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2025-03-31-accounts

– STAR Steps To Active Recovery

A Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Annual Report March 2025

(With Accounts 01/04/24 – 31/03/25)

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 01/04/24 – 31/03/25

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 Learning Hub

Through this year we have seen more church team engaging with the online learning hub and the feedback has helped to refine it with a piece of work beginning in early 2025 to re-create the website and learning platform.

2. STAR Membership and Partnerships

The STAR Membership model has seen 14 churches gaining STAR Approval with 20+ churches showing interest or are on the steps towards STAR approval. We have become the national resource for the Salvation Army Core Recovery Churches, working with 4 churches in this financial year and a plan to work with 6 by the end of 2025.

3. STAR Course and Resource Development

Ongoing development to improve our resources and courses has been a priority with our Life Course and Training Coordinator learning media editing, to keep this in house and reduce costs. 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.

4. Conferences.

In March 2025 we worked alongside ISAAC (International Substance Abuse & Addiction Coalition) to run their annual conference where STAR’s founder Emma helped to host the event where over 150 people representing Christian organisations around the country attended. We also spoke at the Hope into Action annual conference with many media opportunities to help raise awareness and to further the people wanting to know more about STAR.

5. Fundraising

We have been awarded 11 grants during this financial year and have received increased donations from individuals. We have seen a growth in partnership contributions throughout this year, with a local mentoring charity Serenity disbanding and from trustee communication we have accepted a grant from them to begin the STAR mentoring project in 2025.

Financial Review

The total income of STAR from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 was £138,960. We are very thankful to the organisations and individuals who have generously supported us, with grants totalling £127,871, donations totalling £6,759, fees for member training totalling £4,240 and £90 for interest received.

Grants for this financial year included:
DCF Neighbourly Fund
£10,000
National Lottery
£20,000
Cherries AFC Bournemouth
£2,475
Serenity £26,626
Valentine Trust
£15,000
Alice Ellen Cooper Dean
£10,000
The Bishop Radford
£2,000
The Salvation Army
£8,000

The Leigh Trust £4,000 Morgan Chase £1,290 George Temperance Trust £7,500

The costs shown in the accounts amount to £127,871 with some extra grant funding where the funders would rather not be mentioned, totalling. Most funds are being used for payroll and professional consultants as STAR focuses on growth to support the increasing demands for its services.

As of 31 March 2025:

 Cash Balance: £ 58,355  Restricted: £ 35,281  Unrestricted: £ 23,074

This year has seen more grant funding coming into the charity, with a combination of new and repeat funders. Developing national partnerships remains a key focus with links to Salvation Army Core Recovery which became an official partnership this year. STAR has steadily 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 2024 to 31 March 2025, the Trustee team has remained at 6 on the board, including one new trustee with specific focus on the planned mentoring project. Alistair Doxat Purser resigned from the board in July 24 and Mike Royles joined the board in February 25.

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:

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

At the beginning of this year we overcame a challenging time regarding funding, as we stepped into further nation work, and some local funding ceased, yet through the generosity of grant funders and the dedicated staff and trustee team we navigated this challenging time well and are seeing the benefits from our commitment and dedication to the vision of STAR.

We are seeing a rapid growth of interest from organisations wishing to embed addiction support, and a high number of non-church based organisations such as housing associations and crisis support organisations wishing to work with STAR.

The staff and trustee team are well established, having completed and organisational review by our trustees to assist in the strategic development of the charity as we grow. This has been invaluable and is shaping the vision and foundations of what is becoming a well-established charity with national impact.

Message from STAR’s Founder/Director

This year has seen the increase in partnership working whilst focusing on continuing to boast a strong staff and trustee board, which is essential as we step out further in a national scale.

We are committed to embedding a solid team of staff and trustees, with high an emphasis of learning and growing as a charity. The recent Operational Review conducted by our board of trustees has helped to solidify the objectives and strategic direction for STAR, whilst giving us a robust and achievable vision and trajectory as we embrace this growth period.

