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2021-03-31-accounts

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS

Registered charity: 1177659 Report for year ended 31 March 2021

CONTENTS

I N T R O D U C T IO N F R O M C H A I R 0 3
O B J E C T I V E S & A C T I V I T I ES 0 4 - 1 4
F I N A N C I A L R E V I EW I N C L U D I N G N O T E S T O T H E
1 5 - 1 9
A C C O U N T S & I N D E P EN D E N T E X A M I N E R ' S R E P O R T
S T R A T E G Y F O R 2 0 2 1 - 2 0 2 2 2 0
S T R U C T U R E , G O V ER N A N C E A N D M A N A G E M E N T 2 1 - 2 2
R E F E R E N C E A N D A D M I N D E T A I L S 2 3

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 03

INTRODUCTION FROM CHAIR

It is with great pleasure that I present the LEGS Annual Report for the year, 1st April 2020 - 31st March 2021.

It has been an extraordinary year, in many ways, not least because of the altered world in which we operated; a world adjusting to the realities, uncertainties and complexities of Covid-19. We, like so many other small charities, found ourselves overcoming previously unimagined challenges and creating solutions to problems we could not have foreseen two years ago.

For LEGS, until the spring of 2020, supporting people with stroke and neurological conditions constituted delivering face-to-face exercise groups and conducting in-person assessments and reassessments from our Notting Hill studio on either a Monday or a Tuesday afternoon. This had been our model since our first group opened in 2016. In a matter of weeks, following the emergence of Covid-19, and with the rapid escalation in case numbers, it was evident we could no longer safely deliver our sessions without risking the health of our participants, many of whom are elderly and have underlying health conditions which make them more vulnerable to the virus.

We decided, just ahead of the announcement of a national lockdown in March 2020 that we would stop our face-to-face classes. Without our participants missing a single session, we seamlessly moved our classes online. I am especially proud of how quickly and safely we did this. Sarah Sparkes, Lead Physiotherapist, devised a new, online exercise programme, adapting the classes to home environments, considering how we could keep participants safe while being instructed remotely. She and Victoria Bailey-King, Head of Operations, ensured that each of our members could access the new technology, which for most, involved using Zoom for the first time.

We sourced funding to purchase tablets so that participants without the necessary equipment would not be isolated. Participants told us how intensely grateful they were for the life line to the outside world LEGS provided for them. The compassion and attention with which our team supported participants during this challenging period is something of which I am immeasurably proud.

The newly devised online programme, for which we were awarded a Digital Award by Active Westminster in December 2020, allowed us to reach a whole new audience as we were no longer constricted geographically. We received a grant from The National Lottery which funded a huge expansion of our programme; we went from running two to ten groups a week, introduced a weekly Neuro Café for peer support and education sessions, started a Walking Programme, run by a Rehabilitation Assistant and more than doubled the number of participants. It has been LEGS’ busiest year, with a rapid and exciting period of growth which we attribute largely to the emergence of the Covid-19 induced digital environment.

We are, as always, extremely grateful to all our supporters and participants for their ongoing encouragement and engagement with our work this year. We are especially proud of our Leadership Team and Physiotherapists who go above and beyond to deliver our vision, mission and values. My sincere thanks go to the trustees who give their time and expertise so generously to all we do.

Annys Fairweather Chair, LEGS, November 2021

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 04

OBJECTIVE AND ACTIVITIES - IN 2020 2021

VISION

A future where people with neurological conditions have improved access to physical activity and their communities, enabling them to live happy, healthy lives.

MISSION

To provide high quality, specialist and tailored rehabilitation, support and exercise groups to people living with neurological conditions, in an affordable and accessible way.

VALUES

Our values express who we are. They form the basis for all we do.

