ASTO CLINICS CHARITY LTD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| Contents | Page |
|---|---|
| Administratve details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisors | 2 |
| A leter from our Chair | 3 |
| Headlines | 4 |
| What is OCD, and what is the impact of OCD? | 5 |
| Our Structure | 6 |
| Our OCD Treatment programme | 7 |
| Our Vision | 8 |
| Our Team | 9 |
| Our Year in Numbers | 12 |
| Clinical Report – writen by Dr Costas Papageorgiou | 13 |
| What have people said about us? | 14 |
| Our plans for 2025/26 | 15 |
| Financial Review | 16 |
| Trustees Responsibility Statement | 17 |
| Independent Examiners Report | 18 |
| Statement of fnancial actvites | 19 |
| Balance sheet | 20 |
| Notes to the fnancial statements | 21 |
1
Administrative details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisors
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Trustees
Stephen Turnock, Chair and Treasurer Cheryl Thomas, Trustee Leslie Jones, Trustee
Registered Charity number
1190240
Independent examiners
Myeasyaccounts Apartment 403 37 Cross Street Manchester M2 4JE
Bankers
HSBC 49a Fishergate Preston PR1 8BH
2
A letter from our Chair
We have completed another successful year for Asto Clinics Charity Ltd (“Asto”), and it is with great pleasure that I present to you The Financial Statements and Annual Report for the year ending 31[st] March 2025.
For me personally, it continues to be an incredible journey from being diagnosed with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in 2018, to making a recovery from the condition, and then setting up Asto to help others get access to effective treatment for their OCD. The OCD treatment programme we run, is unique in the UK, both in terms of delivery and clinical results.
I would like to take this public opportunity to thank both the operational team members and the trustees for their support, professionalism, and diligence in the past year. Everyone works very hard to deliver the most effective pathway from the initial enquiry, through to the therapy itself. As you will see from this report, we have had some incredible clinical results, and have helped many patients take back control of their lives.
I would also like to thank the supporters of Asto for making the funds available to help people access our programme, in the vast majority of cases for free. We have received donations from individuals, businesses, and fundraising events. Without these much needed funds, we would not be able to operate in the way we do. Thank you.
My personal focus in the coming year is to make Trusts, Foundations, and Charities, aware of our work, and to raise money to ensure that we can continue our much needed service into the future.
I hope that this report gives you a clear idea of the work that we are doing, and the positive impact we are having on people who are suffering with the debilitating condition of OCD. If you would like to know more about Asto, please visit our website at www.astoclinics.com, or e-mail me at steve@astoclinics.com.
All the best,
Steve Turnock, Chair of Trustees 10[th] April 2025
3
Headlines
Since we opened our “doors” in May 2022, we have:
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Handled 1,176 enquiries from people searching for help with their OCD
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Run 185 online group therapy sessions
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Successfully treated 106 patients
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Demonstrated our programme to be clinically very effective
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Raised £277,000 to fund our OCD programme
4
What is OCD, and what is the impact of OCD?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a significant mental health problem which affects around 2% of the population. OCD symptoms tend to vary from person to person. These can include intrusive, unwanted, and difficult to control thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions) relating to harm/danger, contamination, sex, religion, need for symmetry and acts that are repeated physically or mentally (compulsions or rituals) such as cleaning/ washing, checking, counting, ordering, and many other repetitive behaviours.
It is estimated that 750,000 people are thought to be living with severe, life impacting and debilitating OCD in the UK.
In an academic study published in November 2023, it was stated that in the UK there is a total annual cost of illness to the NHS for OCD is £378m. This rises to £5.1bn when the societal perspective was considered. The largest contributor to the healthcare cost was cognitive behavioural therapy, while the societal costs were driven by lost productivity through absenteeism.
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Our Structure
Asto Clinics Charity was set up by Steve Turnock on 3[rd] July 2020, with the specific aim of helping people with the debilitating condition of OCD.
Asto Clinics Charity has a wholly owned subsidiary called Asto Clinics Ltd. It is this company that is the trading arm of our group, and employs the services of a clinical and administrative team to run our online OCD treatment programme.
The diagram below explains in more detail, how the funding of the group works.
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Our OCD Treatment programme
Our OCD Treatment Programme is a practical course that offers patients a good chance to fight against their OCD by accessing effective psychological treatment to learn to manage better or overcome this problem.
