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2025-03-31-accounts

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT 2024/2025 Charity Number: 1186445

Supporting parents to give their babies the best possible start in life

CONTENTS

NTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Chair’s Foreword 3
CEO’s Foreword 4 - 5
About Us 6 - 11
GOVERNANCE
Statement from the Trustees 12 - 13
Achievements 14 - 20
Structure, Governance and Management 21 - 24
FINANCIAL REVIEW 25 - 36
Independent examiner’s report 28
Statement of financial activities 29
Balance sheet 30
Notes to the financial statements 31 - 36
FUNDRAISING 37
THE FUTURE 38 - 39

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees

A Bamigboye (Appointed 11 December 2019, Appointed Interim Chair 24 January 2024) V Emlyn (Appointed 9 April 2019) J E Robins (Appointed 9 April 2019) J Tulloch-Jordan (Appointed 18 January 2023) Rachel Heathcock (Appointed 20 February 2024) B Bond (Appointed in interim basis 25 March 2024, resigned 31 December 2024) C Bardwell (Appointed 1 February 2025) G Mason (Appointed 1 February 2025) P Maynard (Appointed 1 February 2025) L Webber (Appointed 1 February 2025)

Charity number: 1186445 Principal address: Construction House, Runwell Road, Wickford, Essex, SS11 7HQ

Independent examiner:

Clay Ratnage Strevens & Hills, Construction House, Runwell Road, Wickford, Essex, SS11 7HQ

CHAIR’S FOREWORD

I am delighted to write this foreword for the Parents 1st UK Annual Report. It provides an opportunity to highlight both the organisation’s recent achievements and some important changes in personnel. As you read the main body of the report, you will see clearly what an outstanding year this has been.

In August 2024, a new CEO was appointed to succeed Celia Suppiah, who retired after working tirelessly to establish a model of genuine peer support for parents. Celia also developed a strong blueprint for the future and built a national reputation for the organisation, culminating in the award of an MBE in 2025.

Our new CEO, Paula Beare, has done an outstanding job since her appointment, demonstrating strong, values-led and effective leadership on multiple fronts. With a clear commitment to team building, collaboration and transformational leadership, Paula has actively engaged with staff and volunteers across the organisation to develop new and inclusive ways of working. She has gathered ideas and feedback from the team and ensured these inform the changes being implemented.

Paula has also led important improvements in governance and operational systems, strengthening financial reporting, risk management, and staff policies. The appointment of a new Finance Officer has further enhanced organisational capacity and financial oversight.

The Board of Trustees has expanded during the year, welcoming new members from both the private and public sectors. They bring fresh skills, new ideas, and different perspectives, which has been both refreshing and energising for the organisation.

Securing funding continues to be challenging across the public and charity sectors. However, new partnerships, alongside sustained support from existing funders, have enabled the organisation to extend its reach into communities. This includes delivering its evidence-based, community-focused peer support parenting model, complemented by creative initiatives such as the Lullaby Project. Funders continue to recognise the strength of Parents 1st’s holistic and outcomes-driven approach.

All of these positive developments have taken place during a period of considerable uncertainty and shifting priorities across the wider sector. Despite these external pressures, the organisation has remained resilient and adaptable, guided consistently by its core values and mission. These achievements must also be viewed within the context of declining public and charitable funding, alongside the ongoing economic and social challenges facing many communities. These pressures have a significant impact on families and have led to increased demand for services provided by Parents 1st UK.

The energy and optimism brought by new team members and trustees have given the organisation renewed focus and momentum over the past year. Staff and volunteers continue to work alongside parents, advocating, supporting, and strengthening the skills and confidence of those they support, remaining true to the founding principles and vision of Parents 1st UK.

Thank you for your continued interest in and support of Parents 1st UK. I hope this report provides a clear insight into the impact of our work and our ambitions for the future.

Ade Bamigboye, Interim Chair, Parents 1st UK

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Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

CEO’S FOREWORD

2024/25 has been a year of stabilisation and consolidation for Parents 1st UK, following changes in organisational leadership. Alongside this, it has been a year of reflection, learning and forward planning, laying strong foundations for the charity’s next phase of development.

Strategic Development and Co-Production

A significant focus of the year has been strategic planning for the future direction of the organisation. We prioritised meaningful engagement with service users, team members and our Board of Trustees to ensure that co-production remains central to the development of our new strategic cycle. This work enabled us to reflect on the impact of our services to date, define our ambitions for the future, and identify the organisational enablers required to deliver them.

