## **The Homeless Period – Wolverhampton (Periods Matter.)** **Report and Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31st July 2024** **Charity number 1183408** **Report from the Board of Trustees** Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 ## **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** 1 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 ## **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 2025. 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: Periods Matter. 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 Dawn Wilkes – Chair (resigned November 2025) Mrs Helen Kenny - Treasurer Miss Jessica Labhart - Secretary ## **Senior Leadership:** Clare Roberts-Molloy - CEO 2 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 ## **The CEO’s Report** This year has seen a number of changes within the organisation with the appointment of a new Chair of Board, Dawn Wilkes (who later resigned in November 2025). I resigned my roles as Chair in January 2025 so I could take up the role of CEO, as appointed by the Board. While undergoing these changes, we have continued to support our communities through the ongoing challenges of the Cost-of-Living Crisis, with the demand for our services continuing to grow. Our commitment to existing partners and beneficiaries across Wolverhampton remains strong, and this year we have further expanded our reach across the Black Country. This expansion has included supporting new organisations and building on our collaborations with key agencies across Dudley and Wolverhampton. We have worked alongside local projects including providing products into libraries and family centres, as hubs for local distribution to those who need support most. We have also been involved in local Winter Warmth Events and Women’s Health Network events. Other key events and activities this year included: ## **July 2024** - New Trustee, Dawn Wilkes joined the Board (later appointed Chair) ## **August 2024** - Delivered Our Schools Out, Drop in project over the school summer holidays. ## **September 2024** - Selected for Tesco Blue Token scheme ## **October 2024** - Recognised World Menopause Day ## **November 2024** - Launch Reverse Advent Calendar campaign ## **December 2024** - Held a Christmas Packing Session and distributed over 60 parcels - Successful Reverse Advent Calendar campaign ## **January 2025** - Clare Roberts-Molloy Appointed CEO ## **March 2025** 3 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 - Celebrated International Women’s Day and had stands at local events and conferences - Our CEO delivered a Menstrual Health Workshop with partner organisations - We worked closely with ACCI on our Seeing Red Going Green Project ## **April 2025** - We continued our Community Drop in Sessions ## **May 2025** - Celebrated Menstrual Health Day - Attended several Women’s Health Events - Participated in a local sponsored walk for Aspiring Futures ## **June 2025** - Participated in the Big Give Campaign for Small Charity Week ## **July 2025** - Celebration of our 7th birthday - Recruitment of a new trustee, welcoming Dawn to the board On addition, we delivered the following projects throughout the year: - Schools Out Drop In – Various locations across Wolverhampton - Community Drop In – Various locations across Wolverhampton - Dudley MBC – Library & Family Centres Project We were also delighted to welcome a new volunteer to the team, Roya Gharhramani, who has made a substantial impact in supporting our operations. As CEO, I’ve had the privilege of representing the charity at a variety of events and supporting several students working on dissertations related to period poverty. We are continually humbled by the generosity of our donors and the passion of our volunteers. As always, we remain a small charity with big ambitions and look forward to continuing the fight against period poverty in the year ahead. Clare Roberts-Molloy - CEO 4 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 ## **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 the Black Country, and menstrual education and awareness to young people and the wider public. The strategies we used to meet these objectives included: - Raising funds and receiving donations of menstrual products from the public and supporters - Delivery and provision of menstrual products, toiletries and underwear to individuals and charitable organisations for dissemination to their beneficiaries - Delivery of educational workshops to schools and groups of young people - Convening period packing sessions for the community - Raise awareness around menstrual activity in partnership with period poverty organisations and charities regionally and nationally to combat ongoing menstrual stigma and inequality. ## **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. 5 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 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: - Hey Girls - DME Fitness - Pads On A Roll - Rexall Chemist - Sainsbury’s Wombourne - Wolverhampton Soroptimists - CPI Euromix, Bilston - St Bernadettes Church, Wombourne - Sophie Elizabeth Dance Academy - Wolverhampton Outreach - Penn Mothers Union - One Walsall - Warstones Pharmacy - Utilita West Bromwich - Tettenhall WI - Aspiring Futures - Arkwide Notable Financial Donations during the Year - Tesco Stronger Starts - £1,125 - CPI Euromix - £2,149 - The Big Give - £976 Other financial donations were received from many different organisations and individuals including DME Fitness, Redrow Midlands Community Fund, Blakemore Foundation, Inner Wheel of Tettenhall, PayPal Giving, Easyfundraising, Soroptimist International of Wolverhampton, Women’s Freemasons, Wolverhampton Community Lottery and Charities Trust. 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. 