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 05

OBJECTIVE AND ACTIVITIES - IN 2020 2021

LEGS was founded to provide high quality, longerterm, affordable rehabilitation, alongside or after NHS rehabilitation has come to an end. NHS rehabilitation is often time limited and underresourced for people following a stroke or living with a long term neurological condition in the community. People report feeling lost after NHS services have finished, resulting in them becoming or remaining physically inactive and socially isolated. Meaningful improvement for people with neurological conditions can happen over many years and LEGS recognises the need for a programme which sustains increased physical activity and social participation over months and years, rather than weeks, and takes a holistic approach by providing participants with both professional and peer support and advice.

By providing our award-winning, weekly exercise sessions, LEGS can help people improve their physical activity and social participation, which can make a huge impact on their quality of life and also reduce health and social care costs.

The LEGS programme enables participants to improve their physical function, independence and confidence, whilst reducing their reliance on carers and family. LEGS helps people access and engage in lifelong physical and social activity within their communities. We support people back into previous activities and enable the confidence to take up new opportunities.

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 06

OBJECTIVE AND ACTIVITIES - IN 2020 2021

Our outcomes include improving health and emotional well-being, increasing physical activity and reducing social isolation. We aim to enable people to be able to enjoy activities that are meaningful to them and assist them to fulfil their personal and societal roles.

Our aims are consistent with our founding object which is:

“ the relief of disability and the preservation of health by providing physiotherapy led group rehabilitation and support sessions to people who have had a stroke and other neurological conditions .”

The main activities undertaken in relation to those purposes are:

We produced a three year business plan (20202023) which sets out our aims for the next stages in LEGS’ development. We defined our four main aims:

  1. To increase the number of participants, with a range of neurological conditions, attending LEGS and the number of groups (both online and face:face).

  2. To improve the physical condition and emotional well-being of participants.

  3. To open groups in local authority and social enterprise leisure centres.

  4. To increase the number of participants attending long term physical activity and improve their ability to self-manage their condition.

For each aim we have a series of key objectives which will shape the services we deliver. These outcomes will help us to create compelling evidence for potential funders and commissioners and reinforce the success of our intervention in improving the lives of people with disabilities.

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 07

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

OUR GROUPS

We ran 264 individual LEGS classes this year, compared to 76 in the previous year.

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300
200
100
2020 2021
0
Number of classes
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We ran classes in 47 out of 52 weeks, compared to 39 weeks in the previous year.

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50
40
30
20
10
2020 2021
0
Weeks with classes running
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We ran classes on 4 days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday), an increase from 2 in the previous year (Monday and Tuesday).

4

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3
2
1
2020 2021
0
Days with classes
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We offered 2520 spaces* compared with 760 in the previous year, an increase of 331%.

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3,000
2,000
1,000
2020 2021
0
Number of spaces
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Of these 2520 available spaces, 1948 were booked and 1599 were attended by participants, compared to 576 booked and 420 attended in the previous year.

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2020 2021
Unbooked 24% Unbooked 23%
Booked 76% Booked 77%
Unattended 45% Unattended 36%
Attended 55% Attended 64%
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26 of 264 classes we ran this year were face:face (10%). 90% were therefore online. This is a direct reversal of the previous year (92% face:face, 8% online) and reflects the closures of our physical venues as a result of Covid-19 and the expansion of our online programme.

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2020 2021
Online Face:face Online Face:face
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By the end of the year we were running 10 classes per week (although the 2 studio-based classes were temporarily closed as a result of our Covid- 19 precautions).

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10
7.5
5
2.5
2020 2021
0
Classes per week
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*(1 SPACE = 1 HOUR CLASS)

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 08

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

OUR PARTICIPANTS

The male to female ratio was 11:6 (1:1 in 2020).

We provided support to 51 participants and their families/carers (an increase of 255%).

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60
40
20
2020 2021
0
Participants
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We completed 36 assessments for new participants (compared to 7 in 2020) and 26 reassessments for existing participants (27 in 2020).

