| To | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | for theperiod | for theperiod | for theperiod |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period start date | Period end date | |||||||
| From | Day 01 |
Month 01 |
Year 2023 |
To | Day 31 |
Month 12 |
Year 2023 |
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Concern Cymru
Other names charity is known by
Registered charity number (if any) 1182469
Charity's principal address The Ark Centre, Ararat Baptist Church
Plas Treoda, Whitchurch Cardiff Postcode CF14 1PT
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Stuart Gerrish | Chair | |||
| Mr Michael Rees | Treasurer | |||
| Mrs Sheila Stephen | ||||
| Mrs Anna Hartt | ||||
| Mr Peter Knight | ||||
| Miss Siobhan Walters | ||||
| Mrs Camilla Owen | ||||
| Appointed by invite of trustees | ||||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
| Name | Dates acted if not for whole year |
|---|---|
| None |
TAR 1 March 2012
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser | Name | Address |
| Bankers | CAF Bank Ltd | 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ |
| Independent Examiner | Mrs Sylvia I. Whitehead | 46 Bryn Terrace, Aberdare, CF44 8RA |
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Director: Mr Russell Walters
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution registered by Charity Commission for England and Wales, March Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) 14[th] 2019 Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Appointed by trustees Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
The charity is managed by a board of trustees who set the overall strategy for the operation and development of the organisation. In this they are assisted by a management committee consisting of the director, treasurer and four senior counsellors. This committee, through the director, also oversees the day to day operation of the service.
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
- policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
All trustees and counsellors working with the charity hold current DBS checks.
-
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
-
Concern Cymru is affiliated to the Association of Christians in Counselling (ACC) and operates under the code of ethics of that organisation.
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relationship with any related parties;
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A system of policies and codes of practice is in place that together with the code
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parties; of ethics mentioned above, are designed to manage the inherent risks involved
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● trustees’ consideration of in counselling. These are reinforced by the high standards of initial and ongoing major risks and the system training required to be undertaken by counsellors, and by continuous and procedures to manage supervision. The charities possible financial exposure to professional or public them. liability is covered adequately by insurance.
Section C Objectives and activities
The objects of Concern Cymru are:
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
-
the advancement of health for the public benefit by providing counselling to people with mental and emotional needs, together with
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the advancement of education for the public benefit by providing accredited training and professional development for counsellors.
TAR 2 March 2012
| Section C Objectives and activities (cont’d) | Section C Objectives and activities (cont’d) |
|---|---|
| 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) |
In considering the operation and activities of Concern Cymru, the Trustees give due regard to the Charity Commissions guidance on public benefit. Counselling is a well proven and approved technique for addressing a wide variety of mental, emotional and spiritual needs. Talking therapy is approved and provided by the National Health Service with the anticipation that patient's symptoms will be alleviated by counselling. Concern Cymru provides public benefit by mobilising the time and expertise of Christian volunteer counsellors in South Wales to provide a service to supplement the state talking therapy provision, which is increasingly overloaded and unable to meet demand. Its main activity is to provide free counselling to any person in need of such a service. A wide range of problems can be addressed and a number of counselling models are used, depending on the nature of the presenting case Clients can be offered counselling either in a face-to-face setting, online via a video conference or by telephone. In order to make our services known as widely as possible, we maintain contacts with local GP Health Centres, social services, local community health organisations and support services, so that these organisations can refer people who may benefit from our services, to us. Our services are also advertised through local media and our web site. Another of our aims is to provide public benefit by increasing the number of qualified counsellors available in the community. This is achieved by organising and running accredited training courses in counselling skills, together with specialised in-house courses and seminars to provide counsellors with the opportunity for continuous professional development. These courses and seminars are open to anyone with counselling interests, and not only those who work with Concern Cymru. We also provide the opportunity for students studying for counselling degrees or diplomas at local universities and colleges, to work with us. This enables them to build up their practical skills and the necessary number of practice hours required for their courses. |
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
