## AIM Northwest Charity Commission Report of Activities 2024 - 2025 1 ## **Table of contents** ## 2. legal and administrative information 3. Over view of Activities ## 4- 8. Beneficary Impact 9. financial summary 11. Governance 12. Partnerhsips and collaberation 14. Our funders - 15 future plans 2 **Legal and administrative Information:** **Trustees** Colette Borrill (Chair) Danny Taylor (Deputy Chair) Richard Mundy (Treasurer) Martin Hoolicken Sharon Fleming Michaela Burley (Safeguarding Lead) James Storey Craig Holden **Director** Kerry Bamber **Charity Number** 1191333 **Principal office** Floor 5 Leigh Spinners Mill Park Lane Leigh WN7 2LB **Auditor** Chloe Walker 3 ## AIM Northwest Charity Commission Re ort of Activities p Year: 2024–2025 ## **1. Overview of Charitable Activities** In the year 2024–2025, AIM Northwest remained steadfast in its mission to support and empower individuals and communities affected by domestic abuse. Our charitable efforts focused on delivering tailored support to both victims and perpetrators, recognising the importance of addressing the issue holistically and sustainably. We live our core values day in day out that “All individuals matter.” We are especially proud that 80% of our workforce and trustees have experienced domestic abuse, ensuring that our services are shaped and delivered by those who have personally navigated similar challenges. This lived experience brings authenticity, empathy, and deep understanding to the support we provide. Key activities included the delivery of therapeutic group sessions designed to reduce isolation and build self-esteem, as well as informal community gatherings such as coffee mornings. A significant development this year was the expansion of our preventative work. Staff were trained in the RESPECT behavior change programme, enabling us to work more effectively with perpetrators to address the root causes of abusive behavior and reduce the risk of reoffending. Our outreach work has extended to schools and community groups, where we have delivered educational sessions to raise awareness of domestic abuse, not just of being a victim of helping young people become more aware of their own behavior. Our work with local organisations has helped promote the support available to the whole family. We also expanded our partnerships with local organisations, enhancing our outreach offer and broadening our impact across the region. We also strengthened our engagement with the local community through our poverty relief initiatives. A major milestone was the launch of a permanent shop for the Uniformity Project, which provides free recycled school uniforms and clothing to families in need. This shop has become a vital, safe access point for individuals seeking support for domestic abuse, as evidenced by a notable increase in referrals over the past year. All activities were delivered by a dedicated team of two paid staff members and 26 volunteers, whose commitment and passion have been instrumental in achieving our goals. 4 ## **2. Beneficiary Impact** AIM Northwest has positively impacted over 1000 individuals across the region. During the year 2024–2025, AIM Northwest provided support to over 1000 individuals across all services. Our beneficiaries include individuals and families impacted by domestic abuse, families accessing the Uniformity Project, and community craft workshops. To illustrate the tangible outcomes of our work, we have included anonymised case studies that reflect the diverse experiences of individuals supported by AIM Northwest. These examples highlight the breadth and depth of our services, from crisis intervention and safeguarding to long-term rehabilitation and empowerment. Each case study showcases how our tailored, trauma-informed approach has helped both victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse to overcome challenges, build resilience, and move toward safer, more stable futures. Peer mentor and On your side service case studies. ## **Case Study 1 (Survivor)** ## **Client Background:** AB, a woman of Pakistani origin, faced profound challenges including a forced marriage and years of domestic abuse. After fleeing her situation and spending seven months in refuge, she was referred to AIM Northwest for support. ## **Support Received:** Over 18 months, AB received one-to-one peer mentoring and comprehensive support, including: - ✓ Independent living skills and tenancy support - ✓ Completion of Social Care Skills Level 2 NCFE training - ✓ Voluntary work at the food pantry - ✓ Immigration guidance leading to British citizenship - ✓ Mental health well-being support - ✓ Assistance in accessing benefits 5 ✓ ## **Outcomes and Achievements** : AB successfully stabilised her housing, developed new skills, and became actively involved in her community. She now aspires to learn to drive and gain employment. AIM Northwest is gradually reducing support as she moves toward full independence. ## **Client Testimonial:** "Even though we are women of different cast, you make me feel that there is no difference. You listen and