**Charity Registration Number:** **1188611 -** 18.03.2020 ## **UK Veterans Hearing Foundaton Trustees Annual Report** ## **- April 2023 April 2024** ## **Charity Location:** 6 New Buildings Hinckley Leicestershire LE10 1HW **Chairman** - Mr Paul Bennett **Founder-** Mrs Samantha Bennett (Founder has stepped down, but is still actively supporting the charity) Mr. Paul Bennett and Mrs. Samantha Bennett, the founders of the charity and the successful business owners of Hear4U & Healthscreen Ltd (BHHC), not only contribute their professional knowledge but also support the Foundation by offering office space, utilities, IT services, and marketing assistance. Additionally, they actively participate in our fundraising efforts. ## **Trustees:** **Mr Nick Mercer, Mrs Tyler Woolman, Mr Steve Birdsall, Mr Andy Kittsen, Mrs Elin** ## **Tattersall** Three of our trustees, including our chairman, have a unique bond as they are all ex-soldiers who served together in the same sub-unit. With diverse post-military backgrounds, they bring valuable knowledge and experience to the board. In an effort to promote diversity, we have successfully added members with non-military backgrounds and female representation. The board holds quarterly meetings to discuss, review, and plan actions, as well as to celebrate achievements. In 2024, the UKVHF will actively be looking for more Trustees to join our board with a range of skill sets to participate in the growth of the charity. ## **Manager:** ## **Mrs Chloe Knott** Chloe has run the charity since 2020, demonstrating remarkable passion and determination in her position, increasingly using her initiative whilst still receiving continuous support from the chairman, team and trustees; and from Autumn 2022 an external fundraising consultant. Chloe's responsibilities encompass a wide range of tasks, from basic administration to representing the charity to donors and managing grant applications. She has invested significant effort in launching and operating our online shop, which specialises in selling donated evening and formal wear. This initiative not only raises our profile within the UK but also generates a steady income for our charitable activities. **"It has been a challenging time for the charity, considering the lack of support available** **for this specific need, which is disheartening. As we enter our fifth year as a charity, we remain committed to pushing forward, as we strive to secure the substantial funding required to assist all the waiting veterans," says Chloe Knott** Additionally, we have recently welcomed 2 part time staff members, to our team working alongside Chloe. Which means the UKVHF currently has 1 full time and 2 part time staff supporting our charitable objectives. ## **The beginning of the UKVHF Charity** The UK Veterans Hearing Foundation (UKVHF) originated as a not-for-profit community interest company known as the UK Veterans Hearing Help. The organisation previously provided support to over 500 veterans. Our foundation stands out for its innovative approach, being the **only** charity dedicated to fulfilling the specific needs we address. This distinction is particularly remarkable given the high demand for our services. The need for our services became even more apparent when the Royal British Legion Hearing Fund opened in 2016, resulting in a surge of applications for hearing aid funding. Unfortunately, that fund closed in 2019, leaving many veterans without expected assistance. As a result, they have turned to us in desperate need of hearing support. We have been devoted to providing them with top-quality hearing assessments, equipment, and support services. In collaboration with tinnitus specialists, we aim to improve the quality of life for veterans as they transition into civilian life post-service. Our efforts extend to addressing issues related to hearing damage, such as isolation, loneliness, mental wellbeing, and the maintenance of healthy relationships. We recognise the importance of these aspects for veterans, whether during retirement, for the well-being of their families, or to access employment and compete with individuals without hearing disabilities. ## **- Supportng Veterans in Accessing High Quality Hearing Equipment and** ## **Clinical Care** 1. Supporting veterans to get funding for appropriate hearing equipment and clinical treatments remains the top priority for our Foundation. 2. Financial Support: - Year 1: £98,361.00 - Year 2: £66,904.00 - Year 3: £88,960.00 - Year 4: £76,583.00 ## **Total: £330,808** Our dedicated Foundation Manager has successfully raised funds to sustain our operations. The majority of these funds have been allocated to serving our patients on the waiting list. Consequently, we have been able to provide hearing equipment and essential clinical support to veterans. We have dedicated much of our effort in 2023/24 to widening our sources of support to make us less dependent on a few large donors. This succeeded throughout 2023 **with 27 donors.** However, of small amounts causing a decrease in our annual return this year. We continue consolidating new relationships. 