“

It’s made me a more confident person and more outgoing. It’s had such a positive impact on my mental health, I feel like a different person!

Feedback from a parent

Our Ethos and Growing Demand

At the heart of Parents 1st UK is an unshakeable belief that every parent deserves support and every baby deserves the best possible start in life. High-quality peer support remains a cornerstone of our approach and continues to drive all areas of our work.

As a result of increased promotion and deeper community engagement, demand for our services continues to grow, meaning more families were able to access timely support during pregnancy and early parenthood, helping to reduce isolation and improve wellbeing at a critical time.

Over the past year, we have also seen a significant increase in the complexity of need among the families we support, including a 22% rise in active safeguarding cases. This underlines the growing pressures faced by families locally and both reinforces the importance of our role within the wider support system, particularly in ongoing family support, and highlights key areas of need that will continue to inform our service development and priorities.

Governance and Leadership

To support the charity’s future direction and strengthen governance, we delivered a successful recruitment campaign for new Trustees. Four new Trustees joined the Board in February 2025, bringing a wealth of industry-leading experience across research and development, global marketing, children’s and family services, and the creation and scaling of early years education and training.

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Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

Volunteers and Workforce Development

Volunteer recruitment continues to present challenges, reflecting wider sector pressures. In response, we are developing a broader range of flexible and accessible volunteer opportunities designed to better fit around the busy working lives of parents, while maintaining the quality and integrity of our peer support model.

Looking Ahead

As demand for our support continues to grow, securing sustainable funding remains a central priority. Over the coming year, we will build on strong foundations to strengthen our financial resilience and ensure the long-term sustainability of our work, so that families can continue to access vital support when they need it most.

Looking ahead, our ambition is to achieve thoughtful, sustainable growth that allows us to:

Through this approach, we aim to increase our reach, deepen our impact, and play a growing role in improving outcomes for families locally and nationally.

We remain deeply grateful to our partners, funders, and supporters for their continued commitment to Parents 1st UK. Their belief in our work and ongoing support are fundamental to our ability to be there for parents and families at some of the most challenging and transformative moments of their lives. Together, we are helping to ensure that no parent feels alone and that families can access the support they need, when they need it most.

Paula Beare, CEO of Parents 1st UK

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ABOUT US

The object of Parents 1st UK is to:

“Act for the public benefit, to advance the education and promote and protect the health of parents, by promoting and developing volunteering and peer support during pregnancy, birth and being a parent” (Our constitution 14th November 2019)

Parents 1st UK is a leading charity that focuses entirely on enabling quality perinatal peer support to flourish across the UK. When implemented effectively, peer support makes a unique and important contribution to improving the health and wellbeing of parents and babies.

Robust recruitment of peer supporters, provision of quality training and ongoing, regular supervision are vital for enabling parents with lived experience to deliver effective parentto-parent support. Parents carry out both volunteer and paid peer support roles.

OUR VISION

Parents are supported to give their babies the best possible start in life.

OUR MISSION

To enable quality peer support to flourish across the UK during pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

OUR VALUES

We have experience in common

We enable parents with lived experience to make a profound contribution to the wellbeing of other parents and babies, through first-hand knowledge of their communities and strengths gained from overcoming challenges.

We are always in your corner

We ensure that those we support can speak freely without prejudice, building compassionate, trusting, non-judgemental and life-changing relationships.

We believe in the power of the parent

We focus on empowering parents to do the best they can for their babies, by providing support to build the strengths, confidence, resilience, social inclusion, mental health and capabilities of vulnerable and expectant parents. Happy and responsive parents mean a baby’s development will flourish.

We collaborate and build community

As an organisation we freely share our knowledge and understanding for the better good and believe that we are stronger when we work together, building and strengthening lasting relationships with communities and partners founded on integrity and trust. By working in this way, we can achieve something more impactful than we could alone.

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“

I feel humbled at times when I have worked with a parent for a number of months and helped them navigate their pregnancy and parenting and then to see them grow in confidence, see them making good decisions and getting on with family life.

I love reflecting with parents and showing them how amazing they are.

Parents 1st UK Peer Support Worker

There are two key strands to our work:

a) Local - we directly deliver perinatal peer support across Essex:

In 2024-25 our 11 peer support workers and 12 volunteers have supported over 1,600 parents, with many facing multiple disadvantages, across Essex. Parents are often wary of professionals for fear of being judged, with many feeling isolated and with mental health needs.

