## St Mary’s Contact Centre Annual Report for the financial year ending 31[st] March 2024 **St Mary’s Contact Centre is registered with the Charity Commission Registration number 1179955** 1 **Principal Office** Norwich Central Baptist Church Duke Street Norwich NR3 3AP **Trustees** Helen Bouttell (Chair) John Easton (Treasurer) Gill Duffy Rosemary Horbury Katherine Severson Eunice Walcott **Bankers** CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ ## **The trustees present their Annual Report the year ending 31[st] March 2024** ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Our Governing Document is the “Constitution for St Mary’s Contact Centre March 2017” Trustee Meetings take place at least 4 times a year. The Charity Trustees are responsible for the oversight of the Contact Centre’s operations, together with the financial and legal aspects of the Charity. We are affiliated to the National Association of Child Contact Centres who audit our policies and procedures. ## **Objectives** The principal objective of Contact Centre is to relieve the needs of children separated from parents and / or other family members through divorce and family breakdown in Norwich and the surrounding area in Norfolk by providing a safe, friendly and neutral environment where children of separated families can spend time with their non-residential parents and sometimes other family members. A secondary objective is to enable the families to reach a point, where suitable, when they can arrange to meet outside of the centre and move on from needing the facility. ## **Activities** In order to achieve the principal objective, which is set out above, the Contact Centre is open on Saturdays, bi-weekly, for parents to meet with the children that do not live with them. The non-resident parent sits at a table with their child(ren) and they have the option of doing activities / games together. Refreshments are 2 also provided. The resident parents are able to stay in a different room and also enjoy refreshments. Some parents use the centre as a venue to meet and the non-resident parent then takes their child(ren) out. We aim to provide a range of games and activities suitable to the different ages of the children. Families can refer themselves via NACCC to the centre but most referrals come via solicitors, CAFCASS or Children’s Services. We employ a Contact Centre Co-ordinator whose role includes: - Receiving applications for use of the centre and interviewing potential customers - Overseeing the running of the centre when it is open and ensuring everything runs smoothly - Co-ordinating the volunteers who help with the running of the centre We have 13 volunteers. They undertake regular training across a number of areas. There are many related training modules, including Domestic Abuse, Understanding Substance Abuse, and Managing Conflict, which are delivered on a three year rolling programme, following the programme provided by NACCC. The volunteers’ activities at the centre include the following: - Helping set up the centre and clear things away - Serving refreshments - Having an oversight of what is happening in the room where the families are meeting, helping with any queries or issues - Welcoming and interacting with the families and supporting the transition from the resident parent to the visiting parent. The Centre has undergone a process of re-accreditation and received praise from the reviewing officer in recognition of the strong lead presented by the project co-ordinator. ## **Families** The Contact Centre has 12 families now in attendance. ## **Financial Review** The Contact Centre raises the funds which it needs to carry on its activities through grant income, application fees and the sale of refreshments. The accounts for 1[st] January 2024 to 31[st] December 2024 are submitted with this report. ## **Future Plans** Although the need for places at the Contact Centre remains strong, the process for self referral has become more labour intensive for the co-ordinator.. The Trustees are looking to make this process as streamline and user friendly as possible in order to balance his workload. The Trustees are also aware that there is an on-going need for recruiting and training more volunteers and seeking additional funding. 3 CHARITY (OMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Sèction A Independent Examiner's Report Report lo the trustees On accounts for the year ended Charity no lif any) Set out on pages I report to the truste6s on my examination of the accounts of the above char(ly I'th6 Twst") for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordanGe with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carrled out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Direclions given by the Charity Commi88ion under section 145{5)Ibl of the Act. Independent IThe charity's gross Income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualified lo examinor's statement undertake the 8xaminalion by being a qualified member of linsert name of applicable listed body1]. Delet61 l if nol appliGable. I have complated my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my atlenllon in connection with the examination (Oth8Fth8￿aL 'sdose(*bél6w?'I which gives me Gause to believe that in, any material respe¢t'. the accounting records were not kept 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 requirem?nt5 concerning the form and content of accounts sel 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 a 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 altention should be drawn in thls report in order lo enable a proper understanding of the accounls lo be reached. pi del rds in th8 brackets if they do not apply. Signod: Dato: Name: rt f Relevant professlonal quallflcatlon{s) or body IER Oct 2018 (If any): Address: e2 5- 7'T-fr- Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs lo highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Glve here brief detalls of any items that the examlner wlshes to dlsclose. IER Oct 2018 Sl Marys Contact Centre Profil And Loss Account For the year ended 31 December 2024 2024 2023 Income Grant Grant 88C Childr8n in Need Interest Releir81 Fe88 2,500 9,￿0 26 240 14,000 539 11.766 11,766 14.555 14,555 Gross profit Expenses Adrnin Bank charges Dal8 Protection Donation Gifts To Volunleers Insurance Safguarding Stationery and printing Subscriptions Sundry expenses Toys tmining Wage8 1901 1651 1351 {1,0001 13951 1581 1381 11,0001 {1301 (4751 {4751 1301 13081 12921 1181 1997) 180) 16,767) 12851 15,7101 110.1571 18,0891 Net profit 1,609 8,466 Pag61of1 St Marys Contact Centre Balance Sheet As al 31 December 2024 2024 2023 Bank 8arclays Caff Petty cash 4,946 18,665 30 23.641 8.253 10,778 30 1fj,062 23,641 16,062 Cieditors Accruals Sundry 15,970} 12,443) 18.413) (2,4431 12,4431 18,4131 12,4431 Nel assets 15,228 13,819 Capital account Brought fO￿ard Nel profil 13.619 1,609 7,152 6,466 15,228 13,619 Total funds 15,228 13.619 Page1 of1