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2023-12-31-accounts

Annual Report 2023

Striving for the best care for everyone

Message from our Chair Ian Lush, OBE

I’m delighted to share our annual report and accounts for 2023. For NHS Charities Together, the year was about defining our ongoing purpose as a charity, beyond Covid, to ensure a long-lasting legacy from the Covid-19 Urgent Appeal.

Contents

After consulting with members, we were pleased to launch our new strategy ‘Achieving our potential together’, outlining our plans to grow the impact of the NHS charity sector for NHS staff, volunteers, patients and communities.

We are striving for the best possible healthcare for those who need it. With the challenges facing healthcare still growing, the extra support we can provide as an organisation and as an NHS charity sector has never been more vital.

Our income across the year was over £10 million. We were excited to launch new transformational programmes like Greener Communities, in partnership with Starbucks and Hubbub, resulting in an investment of over £1.2 million to improve health through green spaces.

In addition, we distributed a further £14.8 million from our Covid-19 Urgent Appeal. Our progress report, published in May, showed that the first phase of the appeal supported more than 4,000 projects and reached more than 1.6 million people, with over 90% reporting a long-lasting impact.

And, of course, the year was about achieving our potential together as a sector. We continued to issue development grants to members and delivered informative webinars attended by more than 1,000 members. There were many networking and training opportunities, including 20 ongoing special interest groups and our second national conference.

This was a poignant year for me, as I decided to stand down as Chair of Trustees of NHS Charities Together after four years. It has been an absolute privilege to lead the organisation through this time of transformation and to see the NHS charity sector evolve.

I’m proud that our sector has grown, in size and strength, and that we give more than £1.2 million every day to the NHS. Once a new Chair is in post, I will continue to be a trustee as well as an advocate for the potential of our sector.

As ever, none of what you read about in these pages would be possible without our incredible supporters. I am hugely grateful to you all. I would like to thank our healthcare and charity partners for your collaboration, my fellow voluntary trustees who give their time so willingly to govern and guide, and the NHS Charities Together staff – a committed team that continues to be ambitious to achieve our objectives.

Finally, I want to thank the member NHS charities based in every trust and health board around the UK. Whether you are a lone fundraiser or a large charity, in a community, mental health, acute or ambulance trust, in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England, the work you do is valued and really makes a difference.

Thank you.

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Annual report 2023

Message from our Chief Executive Ellie Orton, OBE

I’d like to add my welcome to Ian’s and start by thanking him for being an incredibly supportive Chair over the last four years. He has guided us through the most extraordinary transformation following the Covid-19 Urgent Appeal and we are hugely grateful for his contribution. We are recruiting a new Chair who will be announced later in 2024.

In 2023, we marked 75 years of the NHS with activities, campaigns and events that put NHS charities on the map, from a Rankin photography exhibition, ‘Love and charity: 75 years of charitable giving in the NHS’, to being charity partner for a moving event at Westminster Abbey where I shared a message of support from NHS charities to more than 2,000 NHS staff in attendance.

A personal highlight for me was welcoming our Royal Patrons TRHs The Prince and Princess of Wales to a special NHS Big Tea at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, in a beautiful garden created by the NHS charity there. We were joined by incredible NHS staff and patients and NHS charity members who demonstrated all that makes the NHS so great.

But while it’s right to reflect, look back and celebrate, we also need to consider the very real challenges facing the NHS in the present. Our research shows the increasing pressure on the workforce and the difficulty people across the UK are facing in accessing the healthcare they need.

In the upcoming year, we will work with partners to develop transformational programmes, fund volunteering projects, address health inequalities among young people, and invest in lifesaving community first responder volunteers. As an organisation that is relatively new to fundraising, an aspect of our work that was kickstarted by the Covid-19 Urgent Appeal, we need to invest in the future to establish sustainable income streams. In this way, we can ensure the Covid appeal has a legacy and make an ongoing impact for NHS charity members. This focus on investing for sustainability and impact is reflected in our new strategy.

That’s why in 2023 we refreshed our vision, mission and strategy. As the national charity for the NHS, representing the network of NHS charities based in every trust and health board across the UK, we can help tackle the biggest healthcare issues. We can provide extra support to the workforce, be there for patients during treatment, and break down health inequalities in communities so that everyone gets the healthcare they deserve.

What’s for sure is that NHS charities have been there for the NHS for 75 years and we intend to be there for the next 75 too. The extra support we provide together is more vital than ever.

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Annual report

2023

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Highlights of the year Heidi Thomas, OBEshared a specially written
dedication thanking NHS
staff for 75 years of care at
our remembrance service.
This year’s
highlights
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In 2023, you helped us do so much to be there for incredible NHS people when they needed us most and improve care for patients and communities.

#WithAllOurHearts

Remembrance service

In March, we launched our second #WithAllOurHearts campaign to raise awareness of the need to support NHS staff under enormous pressure carrying out their lifesaving work. Workers across the NHS shared their stories of delivering healthcare services in challenging conditions. And we showed the difference supporting NHS charities can make to the health and wellbeing of staff and volunteers giving 100% for us every day.

On the eve of the third anniversary of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a global Covid-19 pandemic, Friday 10th March 2023, we hosted a livebroadcast remembrance service. The event included a minute’s silence at 12 noon, to honour 75 years of service and sacrifice by the health and care workforce. We were proud to be joined by staff and senior representatives from across the NHS, including the Chief Nursing Officer for England, Dame Ruth May, DBE, who said:

“This year, as we mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS, I’m grateful to have the chance to say thank you and acknowledge the contribution of every incredible colleague who has helped make the NHS what it is.”

Jack is the Operations Manager for Community First Responders at South Central Ambulance Service. He is one of the staff members who shared their story as part of the #WithAllOurHearts campaign.

The Big Step

£16 million in grants to members

Strictly Come Dancing alumnus Dr Ranj Singh encouraged the nation to get moving as part of The Big Step, a new fundraiser to make us healthier and improve NHS services. Hundreds of you joined TV presenter Gaby Roslin to fundraise with your feet, by walking either 5,000 or 10,000 steps every day throughout April and May, raising thousands of pounds for the NHS.

In total, we allocated an incredible £16 million in grants to members in 2023, every penny of which will mobilise the collective power of NHS charities and the nation to help the health service go further for patients, staff, volunteers and communities. This massive amount of support was made possible by your kind donations. Thank you.

Member conference

Greener Communities

In May, we hosted our second national conference for members, under the theme of Achieving Our Potential Together. Representatives from members across the UK came together to learn, share and grow. It was wonderful to see you all again and be inspired by your individual and collective efforts. (See page 16 for more.)

We were delighted to allocate over £1.1 million to create and improve health through green spaces across the UK, through a new Greener Communities Fund in partnership with environmental charity Hubbub and funded by the Starbucks 5p cup charge. Grants of between £29,000 and £200,000 were awarded to nine NHS charities for up to two years, to fund projects with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of the public, including NHS staff. We can’t wait to see them bloom!

Covid appeal progress

To help show the impact of generous donations to our Covid-19 Urgent Appeal, we launched our progress report. This showed that the first phase of the appeal supported more than 4,000 projects and reached more than 1.6 million people at the height of the pandemic, with over 90% of NHS charity respondents reporting a long-lasting impact. (Read more about the Covid-19 Urgent Appeal on page 19.)

TV presenter Gaby Roslin

joined hundreds of fundraisers as part of The Big Step.

Over £20k Raised by The Big Step

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Highlights of the year

A Special Big Tea

2023 was a very important year for the NHS, as it turned 75 on 5th July. You helped us mark this milestone with celebrations across the UK, a highlight of which was our Special Big Tea. At this event, attended by our Royal Patrons Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales, we showcased the vital role charitable giving has played in the NHS throughout its history, its impact today, and how it will shape the health service’s future.

Our Royal Patrons personally passed on their gratitude to health workers and patients, including Aneira Thomas, the first baby born on the NHS, research pioneers, and those on the frontline tackling Covid-19. They concluded their visit with a video message for the entire NHS:

“Wishing everyone a very happy 75th birthday for the NHS. Thank you so much for all you do.”

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Did you see us on TV?

In June, we launched a new TV campaign, Unexpected Things, to raise awareness of NHS Charities Together and what we do, and to complement all the activity taking place for the 75th birthday of the NHS in July. The campaign reached more than 16 million adults in the UK, showing them we’re here to provide the unexpected things that mean so much to NHS staff, patients and their families, from technology that keeps patients and their loved ones connected, to mental health support in the workplace.

Our National Health Stories

We were delighted to work with the National Arts in Hospitals Network to support this collaboration between 19 hospital trusts, thousands of NHS staff in hospitals across England, and a stellar creative team led by Kwame Kwei-Armah. A six-month programme of creative activity with NHS staff explored, shared and reflected upon what being part of the organisation means to them, culminating in live performances both in trusts and at a special one-off show at Aviva Studios in Manchester in November.

Your Forever Thank You

In 2023, we launched our first legacy campaign on behalf of the NHS charity sector, Your Forever Thank You. We helped people find the NHS charities they would like to support and provided free guidance on leaving a gift in your will. As a result of this campaign, we hope many more people will consider leaving a gift that will help the NHS thrive so that everyone can have better health and care.

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See our legacy
advert here:
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9-year-old Harry Byrne won the Young Hero award for his incredible fundraising efforts. Photo Credit: ‘The Sun’

Who Cares Wins

Omaze-ing support

Once again, we were the proud charity partner for Channel 4 and The Sun’s Who Cares Wins Awards, celebrating remarkable people who have gone above and beyond to care for others. Hosted by Davina McCall, the event honoured the outstanding individuals that keep our health service running – from cleaners and porters, to nurses, doctors, paramedics and mental health professionals.

In November, we launched our partnership with Omaze and their Million Pound House Draw to help fund a new lifesaving programme in partnership with ambulance charities across the UK. We were overwhelmed by the response to this competition, which raised a record-breaking £2.6 million!

Festive Thank You

One of the many winners was 9-year-old Harry Byrne, who won the Young Hero award after raising more than £90,000 for the hospices and charities that looked after his baby brother, Reuben, who was born with a complex genetic syndrome and tragically died in his sleep in December 2021. Harry said:

In December, with the generous support of Starbucks, we worked with Global Radio to say a Festive Thank You to some remarkable NHS staff who have done so much to care for their patients and each other. This deserving bunch included people providing mental health support to their colleagues, volunteering for support groups for children with long-term illnesses, and improving access to healthcare within the community. The moments were broadcast on Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, on JK and Kelly Brook’s Heart show, and on Angie Greaves’ Smooth Radio show on 13th December.

“I couldn’t believe it when Mum said I was nominated. I don’t do anything special – Reuben and Olivia [Harry’s sister, who also passed away] are the heroes, not me.”

The Festive Thank You also gave us the opportunity to share stories from Tomos, a community first responder, and Steph, an intensive care nurse, about how NHS Charities Together supports their work. Thank you to Starbucks for sponsoring this campaign.

Thanking our partners

On Wednesday 29th November, we brought some of you together to celebrate all that had been achieved in the 75th anniversary year of the NHS, thank you for your significant support to date, and share an insight into our future ambitions. The event was hosted by our Chief Executive, Ellie Orton, OBE, who was joined by a retired midwife who had dedicated over 25 years to the NHS, and trustee Antony Tiernan, who together said a big thank you and highlighted the importance and impact of your charitable support. To close the evening, we were thrilled to be joined by The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir.

Juwairiyia, an NHS community outreach worker from Gloucester – a role funded by NHS Charities Together through Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospital Charity – was surprised on Smooth Radio by host Angie Greaves with a holiday of a lifetime to Oman.

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Highlights of the year

In 2023, the NHS celebrated a big birthday, turning 75 on 5th July. Throughout the year, we marked this milestone by paying tribute to the health service and the people who make it so special, and shining a light on the vital role charitable giving has played throughout its history – funding ground-breaking innovations and research, providing life-changing patient support, and helping staff and services through the pandemic. NHS charities really have been here for it all. Happy Birthday NHS!

Celebrities Stephen Fry and Mel Giedroyc called on the public to host an NHS Big Tea event ahead of the NHS’s 75th anniversary to raise funds for NHS charities. Stephen Fry said:

Ahead of the anniversary, actor, comedian, presenter and writer Sir Michael Palin and England footballer Jordan Henderson, MBE, were some of the famous faces appearing alongside NHS staff, patients and volunteers in a collaboration with photographer Rankin to celebrate 75 years of NHS charities.

“The NHS is a real national treasure – and one that truly deserves celebrating. We owe so much to our NHS, which still faces untold challenges in the wake of the pandemic, and the NHS Big Tea is the perfect chance to give something back.”

