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2024-03-31-accounts

2023-2024

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

The only patient and service user-led charity in Wales dedicated to achieving health equality for women, girls and people assigned female at birth.

Plas Eirias Business Centre, Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, Conwy, LL29 8BF

Charity number: 1191069 Contact: info@ftww.org.uk Website: https://ftww.org.uk

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Contents

FTWW’s Mission ………………………………………………………………………….. 3

Chair’s Foreword …………………………………………………………………………. 4

Section 1: Meeting Our Charitable Objectives ……………………………….. 5

o Meetings, Events and Forums

➢ Conducting research and disseminating the useful results

Section 2: Financial Reporting …………………………………………………….. 29

Section 3: Organisational Details ………………………………………………... 34

➢ Contact Information

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FTWW’s Mission

Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales is the only patient and service user-led charity in Wales dedicated to achieving health equality for women, girls, and people assigned female at birth.

Our MISSION is to eliminate health inequalities in Wales for women, girls, and people assigned as female at birth. Our VISION is a Wales where everybody’s right to good health and wellbeing is respected and fulfilled, with everyone able to access the healthcare they need, when they need it, and without barriers. We achieve this by ensuring that the people we support have access to information so that they can understand their health

conditions better and know what services they need. Through peer support we empower our members to gain confidence and be better equipped to manage and navigate their health care. We bring researchers, policy makers, and service providers together with experts by experience to ensure female voices are heard, advocating for positive change in health and public service design and delivery.

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Chair’s Foreword

Welcome to FTWW’s Annual Impact Report for 2023 – 2024, which I am delighted to present in my capacity as interim Chair. I am honoured to have taken on the role following Dr Sally Rees’s 4- year tenure. Sally is somebody who I have looked up to for many years and she has been a strong guiding hand in the development of Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales. Her support was invaluable whilst we transitioned to a registered charity in 2020, so we were all very sad to see her step down from the role. However, we are reassured that Sally will keep in touch and would like to take this opportunity to once again extend our thanks to her.

This year has been a very exciting one for the charity, with us taking on sole responsibility for Chairing the highly influential Women’s Health Wales Coalition. The (then) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Eluned Morgan, has publicly acknowledged the Coalition and FTWW’s efforts in helping to secure the Welsh Government’s focus on women’s health and we are pleased to be engaged in conversations with the Women’s Health Policy Team and Clinical Network as a 10-year NHS

Wales Women & Girls’ Health Plan takes shape. This is a priority area for the Welsh Government’s Gender Equality Forum on which FTWW is represented.

Closely linked to the theme of gender justice, 2023-24 has also seen us continuing to support the Welsh Government in a number of key areas, including the Disability Rights Taskforce and associated working groups, and Period Dignity Roundtable. We were pleased to be awarded Welsh Government funding to help us refresh the Endometriosis Cymru website, with new content added on the Equality Act 2010 and reasonable adjustments in the workplace, amongst other topics suggested by its visitors. The site is also now available in easy-read format following training from Learning

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Disability Wales, with whom we also collaborated on the creation of 4 easy-read booklets about perimenopause and menopause.

Menstrual health conditions continue to be a priority issue for FTWW’s community, so we were delighted to receive news of our successful application to Health and Care Research Wales to investigate the experiences of those affected by severe period pain. Co-produced with Bangor and Cardiff Universities, the ‘Severe Period Pain Is Not Normal’ (SPPINN) Study will look at the role of menstrual health education and what needs to happen to improve care in medical settings. As Public Partners on the project, FTWW is pleased to have ensured the voices of diverse and seldom heard communities form an integral part of the SPPINN Advisory Group.

This year also saw us joining the new NHS National Clinical Implementation Network for Gynaecology as patient and third sector representatives, helping to ensure that research findings and women’s experiences translate into clinical practice. Our role as a patient advocacy organisation has also seen us deliver a number of online learning events on topics such as women’s health

inequalities, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder in Wales, and equipping patients to get the best out of their medical

appointments, as well as working with Health Education and

Improvement Wales to develop webinars for GPs. Empowering members to share their stories, and giving volunteers the skills and opportunities to contribute their expertise remain paramount for us and will be a central focus going forward.

We continue to expand our offer of training around women’s health and wellbeing to external

organisations which include Cardiff University, Cardiff Council, and Welsh Government, amongst others, so that they can in turn support their employees with issues like menstrual health, menopause, and chronic illness. As NHS waiting lists in Wales remain long, it is most important that we continue to raise awareness of our community’s needs and priorities and support them as much as possible. This will remain a key objective for FTWW, so securing additional funding from grants, training, and research activities will be vitally important over the next few years as our online community continues to grow, along with the

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range of health conditions represented within it.