3. Sustainable Equipment Practices: Through our close commercial relationship with equipment manufacturers, we have established a pre-loved hearing pathway in 2023. This innovative approach allows us to refurbish, reprogram, and reuse used equipment for our waiting veteran patients. This new pathway has enabled our charity to support more veterans this year than in previous years, twice the numbers in fact! ## **Advocatng for Mental Health Support for Deaf Veterans** At our foundation, we hold a deep conviction in providing services that are currently unavailable through the NHS. We have honed our expertise in guiding our patients towards additional sources of assistance for various challenges, including: - Tinnitus - Isolation - Mental health issues (including the amplification of PTSD due to hearing-induced isolation) Furthermore, we are aware of the employment implications of hearing loss and have successfully aided numerous veterans in regaining or maintaining employment. These consequences stemming from impaired hearing are significant concerns for us, and we strive to address them, as they appear to receive limited attention from other military charities. ## **Overview of Year 4 -April 2023-April 2024** 1. The charity contunies to work to and with a 5-year strategy that considers the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation to foster continuous growth. 2. Ongoing efforts are being made to conduct updated and relevant research on hearing loss for veterans. At the beggining of 2024 we launched our very own survey to collect data to form our own reasearch to support our charitable aims and objectives. 3. The charity has made fundraising improvements in this past year, from outdoor market - stalls to coffee mornings, supermarket collections and we have provisions for fundraising events throughout 2024 and upcoming future events. 4. With the support of our Fundraising Consultant we have been successful in securing grants to support the numerous veterans in our waiting system, as well as to further our charitable aims, research, and core costs. Focusing on targeted research and acquiring regular or larger donations the UKVHF have raised over £60,000 in grants. We provide comprehensive reports on grant outcomes, including end-of-grant fund reports that are submitted to donors, showcasing the impact achieved through each grant. This approach has led to repeat grants. We continue to apply for grants. 5. We have been actively raising our profile within the local community to garner support and donations from local charitable groups and funds. 6. To better serve our existing patients on the waiting list, we have analysed the profiles in our database. This analysis enables us to gain a deeper understanding of the distribution of our patient cohort based on factors such as location, service, regiment or branch, employment group, age, type of hearing injury, whether they use NHS equipment, and whether they have claimed compensation under the various Armed Forces Compensation Schemes. This allows us to target donations specific to the veteran’s home location and/or profession or trade. 7. We continue to highlight where NHS’ provision has fallen short and advise veterans on what the NHS **should** be providing for them. ## **Online Shop** 1. The online shop has traded well in difficult conditions and maintains its revenue level. We continue to evaluate its growth by comparing annual data. We have successfully secured funds for the third year since the launch of the shop. 2. The UKVHF are delighted to continue welcomeing new volunteers who will contribute to the smooth running of the online shop. Our volunteer will be responsible for contacting suppliers, establishing partnerships, and ensuring an adequate stock inventory to support increased sales. 3. Moving forward, we are setting realistic targets for the next year of the shop’s operation to guide our efforts and help us achieve continued growth. 4. We have made updates to our website, including new hosting, updates, and plugins to enhance its performance. These improvements ensure a better user experience for visitors to our online shop. ## **Achievements** 1. Since 2020, the UK Veterans Hearing Foundation has provided support and funding to over 100 veterans, assisting them in accessing vital hearing services. 2. We have successfully applied for grants for which we are eligible, and successfully received several awards, enabling us to further our mission and expand our reach. 3. Our efforts have yielded positive results in improving the mental health of veterans who have received our support. 4. We have been fortunate to receive generous donations of top-of-the-range hearing equipment and free services from manufacturers, enhancing our ability to provide the best possible care to our beneficiaries. 5. The online charity shop has been a resounding success, generating income to support the Foundation's activities and initiatives. 