The Love And Charity: A History Of Giving In The NHS exhibition, at Saatchi Gallery in London over the summer, celebrated the vital role charities have played throughout health service history, and how their contribution has helped make the NHS what it is today.

The portraits included NHS staff, patients, volunteers and high-profile supporters from every nation and region of the UK, each with their own powerful personal connection to the impact and influence of NHS charities. Sir Michael Palin commented:

The NHS Big Tea went on to raise £174,544 in 2023, contributing to the long-term recovery of the health service following Covid-19 and projects supporting the workforce and improving care for patients and communities.

“I was born a little bit before the NHS started, but throughout my life it’s been an enormous support for me and my family. You take it a bit for granted so I think it’s good sometimes to remember it needs help. And I think the more people who can help out the better, because so many people have benefitted.”

Annual report 8 2023

Annual report 2023

Highlights of the year

On the NHS’s birthday, our Royal Patrons Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales surprised NHS staff and patients from across the UK with a very special NHS Big Tea party. They even arrived early to help lay the tables, put finishing touches on a birthday cake, and debate the age-old question: jam or cream first?

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Big Tea
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The event, held in the wellbeing garden of St Thomas’ Hospital in London, an initiative funded by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity, was attended by members of the workforce and patients representing the myriad achievements of the NHS and NHS charities over the last 75 years.

Their Royal Highnesses discussed current challenges and thanked staff for the crucial work they continue to do.

Alongside this activity, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were joined by 1,500 health service staff, politicians and supporters at a special ceremony in Westminster Abbey, where our CEO, Ellie Orton, shared a message of gratitude to our incredible NHS and highlighted the role of NHS charities in supporting its workforce.

Watch our Big Tea video here:

We asked people across the country to mark the NHS’s big day by joining the NHS1000miles challenge. Those taking part walked, ran, swam or cycled (or a combination) 1,000 miles over the year – an average of 2.74 miles a day.

Participants kept a record of their weekly miles and shared their progress on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday nights at 7.30pm, using the hashtag #NHS1000miles.

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Highlights of the year

Our sincere gratitude to those people who felt moved to leave a Forever Thank You with a gift in their will, including J Foy, D Karia, P Bodsworth and A Pentazi, and to those who have pledged a gift for the future. We are eternally thankful.

We would like to say a big THANK YOU to all our supporters. We are so grateful for every pound and penny you have given or raised for NHS Charities Together. Whether you donated, set up a regular gift, held a cake sale or did a sponsored abseil, you made a huge difference. Thank you.

We would like to recognise Starbucks for continuing to partner with us in 2023. Thanks to their support we have been able to continue creating green spaces that boost communities’ health and wellbeing up and down the country. What’s more, their support enabled us to run a national radio campaign in December, raising awareness of the charity and recognising some inspirational NHS workers.

We would also like to say thank you for the extraordinary support we have received this year from Haleon, Morrisons, the Barratt Foundation, Amazon, Emma Bridgewater, and The Gym Group.

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Thank
YOU for
everything
you do!
Annual report
2023
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“I wanted to do something special for the NHS and it was a great opportunity to chat with my neighbours and bring us all together.”

Dave was born just a few weeks after the NHS was founded and is grateful for all the health service has given his loved ones since, from helping his mother live into her 90s, to supporting his wife through her MS diagnosis. To show his appreciation, he took part in this year’s NHS Big Tea alongside his neighbours, and everyone got involved.

“When I decided I wanted to do an event in Robbie’s memory, the NHS was the only choice. After four heart surgeries and various other adventures, the NHS will always be a huge part of my life, and I feel incredibly proud to represent them.”

Tom and Robbie had been best friends for over 20 years when Robbie passed away very suddenly. Having both been born with serious heart conditions, the NHS became a huge part of their lives as they spent numerous occasions in hospital. Tom decided to sign up for the Richmond Park 10k in memory of his friend and to raise funds for NHS Charities Together.

“As a family we are very much indebted to the NHS, and as a way of thanking them I decided to do some fundraising with my border collie Ted.”

Pat walked from London to Brighton with his four-legged companion Ted to raise funds for NHS Charities Together and show his gratitude for the care both his daughters have received. After lots of training, they made the 60-mile journey in two days and celebrated their accomplishment with an ice cream and treats on Brighton beach.

In November, we launched our partnership with Omaze and their Million Pound House Draw to give one lucky person the chance of winning a stunning Chelsea townhouse worth an incredible £5 million, along with £100,000 in cash.

Thanks to the enthusiastic response from our supporters and the Omaze community, the draw raised a recordbreaking £2.6 million! The seven-figure donation will fund a new lifesaving programme in partnership with ambulance charities across the UK, helping to improve survival rates for people who experience an out-ofhospital cardiac arrest.

What’s more, the winner of the £5 million house, Oceanne, is studying to fulfil her dream of becoming a paediatric nurse in the NHS! We’re so grateful to Omaze for their generous support.

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Annual report
2023
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Our strategy

Four enablers will help us achieve these outcomes:

In 2023, we refreshed our vision, mission and strategy to better support the NHS and everyone who uses it, today and into the future.

As the national charity for the NHS, representing the network of NHS charities based in every trust and health board across the UK, we can help tackle the biggest challenges facing healthcare. We can do this by providing extra support to the workforce, supporting patients so no one feels alone during treatment, and tackling unfair health inequalities so everyone gets the healthcare they deserve.

In the upcoming year (2024), we’re delighted to be working with partners on transformative programmes including Volunteering for Health – to share best practice in volunteering, Innovation Challenge – to fund innovations tackling health inequalities among young people, and Community Resilience – to fund training and equipment for lifesaving community first responder volunteers and community CPR. (See page 34 for more.)

Our refreshed strategy focuses on three objectives:

Our vision A future with a thriving NHS and the best possible healthcare for everyone.

Our mission

We mobilise the collective power of NHS charities and the nation to help the NHS go further for patients, staff and communities – ensuring extra support goes where it’s most needed and enabling the NHS to advance in a rapidly changing world.

Make a difference: We remain focused on making a positive difference for members and the NHS, based on evidence and insights Compassionate: on what works We care about people Authentic: the best. and treat everyone with We are open, honest equity, kindness, respect, and act with integrity empathy, and support; in all that we do. we put heart into all we Our do and how we care for the NHS. impact Transformative: values Pioneering: We actively We dare to be different champion innovation and and are constantly curious, transformational leadership, asking questions to and we advocate for uncover what needs to change, bringing supportive Inclusive: be done so that we can challenge to ourselves We build inclusive have most impact. and others. relationships with diverse stakeholders, sharing our time, knowledge and skills to create partnerships that support each other, members and the NHS.

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Annual report 15 2023

Our strategy

A key part of our new strategy is

maximising our impact as a membership organisation. Over the summer, we worked with more than 50 NHS charities to coproduce our refreshed member offer and confirm member fees for 2024.

We believe the fees for 2024 represent excellent value for members. We also listened to feedback and changed our membership year so that it now runs from April to March, meaning members get an extra three months free in 2024.

Webinars

In 2023, more than 1,000 people attended 20 webinars, in which we shared best practice on governance, fundraising, insight and evaluation, and grant funding.

Our member offer has evolved and expanded over recent years, and now supports NHS charities across areas including governance and financial management, fundraising, reporting, and charity best practice. We also help raise awareness of issues affecting the sector.

Training

Through our Advancement Resources partnership, we showcased three different training events over 2023, involving 13 members and 17 participants across a threepart series.

The products, services and support available to members now include:

Member Connect

In 2023, Member Connect, our members-only online community, regularly received more than 500 unique monthly visitors. Throughout the year, we saw 643 new topics created, more than 2,400 replies and 183 new contributors

Peer support groups

There are now 20 peer support groups – 13 regional groups and seven special interest groups, including a new Corporate Fundraising Networking Group. Through more than 100 member-led peer support meetings in 2023, including seven Group Chairs meetings, we connected more than 500 members.

And a diverse programme of events and activities throughout the year.

Member conference

Other member events and conferences

In addition to our online training and events programme, we hosted two charity leaders’ events in 2023, attracting more than 100 attendees. The first, in March, focused on engaging and developing the new strategy, with a special guest presentation from Dr Neil Churchill, OBE, Director for Experience, Participation and Equalities for NHS England. The second, in September, focused on The Power Of Partnerships, bringing together people from charities and trusts.

In May, our second annual member conference took place in Birmingham, bringing together representatives from member charities across the UK, to connect, learn and grow – under the theme of Achieving Our Potential Together. This year, 300 delegates attended in-person and more than 100 joined online, representing 68% of all member charities.

“The networking and learning potential of the conference is more relevant than any other event in the sector. Having it as part of the member offer is a game-changer for us.”

“Great event and excellent to listen to ‘real world’ examples of charities and how we can help provide support to each other.”

“The conference is an annual highlight, and one of the largest opportunities to meet and network with colleagues from across the NHS charity network.”

In October, alongside our partner HFMA, we helped deliver the first in-person NHS Charitable Funds Finance and Governance Conference since the pandemic, which took place at HFMA headquarters in London.

“I have attended the Charitable Fund events for many years and I feel this was one of the best for content and presentations.”

“It felt like I was in the room, and I found myself clapping along.”

NHS Charities Together member offer

Network
Communicatons
and peer support
Improving and
evolving Member
Connect
Tailored member
communicatons
Academy
Tailored, targeted
learning and
development
Toolkits – bespoke
member resources
Responsive, impactul
training webinars,
tailored to cohorts
Specifc monitoring
support(Funder
Plus Support)
Events
Events, webinars,
workshops and
conferencing
Peer support
meetngs
Coproducton
and collaboraton
opportunites
Natonal conference
and charity leaders’
events		 Strategic
partnerships
Infuencing
opportunites
Natonal
fundraising
campaigns
Grants
opportunites
Corporate
partnership
opportunites
Movements
NHS Charites
Collectve
Social movement,
shared acton
NHS Charites
Together connectons,
expertse and visits

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Grants and impact

In 2023, you helped us support more than 230 NHS charities across the Grants UK. Here’s how you were there for NHS patients, and staff, volunteers and communities. impact

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Charities
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Annual report
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On 23rd March 2020, the day we went into national lockdown, NHS Charities Together launched our Covid-19 Urgent Appeal. The heartfelt support from the public was overwhelming. The appeal went on to raise £162 million to support patients, hospital staff and volunteers at the frontline of the crisis.

Responding to the emergency

Thousands of people got behind the NHS to fundraise during lockdown, by supporting our One Million Claps campaign or raising funds in their own unique ways, from walking and running to sky diving, dancing and baking. There were also more than 50 music singles and high-profile celebrity support.

Through the Urgent and Emergency Grants programme – the first phase of funding – we supported more than 4,241 individual projects. These included improving mental health and wellbeing (3,690 individual projects); equity, diversity and inclusion (289); and quality of life for those with long-term health conditions (101).

Phased roll out

The funding was used for spaces (20%) including temporary and permanent rest and wellbeing spaces, equipment (20%), programmes and services (17%), digital resources (13%), education or training (12%), other wellbeing initiatives (9%), and social prescribing (3%).

We quickly put in place the right governance to get donations to where they were most needed, designing the grant roll out in three phases to support urgent needs, community support and long-term recovery. This has enabled NHS charities across the UK to use the money effectively to support the most pressing and ongoing needs.

Annual report 2023

Grants and impact

Strengthening communities

The second phase of our grants programme focused on community partnerships. We have worked with member charities to fund more than 325 community projects, helping to tackle the wider determinants of ill health and prevent activity in the health system, taking pressure off the health service.

Working with the voluntary and community sector, we have funded groups and projects addressing isolation and loneliness, improving fitness and wellbeing, and more. We have also funded community partnership projects supporting patients and staff disproportionately affected by Covid-19 and addressing health inequalities.

Enabling long-term recovery

The final phase of our grants programme focuses on long-term recovery, allocated to NHS charities delivering projects to support the long-term health and recovery of NHS staff and volunteers, patients and communities impacted by Covid-19.

The difference we’ve made, so far…

While many projects are ongoing, the results so far show the huge impact the appeal made during a time of immense challenge for the NHS.

Initial evaluation of the appeal shows:

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£7m
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Over 90% of NHS charity respondents reported that projects funded through Urgent and Emergency Grants had made a lasting impact. 75% said projects have continued (either in full or in part) beyond the funding period – with some now using later funding for long-term recovery. Immense challenges for the NHS continue. A new YouGov survey of 1,078 NHS staff, commissioned by NHS Charities Together, reveals a staggering 96% of staff responding feel that pressure is growing on NHS services and 95% feel the pressures on the NHS will continue for years after the pandemic. Nearly three quarters (74%) say the pressures feel as high as when Covid-19 cases were at their peak. And 83% believe it will take many years for staff and volunteers to recover from the pandemic.