| Youmay chooseto include further statements, where relevant, about: ●policy on grantmaking; ●policy programme related investment ●contribution made by volunteers. |
Concern Cymru is grateful to the volunteers, who give their time freely to counsel our clients and also to study and improve their counselling skills. Without them Concern Cymru would not be able to function in its present format, where no compulsory charge is made to clients for counselling. |
|---|---|
TAR 3 March 2012
Section D Achievements and performance
Developments in the Counselling Ministry The number of people referring to Concern Cymru for counselling continued to rise steadily through 2023. A total of 312 referrals for counselling were received, marking a 10% increase from 2022. The cost of living crisis in this country and the conflicts abroad in Ukraine and latterly Gaza, have heightened anxiety in many people with a consequent increase in mental health issues. We are now able to offer clients a choice of online or face to face counselling. Online counselling has become the choice of most people as it saves them travelling time and cost to attend our centres. However, face to face counselling is still preferred by some 25% of our clients and is necessary when a client feels it is not safe for them to be counselled from home due to domestic circumstances. The level of face to face counselling is now greater than we anticipated when we moved to our new office accommodation at Ararat Baptist Church at the end of 2021. As a consequence, we have rented a room for our sole use at Thornhill Church Centre in Cardiff to provide additional counselling space. This is initially a one year contract and it is hoped that the extra space may enable us to a to develop a young people and adolescents service to help with the rapidly increasing demand for counselling for this age group. We continue to provide 15 weekly counselling sessions at St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School, with 38 new students starting counselling this year. Summary of the main achievements of the charity Following the large number of changes in methods of operation forced on us by during the year the covid pandemic, we completed a total overhaul of all our policies and procedures and safe guarding arrangements. Two training events were organised to familiarise all counsellors with the new procedures. Improving Counsellor Skills and Numbers We recruited five new student counsellors in the year. These students are undertaking counselling degree or diploma courses at local colleges, and we offer them the opportunity to build up the hours of practical counselling they need to complete their courses. 13 counsellors completed the course started in advanced trauma counselling training, which had started in 2022. This course was a response to the large number of highly traumatised Ukrainian refugees that were approaching us for counselling. Due to the demand for supervision for students, we have agreed to introduce group supervision early in 2024, and have recruited an external supervisor for this role. We have introduced bi-monthly Continuous Professional Development evenings for counsellors, where we plan to invite guest specialist speakers to give our counsellors the best CPD training opportunities we can offer
TAR 4 March 2012
Section D (cont’d) Achievements and performance
In this year when our staff and volunteers have again been called on to make exceptional efforts to maintain Concern Cymru’s service to the community, we are extremely thankful for the continued prayers and financial support of local churches, clients, friends and private charitable trusts, which have enabled us to maintain the free service we offer.
Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s Concern Cymru aims to maintain reserves to cover a minimum of six months’ policy on reserves operation. This would allow the charity to arrange for an orderly closure should funding cease, ensuring that any client undergoing counselling at the announcement of closure would have every chance of their case being brought to a conclusion whilst the charity was still able to operate. Details of any funds materially There are no funds in deficit in deficit
Further financial review details (Optional information)
Total receipts for the year were £55,259 and payments were £46,919. £9,545 of this income came from the transfer of the funds of the original charity, Cardiff Concern, to Concern Cymru as was agreed with the Charity Commission following the closure of Cardiff Concern at the end of the year. We also received unrestricted donations from several charitable trusts. You may choose to include These were £9000 from the Ardbarron Trust Ltd and £1,200 from the James additional information, where Williams Trust. relevant about: The total reserves held by Concern Cymru at the end of the year were ● the charity’s principal £45,850. £43,920 of these reserves were held in the general fund which was sources of funds sufficient to meet the requirements of the reserve policy above. (including any fundraising); Most of the charity’s expenditure is used to rent and operate suitable premises to provide counselling rooms and office accommodation, to ● how expenditure has provide training, and to pay a part time salary to a director and administrator to oversee the day to day operation of the service. supported the key objectives of the charity; Expenditure is also incurred to provide insurance cover to protect our ● • investment policy and counsellors and the service against professional and public liabilities which objectives including any may arise. ethical investment policy No counsellor is paid for counselling services given to Concern Cymru, adopted . although occasionally travelling expenses are paid when counsellors have to travel long distances to our counselling centres. It is also sometimes necessary to hire in specialist professional counsellors to meet particular needs. It is usually necessary to pay fees for this.