In addition, we commenced delivery of The Other Half Hub, a Fathers and Partners Wellbeing Service designed to address the unique challenges and emotional highs and lows that partners experience during pregnancy and early parenthood.

b) National – we connect and share good practice with other organisations across the UK:

Our national, online community inspires, shares knowledge and resources, and promotes best practice. It is a free, central, dedicated space to connect with peers and experts.

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OUR HISTORY

Parents 1st was first created by Strengths in Communities CIC (trading as “Parents 1st”) in 2008.

Our founder, Celia Suppiah, was an experienced midwife and public health nurse. She developed the first ‘Community Parent’ perinatal peer support initiative in a deprived area of Essex (1990-2008).

This became a national model of good practice. Celia left the NHS to set up Strengths in Communities CIC which established our “Pregnancy Pals and Birth Buddies” initiative in South Essex.

Parents 1st UK CIO was established in

2019 with a separate board of trustees to create our “Open Source” national, online learning platform. We identified a need for a “community of practice” to overcome isolated practice. Effective perinatal peer support needed to be shared across the UK. This online platform now has over 940 members.

Parents 1st UK online platform

Local and national voices share their experiences. Parents and their peer supporters share their stories. Practitioners work with us to develop new resources.

Working together, we inform and improve the development of community based perinatal peer support.

In January 2023, the directors of Strengths in Communities CIC transferred all its assets and employees to Parents 1st UK CIO to form a single, and more focused legal entity. Strengths in Communities CIC has been dissolved.

Paula Beare was appointed CEO of Parents 1st UK CIO at the end of August 2024, with Celia retiring in the Autumn of 2024.

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OUR BENEFICIARIES

Our core beneficiaries are parents, their babies, and the peer supporters who support them. Parents supported include:

These parents often do not have access to the types of strong community support networks that every new parent needs to rely upon and often experience significant problems as a result.

Our other beneficiaries include:

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OUR AIMS

We deliver our aims by…

1. Delivering perinatal peer support in communities across Essex

2. Sharing learning and best practice via our national online platform

3. Developing new partnerships and collaborative working

1. Delivering perinatal peer support in communities across Essex

We have expanded our perinatal peer support across Essex this year by:

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2. Sharing learning and best practice via our national online platform

We have continued to provide the following learning opportunities on the platform to our 900+ members:

3. Developing new partnerships and collaborative working

There have been some exciting partnership developments this year:

Extensions to our:

Transformation programme

Developing strong partnership working with Live Music Now and B3 – Bumps, Birth and Belonging, via the Essex County Council Public Health Accelerator funding to deliver 1-1 peer support, culturally appropriate sessions on healthy lifestyles and the Lullaby project.

“

What does volunteering mean to me?

To give my time asking for nothing in return but receiving so much.

A sense of worth and purpose, knowing I’ve made a small positive difference to someone is humbling.

Creating a safe space for parents to reach out and offering valuable information.

It’s a privilege to be invited into their lives at a vulnerable time.

Parents 1st UK Volunteer

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STATEMENT FROM THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement on Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) – (Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements do not include a cash flow statement because the charity, as a small reporting entity, is exempt from the requirement to prepare such a statement under Financial Reporting Standard 1 “Cash Flow statements”.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The trustees confirm that in compiling this report they have had due regard to guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission in compliance with the duty set out in section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011.

Parents 1st UK’s charitable objects are to advance the education and promote and protect the health of parents, by promoting and developing volunteering and peer support during pregnancy, birth and being a parent.

Evidence is compelling that quality peer support focusing on early prevention (starting in pregnancy where possible) has a unique and valuable contribution to make to improving the health and wellbeing of parents and babies. It can reduce stress during pregnancy, enable a more positive birth experience, and supports vulnerable parents to prepare for and cope with the challenges that parenthood brings.

Evidence is also compelling that the first 1001 critical days (pregnancy to age 2) is a significant and influential phase in infant development – important groundwork needs to take place to support children’s emotional wellbeing, resilience, and adaptability. Services are typically reactive rather than preventative.

“

I was in such a bad way emotionally and Bianca was there to listen, she called me and checked in on me and always answered if I called her, or replied to my text messages... I was so stressed I don’t know what I would have done without her.

Feedback from a parent

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There is a need to develop more perinatal peer support, increase awareness of its benefits, and influence better investment.

Furthermore, we know that many practitioners who are planning, developing, or already delivering perinatal volunteering initiatives work in isolation with few opportunities to learn and collaborate.