understand, and I can see in your eyes that you really care about what I have been through and are helping me to be the best I can." ## **Case Study 2 (Survivor)** ## **Client Background:** AI, a 76-year-old woman, approached AIM Northwest with her daughter after enduring 20 years of domestic abuse. Although she wished to leave her partner, she did not want to enter refuge accommodation and chose to remain in her home until safer, longer-term housing could be arranged. ## **Support Provided:** Over 12 months, AI was supported to remain safe in her home through robust risk assessments, safety planning, and weekly wellbeing sessions. These sessions focused on mental health, empowerment, and preparing for independent living. Once she secured sheltered accommodation through the local authority, AIM Northwest facilitated a safe transition, including help with furnishing her new home and managing her finances after two decades of financial dependence. AI also received support to re-engage in social activities and build a new life free from abuse. Her support is now transitioning from intensive one-to-one sessions to peer mentoring, as she continues to adjust to independent living and build a social support network. ## Outcomes: - ✓ Maintained safety in her home for 12 months - ✓ Successfully transitioned to sheltered accommodation - ✓ Regained financial independence - ✓ Improved mental wellbeing and social engagement - ✓ Ongoing peer support to prevent isolation - ✓ Client Testimonial: 6 ## **Client testimonial** "At AIM Northwest, they are just wonderful. I have tried to leave about 10 times before and haven't been able to. If it wasn't for the kindness and support, I would still be there now, I’d lost all hope and at my age” Positive Change and Behavior Awareness Service case studies. ## **Case study 3 (Perpetrator)** ## **Client Background:** SM self-referred to AIM Northwest 2.5 years ago in a state of acute distress, having been denied support by local authority services due to behaviors that categorised her as a perpetrator of domestic abuse. She had recently lost custody of her children and was emotionally dysregulated. A social worker later identified SM as both a victim and perpetrator of abuse—an assessment she initially struggled to accept. ## **Support Provided:** Over two years, SM received intensive, trauma-informed support—up to four times a week—focused on: - ➢ Emotional and practical support through family court proceedings - ➢ Financial assistance to attend court - ➢ Mental health and wellbeing support - ➢ Behavioral change and self-awareness work - ➢ Pregnancy and parenting support - ➢ Advocacy with a new local authority, enabling her to keep her newborn in her care ## **Outcomes:** - ✓ Improved emotional regulation and mental health - ✓ Acceptance of her dual role as both victim and perpetrator - ✓ Rebuilt trust with professionals and developed a positive relationship with a new local authority - ✓ Successfully retained custody of her newborn - ✓ Progress made toward reunification with her other children ## **Client Testimonial** “AIM helped me when no other service would, they have been through a lot with me, I am so grateful for the support of both Kerry, and Emily have given. They ate inspiring women and 7 when I am no longer being supported by AIM, I would really love to give back and volunteer for them **”** ## **Case Study 4 (Perpetrator)** ## **Client Background:** EK was referred to AIM Northwest by social care as a perpetrator of domestic abuse. At the time, he was experiencing homelessness, struggling with substance misuse, and had limited contact with his child. EK relied heavily on his mother for daily tasks and appointments, though their relationship was strained. It became apparent that EK may have an undiagnosed neurodiverse condition, contributing to difficulties with emotional regulation and engagement. ## **Support Provided:** Over time, EK received holistic, person-centred support addressing multiple areas of need: - ➢ Secured temporary accommodation through partner agencies - ➢ Referred to substance misuse services with his consent - ➢ Supported in gaining employment and managing finances - ➢ Encouraged to build independence and life skills - ➢ Assisted in engaging with social care regarding contact with his child - ➢ Advocated for in court to avoid custodial sentencing - ➢ Referred to the ADHD pathway via his GP - ➢ Supported in maintaining no contact with the victim to ensure her safety ## **Outcomes:** - ✓ EK is now stably housed and maintaining his accommodation - ✓ He is employed and financially independent - ✓ He has significantly reduced reliance on his mother and manages his own affairs - ✓ He is actively engaging with services and committed to positive change - ✓ He has avoided prison and is on a constructive path forward - ✓ He is progressing toward a diagnosis and appropriate support for his neurodiverse needs - ✓ He has complied with no-contact conditions, prioritising the safety of others “I don’t feel like I’m judged when I see them for the bad things I’ve done, when