reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect accounting records have not been properly kept in accordan￿ with Section 130 of the Act or do not accord with the accounting records or comply with the Regulations other than in of the requirement for a true and fair view,. b) disclose in Your report matters coming to Your attentlon during the examinatlon to which, in Your opinion, attention should LE drawn in order to enable a proper understsnding of the accounts to be reached,, c) make any written ￿port to the Charity Commission in Complian￿ with Section 156 of the Act. 3.2 You will plan your work on the basis that an independent examiner's rep)rt on the accounts is required for that year, unless we infomi you in writing to the contrary. 4. Scope of the Examinerfs work 4.1 Your work as an independent examiner will be carrled out In accordan￿ wÉth general directions of the Charity Commission. Your examination will be a less onerous fomi of scrutiny th¢in an aL￿1t of the accounts in accordance with Auditing Standards and will include: a) a revlew of the accountlng records kept by the Charity and a comparison of thrJ accounts presented with those records; b) a review of the accounts and consideratlon of any unusual Item(s) or dlsclosure(s) identified. In such cases where You identify an unusual item, You will s&k an explanation from us and may carry out verification and vouchlng procedures where You require further clarification. 4,2 Your work cannot be relied upon to Identlfy the occaslonal omisslon or inslgnificant error, nor to dlsclose breaches of trust or statute, neglect or fraud which have tsken place and which the Charity has a responsibility to guard against. Should You become aware, for any reasons, that the accounts may be misleading and we cannot agree appropriate amendments, and You conclude that the matter cannot be adeqLtately dealt with in Your report, You will not issue any rewrt, wlll wlthdraw from the engagement and notify Us in writing of the reasons. 4.3 ShoLFld You conclude that the Charity is not entitled to exemption from an audit of the accounts or should You be unable to reach a conclusion on this matter then You will notify Us in writing of the ￿aSons. Ef appropriate, you will discuss with us the need to appoint an auditor. 4.4 As part of your normal procedure5, You may request us to provide written confirmation of any information or explanations given by Us orally during the course of your work. wrie Cthe Examinerf, 'You', 'Your') 5. Fees Payment of the Invol￿ for fees will be made wlthln 30 days of recelpt. 6. Confirmation This agreement will remain effective until it is ￿plaCed or until You cease to hold the position of independent examiner. You will confirm Your a￿ptan￿ of the terms of this agreement by arranging for the 5ign3ture and return of the attached copy to Us. Signed on Ikhalf of the Charity Date IiJ312 Signed by or on behalf of the Examiner Date i2/3?1