A N N U A L R E P O R T Registered Charity 1184411
For the period ending 31st March 2025
www.ownmylifecourse.com/wlc
2
C O N T E N T S
| Welcome - Chairwoman’s Report | 3 |
|---|---|
| CEO refections | 5 |
| Vision and mission | 6 |
| Board of trustees | 7 |
| What we have achieved | 8 |
| What women say | 10 |
| Out and About | 14 |
| Who are course participants? | 15 |
| What trainees say | 16 |
| Impact of zoom coaching | 17 |
| Who are our trainees? | 18 |
| Financial review | 20 |
| Structure and governance | 21 |
| Financial report | 22 |
| Trustee remuneration and related parties | 24 |
| Independent examiner’s report | 25 |
| Thank yous | 26 |
Registered Charity No. 1184411
3
W E L C O M E
Chairwoman’s Report
Welcome to our annual report for April 2024 - March 2025. This is my second year as Chairwoman of The Women’s Liberation Collective and, as with previous years, it has been a joy to complete so many of our 2024/25 goals:
PRIORITY 1: STRENGTHEN ORGANISATIONAL AND TEAM SYSTEMS
-
★ At our AGM in October 2024, we said goodbye to Trustees Louise Tullin and Henu Cummins and have been grateful for all their work. In March 2025, we welcomed Sarah Conn to our Board. As an experienced senior business development and sales professional, we are delighted to benefit from Sarah’s expertise.
-
★ Alongside building our trustee relationships through our Charity weekend away in October 2024 and cheering on Trustee Louise Tullin as she completed the London Classics (the London Marathon, Swim Serpentine and Ride London), our Trustee Board continues to maintain a bi-annual policy review schedule focussed on retaining high operational and ethical standards.
-
★ We have streamlined our file storage systems and, in line with best practice, we have developed four new policies: 1) Seious Incidents, 2) Bullying, 3) Technology and 4) Social Media, and we redeveloped our Complaints Policy to align with the Own My Life Expectations of Sisterhood.
-
★ We have been grateful for the financial oversight of our wonderful Treasurer Ebun Babarinde, who has helped us fine-tune our financial policies and processes throughout the last year.
PRIORITY 2: STRONGER NETWORKS
-
★ We delivered 10 training events (the same as in 2023/24), this included practitioners from 42 new organisations attending our training; 18 of these organisations are now running courses that women can access.
-
★ Our CEO Natalie and volunteer Relationships Lead Victoria travelled to Plymouth to meet with Own My Life organisation Trevi, who shared the many ways Own My Life is proving transformational for women. The highlight of this was meeting women who credit Own My Life with changing their lives in innumerable ways. Natalie also had the opportunity to thank the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, at the 100[th] Birthday celebrations, for their initial investment in Own My Life, which led to the founding of our charity. We also took part in the Trauma Summit that took place in Northern Ireland in September 2024.
-
★ We were referenced in Tim Woodhouse’s research into suicide prevention in situations where there is a domestic abuse perpetrator, and we are keen to advocate for domestic abuse responses to be hopeful and joy-filled in order to reduce the number of women who see suicide as their own escape from the abuser or the impact her has had on her.
PRIORITY 3: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
-
★ With funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery we were able to develop a free Counter-Parenting video resource pack to help women make sense of the ways their partner or ex may use their children to control and harm them.
-
★ We developed a Brand Book, Comms Pack and full Communication Strategy to ensure our work makes the greatest impact possible.
-
★ We have had great opportunities to spread Own My Life joy across different media platforms over the last year, including: podcasts (Real World HR, PIVOT Leadership, and Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place), TV (BBC Politics North), Radio (BBC Jersey Radio), and newspaper (the Metro and Scotland on Sunday).
PRIORITY 4: EXPAND REACH
-
★ We are incredibly grateful that Own My Life facilitator Victoria Mason, an absolute powerhouse, has been donating her time to work with us. As our Relationships Lead, Victoria has been instrumental in expanding our reach. Through Victoria’s tireless work we have achieved the following:
-
➡ Working with Detective Sergeant Viran Wiltshire and Sergeant Sam Ryan to see Own My Life delivered to female police officers and staff in the Met Police, as part of their HEAL DA initiative. The interest from other forces in developing similar projects continues to grow.
-
➡ A strategic trip to Belfast to build connections with brilliant individuals and organisations in Northern Ireland. This culminated in the first Own My Life course being delivered in Northern Ireland, in partnership with wonderful domestic abuse service, North Down and Ards Women’s Aid.
-
★ We are so excited that Own My Life has been piloted with women with learning disabilities and/or autism, through Scottish organisation Central Advocacy Partnership in the Forth Valley. Their Own My Life facilitator Helen Heppenstall shared that the difference made to course participants was remarkable. They have recently secured funding to work with us to produce an easy-read version of our Own My Story journal specifically for woman with learning difficulties who attend the course.
Registered Charity No. 1184411
----- Start of picture text -----
4
----- End of picture text -----
-
★ We secured funding from the Community Foundation in north east England to develop our internal translation process for OML videos and journals. This formed the foundation of our current work to develop a full Polish translation of our materials, which is due to be completed in Autumn 2025.
