## **WYTHENSHAWE SAFSPOTS CIO** End of year report Year ended 31 March 2023 Agreed by the Trustees on the 17[th] May 2023 1 ## **Reference and Administration Information** ## **Charity number:** 1183646 ## **Registered office and operational address:** Suite 2/3 Alderman Downward House Civic Centre Wythenshawe Manchester M22 5RF ## **Trustees** Trustees, who are also directors under company law, serving during the year of this report: Patricia Hawkins (Chair) Anne Burns Jennifer Lambden Denise Pollard ## **Bankers** TSB Civic Centre Wythenshawe Manchester M22 5RB ## **Objects** The objects of the CIO are to preserve and protect the health of women and relieve the distress and suffering experienced as a result of domestic abuse in, but not exclusively, South Manchester by the provision of outreach and drop in services which include advice, guidance and practical support. 2 The Trustees report a significant growth of the organisation over the last 12 months. The growth is in response to survivor support needed due to the increase in reported incidents of Domestic Abuse. Staffing levels have increased from: - 1 full-time & 2 part-time to **2 full-time & 2 part-time employees PLUS a contractor and 11 volunteers** The organisation utilised part of the National Lottery funding on a strength review, which was completed by two independent parties. The final report was extremely positive and highlighted the great work undertaken by the organisation. The National Lottery also provided funding for addition professional growth training for employees, enabling them to complete accredited facilitator training for the delivery of several weekly in house courses. The Tudor Trust grant has been used to support the delivery of more and varied in-house sessions each week, thus increasing the number of individuals attending the centre. ## **Centre Figures - includes calls and visitors - does not include emails** |||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |**Month**|**2016**|**2017**|**2018**|**2019**|**2020**|**2021**|**2022**|2023| |**Jan**|0|50|30|73|90|76|429|664| |**Feb**|33|42|21|78|93|163|471|594| |**Mar**|52|69|28|107|106|165|546|598| |**April**|46|38|18|85|182|256|548|643| |**May**|44|61|44|111|267|116|406|| |**June**|77|35|53|129|205|161|593|| |**July**|56|33|40|132|98|108|570|| |**Aug**|23|22|45|112|45|104|615|| |**Sept **|46|21|58|125|117|170|826|| |**Oct**|71|31|58|125|127|289|575|| |**Nov**|62|29|72|103|102|436|630|| |**Dec**|34|23|48|86|61|221|723|| |||||||||| |**Total**|544|454|515|1266|1493|2265|6932|2499| |||||||||| > (1[st] April 21 – 31[st] March 22 – 3307) **Centre Figures 1[st] April 22 - 31[st] March 23 - 7342** 3 ## **End of year report 31 March 2023** ## **Challenges :** - Referrals increasing in number and complexity. - Systematic failure of external services – Police, Housing, Children’s Services, Courts (family & criminal), Mental Health services. - Increased waiting lists for outward referrals specifically for counselling. - Maintaining focus on what we do well in the temptation to meet increasing number and diversity of needs presented to us for support. - In the light of this managing client expectations appropriately. - Funding to support core costs, given increased overheads due to new landlord and cost of living increases. - Strategic long term planning and development in rapidly changing environment with limited budget. ## **Outcomes :** ## **Collaborative working** - Police - Presentation at John Moores University for Professional Policing Course. - Police - Developing working relationship with Safeguarding team and local community officer. - Housing Provider (WCHG) – Providing training, nurturing collaborative relationship with Safeguarding & Living Well Teams. - Children’s Services - Reviewing and setting appropriate boundaries for support. - Early Help, Health Visitor and Community Mental Health Teams - Visits from staff and relationship building leading to collaborative working. - Increased multi-disciplinary team working across caseload. - Commercial Organisations - Networking relationship built with BW3, Chiesi, WCHG, Texere, MAG – resulting in awareness raising presentations, staff support, funding, donations and volunteering time. ## **Systems** - Review and updating of Policies. - Review, training and increased integration of Case Management System - Strengthening Team through training and teambuilding to handle increased more complex caseload more efficiently and effectively. ## **Additional inhouse services provided** - Additional Freedom course provided. - New Freedom Forever course added. - New Parenting course added. 