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: 


- **safeguard and enhance our existing services,** ensuring consistent, high-quality support for families; 

- **expand our local offer into new geographical areas,** extending our reach and impact within communities; 

- **develop our national platform,** alongside consultancy and training opportunities, to share expertise, influence practice, and create new income streams that support future growth. 

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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**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **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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**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 




## **“** 

**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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**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **OUR BENEFICIARIES** 

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

- Those living in situations of significant poverty and deprivation; 

- Young and vulnerable people; 

- Individuals who are incredibly isolated and lonely; 

- Women experiencing a traumatic birth; 

- Families facing racial discrimination, domestic violence, and/or health inequalities. 

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:** 

- Peer Support Programme Leaders; 

- Funders of Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations; 

- Commissioners of early years services; 

- Academics; 

- Field practitioners; 

- Statutory providers. 

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**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **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: 

- Launching the **Lullaby Project** in partnership with Live Music Now and B3 – Bumps, Birth and Belonging – providing 1-1 peer support, culturally appropriate sessions on healthy lifestyles and an innovative activity that pairs musicians with new mothers and families to write, sing, record and perform a personal lullaby for their baby; 

- Starting to take post-natal only referrals in our flagship **Pregnancy Pals and Birth Buddy service,** having identified a gap for new parents who felt that they needed support; 

- Commencing regular weekly outreach at Basildon Hospital; 

- Expanding our reach in **Southend-on-Sea** as a need for greater access to 1-1 peer support was identified; 

- Commencing 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; 

- Launching a new closed **Facebook group for Tendring** to improve the emotional wellbeing of pre and post birth parents; 

- Delivering a range of new **“coffee connections” groups** where mothers and babies support each other, including colleagues across Pregnancy Pals and Birth Buddies and Peer-to-Parent teams coming together to deliver joint events to expand the reach of new parents connecting with each other. 




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**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **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: 

- Increased the information resources for peer supporters to share with parents in our public group space; 

- Launched The Other Half Hub guide - this guide is designed to support dads and partners as they navigate the emotional, physical, and practical challenges of pregnancy, parenthood, and beyond. Covering key topics related to mental health, family wellbeing, and the transition into parenthood, the guide provides essential information and resources to help dads and partners feel informed and supported during this life-changing journey; 

- Posted a wide range of new activities of particular interest to our members. 

## **3. Developing new partnerships and collaborative working** 

There have been some exciting partnership developments this year: 

## **Extensions to our:** 

- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) contract to further embed the partnership, supporting specialist perinatal mental health services. 

- Contract with Thurrock Council as part of the Thurrock Family Hub Start for Life 

## **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** 

- Those planning and delivering perinatal peer support initiatives access useful, free resources and guidance to help avoid common pitfalls and problems; 

- Practitioners, volunteers, and parents have opportunities to share their stories, learning, new ideas, good practice, and solutions to day-to-day challenges; 

- Statutory services are aware of the benefits to the health and wellbeing of parents and volunteers who are giving and receiving peer support; 

- Commissioners procure more sustainable, quality peer support initiatives; 

- Funders make realistic and longer-term investments so that those responsible for operating perinatal peer support initiatives can concentrate on what they do best – delivering perinatal peer support; 

- Opportunities to share evidence-based, good practice far wider; 

- Practitioners, peer supporters and parents share views, new ideas and tools to operate initiatives more effectively and benefit parents and families; 

- Stronger partnerships are developed with other organisations delivering similar work who share our ethos and vision. 

## **2. Our national online platform** 

- Users are able to share and manage their own information (through unique URLs and associated sub-pages )and what’s going on with their initiatives – they can add, manage, and promote their own peer support activities and events for free; 

- Find, add, and manage information about services, events, and community activities; 

- Generate, develop, and communicate new ideas to the issues that are important to them; 

- Solve problems by using collaboration tools such as group chat, task lists, file sharing, Survey Monkey and Trello boards. 

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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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**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



**“** 

**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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**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **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). 

|<br>(statistically significant).||
|---|---|
|**Domain**|**Mothers showing improvements when**<br>**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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**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **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**<br>**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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- **a. Further developed our relationship with Essex Partnership University NHS Trust (EPUT)** and refined our referral criteria and acceptance thresholds, resulting in a 27% increase in accepted referrals compared with 2023/24. 

- **b. Launched The Other Half Hub on our website as part of our Fathers and Partners Wellbeing Service,** funded by EPUT through the P2P service. The Other Half Hub includes a comprehensive resource guide to local services and is designed to address the unique challenges, as well as the emotional highs and lows, experienced by partners during pregnancy and early parenthood. We are committed to supporting fathers and partners throughout the critical perinatal period, with the aim of ensuring they feel empowered, supported, and well-equipped to navigate this stage of their lives. 

- **c. Commenced delivery of our Lullaby Project in partnership with Live Music Now and B3 (Bumps, Babies and Belonging) CIC,** funded through our Public Health Accelerator Bid to Essex County Council (Public Health). 

**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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- **d. Our North Essex closed Facebook group continued to grow strongly,** with membership increasing by 25% compared to the previous year. By the end of March 2025, the group had reached 588 members, providing a vital peer-support network where parents can access information, share experiences, and reduce feelings of isolation. 

