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2021-03-31-accounts

Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Brighter Together Annual Report and Financial Statements for Year Ending 31[st] March 2021

17 Trowlock Avenue, Teddington, TW11 9QT

Registered Charity 1190557

Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Contents

From the Chair.......................................................................................3 Charitable Aims and Objectives..............................................................4 How we deliver our aims and objectives..................................................4 How we adapted to the pandemic...........................................................5 Summary of Activity...............................................................................6 Impact..................................................................................................6 Care Home Residents:.......................................................................................7 Children:............................................................................................................7 Fundraising Activity...............................................................................8 Funders.................................................................................................8 Pro-bono Support..................................................................................8 Volunteer Support.................................................................................8 Financial Review....................................................................................9 Expenditure.......................................................................................................9 Risk Assessment................................................................................................9 Reserves Policy................................................................................................10 Going Concern.................................................................................................10 Structure, Governance and Management...............................................10 Status and Governing Document....................................................................10 Charity.............................................................................................................10 Governance and Internal Control....................................................................11 Future Plans and Aims..........................................................................11 Legal and Administrative Details..........................................................12 Registered name and address.........................................................................12 Registered charity number..............................................................................12 Trustees Board.................................................................................................12 Bankers...........................................................................................................12 Statement of Trustees Responsibilities............................................................12 Statement of financial activities...........................................................14 Balance sheet......................................................................................15 Notes to the Accounts..........................................................................16

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

From the Chair

This year has been a year like no other. Isolation, fear, and anxiety have been ever present, and yet there have been rainbows, celebrations of those on the frontline and pride in how our communities have rallied together. The overriding experience for so many of us was the understanding of our basic need for human connections and the importance that relationships are to our wellbeing.

As an organisation, we were among the first to take our intergenerational sessions online, believing that doing something, would be better than doing nothing. But we weren't prepared for how beneficial a 30-minute online session could be! The smiles were wonderful, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We've heard how our sessions impacted the mood and behaviour of care home residents far beyond our weekly sessions and the empathy that the children have demonstrated has been astounding.

We've been very privileged to have supported our community in this way and it's been a joy for us to support those working in the education and care home sector. The staff that we work with show dedication, work tirelessly, and see their job as a true vocation - we take our hats off to you and thank you for all the encouragement and support you've given to us during this time.

Most importantly, we are pleased to be emerging stronger from the pandemic. Taking our sessions online created a huge challenge in how we could use activities and games to develop real and meaningful relationships between young children and care home residents. Our learnings from this has now improved the service we offer; from more diverse activities that support physical health, to stimulating games that are accessible and stimulating to every individual involved, we are able to weave all these learnings into our new programme.

Whilst it is most likely that we will start the next academic year online, we will be confident that our sessions will help new friendships to blossom and bring moments that will lift moods. In our opinion, online will never replace our in-person sessions and we are excited that to get back to warm handshakes, shared laughter, and energetic balloon tennis!

Thank you to all our partners for a wonderful 2020-21 and we're looking forward to magical moments in 2021-22.

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Andy Melia (Chair of Trustees)

Charitable Aims and Objectives

Brighter Together connects two vulnerable groups: those in care homes, and preschool children to participate in shared activities, for mutual benefit to wellbeing and development.

Brighter Together aims to tackle social isolation and improve social and emotional wellbeing through weekly, intergenerational activity sessions. Our aims are to specifically:

Our programme gives care home residents a purpose and responsibility. By bringing a group of young children into their lives on a regular basis to participate in structured nursery activities, residents share in the children’s development and create strong relationships that will have a mutual benefit.

Within the care homes and nursery schools, Brighter Together aims to work with those who will receive the most benefit from the project. The selection criteria are:

----- Start of picture text -----
Care Home Residents: Nursery School Children:
 The level of social isolation for a  Level of exposure to those over
resident. 65 years and whether that is on a
consistent basis.
 Ability to engage in the sessions
and the activities to a level that  Assessment against the EYFS
will benefit them, and the children Goals.
involved.
 Consent to participate.
 Safeguarding considerations.
 Consent to participate.
----- End of picture text -----

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

How we deliver our aims and objectives

Our intergenerational programme connects a care home with a local nursery school who are then referred to as our ‘partners’. The aim is to create a consistent partnership that will be maintained for a full academic year at a minimum. Our partners work with us to select the group of care home residents and children who will benefit from being part of the programme, based on the criteria in the table above.