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40
30
20
10
2020 2021 2020 2021
0
Assessments Re-Assessments
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Of the 36 new participants we assessed this year, 34 joined LEGS. Of these 34 people, 4 left within 12 weeks of starting. Our drop-out rate was therefore 12%. This compares with 5% in the previous year. We anticipated a higher drop-out as a result of our increased number of participants and we recognised that 5% was untypically low.

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2020 2021
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The age range of our participants was 31-86 (last year:36-77) with an average age of 64 (last year:62) and the mode age, 64 (last year:77).

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80
60
40
20
2020 2021 2020 2021
0
Average age Mode age
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Our participants were much more geographically diverse than in previous years.

participants lived in either Westminster, 38% Hammersmith & Fulham or Kensington & Chelsea, compared with 70% last year.

participants had addresses in Greater 88% London, 12% outside, with those participants ranging from Northern Ireland, to Norfolk, to Lincolnshire.

referrals were made by LEGS to other services. 13

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2020 2021
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LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 09

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

SUMMARY

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 10

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

OTHER KEY ACHIEVEMENTS & MILESTONES

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 11

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

OUTCOMES & EVALUATION

We assessed participants on a regular, 12 week basis. The outcomes consistently show that attendance at LEGS increases participants’ mobility, balance and strength and emotional wellbeing.

We analysed the outcomes of 15 stroke participants and presented the results to the UK Stroke Forum, with the poster on the next page. A summary of our research outcomes:

Strength

15 out of 15 participants showed improved lower limb strength with improvement in 30 second Sit To Stand exercises. The baseline median for 30 second Sit To Stands was 8 (the interquartile range was 6-9). After 12 weeks, the median had increased to 12, the interquartile range to 9-13.

Balance

See table on poster overleaf.

Emotional well being

100% participants (15 surveyed) had reduced anxiety and depression reported levels moving from level 3 (moderately depressed/anxious) or 2 (slight problems) at baseline to level 1 (no anxiety or depression) or 2 (slightly anxious or depressed) at the 12 week review.

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 12

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 13

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK

“ You have created an amazing organization and I feel so lucky to have found you. LEGS has been the single most important part of my recovery and reintegration into life since coming home as it's allowed me to work more. ”

“ I could go on and on but living and working alone I don't know how I would have managed without the sense of community that LEGS provides .”

“ LEGS has been like a life-saver to me! After the online NROL group at Queen’s Square ceased, I was able to continue with my exercises in an uninterrupted manner, which has been a milestone in my week ever since. I have found Sarah Sparkes to be a clear, focused professional coach, whose approach is constantly innovative and is designed to consistently reflect and meet the

varied needs of our group precisely. I gain a great deal from being able to place myself and my progress within this cohort of other stroke sufferers weekly... my levels of strength, stamina and self-confidence have all improved over the past months, and this is almost entirely due to the work I am able to do with LEGS .”

“ LEGS is not just an exercise class for me, it's a support team with exercises that help make sense of movement. It gave me the belief that my legs were strong enough for walking, standing and turning .”

“ You and the team give us more than we can ever give back but I know your real satisfaction comes from the fact that we are getting better and better .”

PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 14

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

COMMUNICATION AND FUNDRAISING

STAFFING

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 15

FINANCIAL REVIEW

REVIEW OF FINANCIAL RESULTS

For the year ended 31st March 2021, there was a surplus of £79,763 (2019-2020: £18,175). The income for the year was £154,020 (2019-2020: £53,884). The increase from last year reflects the National Lottery Community funding we secured in response to the Covid-19 situation, and then the securement of a second major donor who agreed to continue the costs of these new groups, once the Lottery funding ended.

Donations provided the largest income stream, amounting to £114,984 (2019-2020: £47,820). Income from charitable activities was £9,729 (2019-2020: £3,109).

LEGS received no statutory revenue funding and relied for its income entirely on its own fundraising activities and on donations from external sources as well as its participants.

Directly employed staff numbers increased from 1.0FTE (0.5FTE administrative staff, 0.5FTE clinical staff) to 2.0FTE with the appointment of a full time Rehabilitation Assistant (who then qualified as a Physiotherapist).