A key goal of this course is to help patients understand what keeps their OCD going and then gradually become their own therapist by learning strategies and techniques from the currently recommended and most effective psychological treatment for OCD, namely Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT) including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), as advocated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2005). This course will also incorporate other compatible innovative and proven highly effective behavioural, cognitive or metacognitive interventions for OCD
The nature of this therapeutic course not only helps patients to normalise and appreciate that you are not alone, but also to learn from other participants’ experiences of what works in the treatment of OCD.
Each course takes place weekly via Zoom, lasts for 12 weeks, with each session lasting for 2 hours, and with a maximum of 10 participants – each one of the sessions is facilitated by both an experienced consultant clinical psychologist and a former OCD sufferer.
Families, relatives or friends also have the opportunity to attend two of the sessions during the course in order to help them support the individual with OCD more effectively.
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Our Vision
To improve the mental health of people in the UK that suffer from OCD, and provide better access to effective therapy. This will be done by the provision of group therapy sessions, based on tried and tested clinical techniques of cognitive behavioural therapy, and exposure and response prevention. As we are a charity, there will be funding available for those people that don't have the means to pay for this effective treatment.
This vision is encapsulated in our “strapline”:
“For better mental health, not for profit”
This philosophy is at the centre of everything we do.
Our Approach
We also have a different approach to most clinics/therapists for our patients. Until the point of people having a clinical assessment, we refer to them as customers.
We do this to ensure that the pathway to treatment is as seamless and anxiety free as possible. We ensure that we respond quickly to messages and e-mails, and our programme coordinator, Sue, is always there to answer questions, and be a calming influence on what can be a stressful time for people.
Once people are seen by Dr Papageorgiou for a clinical assessment, this is the point at which people very much become patients, if they are suitable for our programme. Dr Papageorgiou has over 25 years experience in treating people with OCD, and is considered by many to be amongst the top clinical psychologists in the UK for the treatment of OCD.
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Our Team
Asto Clinics Charity Trustees
Steve Turnock - Chair of Trustees
Steve is a retired entrepreneur. Having been involved in a broad range of businesses in many different roles, Steve now wants to dedicate a significant proportion of his time and energy into creating more access to effective treatments for mental health issues.
Having suffered severe clinical OCD himself, Steve understands only too well the challenges an individual faces to overcome such an illness.
Steve has also held a voluntary board level position with Blackburn Youth Zone, a charity providing youth services in Blackburn.
Cheryl Thomas - Trustee
Cheryl has many years of experience in assessment and people development and has run her own consultancy business for over 28 years. Working with individuals and organisations, she is involved in all aspects of organisational development and strategy, change management, coaching individuals and teams and designing and facilitating leadership development workshops.
Cheryl has also held the role of Trustee at a local Day Hospice for 18 months which she thoroughly enjoyed and is excited about being part
of the asto team.
Leslie Jones - Trustee
Les is a Creative Director, designer, magazine publisher, working across a wide range of projects. He is also an experienced speaker and talks about creativity, innovation and marketing and branding, with a clear goal of pushing people out of their creative comfort zone and inspiring them to find different and better solutions.
Les worked with Steve at Practiceplan, and was instrumental in giving the company a new brand identity.
Les has a very different perspective than most people on most things. His insight will be invaluable to asto.
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Asto Clinics Operatonal team
Dr Costas Papageorgiou – Consultant Clinical Psychologist, and Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology
Dr Papageorgiou is a highly qualified clinical psychologist with more than 25 years of clinical and research experience working in the areas of OCD, anxiety, and depression across several settings including the National Health Service, private mental health hospitals, and numerous national and international Universities.
Dr Papageorgiou has dedicated his professional career helping individuals with OCD, anxiety and depression to overcome these problems and improve their quality of life through brief, proven, and pragmatic psychological treatments. In 2007, with the support of Karen Carlile, Sue Thorgaard and other colleagues, Dr Papageorgiou established a longstanding outpatient 12-week OCD Treatment Programme at the Priory Hospital Altrincham, where hundreds of individuals with OCD participated and gained significant benefit. Dr Papageorgiou is delighted to be part of Asto Clinics Charity, which will enable him the opportunity to improve access of effective therapies for OCD to even more people with this problem.
Karen Carlile – Programme Facilitator
Karen has a combined BA in History and Sociology, and it was after this time that she realised that she had severe OCD. In 2006, she had treatment at the Priory in Altrincham with Costas.