-
★ We participated in events in Ireland, the Isle of Man and England, with our CEO Natalie presenting at each event. As part of the Isle of Man event, we launched a Manx version of our Women’s Rights Timeline video resource, which is being utilised by various organisations on the Isle of Man.
-
★ In 2023/24, were a key partner in the Tina’s Haven project. The evaluation for this was published in April 2025, and shows the profound power of Own My Life for women in a mixed-sex addiction recovery context, particularly alongside arts and nature based therapy.
-
★ Own My Life Employability was successful piloted with 15 organisations, funded by the National Lottery’s Community Fund. The results showed the potential of our work for an employability context. We are keen to secure funding to redevelop the course based on feedback from pilot participants and facilitators.
-
★
Alongside these brilliant achievements, we have also:
-
★ Developed new referral and intake forms for Own My Life facilitators.
-
★
-
★ Increased our team:
-
➡[Experienced online Own My Life facilitator, Louise Bryant, now delivers our Zoom Coaching sessions to facilitators ] with skill, patience and in sisterhood.
-
➡[PhD student and retired Police officer, Lyndsey Vaughton, ensures any Expectations of Sisterhood issues are ] investigated and that all involved are supported to ensure that Own My Life can make the biggest difference to women’s lives.
-
➡[Leadership expert Emma Chandler has been working with us to explore opportunities to build resources for ] women in the workplace.
Many of our achievements in this reporting period were only possible due to the skill and commitment of our Development Lead, Jo Costello. In March 2025, Jo moved on to a new role at Rape Crisis England and Wales. We remain forever grateful for her work and commitment to enabling women to own their lives.
I have loved chairing the charity this year, seeing the difference we are making to women and the organisations who support them. Over the next year, we will see Polish and easy-read translations of our materials, our online e-Hub available in a format that does not require Internet access, an Own My Life pilot with women in prison, an Own My Life podcast, and much more! As always, our priority is to ensure that as many women as possible are enabled to own their lives. This is why we exist and it is a joy to be able to see so much progress over the last year.
Sarah Learmonth , Chairwoman | 19th September 2025
Registered Charity No. 1184411
5
C E O R E F L E C T I O N S CEO’s Report
What a year 2024/25 has been! We have trained 184 practitioners to deliver Own My Life. This includes 42 new organisations, 18 of which are now running Own My Life courses. That’s eighteen new places where women can be support to own their lives.
I enjoyed travelling to Newcastle, Belfast, Plymouth, the Isle of Man, County Kerry and to the Lake District to spread the word about Own My Life. Victoria Mason and I were joined by Tina Pearmine in our exploratory trip to build relationships in Belfast. It was precious as each of them shared with strategic individuals in Northern Ireland the ways that Own My Life had transformed their work as a “Complex Needs” IDVA and as a Police Officer, and the different Own My Life has made to the women and young people they have worked with. Their advocacy was instrumental in seeing the first Own My Life course run with women in Northern Ireland.
It was magnificent to see Own My Life Employability delivered to fifteen groups of women across the UK and I remain committed to securing funding so that we can redevelop the course based on feedback from facilitators and course participants. I am so grateful to the organisations, their staff and the women who joined the courses for their open-hearted participation in the course.
I am overjoyed that Own My Life worked so brilliantly with women with learning disabilities and/or Autism! We are learning that Own My Life is particularly beneficial to women who are often failed by other resources, and so to learn from the women and their facilitator that Own My Life was life changing for the group has been so precious.
We have said goodbye to brilliant women this year; our Development Lead Jo Costello who we owe so much to, Henu Cummins and Louise Tullin who were both greatly skilled Trustees, and Sadia Masud who had wonderfully facilitated our Own My Life network events until we finished running these in 2024 (Sadia remains a valued Trustee). We have also welcome the brilliant Louise Bryant as our Zoom Coach, the delightful Lyndsey Vaughton to support our Expectations of Sisterhood, the excellent Emma Chandler as a Business Development consultant, and the wonderful Sarah Conn as a Trustee.
Own My Life is a sisterhood. I am excited for the future and delighted by this year’s successes. The difference we have made is a team effort and I am so grateful to be part of bringing joy to women across the UK, Ireland and beyond.
Natalie Collins, CEO | 19th September 2025
Registered Charity No. 1184411
6
V I S I O N & M I S S I O N
The Women’s Liberation Collective was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 15th July 2019.
Our vision
1
A world where women are liberated from male violence and control.
Our values
WOMAN-CENTRED: Women and their needs are at the centre of everything we do. Our aim to prioritise women is in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 in which “sex” is a protected characteristic.
----- Start of picture text -----
2
----- End of picture text -----
LIBERATION: We seek to ensure that all women we reach experience equality of opportunity: we also aim to move beyond equality, and work towards a world where women are liberated from male violence and control.
RESISTANCE: This resistance is both collective and individual. As an organisation we will resist the oppression of women and the ways that patriarchy harms us all. Alongside this, we recognise that all women find creative ways to resist abusers. Rather than this resistance being honoured, women are often met with scorn and blame. Our work seeks to honour and mobilise women’s resistance to abuse and patriarchy.
INTEGRITY: We hold ourselves to a high ethical standard, striving to act honestly, fairly and consistently and using power wisely and well.