The work and resources needed for an initiative to become operational can be considerable (creating operational resources e.g., volunteer training programmes, policies and procedures, evaluation tools) and despite excellent outcomes, it is still the norm that these important initiatives struggle to survive.

The outcomes we expect from Parents 1st UK’s activities:

1. Direct delivery of perinatal peer support in Essex

2. Our national online platform

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69% reported improved emotional wellbeing reported feeling more confident about parenting 620/0 590/0 reported improved access to services felt a closer bond with their baby . 560/0 49%• reported improved access to social support reported improved confidence to communicate with professionals

OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

This section outlines some of our main achievements over the year:

Impact data from our Wheel of Circumstance self-rating questionnaire

An intensive research process, validated by NESTA in 2016, underpins our approach to capturing impact for our parent beneficiaries.

The research concluded that Parents 1st peer supporters work with parents across multiple areas of need, making it essential to capture data across all of these domains. It also highlighted the importance of a measurement tool that could adapt to each parent’s individual circumstances.

In response, we developed a visual measurement tool — the Wheel of Circumstance — designed to reflect the key areas that peer supporters and parents commonly work on together both pre- and post-birth.

Impact data is collected for each segment of the wheel at key intervals throughout the peer support process, using simple, strengths-based self-rating scales. This approach enables us to evidence and report meaningful change over time.

Antenatal baseline and end of support average scores comparison - PPBB and P2P combined

Analysis on the total average score was undertaken which combines the scores from the bonding, housing, economic, emotional wellbeing, parenting, personal relationships, physical health and social networks segments from the wheel of circumstance.

The analysis that was undertaken on 118 records indicates that the expectant parents who received support from Parents 1st, experienced an improvement in their overall average scores (81% demonstrated an increase in scores) for the Wheel of Circumstance from the antenatal baseline to the end of support period.

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“

Qualitative feedback from parents supported reflected deep appreciation for the quality of peer support they received:

Nicola was an amazing support when baby was in NICU. She checked in regularly, asked us if we needed anything. She suggested we met her in Costa at the Hospital which was a great idea as we didn’t know it but we did need a break from NICU.

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Pregnancy Pals and Birth Buddies (PPBB)

During 2024/25, 77 mothers living in Essex who were supported by our Pregnancy Pal and Birth Buddy initiative, completed Wheel of Circumstance questionnaires at the start of their support and when they finished their peer support after having their babies. This enabled us to compare their baseline self-scores with their end of support scores. Overall, 82% of the mothers supported identified positive change across all of the Wheel of Circumstance domains.

These increases in scores were all highly statistically significant except for housing and personal relationships (which were not statistically significant) and physical health (statistically significant).


(statistically significant).
Domain Mothers showing improvements when
comparing before and after self-scores
Average across all domains 82%
Parentingconfidence 69%
Felt bonded with baby 59%
Feelingemotionally well 74%
Feelingphysically well 57%
Access to social support 50%
Confidence to access services 47%

Average antenatal baseline and end of support score comparisons for the PPBB programme

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Peer to Parent Service (P2P)

During 2024/25, 41 mothers living across Essex who were supported by our P2P service completed Wheel of Circumstance questionnaires at the start of their support and when they finished their peer support after having their babies. This enabled us to compare their baseline self-scores with their end of support scores. Overall, 80% of the mothers supported identified positive change across all of the Wheel of Circumstance domains.

The figure below shows that all the segments in the Wheel of Circumstance and the service questions included in the analysis demonstrated an improvement in their average scores from the antenatal baseline to the end of support evaluation periods for the P2P programme. These increases in scores were all highly statistically significant except for economic, housing and personal relationships (not statistically significant). Mental health and access to services had the largest rise in average scores with 75% of parents demonstrating an improvement in their scores for both.

Domain Mothers showing improvements when
comparing before and after self-scores
Average across all domains 80%
Parentingconfidence 64%
Felt bonded with baby 67%
Feelingemotionally well 75%
Feelingphysically well 64%
Access to social support 75%
Confidence to access services 52%

Average antenatal baseline and end of support score comparisons for the P2P programme

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The first two cohorts were delivered in Basildon and Clacton, with each group running for five weeks.

“ The Lullaby project had a beautifully positive impact on my wellbeing. It allowed me to be creative, expressive and fun. I will forever be thankful for the opportunity presented.

The project also helps people who aren’t attending. For example, my husband and parents now sing to my baby much more, which she loves.