In 2023, we continued to distribute appeal funds, with member charities receiving £14,806,481 of the money donated by our supporters and investing it where it will make a real difference.

We will continue to award the remaining £13 million from the appeal during 2024, to make the biggest possible impact for NHS patients, staff, volunteers and communities.

To find out more about the impact of your support of the Covid-19 appeal so far, read our progress report on our website.

In 2023, we continued making grants to member NHS charities to make a difference for NHS patients, staff, volunteers and communities.

This year, we distributed more donations from our Covid-19 Urgent Appeal and from other fundraising to NHS charities, awarding £16 million in grants, on top of the £109 million granted between 2020 and 2022.

Recovery Grants

We awarded £6.7 million in Stage 3 Covid-19 Recovery Grants, which are funding vital work that supports the long-term health and recovery of NHS staff, volunteers, patients and communities impacted by Covid-19.

Green spaces for health and wellbeing

In April, in partnership with the environmental charity Hubbub, and thanks to funding from Starbucks, we awarded nearly £1.2 million to ten members across the UK through the first round of our Greener Communities fund to help improve health and wellbeing for NHS staff, patients and communities through the power of green spaces.

Community Partnership Grants

We awarded £3.2 million in Stage 2 Community Partnership Grants, supporting partnership working between NHS charities and community organisations that will improve health outcomes for communities adversely affected by Covid-19. This funding will have a direct positive impact on the NHS. We also awarded £500,000 in grants to ambulance charities as part of our Ambulance Programme.

Nine grants of between £29,000 and £200,000 were awarded to NHS charities to fund projects with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of the public, including NHS staff.

Development Grants

The projects are now up and running, creating or improving green community spaces for hospital patients and visitors, people living in urban communities, and other community groups.

We awarded more than £4.3 million from our Development Grants programme to support capacity building across member charities, helping them become stronger and more robust, and improving their ability to deliver for the future.

Our membership covers the NHS charities for health boards, hospitals, and ambulance, community and mental health trusts, which means we reach staff, patients and volunteers in every part of the UK.

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Grants and impact

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Charity Name Grants Grants Grants Grants Total
awarded awarded awarded awarded awarded
2020 2021 2022 2023
Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust £214,100 £140,098 £247,000 £30,000 £631,198
Aintree University Hospital Charitable Fund £35,000 £- £- £- £35,000
(merged with Liverpool University Hospitals Charitable Fund)
Airedale Hospital & Community Charity £161,600 £- £82,317 £30,000 £273,917
Alder Hey Children’s Charity £140,100 £1,275,265 £134,716 £86,958 £1,637,039
Aneurin Bevan Health Charity £235,100 £- £313,000 £319,751 £867,851
Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals Charitable Fund £165,100 £101,500 £35,000 £- £301,600
Association of Ambulance Chief Executives £- £- £- £63,077 £63,077
Awyr Las (Blue Sky) Charity (Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board) £266,600 £49,000 £111,115 £684,146 £1,110,861
Ayrshire and Arran Health Board Endowment Fund £463,600 £175,788 £5,000 £- £644,388
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust £188,100 £154,000 £5,317 £30,000 £377,417
Charity Fund
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust Charity £111,600 £50,000 £56,620 £- £218,220
Barnsley Hospital Charity £165,100 £- £93,317 £30,000 £288,417
Barts Charity £294,600 £363,000 £5,000 £- £662,600
Bay Hospitals Charity (Cumbria) £186,100 £- £189,000 £- £375,100
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity (Luton and Dunstable) £247,600 £636,662 £5,000 £59,424 £948,686
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Charitable Fund £184,100 £- £483,632 £176,018 £843,750
Berkshire Health Charitable Fund £168,600 £- £104,000 £- £272,600
Better Lives Charity (Bradford District) £158,100 £77,000 £5,317 £30,000 £270,417
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS FT General Charity £282,100 £- £103,056 £30,000 £415,156
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital Charity £181,100 £132,000 £35,317 £200,000 £548,417
Black Country Healthcare Charity Fund £165,100 £- £5,000 £118,000 £288,100
Blue Skies Hospitals Fund (Blackpool Teaching Hospitals) £186,100 £- £170,000 £30,000 £386,100
Bolton NHS Charitable Fund £184,600 £143,000 £5,317 £30,000 £362,917
Bradford Hospitals Charity £182,600 £- £5,000 £173,000 £360,600
Brighter Futures £218,900 £- £140,390 £30,000 £389,290
(Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund)
Brighterway (Southern Health Charity) £179,100 £- £5,000 £29,221 £213,321
Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust Charitable Fund £196,600 £196,956 £35,000 £1,044 £429,600
Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity £462,100 £489,513 £5,573 £30,000 £987,186
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Fund £182,600 £1,020,817 £9,338 £30,000 £1,242,755
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity £179,100 £- £148,000 £30,000 £357,100
Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust Charitable Fund £104,600 £50,000 £5,000 £- £159,600
Cardiff and Vale Health Charity £245,600 £415,796 £126,409 £285,728 £1,073,533
Caring Minds (Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS FT Charity) £168,600 £- £5,000 £129,000 £302,600
Central and North West London NHS FT Charitable Fund £207,100 £107,661 £62,441 £84,898 £462,100
Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust Charity £165,100 £74,320 £5,000 £- £244,420
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FT General Fund £126,482 £50,000 £5,000 £- £181,482
Chesterfield Royal Hospital Charity £167,100 £- £5,000 £118,000 £290,100
Childrens Hospital Charity, The (Sheffield) £137,100 £77,000 £5,000 £29,505 £248,605
Christie Charitable Fund, The (Manchester) £163,600 £77,000 £5,000 £30,000 £275,600
Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, The £147,600 £33,000 £5,000 £30,000 £215,600
Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity £207,100 £710,086 £34,526 £183,000 £1,134,712
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Charity Name Grants Grants Grants Grants Total
awarded awarded awarded awarded awarded
2020 2021 2022 2023
Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust Charitable Fund £161,600 £- £5,000 £107,000 £273,600
Countess of Chester Charity, The £227,467 £40,133 £5,000 £30,000 £302,600
County Durham and Darlington NHS FT Charity £356,600 £- £5,000 £30,000 £391,600
Croydon Health Services Charitable Fund £165,100 £88,000 £5,000 £29,711 £287,811
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear FT Charity £186,100 £- £5,000 £184,000 £375,100
CW+ Charity (Chelsea and Westminster) £182,600 £1,304,983 £104,144 £165,795 £1,757,522
Cwm Taf Morgannwg NHS General Charitable Fund £171,100 £- £5,000 £473,386 £649,486
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust Charitable Fund-Valley Hospital £161,600 £77,000 £5,000 £30,000 £273,600
Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity £216,600 £246,145 £5,000 £39,855 £507,600
Derbyshire Community Health Services Charitable Trust, The £189,600 £490,086 £5,000 £195,000 £879,686
Devon Partnership NHS Trust Special Charity £161,600 £77,000 £5,000 £30,000 £273,600
Difference, The (Borders Health Board Endowment Funds) £61,600 £181,008 £5,000 £30,000 £277,608
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust £188,600 £- £5,000 £184,000 £377,600
Charitable Funds
Dorset County Hospital Charity £158,100 £35,643 £359,099 £64,020 £616,862
Dorset HealthCare Foundation Trust Charitable Fund £179,100 £105,746 £5,000 £67,254 £357,100
Dudley Group NHS FT Charity £172,100 £121,000 £102,364 £30,000 £425,464
Dumfries & Galloway Health Board Endowment Fund £263,569 £82,969 £5,000 £30,000 £381,538
East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals Charity £324,100 £- £63,369 £29,918 £417,387
East Cheshire NHS Trust Charitable Fund £158,100 £- £5,000 £89,700 £252,800
East Kent Hospitals Charity £203,600 £220,000 £5,000 £30,000 £458,600
East Midlands Ambulance Service Trust Charity £165,100 £511,715 £5,000 £- £681,815
East of England Ambulance Service Charity £75,600 £558,689 £121,624 £151,000 £906,913
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Fund £189,600 £165,000 £5,000 £30,000 £389,600
ELFT Charity (East London NHS Foundation Trust) £- £- £5,000 £132,000 £137,000
ELHT&Me (East Lancashire) £200,100 £209,000 £35,000 £- £444,100
Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust Charitable Fund £179,100 £- £5,000 £- £184,100
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund £172,100 £42,000 £5,000 £68,000 £287,100
EyUp! (South West Yorkshire) £168,600 £98,967 £5,317 £30,000 £302,884
Fife Health Charity £152,100 £312,332 £5,000 £108,000 £577,432
Forth Valley Giving £136,100 £- £229,318 £105,689 £471,107
Frimley Health Charity £640,956 £178,213 £35,000 £- £854,169
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund £282,100 £- £5,000 £30,000 £317,100
George Eliot Hospital Charity £154,600 £- £35,000 £55,000 £244,600
Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust Charities £172,100 £99,000 £5,000 £104,390 £380,490
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust General £380,100 £441,077 £5,317 £- £826,494
Charitable Fund
Golden Jubilee National Hospital (Scotland) £101,100 £- £5,000 £- £106,100
Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity £232,100 £50,000 £5,317 £30,000 £317,417
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT Charitable Fund £75,600 £50,000 £5,000 £121,000 £251,600
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity £641,100 £931,163 £5,317 £- £1,577,580
Hampshire Hospitals Charity £182,600 £- £159,000 £- £341,600
Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity £172,100 £110,000 £5,000 £- £287,100
----- End of picture text -----