COLLABORATION: We foster collaborative spaces which build sisterhood and resist competitive attitudes. We will work together with charities and other partner organisations to achieve our goals.
----- Start of picture text -----
3
----- End of picture text -----
Our Mission Statement
We will equip, train and educate women, so that they can take back ownership of their lives from male abusers. We will also work in wider society, to prevent abuse.
Aenean ac dui sit amet nibh bibendumros nulla posuere gravida!
7
B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S
The Trustees present their Report together with the financial statements for the period ended of 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 for The Women’s Liberation Collective, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“the Charity”).
The Women’s Liberation Collective works to change the world for women who have been subjected to men’s violence; through transformationally equipping organisations who work with women.
We do this through Own My Life, an innovative and creative training programme and course for women.
Our trustees are:
-
✦ (Shirley) Irene Hayes
-
✦ Sadia Masud
-
✦ Sarah Learmonth
-
✦ Ebunoluwa Babarinde
-
✦ Sarah Conn
-
✦ Viranjit Wiltshire
In order to ensure our Trustees are equipped to do this role, we have a full induction process including access to Own My Life training, a one-to-one induction session with the CEO, and a six-month confirmation period.
The purposes of the charity as set out in our governing document are:
-
✦ To preserve and protect the health of women and relieve the distress and psychological, emotional and physical suffering experienced as a result of violence against women.
-
✦ To promote best practice and understanding among the public, voluntary and statutory agencies in all matters relating to violence against women and their families and other forms of abuse, their causes, remedies and prevention.
Through Own My Life we support organisations and practitioners to enable women to regain ownership of their lives when they have been subjected to abuse or violence by men. We deliver facilitator training to female practitioners who work with women. Alongside meaningfully transforming practice, our training equips facilitators to deliver Own My Life courses both one-to-one and with groups of women. Alongside providing practical resources, our work is a form of systems advocacy which seeks to make the world a better, more joyful and hope-filled place for women who have been subjected to abuse by men.
general guidance on public benefit and Code of Governance when reviewing our aims and objectives, governance arrangements and in planning our future activities.
As allowed for small charities, receipts and payments accounts have been prepared for this Report. The Trustees confirm that the Trustees’ Report and financial statements of The Women’s Liberation Collective comply with the provisions set out in Charities SORP (FRS 102).
Over the last years our work has grown and developed. Seeing Own My Life available for the first time in Northern Ireland, and for women with learning disabilities has been beautiful, as has been the opportunity to pilot our Employability course. As we see more organisations training their staff, we are delighted to see the most women ever equipped to own their lives. What a joy that is!
We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's
Registered Charity No. 1184411
8
W H A T W E H A V E It's the best A C H I E V E D thing I have done. It has been In a world where so many life changing. resources are not free, this course feels like a miracle. Through Own My Life I’ve The course has come to the realisation that given me the I was not the problem! The It was freedom to be me course has changed my life It's effective and life changing beyond all again. and outlook on the future :) in ways that I can't think expectations. anything else would be. I have spent more than 30 years in a You are valued and this course coercive relationship that I It gave my children helps you understand that. You couldn't leave, despite multiple their mum backare also allowed to fight for professionals advising me to thank you!! yourself and it is your right to do so. I've now done it in the feel loved and safe. space of 12 weeks. I don't think I could have taken these final steps and got over the line The course I This course will help without the understanding I've didn't know I you move on to a gained from the course. My needed. brighter, stronger (late teens) children have a future. new horizon now and so do I.
Comments from women who have participated in Own My Life courses across the UK and Ireland.
-
GROWTH: We have seen more practitioners trained and new courses starting in new geographic areas across the UK (most notably in Northern Ireland!) and Ireland. We have seen more practitioners from outside the domestic abuse sector training as facilitators, including those supporting women around addiction, homelessness, parental assessment, gambling and women in the Met Police.
-
OUT AND ABOUT: We have travelled to Newcastle, Plymouth, Belfast, County Kerry, the Lake District and the Isle of Man to contribute to events and/or build relationships to ensure more women are enabled to own their lives.
-
SPREADING THE WORD: We have received media coverage on podcasts, radio, TV and newspaper across the reporting period. We have also produced a brand book and comms pack to enable others to share Own My Life joy; especially our wonderful volunteer Victoria Mason and our business development consultant Emma Chandler.
-
NEW RESOURCES: We published Abuse Is A Verb, to help everyone speak and write more meaningful about abuse. We produced a free video resource about Counter-Parenting, developed a Manx Women’s Rights Timeline video and activity for the Isle of Man, and provided facilitators with template intake and referral forms to ensure women are well supported on Own My Life courses.
----- Start of picture text -----
MAP OF COURSES
APRIL 2024 APRIL 2025
----- End of picture text -----
Registered Charity No. 1184411
9
W H A T W E H A V E A C H I E V E D
We delivered ten facilitator training events (the same as in 2023/24). 184 practitioners trained as Own My Life course facilitators (14% less than in the last financial year). We offered 2-hour Zoom coaching sessions for all trained facilitators to increase their confidence and skill in online facilitation via Zoom. From our online Evaluation Station system we know that at least 526 women started Own My Life courses in 2024/25 (13% increase from 2023/24) and that we have provided 3,065 journals to services (7% decrease from 2023/24), which represents up to 3,065 women who have accessed an Own My Life course in person or online in 2024/25.
| 10 | Online facilitator training events delivered. |
85 | Organisations trained. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 184 | Practitioners trained. | 3,065 | Journals provided for women accessing courses. |
| 54 | Practitioners attended Zoom Coaching sessions. |
526 | Women (at least) have started Own My Life courses. |
Map with numbers of trainees and organisations trained.
