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2023-07-31-accounts

The Homeless Period – Wolverhampton (Periods Matter.)

Report and Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st July 2023

Charity number 1183408

Report from the Board of Trustees

Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

Table of Contents

Legal and Administrative Information.......................................................................2 The Chair’s Report......................................................................................................3 Our Aims and Objectives............................................................................................4 Purposes and Aims.........................................................................................................................4 Ensuring our work delivers our aims:..............................................................................................4 The focus of our work.....................................................................................................................4 How our activities deliver public benefit..........................................................................................4 Who used and benefited from our services?...................................................................................4 Receipt of Donations.......................................................................................................................5 Provision of Period Products...........................................................................................................5 Awareness Raising and Menstrual Equity.......................................................................................5 Menstrual Education.......................................................................................................................6 Financial Review..........................................................................................................7 Investment Policy............................................................................................................................7 Reserves Policy..............................................................................................................................7 Plans for Future Periods.................................................................................................................7 Structure, Governance and Management.................................................................8 Governing Document......................................................................................................................8 Trustee Induction and Training.......................................................................................................8 Risk Management...........................................................................................................................8 Organisational Structure.................................................................................................................9 Responsibilities of the Board..........................................................................................................9 Balance Sheet (Attached Separately)......................................................................10

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

Legal and Administrative Information

The Board of Trustees are pleased to present their annual report along with the consolidated financial statements for the charity for the year ending 31[st] July 2023. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993, the Constitution and Statement of Recommended Practice – Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2005).

Reference and Administrative Information

Charity Name: The Homeless Period - Wolverhampton

Working Name: PeriodsMatter.

Charity registration number: 1183408

Registered Office and operational address :

Office 1, The Workspace

All Saints Action Network

All Saints Road

Wolverhampton WV2 1EL

Board of Trustees:

Mrs C Roberts-Molloy Chair Mrs Helen Kenny Treasurer Miss Jessica Labhart Secretary Mrs Khadijah Roberts-Molloy

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

The Chair’s Report

We have continued to support our communities due to the continuing struggles resulting Cost of Living Crisis. We continue to see demand for our services grow.

We have continued to support our existing partner and beneficiary organisations across Wolverhampton as well as starting to expand our support into the wider community and have updated our registration to include this expanded geography.

The latter part of our financial year saw us embark on a new partnership and project with Citizens Advice Dudley and Wolverhampton, whereby we were supplying period products into their Cost-of-Living hubs across the key disadvantaged communities within the borough. This was an extensive project due to the impact of the Cost-of-Living crisis and at its height, we were distributing in excess of 300 packs of products per week.

Other key events throughout this year included:

July 2022

August 2022

October 2022

November 2022

December 2022

February 2023

March 2023

May 2023

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

June 2023

July 2023

As Chair, I have represented the organisation at a number of events and workshops and was also invited as a gest to the D.i.i.verse Hub podcast to talk about period poverty. We were also invited to participate in a number of media opportunities, however, due to resources, trustee availability and the late notice of the opportunities by journalists we have not been able to participate.

We continue to celebrate and recognise all key national days and events throughout the year, e.g., International Women’s Day and Menstrual Health Day. I have also been honoured to support several students, studying Women’s / Public Health Studies, with their dissertations considering aspects of period poverty and menstrual health.

I was honoured this year to receive notice that I am being awarded an honorary doctorate by Wolverhampton University in recognition of my contribution to the city, particularly around period poverty. I look forward to attending the ceremony in September.

With regard our organisation, we were delighted to congratulate one of our trustees on her pregnancy and started planning for her maternity leave, sharing roles and tasks amongst the remaining trustees, particularly with regard to social media and marketing. This also sparked the beginning of discussions regarding recruiting further trustees to the board, which the board will be acting upon.

As always, we have continued to be overwhelmed by the generosity and support we receive from across the city and look forward to supporting more individuals and families and continuing our fight against period poverty in the year ahead.

