2024-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year 01 01 2023 01 01 2024 T From o

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name

The Hope Project

Other names charity is known by

Registered charity number (if any) 1178559

Charity's principal address New Hope Baptist Church

Ebenezer St Coseley Postcode WV14 9LJ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

• Dates acted if not for Name of person (or body) entitled

• Trustee name Office (if any) whole year to appoint trustee (if any)

• 1 Paul Westwood Chair Secretary

• 2[Matthew ] Gardner

• 3[Joanne ] Westwood

• 4 Eleanor Speed Accounts 5 Mandy Newby 6 Norma Bromfield 7 Olwen Langford

• 8

• 9

10

11

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12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document Constitution adopted 26th March 2018 (eg. trust deed, constitution)

How the charity is constituted Charitable Incorporated Organisation

• (eg. trust, association, company)

Trustee selection methods Appointed / Reappointed at AGM

(eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

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You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

• policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;

• the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;

• relationship with any related parties;

• trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

All trustees have undergone training with Dudley CVS and any newly appointed to do the same. As all volunteers we continue to learn how to run with some efficiency. All persons are DBS checked in accordance with regulations and we have both Children and vulnerable adults practice policies fully approved and in place. As a charity we do work loosely with other organisations; Dudley CVS and The East Coseley Big Local team. We have also established a good working relationship with West Midlands Police in our area. We have developed a good working relationship with Rosewood school in Coseley though funding for them to take on MusicMoves courses is proving challenging.

Non of the trustees are in receipt of any financial rewards and are totally voluntary in their work.

Any work we carry out is fully risk assessed, where particularly with our work with schools, we are asked to provide proof of this approach.

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

To promote the preservation of mental health and to assist in relieving persons suffering or at risk of suffering from mental health conditions or emotional distress for the public benefit by providing guidance, support, training and educational activities within Coseley and the surrounding areas.

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The Trustees, having all received proper guidance by Dudley CVS as to our role and responsibilities in their statutory form according to the Charity Commission, are endeavouring to use everything at their disposal to achieve the aims outlined in the previous section.

We have continued where possible and appropriate to work with both children, and adults to achieve the aims of the charity.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

The ‘Music Moves’ Course has continued to develop professional relationships with the local community and authority. As mentioned previously we have developed a good working relationship with Rosewood school in Coseley though funding for them to take on MusicMoves courses is proving challenging.

‘Beauty for Ashes’ is our meeting group where Christian women are helped to overcome great difficulties and stigmas where they having been a person of faith in a previous violent relationship and trying to engage with a positive future. We have been working with ‘Restored’ a national charity that works with survivors of abuse and have become only the second ‘Restored Beacon’ in the UK of which we are very proud.

The baby bank continues to support needy parents who are struggling financially. We still offer newborn packages of items of clothing and all the supplies needed such as baby bath, Moses basket, toiletries, nappies etc

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

• policy on grantmaking;

• policy programme related investment;

• contribution made by volunteers.

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Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main In addition to the information below, we were able at the end of 2024 to achievements of the charity provide 40 Christmas meals and gifts to local needy families. The items during the year were provided by local food suppliers and financially by way of generous individual donations for this operation. We have continued to build relationships with our community through website and email. We have been fully operational again in 2024. The following gives a description of our usual practices. The Hope Project has now four aspects or groups currently operating within it. The first is a course aimed at providing life skills support for adults suffering with low mood and mild depression. It is called Kintsugi Hope and is a recognised course. It uses participants materials and course books to follow. The course is run by our two volunteers, one of which is a trustee and both are current and past medical professionals. The second group operating is called ‘Music Moves’. It is a course working with children between the ages of 11-17 where live music becomes the vehicle for a team and esteem building programme. We work with Children who are experiencing bullying, anxiety, inability to socialise etc as well as working with youngsters who are on the cusp of becoming offenders. We are currently based in New Hope Baptist Church in Coseley where we have a self contained music studio at our disposal and currently work in two schools in the borough with another to begin with at Easter. One of the local schools is for young boys who are excluded from mainstream schools who experience high degrees of emotional problems. In addition to the work we have been directly invited to do, our latest school courses are being run at the request of West Midlands Police who see huge potential of a life changing experience for youngsters who are likely to fall into gang culture or other types of offending.

The Third group is called ‘Beauty for Ashes’ and working alongside ‘Restored’ is a women’s support group for survivors of domestic violence, where discussion and learning are its aims. It is in its very early stages and to be run by our properly trained volunteers. Training has been provided through ‘The Power To Change’ and Black Country Women’s Aid and by Restored UK Our fourth group ‘A Bundle Of Hope’ is a baby bank providing new born packs of items that are necessary for new parents. We provide new Moses baskets. Changing mats, baths, nappies, clothing, toiletries etc. We have been able to support many new moms, both in domestic and crisis settings. Additionally we have helped several asylum seekers, predominantly from the Ukraine.

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Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

We continue to operate efficiently and all monies received into the Hope Project are allocated before hand, continually monitored and scrutinised and spent accordingly.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

N/A

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

• the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);

All funds this year have been donated by individuals from the church and the wider community

We still do not yet have a projected investment policy as we see our funding opportunities only covering the immediate needs though we appreciate this may need to change should The Hope Project grow substantially.

• how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;

• investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F Other optional information

Little has changed for us operationally though we continue to build stronger and closer ties both with our community and the local agencies. We work closely with these organisations that share our ethos and we believe we continue to offer important and needy services to those who rely on us.

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Full name(s) Paul Westwood

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Position (eg Secretary, Chair of Trustees Chair, etc)

Dat 18th August 2025

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The Balance BIFwd from 3111212023 £ 13.518.60 Income Music Moves Hampers 200.00 £ 2.350.00 2 2.550.00 Total Income Expenditure General Music Moves Klntsugi Bundle of Hope Hampers 186.62 £ 2.790.25 668.52 184.70 £ 1,971.54 £ 5,801.63 Total Balance B/Fwd from 3111213023 Plus Income Less Expenditure Year End Balance 3111212024 £ 13.518.60 £ 2.550.00 -2 5,801.63 £ 10,266.97 Current account Balance @ 3111212024 £10.266.97 Accounts prepared by Mrs Eleanor Speed 3010112025 Audited by Mrjohn Gray Signed.........