6 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 ## **Provision of Period Products** Over the past 12 months we have provided period products to: - Aspiring Futures - Changing Lives Criminal Justice Team - Changing Lives IRIS Team - It’s a Family Thing - Hope Community Project - Ukraine Community - P3 - RMC Plus, via regular community drop in sessions and numerous individuals on a one off and regular basis. ## **Awareness Raising and Menstrual Equity** 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 and CEO, Clare Roberts-Molloy has been asked to represent the charity and speak about period poverty at a number of local conferences and events. ## **Menstrual Education** While we are planning further Menstrual Education Workshops in the future, we have been asked to deliver workshops in several settings, including local schools, community venues and Wolverhampton University. We remain fully committed to the continued development and delivery of these activities in the near future. 7 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 ## **Financial Review** The accounting period covers 12 months from 27th July 2024 to 26th July 2025 to enable compliance with HM Revenue and Customs requirement to submit a Company Tax Return covering those dates. Total income for the year to 26th July 2025 was £5,546 which is a substantial decrease compared with our last financial year. Despite this, we were able to continue with our activities thanks to grants received from the National Lottery Community Fund and the Morrisons Foundation in June 2024. We were fortunate to receive the first part of a grant of £1,125 from Tesco Stronger Starts and a donation of £2,149 from the Bilston branch of CPI Euromix from their 2024 STEPtember challenge. In June 2025, we took part in the Big Give Small Charity Week campaign and received a payment of £976 in July 2025. The balance of £1,000 was not received until August 2025 and will therefore be included in the 2025 to 2026 accounts. Other financial donations were received from many different organisations and individuals including DME Fitness, Redrow Midlands Community Fund, Blakemore Foundation, Inner Wheel of Tettenhall, PayPal Giving, Easyfundraising, Soroptimist International of Wolverhampton, Women’s Freemasons, Wolverhampton Community Lottery and Charities Trust. We are extremely grateful for all financial donations received and want to thank all our supporters. As we have no regular source of income, we could not do the work we do without their generosity. Total expenditure for the year was £19,425 which includes £13,631 restricted income spent on specific projects. The bulk of the remaining expenditure was rent, office costs and website fees totalling £4,147. Looking forward and as the charity has no regular source of income, the focus will continue to be on fundraising, applying for various grants that are available and exploring the possibility of reducing our spend on overheads. ## **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 occurs. 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. 8 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 ## **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: - The obligations of Board Trustees - Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and Children - The main documents which set out the operational framework for the charity including the Constitution. - Resourcing, fundraising and the current financial position as set out in the latest published accounts. - Future plans and objectives. 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 9 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 they continue to meet the needs of the charity. ## **Organisational Structure** The Homeless Period – Wolverhampton currently as at 31[st] July 2025 has three 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. A CEO has been appointed on a one day per week basis to bring additional structure, oversight and focus on the activities of the charity. She has been tasked with revenue generation, increasing partnerships across the region and increasing awareness of our work. 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: - Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. - Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and - Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is not appropriate to assume that the organisation will continue on that basis. 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 2025 and signed on its behalf by: ## **Mrs C Roberts-Molloy (CEO)** 10 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 Report and Financial Statements from the Board of Trustees for year ending 31st July 2025 Balance Sheet (Attached Separately) 12 Income and expelldlture for Th• Hon*kss Périod￿0￿•rtthfft￿1 eharltyfor1h• y•ar •nd•d 2W0712025 Exp•Thlity EXpend*￿Tr Ineome 2019 Big Loltery Fund RotarylJam•5 B84tb"e Morrisons Foundab NL COMM￿lty Fund Te6co Strmger Starts Subs(ript"0Ths Donib"on8 1.125 1.126 4.412 4A21 4,412 Tolal Incoffl 1.125 Inttrnet & Télèphone Charitable Donations (Stock) Att4erlsiw and Prornotion LegBI on(t Profe￿On•1 Fee Att￿nIan¢¥ Fee6 Web¥ite InwraThc• Rent Offlco CN Subscrip Salori•i Tax and Nl Trav Accomdation and M••15 Printjng Slots"onwy ¢ffl¢e Equlpment Depredotson lor ye•r Totsl exp•nd0￿rn 73 102 1.617 921 175 1.928 1,050 65 50 832 85 211 10.542 $49 234 2.400 682 219 234 192 192 45 4$ 128 99 128 180 81 1)A31 19,411 surp￿￿{0•1￿1ty -1 972 -13I78 Fund¥ brouqhtlonvwd 22.644 rJ.508 FwKl& e*Yl•d ton￿d 10JJ8 Stal•Thnt ol Asuts and LiibiliO•s for Th• Hom•l•** P•tlod¥4oI¥wlwfflpt￿ i• *t 211071202S oirK• E4uyrnent 420 357 1.079 510 L8S$ lo Cash in Bank Total AJMts 10.738 11 11 UnrestiiLXed Fun ReslTiGted Fwd5 -708 10.338 Trtal FWKJS c4cC￿￿,