4 ## **Human Outcomes/Impact** Below are examples of the achievement’s we have celebrated this year with our clients. Following this we have included a number of case studies. ## **Summary :** We have walked with women equipping and empowering them, providing emotional support and advocacy. As a result, we have noted their personal growth, improvement in safety for them and their families, life impacting changes in mindset leading to, improved problem solving and decision-making skills. With many, we have been privileged to see them recalibrate their lives, pushing through difficulties, redefining their experiences and walking into brighter futures. - Successful acquisition of non molestation orders - Successful legal outcomes - Successful court outcomes with abusers held accountable - Positive Parenting Assessments - Child Protections Plans stepped down to Child in Need Plans - Care Order reduced to Supervision Order - Children returned to the care of their mothers - Mothers supported as children are adopted and fostered long term - Successful outcomes when supporting women in disputes - Referrals and introductions to further support - Helping parents process current and historic abuse - their own childhood ACES - Celebrating graduations from our courses - Seeing the impact of the courses - Increasing emotional control, responding not reacting - Supporting to leave abusive relationships - Supporting into emergency accommodation - Supporting to move home - Feeling confident about the court process - Speaking out in Freedom groupwork - Supporting family to return to UK safely ## **Provision for:** - Provision of ring doorbells and safety doors - Provision from our foodbank - Food bank vouchers issued - Provision around emergency accommodation, moving costs and transport needs - Provision of carpets and beds - Support when in hospital - Bus passes provided for children to attend school, leavers hoodie provided, leavers retreat paid for - Provision of birthday cards / gifts for our clients and their families at difficult times - Children’s birthday cards and gifts - Provision at Christmas and other seasonal celebrations with gifts 5 ## **Ring Doorbells** Ring doorbells provide at home security for the families we work with. In addition, they act as a deterrent and can provide evidence to progress cases. Their impact is huge and immediate. We provided a doorbell for a young mother in her new home, previously she and her children had been in refuge. She had separated from her abusive partner following domestic abuse and violence. She was still experiencing difficulties with him around contact with her two young children. Mum was extremely anxious and had developed trauma related responses which were now impacting her life and that of the children. They had been living in refuge prior. Whilst working with Mum it became apparent that she had also been exposed to adverse childhood experiences due to domestic abuse as a child. One clear memory involved a knock at the door resulting in her mother telling the children to hide under the table. This memory had triggered a fearful response from Mum if there was an unexpected knock at the door. She was distressed not only at her own response and inability to cope, but also seeing her fear reflected in her children. Both children were upset and fearful when someone knocked at the door. This made things even more difficult for Mum as she realised their response was based on her reaction. The ring doorbell allowed Mum to see who was at the door before opening it. This allowed her to take a breath, reduce her own anxiety and make a safe decision about answering the door. By role modelling a different behaviour the children became calmer and less anxious when someone called at the front door. The calmer they became the happier and more relaxed Mum became. After a short time, Mum reported she felt more confident and had noticed a considerable improvement on the children’s responses too. This particular Mum also benefited from attending the Freedom course. ## **Feedback from Mum:** _“I was referred through by Family Action after being relocated to the area. I had been living in a refuge for 4 months with my 2 children in Jan 2022. I plucked up the courage to press the famous bell. I was in a bad broken point in my life and needed support. After my first visit I felt I could finally breath and didn’t feel alone anymore._ _I now attend on a weekly basis, can answer my phone and know I have a strong support system. I now realise that abuse is not normal in any way, and by doing the freedom programme it has taught me to recognise the signs of a bad relationship._ _I’m able to talk about things, I don’t suffer in silence, I’ve learnt that earth angels do exist, I always feel better when I leave. There’s not other services like it. The environment feels like home and my children feel safe. I’m now in a better life (place).”