I first came, I just thought it’d be another service that made me feel I wouldn’t ever be worth anything” 8 ## The uniformity Project Testimonials “Volunteers are amazing they can't do enough to help, really helps with the cost of uniform, which is unaffordable” “I didn’t know you were a DV charity as well, but we got talking through a workshop for the kids and I now enjoy coming for a coffee and chat at the groups when I have time, I also lived through abuse” “I can’t believe all the uniform is free, what an amazing project” “If I was honest, I’ve stole toilet roll from McDonalds before because it was a luxury I couldn’t afford, being able to get these things from here is a bigger help that you will ever know” ## **3. Financial Summary** The organization maintained a stable financial position throughout the year. This year has seen a marked increase in our income, mainly through grants and donations. We were also given the use of a van for the Uniformity Project from October, and this is reflected as a donation in kind (£3640) with the equivalent van hire shown in the payments section. We have moved to a larger accommodation at the same address, and this is reflected in the large increase in rent, as well as a larger spend on office equipment. This is the first year where we have had employees for the full year and this is reflected in the increase in employee costs. We have started to put funds into interest bearing accounts, one of which is starting to accumulate a reserve per our policy. However, as the financial outlook is uncertain, we are keeping these funds accessible (90 days). Volunteer costs have also increased. We opened the Uniformity shop in the summer, and this has raised a moderate income, but its main purpose is to facilitate the re-use of school uniform, and this is free to use. Our growth this year has been exceptional, and we plan for it to continue, but at a slower rate. 9 ## **4. Governance and Compliance** AIM Northwest adhered to all regulatory requirements set by the Charity Commission. The Board of Trustees meets bi-monthly to review performance and ensure compliance. Policies on safeguarding, data protection, and financial management were reviewed and updated to reflect best practices. ## **5. Partnerships and Collaborations** The charity strengthened its network by collaborating with local authorities, local Businesses, and other non-profits. These partnerships enabled the expansion of the support we provide and our reach. We provide a number of special thanks to our partners who have worked hard alongside us to help us achieve our objective Providing practical support in setting up The uniformity project, fundraising on our behalf and covering ongoing costs of the lease of The Uniformity Project Van Without a doubt without the support of PNP we would not have delivered what we have this year. LPD with their partner PNP cover the leasing costs of The Uniformity project Van which enables us to have a wider reach and to collect and deliver items that are donated with ease 10 Rotary club of leigh donated £1000 to AIM Northwest, we are grateful to receive financial support from the club for 3 consecutive years. Methodist women in Britain provide ongoing fundraising support and awareness of the work of AIM Northwest. Soroptimist of Leigh provide ongoing support and awareness of AIM Northwest and the work we do, have donated to our fundraising campaigns and donated toiletries for women experiencing domestic abuse. The Rotary Club of Astley have provided £500 donation this year and also purchased bins for donation points of school uniform within the community in the area that they serve. Providing ongoing training support, match funding for projects, donation in kind of 10 donations bins branded in the AIM Northwest brand colours and logo to promote The Uniformity Project. Ongoing volunteer recruitment support. **Organisations that have funded us** 11 ## **6. Our Funders** We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our funders for their invaluable support in sustaining the delivery of our essential services. Your generous contributions have enabled us to continue making a meaningful impact in our community—ensuring that vital services are not only maintained but strengthened. ## **Thanks to your funding, we have been able to:** Deliver critical services to those who need them most, Provide comprehensive training to our dedicated staff, and Cover the expenses of our incredible volunteers, whose commitment and compassion are at the heart of everything we do. Your support has empowered us to build capacity, respond to growing needs, and foster a more resilient and inclusive environment for all. We are proud to share the outcomes of this work in the pages that follow, and we hope they reflect the profound difference your support has made. ## **7. Future Plans** Our priority for the coming year is to secure sustainable funding for staff salaries. While we deeply value the contributions of our volunteers, we recognise that meeting the complex needs of our growing waiting list requires qualified, skilled professionals to ensure safe and effective support. 