2025-03-30-accounts - Windmills - Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One

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Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One (Registered charity, number 1187408) Financial Statements for the year ended 30 March 2025

Page	Contents
2 - 5	Trustees’ annual report
6	Independent examiner’s report
7	Receipts & Payments Account
8	Statement of Assets & Liabilities
9	Notes to the Accounts

Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 30 March 2025

Full name Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One

Registered charity number 1187408

Principal address

Unit 1 Campbell Road Industrial Estate Campbell Road Stoke-on-Trent ST4 4DX

Trustees

Lindsey Wilmer Nicola Wrench Emma Hine

Bankers

CAF

Independent examiner

Daryl Denson ACMA VAST The Dudson Centre Hope Street Hanley Stoke on Trent ST1 5DD

Governance and management

The charity is a CIO and operated under the rules of its constitution adopted 16[th] January 2020.

Aims and objectives

To preserve and protect the physical and mental health of children and young people when someone significant in their life is dying or has died by providing bespoke, focused and supportive acute bereavement care.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit

Windmills is a unique, pioneering, community-led, voluntary-sector organisation dedicated to providing free support to young people who are experiencing the anticipated loss of a loved one. Our specialist nurses help with breaking bad news, exploring disease progression to aid understanding, build cherished memories and find a positive path through life’s hardest moments. Each youngster is given the time, space and care that they need to explore the inevitable impact that death will bring to their lives. Whilst working with our youngsters we talk openly about their loved one and their plans that are no longer able to be fulfilled. We empower them to include the memory of their loved one into everyday conversations rather than waiting for permission or the spoken memory becoming too traumatic to hear. The family becomes united in their grief rather than it being the elephant in the room. This continued acknowledgement allows memories to be kept alive promoting positive grieving for the whole family not only immediately post death but ongoing for life.

Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 30 March 2025

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit (continued)

Facing the sudden reality or news of the death of such a loved one can be deeply traumatic and disorientating for the surviving child. Often the response is a cauldron of confusions and emotions; anger, disbelief, guilt, anguish, withdrawal, detachment and numbing fears for all that is yet to come. Without expert and trusted care and support such responses can irrevocably scar and derail a young person’s life and outlook and negatively shape their relationships, not only with death itself, but with life and living, themselves, their family, and their friends and the wider community.

Windmills nurses will often be the first ones to share with a child the news about the death, or its imminence of a loved-one. Our specialist acute bereavement nurses provide caring, empathetic and expert support to each child through talking, by being there, by confronting the situation and sharing and working with each child through creative sessions, visits and memory making activities designed to help guide them through all the confusion and emotions that news of a loved-ones terminal diagnosis and death will inevitably bring.

We openly discuss death to aid understanding, promote exploration of death as a concept and normalise common emotions as it is experienced very individually, based on multiple factors such as culture, religion, prior experience, fear and uncertainty, to name but a few. As practicing registered nurses, we can assist with explaining a diagnosis or other medical terminology which may cloud understanding. This is fundamental going forward for our young people who will, due to age, educational needs, emotional intelligence - amongst other factors -struggle with the permanency of death.

Despite the lack of comprehensive government statistics on childhood bereavement, the rising mental health crises among young people are alarming. In 2017, the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) reported that suicide is the leading cause of death among young people in England and Wales, with bereavement identified as a significant theme. This underscores the critical role services like Windmills play in offering timely support and intervention.

Public Benefit

The trustees of the Charity are aware of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and have had regard to it in their administration of the Charity.

Summary of the main achievements during the year

At Windmills, our commitment to supporting children and young people extends beyond individual assistance; it encompasses a broad range of benefits that positively impact society.

The following highlights the keyways in which our services contributed to the wider community in the 2024/2025 period:

Creating and Preserving Memories for Grieving Young People : Establishing and maintaining memories for bereaved young individuals is vital for their emotional health and aids in processing grief. It offers a means to connect with and honour the memory of the deceased, enabling them to articulate their feelings while fostering a sense of continuity. This approach can also provide validation and support throughout their grief journey.
Youth Advocacy : Young individuals are given the opportunity to express their opinions and influence issues that matter to them, including personal life decisions when a terminal diagnosis has been given to a loved one and throughout the journey to death.

Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 30 March 2025

Summary of the main achievements during the year (continued)

Cultivating Coping Strategies : Equipping young individuals with coping skills, problemsolving techniques, and emotional regulation methods can empower them to handle challenging situations and foster resilience - Facing the sudden reality or news of the death of such a loved one can be deeply traumatic and disorientating for the surviving child. Often the response is a cauldron of confusions and emotions; anger, disbelief, guilt, anguish, withdrawal, detachment and numbing fears for all that is yet to come. Without expert and trusted care and support such responses can irrevocably scar and derail a young person’s life and outlook and negatively shape their relationships, not only with death itself, but with life and living, themselves, their family, and their friends and the wider community.
Encouraging proactive strategies within our local communities: Communities can foster a more supportive and resilient atmosphere for young individuals, enabling them to flourish and achieve their fullest potential ensuring a smoother path into adulthood.
Encouraging trusted adults —such as teachers and family members—to offer sensitive and compassionate assistance can help young people feel understood and supported.
Fostering relationships - we have raised the charity’s profile through proactive networking, partnerships with local businesses, and engagement with clinical teams.

Streamlined referral criteria to improve focus, efficiency and delivery of high-quality support for children and young people.

Creating better opportunities – we are currently working across 85 schools in the area, in addition to supporting children referred through other channels such as hospitals, social services, and community organizations. By utilizing our marketing budget and strengthening collaborations with local authorities and hospitals, we anticipate further expanding our reach and support network. We are now actively seeking funding to implement our strategy for growth, including, appointing additional bereavement practitioners and a robust team of volunteers. With budget cuts across the NHS, we are experiencing increased numbers of the public, who are receiving a terminal diagnosis, within weeks of an initial diagnosis.

The impact of the Windmills service and care will not negate death’s devastation in the lives and minds of those children who become victim to it, but it can manage and calm and, through building strong new memories, begin to pave the positive, fond pathway away from it.

Our founding nurses see the impact of their work and approach with so many of their young, distressed charges. The gradual change from grieving despair to a new and managed fond remembrance and resilience of heart.

It is a service of care that changes young lives.

Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 30 March 2025

Other Information

During the reporting period 2024-2025 we saw an expected decline in referrals – this was due to us actively streamlining our referral criteria to improve focus, efficiency and delivery of highquality support for children and young people.

Having said that, to date, Windmills has successfully advocated for over five hundred children & young people to be able to make informed choices on how involved they wish to be with the death of a loved one. We have then successfully, supported them through a truly bespoke programme of care for weeks/months either before or after death, or both and whilst a loved one is taking their last breaths, surrounded by love, unity & compassion. Windmills thrive on working collaboratively with our charges and shape our service around them. We encourage their input and continue to grow in response to the needs of our beneficiaries. Our volunteers are those that have accessed our services previously along with a parent trustee. We are bringing communities together to grieve.

We feel incredibly lucky to have been nominated for several local awards, which is a testament to the impact we are making within our community. These nominations not only validate our efforts but also motivate us to continue striving for excellence in our service delivery. Furthermore, we have been fortunate to receive pro bono support from various service providers who recognise the value in what we do. This support has been invaluable in helping us enhance our operations and broaden our reach.

The charities’ structure

Windmills Charity was founded by nurses Leeanne Clay and Zara Toussaint who currently provide services to children and families on a voluntary part-time basis as Acute Bereavement Practitioners. Both continue to work as nurses currently and it is their vision to transition fulltime to the work of Windmills Charity to provide a 24-hour service as death does not occur within the confines of normal working hours.

Both are members of Support Staffordshire and The Childhood Bereavement Network and regulated through the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Leeanne and Zara are supported by a part-time administrator responsible for managing requests for support, scheduling bereavement support sessions, assisting with fundraising efforts and daily administrative tasks. This role is PAYE at national minimum wage and invaluable during the days where both co-founders/ bereavement practitioners are unavailable due to fulfilling their employed nursing roles.

