# THAME YOUTH PROJECTS ‘YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT A PROBLEM TO SOLVE BUT A WONDER TO BEHOLD’ **ANNUAL REPORT 2025/26** ## INTRODUCTION ## OUR VISION ## **Supporting the Young People of Thame** Thame Youth Projects Group (TYPG) is dedicated to empowering young people across Thame and the wider community. Our goal is to provide safe, inclusive, and welcoming spaces where young people can access leisure opportunities, trusted guidance, and meaningful support. Our mission is simple, to help every young person thrive. We strive to build confidence, develop essential life skills, and foster friendships, ensuring they feel valued, supported, and ready to take their place in society. ## OUR PRIORITIES ## **About the Charity** We exist to support and empower young people aged 11–18 in Thame and theThis financial year has been about continuing the rebuilding of the services we provide to the young people, providing consistent support and activities, recruiting a youth worker and continuing with the vision for a community/youth centre in Thame. surrounding villages. We offer advice, guidance, and a diverse range of programmes As always, I need to start with a massive thank you to the incredible volunteers and committee who have once again dug deep over the last year to make everything happen. This year we have seen Illy **a** Teid **e** man step down as a Trustee and some weekly volunteers moving on to other activities. Al **l** these individuals have contributed that promote physic l, ducational, emotional, and personal deve opment. hugely into the development of Thame Youth Projects Group (TYPG) and will be missed dearly. We have been fortunate to gain new volunteers throughout the year and we are in the process of recruiting Trustees to fill the skills gap on the committee. By helping young people build skills, confidence, and resilience, we support them in becoming independent, responsible, and engaged members of the community. ## Our activities include: - Maths Club to strengthen academic skills - ‑ - One to one mentoring for personalised guidance - Support for young carers facing unique pressures - Weekly community activities that promote social connection and friendship - Year 6 transition support for pupils moving up to senior school - Holiday programmes offering fun, enrichment, and new experiences - We remain committed to inclusivity, every young person in our community is welcome at our programmes. 2 ## ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS ## OUR THANK YOUS Our heartfelt thanks go to our dedicated volunteers and committee members. Their commitment, enthusiasm, and passion are the driving force behind all our achievements. A special thank you goes to Hannah Kape, our youth worker, whose exceptional contribution this year has made a remarkable difference. She has provided outstanding support to young people and has also mentored a volunteer through their youth work qualification, sharing her expertise in a way that strengthens the whole organisation. We were absolutely delighted to have the Mayor of Thame present Hannah with a Certificate of Appreciation. It was a wonderful moment that truly celebrates her hard work and dedication. We would also like to acknowledge the end of an era as Ian Cleare stepped down at the end of the financial year. Ian has been an extraordinary volunteer, ensuring our policies remained current and effective, and serving as our Secretary, a challenging role given the pace and volume of our meetings! His help organising events, ‑ ‑ ‑ combined with his love of art, enriched our graffiti in the park sessions and inspired young people to express themselves creatively. Ian will be deeply missed by us all. We were also sad to say goodbye to Sarah, who stepped down as a Trustee. During her time with us, she used her expertise to strengthen our marketing and social media, improving how we communicate our work and how we explain our financial constraints. Thanks to Sarah, our messaging is now clearer and more effective. Finally, we are delighted to welcome Alison Fahey as a Trustee. Alison has volunteered with us for four years and now brings her editorial expertise to her new role as Secretary. Her expertise with young people and ability to support the organisation is very much appreciated. We are thrilled to have her on board. 