Given that STAR is approaching it’s 5 years of operation, we are delighted with the partnership connections and the impact that we are making in a relatively short period of time. There are new opportunities opening up as we are committed to adaptive management in order to meet the needs we are seeing. There are very exciting times ahead for us at STAR.

Emma Heath

Chief Executive/Founder

This report was approved by the trustees on 30/06/2025

Signed:

Jackie Leswell

Chair of Trustees

Dated: 30/06/2025

Appendix 1: Trustees

Trustees of STAR – Steps to Active Recovery (CIO) as of 31 March 2024:

First Name Last Name Term Start Role
Andrew Haines Jan-24 Trustee
Jackie Leswell Oct-20 Chair
Julian Radford May-22 Trustee
Mike Royles Feb-25 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 2025

S.T.A.R. - Steps to Active Recovery Charity Number 1191725


Receipts

Grants
Individual donations

Gift aid

Church donations

Other donations

Fees for training

Interest income


Total receipts

Payments

Payroll expense incl pension
Professional and consultancy fees
Staff travel and subsistence
Staff welfare
Fundraising costs

IT and telecoms
Office rent
Office equipment
Publicity and printing
Insurance
Accounts and bookkeeping
Bank charges
Online membership
(Charity Suite; Drobox; Worksmarter)
Events
DBS checks
Postage and stationery
Equipment and materials
Costs incurred providing training
Extra project costs/other
Total payments

Cash funds start of period
Total receipts		 Receipts and Payments Receipts and Payments Receipts and Payments
Year to date
Restricted
funds


88101





 Period
start
1/4/2024
Designated
funds


6000		 To
Unrestricted
funds

33770
6668
91
4140
100
90		 Period
end

31/3/2025
Total
funds

127871

6668

91

4140
0

100

90
138960

80147

4510

3210

305

472

2008

3402

1083

996

602

606

60

344

382

240

82

37

40

30
98556
17951

138,960

1-Apr-23 to
31-Mar-24

35500

5104

330

2890

2200

1038

96

88101		 6000 44859 138960 47158

49163
2202
2030
90

532
486
463
437
323
150
25
185
239
150
35
37
40
30
8052





1942





5



51
22932
2308
1180
215
472
1476

974
620
559
279
456

30
159
143

39
47
0
0
0
73140

6388

1988

111

3626

721

3450

1210

1650

330

1116

66

430

381

275

110

40

605

82

56617		 10050 31889 98556
95719

3797
88,101		 4050

6,000		 10104

44,859		 17951
66512

47,158

Total payments

Statement of Assets and Liabilities Cash held in bank account Outstanding guarantees to third parties Debts secured on assets of STAR

Independent Examiner Report

I have examined the accounts for STAR - Steps To Active Recovery for the year ended March 2025 and confirm that they are in accordance with the financial records and supporting documentation provided to me

Signed Dated – 26 June 2025

Robert May (Retired Commercial Bank Manager) 35 Pinewood Avenue, Bournemouth, BH10 6BT

Appendix 3: Independent Examiner’s Report of Year ended 31[st] March 2025

STAR – Steps to Active Recovery

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS

Report to the trustees on accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025

This report is for the accounts of the STAR – Steps to Active Recovery for the year ended 31 March 2025 in response to an independent examination carried out under s.144 of the Charities Act 2011:

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The trustees members consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility:

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out following General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. The examination included a review of the accounting records kept by STAR and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence required in an audit, and consequently, I have not expressed an audit opinion on the accounts.

Independent examiner’s statement

In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

  1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that:

  2. a. proper accounting records are kept (in accordance with the Act); and

  3. b. accounts are prepared that agree with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act; or

  4. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Date: 30[th] June 2025

Robert May (Retired Commercial Bank Manager

35 Pinewood Avenue, Bournemouth, BH10 6BT