In summary, as interim Chair of FTWW, I am pleased to conclude by saying that this past year has been a remarkably successful one for the charity, with our profile continuing to grow amongst stakeholders and those who need our support. We have a wonderful team of trustees, staff, and volunteers who are committed to our values and aims.

However, going forward, the need to secure long-term funding is critical, enabling us to sustain and

grow what we offer to our community. As one of our members told us, ‘ FTWW hasn't just helped me as a patient, it is actively giving me a sense of purpose and meaning to the condition that almost took my life, and for that, I am so grateful’.

Thank you for reading; I hope you enjoy this Annual Impact Report for 2023-24!

Willow Holloway

Willow Holloway

Interim Chair, FTWW

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Section 1: Meeting FTWW’s Charitable Objectives

OBJECTIVE: Providing Information and Advice in Working to Address Health Inequalities for Women Living in Wales by:

a) Maintaining an online presence for women living in Wales who are experiencing a range of health issues

Engagement across a range of social media platforms remains a vital way for us to spread the word about the importance of health equality, the various ways in which FTWW is addressing inequalities experienced by our community, and reach out to stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, other third sector organisations, and those in need of our help.

Website

This year has seen us secure Lottery Awards for All funding to update our website and printed leaflets, in recognition of the vital role these resources play in raising awareness of the charity’s work and support offered.

Social Media

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----- Start of picture text -----
‘Joining FTWW has been helpful because I have been signposted to
resources specific to my condition (PMDD), but it has also been
empowering because I feel like I belong to something bigger than
myself, where there are other people, with a diverse range of
conditions, symptoms, and experiences, but with a commonality of
knowing we deserve fairer healthcare, and this has given me the
confidence to feel like I can talk about my condition openly, to help
educate others.’
b) Providing advocacy, advice, and support
----- End of picture text -----

Over this 12-month period, FTWW has facilitated a wide array of discussions and focus groups with members of our pan-Wales online community on topics related to health, wellbeing, equality, disability rights.

A number of focus groups and online questionnaires with our beneficiaries enabled us to respond to some significant consultations during this period, including, perhaps most notably, the Senedd Health & Social Care Committee’s ongoing Inquiry into ‘Supporting People with Chronic Conditions’.

Chronic illness has a disproportionate impact on women and people assigned female at birth, both in terms of health-related outcomes and socioeconomic disadvantage. We submitted written responses from FTWW and the Women’s Health Wales Coalition, hosted two focus groups with our members on behalf of the Senedd Engagement Team, and participated in a private stakeholder evidence session with the Health and Social Care Committee.

We also hosted two focus groups on behalf of the Future Generations Commissioner. These enabled our members to contribute to the Commissioner’s ‘Our Future Focus’ consultation, ensuring that the needs of women affected by long-term illness, who are disabled and / or experiencing socio-economic disadvantage, are considered and prioritised in the Commissioner’s work for the next 5 years, in line with the wellbeing goals of ‘Equality’ and ‘Health’.

We continue to Chair the Women’s Health Wales Coalition, whose membership during this period stands at over 80 charities, grassroots

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groups, academics, clinicians, and patients. As Chair, a key aim for us is to ensure both third sector and patients are key stakeholders in the development of the NHS Wales Women & Girls’ Health Plan so that it is inclusive, enables better access to services for disabled women, and prevents avoidable health inequalities.

This period has seen us deliver 29 consultation responses on health, disability, and equality-related topics.

We responded to several Welsh Government consultations, including:

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Senedd Committee Inquiries

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)

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23 publications with FTWW contributions & endorsement including…

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54 media pieces featuring FTWW, our volunteers and members, or referencing our work, such as:

During April…

Becci Smart

In May and June…

The proposed mother-and-baby unit

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During August and September…

Becci Smart

In October, November, and December…

Dawn, FTWW Menopause Champion, at the House of Lords

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Dee Dickens

In January and February…

Dee Montague

In March…

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----- Start of picture text -----
Lowri Shepstone
----- End of picture text -----

Lowri Shepstone

OBJECTIVE: Raising awareness of women’s health and related services with the public, health service providers, professionals, academics and policy makers in Wales

Key to FTWW’s mission as a charity is to grow our network and develop collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders so that we can increase awareness and understanding of health inequities experienced by women and people assigned female at birth who are disabled and/or living with long-term health issues, so that they can be properly considered, addressed, and prevented.