_ 6 ## **The Freedom Course** The Freedom Programme is an 11 week certificated course which examines the roles played by attitudes and beliefs on the actions of abusive men and the responses of victims and survivors. The aim is to enable an understanding of what has been experienced rather than being overwhelmed by it. The Freedom Programme also describes in detail how children are affected by being exposed to domestic abuse, together with how their lives are improved when the abuse is removed. The sessions have explored identifying controlling and coercive behaviours, warning signs and red flags indications of abusers. ## **Below is feedback from one of our graduates:** _“In November 2021 I left my abusive marriage after 16 years. The first six months I coped surprisingly well but then I began to struggle with the loneliness of the separation. I was seriously thinking about reconciling with my husband and so initially I reached out to Manchester Women’s Aid and asked for help and support. They provided me with one weekly phone call for 4 weeks. These calls were quite impersonal and felt very much like a box ticking exercise rather than the support I was looking for. After the 4 calls they suggested I complete the Freedom Programme. I don’t drive and the session they offered was an hour and a half away on public transport which meant that I would have to take a day’s leave from work each week to attend them._ _I looked online for more local facilitators and found Wythenshawe Safe spots. I called the number and was immediately offered a place on the course and asked to come in for a chat. I was very apprehensive before my first visit to Safe spots because I was still in a lot of denial about some the abuse within my marriage and so I didn’t really see myself as ‘worthy’ of the support they offered. The very first time I walked in the door I was greeted with such warmth, kindness, care, and understanding from all of the workers and it immediately felt like I belonged there. Being in an abusive relationship for such a long time is extremely isolating so to have that feeling of belonging was invaluable to me at a time when I was considering reconciling with my ex-husband._ _“I was very desensitised to the extreme abuse I was experiencing, and so taking part in the Freedom Programme and talking with the workers has helped me to recognise and understand the different types of abuse that I was being subjected to. This in turn has helped me to understand that I did not cause and am not responsible for the abusive behaviour of my ex-husband and most importantly that I cannot change his behaviour. Gaining this understanding is the reason I have not and will not reconcile with my ex-husband._ _Initially, the more open I became about the abuse I suffered, the more shame and embarrassment I felt about the things that happened to me and the ways in which I reacted to some of the things my ex-husband did. The non-judgemental support and encouragement given by the workers at Safe spots has helped me to understand that my reactions at the time of the abuse were coping mechanisms to help keep me safe. This has helped me to feel less ashamed and to recognise just how strong and resilient I am which has really helped to build my confidence and encouraged me to keep going on the days when I am struggling._ _Most importantly, Safe spots have helped me to see that I am not alone. Knowing that the workers understand what you’re going through and have first-hand experience of recovering from abusive relationships themselves makes their support feel so much more sincere._ _The support provided by Safe spots has helped me find the strength I needed to ensure that I did not reconcile with my husband and so ultimately, the main difference to my life is that I am now safe. I am safe from being physically, mentally, emotionally, and sexually abused on a daily basis._ 7 _Taking part in the freedom Programme has helped me to understand different types of abuse and recognise abusive behaviours that I once thought were normal. This has had a huge positive impact on me and has enabled me to maintain my boundaries during any contact I have with my ex-husband and has again, ensured I am safe. I feel that completing the course will also help me to recognise these behaviours in any potential future relationships I might have and help me to understand what a healthy relationship should look like._ _The first day I made the first made the call to Safe-spots I remember feeling absolutely terrified of the future and completely broken. The support and encouragement I receive from every single person at Safe spots is helping me to build myself back up week by week and I can finally see and look forward to a safe and happy future for me and my son.”