2025-08-31-accounts - Youth Presence

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Working with and supporting children and young people

Youth Presence CIO

Registered Charity Number 1191305

Trustee’s Annual Report and Financial Report for the Period

01.09.2024 - 31.08.2025

Reference and Administrative details

Charity Name: Registered charity number:

Youth Presence

1191305

Charity’s Address Stricklandgate House 92 Stricklandgate Kendal Cumbria LA9 4PU

Names of the Charity Trustees

	Trustee Name	Office (if any)	Appointed	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
1.	Marian Kearney	Secretary (October 2024)	Reappointed September 2022
2.	Kinga Rolak		Reappointed September 2021 Resigned September 2024
3.	Sr. Constance Cameron	Nominated trustee	Reappointed September 2022 Reappointed July 2024	Salesian Sisters
4.	Rev. Hugh Pollock	Chair	Reappointed September 2023
5.	Deborah Carey	Treasurer	January 2022
6.	Caroline D’Arcy		December 2022

Chief Executive Officer: Mary Biddle

Page 1 of 10

Objectives and Activities

Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document: To advance in life and relieve needs of children and young people, in particular (but without limitation) in the North West of England, for the public benefit through:

a) the provision of recreational and leisure time activities provided in the interest of social welfare, designed to improve their conditions of life;
b) providing support, activities and opportunities which develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals and be aware of their individual potential
c) providing education programmes, in particular but not exclusively by, personal, social and spiritual education as a means of advancing education.

Summary of the main activities undertaken in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.

Throughout the reporting period, Youth Presence has worked tirelessly, focused on making a positive difference in the lives of local children and young people. Our ethos focuses on connection, long term accompaniment and a relational approach.

We have continued our local open access youth work through our weekly term time Youth Café. This provides an important space for young people, where they can relax, have fun and feel accepted. Through the Youth Café, Youth Presence offers social and emotional support to young people through listening and sharing.

In addition, our Youth Café provides pool, table tennis, games and arts and crafts activities. We also supplied food, snacks and drinks. In summer 2025, we celebrated our year together with a bowling trip. This was enjoyed by everyone.

Young people have told us that this Youth Café is a place where ‘you are listened to’ , where you are ‘appreciated and valued’ and helps young people ‘feel understood’. Young people have also told us it ‘helps you to connect with other people your age’ and ‘you can talk to people to help you with your problems’.

To support our open access youth work, Youth Presence delivered a Christmas Youth Café on the 21[st] and 22[nd] December. This project was funded by the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Community Fund. Over two days, local young people took part in positive activities with a meal provided. We also provided young people with activity packs which could be used over the Christmas holidays, alongside food vouchers for a local café. Young people told us, ‘It’s a great way to have fun and you feel included’.

Page 2 of 10

Youth Presence continues to work with schools in our local area. We value each partnership, as it allows us to reach the children and young people who will benefit most from our services.

We offered lunch time drop ins during the Autumm term in both local secondary schools. This was to offer continued support for Year 7 students. We accompanied this with after school ‘Get Togethers’, inviting young people to join us for games, fun and pizza.

Our Youth Presence Project Worker is based at the Pastoral Hub at The Queen Katherine School four days a week. Through this nonstatutory project, we offer a ‘drop in’ provision for students before school, at lunchtime and after school. Youth Presence also delivers targeted programmes focused on personal, social and emotional development, alongside offering young people 1:1 support. The Pastoral Hub has provided a safe and consistent space for young people. They have a space to go to where they have fun, feel welcomed and can meet with their friends. Young people can also access additional support. One young person said, ‘I have enjoyed myself in the sessions and have made me feel more positive’. This project has enabled Youth Presence to work with community partners, including the Police Youth Advisory Group. Around 250 young people have benefited from this specific provision.

Youth Presence continues to work with local primary schools. We offer regular outreach, running small groups for children. These groups focus on fun and connection. During Children’s Mental Health Week 2025, we visited 3 local primary schools to offer Year 6 workshops. The workshops focused on emotional literacy.