TOTAL IMPACT
Since 2019 we have:
•[Trained 1,413 practitioners from 331 organisations. ] •[Provided 17,634 journals for women to attend Own My Life courses.]
Registered Charity No. 1184411
1 0
W H A T W O M E N S A Y Feedback from 236 women from 2024/25 who have completed the Own My Life course
I would recommend the Own My Life course to other women.
I enjoyed the Own My Life Course. I think the Own My Life course has changed my life.
Wordcloud: words women used to describe the course after they had completed it (the size of the word indicates how many women used it)..
Registered Charity No. 1184411
1 1
W H A T W O M E N S A Y
Feedback from 236 women from 2024/25 who have completed the Own My Life course
| BEFORE OWN MY LIFE | AFTER OWN MY LIFE | |
|---|---|---|
| I feel like I am in control of my life and my future. |
||
| I can make sense of my life. | ||
| Overall, I feel good about my life. | ||
| I am as healthy as I can be.6 | ||
| I know where to go if I need help with diffculties in my life (e.g. money, health, job, education). |
||
| I like and feel safe in my neighbourhood and/or community. |
Registered Charity No. 1184411
1 2
W H A T W O M E N S A Y
Feedback from 236 women from 2024/25 who have completed the Own My Life course
| BEFORE OWN MY LIFE | AFTER OWN MY LIFE | |
|---|---|---|
| I know what domestic abuse is. | ||
| I think that the things I see and hear in songs, newspapers, TV programmes, magazines, and adverts affect how I see myself and my life. |
||
| I feel in control of my fnances/ money. |
||
| If I am a parent and am in contact with my children, I feel able to meet their needs. |
||
| If I am a parent, I am confdent that my children know that I love them. |
Registered Charity No. 1184411
----- Start of picture text -----
1 3
----- End of picture text -----
W H A T W O M E N S A Y
Feedback from women who have attended an Own My Life course
----- Start of picture text -----
You start this course feeling so
Some of the topics were hard
vulnerable and alone, then one
hitting but that's exactly as it
day you realise that all along
should be and there was
you've had an army who have I feel so much
been and are willing to walk better at plenty of support. I have no
negative feedback, this course
beside you through the journey coping.
has genuinely changed my life.
and into your next chapter.
Own My Life is a
safe space in what
The information is taught in such a
feels like a very
wonderful way that is inspiring, uplifting
unsafe world.
but in no way poisonous or received in a Own My Life is
way to off put you towards future life. It life changing and
just teaches you and inspires you. gives you your
power back.
It is all so
thoughtfully
We’ve not only learned about
put together.
abuse and gained tools for the Through Own My Life
future, but in every session you will find answers on
we’ve taken more than that, most of the questions
Own My Life has
we learned to be better starting with "why".
helped with learning
humans!
who I really am.
I wonder had I been able
I thought it wouldn't help to go on this course
Through the course I
but have been surprised have picked up the earlier would my children It was
by how much it actually and I not have had such
courage I lost, to be beyond all
has helped. myself again. a long journey. expectations.
It has honestly changed
I realised I was safe to talk Every part was powerful my life, and as a result my
about things really early and amazing. I have young son’s life. It helped
on - and I could see that it learnt so so much. This me realise exactly how
would make 30 years of course has definitely bad my situation was and
my life make sense. changed my life. how abusive my
relationship was, and
stopped me from getting
back into it again as I was
I would still be stuck in how I felt able to understand
This has truly helped me exactly what was going
previously if it hadn't been for this
in more ways than I course. It saved me - I finally do own on. It has been a very
could have imagined! I healing process too and
my life!
hope to become a has helped reduce the
facilitator one day. self-blame.
Registered Charity No. 1184411
----- End of picture text -----
1 4
O U T A N D A B O U T
We loved travelling all over to spread Own My Life joy!
Our CEO Natalie spoke at the North East Chamber of Commerce’s Inspiring å Female’s conference in May 2024.
We launched a Manx Women’s Rights video resource at the Isle of Man Victim Support conference in September 2024.
We had a wonderful Charity weekend away in September 2024.
Registered Charity No. 1184411
1 5
W H O A R E T H E C O U R S E P A R T I C I P A N T S ?
For course participants who completed our Evaluation Station, we know that…
Disability
Age
37% of women described themselves as having a disability. Of those with a
The majority of participants were between 36 -55. There were no women under 18.
disability; 46% had mental health problems; 26% had a long-term illness; 10% had a mobility impairment, 13% learning difficulties, and 2% were Deaf/hearing impaired.
Ethnicity
73% of participants were white,13% were Asian or Asian British, 7% were Black, African, Caribbean or Black British, and 4% selected “none of the above”, 2% were from mixed or multiple ethnic groups and 1% were Arab.