Our Volunteers

FTWW’s volunteers are vital in helping us to raise awareness of women’s health amongst wider networks. As such, they are enabled to participate in various training courses and offered a range of opportunities to advocate for themselves and other patients.

This year has seen our volunteer numbers grow to 79

We have facilitated the involvement of volunteers in a wide range of local and national events during these 12 months, including the All-Wales

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Menopause Conference in November 2023, and the All-Wales Pelvic Health Education Event in March 2024 where they have been supported to deliver talks on their lived experience of a range of related health issues and impairments, and influence positive change in the delivery of health and care.

Feedback from our Volunteers…

…on Social Model of Disability Training:

‘I thoroughly enjoyed the training. The session was clear, informative and well delivered. I learnt a lot that I never would have thought about if it wasn't for this session. Thank you.’

‘Every time I learn about the social model of disability in different settings, I feel like I learn something new! This training was very helpful and something I will be able to take forward for other volunteering activities to enrich my own and others’ experience.’

…about Welsh Government’s MSK Quality Statement Launch event:

‘Having an online meeting before the event was an excellent idea. We agreed on the issues that were important, goals, and next steps. Thank you.’

…about the All-Wales Menopause Conference

‘I was fortunate to represent FTWW at the All-Wales Menopause Conference, alongside two other patient speakers from the organisation. The conference was attended by professionals, academics, and researchers working in the menopause field, and as patients, we were able to share our experiences with the goal of helping improve diagnosis times and treatment pathways. I was so grateful to be given this opportunity by FTWW - for myself and my own sense of purpose, but also to make a difference, to reach out to those in the field, and to bridge the gap between professionals and patients.’

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Training and Talks

Staff and volunteers deliver training, host workshops, and give talks on a range of issues related to women’s health and wellbeing, to grow understanding and improve the support offered. Some examples include:

Lisa with members of the Walk and Talk Women’s Group

Feedback from Training Recipients:

‘Thank you so much for your support last week. The feedback we received has been amazing! Staff really enjoyed the session and those that were unable to attend were able to watch the video and feedback too.’

‘We were delighted to have FTWW present to our women’s health in the workplace event...Incredible insight into the realities of living with long term health conditions and the impact this can have on women within the workplace and what FTWW is doing to work with women and Welsh Government to address issues… Thank you to FTWW for supporting our event.’

‘A huge thank you for giving us your time. The feedback I have received has been so positive with us all feeling the session was so informative and of benefit to us.’

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‘Thank you for co-hosting such an informative webinar. I came away feeling less alone with my health battle, and empowered to continue fighting for the healthcare all women deserve in Wales.’

‘A huge thank you to Lisa (for her) participation in the Walk and Talk Women's Group's Menopause Talk as a guest speaker. The reception has been overwhelmingly favourable.’

‘It was absolutely fantastic! Such a brilliant response from the attendees and so much truly useful information which will help us all! Thank you so much again and for the work you all do!’

Meetings, Events, and Forums

Some particularly instrumental meetings and events this period, where staff and/or volunteers have articulated the needs, experiences, and priorities of our members and the wider community have included:

MEETINGS , where FTWW Staff held discussions with clinical advisory bodies, health boards, and policy teams, such as:

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EVENTS

FTWW staff, trustees, and volunteers were involved in 57 EVENTS or ACTIVITIES, as attendees, participants, or hosts , including:

Lisa & Katherine at Senedd Insight

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➢ Co-hosted an online event with Fertility Network UK, Llais, and Hormones &

Health, to discuss ‘Getting the Most out of Your Medical

Appointments’

Dee Montague

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----- Start of picture text -----
FTWW’s stand at Disability Wales
Conference and AGM
----- End of picture text -----

event to discuss women’s health priorities and needs.

Dee & Zoe meeting the FSRH president

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FORUMS

FTWW Staff, Trustees, & Volunteers participated in 33 FORUMS or

GROUPS with a variety of stakeholders, such as the Welsh Government, the Senedd, NHS Wales, and Third Sector Organisations. Examples include:

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OBJECTIVE: Conducting research and disseminating the useful results

Evidence shows that women who are disabled and/or living with long-term health issues often find that their needs aren’t considered when it comes to research, or that they are excluded from studies which have the potential to improve their wellbeing and lives. As a charity, we are keen to see this change and are increasingly raising awareness of inequality in research and how we can help to facilitate more inclusive patient and public involvement.