12 We also aim to expand our services to better support men’s health, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by male survivors and those experiencing mental health difficulties. Additionally, we plan to further develop the Uniformity Projec **t** , enhancing its reach and impact by promoting community engagement, sustainability, and wellbeing through creative reuse and repair initiatives. 13 ||**AIM Northwest**|**AIM Northwest**|**AIM Northwest**|**AIM Northwest**|**AIM Northwest**|**1191333**|**1191333**|**CC16a**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**For the period**
**from**||1-May-24||**To**|4/30/2025||| |||||||||| |**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||||| |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**||**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |Fundraising|**3,869**||||**-**|**3,869**||**1,081**| |Sales|**2,630**||||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**2,630**||| |Grants and crowdfunding|||**28,635**|||**28,635**||**8,500**| |Donations|**16,373**|||||**16,373**||**4,106**| |Event Ticket sales(with funraising)||||||**-**||**291**| |Bank Interest|**274**|||||**274**||**-**| |Gift Aid Income|**1,077**||||**-**|**1,077**||**-**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_|**24,223**||**28,635**||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**52,858**||**13,978**| |||||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**||||||||| ||**-**|||||||| ||**-**|||||||**-**| |**_Sub total _**|**-**|||||||**-**| |**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||||| |||||||||**13,978**| |||||||||| |AccountancyFees|**612**|||||||**222**| |Bank|**72**|||||||**71**| |BuildingMaintenance with rent)||||||||**544**| |Cost of Sales|**1,465**|||||||| |Insurance|**785**|||||||**748**| |Office Supplies|**88**|||||||**217**| |Office Equipment|**349**|||||||**253**| |FundraisingExpenses|**859**|||||||**524**| |Rent and Buildingcosts|**95**|||||||**1,344**| |DBS|**26**|||||||**52**| |Website(with IT)||||||||**1,046**| |Shop|**154**|||||||**2,773**| |IT|**687**|||||||**487**| |Postage and Printing|**12**|||||||| |Service delivery|**282**|||||||**743**| |Volunteer and Employee costs|**11,069**|||||||**2,180**| |Staff Training||||||||**1,200**| |Cost of Van|**5,397**|||||||| |Business entertaining|**50**|||||||| |Uniform Purchased||||||||**1,374**| |Subscriptions||||||||**50**| |**_Sub total_ **|**22,002**|||||||**13,828**| |||||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**||||||||| ||**-**|||||||| ||**-**|||||||| |**_Sub total_ **|**-**|||||||**-**| |**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||||| |||||||||**13,828**| |||||||||| ||**2,221**|||||
**5,146**||**150**| |||||||**-**||**-**| ||**2,879**|||||**13,568**||**3,793**| ||**5,100**|||||**18,714**||**3,943**| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 1 ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B1 Cash funds**|SumUp
Paypal
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**
Cash
NatWest Current Account
NatWest Business Reserve
NatWest Liquidity Manage
Signature|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**335**
**-**
**883**
**2,117**
**11,497**
**3,384**
**346**
**152**
**5,100**
**13,614**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
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**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
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**asset belongs**
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**Amount due**
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Print Name
Mr R Mundy
Ms C Borrill|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||**-**| ||||OK| ||||**Endowment**
**funds**
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**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
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**(optional)**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||Date of
approval| |||Mr R Mundy|29/10/25| |||Ms C Borrill|29/10/25| CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 2 1[st] November 2025 To Whom It May Concern, I am writing in relation to the financial accounts of Aim Northwest for the year ended 30[th] April 2025. As an independent bookkeeper with no formal role within the charity, I have been asked to review the accounts from an external perspective. Based on the bookkeeping records I’ve seen, the figures appear consistent with the charity’s financial activity and standard bookkeeping practice. Please note that I am not a trustee or an accountant, and I do not hold any formal authority to approve or certify the accounts. This letter is provided solely to confirm that I have viewed the accounts independently and, based on the records available to me, have no reason to believe they are materially misstated. For any formal review or approval of the accounts, the charity would need to seek input from an accountant or other appropriately authorised party. Yours sincerely, The Bookkeeper Chloé Walker