Class
When asked to identify their social class from a list 51% were working class, 24% were middle class, 13% were “other”, 11% were upper-working class, 1% were upper-middle class,. No one identified as upper class.
Sexuality
When asked to identify their sexuality from a list; 87% were straight, 8% bisexual, 3% chose “other”, 2% lesbian. No participants identified as gay.
Religion and Belief
When asked to identify their faith from a list; 42% were Christian, 35% had no faith, 7% said Islam, 7% were “spiritual”, 4% were atheists, 2% were Hindu,2% were agnostic, 1% were “other”, and >1% were Buddhist.
Registered Charity No. 1184411
1 6
W H A T T R A I N E E S S A Y
Feedback from practitioners who attended facilitator training
How much would you say the course has increased your knowledge?
Will the training change your practice?
----- Start of picture text -----
Practitioners’ comments:
I have wished at so many points that,
The Own My Life training is
when I was being subjected to abuse
absolutely inspirational…It replaces
(by an ex partner, by my father, and
ALL the materials I have been using
also after being subjected to rape), I It is the best investment with women thus far, and I can't
had had access to a course similar to you can make to
wait to start facilitating the
this, or to some of the knowledge it brightening women's
workshops and help women re-
contains. It would have been futures.
build their self-efficacy.
transformational.
The resources are It's a life and Hands down the
fantastic - the journal is best training I have
perspective I feel radicalised,
beautiful and so very done in over 30
changing incentivised and
useful, the WoManual is years in education!
experience.
energised.
the perfect companion
to run the course, and
the online resources are
excellent. I've never come I didn't fall asleep as it kept me
across such insightful interested and wasn't a drudge and It's just the
a joy in a funny way to complete right amount of
yet concise videos done
with so much trauma even when the topics were heart fun and
awareness, breaking and angry making. seriousness.
intersectionality and
inclusivity in mind.
I have taken a lot of
trainings over the last 20
It is all so
years of doing this work
This is a very unique thoughtfully put and this is without a doubt
course and stands on together.
at the very top, I believe it's
its own in terms of the
my favourite one.
content and impact.
Registered Charity No. 1184411
----- End of picture text -----
1 7
I M P A C T O F Z O O M C O A C H I N G
Feedback from 53 practitioners who attended Own My Life Zoom coaching to equip them in delivering the course online
Participant tech literacy
There was a range of confidence with technology among those who participated in Zoom coaching. When asked what level of confidence they had about using technology; 4% were “not at all confident”, 28% were “a bit confident”, 62% were “mostly confident”, and 6% were “totally confident”.
BEFORE COACHING AFTER COACHING How confident were about about delivering the Own My Life course via Zoom? I thought it was great, I I didn't know anything thought it was going to Jo was brilliant, about how to use zoom be a bit basic, but it informative and as a host and now feel was in depth and I very helpful. Also well equipped on how learnt lots. patient :) to use it. Everything was useful I truly was including the pep talk The session was informed and about self-confidence and thorough, educative and educated by the the importance of prep session. pitched at pace a level and zoom familiarisation. that everyone can easily follow through. Excellent facilitator who described The most useful part of the You are doing a good job. And everything very session was having support, this was an amazing session. clearly. and learning functions in zoom Louise, it did not feel like I was that I did not know existed. your only student. Thank you and well done.
Registered Charity No. 1184411
1 8
W H O A R E O U R T R A I N E E S ?
For our 232 trainees we know that…
Age
The majority of trainees (51%) were between 36 -55. There were no women under 18.
Disability
12% of women said they had a disability. Of those with a disability; 37% had mental
health problems, 26% had a long term illness, 21% had learning difficulties, and 16% had a mobility impairment.
Ethnicity
83% of trainees were White, 7% were Asian or Asian British, 5% were Black, African, Caribbean or Black British, 4% were from mixed or multiple ethnic groups, and >1% said they were none of the options offered.
Class
When asked about their social class; 45% were working class, 31% middle class, 20% upper working class, 3% “other” and 1% upper middle class.
Sexuality
When asked about their sexuality; 86% were straight, 6% bisexual,4% “other” and 3% were lesbian, and >1% (1 participant) were gay.
Religion and Belief
When asked about their faith; 39% had no faith, 29% were Christian, 12% were spiritual, 6% were Atheist, 5% said Islam, 3% were “other”, 3% were Agnostic, 2% were Sikh, and >1% (1 participant) were Jewish.
Registered Charity No. 1184411
1 9
W H O A R E O U R T R A I N E E S ?
All these brilliant women attended our training in 2024/25!
Registered Charity No. 1184411
2 0
F I N A N C I A L R E V I E W
During the period up to 31st March 2025, The Women’s Liberation Collective received total income of £194,879 (2023/24: £152,267 ), of which £34,155 comprised grant funding and £3,168 came from donations. This income was attributable to charitable activities relating to delivering the Own My Life course.
Expenditure incurred for 2024/25 totalled £158,472 (2023/24: £138,106), all of which related to charitable activities. Currently, all those who work for us are self-employed, which means that our staffing costs are integrated within project costs, rather than being separate to them.
Total funds as at 31st March 2025 were £101,936 of which £4,890 represented restricted funds. Funds to operate, including free reserves, representing unrestricted funds less tangible fixed assets totalled £97,046.
