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2025-03-31-accounts

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REHABIT Charity number: 1188034

ANNUAL REPORT

FOR YEAR ENDING MARCH 2025

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS
Trustees’ annual report 1
Contents page 2
Structure, governance and management 3
Reference and administra�on details 3
Aims and objec�ves 4
Ac�vi�es, achievements and performance (includes guiding note) 4-8
Financial review 8
Declara�on 9
Independent examiner’s report on the accounts 10
Sec�on A: Independent examiner’s report 10
Receipts and payments accounts 11
Receipts and payments 11
Statement of assets and liabili�es at end of the period 12
Notes on accounts 13

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 01-04-24 to 31-03-25

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

Trustees and board

This year, we were pleased to bolster our board with the three new trustees, each bringing a specialism and leadership area: finance, law, and social care. And Keshini Rajendra started with us as a peer supporter before becoming a trustee.

Sean Robinson con�nues to serve as CEO and a board member. The board is supported by four advisors: a psychologist, a surgeon, a social care director, and our newest member, a dual diagnosis prac��oner. The psychologist leads our counselling input at triage mee�ngs, where the dual diagnosis prac��oner also plays an ac�ve role.

ac�vi�es. This role is being ac�vely developed to build capacity and strengthen day-to-day delivery.

The board decided to move our AGM to 3 June 2025 so that it aligns with our annual report and accounts submission. From here on, our AGMs will be in June.

Reference and administra�on details

The charity is registered as Rehabit and our charity number is 1188034.

Our registered address is: Voluntary Ac�on Islington, 200a Pentonville Road, Islington, N1 9JP.

This address was changed on 31 March 2025 and for most of the year the address was: Space4. 113-115 Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, London, N4 3HH.

Policies

It became clear that given the nature of our service – and the fact that many involved with the charity are either in recovery from addiction or have a personal connection to it – we needed robust policies to manage the potential relapse of a trustee, employee or volunteer, particularly in cases where it might go undisclosed.

After finding no suitable templates online and learning that the Charity Commission was unaware of any existing examples, we developed four bespoke policies tailored to different roles and scenarios. We have agreed to share these with the Charity Commission to support others facing similar challenges.

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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The Charity Commission approved our request to update our charitable objects to:

FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT TO RELIEVE THE NEED OF THOSE SUFFERING FROM DRUG AND/OR ALCOHOL ADDICTION, OR THOSE AT RISK OF BECOMING ADDICTED TO DRUGS AND/OR ALCOHOL IN PARTICULAR, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH THE PROVISION OF PEER SUPPORT AND COUNSELLING.

The aims of Rehabit are to help those in north London struggling with drugs or alcohol, who have no or limited funds, and who don’t need a medical detox. We do this, primarily, by providing free addic�on counselling for those who can’t afford it, and peer support from those with lived experience of addic�on.

ACTIVITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

objects. The trustees have followed the charity commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Strategic summary

Our strategy this year was to con�nue developing and gently growing our counselling and peer support offer to help more beneficiaries. We have done this primarily by immersing ourselves in Islington and building strong rela�onships with partners and frontline organisa�ons, being ac�vely involved in volunteering networks, and establishing our name within the community. Based on posi�ve feedback from our peers and partners, and it’s clear that our reputa�on is going from strength to strength.

focus on individuals falling through the cracks or caught in systemic cycles. This targeted approach has strengthened our reputa�on in Islington, where we are now recognised as a complementary partner to Be�er Lives, the borough’s established drug and alcohol service.

By inves�ng in rela�onships we have found that more of our referrals convert to peer support and counselling as our partners understand our service and who we can help.

Journey to Excellence award and being invited to their 35th anniversary event, where we were one of ten small chari�es presented to their patron, HRH Princess Anne.

Counselling and peer support development

We remained focused on providing free counselling and peer support to our clients, with some also benefi�ng from tailored advocacy services.

The majority of our clients now come from Islington and depending how funding looks in 2025-26, we will adopt the same immersive approach to Camden.

