Section C: Notes to the accounts Trustees’ annual report for the period
Period start date 0 1 1 0 2 4 Period end date 3 0 0 9 2 5
Charity No Charity name OLIVE BRANCH COUNSELLING 1 1 8 5 6 1 3 (if any)
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The provision of a secure and con!dential counselling, listening, educational and supportive service to adults by professionally trained and supervised volunteer counsellors, for people with low incomes and/or bene!ts, who would not otherwise have access to expensive private counselling. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public beneft, in particular, the activities, projects or services identifed in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Individual counselling delivered to ~218 adult clients by ~67 volunteer counsellors. |
| Statement confrming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission onpublic beneft |
Para 1.18 | The trustees con!rm that they have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public bene!t when reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning future activities. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | |
| Contribution made by volunteers | Para 1.38 | |
| Other |
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October 2016
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Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its benefciaries and any wider benefts to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | During the period, Olive Branch Counselling delivered 5,095 counselling sessions to approximately 218 adult clients, an increase of 4% on the previous year. Of these, 95 clients were supported through our hardship fund, enabling them to access counselling at a reduced or no cost who would not otherwise have been able to a!ord it. Our volunteer student counsellors also continued to use their placements to accumulate supervised practice hours towards their professional quali"cations, contributing both to client welfare and to the development of the next generation of counsellors. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Achievements against objectives set | Para 1.41 | |
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
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Financial Review
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s fnancial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The charity ended the period with total income of £103,493 against expenditure of £131,987, resulting in a de!cit of £28,494. Closing reserves stand at £50,877, down from £79,371 at the start of the period. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The trustees' policy is to maintain reserves equivalent to four months of operating costs. Based on current expenditure levels, this represents approximately £44,000. At the year end, reserves of £50,877 exceed this target, and the trustees are satis!ed the charity holds an appropriate level of reserves. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £50,877 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves | Para 1.22 | |
| Details of fund materially in defcit | Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a goingconcern |
Para 1.23 | The de!cit this year was driven primarily by a rise in supervision costs from onboarding more student counsellors. Going forward, in line with sector best practice, new students will fund their own supervision. Combined with other cost-saving measures, the trustees are con!dent the charity's !nancialposition will improve in the coming year. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | |
| Other |
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October 2016
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Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: | SORP reference |
|
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed,royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.gunincorporated association,CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CIO |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Trustees are appointed by resolution at a meeting of the charity trustees for a term of three years. Trustees may serve up to three consecutive terms, after which a gap of at least one year is required before re- election. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | New trustees receive a copy of the charity's constitution, latest accounts and key policies, together with confrmation of the trustee code of conduct. An induction meeting with the Chair is also arranged prior to appointment. |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charityworks |
Para 1.51 | Throughout the period, the charity was overseen by a single Clinical Lead. Following their resignation in October 2025, the trustees restructured to two Clinical Managers and an Operational Manager, forming a management committee, removing a identifed single point of ~~failure~~ |
| Relationship with any related parties | Para 1.51 | ~~.~~ |
| Other |
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Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Olive Branch Counselling |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1185613 |
| Charity’s principal address | Top Floor Saxon Court 21 Gladstone Road Chippenham SN15 3BW |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Austin | Chair of Trustees | resignation 05/09/2025 | |
| Edward Kerr | Trustee / Co-Chair 08/09/2025 | ||
| Claire Stringer | Trustee | resignation 24/01/2025 | |
| Tom Wethers | Trustee / Co-Chair 08/09/2025 | ||
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October 2016
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Reference and Administrative details (cont)
Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year |
|
|---|---|---|
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Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity |
N/a |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
N/a |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
N/a |
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
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October 2016
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Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
SIGN Signature(s) Edward Robert Kerr Full name(s)
Position (eg Secretary, Chair of Trustees (appt 08/09/2025) Chair, etc)
Date 15/07/2026
Charity Accounts templates – Trustees’ annual report for the period
October 2016
Olive Branch Counsellin Full Year Statement- 1st October 2024 to 30th Se tember 2025 Income Client Income Donations Gift Aid Income Grants Room HI Income SupeNision Income 2024 75514 15126 12174 20470 1614 10070 2025 75533 6451 10000 11509 134968 103493 Ex enditure Accounts Fees Admin Cleaning Counsellor Gifts Counsellor Meeting DBS Costs HMRC- Tax/NI ICO Registration Landlords Insurance OfFice Equipment Pension Cost5 Power Premises Costs Rates Rent Salary Saxon Care Software Costs Stationery Subscriptions Supervision Costs Supervisor Costs Telephone Training Costs Trustee Insurance Trustee Meeting Trustee Expenses Xmas Gifts 504 8298 2252 4723 885 119 106 262 383 52 388 558 645 1541 4761 1255 15192 10538 1610 3248 340 694 1046 15484 1203 15192 5346 746 4779 loo 2330 26234 1142 1199 100 74596 727 2309 721 702 256 427 424 82537 131987 Bank Account Op Balance Income Expenditure 79371 103493 -131987 Cl Balance 50877
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees OLJv& ovNS6c On accounts for the year ended Zo 7H £L4f6ffjfjth 2o?J Charity no (if any) 11 g5113 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the acc¢xJnts of Ihe above charity Ilhe Trust") for the year ended 3p/oq I Zois. As the ¢haritys trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in aCrdan wlth the requirements of th8 Charities Act 2011 ("Ihe Act"). Responsibilitles and basls of report I report In respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out undor 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 $6Ction 14515)(b) of the Act. Independent •xaminerfs statement u I have completed my examination. I confirm thal no material matters have Come to my attention in wnneclion with the examinalSon (other than that disclosed below ') which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect-. the accounting records re not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with Ihe accounting records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the fonn and content of accounts set out in the Charitie$ (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requir6ment that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters In connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to 8nab18 a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delgte the words in the braGkets rf they do not apply. Signod: Date: ZS Name: I4R TsfofH6rt QhvTro R81gvant profosslonal qualification(s) or body IER Oct 2018
{rfany)'. TS LIMITEII Address: Wiltshire SN15 3DD Email.. chris@watchmanaccountants.com Section B Disclosure only complete if the examiner needs lo highli9ht material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of Charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give hero brief dotails of any items that the examiner wlshes to disclose. IER Oct 2018