6. We have continued to make significant strides in raising awareness about the prevalence of hearing injuries among veterans and shedding light on the plight of our over 1,500 waiting patients who were left unfunded when the Royal British Legion Hearing Fund closed in 2019. ## **Reserves Policy and Sustainability** The Foundation benefits from the generous support of our chairman, who provides in-kind assistance by covering the majority of our office-related expenses, utilities, and business support. This support greatly contributes to our sustainability as an organisation. Our trustees are actively working towards maintaining a reserve fund equivalent to approximately six months of running costs. This reserve fund is essential to cover wages and necessary direct debits required for the smooth functioning of the Foundation. Looking ahead, grants from Trusts and Foundations will have to play a significant role in the UKVHF. Currently, we are on the right path and such grants represent 90% of our annual income for the period 2023-2024. ## **Our Challenge** Our greatest challenge is that the veterans hearing loss community is large, whereas NHS provision is patchy. The creation of the RBL Hearing fund exposed a backlog of patients being inadequately supported or not supported at all and unfortunately the Fund closed having used up all funds without meeting all the demand and leaving thousands of veterans expecting help. The main military charities which receive 85% of military charity donations each year, realised even they cannot support hearing cases and have to rely on the NHS. They regard our services as ‘private healthcare,’ which it is COBSEO policy not to fund lest it trigger claims for various medical needs such as hips, knees, cataracts, and others, and they would be overwhelmed by the demand. To treat our existing waiting veterans alone would require £8 million, while the estimated 300,000 hearing-impaired veterans (according to the 2014 RBL Lost Voices report) might a staggering £1,050 million to treat. The RBL’s Poppy Appeal is the largest fundraiser in the military charity sector, generating only £70-90 million annually. So, the sector is unable to fund the substantial demand to fully support this area. **Yet while the ‘big 5’ military charities refuse to treat deafness as an urgent issue, the NHS lacks the capacity and manpower to adequately address it. As a result, the Veterans Hearing Foundation remains the sole charity dedicated to addressing the needs of military service-induced hearing loss, placing us under increased scrutiny and highlighting the importance of our work, where the NHS falls short. We highlight the needs and where we are able to receive funding, we fill the gaps in equipment and clinical provision.** ## **Outcome of Financial Year** The financial year has shown a decrease in Year 4 compared to Year 3, and the reasons behind this rise have been thoroughly explained within this report. While we are eager to resume accepting patients onto our database, it is essential that we have a realistic prospect of securing funding to provide them with the necessary help. We are committed to ensuring that our resources are utilised effectively to support the waiting patients who rely on us. Throughout 2023, we have made significant progress, driven by a strengthened board and our dedicated fundraising team. We are confident that the various initiatives we have undertaken will not only raise our profile but also generate funds to assist our waiting patients. Unfortunately, we lack confidence that the necessary resources and training will be allocated to the NHS to address this urgent need swiftly. As we strive to secure additional resources, it is disheartening to acknowledge that over 1,500 patients from 2019 continue to wait in silence, now entering their sixth year of waiting. ## **2024-2025 Aims for the UKVHF** The UK Veterans Hearing Foundation has developed a comprehensive five-year strategy 2023-2027 with the aim of becoming the leading voice for veterans' hearing loss. This strategy is based on the valuable data and insights we have gathered over the past three years. Our primary focus is to continue seeking grants to support the veterans currently awaiting assistance within our system, as well as pursuing our other charitable objectives and advancing new research initiatives. We are committed to producing relevant and contemporary research on veterans' hearing loss, which will enable us to create an updated report similar to the impactful "Lost Voices" publication. This report will showcase the connections between hearing loss, tinnitus, and mental health, providing crucial facts and statistics specific to veterans and their hearing-related challenges. Utilising this report, we will strengthen our grant applications and inspire increased donations. To enhance our visibility and reach, we have devised strategies to expand our profile within both local communities and on a national scale. This involves establishing partnerships with other charities and actively networking within the business community. We are also engaging in dialogue with defense suppliers, advocating for their support and financial contribution to our cause. In addition, we are committed to increasing our presence on various marketing platforms and exploring opportunities to collaborate with fundraising consultants and volunteers. Their expertise and dedication will play a pivotal role in the growth of our online shop and the overall success of the Foundation. Our ultimate aspiration is to be recognised by COBSEO as the authoritative voice on military service-related hearing issues. As a charity, we strive to be the beacon of support for veterans facing hearing loss, serving as their primary resource in times of need. CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGIANO ANO WALES UK Veterans Hearing Foundation 118B611 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from 6th April 2023 5th Awil 2024 Section A Receipts and payments Unre$tri¢ted fund5 Restricted Endowment funds Total funds Last year to n•4re¥t th• nearost £ to the nearest£ to the nearB8t£ ¢0 Ihv n•wr•8t £ A1 Recelpt5 Giant5 Donation6 Shop 64.000 6,81 5,773 64.OOD 6,810 5.773 6&DOO 12,950 Sub total(Gross in¢om& forAR) A2 Asset and Investment sales. (See table). 