In March 2025, we launched the second year of our Year 6 Transition Project. The project has been generously supported by local funders and a local business. This targeted youth project is now called ‘Together Towards Year 7’ . The focus in on the word ‘together’ as this reflects our core ethos, alongside the energy we put into fostering a sense of belonging for all the children. We constantly give the message that they are ‘in this together’ and no one is on their own. The move from Year 6 to Year 7 can be hard for many children. The aim of our Year 6 Transition Project is to support children as they navigate the change from primary school to secondary school. We worked with 5 local primary schools and 2 secondary schools, supporting 45 children. One young person said, ‘I used to be afraid of secondary school. Since I met you guys, I feel confident’.

In December 2024, we held our first community celebration. We brought together all our supporters and friends, sharing updates and thanking everyone for being part of our work. This was well attended.

We took part in our local Christmas Tree Festival, with young people making decorations. We also attended our local Mayor’s Christmas Coffee Morning.

Page 3 of 10

Youth Presence is a member of the South Lakes Youth Work Network, with our CEO currently chairing meetings. This Network is a valuable community resource, enabling local youth services to come together, share updates and offer each other support.

Youth Presence also began to offer training in the community. Cumbria Youth Alliance funded us to run a workshop entitled ‘Introduction to Youth Work’ .

We were honoured to be chosen as one of our town mayor’s charities this year. We are truly grateful for this opportunity and appreciate the fundraising efforts made on our behalf.

Youth Presence received a grant from BBC Children in Need, Big Sky Programme. We are very excited to begin this project in September 2025.

We are exceptionally grateful to all our funders who enable us to carry out our services for local children and young people. Huge thanks to BBC Children in Need, Westmorland and Furness Council, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Community Fund, RJ Stephenson Charities, The Hadfield Trust, The Freida Scott Trust, Cumbria Community Foundation, Francis Scott Trust, the Roselands Trust, Kendal Town Council and Cumbria Youth Alliance.

We express our sincere gratitude to local business TEAM, Inc. for their generous financial support of Together Towards Year 7 . This support played a vital role in the ongoing success of this project and the accompaniment of young people in our community. We also thank Lake District Estates for their financial contribution.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the individual donors whose private financial contributions make the work of Youth Presence possible.

The activities and development of Youth Presence are a clear testimony to the trustee board acting with integrity, courage and vision - always placing the welfare of children and young people at the heart of every decision.

Statement confirming that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit:

The trustees of Youth Presence have complied with their duty to have due regard to the commission’s public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.

Page 4 of 10

Achievements and Performance

Our main achievements for this reporting period:

Continued delivery of open access youth work. One young person said: ‘makes you feel like part of a community’
Successful project with The Queen Katherine School, supporting young people through a variety of activities and programmes
Support for children in Year 6 with the complex move to secondary school
Contribution to our wider community through the South Lakes Youth Work Network, training and attendance at Town Council events
Increased funding and working with new funders including BBC Children in Need

Reserves Policy

This policy sets out Youth Presence’s approach to maintaining financial reserves. It ensures Youth Presence remains financially sustainable, able to manage risks, and continue its activities even during periods of reduced income or unexpected costs.

Reserves are that part of a charity’s unrestricted funds that is freely available to spend on any of the charity’s purposes.

Reserves exclude:

Restricted funds (funds with conditions set by donors)
Fixed assets not readily realisable (e.g., equipment)

Youth Presence maintains free unrestricted reserves:

to provide a level of working capital that protects the continuity of our core work,
to provide a level of funding for unexpected opportunities,
to provide cover for risks such as unforeseen expenditure or unanticipated loss of income,
to meet contractual commitments (e.g., staff salaries, rent),
to manage unexpected costs or emergencies,
to provide time to adjust or wind down operations in an orderly way, if necessary,
to support planned development or opportunities where appropriate.

The Board of Trustees will review the above criteria with reference to Youth Presence’s strategy and Annual Plan.

Our current reserves policy is £5000 . This would cover one month’s running costs and redundancy costs for eligible staff.

We are currently achieving this.

The Board of Trustees will at times designate funds from free reserves for significant project costs or replacement of major assets.

Page 5 of 10

The trustees will regularly review and record:

Current level of free reserves
Target level
Any gap or surplus

This will be reported in trustee meetings and annual accounts.

This policy will be monitored regularly and reviewed annually. It will be updated as needed; when finances change.

Trustees are responsible for reviewing this policy. Reserves will be monitored by our Treasurer.