3 ## ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS ## OUR THANK YOUS Now for some highlights from 2025 and 2026. This has been an inspiring year. Alongside our established mentoring, weekly clubs, holiday activities, and Young - Leaders’ programme, we successfully launched several new initiatives: - Weekly Maths Club for Years 7–11, providing homework support, skills development, and exam preparation - NatWest Thrive Programme for Young Carers, delivering financial education, life - skills, and motivational support to help young carers build a positive future - Year 6 Transition Sessions, supporting primary pupils as they prepare for the move to senior school A warm thank you to the young people who take part with such enthusiasm, and to the parents and carers who place their trust in us. Linda Newton Chair 4 ## OUR YEAR ## OVERVIEW We are proud to maintain a safe and supportive environment for the young people of Thame and the surrounding areas, even as we navigate various challenges. With one fulltime paid youth worker and the dedication of our incredible team of volunteers, we have expanded our services to offer a broader range of opportunities and support for our youth. Over the last 52 weeks we have: - Supported over 800 visits to our activities - Seen an increase in new attendees to an amazing 65 young people - Run 21 wide ranging holiday activities - Supported Lord Williams’s School with over 48 one-to-one sessions, weekly lunch support, and Pride club - Continued our Young Leader Programme and currently have 5 young leaders who provide valuable weekly support - Changed our Youth Zone provision to adapt to the needs of the young people Introduced a weekly Maths Club - Delivered the Natwest Thrive programme in Lord Williams’s School Trialled a Targeted Support Group - Set up a Year 6 transition group ## TERM TIME This year, we’ve continued to offer our weekly Youth Café for students in school Years 7-9. Following a successful Year 6 taster session and extending our summer provision to include them, we saw a noticeable increase in new Year 7s in September. Our Youth Zone provision, for Years 10-13, has changed again to fit the needs of our young people and we now run that once a month. We also explored a more targeted support group and whilst it wasn’t the right provision needed at the time it is something we will consider again. 5 ## OUR HOLIDAY ACTIVITES We continue to provide a variety of activities throughout the school holidays. This past year we have sought feedback from our young people about what they would like to see and used this to create our activities programme. We also expanded our holiday activity offerings, providing a wide range of experiences for our young people, including: - Laser Tag - Golf - Movie Nights Activity Day Cooking Sessions - Book Club - Board Games Sessions - Photography - Sports morning which included martial arts, pickleballl and inflatables in the swimming pool **----- Start of picture text -----**
DJ-ing
Music Workshop
Pickleball
Book Club
Cooking
Movie Nights
Golf
Laser Tag
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6 ## SCHOOL WORK This year, Hannah has continued to work closely with Lord Williams’s School to support our young people through various initiatives. We have provided: - One-to-one mentoring at lower and upper school - Lunchtime engagement at both the lower and upper schools, connecting with new students and supporting Pride Club. - Support during ACE (Alternative Curriculum Experience) week - Assistance during summer school to welcome the new Year 7 students - Participation in Future Fest, an event for Year 9 and above, featuring over 50 - employers, colleges, universities, and training providers to discuss opportunities Guidance for young people exploring career opportunities ## MATHS CLUB We launched Maths Club at the start of the academic year and have run a session every Monday afternoon for two terms. The Club provides a supportive environment for completing maths homework, recapping on any missed subjects and undertaking past papers. We also play maths games and quizzes. The sessions are led by adult volunteers, (who use maths in their work, but are not teachers), and sixth form students who volunteer as part of their DoE Gold Award. So far, we have had the pleasure of the company of 12 young people, many of whom have become regulars at our sessions. 