76,583 76,583 88.960 Sub total Total r8C01pts 76,583 76,583 88,960 A3 Payments Advertising Cost o15ales Subcon1fae￿Ts DDnalion Gifl Posl & stat￿n Sundry Wages Accounlancy Cornputèr sDINYare 4,915 28,846 1.91 ZS.B46 16.700 4,393 8.252 1.417 12 43,229 600 1.417 120 43,229 EOO 1,395 99 26N15 600 548 390 S28 40ty 400 Bank char Sub total 96,755 64,750 A4 A55el and investment purchases, (see table) Sub total 96,755 96,755 64.750 Net ofreceipts/(paymentsJ A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash fund5 last year end Cash funds thls year end 20,172 20,172 24,210 79,784 59,611 79,784 59,611 55,573 79,784 CCXX Rl accounts ISSI 0210512024 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period un￿strICted funds ¢0 nEètESt£ Restricted funds to neare8t£ Endowment funds to n•Jre81 £ Categories Details B1 Cash funds Cutr9nl account 59,504 P?ypal account 107 H4U Total cash funds 59,611 IByFeebe*￿eY￿1h rweIWS￿d pgymJThts Unrestricted lunds to tloèr*sl £ Regtricted funds l• Dwarnst £ Endowment funds to ho&f•st £ Detsi15 Fund to whlch •#*ei belon Currentwdlue Iloni Details Cost lopt1p￿Ill B3 Investment assets Fund to whl¢h asset belon Cllrrènt value Details Cost loption•ll B4 Asset5 retained for the harity's own use Fund to whlth relkt•s ount dtse Wlwn due Detalls B5 Liabilitles Signed by coe or tbvo Iru51ees on behalf of all the Iruslees Dale of roval Signature Print Name CCXX R2 account5 IS51 0210512024 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl memb9rs of UK VeleTans Hearing Foundation On accounts forthe year ended 61h April 2024 Charity no lif any) 1188611 Set out on pages 34 I report lo the Iruslees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {"Ihe Trust I for the year ended 0610412024. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordan￿ with the Charities Act 2011 {"the Act"). I report in respeet of my examination of the Trust'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 145151(bl of the Act. Independent I have completed rry examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come lo my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause lo believe that in. any material respect,. the accounting records were not kept In accordance with section 130 of the Act., or the accounts did not accord with the acGounling TecoTds,' or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts sel out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'tnJe and fail view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have corne across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached Signed: Date.. 0210512024 Nam•: Slephen Foster Relevant professional qualifl¢ationlsl or body lif any).. ACA Addre5$: S11 The Atkins Building, Lower Bond Street, Hinckley, Lei¢esler, LE10 1 QU IER October 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC32, Independer)l examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidan￿ for examiners). Give here details of any items that the examiner shes to disclose. IER October 2018 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examingr's Report Report to the trusteesl mernbers of UK Veterans Hearing Foundation On accounts for the year ended 6" April 2024 Charity no (if any) 1188611 Set out on pages 34 I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {'Ihe Trust") for the year ended 0610412024. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basi$ of report accounts in accordance with the Charities Acl 2011 ('Ihe Act"}. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carrled out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examinalion. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)Ibl of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come lo my attention in connection with the exarrinalion which gives me cause lo believe that in, any material respect,. the accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Act,. or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable 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 fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no cOn￿rnS and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in this report in order lo enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached Signed: Date.. 0210512024 Name: Stephen Foster Relevant professional qualificationls) or body {if any): ACA Address: S11 The Atkins Building, Lower Bond Street, Hinckley, Leicester, LE10 1 QU IER October 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs lo highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. direclions and guidance for examiners). Give here details of any items that the examinar wishes to disclose. IER October 2018