We are a small charity, with big ambitions!

Clare Roberts-Molloy - Chair

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

Our Aims and Objectives

Purposes and Aims

Our charity’s purposes as set out in the objects contained in the organisation’s constitution. The aims of our charity are to reduce the levels of period poverty within Wolverhampton and to educate young people and the wider public around period poverty and menstruation.

Our aims fully reflect the purposes that the charity was set up to further.

Ensuring our work delivers our aims:

We review our aims, objectives, and activities each year. This review looks at what we achieved and the outcomes of our work in the previous 12 months. The review looks at the success of each key activity and the benefits they have brought to those groups of people we are set up to help.

The review also helps us ensure our aim, objectives and activities remained focused on our stated purposes. We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aim and objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.

The focus of our work

Our main objectives for the year continued to be the reduction of period poverty in Wolverhampton, and menstrual education and awareness to young people and the wider public. The strategies we used to meet these objectives included:

How our activities deliver public benefit

Our main activities and who we try to help are described below. All our charitable activities focus on the relief of period poverty and delivery of menstrual education workshops and are undertaken to further our charitable purposes for the public benefit.

Who used and benefited from our services?

Our objects and funding limit the services we provide to residents in Wolverhampton as well as the wider Black Country where resources allow. While specific data relating to the extent of period poverty across the city is lacking, the demand for our services and provision of products has continued to increase.

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

We currently regularly support more than 20 local organisations who support women and girls experiencing period poverty. We estimate that via these organisations we support more than 2000 individuals and families per year. We also provide support and products to individuals and families who contact us directly. On average, we provide 200 packs of menstrual products per month.

We raise awareness of menstrual issues via online campaigns, the delivery of menstrual workshops, community packing sessions and by participating in regional research projects and supporting national and regional campaigns alongside other period poverty charities and organisations.

Receipt of Donations

While we still have a few active collection points across Wolverhampton, the methods and model by which we receive donations has changed. Most donations are now received directly via groups and organisations, or via financial donations, including:

Financial donations are then used to purchase products in bulk to ensure we have the resources to distribute and make the most of economies of scale. We purchase in bulk, where available from In-kind Direct, Boots.com and local wholesalers. We are also fortunate enough to be a Community Partner with Hey Girls, who continue to support us.

Provision of Period Products

Over the past 12 months we have provided period products to:

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

Donations given to individuals throughout the year.

Awareness Raising and Menstrual Equity

To raise further awareness around the issue of period poverty, which has gained increasing media coverage and several high profile petitions and campaigns to introduce free period products in schools, we have participated in a number of regional and national research projects and events

We have continued to support Birmingham City University with their period poverty research and have been an active member of the Menstrual Activist Network founded by Bloody Good Period.

We have been active in raising the issues of period poverty and period inequity across social media and have participated in several media interviews. We have supported key events celebrating Menstrual Hygiene Day and our founder Clare Roberts-Molloy has been asked to represent the charity and speak about period poverty at a number of online conferences and events.

Menstrual Education

While we are planning further Menstrual Education Workshops in the future, we have been asked ot deliver workshops in several settings, including the This Girl Can event and different groups at Wolverhampton University. We remain fully committed to the continued development and delivery of these activities in the near future.

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

Financial Review

The accounting period covers 12 months from 27th July 2022 to 26th July 2023 to enable compliance with HM Revenue and Customs requirement to submit a Company Tax Return covering those dates.

Total income for the year to 26[th] July 2023 was £18,644 which is a substantial increase compared with our last financial year. We were fortunate to receive two major grants during the year, £10,000 from the National Lottery Awards for All and £2,500 from Hey Girls. Donations received included £1,000 from the AkzoNobel Community Fund, £1,000 from the Edward and Dorothy Cadbury Trust, £1,000 from Tesco Community Fund, £1159 from Lush Birmingham, £652 from Lush Coventry, £500 from the University of Wolverhampton and £200 from Diverse Educators. We are extremely grateful for all financial donations received and wish to thank our supporters. As we have no other source of income, we could not do the work we do without their generosity.