7 ## EVENTS ## The Community We work closely with the local community to support our activities, and we are fortunate to receive incredible backing from local organisations: - Hannah played an active role in the inaugural Thame Pride event, working with LWS Pride Club and serving as a key part of the safeguarding team. The stall was warmly received by people of all ages and will remain part of our plans for next year. - We were proud to host a Sheriff’s Breakfast with John May, the High Sheriff of - Oxfordshire, during his year focused on ‘the challenges faced by young people’. This brought together schools, businesses, and community leaders to collaborate for the benefit of Thame’s youth. - We expanded our work at Lord Williams’s School by delivering the Thrive programme to Year 7 Young Carers. - Hannah attended LWS Future Fest, meeting young people and discussing their aspirations and future pathways. - In partnership with Invictus Fitness, we delivered our 3rd annual Santa 5k run, an energetic and joyful event enjoyed by many families. - Invictus Fitness continued to support our work through initiatives such as the Spinathon. - We are grateful for charity stall on the market not only to raise money but to increase the profile of our work. - We are grateful to Lucy Electric once again for their Halloween fundraiser and ongoing support. - We continue to work alongside Thame Alliance Group and other local charities to ‑ - ensure strong, joined up support for the community. - We attended the Town Annual Christmas Fair and the Annual Volunteers’ Fair, both great opportunities to share our work and invite more people to get involved. 8 ## NEEDS ## THE NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE ## **The Challenges Facing Young People in Thame** Although Thame is often seen as an affluent and safe town, many young people here face significant challenges. Our youth worker supports individuals with multiple risk factors, both in group ‑ ‑ settings and on a one to one basis. While confidentiality prevents us from sharing details, some cases have required involvement from social care, family support services, and formal risk assessments. Young people in Thame are facing: - Social, emotional, and mental health needs - A growing number report anxiety, and some experience suicidal thoughts Disengagement from education, employment, or training. (Young people who disengage often face social isolation and reduced opportunities). ## **Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)** We’ve seen an increase in SEND declarations. With limited options for specialist support locally, we cannot meet the demand, including requests for a dedicated neurodiverse group. Some of the challenges that the young people are facing could include: - Adverse Childhood Experiences and Exploitation - - Domestic abuse, child sexual exploitation (online and in person), and - criminal exploitation involving drugs, theft, and violence. These are stark realities for some young people in Thame. - Many LGBTQIA+ young people rely solely on schools for support, leaving gaps outside term time and for those not currently attending. 9 ## NEEDS ## OUR NEEDS ## **Challenges Impacting Our Ability to Deliver Support** - This year we have experienced some challenges that have impacted our ability to deliver support. Financial: Our annual cost to maintain current provisi _**The**_ from Education, Employment, **o** n is £42,000. We arer Training - grateful for the £15,000 that comes from Thame Town Council. The remainderYoung people who disengage often face social isolation and reduced . comes from donations, grants, and fundraising, an unpredictable and Special Educational Needs (SEN) - unsustainable model. - We’ve seen an increase in SEN . With limited options for specialist support Personnel: With just one paid youth worker and no administrative support, we - locally, we cannot meet the demand—including requests for a dedicated rely heavily on volunteers. This leads to young people missing out on support - neurodiverse group. Childhood Experiences and Exploitation+ Support Gaps or events being cancelled when supervision is insufficient. Our youth worker supports young people with complex needs, but capacity is too limited to meet demand. - Favilities: Relying on hired facilities restricts what we can offer and how often. In some cases, we have capped attendance or had to turn young people away. 10 ## PROJECTS ## OUR COMMUNITY YOUTH CENTRE Over the last 7 years we have worked with the Council to plan for a permanent youth facility in Thame. This has morphed into a Community and Youth Centre, to allow access for all ages. The Centre will have a dedicated space just for young people, whilst allowing activities to cross generations where possible. we now have an official name “Project Link”, which represents the concept of an all-inclusive centre and outside space. We have confirmed funding form the Public Works Loan Board for £3.1 million and a further £750,000 from Section 106 money. There is still a funding gap of over £1million, however we are submitting applications for lottery and SODC funding to reduce that gap. The Project team are now moving forward to appoint a builder and plan to start work in early 2027. We will be working to finalise interior plans for the youth space over the next 6 months with the young people of Thame. 