Feedback from a parent

Launched in the UK in 2021, the Live Music Now (LMN) Lullaby Intervention is a transformative, evidenceinformed model that addresses key public health challenges, particularly in perinatal mental health, by fostering emotional bonding, supporting early childhood development, and reducing health inequalities through collaborative songwriting with families.

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----- Start of picture text -----
Our Thurrock Peer Support Team
----- End of picture text -----

g. We continue to raise awareness of what high-quality perinatal peer support looks like.

It is grounded in hope, empathy, and passion, with peers walking alongside families through their journeys. It is built on purposeful relationships that are strengths-based and focused on individual needs. It prioritises active listening to reflect challenges and explore meaningful solutions. Above all, it is underpinned by robust standards of training, supervision, and ongoing personal development.

“

Due to severe PGP I could only do so much exercise. Using the yoga ball helped to be more comfortable with trying to stay fit. Sally the teacher is a lovely lady who was very helpful and supportive, giving alternatives to exercises to help relieve PGP pain.

Feedback from a parent who attended a Fitness class

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STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation whose only voting members are its charity trustees.

The charity was established by Constitution on 9th April 2019.

The current Constitution by which it is governed is dated 14th November 2019 and the charity was entered on the Register of Charities on 19th November 2019.

“

Watching parents start out early on in pregnancy, then begin to engage in support to then seeing them become such confident parents that are so in tune to their baby’s cues is just precious.

Parents 1st UK Peer Support Worker

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Trustees who served during the period and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

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TRUSTEE SELECTION PROCESS

The process to recruit new trustees is agreed by the Board. Recruitment of trustees is conducted by the Chair, trustees and CEO and is based on an evaluation of the skills required to govern the charity.

New trustees are appointed following shortlisting and interview against agreed criteria by a small panel of trustees ensuring a fair and objective approach. Preferred candidates are appointed subject to references, formal vetting, and approval by the full trustee board.

Unsuccessful candidates are notified and thanked for their interest. Newly appointed trustees receive a letter of appointment and a pack of information about the charity, their fellow trustees, and their responsibilities as trustees. They are invited to away days and additional training is provided as needed. Trustees are elected for a three-year period and may be re-elected for up to two further 3-year periods.

“

OPERATIONAL TEAM

In addition to our CEO our team includes:

I love that we have the ability to support parents in a flexible way which suits them. I meet a diverse range of parents from all walks of life and enjoy walking beside them on their journey to becoming the parent they want to be.

Because we can meet parents in their own homes and communities, we can really get to know them and develop our relationship and you genuinely care for their wellbeing and want them and their babies to get the best from life.

Parents 1st UK Peer Support Worker

Thank you to our staff, volunteers and funders

At Parents 1st UK, every achievement reflects the extraordinary dedication and generosity of our community. To our remarkable staff and volunteers, thank you for your unwavering commitment, your compassion, and the profound difference you make each day. Your work transforms lives and ensures that parents and families receive the support they need to flourish.

To our funders, we extend our deepest gratitude for your trust and investment in our mission. Your partnership empowers us to grow, innovate, and reach even more families at pivotal moments in their lives. A summary of our funders can be found in the Fundraising section. Together, you are the driving force behind Parents 1st UK. Because of you, our vision doesn’t just exist — it thrives.

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“

PARENTS 1ST VOLUNTEERS

Ranging from expectant or new, first-time parents through to grandparents or carers, our volunteers are the embodiment of lived experience. They are carefully recruited for their ability to build trusting peer relationships and “walk the journey” with vulnerable parents through pregnancy, labour and birth, and the early months of parenthood.

One-to-one peer support is at the heart of our programme. Our volunteers offer a continuum of intensive but informal one-to-one peer support in the parents’ own homes, in the community and in hospital during labour and birth. Parents supported typically describe their Pregnancy Pal / Birth Buddy as “someone in my corner” who knows the local community and helps them to feel valued and supported.

Other volunteer roles include:

All these roles include:

I enjoy meeting a new mum and finding out more about them and their ‘story’.

Supporting a mum and being even a small part of a very important and emotional time of their life is a real privilege.

I have been told I am a good listener but actually I am really interested in finding out about other people’s lives, different cultures & new viewpoints.

And of course I wouldn’t still be a volunteer if I didn’t get an enormous buzz out of seeing a newborn baby and the loving look on a new mum’s face!