Our reserves policy can be found within our Financial Management Procedure HERE.
Registered Charity No. 1184411
2 1
S T R U C T U R E A N D G O V E R N A N C E
Constitution
The Women’s Liberation Collective was established in 2019 and achieved charitable status in 2019. The Women’s Liberation Collective is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and is constituted by its Articles of Association dated 15 July 2019.
Recruitment and election of trustees
When a vacancy in the Trustee Board occurs, care is taken to ensure that new Trustees are able to contribute effectively alongside the existing board by providing complementary skills. During the period up to 31st March 2025, the Charity has reviewed and/or approved the following policies:
-
✓ Health and Safety Policy
-
✓ Financial Management Policy
-
✓ Bullying and Harassment Policy
-
✓ Social Media Policy
-
✓ Serious Incident Policy
-
✓ Safeguarding Policy
-
✓ Complaints Policy
-
✓ GDPR and Privacy Policy
-
✓ Equal Opportunities Policy
Our Safeguarding, Complaints, Privacy, and Equal Opportunities policies are available on our website HERE. A skills audit of the current Board of Trustees undertaken biennially. We have a trustee induction process for new trustees, which includes completion of the skills audit and a 6-month trustee confirmation period.
Office holding trustees (Chair and Treasurer) are voted in for 3-years, with an opportunity for review at the charity AGM.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees; Sarah Learmonth, (Shirley) Irene Hayes, Sadia Masud, Ebunoluwa Babarinde, Sarah Conn, and Viranjit Wiltshire signed on their behalf by:
Sarah Learmonth, Chairwoman | 19th September 2025
Registered Charity No. 1184411
2 2
F I N A N C I A L R E P O R T
Our bankers are: Metro Bank PLC, One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA
| Period ending 31st March 2025 | Period ending 31st March 2025 | Period ending 31st March 2025 | Period ending 31st March 2025 | Period ending 31st March 2025 | Period ending 31st March 2025 | (2023/24) | (2022/23) | (2021/22) | (2020/21) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Total funds | Total funds | Total funds | Total funds | Total funds | ||||
| Receipts | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Grant income | 28,000 | 6,155 | 34,155 | 11,000 | 0 | 0 | 13,038 | |||
| Donations | 1,958 | 1,210 | 3,168 | 2,523 | 1,017 | 1,240 | 2,040 | |||
| Primary Purpose Trading | 157,310 | 0 | 157,310 | 137,966 | 117,789 | 131,102 | 83,485 | |||
| Trading | 246 | 0 | 246 | 855 | 152 | 414 | 0 | |||
| Total receipts | 187,514 | 7,365 | 194,879 | 152,344 | 118,958 | 132,756 | 98,563 | |||
| Payments | ||||||||||
| Charitable activities | 147,490 | 10,775 | 158,265 | 138,031 | 129,301 | 94,956 | 86,740 | |||
| Trading | 207 | 0 | 207 | 450 | 124 | 354 | 0 | |||
| Total payments | 147,697 | 10,775 | 158,472 | 138,481 | 129,425 | 95,310 | 86,740 | |||
| Net receipts | 39,817 | -3,410 | 36,407 | 13,863 | -10,467 | 37,446 | 11,823 | |||
| Cash funds brought forward |
57,229 | 8,300 | 65,529 | 51,666 | 62,133 | 24,687 | 12,864 | |||
| Cash funds at the end of the period |
97,046 | 4,890 | 101,936 | 65,529 | 51,666 | 62,133 | 24,687 |
| Statement of assets and liabilities | Statement of assets and liabilities | Statement of assets and liabilities | Statement of assets and liabilities | Statement of assets and liabilities | Statement of assets and liabilities | Statement of assets and liabilities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As at 31st March 2025 | (2023/24) | (2022/23) | (2021/22) | (2020/21) | ||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Total funds | Total funds | Total funds | Total funds | Total funds | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||
| Assets | ||||||||||
| Cash at bank | 97,046 | 4,890 | 101,936 | 65,529 | 51,666 | 62,133 | 12,864 | |||
| Total assets | 97,046 | 4,890 | 101,936 | 65,529 | 51,666 | 62,133 | 24,687 | |||
| Total assets represented by: | ||||||||||
| Liabilities | ||||||||||
| Spark Admin & CEO | 9,144 | 9,144 | 2,916 | 3,108 | - | - | ||||
| Resource orders | 5,473 | 5,473 | 4,998 | 6,122 | - | - | ||||
| Development work | 1,044 | 1,044 | 1,738 | 1,325 | - | - | ||||
| Other | 4,629 | 0 | ||||||||
| Total liabilities | 20,290 | 0 | 20,290 | 9,652 | 10,555 | - | - | |||
| Reserves | 10,000 | 10,000 | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Operational funds | 66,756 | 4,890 | 71,646 | 55,877 | 41,111 | - | - | |||
| Total funds | 97,046 | 4,890 | 101,936 | 65,529 | 51,666 | 62,133 | 24,687 |
Approved by the board of The Women’s Liberation Collective.