We aim to maximise the benefit from the time that the children and care home residents spend together. To do that, we are rigorous about our programme planning which is built around the following four aspects:

Structure – each session is based on the approach of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy which has well documented success in improving and maintaining cognitive functioning for older adults.

Bespoke training – Brighter Together Session Facilitators and Pre-school practitioners leading or supporting the sessions are provided with professional training on how to best engage with older people, working in the care home environment and accredited dementia training.

Involving the community – the activities build up to a celebratory end of term event to showcase the work of the group to friends, family, and staff. This is an essential part of including the community, bringing a much wider range of people into the care home.

How we adapted to the pandemic

Due to the lockdown restrictions, we quickly adapted and developed our unique programme to run online sessions for those even more vulnerable during the pandemic. During the March – June 2020 lockdown, we trialled and refined our online programme with one project. From this we developed a varied and stimulating programme of online sessions for the 2020-21 academic year.

We have retained much of our structure, based on Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, and re-designed our session activities with the support of our Advisory Board (who

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

include experts in the fields of Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, dementia care and Early Years education), to ensure engagement and benefit.

Key aspects of our online sessions included:

When restrictions allowed, we held ‘Through the Window’ parties, with the nursery children visiting their friends at the window of the care home. This provided an enormous lift to spirits; for everyone to see each other in person and to have fun together with karaoke, bubbles, chatting and plenty of dancing which was a huge boost to wellbeing.

Summary of Activity

Brighter Together has delivered 3 academic terms of weekly intergenerational projects during the period April 2020 – 31[st] March 2021.

We’ve maintained projects between 2 care homes and 2 local nurseries (totalling 4 partners). We’ve also developed a new project that will start in April 2021 between a care home and school.

Throughout the year, we have continued to operate and deliver support to our beneficiaries, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Trustees have continuously reviewed our operations to ensure that we meet the needs of our partners and support can be effectively delivered safely in line with our charitable objectives.

Outputs:

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Impact

We would usually provide our sessions in the care home, as face-to-face activities, where we could work with care home staff and nursery/school practitioners to observe, interview and support with wellbeing questionnaires with our participants. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, this was not possible. Our team, Trustees and Advisory Board felt that we would need to alter our impact measurement accordingly and as such we asked nursery/schoolteachers and care home staff to complete assessments on the children and residents respectively. In addition, we sought case studies and testimonials from participants and family members to support our understanding of the impact that this programme was having.

Care Home Residents:

All of care homes said that the sessions made a very significant contribution to the residents for both social and emotional wellbeing .

"During the sessions everyone smiles. The residents are calmer, more communicative and happier after each session. Our residents have created beautiful connections with the children and during the week they always talk about their friends from nursery." Antonela Mihai, Activity Coordinator, Nightingale House.

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Children:

All of our nursery schools said that the sessions made a very significant contribution to the children across the 3 areas of social and emotional wellbeing, and development.

"I don’t think there is anything that we can put in place at the nursery that would replace this form of connection that the children are able to experience through this project." Claudia Neves, Headteacher, St. Margaret’s Montessori.

Fundraising Activity

The total income for the year was £20,921. This financial period represents an 8- month period from incorporating in July 2020 until the end of the financial year at 31[st] March 2021.

A small amount of funding has come from fundraising via the local Get Lucky Local lottery.

Funders

Brighter Together is extremely grateful to the following funders for the generous support they gave in 2020-21:

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Pro-bono Support

During this year we have been incredibly fortunate to have benefitted from the very kind support of some forward thinking organisations and their dedicated and talented staff. These include:

Volunteer Support

Our work is dependent upon volunteer support and during this year all our operational requirements (such as accounting, marketing, and human resources) have been carried out by our Founder on a voluntary basis. For this reporting period, this voluntary activity equates to 56 days.