Section F Other optional information
TAR 5 March 2012
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) Michael Bernard Rees John Stuart Gerrish Position (e.g. Secretary, Chair, Chair etc)[Treasurer ] Date 12th June 2023
TAR 6 March 2012
Concern Cymru
Registered Charity Number 1182469
Receipts & Payment Account and Statement of Assets & Liabilities under Part 8 of the Charities Act 2011 for the period of 12 months ending December 31st 2023
| Receipts: Note (a) Voluntary Sources Client donations Church gifts Other donations 2 Income tax recovered 3 (b) Income from Assets Bank interest 4 (c) Schools' Counselling Contract St Teilo's High School (d) Miscellaneous Receipts Fund Raising 5 Room Hire Prepayment for Training Fees 6 Sundry income 7 Coronovirus Job Retention Scheme Total Receipts Payments: (a) Direct Charitable Expenditure Salaries, Staff expenses 8 Schools' counselling counsellor fees Operation of counselling premises 9 Support of counselling service 10 Administration 11 Training and information 12 (b) Other Expenditure Fund raising costs 13 Publicity 14 Retirement/memorial gifts Total Payments Surplus/(deficit) for the year before transfers Transfers (Surplus training fees returned to general fund) Surplus/(deficit) for the year after transfers Balance brought forward Balance carried forward STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31 DECEMBER 2023 ASSETS: Bank and cash balances: Debtors Furniture and fittings (insured value) LIABILITIES: Creditors |
2022 General Fund Designated Funds Restricted Funds Total Total Training Courses Croeserw Service £ £ £ £ £ 1,551 - - 1,551 739 1,713 - - 1,713 1,290 31,385 - - 31,385 25,040 2,792 - - 2,792 1,758 541 - - 541 33 17,187 - - 17,187 15,833 61 - - 61 3,312 30 - - 30 - - - - 800 - - - - - - - - 55,259 - - 55,259 48,805 22,306 - - 22,306 20,711 15,046 - - 15,046 13,860 6,844 - - 6,844 9,780 923 - - 923 881 1,474 - - 1,474 1,324 77 - - 77 1,180 - - - - - - - - - - 250 - - 250 - 46,919 - - 46,919 47,735 8,340 - - 8,340 1,070 164 (164) - - 8,504 (164) - 8,340 35,416 164 1,930 37,510 36,440 43,920 - 1,930 45,850 37,510 Note 2023 2022 £ £ 15 45,850 37,510 16 3,560 2,500 12,500 12,500 17 1,230 250 2023 |
|---|---|
Purpose of Funds:
a) Designated funds hold monies received and spent in connection with counselling training courses provided by Concern Cymru. Surplus monies remaining after the completion of each course are transferred back to the general fund.
b) Restricted funds hold the income and expenditure associated with grants made to Concern Cymrufor specific purposes.