Registered Charity No. 1184411
2 3
F I N A N C I A L R E P O R T
Our bankers are: Metro Bank PLC, One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA
Restricted Funding
NATIONAL LOTTERY COMMUNITY FUND:
- ✴ Amount from before April 2024: £8,300
Non-UK income/expenditure
The non-UK countries we worked with in this reporting period were the Republic of Ireland and Australia.
-
✴ Amount during reporting period: £0
-
✴ For: Delivering an Own My Life Employability pilot project.
-
✴ Amount spent: £8,300
-
✴ Funding had to be spent by: June 2024.
-
➡ Republic of Ireland:
-
✴ Primary purpose trading: £10,903.
-
➡ Australia:
-
✴ Primary purpose trading: £252.
-
➡ United States of America:
-
✴ Primary purpose trading: £585.
Unrestricted Funding
During the reporting period the majority of our unrestricted income came from primary purpose trading (PPT). This includes:
- ✓ Being paid to deliver training.
✓ Being paid to provide course materials (WoManuals, Journals, Resource Boxes) to those delivering the Own My Life course.
Any surplus from PPT has been (or will be) reinvested to further our charitable objects. INCOME FROM PPT: £157,310.
AMOUNT SPENT: £147,490
We also received a £25,000 unrestricted grant from the People’s Postcode Lottery.
Largest Single Donor
Our largest donation from a single donor was £1,210.
We had no donations from for profit companies.
Related Persons Donations
Our largest donation from a related person (e.g. a trustee) was £35.
Trading
During the reporting period we have begun to sell products to raise funds for the charity. These include tea-towels, prints, and hoodies.
During the reporting period:
-
➡ Our trading turnover was £247.
-
➡ Money raised via trading was £40.
Donations from other countries
We had no donations from other countries in any of the following categories:
-
➡ Government/Quasi Government.
-
➡ Charities/NGOs.
-
➡ Private companies.
-
➡ Individual donors.
-
➡ Unknown.
Income from government contracts
We are formally commissioned by one local authority to train staff to run Own My Life. Our income from this was:
➡ £8,914
Registered Charity No. 1184411
2 4
T R U S T E E R E M U N E R A T I O N A N D R E L A T E D P A R T I E S
During the reporting period, the following reimbursements were made to Trustees:
Trustee Renumeration
In the previous year (2023/24) no trustees (or any person connected to them) received remuneration for trustee duties during the reporting period.
Fees received as a facilitator support person subcontracted to the charity (for one trustee) were as follows:
Trustee Remuneration
| Total Period ending31 March 2025 |
Total Period ending31 March 2024 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |||
| Irene Hayes | Expenses | 1,459 | 0 | |
| Sadia Masud | Facilitator support (£1,750). Expenses(£101). |
1,851 | 125 |
Related parties
Spark is the self-employed partnership of Natalie Collins, founder of the Own My Life course and our CEO, and Andrew Collins. Prior to setting up the charity, Natalie was paid to deliver the Own My Life course via Spark. As Andrew provided administration support for Natalie’s other work, the trustees were confident Andrew would be the best person to provide administration support to the charity. With the support of the trustees, Natalie and Andrew have chosen to remain self-employed. This reduces the workload and cost to the the charity (no payroll etc is needed) and allows Natalie and Andrew freedom to do work with other organisations.
Terms and conditions
Any operational matters which involve payments to Spark require trustee approval with Spark having only read-only access to the charity bank account. Spark’s fees are discussed and approved by the trustees, with any changes to fees or responsibilities reviewed and voted on by trustees.
Related parties
| Total Period ending31 March 2025 |
Total Period ending31 March 2024 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Description of transactions (costs inc. VAT) |
£ | £ | |
| Spark (Training delivery) | 31,185 | 36,620 | |
| Spark (Administration) | 19,521 | 18,299 | |
| Spark (Resource provision) | 38,261 | 33,296 | |
| Spark (CEO services) | 27,200 | 13,200 | |
| Spark (Other) | 10,413 | 3,534 | |
| Spark Total | 126,580 | 104,949 |
Registered Charity No. 1184411
2 5
I N D E P E N D E N T E X A M I N E R ’ S R E P O R T
The Women’s Liberation Collective
Charity Number 1184411
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity, for the year ended 31st March 2025.
As the charity trustees of the Charity, you are responsible for the preparation of accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“The 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission 145(5)(b) of the Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which give 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.
Andrew McCullough ACMA Certax Accounting (Sunderland) Ltd 14 Foyle Street Sunderland SR1 1LE Independent Reviewer
Andrew McCullough | 14th August 2025
Registered Charity No. 1184411
2 6
T H A N K Y O U S
Course participants
T h a n k y o u f o r o p e n h e a r t e d l y w o r k i n g t o w a r d s o w n i n g y o u r l i v e s . We e x i s t t o s e r v e a n d s u p p o r t y o u , y o u a r e b r i l l i a n t !
Facilitators
We a r e s o g r a t e f u l f o r y o u r d e e p p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n o u r t r a i n i n g a n d y o u r c o u r a g e o u s c o m m i t m e n t t o t a k e O w n M y L i f e t o w o m e n . E v e r y t h i n g w e d o i s o n l y p o s s i b l e b e c a u s e o f e a c h o f y o u .