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Grants and impact

----- Start of picture text -----
Charity Name Grants Grants Grants Grants Total
awarded awarded awarded awarded awarded
2020 2021 2022 2023
Head to Toe (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust) £168,600 £47,800 £5,000 £81,175 £302,575
Headlight (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership £168,600 £- £104,000 £30,000 £302,600
Charitable Fund)
Heads On (Sussex Partnership Charity) £172,100 £833,147 £83,953 £61,047 £1,150,247
Health Stars (Humber) £158,100 £- £71,000 £30,000 £259,100
Health Tree Foundation (Northern Lincolnshire & Goole) £182,600 £205,375 £623,630 £35,115 £1,046,720
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust Charity £65,100 £50,000 £5,000 £67,520 £187,620
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust Charitable Fund £506,260 £406,000 £5,000 £96,040 £1,013,300
Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund £61,600 £50,000 £5,000 £- £116,600
Highland Health Board Endowment Funds £107,100 £50,000 £5,000 £417,828 £579,928
Hillingdon Hospitals Charity £161,600 £- £80,600 £30,000 £272,200
Homerton Hospital Charitable Fund £165,100 £771,173 £301,999 £30,000 £1,268,272
Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust £97,600 £50,000 £5,000 £- £152,600
Charitable Fund
Hywel Dda Health Charity £244,600 £279,500 £118,985 £30,000 £673,085
Imperial Health Charity £503,600 £- £5,317 £30,000 £538,917
Isle of Wight NHS Charitable Funds £61,600 £50,000 £35,000 £- £146,600
James Paget University Hospitals Charitable Fund £161,600 £77,000 £5,317 £- £243,917
Kent Community Health Charity (I Care) £72,100 £50,000 £5,000 £110,000 £237,100
Kettering General Hospital Charity Fund £170,600 £99,000 £- £- £269,600
(merged with Northamptonshire Health Charity)
King’s College Hospital Charity £224,600 £286,000 £105,000 £30,000 £645,600
Kingston Hospital Charity £161,600 £77,000 £5,000 £28,600 £272,200
Lanarkshire Health Board Endowment Funds £231,600 £321,006 £313,000 £- £865,606
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust Charity £183,006 £- £159,000 £60,000 £402,006
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity £394,600 £75,052 £762,406 £30,000 £1,262,058
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund £108,100 £66,000 £5,000 £- £179,100
Leeds Community Healthcare Charitable Trust and Related Charities £161,600 £76,727 £5,000 £30,000 £273,327
Leeds Hospitals Charity (Leeds Cares) £670,100 £1,274,224 £35,000 £- £1,979,324
Leicester Hospitals Charity £251,100 £893,595 £5,000 £30,000 £1,179,695
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust Charitable Fund £186,100 £154,000 £5,000 £30,000 £375,100
Lincolnshire Community Health NHS Charity £168,600 £31,187 £315,400 £130,473 £645,660
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Charity £195,100 £- £35,000 £- £230,100
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Charitable Fund £228,100 £297,000 £5,000 £29,400 £559,500
Liverpool Women’s Hospital Charity £151,100 £44,000 £12,980 £30,000 £238,080
London Ambulance Service Charity £179,100 £895,551 £167,000 £- £1,241,651
London North West Healthcare Charitable Fund £196,600 £- £154,442 £30,000 £381,042
Love Your Hospital (Western Sussex Hospitals Charity) £189,600 £165,000 £5,000 £- £359,600
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Charitable Fund £182,600 £- £5,000 £173,000 £360,600
Manchester University NHS FT Charity £298,100 £528,000 £105,243 £30,000 £961,343
Maudsley Charity £172,100 £- £5,000 £151,000 £328,100
Medway Hospital Charity, The £168,600 £181,696 £806,959 £30,000 £1,187,255
Mersey Care Charity £89,600 £50,000 £5,000 £252,999 £397,599
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Charity Name Grants Grants Grants Grants Total
awarded awarded awarded awarded awarded
2020 2021 2022 2023
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust Charity (Southend) £280,600 £918,103 £5,000 £30,000 £1,233,703
Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charitable Fund £172,100 £- £5,000 £140,000 £317,100
Milton Keynes Hospital Charity £167,100 £90,430 £35,317 £70 £292,917
Moorfields Eye Charity £154,600 £- £152,595 £30,000 £337,195
MY Hospitals Charity £200,100 £200,500 £5,000 £30,000 £435,600
(Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust Charitable Fund)
My WiSH Charity (West Suffolk) £168,600 £66,000 £38,000 £30,000 £302,600
Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Charity £583,100 £1,567,845 £5,000 £30,430 £2,186,375
NHS Blood and Transplant Charitable Fund £179,100 £61,000 £5,000 £49,000 £294,100
NHS Grampian Endowment Fund £238,600 £597,043 £5,000 £117,240 £957,883
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Endowments £417,100 £875,432 £81,372 £- £1,373,904
(Greater Glasgow Health Board Endowment Funds)
NHS Lothian Charity £1,028,700 £158,926 £135,000 £- £1,322,626
Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity £394,600 £490,086 £5,000 £30,000 £919,686
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund £118,600 £50,000 £5,000 £- £173,600
Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust Charitable Fund £154,600 £55,000 £5,000 £29,000 £243,600
North Cumbria University Hospitals Charitable Fund £182,600 £- £153,032 £5,968 £341,600
North East Ambulance Service Trust Fund £158,100 £- £256,245 £45,749 £460,094
North East London Community Healthcare Charity £179,100 £- £5,000 £173,000 £357,100
(Health Way Foundation)
North Middlesex Hospital General Charitable Fund £238,600 £- £5,000 £30,000 £273,600
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation General Charitable Fund £175,600 £- £5,000 £300,700 £481,300
North West Ambulance Service Charitable Fund £132,600 £687,083 £5,000 £234,995 £1,059,678
North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS FT Charitable Funds £179,100 £- £- £- £179,100
(merged with Mersey Care Charity)
Northamptonshire Health Charity £203,600 £552,060 £5,000 £30,000 £790,660
NorthCare Charity (formerly Pennine Acute Hospitals Charity) £214,100 £- £205,000 £30,000 £449,100
Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Fund £161,600 £- £- £77,000 £238,600
Northern Health and Social Care Trust £147,600 £300,340 £269,000 £- £716,940
Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Charity £47,600 £50,000 £194,370 £33,000 £324,970
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust Charity (Bright Northumbria) £196,600 £197,280 £5,000 £30,000 £428,880
Nottingham Hospitals Charity £249,100 £840,071 £67,024 £30,000 £1,186,195
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Funds £100,100 £- £5,000 £- £105,100
Orkney Health Board Endowment Funds £44,100 £50,000 £5,000 £- £99,100
Oxford Health Charity £175,600 £132,000 £5,000 £30,000 £342,600
Oxford Hospitals Charity £224,600 £150,188 £140,812 £29,300 £544,900
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund £65,100 £50,000 £5,000 £99,000 £219,100
Pennine Care Charitable Foundation £165,100 £- £93,000 £30,000 £288,100
Peterborough and Stamford Umbrella Charitable Fund £134,600 £50,000 £159,000 £30,000 £373,600
(North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust)
Plymouth Hospitals Charity £196,600 £782,903 £5,000 £32,608 £1,017,111
Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund £267,600 £- £- £- £267,600
(merged with University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity)
Portsmouth Hospitals Charity £189,600 £175,645 £5,000 £30,159 £400,404
Powys Teaching Health Board Charity £104,600 £50,000 £5,000 £30,000 £189,600
----- End of picture text -----

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Grants and impact

----- Start of picture text -----
Charity Name Grants Grants Grants Grants Total
awarded awarded awarded awarded awarded
2020 2021 2022 2023
Princess Alexandra Hospital Charity, The (Essex) £165,100 £- £5,000 £88,000 £258,100
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Charitable Fund, The £161,600 £77,000 £5,000 £- £243,600
Queen Victoria Hospital Charity £147,600 £33,000 £5,000 £30,000 £215,600
Raise (West Hertfordshire Hospital Charity) £172,100 £121,000 £5,000 £30,000 £328,100
Raising Health (Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust Charity) £175,600 £121,000 £5,000 £30,000 £331,600
Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital Charity £101,100 £50,000 £68,317 £74,000 £293,417
Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity, The £168,600 £- £114,039 £30,000 £312,639
Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust £161,600 £- £5,000 £77,000 £243,600
Charitable Fund
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Charity £175,600 £132,000 £5,000 £29,600 £342,200
Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity £165,100 £- £93,000 £30,000 £288,100
Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity £129,100 £192,787 £35,000 £294,582 £651,469
Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust General Charity £200,100 £- £263,000 £- £463,100
Royal Free Charity £423,600 £735,129 £5,000 £30,000 £1,193,729
Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, The £264,100 £- £81,371 £30,000 £375,471
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Charity £151,100 £44,000 £5,000 £30,000 £230,100
Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Charity £180,600 £- £5,000 £30,000 £215,600
Royal Papworth Hospital Charity £151,100 £44,000 £5,317 £- £200,417
Royal Surrey County Hospital Charity £118,600 £640,822 £5,000 £30,000 £794,422
Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust Charitable Funds, The £175,600 £111,097 £405,980 £80,000 £772,677
Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity £203,600 £- £225,000 £30,000 £458,600
Salford Royal NHS FT General Charitable Funds £210,600 £- £273,000 £- £483,600
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Charity £521,325 £462,223 £109,777 £29,966 £1,123,291
SASH Charity (Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Charity) £172,100 £- £115,000 £30,000 £317,100
SaTH (Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital) Charity £182,600 £388,043 £91,648 £30,000 £692,291
Scottish Ambulance Service Charity £75,600 £50,000 £551,300 £- £676,900
Sheffield Hospitals Charity £683,100 £735,129 £35,000 £63,086 £1,516,315
Sherwood Forest Hospitals Charity £75,600 £50,000 £5,000 £63,293 £193,893
Shetland Health Board Endowment Funds £94,100 £- £5,000 £- £99,100
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust Charitable Fund £51,100 £50,000 £5,000 £44,000 £150,100
Solent NHS Charity £111,600 £50,000 £5,000 £118,000 £284,600
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Funds £203,600 £198,000 £5,000 £30,000 £436,600
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust Charity £165,100 £410,911 £104,000 £30,000 £710,011
South East Coast Ambulance Service Charity £115,100 £50,000 £596,283 £- £761,383
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust Charitable Fund £160,600 £170,016 £236,000 £- £566,616
South Staffordshire Community & Mental Health Charitable Funds £96,600 £50,000 £5,000 £- £151,600
South Tees Hospitals Charity £409,100 £- £5,000 £27,000 £441,100
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Funds £200,100 £- £5,000 £- £205,100
South West London & St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust £104,600 £50,000 £5,000 £85,000 £244,600
Charitable Fund
South Western Ambulance Service Charity £168,600 £662,111 £5,000 £30,000 £865,711
Southampton Hospital Charity £221,100 £1,204,256 £5,000 £39,916 £1,470,272
Southern Health and Social Care Trust Charitable Fund £164,100 £- £148,000 £439,386 £751,486
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Charity Name Grants Grants Grants Grants Total
awarded awarded awarded awarded awarded
2020 2021 2022 2023
Southmead Hospital Charity £200,100 £136,965 £68,535 £30,000 £435,600
(North Bristol NHS Trust Charitable Funds)
Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals Charity £161,600 £77,000 £5,000 £- £243,600
St George’s Hospital Charity £200,100 £1,031,147 £5,317 £30,000 £1,266,564
Stars Appeal (Salisbury District Hospital Charitable Fund) £165,100 £- £5,000 £117,990 £288,090
Stockport NHS Charity £125,600 £121,000 £5,000 £1,372,241 £1,623,841
Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS FT General Purposes Charity £108,100 £50,000 £5,000 £96,000 £259,100
Sussex Community NHS Charity £172,100 £- £126,000 £24,133 £322,233
Swansea Bay Health Charity £233,600 £466,212 £26,614 £30,000 £756,426
SWFT Charity (South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust Charity) £174,100 £110,000 £5,000 £- £289,100
Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS FT Charitable Fund £68,600 £50,000 £5,000 £93,380 £216,980
Tavistock and Portman Charity £94,100 £50,000 £5,000 £52,000 £201,100
Tayside Health Fund £131,600 £292,028 £121,780 £172,112 £717,520
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust General Charitable Fund £136,100 £50,000 £5,000 £165,000 £356,100
Three Wishes Charity (Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh) £132,600 £50,000 £5,000 £- £187,600
Torbay and South Devon NHS Charitable Fund £186,100 £- £159,000 £30,000 £375,100
UHCW Charity (University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire) £756,990 £212,825 £5,317 £51,871 £1,027,003
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Charitable Fund £193,100 £176,000 £5,000 £30,000 £404,100
University College London Hospitals Charity £345,444 £- £166,546 £- £511,990
University Hospitals Birmingham Charity £286,100 £1,110,112 £5,000 £30,000 £1,431,212
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity £282,100 £- £5,000 £30,000 £317,100
University Hospitals of North Midlands Charity (UHNM) £458,100 £44,000 £503,172 £11,142 £1,016,414
Velindre University NHS Trust Charity £97,600 £- £5,000 £110,000 £212,600
Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal £35,000 £- £- £- £35,000
Walton Centre Charity, The £147,600 £33,000 £5,000 £28,883 £214,483
Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charity £170,600 £- £104,000 £30,000 £304,600
Well Wishers Charity (Walsall Healthcare) £168,600 £- £104,000 £- £272,600
Welsh Ambulance Service Charity £115,100 £- £34,981 £403,290 £553,371
West London NHS Charitable Fund £165,100 £- £5,000 £118,000 £288,100
West Midlands Ambulance Service Charity £182,600 £709,486 £42,918 £- £935,004
Western Health and Social Care Trust Charitable Fund £114,100 £63,117 £388,404 £769 £566,390
Western Isles Health Board Endowment Funds £44,100 £50,000 £5,000 £- £99,100
Weston Health NHS Trust Charitable Funds £101,100 £- £- £- £101,100
(merged with Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity)
Whiston and St Helens Hospitals’ Charity £132,600 £2,500 £5,000 £180,000 £320,100
Whittington Hospital Charitable Funds, The £267,600 £- £35,000 £- £302,600
WISHH (The Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Health Charity) £200,100 £- £5,317 £222,000 £427,417
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity £182,600 £83,500 £5,000 £92,000 £363,100
WUTH Charity (Wirral University Teaching Hospital Charity) £182,600 £143,000 £5,000 £30,000 £360,600
Wye Valley NHS Umbrella Charity £161,600 £428,659 £28,000 £17,410 £635,669
Yeovil Hospital Charity £154,600 £- £354,052 £30,000 £538,652
York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity (York Teaching Hospitals) £200,100 £- £5,000 £228,000 £433,100
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust Charities £175,600 £555,404 £5,000 £111,506 £847,510
----- End of picture text -----

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Grants and impact

The UK is facing a health and care workforce crisis, with unprecedented staff shortages and vacancies. Huge numbers of nurses and doctors report planning to leave their professions. Burnout is affecting not only staff wellbeing, but the quality of patient care.

In 2023, grants from our Stage 3 Covid-19 Recovery programme enabled members to address the stress experienced by NHS staff and volunteers, and support positive mental, emotional and physical health and wellbeing.