We’re con�nuing to work closely with the Primary Mental Health Team and Talking Therapies in Haringey, and we’ll carry those insights with us as we start building new rela�onships in Camden, drawing on the shared strengths we’ve found with Islington and Be�er Lives.

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We also introduced clearer parallel pathways for clients with co-occurring condi�ons (dual diagnosis). This development took two forms. First, we integrated wellbeing ac�vi�es – such as working with partners to provide coaching for employment or life goals – alongside peer support and counselling. Second, in collabora�on with a mental health partner, we created a pathway that enabled a client to access specialist support from a personality disorder team, which had previously been unavailable due to their substance use. In 2024–25, we intend to pursue this dual diagnosis approach with greater rigour and planning, working closely with selected clients to co-design a repeatable model.

We have added three counsellors to our team. A former senior addic�on counsellor at a major private rehab in north London, and two placement counsellors, one of whom is a doctoral candidate.

One of our longer-term counsellors who has experience and training in relapse preven�on and managing reduc�on has begun taking clients who need specific support in their recovery before they start the counselling phase. This is in its early days and we’re monitoring its progress closely. Clients who are offered this specific recovery and relapse preven�on service this are rigorously reviewed via our triage process.

Sustaining our cohort of peer supporters is an ongoing challenge, but we’re pleased to report that this year we welcomed nine new individuals to the team. Two have since moved on to pursue careers in the recovery field, which we see as a posi�ve outcome of their �me with us. We currently have seven fully onboarded peer supporters, with another preparing to join shortly.

In addi�on, we’ve welcomed a new community navigator volunteer who will play a regular role at our community drop-in sessions and act as a representa�ve of Rehabit within the wider community. Ini�ally, their focus will be on suppor�ng Islington’s Access Hub, with the poten�al to extend to the Copenhagen Food Bank.

offer for our clients. We an�cipate this star�ng properly in 25-26.

We are pleased to have placed 21 new clients in counselling this year, exceeding our target of 20 by one. And six people completed their journey with us clean and sober.

We had 69 referrals of whom 55 received some level of peer support, counselling or guidance to another service. We currently have 33 clients receiving peer support (either pre-counselling, in counselling too, or post-counselling), and 21 people are receiving counselling (this includes three from the previous year).

We have also guided four clients to Be�er Lives once it became clear that they needed a detox or a fully managed reduc�on programme that we can’t offer.

Category Number Notes
New clientsplaced in counselling 21 Target was 20
Clients who completed their journey
clean/sober		 6
Total referrals received 69
Referrals who received support 55 Peer support, counselling, or signposting to
another service

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Current clients receiving peer support 33 Includes pre-, during, and post-counselling
stages
Current clients receivingcounselling 21 Includes three continuingfrompreviousyear
Clients guided to Better Lives 4 Referred for detox or structured reduction
support not offered byus

One client began a Bright Lives coaching programme to overlap with his counselling, and another has been accepted to start with them when his counselling finishes.

A client with major trust issues and who had previously rejected advocacy support from other services accepted it from us and this prevented escala�on of a life-threa�ng medical problem. The client, having struggled with so many borough services, is now lined up for specialist mental health support.

And a client with severe ADHD and trauma reduced from crack cocaine to medically-prescribed cannabis and a�er counselling was also referred to specialist mental health support. While not technically abs�nent, this was considered a posi�ve outcome.

Fundraising

Our approach was primarily applying for grants and we were successful in ge�ng the following grants:

Funding covered our CEO role, counselling costs, and opera�ons. We are also ready to look at other fundraising ac�vi�es and will explore this with vigour once we appoint a trustee with fundraising experience – we are ac�vely looking at the �me of this report. It’s important given our size and limited resources that we run fundraising ac�vi�es with a worthwhile return on investment.

Stakeholders and rela�onships

We con�nued our push into Islington and strengthened rela�onships with Help on Your Doorstep, Single Homeless Project (SHP), Age UK, Mind Islington, GP Federa�on and social prescribers, Core Services, Manor Gardens, Hillside Clubhouse, Stuart Low Trust, People’s Recovery Project and others. We have also built good rela�onships with the drug and alcohol commissioner and the public health team.

