– STAR Steps To Active Recovery
A Charitable Incorporated Organisation
March 2024
(With Accounts 01/04/23 – 31/03/24)
Registered office at the end of the financial year
c/o Winton Methodist Church, Heron Court Road, Bournemouth, BH9 1DE
Charity number 1191725
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A community approach to recovery
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STAR – Steps To Active Recovery Annual Report & Accounts 01/04/23 – 31/03/24
Our Aims and objectives
STAR (Steps to Active Recovery) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation formed on 9[th] October 2020; it has the following objective in its constitution:
“…for the public benefit to relieve the needs of people experiencing or at risk of addiction or poor mental health by working to train, resource, equip and support churches and their communities to deliver recovery ministry and provide sustainable support to such people.”
Our purpose
STAR aims to bring a recognised standard of support for those in and those affected by addiction, compulsive behaviours, and habits.
Our vision
STAR encourages collaboration between churches and organisations to build recoverysupportive communities.
Our mission
STAR confronts a community issue with a community approach through effective collaboration. Utilising the biggest volunteering resource (namely churches) and providing volunteers and staff with the understanding, training, and professionalism for working alongside all people impacted by addiction.
Our manifesto
STAR provides expertise from professionals familiar with recovery services, as well as ensuring certain practice criteria has been obtained either as an individual church or organisation, or a network of churches working together as a community.
Vision and values
We want to see churches across the UK and beyond reach people affected by addiction: ultimately restoring hope by improving physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.
1) Believing in transformation:
We are passionate about seeing people set free from addictions, compulsive behaviours, and habits, regardless of their socio-economic status.
2) Bringing hope:
We believe there is always hope and that people can be set free from the stigma, shame, and fear that accompanies addiction. We are committed to nurturing communities so they can grow in their understanding of addiction issues, and their level of belief in their ability to be part of the solution.
3) Building community:
We advocate partnership working and approach addiction recovery from a community perspective: working with statutory and faith-based organisations. We are passionate about good communication, collaboration, and building community. Additionally, we are ecumenical in our approach so that all churches can get involved.
4) Boosting confidence:
We strive to provide a high-quality, professional, yet personable experience for all involved in recovery support. This is realised through equipping and educating all stakeholders. STAR approval quantifies a consistent standard of criteria and practice that must be met. This gives everyone confidence in the organisation that carries this recognition.
5) Broad and inclusive:
We look at the whole picture. Addiction support includes the person with the addiction, their friends and family, the wider community, plus the staff and volunteers involved in recovery support services.
Background:
STAR – Steps to Active Recovery was founded to upskill communities and help them address the increasing need for addiction support, providing a community approach to a community issue, and utilising the church network to achieve this. STAR worked informally in its pilot stage and development before and after its formal CIO formation in 2020, to pilot the STAR model, refine and prepare for its full launch in 2022.
The Charities Commission statement states that “The STAR model helps churches and organisations work together to deliver appropriate support for those affected by addiction. The carefully designed framework ensures these STAR communities operate with confidence and knowledge in an area of ministry that needs professional insight.”
Key projects:
1. STAR Discovery Network
In March 2023 the STAR Discovery Network was launched. This is a free national network that anyone can join (both STAR and non-STAR organisations and groups). This will help people to know what recovery services are available to them in their area.
2. STAR Membership Rollout (Approval and Learning Hub)
The STAR Membership model has been reviewed and updated to have maximum ease of use for teams embarking upon the STAR approval journey, with additional resources developed to complement membership options.
In addition, the STAR team have worked to develop the STAR Learning Hub so teams can access the content with ease and work periodically through the training that STAR offers. This enhances the current model and also enables teams to benefit from the upskilling that STAR provides through additional means of access.
3. Staffing increase
Due to the growth of STAR, and the Strategy Plan for 2022-23, a Social Media Assistant and Operations Manager were appointed during 2023.
4. STAR Course and resource development
Having created and rolled out the 12-week STAR Life Course the new 6-week STAR Life Course Lite was created, piloted, and began being rolled out to STAR Members. The STAR Staff team is committed to running 2 national online life courses each year for guests to join, and for church teams to observe. The STAR Recovery Group was written and packaged as an additional resource, with existing packages updated.
5. Ambassadors
We have two STAR Ambassadors - Barry Woodward, with connections with the Proclaim Trust, and the newly appointed Ambassador - The Bishop of Winchester, Philip Mounstephen.
6. Fundraising
We have been awarded 7 grants during this financial year and have received increased donations from individuals. STAR has implemented a new membership model which took effect in the 3[rd] quarter of the year and has helped organisations to access the courses to upskill their volunteers and grow our programs in their communities.
Financial Review
The total income of STAR from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 was £47,158. We are very thankful to the organisations and individuals who have generously supported us, with grants totalling £35,500, donations totalling £10,194, and fees for training totalling £1,038.
