BEAM Annual Report Sept 2023
BEAM’s charitable purpose is to relieve the need of birth mothers whose children do not live permanently in their care through the provision of confidential peer to peer support group meetings, one to one meetings, telephone and online support and raising awareness of the problems facing birth mothers.
Our Vision is to provide a safe, confidential place for BEAM birth mothers to be valued, strengthened and to fulfil their potential through peer to peer support.
Our Mission is to build a network of women, groups and organisations raising awareness and support for birth mothers apart from their children.
Our Values include giving birth mothers opportunities to support one another with a determination not to judge any birth mother who comes to BEAM; the commitment to really listen to each mother and to value their ‘voice’, particularly as these are women who are often not heard; We seek to shine a light on each mother’s resilience and resourcefulness, recognising they have overcome overwhelming obstacles and trauma.
Beam ran 2 money courses throughout the year with the aid of Christians against poverty. These were incredibly useful for mothers struggling with debt and living on low incomes. For The second group we invited women from the community to also attend.
BEAM continued to run the art well-being meetings. We had previously been running them once a month but increased these to alternate Mondays due to increased funding.
BEAM was able to hire a birthmother from the charity to work as our administrative coordinator. She worked for the charity for just under a year, but then gave birth to a child. She decided to step back from employment with the charity to focus on caring for her small child.
Cherie attended the Orchard conference in Birmingham representing the charity. She was interviewed and able to raise awareness of what BEAM does.
BEAM continued to provide online well-being groups for birthmothers around the UK. This year we were able to expand to run three separate evening groups as a result of increased training and volunteers
We were invited to attend a conference with ATD 4th world in London. Birth mothers from BEAM took part in research by Essex University and Amnesty International. This report was put forward to the United Nations.
We held our annual Christmas party, which was well attended and greatly appreciated by the mothers as Christmas is a very painful time for them.
The local theatre provided tickets to the pantomime, which was greatly enjoyed by all!
As a result of the cost of living crisis BEAM applied for a local authority grant and were successful. We assisted mothers with heating their homes and buying household necessities.
Beam ran an online fundraiser in February. It was both advantageous in raising funds
but also in increasing awareness of what we do.
In the spring, the BBC ran an online article and a local tv news report on the charity. This had a huge impact on the number of enquiries to the charity. This has resulted in continuous referrals to BEAM on a weekly basis.
Cherie represented the charity at the University of Suffolk lecture in March. She spoke to students about the work of BEAM giving an insight into the support needed for mothers apart from their children.
Cherie and Shuna were interviewed by the Scottish law society in respect of the work of BEAM.
Cherie also took part in a conference on law, social work, and poverty in London.
Beam mothers were delighted by our BEAM photo shoot. They were provided with beautiful photographs of themselves taken by photographer.
A cookery event took place at Letton Hall in Norfolk. The women learned to cook a costeffective meal together and enjoy the beauty of the Hall and parkland. They were able to take away recipe cards to replicate the meal at home.
Some of the team met with a consultant psychiatrist who is interested in the work being done by BEAM.
BEAM started an additional ‘Carry on BEAMING’ group. This is for women who have completed the well-being group. An additional group was started because the other group was becoming too large.
Kintsugi Hope held a mental health conference in Chelmsford. Some of the team and birthmothers attended this which was extremely beneficial.
The annual holiday for mothers who have completed the well-being group was a great success.
| BEAM Charity Name |
BEAM Charity Name |
BEAM Charity Name |
1187918 No (if any) |
1187918 No (if any) |
1187918 No (if any) |
CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the period from |
01/01/2022 Period start date |
To | 31/12/2022 Period end date |
||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 5,557 - - - - - - - 5,557 - - - 5,557 2,158 495 256 399 1,548 539 29 69 1,603 1,014 8,110 - - - 8,110 - 2,553 - 3,899 1,346 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - 1,350 - - - - - - 1,350 - - - 1,350 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1,350 - - 1,350 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 5,557 1,350 - - - - - - 6,907 - - - 6,907 2,158 495 256 399 1,548 539 29 69 1,603 1,014 8,110 - - - 8,110 - 1,203 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||
| Donations | 5,557 | - | |||||
| Grant | - | - | |||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
5,557 | - | |||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||
| - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||
| - | |||||||
Therapeutic activities |
2,158 | - | |||||
| Supervision | 495 | - | |||||
| Insurance | 256 | - | |||||
| Subscriptions | 399 | - | |||||
| Hotel & Travel | 1,548 | - | |||||
| Telephone | 539 | - | |||||
| IT | 29 | - | |||||
| Postage | 69 | - | |||||
| Admin | 1,603 | ||||||
| Sundries | 1,014 | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 8,110 | - | |||||
| A4 Asset and investment ~~purchases (see table)~~ |
|||||||
| ~~,~~ | - | ||||||
| - | |||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | |||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||||
| - | |||||||
| - 2,553 | 1,350 | - | - 1,203 | - | |||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||
| 3,899 | - | - | 3,899 | - | |||
| 1,346 | 1,350 | - | 2,696 | - |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
27/10/2023
1
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets |
Signature Julia Farmer Details Details Brought forward fund Deficit for the year Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Bank account Details |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 3,899 - - 2,553 1,350 - 1,346 1,350 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 1,550 1,350 - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) 204 - - - - - Print Name Julia Farmer |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| Julia Farmer | Julia Farmer | 19.10.23 | |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
27/10/2023
2