11 ## ACCOUNTS ## Financial Report Year 2025-2026 The statement of accounts is as presented. Our net income for this year is a credit of £5,969 against a credit of £12,685 last year, with running costs of £40,105. We have been fortunate again with the grant from Thame Town Council which really helps towards the funding of our youth worker who is key to everything we do and is a large part of our expenses. Employment costs will be increasing again next year, and we are also taking on an additional part-time employee to help meet the increasing demands on TYPG. As this funding cannot be guaranteed each year, we are looking at other ways to help fund this through specific grants and Oxfordshire Youth. Other grants received this year were SODC Everyone Active for our February half term activities, Asda for first aid training and cooking activities, SODC Councillor grant for development of our young leaders, which has been extended into next year, and National Youth Agency for the delivery of the Thrive programme. We have had good support from the local community again with generous donations from Thame Rotary Club, Jane Coulcher concert, Connect Scaffolding, Thame Pride, Thame 10K, Thame Runners, Lucy Electrics, Thame District Round Table, Thame Partnership of Schools, Cowell’s Digital Group, Masonic Charitable Foundation, Sandra Brooks’ Christmas event and sadly donations in memory of young member of a family in our community. 12 ## ACCOUNTS We now have 5 regular donations providing about £70 a month and we are looking at ways to increase this, so we have more guaranteed regular income. Employment and hire costs for premises for our regular weekly sessions have increased this year. Income from grants and donations has covered over half of employment costs, and we have organised several fundraising events to help cover the remainder. We have changed our insurance provider and reduced our annual premium whilst still having the appropriate cover for our group, and have reviewed our fundraising and donations platforms, concentrating on those that are most cost-effective. The ways in which we promote TYPG have been increased and improved to try and make it clearer how to donate and gift aid. We are also increasing the awareness in the community of our activities, work and initiatives by attending and supporting community events, e.g. High Sheriff’s breakfast, Thame Pride, Annual Volunteers’ Fair, Thame market stall. Grant applications are still difficult in the current economic climate particularly for youth work, especially as Thame is viewed as an affluent town, but we continue to look at ways to increase our revenue. The provision of a dedicated community and youth centre for our activities will be important to the finances of the group as we plan how to grow and develop TYPG so we can continue to meet the changing and increasing needs of our young people. The signed accounts are below having been independently reviewed by Fizz Accounting Limited. Linda Smith Treasurer/Trustee 2025-2026 13 ACCOUNTS Thame Youth Projects Group (ao) Accounts year endlng Bthnce 31st March 2026 31st March 2025 Donations 19.514 J28 1.026 5.582 304 321 31.09d GTrnts Bank Interest Fundralsing Glft Akl Mlscellaneous 17A25 2.810 712 Gross IncM)e 46 53JiO Equipment InterneLIMoblle Phone Insurance Staff Training Fundralsin£ costs Rent and Roorn Hlre Computer and OffKe 52 417 818 8S9 199 2,217 98 107 d231 246 Refreshrnents Advertising and PromolM)n Employment Legal & Professoonal costs Mtscellane¢xAS 514 393 30,790 420 602 197 29.851 47 40.105 N•t IrK(X 1159 4.017 69.781 75 232 Totsl 87318 £L500 NYA lor the roll G||**Name**|**Position**|**Date (if not whole year)**|| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||| ||||||ts
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Administra
Chris Bruce-Morgan|me Youth Projects Grou
ive Information as at 31

Trustee|p CIO
March 2026
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REGISTRATION
Paul Cowell|
ETAILS Ri
Trustee|
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OVERNING DOCUMENT
Alison Fahey|egster
Thame Youth Proj

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Linda Newton|Constitution.
me Youth Projects Grou


Chair|p CIO

|| |||Administra
Alex Pazik|tive Information as at 31

Trustee|March 2026
st|| |||REGISTRATION D
OVERNING DOCUMENT
Linda Smith|ETAILS Register
Thame Youth Proj
Treasurer|ed Charity 1187553
ects Group is covered by i|| |||Sarah Welford|Constitution.