Our CEO was invited to be on the advisory body for Voluntary Ac�on Islington (VAI) and is a regular on the leadership sessions hosted by Cripplegate. We are present and ac�ve in the networks run by Bright Lives and Voluntary Ac�on Islington. We also par�cipated in change workshops exploring access to mental health services and process reviews.

We con�nued to give presenta�ons on our services to other organisa�ons and ran addic�on awareness training sessions to educate fellow organisa�ons on some of the myths around addic�on. These sessions are always very well-received.

short film about addic�on and recovery. We are providing consultancy and support ge�ng grants, and we will benefit from the final product that will raise awareness of the challenges around addic�on.

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Marke�ng communica�ons and social media

means of genera�ng client referrals.

Over the year, we have received many compliments for our new name and brand – memorable, visible and relevant.

Following a review of our social media ac�vity, we concluded that the return on investment does not currently jus�fy the effort involved, par�cularly given the nature of the services we provide. As such, we have taken the decision to close our Twi�er/X account on moral and ethical grounds, and to discon�nue our use of Instagram, which has proven more burdensome than beneficial.

We con�nue to maintain a minimal presence on Blue Sky and use LinkedIn selec�vely, as needed. This approach remains under regular review, and we plan to revisit our digital engagement strategy when we begin to more ac�vely target commercial organisa�ons for sponsorship and funding. We refreshed our material and created a gatefold leaflet, flyers and two pop-up stands, as well as material for our community events.

Pilot programme in the community

In light of the posi�ve momentum generated by our unique community contribu�on and the growing rela�onships in Islington, the board made a strategic decision to discon�nue plans for the pilot originally scheduled for October–November where we intended to host a hybrid in-person/virtual recovery programme. This decision was further supported by two emerging trends: most prospec�ve beneficiaries of the programme also needed detox services, which remain outside our scope of provision; and were generally those who struggled to work in a group environment.

While not an easy decision, we felt this was the right thing to do and a�er 18 months of Rehabit, we now have clarity on our service, how we target beneficiaries, and how we wish to grow.

peer support and counselling. We agreed with the main funder that we could repurpose the restricted funding to provide ongoing peer support and counselling, and host community events.

Community events and drop-ins

We hosted an event at Jean Stokes Community Centre aimed at the friends, family and community of people struggling with drugs and alcohol. We were joined by Bright Lives, Minds Ma�er, and Totally Flawed. There were 40+ people in a�endance and feedback was posi�ve. As well as connec�ng directly with the community, it reinforced rela�ons with exis�ng partners and created the opportunity to develop new ones.

We ran a couple of sessions for residents at St George’s in Islington and a�ended The Manna and Union Chapel to work out how we could sustain a presence there. We are pleased to have taken on a community navigator volunteer, former manager at The Manna, who will be the charity’s presence at Islington’s Access Hubs and poten�ally Copenhagen food banks.

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Client system

As our client base is gradually increasing we invested in a new client system, Advice Pro, to replace Google Drive. We are currently trialling this to see if it will be effec�ve for us.

FINANCIAL REVIEW AND TREASURER’S REPORT

In the financial year ending 31 March 2025, Rehabit recorded a total income of £54,700, comprising £53,905 in grant income, £492 in interest and £303 in other income. This reflects our continued success in securing support from a range of funders, including the National Lottery Awards for All, Oak Fund, London Catalyst and others.

Total expenditure was £45,609, including:

This resulted in an operating surplus of £9,091, increasing our total retained reserves to £39,288, all held in cash across our current and savings accounts.

Throughout the year, the board maintained a cautious but proactive approach to financial management. We ensured restricted funds were used appropriately in line with funder agreements. Where necessary, following the cancellation of a planned pilot programme, we worked with funders to successfully reallocate funds to extend counselling and peer support.

The treasurer’s focus has been on how Rehabit can grow sustainably, ensuring we can support more people without compromising the delivery of our core services. This includes growing our reserves and broadening our income streams — particularly through trustee-led fundraising — to strengthen the charity’s financial resilience.