Total expenditure for the year was £18,269 which includes £9,154 restricted income spent on specific projects. The bulk of the remaining expenditure was rent and office costs totalling £6,905. The increase in these costs compared to last year is the result of our move to a different office. This was deemed necessary as the flood damage to our previous office was still not fully repaired. Other significant costs were £840 website fees and £404 on the purchase of stock outside restricted spend.

Looking forward and as the charity has no regular source of income, the focus will continue to be on fundraising and applying for various grants that are available.

Investment Policy

Aside from retaining a prudent amount in reserves each year, the charity’s funds are spent in the short term so there are no funds for long term investment. If the financial situation of the charity changes, the Board will reconsider investments in the future.

Reserves Policy

As the charity relies solely on income from grants and donations, the level of reserves is set at a level equivalent to three months essential running costs including rent, rates and utility costs. This period of time will allow us to apply for grants and to appeal for funding should an unexpected drop in income occur.

As the charity moves forward and if income streams become more assured, the aim is to move to a six months’ cost reserves policy.

Plans for Future Years

The charity plans continuing the activities outlined above in the forthcoming years subject to satisfactory funding arrangements.

We will continue to apply for grant funding to support our activities and enable us to expand those we support as well as delivering further projects for the benefits of the individuals and communities we serve.

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

The organisation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered as a charity on 14[th ] May 2019. The organisation was established under a constitution which established the aims and objects of the CIO.

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees

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 charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

While the Board currently consists of the first charity trustees, recruitment of additional trustees may take place in the coming years to further support the work of the organisation.

Trustee Induction and Training

Upon appointment, new trustees will be invited and encouraged to attend a series of short training sessions covering:

A Question & Answer pack is being prepared drawing information from the various Charity Commission publications signposted through the Commission’s guide “the Essential Trustee” as a follow up to these sessions. This is distributed to all new trustees along with the Constitution and the latest financial statements. We are also members of NCVO and make their various training and publications available to trustees as appropriate.

Feedback from new trustees will be collected to ensure we continuously improve our processes.

Risk Management

The Management Committee has conducted a review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed. A risk register has been established and is updated at least annually. Where appropriate, systems or procedures have been established to mitigate the risks the charity faces.

Significant external risks to funding have led to the development of a strategic plan which will allow for the diversification of funding and activities. Internal control risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and projects.

Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety of staff, volunteers, clients, and visitors to the centre. These procedures are periodically reviewed to ensure that

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2023

they continue to meet the needs of the charity.

Organisational Structure

The Homeless Period – Wolverhampton has four Trustees, whom all have voting rights and are responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the charity. At present the Board has four members from a variety of professional backgrounds relevant to the work of the charity.

The members of the CIO are the charity trustees for the time being. The only persons eligible to be members of the CIO are its charity trustees. Membership of the CIO cannot be transferred to anyone else. Any member and charity trustee who ceases to be a charity trustee automatically ceases to be a member of the CIO.

The organisation does not currently employ any staff and therefore all decisions are undertaken by the Board of Trustees along with all operational and activities. However, funding allowing, it is the future aim of the organisation to employ a CEO, at least on a parttime basis to purposefully drive the organisation forward, beyond the resources of the current Board.

Responsibilities of the Board

The Charity Commission requires the Board of Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the CIO as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year. In preparing those financial statements, the Board should follow best practice and:

The Board is responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 1985.

The Board is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (issued in March 2005) and in accordance with the special provisions of Part VII of the Companies Act 1985 relating to small entities.

Approved by the Board on 28[th] May 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

Mrs C Roberts-Molloy (Chair)

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Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees tor year ending 31st July 2023 Balance Sheet (Attached Separately) li

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