Structure, Governance and Management

Type of governing document: Constitution

How the charity is constituted: Charitable Incorporated Organisation Trustee selection methods:

Eligibility for trusteeship
(a) Every charity trustee must be a natural person.
(b) No individual may be appointed as a charity trustee of the CIO:
- if he or she is under the age of 16 years; or
- if he or she would automatically cease to hold office under the provisions of clause [12(1)(e)].

(c) No one is entitled to act as a charity trustee whether on appointment or on any re-appointment until he or she has expressly acknowledged, in whatever way the charity trustees decide, his or her acceptance of the office of charity trustee.

(d) At least one of the trustees of the CIO must be 18 years of age or over. If there is no trustee aged at least 18 years, the remaining trustees may only act to call a meeting of the charity trustees, or appoint a new charity trustee.

Apart from the first charity trustees, every appointed trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
In selecting individuals for appointment as appointed charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
Nominated Trustee
(a) The Salesian Sisters (“the appointing body”) may appoint one charity trustee.
(b) Any appointment must be made at a meeting held according to the ordinary practice of the appointing body.
(c) Each appointment will be made for a term of two years.
The charity trustees will make available to each new charity trustee, on or before his or her first appointment: (a) a copy of the current version of this constitution; and (b) a copy of the CIO’s latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts.

Page 6 of 10

Declarations

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

Signature(s) 1.
Full name(s) 1. Fr. Hugh Pollock Position(s) 1. Chair Date 1. 19[th] May 2026
Sr. Connie Cameron 2. Trustee
19[th] May 2026

Page 7 of 10

Registered Charity Number 1191305

Youth Presence Financial Report 01.09.2024 - 31.08.2025

Page 8 of 10

Yp YOUTH PRESENCE Youth Presence 1191305 Receipts and Payments Accounts 01.09.2024 To For the eriod from 31.08.25 R•coSpts Catsgory Unre$trl¢ted Funds Restricted Funds Total Last year To the nearest £ Donations Fundraising events Grants Interest on deposft account Charitable services Miscellaneous Amazon Refund Total Recei £7992.99 £234.93 £100 £10,800 £18,792.99 £234.93 £43,872 £683 £1561 £53.370 £43,772 £8355 £21.19 £8355 £21.19 £8000 £518 £8327.92 £62,948.19 £71 276.11 £64 132 Payments Category Unrestricted Funds £536.14 £58.62 £0.00 £925 47 £20.06 £470.80 £125.DO £17581 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 Restricted Funds Total Last year To the nearest £ £2492 £315 Administration Communications Safe uardin ment Travel Hos Accommodation Pro ect Resources Trainin Salary and Pension Professional enses Returned Funds Fundraisin Event Deskio pc PC Monitor Total Pa ments £2531.93 £332.79 £287.58 £682.68 £420.00 £4,284.67 £3 286.89 £5,475.35 £264.90 £55.535.38 £645.00 £3068.07 1 £391.41 £287.58 £1608.15 £440.06 £4755.47 £3411.89 £5651.16 £264.90 £55,535.38 £645.00 £237 £280 £5296 £4495 £3387 £1050 £40 790 £94 £0.00 £771.31 £771.31 £1172 £672 £525 £120 £60.925 £2311.90 £74,518.48 £76 830.38 Not Movement in Funds Unrestricted Funds £8327.92 £2311 90 £6016.02 Re8trlcted Funds Total Last year To the nearest £ Totsl Recel ts Total Pa ments Net sur £62.948. 19 £74,518.48 -£11,570.29 £71276.11 £76,830.38 $554.27 £60,925 £3207 lusl deficit Page 9 of 10

Statsment of Balancès Description Unrestrlcted fund8 Restricted fund8 De8ignatsd Funds ReseNeg £5,000.00 Total Cash al bank 31.08.25 Cash in hand Pett cash Total funds at ear end £2,133.27 £24,551.00 £31,684.27 £6.00 £6.00 £2139.27 £24,551.00 £5000.00 £31,690.27 Trustees Declaration The trustees declare that they have approved tho aGcounts. Signod by two trustees on bghalf of all trustoes. natur8 Print Namo Deborah Carey Role Treasurer Dats ofA roval Fr. Hugh Pollock Chairperson 16th June 2026 Independent Examiner's Report f•JtTr// 3¢)/E Juti f 2J26 Signature: Date: Namo: Page 10 of 10