In 2023, 50 NHS staff members took the Reset Health programme at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, which aims to empower people to make choices that lead to healthier lifestyles and reduce the risk of disease, including the reversal of diabetes and weight loss.

NHS Charities Together grants have been funding projects to support the mental health of NHS staff and patients, such as Open Minds in North London. This initiative, made possible thanks to your generous donations, uses creative workshops to help people who are struggling.

Not only do staff feel the benefits to both their physical and mental health, but a better cared-for workforce is able to push patient care even further.

Martin is a psychologist at North London Mental Health Partnership. A few years ago, he found himself experiencing depressive episodes that left him feeling empty and worthless. He was eventually diagnosed with depression and started medication. A few years later he took part in the Open Minds project.

“Prior to joining Reset, I was struggling majorly with my health and had gained a lot of weight. It has been the best thing to happen to me and I am now 18 months in and mentor other colleagues. …having that support from the hospital has just made a big difference and really has changed my life!”

“As a psychologist, you tend to feel like you can’t have your own struggles with mental health as it’s your role to support others in crisis.”

Bronwyn. Funded by Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, using NHS Charities Together grants.

Martin, psychologist at North London Mental Health Partnership. Funded by Barnet Enfield & Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust Charity, using NHS Charities Together grants.

New technologies and interventions can transform patient care, but the NHS struggles to effectively adopt innovation at scale. Without evidence, ideas that could save and change lives never get off the ground. Under pressure, the holistic needs of patients, carers and families can be overlooked.

In 2023, grants from our Stage 3 Covid-19 Recovery programme enabled members to improve the experience of patients and service users, and their carers and families, when accessing NHS care. This included the whole of the ‘patient journey’ and beyond, from initial access, through treatment, to discharge and rehabilitation.

Your support has funded NHS staff roles that are transforming the patient experience.

Annie is the Blossom Coordinator at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a role made possible thanks to funding we awarded to Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity. She looks after the volunteers who support the project, which provides companionship to patients who are at the end of life. This is especially important for those without loved ones nearby, or in some cases without any family at all.

“Despite having no family, the patient didn’t die on their own, which is the aim of the project.”

Annie, Blossom Coordinator at Bedfordshire Hospitals. Funded by Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity, using NHS Charities Together grants.

Alero with a young patient.

With your help, we have supported patients by funding additional equipment, technology and services that improve care and change lives.

Thanks to your donations, we awarded a grant to Valley Hospital Charity to enhance the care and support received by children with sickle cell disease at Darent Valley Hospital. The funding has been used to buy Chromebooks to prevent children from falling behind on schoolwork, equipment for a new day care unit, and treatment chairs to make their visits to hospital more comfortable and efficient.

“It’s a disease that can’t be cured but for me, as a nurse, if I can make you smile when you’re in pain then half of my job is done.”

Alero, Paediatric Haemoglobinopathy Clinical Nurse Specialist at Darent Valley Hospital. Funded by Valley Hospital Charity, using NHS Charities Together grants.

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Grants and impact

Research shows that social factors can be more important than healthcare or lifestyle choices in influencing our health. Inequalities in life expectancy and in years spent in ill health are increasing. Around 70% of health and social care funding is spent on supporting people with longterm conditions.

In 2023, grants from our Stage 2 Community Partnerships programme enabled members to improve health outcomes in communities adversely affected by Covid-19, through new and exciting partnerships between NHS charities and community organisations.

Funding from our Community Partnerships programme has helped University Hospitals of North Midlands Charity support Places of Welcome sessions in Stoke on Trent.

Your support has made it possible for North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust to recruit a Positive Action Lead, educating people from ethnic minority communities in the region about the support available to them.

These community drop-in sessions are run by volunteers and provide people of all ages who may be feeling isolated and lonely with a safe space to meet new people and build their confidence. These spaces can vary from churches to community centres, football clubs to theatres.

Loveness runs workshops on emergency and interpreting services, skills such as first aid and CPR, and how to apply for jobs within the NHS or become a community ambassador.

“I knew I wanted to do a job that really gives back to the community. The most rewarding aspect of my role is hearing others’ stories and sharing lived experiences.”

----- Start of picture text -----
See the
Places of Welcome
video here:
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Loveness, Positive Action Lead. Funded by North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, using NHS Charities Together grants.

Loveness, Positive Action Lead at North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

NHS Charities Together-funded projects that encourage men to talk openly about their mental health are helping to take pressure off stretched NHS services.

Our grants have helped Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Charity set up Pit Stop, which is run by MensCraft, making an enormous difference to people who have experienced depression and anxiety.

“It’s a lifesaver. I can’t praise this group enough. It’s given me a purpose. We’re all for each other… one big happy family. It makes me feel a lot better to what I did.”

Keith, member of Pit Stop. Funded by Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Charity, using NHS Charities Together grants.

See the Pit Stop video here:

Annual report 2023

Annual report 2023

Looking ahead

Everyone should have access to the best possible healthcare, and those who care for us should be supported too. But right now, this isn’t happening. The NHS is under more pressure than ever. Creating better healthcare for everyone in 2024

Implementing our new strategy

An ageing and growing population, with increasingly complex healthcare needs, is putting more strain on already stretched services. Many people are unable to access the care they need, and the wait for hospital treatment is at a record high.

In 2023, we launched our new strategy, ‘Achieving our potential together’, setting our strategic priorities to transform patient experiences and outcomes, support workforce wellbeing, and help communities to live well.

Increasing health inequalities are affecting the health of our nation. Overburdened local services are leaving people in deprived areas and communities living with poor physical and mental health for longer.

In line with this new strategy, in 2024 we will:

  1. develop our role as a centre of knowledge, insight and expertise, with evaluation, learning and impact being a major priority within the organisation.

And NHS staff and volunteers are feeling the effects of these challenges, being faced with them on the frontline of the health service day after day. More and more are burnt out, and many are considering leaving the profession they have worked so hard for.

  1. engage our audiences with brand communications and fundraising opportunities, and work with member and national campaigns, to raise the profile of the sector and make a bigger difference.

As the national charity for the NHS, representing the network of NHS charities based in every trust and health board across the UK, we are uniquely placed to help take some of the pressure off our health service and improve healthcare experiences for patients, staff and volunteers.

  1. commit to being a sustainable and purpose-led organisation, investing in and testing new income streams that will enable us to ensure we have a longterm impact on the health and wellbeing of people across the UK.

  2. continue to develop and deliver innovative and transformational programmes to drive change in these areas. This will include grants programmes, policy development, evaluation and learning, sector development, communications and campaigns, and partnership working.

Our progress report, published in 2023, demonstrates how much we have achieved since 2020. But there is still so much work to be done.

Annual report 32 2023

Annual report 2023

Financial statements

In early 2024, we publish our Grants Approach 2024– 2028, which sets out how we do this, describing the principles we will follow as a grant-maker and our commitments relating to grant funding. Specific impact programmes for 2024 include:

Community Resilience

In partnership with the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives and NHS Ambulance Charities, the Community Resilience project will focus on continued support for lifesaving community first responder volunteers, who are often the first to arrive in an emergency. It will also support community access to defibrillation and raise public awareness of how to respond when someone has an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, including use of AEDs (automated external defibrillators). And it will explore wider approaches to community interventions that reduce the need for an ambulance. Our aim is to help people stay well, to take pressure off the wider health system, and, ultimately, to help save lives in an emergency.

Innovation Challenge

We want to highlight the role that the network of NHS charities can play in delivering healthcare innovations, with their ability to be agile and invest in and test new ideas. Grant funding will be part of a wider programme of work aiming to highlight and scale-up innovative approaches across the UK. This new programme will be a catalyst for innovative ideas to tackle some of the long-standing problems faced by the NHS. The initial rounds of the programme will focus on tackling health and healthcare inequalities affecting children and young people, helping them have the healthy future they deserve.

Greener Communities

We’ve been able to fund eight projects in the second round of the Greener Communities Fund, with over £1 million awarded to members in early 2024. We are hoping to secure funding so that members will be able to apply for further grants from a third round of the programme, later in the year.

Volunteering for Health

Volunteering for Health is a £10 million programme being delivered through a partnership between NHS Charities Together, NHS England and CW+, the charity of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Over the next three years, the programme will speed up change by helping to break down barriers to volunteering, test new volunteering infrastructure models, and develop guidance and best practice for all systems. It aims to influence the policy environment and increase our understanding of the impact of volunteers and volunteering across the NHS, alongside the potential role of NHS charities in helping the NHS to deliver the best care.

Financial statements 2023

Annual report 2023

Annual report 35 2023

Financial statements

Structure, governance and management

Governing document

The Charity is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales on 20 November 2019 (registered number 12325259), and registered as a charity with the Charity Commission for England & Wales on 25 November 2019 (registered charity number 1186569). From 25 January 2021 the Charity has also been registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator (Scottish charity number SC050716).

The Charity is governed by its Articles of Association which define the objects and powers of the Company.

The Charity has a wholly owned subsidiary, ANC Trading Limited (registered in England and Wales number 12608754), which generates commercial income from trading relationships. The financial results of ANC Trading Ltd have been consolidated with those of the Charity and are shown separately in Note 29.

Fundraising

We are grateful for the fundraising support we receive from all quarters – individuals, community groups, companies, legacies. Where appropriate we enter into a formal legal agreement to regulate fundraising on our behalf by others and to ensure they comply with the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Practice. In particular we require our supporters to protect vulnerable people and other members of the public from any unreasonable intrusion into their privacy or any undue pressure to donate.

We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and have committed to follow the Code of Fundraising Practice and the Fundraising Promise. During the year, we received no complaints about our fundraising.

Objects

The Objects of the Charity are, for the public benefit:

Activities for the public benefit

As discussed elsewhere in this Report, our new Strategy is to work together with Members to enhance the impact of our network with a focus on three areas of change:

As the national charity, caring for the NHS and uniting for better healthcare for everyone, we specifically focus on four enablers of change:

Grant making

One way we enable change for patients, NHS staff and communities is to make grants to Member Charities to support the areas where they work. Examples of support given during 2023 appear elsewhere in this Report.

Public benefit

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission in determining the activities undertaken by the Charity.

Between them, our Member Charities hold more than £4 billion in assets and generate an annual income of more than £500 million. These charities play a significant role in supporting the NHS, and the additional funds they produce allow them to invest in new ways of working, innovations, and projects that help to deliver improvements and enhancements to the NHS for the benefit of the public.

NHS Charities Together supports its Member Charities to reach their individual goals, to grow and learn together and to deliver programmes that support the NHS workforce, help people to live well and transform patient experience and outcomes.

Our position as a national charity also enables us to play a distinct role in the delivery of programmes and activities that impact on the outcomes that are important to all of us, regardless of our background or personal circumstances.

Trustees

The Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who have served during the year are set out on page 65. Up to 12 Trustees are elected by Members and a further three Trustees can be co-opted by the other Trustees.

A majority of Trustees is required to be senior officers, senior employees or trustees of a Member, or members of the board or senior officers or senior employees of the corporate trustee of a Member. They must each come from a separate Member (but they are not representatives of that Member).

A Nominations Committee of the Trustees reviews the composition (including the skills, knowledge and experience) of the Board, and considers succession planning. Following an open recruitment process, Trustees are recommended to Members for election.

When recruiting new Trustees, the Charity aims to attract a diverse range of candidates who have the skills it needs. We value the benefits of having Trustees with different backgrounds, expertise and experience. Ultimately, though, Trustee appointments are based on merit in the context of ensuring that we have an appropriate balance of skills and experience. A Trustee’s term of office is three years, with a normal maximum for any Trustee of three terms.

All new Trustees undertake an induction programme, which includes an overview of the Charity’s strategy, aims and objectives. The role and duties of the Trustees, company and charity law and governance, and financial and risk management are also covered. Trustees meet with the Chief Executive, members of the Senior Leadership Team and other relevant parties. Additional training is arranged as required for individual Trustees or for the Board as a whole.

Trustees are volunteers and receive no remuneration or benefits from the Charity. Out-of-pocket expenses may be claimed, and trustee indemnity insurance is purchased. Details are set out in Notes 12 and 28 to the accounts.

Committees

The Trustees commissioned a Governance Review in 2022 and have implemented its recommendations during 2023. One of the key recommendations was to enhance Board effectiveness by the use of specialist Trustee Committees with delegated authority to focus on specific areas and provide assurance to the Board.

The number and nature of Committees is kept under review as the needs of the organisation evolve, but during 2023 the following Committees met:

Committees are chaired by a Trustee with at least two other Trustees as regular members. Members of the management team and other expert advisors join meetings as required.

