## Connected Lives Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2020 1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk ## **CONNECTED LIVES** ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020** ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE 255 Old Marylebone Road London NW1 5QT GOVERNING DOCUMENT CIO Constitution dated July 2019 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1184376 TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Lindsey Hayward MANAGING THE CHARITY Anita Jones Nicola Morriss Margaret Sandilands Jonathan Sercombe BANKERS National Westminster Bank Plc INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB ## **INDEX** Page 1 Legal and Administrative Details Pages 2-5 Trustees' Report Page 6 Independent Examiner's Report Page 7 Receipts and Payments Account Page 8 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Page 9 Notes to the Accounts Page 1 ## **CONNECTED LIVES** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020** The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2020. ## **Objects of the charity** Connected Lives is an early intervention charity, governed by a constitution and is constituted as a charitable incorporated organisation. The charity's principal objects, as set out in its governing document is to benefit of the public in the advancement of education in relation to parenting, couple relationships, relational well being and childcare. We run targeted support groups for parents/carers with their babies and children, groups for parents of teenagers and groups for couples. All the programmes we use are attachment-based, traumainformed, evidence-based and have a strong preventative track record. ## **Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements** To further the above objects the charity's main activities and achievements were as follows: In 2020, we supported over 1,200 people engagements. We were helped in this endeavour by a wonderful staff team and a remarkable team of volunteers (11 volunteers helped deliver and support groups on a regular basis). ## **Circle of Security Parenting Groups (Under 11’s)** Circle of Security Parenting Groups run for 8 weeks at 1.5 hours per session. Over this period we experienced a five-fold increase in the numbers of parents who were referred to us from the perinatal mental health teams and early help teams. Through engaging additional facilitators, we were able to more than double the normal number of Circle of Security Groups that we delivered in 2020 by running 10 groups instead of our normal 4. ## **Circle of Security Parenting Groups Evaluation** 96.4% of parents completed the course (this is very high compared to average) 81% of parents said that their stress levels had reduced as a result of being part of the group 79% said their relationship with their child had improved 100% said participation had improved their understanding of their ‘parenting triggers’ 60% - developed significantly (up 2 or more categories) increased parental reflective functioning One thing we noticed from running the groups online was that it was more accessible to more vulnerable parents and we had a far greater ‘success’ in getting referred parents to come along to a group. So although the facilitators found it harder to work online there were huge benefits that we had not predicted or expected. Page 2 ## **Circle of Security Parenting Groups (Teenagers)** We ran one group specifically for parents of teenagers (Sept-Nov 2020) many of these parents were struggling to cope with teenagers who were stuck at home, not able to attend school for large chunks of the time and who were understandably stressed and harder to handle. Through using the basic Circle of Security approach together with insights from neuroscience about adolescent development, the group were able to understand the strengths and struggles of their teenagers, and to, where needed, change their responses to their adolescents and take charge with a greater degree of ‘firm, no nonsense kindness’. Parents reported back that their relationship with their teens had significantly improved. As a result of this work we are working with a child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr Clare Gates, to devise a programme specifically for parents of teens to be developed and rolled out in 2021 (funding permitting). ## **Hold Me Tight Groups for Couples** We ran a Hold Me Tight Course online June-July 2020 (with final session at the beginning of Sept). 42 people joined the programme, which was supported by 4 trained couples therapists and two facilitators. The programme, developed by Dr Sue Johnson, founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy, helps couples understand how and why they get into negative patterns of relating and (more importantly) how they can understand one another and change their responses to each other. Having the therapists available to drop into the break out rooms and help couples where they were stuck enabled us to really support couples that were struggling. All the couples completed the course. 93% rated the course and exercises they did as a couple as either good or excellent. 71% said they would recommend to other couples and 85% said they got the outcomes they were looking for. ## **Webinars** Webinars replaced our regular evening events for parents. We ran a series of webinars throughout 2020 looking at issues such as: Helping your teen cope with big emotions; Leaving Lockdown, how to help children re-integrate back into school; Love in a time of Covid, Raising confident teens in an anxious world and Parenting in a pandemic. Contributors included Dr Sue Johnson (author of Hold Me Tight and founder of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy); Glen Cooper (Originator of Circle of Security Parenting); Louise Bomber (trauma specialist and author of Know me to teach me); Dr Bettina Hohnen (clinical psychologist and author of The Incredible Teenage Brain). Over 690 either joined in ‘live’ or watched these webinars later. ## **Online Toddler Time and Mammaccino groups** Through the webinars and groups we ran we became aware of the stress on new parents. Parents who gave birth on or around the first lockdown had to contend with financial insecurity, health anxiety, a very different experience of labour (partners often not allowed to be present until the very end, if at all) and the first vulnerable precious weeks being alone, unable to get the support of friends and family. This caused an understandable rise in levels of maternal anxiety and depression. One of the preventative factors was being able to meet with groups of parents in a similar situation and so we launched a visiting programme, Mum-to-Mum, Mammaccino and pappaccino sessions for parents with babies under 12 months and online Toddler Time for children aged 0-3 years in the Autumn. In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission. Page 3 ## **Financial review** 2020 was Connected Lives' first year of operation as an independent Charity. During the year, our