Joining Hands Joining Hearts
Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
Charity number: 1179985
Joining Hands Joining Hearts Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
Charity information
Address PO Box 645 Sittingbourne ME10 9JQ Charity number 1179985 Trustees Sandra Ellis James Simmonds (appointed 24 February 2024) John Nicholson (appointed 8 October 2023) Charlotte Wattley (appointed 24 September 2023) Rev. Christopher James Penfold
2
Joining Hands Joining Hearts Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
Contents
| Trustees’ annual report | Page 4 |
|---|---|
| Statement of fnancial actvites | Page 7 |
| Balance sheet | Page 8 |
| Statement of cash fows | Page 9 |
| Notes to the accounts | Page 10 |
3
Joining Hands Joining Hearts Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
Trustees’ annual report
The trustees present their annual report for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Objectives and activities
Joining Hands Joining Hearts (JHJH) is a domestic violence support group based in Sittingbourne, Kent. JHJH is the only organisation in the Kent area that provides personalised support, education and training to all those who seek the charity’s help and works with both women and men.
The purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document are as follows:
-
To relieve the needs of victims of domestic abuse and their children, in particular but not exclusively, by the provision of advice, support and raising awareness.
-
To educate the public in the causes and effects of domestic abuse and the prevention thereof, in particular but not exclusively by the provision of training courses on domestic abuse to raise awareness of the issue and reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with it.
-
To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society by working with multiple agencies for the benefit of said object for the purpose of this clause socially excluded means being excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of one of more of the following factors: unemployment; financial hardship; youth or old age; ill health (physical or mental); substance abuse or dependency including alcohol and drugs; discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, ethnic origin, religion, belief, creed, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment; poor educational or skills attainment; relationship and family breakdown; poor housing (that is housing that does not meet basic habitable standards; crime (either as a victim of crime or as an offender rehabilitating into society).
Its services range from coffee mornings and friendship groups to advice on court proceedings, educational training programmes and life skills courses.
The charity was founded by Keeley Beeney in 2016 following her own personal, lived experience of domestic abuse. It initially began with coffee mornings and the building of true friendships with a small group of survivors who supported one another, before quickly growing to become the local lifeline to domestic abuse survivors that it is today. Driven by first-hand experience of the lack of help and resources available in the Kent area, Keeley decided to start offering a number of open-access support services, focussing on forging personal relationships, and providing both emotional and practical support to assist survivors to feel more confident, resilient and to move forward. Eight years on, JHJH is highly regarded by all parties it serves: the survivor community, local referral partners, and other domestic abuse charities.
The trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
4
Joining Hands Joining Hearts Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
Achievements and performance
Over the past six years the charity has:
-
supported over 500 children and adults, approximately 1 in 20 of whom were men.
-
delivered 100 different support and well-being courses and 6 Freedom Courses, which are 12week courses designed for victims of domestic violence and enable attendees to understand unhealthy relationships and how to make change safely.
-
partnered with seven local organisations including Southern Housing, Community Driving School, Squiggle Consult, Fairshare Co-op, Tesco, Trussell Trust and Cooking in the Woods.
The charity maintains a confidential log of each client’s journey, and they report improved mental health and well-being and reduced isolation and thoughts of suicide.
Financial review
At the end of the period, the total net assets of the charity consisted of cash at bank and in hand of £10,872 (2023: £7,502).
Where a donor of a grant or a donation declares that the funds must be used for a specific purpose such amounts are classed as restricted income funds. At the end of the period, two restricted reserves were held by the charity:
-
The fund from community grants is designated to provide the founder of the charity with income for her involvement. At the end of the period, the amount of this reserve was £7,100 (2023: £nil).
-
The fund from IT and security grants is designated for the provsion of security and IT for clients and the charity. At the end of the period, the amount of this reserve was £1,200 (2023: £nil).
Structure, governance and management
The charity is governed by a board of 5 trustees, including HR and finance professionals as well as former abuse survivors. Trustees are recruited primarily by word-of-mouth.
The charity is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) registered on 19 September 2018.
Reference and administrative details
Joining Hands Joining Hearts is a registered charity in England and Wales and its charity registration number is 1179985. The address of its registered office is PO Box 645, Sittingborne, ME10 9JQ.
The names of the charity’s trustees during the reporting period were as follows: Sandra Ellis, James Simmonds (appointed 24 February 2024), John Nicholson (appointed 8 October 2023), Charlotte Wattley (appointed 24 September 2023) and Rev. Christopher James Penfold.
5
Joining Hands Joining Hearts Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
On behalf of the trustees
James Simmonds Trustee
5 November 2024
6
Joining Hands Joining Hearts Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
Statement of financial activities
| Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies Charitable activities Total Expenditure on: Raising funds Charitable activities Total Net (expenditure)/income Transfers between funds Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward |
Un- restricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Prior period total funds £ £ £ £ 313 - 313 4,819 - 15,200 15,200 - |
|---|---|
| 313 15,200 15,513 4,819 2,637 - 2,637 1,910 2,605 6,900 9,505 200 |
|
| 5,243 6,900 12,143 2,110 |
|
| (4,930) 8,300 3,370 2,709 491 (491) - - |
|
| (4,439) 7,809 3,370 2,709 7,011 491 7,502 4,793 |
|
| 2,572 8,300 10,872 7,502 |
7
Joining Hands Joining Hearts Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
Balance sheet
| Current assets: Cash at bank and in hand Total net assets The funds of the charity: Restricted income funds Unrestricted funds Total charity funds |
Total funds Prior period funds £ £ 10,872 7,502 |
|---|---|
| 10,872 7,502 |
|
| 8,300 491 2,572 7,011 |
|
| 10,872 7,502 |
The accounts were approved by the trustees on 5 November 2024.
On behalf of the trustees
James Simmonds Trustee
8
Joining Hands Joining Hearts Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
Statement of cash flows
| Net income for the reporting period Cash flows from operating activities Change in cash during the reporting period Cash at the beginning of the period Cash at the end of the period |
Total funds Prior period funds £ £ 3,370 2,709 |
|---|---|
| 3,370 2,709 |
|
| 3,370 2,709 7,502 4,793 |
|
| 10,872 7,502 |
9
Joining Hands Joining Hearts Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024
Notes to the accounts
1 Basis of preparation and accounting policies
In accordance with Section 133 of the Charities Act 2011, the charity has prepared cash-based receipts and payments accounts.
Since the accounts were not prepared on an accruals basis, the full requirements of FRS 102 and the Charities SORP were not applied. The trustees have voluntarily chosen to prepare an annual report.
The accounts were prepared in accordance with applicable charity law in England and Wales.
2 Fund movements
| Unrestricted funds Pony days and holiday Community grants IT and security grants Total funds |
Brought forward Income Expenditure Transfers Carried forward £ £ £ £ £ 7,011 313 (5,243) 491 2,572 491 - - (491) - - 14,000 (6,900) - 7,100 - 1,200 - - 1,200 |
|---|---|
| 7,502 15,513 (12,143) - 10,872 |
10