Management

The Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the overall control and strategic direction of the Charity and for the protection of its assets. Day-to-day management is delegated to the Chief Executive, Ellie Orton, and the Executive Directors, who comprise the Senior Leadership Team.

Members of the Senior Leadership Team at the date of this Report or who served during the year are shown on page 65. Remuneration of the Chief Executive and the Senior Leadership Team is set by the Trustees’ Remuneration Committee and is informed by market rates.

Annual report 36 2023

Annual report 37 2023

Financial statements

Risk

Identifying and managing the possible and probable risks that the Charity may face is a key part of effective governance and the Trustees acknowledge their responsibility for the identification, assessment and management of risk. Specifically, the Trustee Board determines the risk appetite and sets the culture of risk management within the Charity and monitors the management of important risks facing the Charity.

The Charity has an Risk & Audit Committee with delegated authority from the Trustees to maintain the risk register and report to them on internal controls and alert them to any emerging issues. It ensures that risks are appropriately owned and that risk owners are actively managing their risks with the appropriate controls in place and working effectively.

The Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team are responsible for the identification and assessment of major risks. They ensure that controls are implemented and provide regular reports to the Board and Committees on the status of risks and their controls. They are responsible for encouraging good risk management practices and a positive at ude towards the control of risk among all staff.

Staff of the Charity are responsible for controlling risk when carrying out their duties, for following policies and procedures set by the Trustee Board designed to mitigate risk, and for identifying new and emerging risks to the Charity.

Risks that have been identified are recorded on a Risk Register along with an assessment of their severity and a record of controls and mitigating actions.

The most significant risks facing the Charity reflect the challenges of achieving a diverse and sustainable income sufficient to address its ongoing needs; the need to update and enhance systems and processes to support its continued growth; and the challenges of maintaining secure and effective business continuity with a disbursed workforce.

In response to these risks, the Charity has continued to invest in staff and systems during 2023 and has worked to grow its income whilst managing core expenditure. As we implement our Strategy in 2024 and beyond we will be developing new partnerships and ways of working to diversify our income and maximise the impact we can achieve.

Reserves

The Trustees believe it is prudent to hold a level of free reserves to enable them to take advantage of change and opportunity as it presents itself and to set aside sufficient free reserves to allow the fundraising, support and governance operations of the Charity to continue for one year. This will allow the Charity to respond in a considered way to an adverse change in circumstances, giving sufficient time to enable emerging circumstances to be assessed and appropriate plans developed and implemented, without requiring a crisis response.

At 31 December 2023 there were free reserves of £5.4 million (2022: £4.3 million). A further £35.2 million (2022: £51 million) is either designated or restricted for planned future charitable activities.

Free reserves have therefore grown during the year and are close to the Trustees’ estimate of £6 million as the target for sufficient free reserves to cover at least 12 months’ running costs.

Trustee duties

Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires the Trustees to act in the way they consider, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the Charity to achieve its charitable purposes. The Act states that in doing so, the directors should have regard, amongst other matters, to:

The likely consequence of any decision in the long term

We are a forward-looking organisation seeking a thriving NHS and the best possible healthcare for everyone.

All decisions are taken with that long-term vision in mind and seek to maximise our impact in transforming patient experience and outcomes; supporting workforce wellbeing; and supporting people to live well.

The interests of the Charity’s employees

Our employees are vital to the Charity’s success. We are a small but growing team, and we have been working hard to ensure staff are supported in their roles, as we aim towards our goal of being the best place to work.

The need to foster the Charity’s business relationships with suppliers, customers and others

We have a small number of suppliers and work to ensure good relationships with them, while also reviewing arrangements to ensure that the combination of cost and service delivers best value. We work with our Members to ensure the services we provide meet their needs and are of a high quality. We collect formal and informal feedback after all our events so that we can learn and improve how we do things.

The impact of the Charity’s operations on the community and the environment

Our charitable work aims to benefit the community and we plan our programmes with community benefit in mind. We are committed to environmental sustainability and this informs our ongoing strategy and programme design.

The desirability of the Charity maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct

Our reputation and public trust in NHS Charities Together is fundamental to our future success. Our organisational values and behaviours are at the heart of our planning and decision making, including our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion across all aspects of the charity.

The need to act fairly between members of the Charity

We aim to be a fully inclusive organisation that is relevant and accessible for all NHS Charities. Our services and programmes are designed to ensure all Members are able to benefit, regardless of their size or structure.

Statement of Trustee responsibilities

Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the Trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year that give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charitable Company and the Group, and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure of the Charitable Group for that period.

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

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the Charitable Company at any time and provide financial statements which comply with the Companies Act 2006, Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charitable Company and the Group, and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

So far as the Trustees are aware:

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the Charitable Company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission in determining the activities undertaken by the Charity.

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Date: 31 July 2024

Annual report 38 2023

Annual report 39 2023

Financial statements

Consolidated financial statements

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of Association of NHS Charities

Opinion

• We have audited the financial statements of Association of NHS Charities (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 December 2023 which comprise the Consolidated statement of financial activities, the Consolidated balance sheet, the Charity balance sheet, the Consolidated statement of cash flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Group’s or the parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Annual report other than the financial statements and our Auditor’s report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ report including the Strategic report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of Trustees

As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement, the Trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the Group’s and the parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the Group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 44(1) (c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Annual report 40 2023

Annual report 41 2023

Financial statements

We assessed the susceptibility of the company’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

In response to the risk of irregularities and noncompliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

with governance;

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the Charity’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006, and to the Charity’s members, as a body, in accordance with regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Charity’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity, the Charity’s members, as a body, and the Charity’s Trustees, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Andrew Morris FCA (Senior statutory auditor)

for and on behalf of

Dains Audit Limited

Statutory Auditor Chartered Accountants

Birmingham

Date: 31 July 2024

Dains Audit Limited are eligible to act as auditors in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

Consolidated statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account) For the year ended 31 December 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
As restated
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds funds funds
2023 2023 2023 2022
Note £ £ £ £
Income from:
Donations and legacies 3 2,038,760 3,354,812 5,393,572 5,135,003
Charitable activities 4 585,000 26,150 611,150 585,000
Other trading activities 5 958,775 - 958,775 301,938
Investments 6 2,551,797 - 2,551,797 970,678
Total income 6,134,332 3,380,962 9,515,294 6,992,619
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 7 1,943,328 - 1,943,328 2,119,150
Charitable activities 8 20,474,641 1,814,132 22,288,773 20,608,068
Total expenditure 22,417,969 1,814,132 24,232,101 22,727,218
Net expenditure (16,283,637) 1,566,830 (14,716,807) (15,734,599)
Transfers between funds 20 (50,000) 50,000 - -
Net movement in funds (16,333,637) 1,616,830 (14,716,807) (15,734,599)
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 20 54,337,152 1,000,000 55,337,152 71,071,751
Net movement in funds (16,333,637) 1,616,830 (14,716,807) (15,734,599)
Total funds carried forward 20 38,003,515 2,616,830 40,620,345 55,337,152
----- End of picture text -----

The notes on pages 47 to 65 form part of these financial statements.

Annual report 42 2023

Annual report 43 2023

Financial statements

Consolidated balance sheet

As at 31 December 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
Note 2023 2022
£ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 14 53,176 77,884
Current assets
Debtor 16 3,481,935 2,003,747
Investments 17 47,592,053 67,204,083
Cash at bank and in hand 1,369,710 1,300,263
52,443,698 70,508,093
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 18 (9,912,654) (12,100,969)
Net current assets 42,531,044 58,407,124
Total assets less current liabilities 42,584,220 58,485,008
Creditors: amounts falling due after 19 (1,963,875) (3,147,856)
more than one year
Total net assets 40,620,345 55,337,152
Charity funds
Restricted funds 20 2,616,830 1,000,000
Unrestricted funds 20 38,003,515 54,337,152
Total funds 40,620,345 55,337,152
----- End of picture text -----

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:

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The notes on pages 47 to 65 form part of these financial statements.

Charity balance sheet

As at 31 December 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
Note 2023 2022
£ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 14 53,176 77,884
Investments 15 1 1
53,177 77,885
Current assets
Debtors 16 3,372,445 1,862,927
Investments 17 47,592,053 67,204,083
Cash at bank and in hand 974,614 1,185,304
51,939,112 70,252,314
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 18 (9,653,934) (11,972,198)
Net current assets 42,285,178 58,280,116
Total assets less current liabilities 42,338,355 58,358,001
Creditors: amounts falling due after 19 (1,963,875) (3,147,856)
more than one year
Total net assets 40,374,480 55,210,145
Charity funds
Restricted funds 2,616,830 1,000,000
Unrestricted funds 37,757,650 54,210,145
Total funds 40,374,480 55,210,145
----- End of picture text -----

The Charity’s net movement in funds for the year was £(14,835,665) (2022 – £(15,571,151)).

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:

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The notes on pages 47 to 65 form part of these financial statements.

Annual report 44 2023

Annual report 45 2023

Financial statements

Consolidated statement of cash flows

For the year ended 31 December 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
Note 2023 2022
£ £
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash used in operating activities 23 (22,074,385) (17,953,246)
Cash flows from investing activities
Interest on investments and deposits 2,551,797 970,678
Purchase of tangible fixed assets (19,995) (58,399)
Net cash provided by investing activities 2,531,802 912,279
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year (19,542,583) (17,040,967)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 68,504,346 85,545,313
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 24 48,961,763 68,504,346
----- End of picture text -----

The notes on pages 47 to 65 form part of these financial statements.

Notes to the financial statements

for the year ended 31 December 2023

1. General information

Association of NHS Charities (operating as NHS Charities Together) is a private charitable company registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales. The registered numbers and address are given on the Reference and Administrative Details page. The activities of the Charity are set out in detail in the Trustees’ Report.

2. Accounting policies

2.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) – Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of 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), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Association of NHS Charities meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

The Consolidated statement of financial activities (SOFA) and Consolidated balance sheet consolidate the financial statements of the Charity and its subsidiary undertaking. The results of the subsidiary are consolidated on a line by line basis.

The Charity has taken advantage of the exemption allowed under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not presented its own Statement of financial activities in these financial statements.

2.2 Going concern

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. The organisation holds liquid funds sufficient to support its cash flow requirements over the foreseeable future under all scenarios. Therefore, the Trustees consider there are no material uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

2.3 Members’ liability

Each Member of the Charity undertakes to contribute to the assets of the Charity in the event of it being wound up while they are a Member, or within one year after they cease to be a Member, such amount as may be required, not exceeding £1 for the debts and liabilities contracted before they ceased to be a Member.

2.4 Income

All income is recognised once the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

Legacy income

The recognition of income from legacies is dependent on establishing entitlement, the probability of receipt and the ability to estimate with sufficient accuracy the amount receivable. Receipt of a legacy must be recognised when it is probable that it will be received and the fair value of the amount receivable, which will generally be the expected cash amount to be distributed to the Charity, can be reliably measured.

Pecuinary legacies are recognised as receivable once probate has been granted and notification has been received. Residuary legacies are recognised as receivable once probate has been granted, notification has been received, and where they can be valued. Residuary legacies with a life interest are only valued where legal title has passed to the Charity.

Annual report 46 2023

Annual report 47 2023

Financial statements

Donation income

General donations, donations from fundraising events, corporate and philanthropy income, and direct marketing income are recognised in full in the Consolidated statement of financial activities when entitled, receipt is probable, and when the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. No account is taken of monies or other assets in the hands of volunteer fundraisers until such monies are banked or the Charity has been notified of the funds collected.

Where the right to receive Gift Aid has been established, the amount receivable is recognised as income in the Consolidated statement of financial activities.

Donated services and facilities are valued and included as income and expenditure, at the price the Charity estimates it would have paid in the open market for an equivalent service or facility that it would have purchased.

Grant income

Grant income is credited to the Statement of financial activities when received or receivable, whichever is earlier, unless the grant relates to a specific future period, in which case it is deferred. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.

Membership subscriptions

Membership subscription income is recognised in the year to which it relates.

Income from trading activities

Income from trading activities is credited to the Statement of financial activities when received or receivable, whichever is earlier, unless it relates to a specific future period, in which case it is deferred. Income received in respect of raffles and lotteries is recognised when the draw is made. Income received in advance for future raffle and lottery draws is deferred until the draw takes place.

Investment income

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably.

Other income is recognised in the period in which it is receivable and to the extent the goods have been provided or on completion of the service.

2.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including

support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

Expenditure on raising funds includes all expenditure incurred by the Group to raise funds for its charitable purposes and includes costs of all fundraising activities, events and non-charitable trading.

Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Group’s objectives, as well as any associated support costs. Support costs are allocated between activities on a staff headcount basis.

Grants payable are charged in the year when the offer is made, except in those cases where the offer is conditional, such grants being recognised as expenditure when the conditions attaching are fulfilled. Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end are noted as a commitment, but not accrued as expenditure.

Redundancy and termination payments are recognised when there is a demonstrable commitment on an individual or group basis that cannot be realistically withdrawn.

All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.

2.6 Taxation

As a registered charity, the Charity benefits from business rates relief and is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates. The subsidiary undertaking does not pay direct tax because its policy is to Gift Aid taxable profits to the Charity.

2.7 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Items of equipment, motor vehicles and property are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £1,000. Leasehold improvements are capitalised where the cost exceeds £10,000.

Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.

At each reporting date the Charity assesses whether there is any indication of impairment. If such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is determined to be the higher of its fair value less costs to sell and its value in use. An impairment loss is recognised where the carrying amount exceeds the recoverable amount.

Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of tangible fixed assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives, using the straight-line method.

Depreciation is provided on the following basis:

Office equipment – 33% straight-line

The assets’ residual values, useful lives and depreciation methods are reviewed, and adjusted prospectively if appropriate, or if there is an indication of a significant change since the last reporting date.

Gains and losses on disposals are determined by comparing the proceeds with the carrying amount and are recognised in the Consolidated statement of financial activities.

2.8 Investments

Investments in subsidiaries are valued at cost less provision for impairment.

2.9 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at their transaction price less any allowance for doubtful debts.

2.10 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

2.11 Liabilities and provisions

Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.

Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.

Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the

provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the Consolidated statement of financial activities as a finance cost.

2.12 Financial instruments

The Group has applied the provisions of FRS 102, Section 11, ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12, ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’. Financial assets and liabilities are recognised when the Charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. The Charity initially recognises a financial asset or a financial liability at transaction price – for debtors and other creditors this is the settlement amount. Grant commitments over one year are discounted to reflect present value.

2.13 Operating leases

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Consolidated statement of financial activities on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

2.14 Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Group and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Group for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.

Any transfers between funds and any allocations to and from designated funds are approved by Trustees. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific funds.

Annual report 48 2023

Annual report 49 2023

Financial statements

3. Income from donations and legacies

5. Income from other trading activities

3. Income from donatons and legacies 5. Income from other trading actvites
Donatons
Legacies
Sponsorship and grants		 Unrestricted
funds
2023
£


Restricted
funds
2023
£


Total
funds
2023
£

4,718,749

170,403

504,420

5,393,572



As restated
Total
funds
2022
£

4,097,377

406,552

631,074

5,135,003		 Fundraising – Corporate partnerships
Fundraising – Mass events
Sponsorship
Sector event income		 Unrestricted
funds
2023

Total
funds
2023

As restated
Total
funds
2022

174,486

96,516

-

30,936

301,938
1,823,937
170,403
44,420
2,894,812

-

460,000		 809,056
96,516
29,320
23,883
809,056

96,516

29,320

23,883
2,038,760
3,354,812
958,775
958,775
Donatons
Legacies
Sponsorship and grants		 As restated
Unrestricted
funds
2022
£



Restricted
funds
2022
£
The income in 2022 related wholly to unrestricted funds.
6.
Investment income
Interest on investments and deposits		 Unrestricted
funds
2023

Total
funds
2023

Total
funds
2022
970,678
3,097,377
406,552
2,000
1,000,000

-

629,074
2,551,797 2,551,797
3,505,929
1,629,074

The income in 2022 related wholly to unrestricted funds.

Prior year restatement

Income from mass participation fundraising events is now reported within ‘Income from other trading activities’, resulting in a prior year reclassification of £96,516.

4. Income from charitable activities

4. Income from charitable actvites
Membership subscriptons
Programme income
Membership subscriptons		 Unrestricted
funds
2023
£


Restricted
funds
2023
£


Total
funds
2023
£

585,000
26,150
611,150


Total
funds
2022

585,000
585,000
-
-

26,150
585,000 26, 150
Unrestricted
funds
2022
585,000
585,000

7. Expenditure on raising funds

7. Expenditure on raising funds
Direct costs
Fundraising actvites
Support costs
Business services
People/HR
Finance
IT		 Unrestricted
funds
2023

Total
funds
2023

As restated
Total
funds
2022

1,773,335

104,302

94,493

89,171

57,849

2,119,150
1,674,230
102,800
57,995
50,701
57,602
1,674,230

102,800

57,995

50,701

57,602
1,943,328
1,943,328

The expenditure in 2022 related wholly to unrestricted funds.

Prior year restatement

Following the launch of the organisation’s Strategy in 2023, a new model of reporting expenditure has been developed, aligned to the Group’s strategic enablers and charitable activities. The prior year restatement is limited to the classification of expenditure and has not impacted upon the Group’s total expenditure.

Annual report 50 2023

Annual report 51 2023

Financial statements

8. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

----- Start of picture text -----
Activities Grant
undertaken funding of Support Total
directly activities costs funds
2023 2023 2023 2023
£ £ £ £
Developing the sector, through evolving our role 1,446,169 - 48,927 1,495,096
as a centre of knowledge and expertise
Delivering and facilitating approaches to grow 694,293 - 110,085 804,378
impact and voice
Leading transformational programmes 3,066,597 15,987,460 270,576 19,324,633
Being a sustainable and purpose-led organisation 535,717 - 128,949 664,666
5,742,776 15,987,460 558,537 22,288,773
As restated As restated
Activities Grant As restated As restated
undertaken funding of Support Total
directly activities costs funds
2022 2022 2022 2022
£ £ £ £
Developing the sector, through evolving our role 1,090,904 - 62,876 1,153,780
as a centre of knowledge and expertise
Delivering and facilitating approaches to grow 115,507 - 94,313 209,820
impact and voice
Leading transformational programmes 1,766,551 16,826,888 225,136 18,818,575
Being a sustainable and purpose-led organisation 292,466 - 133,427 425,893
3,265,428 16,826,888 515,752 20,608,068
Total funds Total funds
2023 2022
£ £
Governance 55,558 54,832
Business Services 175,677 126,179
People/HR 142,221 156,884
Finance 86,644 107,874
IT 98,437 69,983
558,537 515,752
----- End of picture text -----

9. Analysis of transformational programmes

Covid-19 Urgent Appeal Grants
Greener Communites
Natonal Arts in Health Network
Transformatonal programme development
Covid-19 Urgent Appeal Grants
Transformatonal programme development
Volunteer Future Fund		 Actvites
undertaken
directly
2023
£



Grant
funding of
actvites
2023
£



Support
costs
2023
£


Total
funds
2023
£

17,232,429

1,234,523

489,610

368,071

19,324,633



Total
funds
2022
£

17,486,391

83,946

1,248,238

18,818,575
2,216,213
92,475
489,610
268,299
14,806,798

1,117,585

-

63,077
209,418

24,463

-

36,695
3,066,597
Actvites
undertaken
directly
2022
£
15,987,460




Grant
funding of
actvites
2022
£
270,576




Support
costs
2022
£
1,610,864
68,228
87,459
15,666,109

-

1,160,779
209,418

15,718

-
1,766,551
16,826,888
225,136

10. Analysis of grants

10. Analysis of grants
Grants to Members Grants
awarded
2023
£


Total
funds
2023
£
15,987,460
15,987,460
Grants to Members Grants
awarded
2022 £


Total funds
2022
£

16,826,888
16,826,888

Included in Leading transformational programmes expenditure is total restricted expenditure of £1,814,132 (2022 – £1,919,148). See note 9 for breakdown of costs by programme.

Prior year restatement

Following the launch of the organisation’s Strategy in 2023, a new model of reporting expenditure has been developed, aligned to the Group’s strategic enablers and charitable activities. The prior year restatement is limited to the classification of expenditure and has not impacted upon the Group’s total expenditure.

Annual report 52 2023

Annual report 53 2023

Financial statements

Grants are made to Member NHS Charities. An analysis of all grants awarded by region is given below:

----- Start of picture text -----
Region 2023 2022
£ £
East of England 965,627 774,470
London 1,569,004 1,667,343
Midlands 1,766,530 1,931,311
National 112,077 5,000
North East England and Yorkshire 2,242,059 1,722,531
North West England 3,049,556 2,368,662
South East England 1,041,420 2,465,345
South West 1,244,844 1,944,946
Northern Ireland 649,173 1,719,406
Scotland 980,869 1,481,770
Wales 2,366,301 746,104
15,987,460 16,826,888
----- End of picture text -----

A full breakdown of grants is available direct from the Charity and at www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk.

11. Staff costs

11. Staf costs
Group
2023
£


Group
2022
£

2,062,589

234,352

204,582

2,501,523
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs		 2,752,227
299,357
271,750
3,323,334

The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £60,000 was:

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Group
2023 2022
No. No.
----- End of picture text -----

Group
2023
No.		 Group
2022
No.
In the band £60,001–£70,000 4 1
In the band £70,001–£80,000 1 -
In the band £80,001–£90,000 1 1
In the band £90,001–£100,000 2 2
In the band £100,001–£110,000 2 1

The Charity considers that its key management personnel comprises the Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer and the Senior Leadership Team. The total employment costs of the key management personnel were £600,064 (2022 – £552,637).

12. Trustees’ remuneration and expenses

During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2022 – £NIL).

During the year ended 31 December 2023, travel expenses totalling £879 were reimbursed to 7 Trustees (2022 – £1,791 to 7 Trustees).

13. Net movement in funds

The net movement in funds is stated after charging:

13. Net movement in funds
The net movement in funds is stated afer charging:
Auditor’s remuneraton – Charity
Auditor’s remuneraton – Trading subsidiary
Depreciaton of tangible fxed assets		 2023
£
2022
£

16,250

3,750

38,827
17,875
4,125
44,703

The average number of persons employed by the Group during the year was as follows:

Group
2023
No.


Group
2022
No.

48
Staf 62

Annual report 54 2023

Annual report 55 2023

Financial statements

14. Tangible fixed assets

16. Debtors

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Group Charity Charity
Group and Charity 2023 2022 2023 2022
Office £ £ £ £
equipment
£ Trade debtors 2,906,763 227,951 2,853,987 96,964
Cost Amounts owed by group undertakings - - - 39,939
At 1 January 2023 173,331 Other debtors 464,621 1,600,097 409,907 1,550,325
Additions 19,995 Prepayments and accrued income 110,551 175,699 108,551 175,699
Disposals (3,187) 3,481,935 2,003,747 3,372,445 1,862,927
At 31 December 2023 190,139
17. Current asset investments
Group Group Charity Charity
Depreciation
2023 2022 2023 2022
At 1 January 2023 95,447 £ £ £ £
Charge for the year 44,703 Short-term investments and deposits 47,592,053 67,204,083 47,592,053 67,204,083
On disposals (3,187)
At 31 December 2023 136,963 18. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
Group Group Charity Charity
2023 2022 2023 2022
Net book value £ £ £ £
At 31 December 2023 53,176 Trade payables 9,839 188,286 9,839 188,286
At 31 December 2022 77,884 Grants awarded not yet paid 9,164,813 11,095,676 9,045,465 11,095,676
Other taxation and social security 121,220 95,800 86,848 72,030
15. Fixed asset investments Other creditors 30,351 1,780 30,351 1,780
Charity Accruals and deferred income 586,431 719,427 481,431 614,426
Investment
in subsidiary 9,912,654 12,100,969 9,653,934 11,972,198
company
£
Group Group Charity Charity
Cost
2023 2022 2023 2022
At 1 January 2023 1 £ £ £ £
Deferred income at 1 January 2023 685,000 - 585,000 -
At 31 December 2023 1
Resources deferred during the year 68,500 685,000 68,500 585,000
Details of the subsidiary undertaking are given in note 29. Amounts released from previous periods (585,000) - (585,000) -
168,500 685,000 68,500 585,000
----- End of picture text -----

The Charity holds deferred income in respect of fundraising events scheduled to take place in 2024 and funded salaries for 2024. The Group’s deferred income also includes deferred event sponsorship income where the event is scheduled for 2024.