Financial Review

Our total income for the year was £20,921. This was our first operating year, covering nine months. Expenditure totalled £9,922. Our net surplus was £10,999. The surplus mainly equates to receiving restricted grant funding received in February 2021 to support 3 project partnerships in the Summer Term 2021 (i.e., during the next financial year), the main activities for which will run from April 2021 – September 2021.

Income consisted of a mix of grants and donations from multiple sources and provided sufficient resources to enable Brighter Together to deliver activities in line with our charitable aims and objectives.

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

By moving on-line, we have continued to be able to run activities despite the Covid19 pandemic, which has enabled us to access funding streams supporting charities operating during this time. This has been essential in securing income during this year. Trustees continually review our funding and income plans to secure further financial resources necessary to deliver our programme.

Expenditure

We have allocated the costs of delivering our sessions to ‘direct costs’. These account for 97% of our expenditure.

‘Core costs’ account for 3% of our expenditure and include:

Risk Assessment

Trustees have identified financial sustainability as the biggest risk to Brighter Together, which underpins many other identified risks. Ensuring long-term funding will enable the charity to effectively embed the progress we have made so far, and trustees and our founder continue to explore funding partnerships and grants to secure this. Alongside this, trustees have developed mitigation plans, including alternative funding sources and the use of volunteers, to ensure continuity of service provision in the event funding bids are not successful in the short-term.

Reserves Policy

The trustees of Brighter Together aim to maintain free reserves in unrestricted funds at a level which equates to approximately three months of unrestricted charitable expenditure. The trustees consider that this level will provide sufficient funds to be able to invest in the development of either our services or the reach of our programme if there is an opportunity to do so, as well as ensure that support and governance costs are covered.

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

The level of financial reserves will be reviewed when any major changes occur, for instance where Terms and Conditions from funders are updated or if we employ a member of staff on salary.

Going Concern

Brighter Together has levels of reserves that are in accordance with our reserves policy, of maintaining free reserves in unrestricted funds at a level which equates to approximately three months of unrestricted charitable expenditure.

In addition, there is enough restricted funding for the continuation of our charitable activities for at least the next 6 months, and enough unrestricted funding to support any other charitable requirements that are not directly related to the services we provide.

Structure, Governance and Management

Status and Governing Document

Brighter Together is a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation), registered charity number 1190557. Its governing document is a Constitution dated and Registered Charitable status was granted on 24[th] July 2020.

Charity

The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Charities SORP (FRS 102) in preparing the annual report and accounts. The accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011.

Governance and Internal Control

The day-to-day activities of the Charity are monitored by the Trustees. Board meetings are held on a quarterly basis at a minimum.

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Future Plans and Aims

COVID-19 has created a new context for our work, where the importance of intergenerational relationships to people’s wellbeing as much greater focus and understanding. This has given Brighter Together two clear focal points for the future:

1. Expanding our reach & strengthening our operations

2. Continuous programme improvement

Our focus will continue to be to maximise the benefit of the time our participants spend together. We remain committed to researching, trialling and refining our sessions and we will continue to incorporate the learnings from the online sessions as we move back to being together in-person. Our Advisory Bard will continue to play a vital part in incorporating best practice from a variety of sectors into our programme design.

Legal and Administrative Details

Registered name and address

Brighter Together, 17 Trowlock Avenue, Teddington, TW11 9QT.

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Registered charity number

Trustees Board

Since Brighter Together was formally constituted on 24[th] July 2020, all the following Trustees have remained on the Board:

Andrew Melia (Chair)

Dr Susan Allingham

Parita Doshi

Bankers

Reliance Bank Limited, Faith House, 23-24 Lovat Lane, London EC3R 8EB.

Statement of Trustees Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards. The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give and true and fair view of the state of affairs 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:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with charity law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence to take reasonable

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the Charity and financial information included in the Charity’s website.

This report was approved by the Trustees, and signed on their behalf by:

…………………………..