Most decisions are agreed by both founders and trustees; however, some service delivery decisions are made by both co-founders only on a day-to-day basis as they arise. This is always explained and justified to all trustees though messaging platforms, verbally or at regularly planned meetings, either at the time or in retrospect.

Review of the financial position

Restricted funds used within time frame and for the purpose that it was granted. Use of unrestricted funds has directly benefited the service user for the purpose that which the charity was founded.

Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 30 March 2025

Principal Funding Source

Our principal source of funding is from fundraising – both applications to trust & grants and community activities/legacy donations.

70-80% of expenditure supports the key objectives of our charity.

The charity’s policy on reserves

As Windmills are unique and to ensure continuous service delivery, we aim to reserve a minimum of 1 month and no more than 3 months’ worth of funds to cover costs.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Signed ______ Date _

20/01/2026

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One for the year ended 30 March 2025

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the period ended 30 March 2025 which are set out on pages 7 to 9.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

As the charity’s trustees of Windmills - Acute Bereavement Support for Children & Young People in Staffordshire, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act).

I report in respect of my examination of Windmills - Acute Bereavement Support for Children & Young People in Staffordshire accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

Accounting records were not kept in respect of Windmills - Acute Bereavement Support for Children & Young People in Staffordshire as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts to not comply with the accounting requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

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

21/01/2026 Signed ____ Date _______ Daryl Denson ACMA VAST

Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One Receipts & Payments Account for the year ended 30 March 2025

Unrestricted Funds £ Receipts Note Donations 30,338 Fundraising 4,919 Gift Aid 685 Grant 3 12,383 Bank Interest 68 Car Sale 295 Sundries 1,602 Total receipts 50,290 Payments Accountancy 874 Bank fees 60 Business Rates 175 Car/Travel 6,555 Craft Supplies 151 Days Out Memory making 256 Event Costs 15,002 Fundraising 607 Insurance 1,239 Licences and memberships 72 Repairs & Maintenance 1,265 Office costs 251 Phone & Internet 627 Professional costs 6,465 Promotion 280 Refreshments 1,030 Rent - Repayment 124 Sundries 695 Trustee meeting 175 Utilities 100 Volunteer costs - Equipment 2,861 Pension 5,380 Wages 41,530 Total payments 85,774 Net receipts/(payments) (35,484) Cash funds at start of this period (4,990) Transfers between funds 40,474 Cash funds at end of this period -	Restricted Funds £ - - - 52,978 - - - 52,978 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 52,978 21,630 (40,474) 34,134	2025 Total £ 30,338 4,919 685 65,361 68 295 1,602 103,268 874 60 175 6,555 151 256 15,002 607 1,239 72 1,265 251 627 6,465 280 1,030 - 124 695 175 100 - 2,861 5,380 41,530 85,774 17,494 16,640 - 34,134	2024 Total £ 21,283 13,117 7,488 111,988 55 - 477
			154,408
			- 65 179 7,816 847 3,463 185 2,591 1,840 107 - 953 502 33,289 - 868 5,500 - 887 95 100 529 - - 86,065
			145,881
			8,527 8,113 -
			16,640

Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 30 March 2025

Cash Assets Bank accounts	2025 2024 £ £ 34,134 16,640 34,134 16,640

These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:

20/01/2026 Signed _____ Dated _____

Windmills – Preparing Youngsters For The Death Of A Loved One Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 March 2025

1. Receipts & payments accounts

Receipts and payments accounts are statements that summarise the movement of cash into and out of the charity during the financial year. In this context “cash” includes cash equivalents, for example, bank accounts where cash can be readily withdrawn to pay for debts as they become due. For the purposes of understanding a statement of assets and liabilities at the year-end has been included.

2. Trustees’ remuneration

Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this year.

3. Restricted grants

Crowdfunder - £1,967 Tesco Stronger Starts - £1,125 JD Foundation - £2,500 Noel Sweeney - £10,000 Postcode Lottery - £21,000 29[th] May 1961 Charitable Trust - £4,000 Prince Of Wales Trust - £2,500 Co – op Local Causes - £2,154 Albert Hunt Trust - £5,000 Bentilee Community Foundation - £750 Arnold Clarke - £500 Electrical Lighting Grant - £1,482