The board plans to formalise a reserves policy, with an initial aim of maintaining unrestricted reserves equivalent to at least three months’ core operating costs, recognising that this is a prudent measure for ensuring the charity’s financial resilience. However, given Rehabit's current income and expenditure pattern, this target will be approached incrementally over time as resources allow, without compromising service delivery. Should reserves fall below the desired level, the board will meet promptly to agree actions to protect the charity’s financial stability, including a potential reduction in operating costs or services if necessary. The reserves policy will be reviewed and formally adopted by the board to help ensure Rehabit remains financially sustainable in the longer term.

We remain mindful of the risks associated with relying on short-term grant funding and will continue to explore opportunities for income diversification during 2025–26. It is a key focus for the board that Rehabit maintains a strong and stable financial position, enabling us to plan confidently for the future and deliver lasting impact.

All financial records for the year have been reconciled and verified. No legacy issues remain, and the board is satisfied that the charity’s finances are well-managed, transparent and robust.

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Declara�on

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity:

Signature(s):

Full name: Dave Smith

Posi�on: Chair of Trustees

Date: 2 June 2025

io INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT Independent examlner's report to the trustees of Rehabit Charltable Incorporated Or8anlsation I'the CIO'I I rewrt to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of CIO for the year ended 31, March 2025. Respon5ibilitie5 and basis of report As the charity trustees of the CIO. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111.the Act'l. I report in respett of my examination of the CIO'S 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 14515llbl of the Act. Independent examlner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention irh connection with the examination 8ivin8 me cause to believe that in any material respect- accounting records were not kept it) respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act,. or the accounts do not accord with those records. I have noeoncems and have eomeatross no other matters in connectr.on with the examinatr.on to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Lee MatheTS MIA8, MCIOF (Certl Positive Community Finance Ltd 7 Scholars Rise Stokenchurch Buckinghamshire HP14 3FL 26, May 2025

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REHABIT

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 31 MARCH 2025

Unrestricted
Funds
2025
£
Income Receipts
Donations, legacies and grants
30,405
Interest Received
492
Other Income
303
Total Receipts
31,200
Expenditure Payments
Cost of Charitable Activities
8,196
Cost of Administrative Activities
80
Total Payments
8,276
Net Receipts/(Payments) for the year
22,924
Transfers between funds
-
Total funds brought forward from previous
year
10,197
Total funds carried forward at the end of
the year
33,121		 Restricted
Funds
2025
£
23,500
-
-
23,500
36,898
435
37,333
(13,833)
-
20,000
6,167		 Total
Funds
2025
£
53,905
492
303
54,700
45,094
515
45,609
9,091
-
30,197
39,288		 Total
Funds
2024
£
25,430
109
25,539
11,868
470
12,338
13,201
-
16,996
30,197

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REHABIT

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILLIES AT 31 MARCH 2024

Notes
Cash Funds
Cash at bank and in hand
Represented by funds
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
National Lottery
London Catalyst
The Martin Geddes Charitable Trust
Pilot Project
Private Benefactor
CEO/GM Role		 2025
£
39,288
39,288
33,121
1,960
596
3,611
-
39,288		 2024
£
30,197
30,197
11,197
-
10,000
10,000
30,197

There were no related party transactions and no trustee expenses have been reimbursed. No remuneration was payable to any of the trustees.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees:

Signature: Name: Dave Smith Date of Approval 2 June 2025

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REHABIT NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 31 MARCH 2025

Note 1: Basis of Prepara�on

Charitable Incorporated Organisa�ons (General) Regula�on 2012 and Chari�es Act 2011.

Income Receipts

All material incoming resources have been included on a receivable basis i.e. they are included if the date received falls within the period covered by these accounts.

Expenditure Payments

Going Concern

The Trustees assess whether the use of going concern is appropriate (for example, whether there are any material uncertain�es related to events or condi�ons that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to con�nue as a going concern). The Trustees make this assessment in respect of a period of one year from the date of approval of the financial statements. The charity is opera�ng on a going concern basis.

Fund Accoun�ng

Unrestricted funds are dona�ons and other income received or generated by the charity's charitable purposes. Restricted general funds are to be used for specific purposes as set out by the funder/donor.