total income was £88,400 and total expenditure was £72,400. As a result the cash held by the charity increased by £16,000, to £19,500, of which £15,600 is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purpose. The £3,800 restricted funds is for HonC (hands on the circle), a project that has been under Connected Lives umbrella since September 2020. ## **Reserves policy** The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than three months' salary expenditure (£12,200) so that the charity could continue to operate should income and / or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £15,600 and the charity is complying with its reserves policy. ## **COVID-19** Covid-19 affected all our in person activities. We shut down our weekly Toddlers and bumps and babies groups. Two of our main pre-booked in person Circle of Security Facilitators trainings got cancelled and this had a significant cashflow impact on the budget. One member of staff had to be furloughed, and we had to restructure all our training and move them online as the rest of the team worked from home. Family life and wellbeing has been significantly impacted by Covid-19 and as a frontline charity we saw a significant rise in demand for our programmes. Our groups were full of parents finding it hard to respond well to their children and couples struggling to connect and care for one another. We needed funding to help us support more families by delivering these programmes online and to increase the number of groups offered. We initially hoped to impact 400 people, but we are delighted to be able to report that we supported over 1,000 people. Even though it was a challenging year, we are grateful to God for the generosity of our donors as well as the Westminster Foundation grant that enabled us to deliver the much needed help. ## **Governance** Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rest with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. Responsibility for the day to day operation of the charity has been delegated to Connected Lives Director Jenny Peters. New trustees are recruited and appointed by the existing trustees, by a majority vote. ## **Relationships with other charities and related parties** We have an existing relationship with St Mary's Church Bryanston Square, where we originally started as a family project and we are grateful for their continued support and relationship. ## **Risk statement** The charity is exposed to various risks - be they operational, financial or reputational. The trustees review the charity's activities regularly to identify significant risks and, where possible, they take appropriate measures to mitigate those risks. Page 4 ## **Responsibilities of trustees** Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year. We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities. ## **Approval** This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by: Anita Jones Date: 07 July 2021 Page 5 ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT** ## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF** ## **CONNECTED LIVES** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Connected Lives ('the charity') for the year ended 31 December 2020 on pages 7 to 9 following. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or 2. 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. Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB Date: 14 July 2021 Page 6 ## **CONNECTED LIVES** ## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020** |Notes
**_Income receipts_**
Donations
Government grants
Other grants
Income from charitable activities
**_Total receipts_**
**_Payments_**
2
**_Total payments_**
Transfers between funds
4
**Net movement in funds**
Cash funds as at last year end
**Cash funds at this year end**
A
Net
of
receipts
/
(payments)
before
transfers
Payments
in
relation
to
charitable
activities undertaken directly||General
Designated
Funds
Funds
£
£
37,232
-
4,302
-
33,486
-
6,634
-
81,654
-
69,505
-
69,505
-
12,149
-
-
-
12,149
-
3,495
-
15,644
-
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
Funds
£
2,752
-
3,990
-
6,742
2,908
2,908
3,834
-
3,834
-
3,834|Total
2020
£
39,984
4,302
37,476
6,634
88,396
72,412
72,412
15,984
-
15,984
3,495
19,479|Total
2019
£| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |||General
Funds
£
37,232
4,302
33,486
6,634
81,654
69,505
69,505
12,149
-
12,149
3,495
15,644|||| ||||||3,495
-
-
-| ||||||3,495| ||||||-| ||||||-| ||||||3,495
-| ||||||3,495
-| ||||||3,495| The notes on page 9 form part of these accounts. Page 7 ## **CONNECTED LIVES** ## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020** |**A**
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank with immediate access
**B**
**Other monetary assets**
Other debtors
**C**
**Liabilities**
**Falling due within one year:**
PAYE/NIC due
Pension due
Fee for Independent Examination|General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
15,644
-
**15,644**
**-**
-
-
**-**
**-**
665
-
120
-
870
-
**1,654**
**-**
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
3,834
**3,834**
-
**-**
-
-
-
**-**|Total
2020
£
19,479
**19,479**
-
**-**
665
120
870
**1,654**|Total
2019
£| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||3,495| |||||**3,495**| |||||-| |||||**-**| |||||-
-
-| |||||**-**| ## **D Assets retained for charity's own use** The charity does not own any assets. ## **E Guarantees and secured debts** The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities. The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by date Anita Jones 07 July 2021 The notes on page 9 form part of these accounts. Page 8 ## **CONNECTED LIVES** ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020** ## **1 Accounting policies** The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs. General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects. |**2**
**Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly**
Employment costs
Staff training
Direct project costs
Bursaries
Insurance
Professional fees and subscriptions
IT software and consumables
Administration and support||Unrestrict|Designated
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
ed Funds|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
997
1,680
-
230
-
-
2,908|Total
2020
£
61,713
1,800
3,475
1,841
301
1,197
1,223
863
72,412|Total
2019
£| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||General
funds
£
61,713
1,800
2,477
161
301
967
1,223
863
69,505||||| |||||||-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-| |||||||-| ## **3 Transactions with related parties** No remuneration was made to any trustee or persons connected to them. |**4**
**Movement of funds**
General funds
Restricted funds
Hands on the Circle [HonC]
Total funds|Balance at
31Dec2019
£
3,495
3,495
-
-
3,495|Receipts
£
81,654
81,654
6,742
6,742
88,396|Payments
£
(69,505)
(69,505)
(2,908)
(2,908)
(72,412)|Transfers
£
-
-
-
-|Balance at
31Dec2020
£
15,644| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||15,644| ||||||3,834| ||||||3,834| ||||||| ||||||19,479| Page 9