Total expenditure for the year was £74,257 (20192020: £35,709). This increase was due to the opening of 8 new groups and our increased staffing.

Total cash funds at this year end were £105,464 (2019-2020: £25,701).

RESERVES

The trustees calculate the reserves as the part of the charity’s unrestricted income funds that is freely available, after taking account of designated funds that have been ring fenced for specific costs. The trustees maintain a policy of keeping at least eight months’ running costs (based on the forecast expenditure for the year ahead) as designated funds within the free reserves, to protect against the possibility that one or all of our current funders is unable to continue their current level of commitment. At the end of March 2021, this reserve requirement was equivalent to £102,378. At the end of the financial year 2020-2021, the total unrestricted funds were £105,464 (20192020: £25,701). Therefore, we had met our reserves target. These reserves are kept in a current, instant access account.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that year.

continues overleaf...

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 16

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.

For the year in question, the charity was entitled to exemption from an audit under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011. The Charity Commission has not ordered an audit to be carried out under Section 146 of the Charities Act 2011.

The notes below form part of these accounts.

The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the UK governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The trustees’ annual report has been approved by the board of trustees on 4 January 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

Annys Fairweather Chair, LEGS

Insofar as the trustees are aware:

These accounts have been prepared in

accordance with the provisions applicable to CIOs subject to the requirements of the Charity Commission.

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 17

FINANCIAL REVIEW

NOTES TO THE LEGS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

  1. The accounts presented here have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis for the year ended 31 March 2021.

  2. In accordance with the Charities Commission guidance, and at the request of the trustees, these accounts have been independently examined. The independent examiner’s report follows these notes.

  3. The trustees confirm, in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2013, that at year end the CIO did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on assets of the CIO.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS OF LEGS

Report to the trustees of LEGS. Charity no 117769 .

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 March 2021.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2006 Act).

I report in respect of my examinations of the Trust’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Act 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(4)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Mark Middleton, Director (FCA) LB Group, 1 Vicarage Lane, London, E15 4HF 4 January 2022

FINANCIAL REVIEW LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 18 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO ANO WALES LEGS ILocal Ex•rc15• GrouDS for str(0 and rnwdoulcal c<xbJtl<xNb) Charlty no. 1177659 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a 181 Aprll 2020 31It VAr¢h 2021 For th• p•rlod fri¥ To Section A Recei ts and ments Unrestrlcted lund• to th• n•r•it P••trl¢tsd Endowmfrnt fundl to th•n•w•ii £ TrtAI fun Last y••r t•th•n•vt £ toth• n•ir•ii t A1 R•¢•l 114,984 9.729 180 114,984 9,729 180 47,820 3.109 2.214 500 241 FL¥Ktrasi 339 339 Sub total(Gmss Incom& forAR) 126,532 27,488 154.020 53.884 A•••t •MI lTh••tm•nt •l••, (••• Sub tot•1 Total rncolpts 126.532 27.488 154,020 53.884 A3Pa •rt•

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LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 20

- STRATEGY FOR 2021 2022

The priority in the coming year will be to remain responsive and adaptive to the needs of our participants in the wake of the pandemic, ensuring that we continue to provide a meaningful programme of rehabilitation and exercise through a combination of our online and face to face services. Ensuring these classes are safe, well attended and continue to produce physical and emotional benefits is key to our success next year. We expanded at a very high rate in 2020-2021, and we now need to consolidate that expansion, by focusing on the quality of these classes and increasing attendance rates.

Sustainability is the key word in our strategy this year. We need to ensure that staffing is secure, and allows for more “slack” in the system, to enable our current team to take annual leave with ease and have sufficient cover in case of sickness. A big project for this next year is therefore the recruitment of a team of freelance physiotherapists who will run our new groups, and support one another’s cover needs.

We will seek to better promote our services to referring clinicians, to reach more people and concentrate on increasing our attendance figures so that our cost per session is reduced, making us more attractive to funders and ensuring our services are sustainable.