In 2007 after her successful recovery, she teamed up with Costas to become a facilitator for the OCD Group Programme that Costas was running at The Priory.
Karen is an essential part of the Group Programme, drawing on her own personal experience, and that of 15 years facilitating the Programme.
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Asto Clinics Operatonal team (Contnued)
Sue Thorgaard – Programme Coordinator
Sue started working as a medical secretary at The Priory Hospital Altrincham in 2004, where she was responsible for coordinating the OCD Treatment Programme since its inception in 2006 as administrator.
One of her key roles was to act as the first point of contact for patients, carers/families: listening and responding to any questions, and helping to allay any concerns. The role also involved motivating and preparing patients to engage with the assessment stage of the programme.
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Our Year in Numbers
Our OCD programme is run through our wholly owned subsidiary, Asto Clinics Ltd. We are delighted with the success of our clinic since we opened our virtual doors in May 2022.
Given below are some statistics both for the year ended 31[st] March 2025, together with the total since we opened the clinic.
| Number of Enquiries Screenings performed Clinical assessments Group sessions Patents completed treatment (See note below) |
Year ended 31st March 2025 459 94 46 69 33 |
Since 1st May 2022 1,176 262 138 185 96 |
|---|---|---|
Note: A further 10 patients completed the programme on 1[st] April 2025.
Our enquiries in the year, have been generated from a number of sources, as shown in the graphic below.
----- Start of picture text -----
6.6%
0.9% [2.2%]
2.2%
6.1%
Google
3.0%
Referral from people
Dr Papageorgiou's private clinic
6.3% Medical/counsellor
Facebook
OCD Action
Other
Unknown
72.7%
----- End of picture text -----
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Clinical Report – written by Dr Costas Papageorgiou
It has been another busy, and successful, clinical year with Asto. We continue to provide our online OCD treatment programme, and at the time of writing, we have completed 15 cohorts, and treated 106 patients. Our 16[th] cohort is underway, with 9 patients.
The need for our service is becoming more and more evident. Of the 115 patients we have currently treated, and are treating, 72% have had a course of treatment before, but with little or no improvement. We are therefore providing a specialist OCD programme, that is treating some very debilitated and anxious people.
As part of the programme, we ask each patient to complete a number of clinically relevant measures, both before the programme starts, and on completion. Using these results, including an exit interview with each patient, I can determine the clinical outcome for each patient.
I am delighted to report that our programme to date has proved to be very effective. Of the 106 patients, 68 (64.2%) have had a clinical response, meaning that their OCD symptoms have clinically improved. Of these 68 patients, 43 (40.6%) have recovered. These results are particularly encouraging against the backdrop of 75.5% of patients having tried treatment before, with little effect.
We are continuously striving to improve our programme, and are currently monitoring and measuring the effect of the patients committing to their homework between the group sessions. The data from this will inform us better as to the correlation between doing homework and clinical outcome.
In summary, a very good year, with some very encouraging results. Helping patients take back control of their life.
Dr Costas Papageorgiou
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What have patients said about us?
“Thank you so much for giving me my life back ”
“The team were excellent - so understanding and helpful”
“I would highly recommend the programme to anyone struggling with OCD as something that can and will change your life ”
“it’s been life changing for me”
“The team are exceptionally kind, knowledgeable, professional and supportive ”
“I highly recommend the Asto Clinics treatment course to anyone struggling with OCD”
“The whole team was fantastic, and I felt fully supported throughout my journey”
“ I am now living my life for the first time in years ”
“The work you do is amazing , thank you so much for all your help and support”
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Our plans for 2025/26
The year ahead will see us running more online OCD programmes. Our 15[th] programme finished on 1[st] April 2025, and our 16[th] programme is underway with 9 patients, and finishes on 20[th] May 2025. Our 17[th] programme starts on 22[nd] April 2025, with 9 patients.
When cohort 15 finished on 1[st] April 2025, we had treated 106 patients, a real milestone in our journey.
With the money we have in the bank at 31[st] March 2025, together with future committed donations, we have sufficient cash reserves to lst until well into the 2026/27 financial year. We do however need to raise more funds to safeguard our OCD treatment programme into the future.