Andrew Melia Chair of Trustees Date: 12[th] October 2021

Statement of financial activities

BRIGHTER TOGETHER

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

FOR YEAR END ED 31
ST
MARCH 2021
Unrestrict
ed funds
Restricte
d income
funds
Total
funds
Prior
year
funds
£
£
£
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies 1,00
0
-
1,0
00
-
Charitable activities -
19,9
08
19,9
08
-
Other trading activities 1
3
-
13
-
Total Income 1,01
3
19,9
08
20,9
21
-
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 8
9
-
89
-
Charitable activities 32
3
9,5
10
9,8
33
-
Total Expenditure 41
2
9,5
10
9,9
22
-
Net income 60
1
10,3
98
10,9
99
-
Reconciliation of
funds:
Total funds brought forward -
-
-
-
Total funds carried forward 60
1
10,3
98
10,9
99
-

Balance sheet

As at 31st March

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

2021
Fixed Assets
Tangible Assets £0.00
Computer Equipment £0.00
£0.00
Current Assets
Cash in Bank £13,083.97
Debtors £0.00
TOTAL Assets £13,083.97
Creditors
Current Liabilities £2,085.00
TOTAL
Net Current Assets £10,998.97
Total Assets Less Current
Liabilities		 £10,998.97
Net Assets £10,998.97
Funds of the Charity
Unrestricted funds £600.66
Restricted funds £10,398.31
TOTAL FUNDS £10,998.97

Notes to the Accounts

Note 1 – Basis of preparation

1.1 Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

The accounts 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 with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and with the Charities Act 2011.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

Brighter Together has levels of reserves that are in accordance with our reserves policy, of maintaining free reserves in unrestricted funds at a level which equates to approximately three months of unrestricted charitable expenditure. Our free reserves currently stand at £601.

In addition, there is enough restricted funding for the continuation of our charitable activities for at least the next 6 months, and enough unrestricted funding to support any other charitable requirements that are not directly related to the services we provide.

1.3 Change of accounting policy

The accounts present a true and fair view.

1.4 Changes to accounting estimates

No changes to accounting estimates have occurred in the reporting period.

1.5 Material prior year errors

No material prior year errors have been identified in the reporting period.

Note 2 – Accounting policies

2.1 Reconciliation with previously generally accepted accounting practice

This is the first reporting period since incorporating in July 2020, as such there are no previous accounts.

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

2.2 Income

All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity becomes entitled to the resources; it is more likely than not that the trustees will receive the resources; and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the general income recognition criteria are met (5.10 to 5.12 FRS102 SORP). In the case of performance related grants, income must only be recognised to the extent that the charity has provided the specified goods or services as entitlement to the grant only occurs when the performance related conditions are met (5.16 FRS 102 SORP).

Brighter Together has received government grants in the reporting period.

Contractual income and performance related grants are only included in the SoFA once the charity has provided the related goods or services or met the performance related conditions.

Brighter Together has incurred expenditure on support costs.

The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees’ annual report.

2.3 Expenditure and liabilities

Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.

Support costs have been allocated between governance costs and other support. Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice.

Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, e.g., allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage.

The charity accounts for basic financial instruments on initial recognition as per paragraph 11.7 FRS102 SORP. Subsequent measurement is as per paragraphs 11.17 to 11.19, FRS102 SORP.

2.4 Assets

Brighter Together has no assets.

Note 3 – Analysis of Income

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Brighter Together

Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Note 4 – Analysis of receipts of government grants

Note 5 – Analysis of expenditure

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Connecting the old and young to shine brighter together

Note 6 – Cash at bank and in hand

Note 7 – Events after the end of the reporting period

Since the end of the financial year, Brighter Together has continued to review our approach to delivery in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our summer term programme remained online, but we are seeking to return to face-to-face sessions in line with Government guidelines and agreement with our partners for autumn onwards. We will continue to review risks associated with this, and adjust delivery as needed in response to evolving circumstances. To support this, we contracted two part-time session facilitators in September 2021 to deliver sessions with our existing partnerships.

Note 8 – Transaction with trustees and related parties

None of the trustees have been paid any renumeration or received any other benefits from an employment with their charity or related entity.

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