_ 8 ## **Parenting Course (AWNTY) AreWeNearlyThereYet?** AWNTY is a five week certified course designed for those who care for children aged 4-10 years. The sessions are helpful, fun and practical. They use an informal, workshop style with lots of relevant content, and plenty of time for discussion and laughter about our role as parents. It’s designed to help you thrive – not just survive. ## **Session topics:** - My family – ready for the journey - Heart foundations – ours and theirs - Setting loving limits – discipline - Encouraging good choices on the journey - Keeping sane and planning ahead ## **Feedback from our graduates:** _“The course felt peaceful and supportive I enjoyed being able to talk and share other thoughts” “I not only enjoyed the course, but learnt so many new techniques. I enjoyed everyone else’s experiences and knowing I wasn’t alone.” “I have enjoyed everything, especially learning how to be a better parent. The course was organised and presented very well._ One of the graduates is a mother of two primary school age children. She had been in an abusive marriage for over 10 years, experiencing coercive control and physical abuse. The children are also survivors of coercive control from their father. Safeguarding at school referred Mum to us for support. We were able to support her and the children to leave the relationship successfully. In addition to completing the Freedom Course Mum has recently graduated from AWNTY Parenting course. Mum has recognised the continued coercive control from Dad during contact and has been able to ask questions and receive support specifically around this. This has helped Mum re-establish boundaries for successful parenting after very difficult circumstances. Having applied some of the suggestions from the course Mum is calmer and has noted that her relationship with the children has improved, she feels more empowered to care for them. 9 ## **Groups and Activities year ending 31.03.2023** |**Activity**|**Duration (weeks)**|**How many rounds**
**to date**|**Total individual**
**sessions**|**How many**
**attendees**| |---|---|---|---|---| |Freedom Program|11|5|55|71| |Freedom Forever|10|1|10|7| |ParentingCourse|5|2|10|16| |Coffee Morning|50|50|50|204| |Yoga/Mediation|10|10|10|33| |Legal Clinic|20|20|20|22| |**Provision**|**Volume**| |---|---| |RingDoorbells|46| |Personal Alarms|25| |EmergencyFood Vouchers|14| 10 ## **Oasis Reporting** Report - Referral Source |**Referral Source**|**Value**|**%**| |---|---|---| |Childrens Centre|50|20.00| |Drop in|24|9.60| |Drug and Alcohol Support|2|0.80| |Faith Organisation|1|0.40| |Friends and Family|7|2.80| |GP|1|0.40| |Housing|24|9.60| |Legal Support|13|5.20| |MARAC|3|1.20| |Mental Health Support|14|5.60| |National Domestic Abuse Helpline|1|0.40| |One to One support|8|3.20| |Peri natal / anti natal|3|1.20| |Police|7|2.80| |Safeguarding Adults|19|7.60| |Safeguarding Children|17|6.80| |Self Referral|46|18.40| |Specialist Domestic Abuse Support|10|4.00| 11 |0
10
20
30
40
50
60
**Total**|0
10
20
30
40
50
60
**Total**||**Referral Type**
**Referral Source**| |---|---|---|---| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| |**Referrals**||**by Month**
**Value**
**%**|| |April||15
6.00|| |May||19
7.60|| |June||10
4.00|| |July||14
5.60|| |August||23
9.20|| |September
35
14.00|||| |October
22
8.80|||| |November
16
6.40|||| |December
18
7.20|||| |January
28
11.20|||| |February
25
10.00|||| |March
25
10.00|||| ## **In conclusion** **This unique organisation provides a bespoke, safe space and critical emotional and practical support for Domestic Abuse survivors** 12 ||**Incorporated Organisation**
**1183646**
**Wythenshawe Safespots Charitable**
**Receipts andpayments accounts**
01/04/2022
31/03/2023
**To**
**For the period**
**from**|**Incorporated Organisation**
**1183646**
**Wythenshawe Safespots Charitable**
**Receipts andpayments accounts**
01/04/2022
31/03/2023
**To**
**For the period**
**from**|**Incorporated Organisation**
**1183646**
**Wythenshawe Safespots Charitable**
**Receipts andpayments accounts**
01/04/2022
31/03/2023
**To**
**For the period**
**from**|**Incorporated Organisation**
**1183646**
**Wythenshawe Safespots Charitable**
**Receipts andpayments accounts**
01/04/2022
31/03/2023
**To**
**For the period**
**from**|**Incorporated Organisation**
**1183646**
**Wythenshawe Safespots Charitable**
**Receipts andpayments accounts**
01/04/2022
31/03/2023