Jo Costello
We w o u l d n ’ t b e h e r e w i t h o u t y o u ! T h a n k y o u f o r a l l y o u h a v e d o n e t o e n a b l e O w n M y L i f e t o g r o w a n d d e v e l o p !
Victoria NDA Women’s Mason Aid
T h a n k y o u f o r b e i n g t h e f i r s t N o r t h e r n I r i s h o r g a n i s a t i o n t o e n a b l e w o m e n t o o w n t h e i r l i v e s !
We a r e s o g r a t e f u l f o r t h e t i m e , e n e r g y a n d p a s s i o n y o u g i v e t o O w n M y L i f e t o e n a b l e a s m a n y w o m e n a s p o s s i b l e t o o w n t h e i r l i v e s .
Henu Cummins
T h a n k y o u f o r b e i n g o n e o f o u r T r u s t e e s . We m i s s y o u a n d w e ’ r e g r a t e f u l f o r a l l t h e w a y s y o u c o n t r i b u t e d t o w h a t w e h a v e b e e n a b l e t o d o .
Our Supporters
T o t h o s e w h o h a v e f i n a n c i a l l y s u p p o r t e d o u r w o r k , o r o t h e r w i s e c h e e r e d u s o n , w e a r e s o g r a t e f u l t o y o u . Yo u r s u p p o r t e n a b l e s u s t o m a k e t h e b i g g e s t d i f f e r e n c e t o w o m e n ’ s l i v e s .
Louise Tullin
We ’ r e g r a t e f u l t h a t y o u r T r u s t e e w o r k . Yo u c o m m s e x p e r t i s e a n d m a r k e t i n g k n o w l e d g e w a s s o h e l p f u l . T h a n k y o u a l s o f o r r a i s i n g m o n e y a n d a w a r e n e s s a b o u t O w n M y L i f e t h r o u g h c o m p l e t i n g t h e L o n d o n C l a s s i c s .
Louise Bryant
A s a l w a y s . t h a n k y o u f o r b e i n g w i l l i n g t o i n c l u d e w o m e n f r o m a l l o v e r t h e U K ( a n d t h e w o r l d ! ) o n t h e c o u r s e s y o u r u n . T h a n k y o u a l s o f o r y o u r b r i l l i a n t Z o o m C o a c h i n g !
Registered Charity No. 1184411
2 7
T H A N K Y O U S
Manx History Experts
T h a n k y o u t o J a m e s F r a n k l i n , I e i s h a H o w a r d , S a r a h C h r i s t i a n , T a m a s i n We d g w o o d , a n d L o r n a T r e v e t h a n f o r h e l p i n g u s t o d e v e l o p t h e M a n x Wo m e n ’ s R i g h t s T i m e l i n e v i d e o r e s o u r c e .
Tina Pearmine
T h a n k y o u f o r b e i n g s u c h a b i g O w n M y L i f e c h e e r l e a d e r, a n d e s p e c i a l l y f o r g i v i n g y o u r t i m e t o j o i n o u r e x p l o r a t o r y B e l f a s t t r i p .
Louise’s sponsors
O u r t r u s t e e L o u i s e c o m p l e t e d t h e L o n d o n C l a s s i c s t h r o u g h o u t 2 0 2 4 . T h a n k y o u t o a l l t h o s e w h o s p o n s o r e d h e r i n s u p p o r t o u r w o r k .
People’s Postcode Lottery
T h a n k y o u t o t h e p l a y e r s o f t h e P e o p l e ’ s P o s t c o d e L o t t e r y, b e c a u s e o f y o u w e h a v e b e e n a b l e t o d e v e l o p a f r e e C o u n t e r - P a r e n t i n g V i d e o r e s o u r c e t o s u p p o r t w o m e n a n d t h e i r c h i l d r e n .
Community Foundation
T h a n k y o u f o r f u n d i n g u s t o d e v e l o p a t r a n s l a t i o n p r o c e s s f o r o u r v i d e o s a n d j o u r n a l . B e c a u s e o f y o u r s u p p o r t w e a r e n o w d e v e l o p i n g a P o l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n o f a l l o u r m a t e r i a l s .
Golden Bottle Trust
T h a n k y o u f o r y o u r w o n d e r f u l d o n a t i o n o f £ 3 , 0 0 0 , y o u r g e n e r o s i t y w i l l m a k e a b i g d i f f e r e n c e t o w o m e n ’ s l i v e s .
National Lottery Community Fund
T h a n k y o u f o r f u n d i n g o u r E m p l o y a b i l i t y p i l o t . T h r o u g h
y o u r s u p p o r t 15 o r g a n i s a t i o n s w e r e r e s o u r c e d t o s u p p o r t 6 4 w o m e n t o o w n t h e i r e m p l o y a b i l i t y j o u r n e y.
Viran Wiltshire & Sam Ryan
T h a n k y o u f o r p i o n e e r i n g O w n M y L i f e d e l i v e r y t o f e m a l e o f f i c e r s a n d s t a f f . I n s o m a n y w a y s y o u a r e e n a b l i n g w o m e n t o o w n t h e i r l i v e s .
Registered Charity No. 1184411
19 Stanfield Business Centre Sunderland SR2 8SZ Phone: 07818 328391 www.ownmylifecourse.org/wlc info@ownmylifecourse.org