As such we have started applying to Foundations, Trusts and Charities for financial support. To date, we have applied to 36 different bodies, and have had one successful grant of £2,000. We are still waiting to hear from 11 organisations.
Our Chairmans main focus for the coming year is fundraising.
We continue to nurture relationships with other organisations that support people suffering with OCD, and I am delighted to report that from our relationship with OCD Action, we have had 14 enquiries, of which 3 people attended our programme.
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Financial Review
We are delighted to report that including gift aid, we received £41,010 in charitable donations, and £6,199 in sponsored events. We received £3,067 in interest income, mainly from money market deposits.
We spent £73,765 on group therapy sessions, and £8,800 on clinical assessments. The group therapy and clinical assessments were provided by our wholly owned subsidiary, Asto Clinics Ltd. A further £784 was spent on expenses, comprised mainly of fees and licences.
We are therefore reporting a deficit in the year of £33,073, which was taken from reserves brought forward.
With the bank balance as of 31[st] March 2025, together with future committed donations, we have sufficient cash reserves to fund our activity, well into the financial year 2026/27.
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Trustees Responsibility Statement
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the Charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the Charity for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP
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make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in operation
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charity’s transactions, to disclose the financial position of the Charity with reasonable accuracy and to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Charity’s Constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. This report was approved by the Trustees on 24[th] April 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Steve Turnock Chair of Trustees
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Independent Examiners Report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Asto Clinics Charity Ltd for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect 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 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:
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Accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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The accounts do not accord with those records.
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 to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
J. Buffin AAT
10[th] April 2025
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Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| Total | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | ||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
| Note | £ | £ | |
| INCOME FROM | |||
| Donations and legacies | 2 | 41,010 | 51,218 |
| Charitable activites | 3 | 6,199 | 5,364 |
| Bank interest | 3,067 | 4,773 | |
| Amazon Smile | 0 | 31 | |
| TOTAL INCOME | 50,276 | 61,386 | |
| EXPENDITURE ON | |||
| Charitable activities | 4 | 83,349 | 76,306 |
| TOTAL EXPENSE | 83,349 | 76,306 | |
| NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) | (33,073) | (14,920) | |
| RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS | |||
| Total funds brought forward | 102,049 | 116,969 | |
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 68,976 | 102,049 |
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Balance Sheet
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| 2025 Note £ CURRENT ASSETS Cash at bank 6 68,976 |
2024 £ 102,049 |
|---|---|
| 68,976 | 102,049 |
| CURRENT LIABILITIES Amounts falling due within one year 0 |
0 |
| 0 | 0 |
| NET ASSETS 68,976 |
102,049 |
| CHARITY FUNDS Restricted funds 0 Unrestricted funds 68,976 |
0 102,049 |
| TOTAL FUNDS 68,976 |
102,049 |
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Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
1.1. Basis of preparation of financial statements
The financial statements have been prepared to give a ‘true and fair’ view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a ‘true and fair’ view. This departure has involved following the Charities SORP (FRS 102) published on 16 July 2014 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and Charities Act 2011. OCD Action constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
1.2. Income
All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, and it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
1.3. Expenditure
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Costs of generating funds are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds. Charitable activities and Governance costs are costs incurred on the charity’s educational operations, including support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities.
1.4. Interest receivable
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.
1.5. Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
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1.6. Cash at bank and at hand
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
1.7. Fund accountng
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. All of our funds are unrestricted.
1.8 Going concern
After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.
| 2 INCOME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES 2025 £ Donations 40,263 Gift aid 747 |
2024 £ 51,193 25 |
|---|---|
| 41,010 | 51,218 |
| 3 CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES 2025 £ Sponsored activites 4,979 Gift aid 1,220 |
2024 £ 5,314 50 |
| 6,199 | 5,364 |
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| 4 EXPENSES | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Group therapy sessions | 73,765 | 67,519 |
| Clinical assessments | 8,800 | 8,000 |
| Accounting software | 431 | 397 |
| Fundraising Regulator fees | 50 | 41 |
| Justgiving fees | 209 | 277 |
| Bank Charges | 60 | 59 |
| Company House Fees | 34 | 13 |
| 83,349 | 76,306 |
5 EMPLOYEES
There were no employees during the year (2024 none)
During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or any benefits in kind (2024 - £nil)
6 CASH AT BANK
Any excess cash held over and above the requirement for the coming month is put on the money market for one month with HSBC.
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