We will seek to secure the ongoing support of major donors to bring more stability to our long term funding. Diversifying our fundraising portfolio is a key area of focus and we plan to recruit a fundraiser who will work part time to bring in a wider range of grants.

Opening new face to face classes has always been our intention, and this remains central to our planning so we will look for opportunities to do this in a safe and sustainable way, balancing the practicalities and preferences of our participants in light of Covid-19.

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 21

STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE , AND MANAGEMENT

OUR ORGANISATION

LEGS (Local Exercise GroupS - for stroke and neurological conditions) was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in March 2018 with the Charity Commission. The charity was established under a constitution which describes the objects and powers of the charitable organisation and the rules by which the charity is governed. The charity number is 1177659.

Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as trustees, the trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the charity. The trustees may, by and from their number and from time to time, elect such officers (chair, secretary, treasurer) as they see fit.

STRATEGY & OUTCOMES

This year we inducted two new trustees: one with charity experience and lived experience of stroke and aphasia, and the other with a prominent clinical NHS role with special interest in the aims of LEGS.

This has greatly strengthened the leadership of LEGS but we recognise the need to improve the diversity of our board in the coming year, focusing on recruiting new trustees who will better represent our service users, and bring missing skills (e.g. fundraising and marketing) to our board.

PREMISES

All trustees give their time voluntary. Any expenses reclaimed from the charity are set out in the accounts.

TRUSTEE BOARD STRUCTURE

We continue to benefit from the generous support of Barrecore, with whom we have developed a strong working relationship. They offer us studio space at a heavily subsidised rate so that we can run our face:face classes in the most cost efficient way possible.

We will continue to explore opportunities to open sessions in local authority or gym settings.

The board meets four times a year and is responsible for LEGS’ strategic direction and policies.

The ability of our team to work remotely and from the home office of our founding physiotherapist means we have no need for a dedicated office space and we have no plans to invest in such.

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 22

STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE , AND MANAGEMENT

TRUSTEE INDUCTION & TRAINING

New trustees receive induction through 1:1 meetings with the Chair and the Head of Operations, and specific training, where relevant. They are invited to attend services and social events with participants to familiarise themselves with the day to day running of LEGS and the context within which it operates.

They are provided with a copy of the constitution, latest copy of the annual report as well as Charity Commission publications on the roles and obligations of trustees as well as relevant or topical publications relating to trusteeship from organisations such as NCVO, the Small Charities Coalition and Getting On Board.

POLICIES, PROCEDURES, STANDARDS & RISK MANAGEMENT

We work to all relevant professional standards and our clinicians are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and are members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) or have their own independently arranged insurance.

We have a comprehensive set of policies and procedures which are regularly reviewed by trustees. There is a risk register which is kept under at least quarterly review by the Leadership Team and is formally approved by the board of trustees at least annually.

We recognise that the induction process is an ongoing one, and requires tailoring and adapting to the individual over a number of months.

LEGS ANNUAL REPORT | 23

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

CHARITY NAME

LEADERSHIP TEAM

LEGS (Local Exercise GroupS for stroke and neurological conditions)

Annys Fairweather, Chair of trustees and Founding Physiotherapist

REGISTERED ADDRESS

Victoria Bailey-King, Head of Operations

LEGS

c/o First Floor 34 Brook Street London W1K 5DN

Sarah Sparkes, Lead Physiotherapist

BANKERS

Barclays Bank 35 Notting Hill Gate, London, W11 3JR

CONTACT DETAILS

Telephone: 07377 259 778 Email: info@legs.org.uk Website: www.legs.org.uk

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

TRUSTEES

Mark Middleton Director LB Group 1 Vicarage Lane, London, E15 4HF

Annys Fairweather, Chair of trustees

Esther Kufrin, Deputy Chair of trustees

David Fairweather, Treasurer

Caroline Appel

Rupert Cockcroft

LLI( ALEGS