Parents 1st UK Volunteer

During 2024-25 we had 12 active volunteers:

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Volunteer training programme and accreditation

An experienced National Childbirth Trust Antenatal Teacher develops and leads our volunteer training programme.

We review and improve the quality of the volunteer experience through annual reviews, evaluation of training and questionnaires when volunteers leave.

Through high-quality training and skilled supervision, our volunteers gain new life skills and pathways to employment.

Volunteer training is delivered in 5 modules (module 1 being an initial 4-session taster course which is part of the volunteer recruitment process).

Once recruited, volunteers start module 2 which prepares them to start meeting pregnant women in antenatal clinics under the supervision of a member of staff.

Volunteering experience then dovetails in tandem with completing each training module (15 x 3-hour sessions).

“

I love volunteering with Parents 1st.

The support I get from them and the ongoing training to keep up to date with supporting families is amazing, it gives me confidence in helping others in need.

It also gives me a sense of achievement in knowing that through an important part of someone’s life they weren’t alone.

Parents 1st UK Volunteer

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

These accounts show activity during the accounting period April 2024 – March 2025.

We would like to sincerely thank our grant funders and contract partners for supporting us during this financial year:

Parents 1st UK considers itself to be in a healthy financial position. Total income is much higher for 2024-2025 at £800,153 compared to the previous financial year (£570,940). Expenditure on charitable activities was £696,823.

Unrestricted funds at 31st of March 2024 were £303,051 and restricted funds were £62,002. Unrestricted funds at the end of March 2025 were £389,459 and restricted funds were £62,002.

Funds over £85,000 in our Unity Bank current account are invested into savings accounts to provide a level of protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The charity continues to fundraise to meet future projects and to ensure all operational costs are covered. Our investment policy is reviewed on an annual basis.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Responsibility for risk management lies with trustees. A corporate risk register has been established and is regularly reviewed by the board at each board meeting, The risk register includes major operational and strategic risks. Mitigation actions are in place to manage current risks and maximise opportunities.

To support operational risk management, a detailed safeguarding log is maintained and a summary of safeguarding is reviewed at each board meeting, with escalation processes in place across the organization. An operational risk register is also reviewed monthly at Manager Meetings.

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RESERVES POLICY

We are aware of our responsibilities and aim to build our reserves fund actively and responsibly.

Our reserves are funds that are freely available to spend on any of our charity’s purposes. They need to:

We receive unrestricted income through service contracts, and other sources such as providing training and consultancy. It is our policy that all “surpluses” from such activities are used to enhance Parents 1st UK charitable activities and beyond that being funded by restricted funds. However, as the need for reserves increase some of these “surpluses” will be allocated as Unrestricted Reserves i.e., reserves not held for any specific project or service but are necessary for contingency purposes.

We aim to hold appropriate reserves that:

The Unrestricted Reserve requirement will vary in line with the number and size of projects and services being undertaken by Parents 1st UK at any time. Parents 1st UK will aim to hold 3 to 6 months of the running costs of the organisation in order to allow for cash flow issues, pay notice and redundancy to staff together with other costs in the event of the organisation ceasing to trade.

The reserve level requirement will be reviewed by the board on a three-monthly basis. The board will also assess the conditions of the reserves account and decide whether to invest any of the reserves on a short-term basis with an appropriate bank or building society.

Risks are identified on our risks register and reassessed regularly.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

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The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the Charity for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

PUBLIC BENEFIT

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit: “Charities and Public Benefit”. The Trustees’ report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

Signed:

Dated: 26.01.2026

Ade Bamigboye, Trustee (Interim Chair)

“ Jamie is great. It has been lovely to have someone to talk to and be open with.

I really struggled in the early days and had no motivation to go out. Jamie encouraged me to start off small and not to put so much pressure on myself. She also let me be myself.

I was able to share my concerns and not feel that she was going to tell me what I should do.

Feedback from a parent

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out on pages 29-36.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). You are satisfied that the accounts of the Trust are not required by charity law to be audited and have chosen instead to have an independent examination.

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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 Act.

Basis of the Independent Examiner’s Report

An independent examination does not involve gathering all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently does not cover all the matters that an auditor considers in giving their opinion on the accounts. The planning and conduct of an audit goes beyond the limited assurance that an independent examination can provide. Consequently I express no opinion as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and my report is limited to those specific matters set out in the independent examiner’s statement.