Annual report 56 2023

Annual report 57 2023

Financial statements

19. Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year

Grants awarded not yet paid Group
2023
£


Group
2022
£


Charity
2023
£


Charity
2022
£

3,147,856
1,963,875
3,147,856
1,963,875

20. Statement of funds

Statement of funds – current year

----- Start of picture text -----
Balance at Balance at
1 January Transfers 31 December
2023 Income Expenditure in/(out) 2023
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
Covid-19 Urgent Appeal 33,756,395 - (14,806,798) (5,500,000) 13,449,597
Charity Reserve 16,184,500 - (2,612,288) - 13,572,212
Staff Wellbeing 87,538 - - - 87,538
Joy to the Wards Appeal 7,102 - (7,102) - -
Innovation Challenge - - - 2,950,000 2,950,000
Covid Rememberance - - - 2,500,000 2,500,000
50,035,535 - (17,426,188) (50,000) 32,559,347
General funds
General funds 4,301,617 6,134,332 (4,991,781) - 5,444,168
Total unrestricted funds 54,337,152 6,134,332 (22,417,969) (50,000) 38,003,515
Restricted funds
Greener Communities 1,000,000 294,812 (1,235,295) - 59,517
Community Resilience - 2,600,000 (63,077) - 2,536,923
National Arts in Hospitals
Network - 460,000 (489,610) 50,000 20,390
Volunteering in Health - 26,150 (26,150) - -
1,000,000 3,380,962 (1,814,132) 50,000 2,616,830
Total of funds 55,337,152 9,515,294 (24,232,101) - 40,620,345
----- End of picture text -----

20. Statement of funds (continued)

Statement of funds – prior year

----- Start of picture text -----
Balance at Balance at
1 January Transfers 31 December
2022 Income Expenditure in/(out) 2023
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
Covid-19 Urgent Appeal 50,287,243 - (15,746,348) (784,500) 33,756,395
Charity Reserve 15,400,000 - - 784,500 16,184,500
Staff Wellbeing 77,000 10,538 - - 87,538
Joy to the Wards Appeal - 14,710 (7,608) - 7,102
65,764,243 25,248 (15,753,956) - 50,035,535
General funds
General funds 4,641,508 5,338,297 (5,054,114) (624,074) 4,301,617
Total unrestricted funds 70,405,751 5,363,545 (20,808,070) (624,074) 54,337,152
Restricted funds
NHS Staff Mental Health 666,000 - (666,000) - -
Volunteering Futures Fund - 624,074 (1,248,148) 624,074 -
Greener Communities - 1,000,000 - - 1,000,000
Amazon – Defibrillators - 5,000 (5,000) - -
666,000 1,629,074 (1,919,148) 624,074 1,000,000
Total of funds 71,071,751 6,992,619 (22,727,218) - 55,337,152
----- End of picture text -----

Annual report 58 2023

Annual report 59 2023

Financial statements

Purpose of funds

Designated funds

Covid-19 Urgent Appeal – These funds will continue to fund grants to help NHS Charities provide extra support to NHS staff, volunteers and patients throughout the crisis and beyond, from meeting immediate and urgent needs to supporting long-term recovery of the NHS.

The Charity Reserve – A designated fund representing 10% of the net Covid appeal proceeds, held in reserve in line with guidance from the Charity Commission in 2020. The reserve is designated to fund the governance of the Covid funds, to ensure the correct governance is in place and to maximise the impact of the appeal against objectives. The fund is also designated to enable the development and growth of NHS Charities Together, to ensure the organisation is sustainable and in a position to maximise the legacy of the Covid appeal, with continued impact for Members and beneficiaries in the long term.

Staff Wellbeing – This fund is designated for the use of improving the wellbeing of NHS staff.

Innovation Challenge – This fund has been designated by the Trustees from the Covid appeal funds to underwrite the costs of creating and launching the Innovation Challenge. Health and healthcare inequality can have a major impact on people’s quality of life and long-term health and place extra pressures on health and care services. In particular, our health during childhood can define health in later life, so, while the consequences may not be felt immediately, tackling health and healthcare inequalities now will help build a healthier future for all. The Innovation Challenge aims to address some of these inequalities, with an initial focus on breaking down barriers for children and young people.

COVID Remberance – This fund has been designated by the Trustees from the Covid appeal funds for the purposes of remembering the lives lost and sacrifices made by NHS staff throughout the Covid pandemic.

Restricted funds

NHS Staff Mental Health – Represents funds that have been applied specifically to projects supporting the mental health of NHS staff.

Volunteering Futures Fund – Represents grant funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport to support a specific project aimed at helping people who typically experience barriers to volunteering. The project has been match funded by the Charity using its general funds.

Greener Communities Fund – Represents grant funding from Hubbub Foundation UK to be distributed to the Charity’s Members and community partners in support of projects that use the health benefits of green spaces to improve the health and wellbeing of NHS staff, patients and communities.

Community Resilience – Represents funds held for the purpose of building community resilience and reducing out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, including investing in lifesaving equipment and technology, training and recruitment of lifesaving community first responder volunteers, and ensuring communities have the skills and training to respond.

National Arts in Hospitals Network – The National Arts in Hospitals Network supports all arts managers working in UK hospitals, to ensure every patient, visitor and staff member can benefit from impactful art interventions that support their recovery and wellbeing. The network provides a place to share best practice, build knowledge and evidence, and celebrate success. NHS Charities Together hosts and contributes to the network in order to maximise its potential and impact.

Volunteering in Health – A £10 million programme that is being delivered through a partnership between NHS Charities Together, NHS England and CW+. Building on the recommendations of the NHS Volunteering Taskforce, it will deliver grant funding and tailored support to around 15 local systems in England. The programme will speed up change by helping to break down barriers to volunteering, test new volunteering infrastructure models, and develop guidance and best practice for all systems. It aims to influence the policy environment and increase our understanding of the impact of volunteers and volunteering across the NHS, alongside the potential role of NHS Charities in helping the NHS to deliver the best care.

21. Summary of funds

Summary of funds – current year

21. Summary of funds
Summary of funds – current year
Designated funds
General funds
Restricted funds		 Balance at
1 January
2023
£


Income
£
Expenditure
£
Transfers
in/(out)
£

Balance at
31 December
2023
£

32,559,347

5,444,168

2,616,830
40,620,345
50,035,535
4,301,617
1,000,000
-

6,134,332

3,380,962
(17,426,188)

(4,991,781)

(1,814,132)
(50,000)

-

50,000
55,337,152
9,515,294		 (24,232,101) -
Summary of funds – prior year
Designated funds
General funds
Restricted funds		 Balance at
1 January
2022
£


Income
£
Expenditure
£
Transfers
in/(out)
£

Balance at
31 December
2022
£

50,035,535

4,301,617

1,000,000

55,337,152
65,764,243
4,641,508
666,000
25,248

5,338,297

1,629,074
(15,753,956)

(5,054,114)

(1,919,148)
-

(624,074)

624,074
71,071,751
6,992,619
(22,727,218)
-

Annual report 60 2023

Annual report 61 2023

Financial statements

22. Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds – current year

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds funds
2023 2023 2023
£ £ £
Tangible fixed assets 53,176 - 53,176
Current assets 49,826,868 2,616,830 52,443,698
Creditors due within one year (9,912,654) - (9,912,654)
Creditors due in more than one year (1,963,875) - (1,963,875)
Total 38,003,515 2,616,830 40,620,345
Analysis of net assets between funds – prior year
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds funds
2022 2022 2022
£ £ £
Tangible fixed assets 77,884 - 77,884
Current assets 69,508,093 1,000,000 70,508,093
Creditors due within one year (12,100,969) - (12,100,969)
Creditors due in more than one year (3,147,856) - (3,147,856)
Total 54,337,152 1,000,000 55,337,152
23. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow
from operating activities
Group Group
2023 2022
£ £
Net expenditure for the year (as per statement of financial activities) (14,716,807) (15,734,599)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges 44,703 38,827
Interest on investments and deposits (2,551,797) (970,678)
Increase in debtors (1,478,188) (1,194,389)
Decrease in creditors (3,372,296) (92,407)
Net cash used in operating activities (22,074,385) (17,953,246)
----- End of picture text -----

24. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents

24. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Cash at bank and in hand
Short-term investments and deposits
Total cash and cash equivalents		 Group
2023
£


Group
2022
£

1,300,263

67,204,083

68,504,346
1,369,710
47,592,053
48,961,763

25. Analysis of changes in net debt

25. Analysis of changes in net debt
Cash at bank and in hand
Short-term investments and deposits		 At
1 January
2023
£



Cash
fows
£

At
31 December
2023
£

1,369,710

47,592,053

48,961,763
1,300,263
67,204,083
69,447

(19,612,030)
68,504,346
(19,542,583)

26. Grant commitments

At the balance sheet date, the Group had committed to further grant awards to its Members totalling £Nil (2022 – £1,288,046).

27. Operating lease commitments

At 31 December 2023, the Group and the Charity had commitments to make future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases as follows:

under non-cancellable operatng leases as follows:
Not later than 1 year
Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years		 Group
2023
£

Group
2022
£

Charity
2023
£

Charity
2022
£

2,224

4,170

6,394
2,224
1,946
2,224

4,170
2,224

1,946
4,170
6,394
4,170

28. Related party transactions

At the balance sheet date, an outstanding loan balance of £Nil (2022 – £14,757) was owing from ANC Trading Limited, the Charity’s subsidiary undertaking. The interest charged on the loan is 2% above the Bank of England base rate. No trade balances were owing from the subsidiary at the balance sheet date (2022 – £25,182 owing from the subsidiary).

A majority of Trustees also held a post with a Member Charity that was eligible for and received Member services and grants during the year. All Member Charities were allocated grant funds on an equitable basis and no part of any grants paid to a Member Charities directly benefited any Trustee.

The Charity purchased trustee indemnity insurance (£5 million cover) as part of a broader management liability package at a cost of £11,788 (2022 – £10,080).

Annual report 62 2023

Annual report 63 2023

Financial statements

29. Principal subsidiaries

The following was a subsidiary undertaking of the Charity, with the same registered address, due to the Charity’s 100% holding of its ordinary share capital:

29. Principal subsidiaries
The following was a subsidiary undertaking of the Charity, with the same registered address, due to the Charity’s 100%
holding of its ordinary share capital:		 29. Principal subsidiaries
The following was a subsidiary undertaking of the Charity, with the same registered address, due to the Charity’s 100%
holding of its ordinary share capital:		 29. Principal subsidiaries
The following was a subsidiary undertaking of the Charity, with the same registered address, due to the Charity’s 100%
holding of its ordinary share capital:		 29. Principal subsidiaries
The following was a subsidiary undertaking of the Charity, with the same registered address, due to the Charity’s 100%
holding of its ordinary share capital:		 29. Principal subsidiaries
The following was a subsidiary undertaking of the Charity, with the same registered address, due to the Charity’s 100%
holding of its ordinary share capital:
Name
Company number
Principal actvity
ANC Trading Limited
12608754
Raising funds for NHS Charttes
Together by facilitatng commercial
fundraising actvites.
The fnancial results of the subsidiary for the year were:
Name
Income
£
Expenditure
£
Surplus
for the year
£
Net assets
£
ANC Trading Limited
838,866
(593,001)
245,865
245,866
Income
£
Surplus
for the year
£
ANC Trading Limited 838,866
(593,001)
245,865

The above results are included in the consolidation.

Reference and administrative details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisers

For the year ended 31 December 2023

Trustees C R Burghes, MBE
T H Diggle – Joint Deputy Chair*
J H Ferguson*
I F Lush, OBE – Chair*
J E Mee
D J Mortmer
A Singh
K L Thomson – Joint Deputy Chair*
A Tiernan*
G Morgan, DBE (resigned 15 February 2023)
W K Brooks (resigned 31 March 2023)*
K Syrad (resigned 11 September 2023)*
A Chohan* (resigned 7 February 2024)
Company registered number 12325259
Charity registered numbers 1186569 and SC050716
Registered ofce Suite 68 Lake View House, Wilton Drive, Warwick CV34 6RG
Chief Executve Ofcer E S Orton, OBE
Senior Leadership Team S Campion (Director of External Afairs & Communicatons)
C Easton (Director of Strategy & Impact)
L McCathie (Director of Fundraising)
G Morgan (Director of Finance & Operatons)
S Reynolds (Business Services Director)
Independent auditor Dains Audit Limited, 15 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2BH
Bankers The Co-operatve Bank, Delf House, Southway, Skelmersdale WN8 6WT
Solicitors Withers LLP, 16 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7EG
Investment manager CCLA Investment Management Ltd , One Angel Lane, London EC4R 3AB

*Member Trustee for full or part of the financial year ended 31 December 2023

Annual report 64 2023

Annual report 65 2023

Visit our website: nhscharitiestogether.co.uk

[NHSCharitiesTogether ][nhs-charities-together]

[nhscharitiestogether ][nhscharitiestogether]

[NHSCharities]

Annual report 2023

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