Trustee|Removed 29th April 2025|| Registered Office 36 Maple Road, Thame, OX9 2BH Bankers Nat West, 22Market Square, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1TR Independent Examiner Fizz Accounting Ltd , 6s St Andrews Court,Thame, Oxon, OX9 3WY 15 ## ADMINISTRATIVE **Structure, Governance and Management** ## Organisational Structure We operate under the governance of TYPG’s constitution. Strategic oversight is provided by a Board of Trustees, who guide the charity’s direction and ensure compliance with its legal, financial, and operational responsibilities. The charity employs one full-time member of staff to support the delivery of its services. ## Trustee Board We continue to seek committed individuals with a strong passion for youth development to join our Board of Trustees. Trustees play a pivotal role in shaping the charity's vision and ensuring effective governance. Their responsibilities include overseeing strategic planning, financial stewardship, and overall performance monitoring. In addition to these duties, Trustees act as ambassadors for us organisationally, fostering community partnerships and advocating for young people in Thame and surrounding areas. ## Objectives and activities We are a community-led charity with the core aim of providing a safe, inclusive, and engaging environment for young people. Our mission is to deliver meaningful activities and support services that encourage personal development, mental wellbeing, and social inclusion. We are committed to nurturing the potential of local youth and creating lasting, positive impact within the community. ## Tangible fixed assets Fixtures and fittings have been valued at £7,755 for insurance purposes. A detailed inventory of tangible assets is available upon request. 16 Funds and financial position These accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis, reflecting income actually received during the financial year. Income pledged but not received before yearend is excluded, in accordance with our financial policy.We maintain a formal Finance Policy and Reserves Policy, which guide the charity’s financial management and ensure sustainability. Statement of Trustee’s responsibilities The Trustees are responsible for preparing both the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and UK accounting standards (UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Charity law in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements that provide a true and fair view of the charity’s financial position and its incoming and outgoing resources for each financial year. In doing so, Trustees must: Select and apply appropriate accounting policies consistently Observe the principles set out in the Charities SORP Make reasonable and prudent judgements and estimates - Disclose and explain any departures from applicable accounting standards Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to do so Trustees are also responsible for maintaining accurate accounting records that reflect the financial position of the charity and ensure compliance with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, and the charity’s governing document. Furthermore, Trustees are charged with safeguarding the charity’s assets and taking appropriate steps to prevent fraud or other financial irregularities. Approved by the Trustees on ……………… Signed: 17 ## LOOKING FORWARD ## OUR PLANS ## **Our Plans for the Financial Year Ahead** Over the next 12 months, we have two main priorities: - 1.To maintain and strengthen our work with young people. - To do this we: - Deliver a full programme of events and activities - Further develop the Maths Club and explore partnerships to extend our academic support offer - Continue supporting Year 6 transition to help prepare pupils for their next steps - Work with local businesses to create opportunities around skills, careers, and future pathways - Grow our delivery team with paid staff and volunteers - 2.Grow and develop TYPG in preparation for the new community building - As a team, we are working with key organisations to prepare for the opening of the new community and youth centre - - We intend to make full use of the youth specific areas, including dedicated - youth spaces, breakout rooms, and kitchen facilities. A permanent, - ‑ - fit for purpose centre will allow our services to grow and enable us to offer ‑ - consistent, high quality support that meets the evolving needs of local young people - This project represents an invaluable opportunity for Thame. We firmly believe the new community and youth centre will make a significant, lasting difference to local young people and the wider community, and we strongly support its approval 18 ## FEEDBACK ## Feedback on the year “Gives your child a chance to potentially experience something new, meet new people and have fun in a safe environment.” _**Parent/Guardian**_ “My child always loves the TYP activities, they feel safe and valued and we are grateful for free activities that get them out of the house. They have grown in confidence and made new friends.” _**Parent/Guardian**_ “Such a supportive and welcoming group. Provides a safe space for youngsters which is so important. Volunteer staff are friendly and approachable. Thank you so much.” _**Parent/Guardian**_ “Thame youth/families are lucky to have you!” _**Parent/Guardian**_ g “I first started attending youth zone with my friend (who I still go with) in October 2023 when it was held every other Thursday at monkey puzzle, and it has been really nice as it is always chill (and interesting talking to the volunteers and youth workers :)) ) and the main reason me and my friend wanted to join because there aren't many (free and accessible) places for young people to hang out in Thame. Youth zone has definitely been that place for us, later on, I also started volunteering as a young leader at youth cafe, and it has been a great way for me to be able to give back that same positive experience to the younger years. Not only have i gained confidence and a sense of leadership in making sure they are having the best time, but i have also made new friends who also volunteer/ are young leaders, and it's also fun for us while we make sure the younger kids feel welcomed and have fun!!” _**Young Person**_ 19 ## CONTACT US OUR SOCIAL MEDIA **Contacts and social media** www.thameyouthprojects.org.uk www.facebook.com/thameyouthprojects www.instagram.com/thameyouthprojects/ admin@thameyouthprojects.org.uk 20