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 respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Dated: 16 December 2025

For and on behalf of: Clay Ratnage Strevens & Hills, Construction House, Runwell Road, Wickford, Essex SS11 7HQ

28

Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

2025 2025 2025 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Funds Funds Funds Funds
Note £ £ £ £
Income resources:
Donations and Legacies 2 2,976 - 2,976 1,560
Income from Charitable Activity 3 797,177 - 797,177 569,380
Total incoming resources 800,153 - 800,153 570,940
Resources expended:
Charitable Activities 4 696,823 - 696,823 545,050
Cost of Raising Funds 16,831 - 16,831 20,405
Total expenditure 713,655 - 713,655 565,455
Net income 86,499 - 86,499 5,485
Merger Income 12 - - - -
Net Income for the Year 86,499 - 86,499 5,485
Total Funds brought forward 303,051 62,002 365,053 359,568
Total Funds carried forward 389,550 62,002 451,551 365,053

Notes on pages 31 to 36 are part of these accounts.

29 Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

BALANCE SHEET

As at 31 March 2025

Signed:
A Bamiboye
Trustee
V Emlyn
Trustee
Fixed Assets
Tangible assets
Current Assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Current Liabilities
Creditors
Net Current Assets
Net Assets
Funds
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds		 Note 2025
£
£		 2025
£
£		 £ 2024
£
9
7
8
10
10		 Dated: 26.01.2026
Dated: 26.01.2026
8,928
9,080
46,959
520,120
386,674
529,200
433,633
86,577
74,418
442,623
451,551
389,549
62,002
451,551		 8,928 5,838
442,623 359,215
451,551 365,053
389,549
62,002		 303,051
62,002
451,551 365,053

30

Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the year ended 31 March 2025

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of the preparation of the accounts

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement on Recommended Practise applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)- (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements do not include a cash flow statement because the charity, as a small reporting entity, is exempt from the requirement to prepare such a statement under Financial Reporting Standard 1 “Cash flow statements”.

Charity information

Parents 1st UK is a charitable Incorporated Organisation established on 9th April 2019. The current constitution by which it is governed is dated 14th November 2019.

Incoming resources

All material incoming resources have been included on a receivable basis. Donations and gifts are included in the statement of financial activities. All grants are recognised as income within the period covered by these accounts.

Resources expended

All expenditure is accounted for on an accrual basis.

All expenditure has been analysed using a natural classification.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund.

Going Concern

The trustees of the charity deem that there are sufficient funds available to continue operating on a going concern basis for the foreseeable future.

31

Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONT.)

Financial Instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilites of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

Critical accounting estimates and judgements

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant.

Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

There are no critical accounting estimates or judgements in the financial statements.

2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

3. INCOME FROMCHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Sales with Charitable Activities
Grants

Contract Income
Other
Interest
Total
Donations		 Total
Total
2025
2024
£
£
-
2,494
239,689
210,940
538,108
347,855
5,500
8,092
13,880
-
Total
Total
2025
2024
£
£
2,976
1,560		 Total
Total
2025
2024
£
£
2,976
1,560
797,177
569,381

3. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

A total of £Nil restricted income was received from charitable activities during the year (2024 - £39,844)

32

Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

4. EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITY

Note
Staff Costs
6
Worker Allowances
Website
Evaluation
Accreditation
Consultancy
Conference Costs
Marketing
Fundraising Costs
Peer Support Costs
5
Support Costs
Total Expenditure		 Total
Total
2025
2024
£
£
554,617
467,091
432
432
600
3,540
3,244
3,296
1,884
2,858
89,464
4,825
9,061
5,017
4,289
4,680
2,810
6,337
4,960
9,051
42,294
58,329
713,655
565,456

A total of £Nil restricted expenditure was spent from charitable activities during the year (2024 - £60,201)

5. SUPPORT COSTS

IT Costs
Insurance
Bank Charges
Office Related Costs
Rent
Depreciation
PPS
Subscriptions
Accountancy Fees
Professional Fees
Total		 Total
Total
2025
2024
£
£
12,271
13,753
7,375
1,674
128
342
2,739
776
1,852
1,692
3,590
1,683
757
1,881
1,093
1,389
12,388
21,294
100
13,845
42,293
58,329

33 Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

6. STAFF COSTS

6. STAFFCOSTS
Total Total
2025 2024
£ £
Gross Wages 472,453 406,362
Pension 7,821 7,155
Employer NI 31,392 27,595
Training and Supervision 4,593 1,671
Recruitment 11,496 -
Other 9,348 9,568
Travel 17,512 14,740
Total 554,615 467,091

No staff have been paid more than £60,000 for the year.