Concern Cymru - Accounts 2023 Page 1 of 3
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS:
1. Basis of accounts:
These accounts have been prepared on a 'receipts and payments' basis in accord with the Statement of Recommended Accounting Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2005), UK Accounting Standards and the Charities Act 2011
Receipts:
| 2. Donations and other income: Friends Gift Aided Other Counsellors Gift Aided Other In Memorium gifts Grants (restricted) Ffynon Oer Windfarm Benefit People's Health Trust Llynfi Afan National Lottery Charitable trusts Arrbarron Trust Hebron Hall Cardiff YMCA (1910)Trust James Williams Trust 3. Income tax recovered: From Gift Aid donations Small Donation scheme 4. Bank interest: CAF Bank Accounts HMRC interest 5. Fund Raising: Collection Boxes Sales 6. Training Fees Trauma Course Donations Level 1/2 course fees Level 3 course fees CBT course fees 7. Sundry income Private use of photocopier Utilities commission Payments: 8. Salaries and staff expenses: Director Salary Director expenses Director Pension/N.I. Administrator Salary/Fees Counsellor fees /expenses 9. Operation of counselling premises: Rent/Rates Cleaning Energy Supplies,equipment and safety Repairs/Refurbishment Building and contents insurance Events (2022:- 200 km run, 2021:-Cambrensis Concert) Funds transferred on closure of original charity (Cardiff Concern) |
- - - - 9,000 1,200 |
2022 General Designated Restricted Total Total 9,545 9,545 6,000 1,795 - - 1,795 270 3,745 - - 3,745 3,344 6,100 - - 6,100 5,801 - - - - 500 - - - - 25 - - - - - 10,200 - - 10,200 9,100 31,385 - - 31,385 25,040 2,792 - - 2,792 1,680 - - - - 78 2,792 - - 2,792 1,758 541 - - 541 33 - - - - - 541 - - 541 33 61 - - 61 312 - - 3,000 - - - - - 61 - - 61 3,312 - - - - 450 - - - - - - - - - 200 - - - - 150 - - - - 800 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2022 General Designated Restricted Total Total 17,466 - - 17,466 16,172 - - - - - 337 - - 337 289 4,210 - - 4,210 3,940 293 - - 293 310 22,306 - - 22,306 20,711 5,200 - - 5,200 5,147 - - - - - - - - - 579 1,254 - - 1,254 3,071 - - - - 589 390 - - 390 393 6,844 - - 6,844 9,780 2023 2023 |
|---|---|---|
Concern Cymru - Accounts 2023 Page 2 of 3
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (cont'd)
Payments: (cont'd)
----- Start of picture text -----
2023 2022
10. Support of counselling service: General Designated Restricted Total Total
Liability and accident insurance 371 - - 371 352
Association fees and subscriptions 152 - - 152 145
DBS Checks 158 - - 158 86
Counselling Telephone 242 - - 242 298
Books and resources - - - - -
923 - - 923 881
11. Administration:
Bank Charges 135 - - 135 123
Internet 1,309 - - 1,309 1,201
Postage, stationery 29 - - 29 -
Photocopying - - - - -
1,474 - - 1,474 1,324
12. Training and information:
External courses/conference fees, expenses (Supervision course) 77 - - 77 -
Course teaching and accreditation fees:
Trauma Course - - - - 1,000
Level 3 - - - -
Level 1/2 - - - - -
CBT - - - 180
College Partnership Fees - - - -
Other training resources - - - -
77 - - 77 1,180
13. Fund Raising costs
Promotional pens - - - - -
- - - - -
14. Publicity:
Media advertising - - - - -
Counselling service publicity printing/postage - - - - -
- - - - -
Assets and liabilities:
2023 2022
15. Bank and cash balances: General Designated Restricted Total Total
CAF Cash Account 3,918 - 1,930 5,848 36,490
CAF Gold Account 40,002 - - 40,002 1,006
PayPal Account - - - - 14
Cash in hand - - - - -
43,920 - 1,930 45,850 37,510
16. Debtors
Payments due for schools contract 3,560 - - 3,560 2,500
Unclaimed tax on gift aid donations - - - - -
3,560 - - 3,560 2,500
17. Creditors
Administrator fees 330 330 250
Charges for School Contrat 900 900 -
1,230 - - 1,230 250
----- End of picture text -----
Accounts prepared by Michael B. Rees (Treasurer), January 2024
The accounts and statement of assets and liabilities set out on pages 1 to 3 relating to the year ending 31st December 2023 are as approved by the trustees.
Signed: Stuart Gerrish (Chair) Date: 29th January 2024
Concern Cymru - Accounts 2023 Page 3 of 3
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Concern Cymru members of On accounts for the year 31[st] December 2023 Charity no 1182469 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 to 3 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
-
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/12/2023
-
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act
-
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 the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention ( ~~other than that disclosed below~~ *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
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.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Date: 12[th] March 2024 Name: Mrs Sylvia I. Whitehead Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 46 Bryn Terrace Cwmdare Aberdare CF44 8RA
1
October 2018
IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
2
October 2018
IER