Involving Disabled Women and Grassroots Organisations in Research

We attended a workshop with Health and Care Research Wales about ‘allyship’ in research and featured in their newsletter: Collaborative

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workshops - the importance of allyship in health and social care research | Health Care Research Wales .

Not only did we go on to host focus groups enabling HCRW’s Public & Patient Involvement Team to learn more about ways researchers could work better with women who are disabled and living with long-term illness, we also put together a paper for their ‘Discover Your Role 2’ Strategy in which we discuss the support and resourcing needed to ensure third sector involvement, particularly grassroots organisations who are led by and for the people they represent and therefore often articulate lived experience of intersectional inequality.

Funding for Women’s Health Research

This year, we were particularly delighted to hear the Minister for Health & Social Care assert her commitment to resourcing for ‘women’s health research’ at a meeting of the Cross-Party Group on Women’s Health. At that same meeting, Ms Morgan went on to publicly acknowledge FTWW as having driven forward work on a national Women’s Health Plan.

Some of the Research Projects with FTWW Involvement and/or support this year:

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Feedback from FTWW members and volunteers involved in research activities:

‘I had known before starting my PhD that FTWW were a group I wanted to join. I had previously come across their Facebook page and found a like-minded community of women. Some women were struggling with illness, some were looking for support, and the (online group) provided me with so much support and ready-to-go information when I was diagnosed with Fibroids. My greatest wish is that I can continue working with FTWW in some capacity… Sharing the results of my PhD on urinary incontinence and chronic illness in women as they age, developing educational awareness campaigns for young girls and women about urinary incontinence, and always striving to improve Women’s Health.’

‘FTWW provided me with a lifeline during my unexpected diagnosis of endometriosis, experience of miscarriage, and seeking advice about a diagnosis for ADHD as an adult… I am currently undertaking a small research project and reached out to FTWW to help with recruitment for PPI partners. FTWW could not have been more enthusiastic and helpful, offering advice on the advert and support for the PPI partners through membership with FTWW. In their words, this is what collaboration and co-production is about.’

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Section 2: FTWW Financial Reporting

Treasurer’s Report

I am delighted to introduce myself to all who support FTWW, as the organisation’s new Treasurer. I am a grandmother and retired Payroll Officer and, as someone who has personal experience of endometriosis and breast cancer, getting involved with this organisation was a must for me.

I was pleased to join FTWW’s Board in April 2023, and officially took on the position of Treasurer on the 1[st] July 2024, taking over from Tami Rolls who continues to support FTWW as a Volunteer Finance Officer.

We have supported our members through the challenges of the Pandemic and now the difficulties caused by the financial crisis being felt by all, with the Charity sector particularly affected.

We have continued to source and apply for various grants to help us ensure our community’s voices and health priorities are heard and are looking at ways to resource a potential expansion to our workforce to support project management and the continuing effectiveness of our organisation.

We are continually aware of the need to be cost-effective. As a result, I

am pleased that our overall financial position is stable going forward, with our aims and objectives for the next year fully in our minds as always.

Summary of Financial Position 2023-24

The Organisation brought forward a balance of £55,457.72, generating an Income of £106,000 for 2023-24. This was an increase of £41,193 over the 22-23 period - partly, this was allocated by the Welsh Government to a refresh of the Endometriosis Cymru website.

I would like to thank the Trustees, Tami for her work as our Treasurer, the Director of Policy & Research, Staff, and Volunteers without whom FTWW could not achieve the results we have over this last year and in the years prior to that.

June Jeremy

June Jeremy | Trustee/Treasurer

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Grants and Fundraisers

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our funders, both grantawarding bodies and volunteer fundraisers, whose support is hugely appreciated.

Your generosity and enthusiasm for FTWW’s work enables us to continue supporting and advocating for women and people registered female at birth across Wales who are disabled or living with long-term health conditions – again, thank you:

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Financial Statement and Accounts

The following is drawn for the accounts of the Organisation and provides an overview of financial activity for the period 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024.

The Organisation brought forward a balance of £55,457.72 from 2022-23.

Income

Between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024, the organisation generated total income of £106,349.08. This was an increase of £41,542 over the 2022/23 period.

A breakdown of sources of income is as follows.

Fundraising, Events and Donations £1,832.83
Grants £95,428.00
Payment for Services £9,088.25
TOTAL £106,349.08

The relative proportions of income can be seen in the chart below.

A total of £95,428 in grant funding was received comprising £85,458 from Welsh Government and £9,970 from the National Lottery Awards For All Wales. Of this funding, £11,391 is carried forward into 2024/25.