7. DEBTORS

2025 2024
£ £
Prepayments 9,079 1,746
Accounts receivable - 45,213
9,079 46,959
8. CREDITORS
2025 2024
£ £
Creditors 16,190 5,138
Other Creditors 1,503 853
Accruals & Deferred Income 59,732 61,254
Taxation & social security 9,152 7,173
86,577 74,418

8. CREDITORS

34

Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

9. FIXED ASSETS

Cost
Cost as at 1st April 2024
Additions
Total
Depreciation
Depreciation as at 1st April 2024
Charge for the year
Total
Net Book Value 2025
Net Book Value 2024
10. ANALYSIS OFFUNDS
Unrestricted
Restricted
Christie Foundation
Henry Smith North PPBB
"Essex County Council New
Generations Fund"
Total Restricted
Total		 Computer
Office
Total
Equipment
Equipment
£
£
£
48,110
6,149
54,260
6,679
-
6,679
54,789
6,149
60,939
42,272
6,149
48,421
3,590
-
3,590
45,861
6,149
52,011
8,928
-
8,928
5,838
-
5,838
Opening
Income
Expenditure
Closing
£
£
£
£
303,051
800,153
-713,655
389,549
45,803
45,803
11,119
11,119
5,080
5,080
62,002
-
-
62,002
365,053
800,153
-713,655
451,551

35 Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

11. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS & TRUSTEE REMUNERATIONS

During the financial year, there were no related party transactions (2023:£Nil)

Trustees received £Nil for their time assisting the charity.

“[I used to think I was ] a bad mum but now I know I’m good enough. Feedback from a parent

36

Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

FUNDRAISING

The Board of Trustees give careful consideration on how to secure income to cover the costs of running the charity and funding its work, achieved through diversifying our range of income sources.

As Trustees we are also responsible for making sure funds are secured ethically, legally and in a way that supports the charity’s values.

Grant funding

We would like to sincerely thank our grant funders for supporting us during this financial year:

Contracts

We would also like to thank our contract partners:

INVESTMENTS

Opened in June 2023, Parents 1st UK had holdings as at 31st March 2025 of £195,000 in a CCLA COIF Charities Deposit Fund. The average Fund yield for this period was 4.47% per annum.

The COIF Charities Deposit Fund is a common deposit fund, governed by the Charities Act 2011 (as amended) and authorised by the Charity Commission.

In addition we hold:

REGULATION AND GOOD PRACTICE

We are registered with The Fundraising Regulator, demonstrating our commitment to fundraising in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice in a way that is legal, open, honest and respectful and that we are signed up to fundraising best practice.

37

Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

THE FUTURE

STRATEGY AND PRIORITIES

As we transition into the next chapter of Parents 1st growth, we have developed our new 5-year strategy (launched April 2025), sending a strong signal of our continuing commitment to being a leading charity that focuses entirely on enabling quality perinatal peer support to flourish across the UK.

Looking ahead, we’re ambitious. We want to reach more parents, deepen our impact, and share what we’ve learnt more widely. That means investing in people, innovating where it matters, building partnerships that last, and making sure our support is grounded in research and lived experience. It also means embracing change, especially digital, so that our support can be there, in the moments and places that matter most.

This strategy is motivated by deep connections, compassion, and a shared belief in the power of parents to thrive, even when times are tough. Our strategic priorities focus on:

To support our longer-term sustainability and successful delivery of our Strategy, we will look to expand our corporate team to include a Business Support Manager in 2025/26. We will also invest in our staff and volunteers through a range of Reward and Recognition programmes as well as an expanded portfolio of training opportunities.

38 Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES

We have identified the following as areas of greatest concern, which will be addressed through robust risk management processes and the roll-out of our new 5-Year Strategy:

Workforce:

Funding risks:

Cybersecurity:

Political risk:

Reputational risk:

We have much to be proud of and are optimistic about the future. Our new strategy will demonstrate our resilience, responsiveness and adaptability alongside the compassion and commitment of our staff and volunteers.

We are grateful for the close collaboration with service users, team members and partners in co-producing our strategy and eagerly await its launch in 2025/26.

39 Trustees’ Report 2024-2025

Parents 1st UK

Construction House Runwell Road, Wickford, Essex, SS11 7HQ

/parents1st

@Parents1st

/company/parents1st

@parents1st

Registered Charity No: 1186445

www.parents1st.org.uk