**To**
**For the period**
**from**|**CC16a**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**For the period**
**from**|01/04/2022|**To**|31/03/2023||| |||||||| |**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||| |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**-**
**-**
**6,750**
**-**
**13,379**
**336**
**-**
**20,465**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**20,465**
**13,224**
**-**
**-**
**5,345**
**4,529**
**591**
**3,231**
**6,797**
**4,396**
**1,884**
**39,997**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**39,997**
**- 19,532**
**-**
**-**
**- 19,532**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**53,500**
**15,000**
**-**
**27,620**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**96,120**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**96,120**
**56,270**
**4,277**
**2,987**
**3,566**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**1,870**
**1,400**
**70,370**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**70,370**
**25,750**
**-**
**-**
**25,750**|**Endowment**
**funds**|**Total funds**
**53,500**
**15,000**
**6,750**
**27,620**
**13,379**
**336**
**-**
**-**
**116,585**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**116,585**
**69,494**
**4,277**
**2,987**
**8,911**
**4,529**
**591**
**3,231**
**8,667**
**4,396**
**3,284**
**110,367**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**110,367**

**6,218**||**Last year**| |TNL Funding|**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**53,500**||**-**| |Tudor Trust Funding|**-**|||**15,000**||**-**| |WCHG Funding|**6,750**|||**6,750**||**-**| |MCC|**-**|||**27,620**||**-**| |Donations|**13,379**|||**13,379**||**-**| |Sundryreceipts|**336**|||**336**||**-**| |||||**-**||**-**| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**20,465**|||**116,585**||**-**| |||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**||||||| ||**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**||| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Sub total_**|**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||| ||||**-**|**116,585**||**-**| |||||||| |Salaries/Contractors costs|**13,224**||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**69,494**||**-**| |Session Delivery/Supplies|**-**|||**4,277**||**-**| |Training|**-**|||**2,987**||**-**| |Rent,Rates and Insurance|**5,345**|||**8,911**||**-**| |Office Supplies|**4,529**|||**4,529**||**-**| |Marketing|**591**|||**591**||**-**| |Web hostingand support|**3,231**|||**3,231**||**-**| |FamilySupport|**6,797**|||**8,667**||| |Security|**4,396**|||**4,396**||| |Professional Fees|**1,884**|||**3,284**||**-**| |**_Sub total_ **|**39,997**|||**110,367**||**-**| |||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**||||||| ||**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**||| ||**-**|||**-**||| |**_Sub total_ **|**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||| ||||**-**|**110,367**||**-**| |||||||| ||**- 19,532**|**25,750**|**-**|
**6,218**||**-**| ||**-**|**-**|**-**
**-**|**-**||**-**| ||**-**|**-**||**-**||**-**| ||**- 19,532**|**25,750**|**-**|**6,218**||**-**| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 29/01/2024 1 ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)|Signature
**Details**
**Details**
Bank Balance
**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
**Details**
2|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**24,411**
**25,750**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**24,411**
**25,750**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Mrs Patricia Hawkins
Mrs Denise Pollard
3
3|**Endowment**
**funds**|**Endowment**
**funds**| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**Endowment**
**funds**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**-**|| ||||**When due**
**(optional)**|| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ||||Date of
approval|| ||||0/01/2024|| ||||0/01/2024|| ||||29/01/2024|| CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 29/01/2024 ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Report to the trustees/ members of** Wythenshawe Safespots Charitable Incorporated Organisation **On accounts for the year** 31[st] March 2023 **Charity no** 1183646 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** 1 and 2 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above 31/03/2023 **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 . 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 in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or - 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._ **Date:** 29/01/2024 **Signed: Name:** Karen L Hunter FCCA **Relevant professional** ICAEW **qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:** Nolan James Ltd Suite 1, Armcon Business Park, London Road South Poynton, Cheshire, SK12 1LQ 1 **October 2018** **IER**