- **e. We delivered a diverse programme of activities and events for parents and their babies,** creating safe and welcoming spaces for families to connect. These opportunities helped parents build supportive relationships, increase confidence, and feel less isolated during early parenthood. This included: 

   - 6 first aid courses across the year where over 40 people attended; 

   - Fitness classes that run weekly in Vange, Wickford and online; 

   - Combined antenatal and postnatal fitness and Buggy Walks. 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Our Thurrock Peer Support Team<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


- **f.** All peer supporters employed during the year successfully achieved our customised **Level 3 CACHE-accredited Award in Perinatal Peer Support.** 

## **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:** 

- **V Emlyn** (Appointed 9 April 2019) 

- **J E Robins** (Appointed 9 April 2019) 

- **A Bamigboye** (Appointed 11 December 2019, appointed Interim Chair 24 January 2024) 

- **J Tulloch-Jordan** (Appointed 18 January 2023) 

- **R Heathcock** (Appointed 20 February 2024) 

- **B Bond** (Appointed on an interim basis 25 March 2024, resigned 31st 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) 

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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: 

- Programme Leads 

- Programme Managers 

- Marketing and Communications team 

- Perinatal Fitness Trainer 

- Peer support workers 

- Peer support link workers 

- Finance Officer 

- Administrators 

**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. 

22 

**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **“** 

## **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:** 

- Assisting with groups (exercise sessions; antenatal and postnatal friendship and information groups; workshops for expectant fathers); 

- Helping with a variety of community outreach activities; 

- Meeting pregnant women in antenatal clinics; 

- Attending volunteer recruitment events. 

## **All these roles include:** 

- Supporting emotional wellbeing; 

**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** 

- Assisting parents to prepare for the birth by sharing (evidence-based) information; 

- Promoting healthier lifestyles (including stopping smoking and healthier eating); 

- Nurturing warm and confident parenting; 

- Encouraging and enabling parents to build their own local social support networks; 

- Providing supported signposting to assist parents to navigate maternity, perinatal mental health, VCS and early years services; 

- Enabling disengaged expectant parents to communicate more effectively with professionals; 

- Encouraging sustained breastfeeding. 

## **During 2024-25 we had 12 active volunteers:** 

- 11 supported parents one-to-one, including attending 7 births; 

- 1 supported outreach events. 

23 **Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **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** 

24 

**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **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: 

- National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund 

- National Lottery Awards For All 

- Henry Smith Charity 

- The Tudor Trust 

- Essex County Council Public Health Accelerator Bid (PHAB) Programme 

- Essex Community Foundation 

- Collective Futures 

- KPMG Foundation 

- The ROSCA Trust 

- The Lancashire Foundation 


- The Carmella and Ronnie Pignatelli Foundation 

- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) 

- • Thurrock Council 

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. 

25 **Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **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: 

- Be unrestricted funds. 

- Exclude tangible fixed assets used to carry out the charity’s activities. 

- Exclude designated funds i.e., funds formally set aside by our trustees for a specific purpose. 

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: 

- Cater for unforeseen emergencies or other unexpected need for funds. 

- Cover unforeseen day-to-day operational costs. 

- Protect the continuity of our core work. 

- Meet commitments that cannot be met by future income alone. 

- Fund any short-term deficits in our cash budget. 

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). 

26 

**Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



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: 

- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently 

- Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 

- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent 

- State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and 

- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. 

## **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** 

27 **Trustees’ Report 2024-2025** 



## **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:**<br>A Bamiboye<br>Trustee<br>V Emlyn<br>Trustee<br>**Fixed Assets**<br>Tangible assets<br>**Current Assets**<br>Debtors<br>Cash at bank and in hand<br>**Current Liabilities**<br>Creditors<br>**Net Current Assets**<br>**Net Assets**<br>**Funds**<br>Restricted Funds<br>Unrestricted Funds|**Note**|**2025**<br>**£**<br>**£**|**2025**<br>**£**<br>**£**|**£**|**2024**<br>**£**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**9**<br>**7**<br>**8**<br>**10**<br>**10**|Dated: 26.01.2026<br>Dated: 26.01.2026<br>8,928<br>9,080<br>46,959<br>520,120<br>386,674<br>529,200<br>433,633<br>86,577<br>74,418<br>**442,623**<br>451,551<br>389,549<br>**62,002**<br>**451,551**|8,928||5,838|
||||**442,623**||**359,215**|
||||451,551||365,053|
||||389,549<br>**62,002**||303,051<br>**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**<br>Sales with Charitable Activities<br>Grants<br> <br>Contract Income<br>Other<br>Interest<br>**Total**<br>Donations|**Total**<br>**Total**<br>**2025**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>-<br>2,494<br>239,689<br>210,940<br>538,108<br>347,855<br>5,500<br>8,092<br>13,880<br>-<br>**Total**<br>**Total**<br>**2025**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>2,976<br>1,560|**Total**<br>**Total**<br>**2025**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**£**|
|---|---|---|
|||2,976<br>1,560|
||**797,177**<br>**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**<br>Staff Costs<br>**6**<br>Worker Allowances<br>Website<br>Evaluation<br>Accreditation<br>Consultancy<br>Conference Costs<br>Marketing<br>Fundraising Costs<br>Peer Support Costs<br>**5**<br>Support Costs<br>**Total Expenditure**|**Total**<br>**Total**<br>**2025**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>554,617<br>467,091<br>432<br>432<br>600<br>3,540<br>3,244<br>3,296<br>1,884<br>2,858<br>89,464<br>4,825<br>9,061<br>5,017<br>4,289<br>4,680<br>2,810<br>6,337<br>4,960<br>9,051<br>42,294<br>58,329|
|---|---|
||**713,655**<br>**565,456**|