Grants for this financial year included:
| George Temperance Trust | £ 7,500 |
|---|---|
| Allice Ellen Cooper Dean | £10,000 |
| The Albert Hunt Trust | £ 3,000 |
| Asda Foundation | £ 1,000 |
| Cherries Community Fund | £ 1,000 |
| The Valentine Charitable Trust | £10,000 |
The costs shown in the accounts amount to £95,719. Most funds are being used for payroll and professional consultants as STAR focuses on growth to support the increasing demands for its services.
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75% - payroll and expenses associated with the growing staff team.
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6% - professional consultancy fees to redevelop the website in line with the strategic plan and new course design rollout.
As of 31 March 2024:
| | Cash Balance: | £ 17,951 |
|---|---|---|
| | Restricted: | £ 3,797 |
| | Unrestricted: | £ 10,104 |
| | Designated: | £ 4,050 |
As STAR is growing nationally we have seen a decrease in local grant funding over this financial year, which required strategic planning to explore new grant funding streams. Developing national partnerships is a key focus with links to Salvation Army Core Recovery which is developing. STAR has increased the quantity of member donations and seek to continue to increase this as a broader offering is available to member teams.
We have had a dedicated fundraiser who worked with STAR’s Director, who continued to work on growing relationships with our valued existing funders and sought to increase funding in line with the charity's objectives.
Governance & Internal Controls
Trustee team
During the year 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, the Trustee team has expanded from 3 to 6 to include a new Treasurer and to provide a wider coverage of skills, including compliance with governance, leadership experience, financial literacy, data protection, HR, H&S, PR, risk management, safeguarding, fundraising, EDI, understanding of charity law, policy & strategy development, and marketing.
The 6 Trustees represent a cross-sector of churches and organisations that are involved in recovery-related areas within the local community and charities, as well as national church organisations. They bring with them a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help guide and support the charity.
The trustees meet every other month and continue to ensure that sound governance is in place:
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Banking systems and book-keeping (outsourced to S Luke Bookkeeping)
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Policies especially those concerning Safeguarding, Data protection, and Reserves Policy are on a scheduled review cycle.
Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities for preparation of accounts
STAR is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales as a Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The operation of a CIO and the duties of STAR’s trustees are governed by charity law and the Charity Commission’s guidance.
The trustees are required to prepare and file a trustees’ annual report and accounts each year.
STAR is eligible under Charity Commission guidance to prepare accounts on a receipts and payments basis and the trustees have adopted this basis for these accounts.
Financial Reserves
STAR is committed to open, responsible, and prudent stewardship of its financial resources. The trustees believe that reserves should provide STAR with sufficient financial resources to avoid concerns about its status as a going concern and cover its financial commitments should the charity be wound up.
The trustees monitor the adequacy of unrestricted funds available to fund core operating expenses not funded by restricted grant-sourced reserves. Such unrestricted funds should cover 2 to 3 months’ core operations expenses and potential wind-up commitments (which would principally arise from staff redundancy costs).
In line with the guidance from the Charity Commission, the trustees will ensure that a review is conducted of the effectiveness of our internal financial controls, at least annually. This review was completed in June 2024 and the Reserves Policy updated accordingly.
Summary
It has been a dynamic year of imbedding and further refining the model of STAR to what we are seeing as an impactful inclusion to many communities. The geographical reach is growing, more teams are being upskilled and further addiction activities have started.
Our high expectations from the previous year were met beyond what we could have envisaged, with a highly skilled team forming over the year. Partnership working has become a key focus as the credibility of STAR grows.
Message from STAR’s Founder/Director
This year we are seeing the reputation of STAR growing with more teams, churches, and organisations enquiring about the services that STAR offers. A highlight was when a “discovery session” that we ran attracted 23 people from around the UK to join for an information session to get to know us more.
The inclusion of the Learning Hub and Discovery Hub has generated much interest as this is pioneering in the faith-based addiction field, and seeing people starting to utilise this is hugely encouraging, making STAR more accessible on a national level.
Also seeing how the staff and trustee team of STAR has grown, whilst utilising such a broad skill set has been a joy. As the work we do expands, so have the passionate and skilled people who support our work. We are truly grateful for all involved; staff, trustees, volunteers, and ambassadors, along with all grant funders and individuals who have supported us financially.
We are so encouraged and see that this foundational period of the past 4 years is now fully ready to branch out further and make a significant imprint in the way that communities address addiction.
Emma Heath
Director
This report was approved by the trustees on 02/08/2024
Signed:
Jackie Leswell
Chair of Trustees
Dated: 02/08/2024
Appendix 1: Trustees
Trustees of STAR – Steps to Active Recovery (CIO) as of 31 March 2024:
| First Name | Last Name | Term Start | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alistair | Doxat-Purser | Oct-20 | Trustee * |
| Andrew | Haines | Jan-24 | Trustee |
| Jackie | Leswell | Oct-20 | Chair |
| Julian | Radford | May-22 | Trustee |
| Karen | Ferguson | Jan-24 | Trustee |
| Simon | Dallimore | Mar-24 | Treasurer |
Note – Alistair Doxat-Purser stepped down as a Trustee on 22 July 2024
Appendix 2: Accounts for year ended 31[st] March 2024
Appendix 3: Independent Examiner’s Report of Year ended 31[st] March 2024