Funding from the grants was used for salary costs for our director, engagement officer, trustee and volunteer training and expenses, translation and IT costs.

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Expenditure

Between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024 expended a total of £95,976.39 in furtherance of its aims and objectives.

A breakdown of expenditure is as follows.

A breakdown of expenditure is as follows.
Staf Costs £41,356.27
HR / Payroll costs £2,225.46
Volunteer Reimbursement Costs £1,774.44
Rent £4,560
Insurance £516.20
Telephone, IT equipment and licenses £2,058.50
Training, Development and Consultancy £3,941.63
Translation £2,345.49
External services (Endo Cymru) £36,011.00
Engagement and Evaluation £416.40
Other costs £771.00
TOTAL £95,976.39

The relative proportions of expenditure can be seen in the chart below.

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The payment of £36,011 for Endo Cymru external services was fully funded from the Welsh Government Endo Cymru grant payment.

The closing balance of funds available to the organisation on the 31[st] March 2024 was £65,830.41.

The breakdown of restricted and unrestricted funds carried forward at 31[st] March 2024 is

Restricted £21.800.00 Unrestricted £44,030.41 TOTAL £65,830.41

I can confirm that these accounts have been subjected to an independent examination by ACCA-accredited Karen Cockings, on 11th December 2024.

Tami Rolls

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Section 3: Organisational Details

Board of Trustees 2023-2024

Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (FTWW) is a pan-Wales patient-led charity and disabled people’s organisation focused on highlighting and addressing health inequities experienced by women and people registered female at birth who are disabled and/or living with long-term health issues.

Contact Information:

Plas Eirias Business Centre, info@ftww.org.uk Abergele Road, https://ftww.org.uk Colwyn Bay, Conwy, https://facebook.com/ftww.wales LL29 8BF https://twitter.com/ftww_wales

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FTWW: Financial Statement and Accounts

The following is drawn for the accounts of the Organisation and provides an overview of financial activity for the period 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024.

The Organisation brought forward a balance of £55,457.72 from 2022-23.

Income

Between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024, the organisation generated total income of £106,349.08. This was an increase of £41,542 over the 2022/23 period.

A breakdown of sources of income is as follows.

Fundraising, Events and Donations £1,832.83
Grants £95,428.00
Payment for Services £9,088.25
TOTAL £106,349.08

The relative proportions of income can be seen in the chart below.

A total of £95,428 in grant funding was received comprising £85,458 from Welsh Government and £9,970 from the National Lottery Awards For All Wales. Of this funding, £11,391 is carried forward into 2024/25.

Funding from the grants was used for salary costs for our director, engagement officer, trustee and volunteer training and expenses, translation and IT costs.

Expenditure

Between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024 expended a total of £95,976.39 in furtherance of its aims and objectives.

A breakdown of expenditure is as follows.

A breakdown of expenditure is as follows.
Staf Costs £41,356.27
HR / Payroll costs £2,225.46
Volunteer Reimbursement Costs £1,774.44
Rent £4,560
Insurance £516.20
Telephone, IT equipment and licenses £2,058.50
Training, Development and Consultancy £3,941.63
Translation £2,345.49
External services (Endo Cymru) £36,011.00
Engagement and Evaluation £416.40
Other costs £771.00
TOTAL £95,976.39

The relative proportions of expenditure can be seen in the chart below.

The payment of £36,011 for Endo Cymru external services was fully funded from the Welsh Government Endo Cymru grant payment.

The closing balance of funds available to the organisation on the 31[st] March 2024 was £65,830.41.

The breakdown of restricted and unrestricted funds carried forward at 31[st] March 2024 is

Restricted £21.800.00 Unrestricted £44,030.41 TOTAL £65,830.41

I can confirm that these accounts have been subjected to an independent examination by ACCA-accredited Karen Cockings, on 11th December 2024.

Tami Rolls

PUBLIC / CYHOEDDUS

Audit assurance opinion .

Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales

Plas Eirias Business Centre

Abergele Road

Colwyn Bay

LL29 8BF

I have audited the accounts for the Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (the organisation/charity) covering the period of 1[st] of April 23 to 31[st] Marach 24.

I can confirm that the financial reports provided for the year ending 31[st] March 24 is a true reflection of the financial activity for this time period.

The scope of the audited included, verifying the brought forward balance from financial year 22/23 £55,4572, checking the value of income to the bank statements, plus randomly sampling the expenditure plus verifying the closing balance as of 31[st] March 24 £65,830.41.

In my opinion the financial statements are arithmetically correct.

Karen Cockings (ACCA)

11[th] December 2024.