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

## **5.   SUPPORT COSTS** 

|IT Costs<br>Insurance<br>Bank Charges<br>Office Related Costs<br>Rent<br>Depreciation<br>PPS<br>Subscriptions<br>Accountancy Fees<br>Professional Fees<br>**Total**|**Total**<br>**Total**<br>**2025**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>12,271<br>13,753<br>7,375<br>1,674<br>128<br>342<br>2,739<br>776<br>1,852<br>1,692<br>3,590<br>1,683<br>757<br>1,881<br>1,093<br>1,389<br>12,388<br>21,294<br>100<br>13,845|
|---|---|
||**42,293**<br>**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**<br>Cost as at 1st April 2024<br>Additions<br>**Total**<br>**Depreciation**<br>Depreciation as at 1st April 2024<br>Charge for the year<br>**Total**<br>**Net Book Value 2025**<br>**Net Book Value 2024**<br>**10.   ANALYSIS OFFUNDS**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**Restricted**<br>Christie Foundation<br>Henry Smith North PPBB<br>"Essex County Council New<br>Generations Fund"<br>**Total Restricted**<br>**Total**|**Computer**<br>**Office**<br>**Total**<br>**Equipment**<br>**Equipment**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>48,110<br>6,149<br>54,260<br>6,679<br>-<br>6,679<br>**54,789**<br>**6,149**<br>**60,939**<br>42,272<br>6,149<br>48,421<br>3,590<br>-<br>3,590<br>**45,861**<br>**6,149**<br>**52,011**<br>**8,928**<br>**-**<br>**8,928**<br>**5,838**<br>**-**<br>**5,838**<br>**Opening**<br>**Income**<br>**Expenditure**<br>**Closing**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>303,051<br>800,153<br>-713,655<br>389,549<br>45,803<br>45,803<br>11,119<br>11,119<br>5,080<br>5,080|
|---|---|
||62,002<br>-<br>-<br>62,002|
||**365,053**<br>**800,153**<br>**-713,655**<br>**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: 

- National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund 

- National Lottery Awards For All 

- Henry Smith Charity 

- The Tudor Trust 

- Essex County Council Public Health Accelerator Bid (PHAB) Programme 

- Essex Community Foundation 

- Collective Futures 

- KPMG Foundation 

- The ROSCA Trust 

- The Lancashire Foundation 

- The Carmella and Ronnie Pignatelli Foundation 

## **Contracts** 

We would also like to thank our contract partners: 

- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) 

- Thurrock Council 

## **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: 

- An Ethical 40 day notice account with Charity Bank, with funds as at 31st March 2025 of £89,265.54, with a 3.16% yield; 

- A Business Instant Saver account with Nationwide, with funds as at 31st March 2025 of £87,087.90, with a yield of 2% 

## **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: 

- **People:** Recognising and building on the potential and positive impact of lived experience in the design of our systems and services. 

- **Growth:** Sustaining and improving our existing services, with a co-ordinated approach to fundraising, whilst also building and learning from our successes, applying evidence-based practice to grow and expand our offer. 

- **Innovation:** Using our national platform as well as local networks to support innovation in working, transforming the provision of perinatal peer support through a range of diverse partnership. 

- **Research and Education:** Supporting research to evidence the need for greater access to quality perinatal peer support, with a particular focus on health inequalities faced by Black and Asian families and young parents, and development of our accredited Peer Support Worker qualification for delivery in external organisations. 

- **Governance:** Continuing to ensure that our Board retains the strengths, expertise and experience necessary to ensure effective governance. 

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:** 

- We have a committed and dedicated workforce, however as the cost-of-living crisis continues our ability to retain our staff becomes increasingly uncertain, without a comprehensive programme of upskilling and career progression, along with attractive and useful benefits packages. 

- Any change in staff also creates a loss of significant knowledge, experience and skills. 

## **Funding risks:** 

- Due to closure of some previous grant funder programmes, changing priorities for funders and increasing competition in statutory bodies such as the NHS and Local Authorities. 

## **Cybersecurity:** 

- A greater reliance on technology to operate creates an increased vulnerability to a cyber-attack that could compromise sensitive information and disrupt operations. 

## **Political risk:** 

- A shift in policy that affects our operations or changes in level of support for the issues we work on. 

## **Reputational risk:** 

- We rely on the trust and support of our service users, funders and contract partners, any negative publicity or loss of trust could have a significant impact on our reputation and ability to secure funds. 

**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**