if Only… Charity Annual Report June 2023 to May 2024
A new phase - Thriving and Strong
Summary
If Only… Charity provides support to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. This report reflects on the Charity’s third year of operations.
The Charity year has been one of flourishing, with the Charity entering a new phase thriving and strong.
Our community of survivors and supporters has grown both in number and in depth of relationship. Extensive messages back to the Charity reflect the profound impact on the lives of Survivors of the regular, consistent, and inspirational messages of hope and encouragement that are put out on social media daily.
For the first time the Charity has established a survivor online Peer Support Group as a major new venture which multiplies the level of support in life to survivors.
The evidence of our achievements are recorded in our feedback below.
The Charity completed the development and deployment of extensive resources and communications in the new Charity website www.ifonlycharity.com. This was funded from the first Fundraising Grant from the National Lottery Community Fund. This overhauled and greatly extended the Charity’s online presence and further developed the skillsets of the team.
The Charity extends its thanks to all those who have volunteered and served throughout the year enabling the flourishing growth of support to the Charity’s growing network of survivors.
See below for full details of all these and more …
Global context
The year has seen a significant increase in disclosures of cases of childhood sexual abuse which has raised awareness of the scale of abuse. This is bringing with it a greater willingness to speak about childhood sexual abuse. This in turn reinforces to survivors that they are not alone. It lowers the threshold of difficulty to others speaking up. It brings attention to the needs for greater support services; it reinforces that childhood sexual abuse is completely unacceptable, and highlights the importance of reporting every safeguarding concern or signs of potential that you become aware of.
Survivor Support
Throughout the year the Charity continued to develop survivor support services impacting a growing community network with greatly increased direct support to survivors.
The Charity continued and extended its primary outreach through daily online messages of hope and encouragement. Daily and weekly IM’s and direct support to a growing community of survivors with regular check-ins.
This was a sustained increase over all previous years. This ensured fresh messages at whatever time of day a survivor might need that vital positive presence in their lives. It has resulted in consistent growth in the number of survivors following on social media.
See ‘Online Presence’ below for details and the evidences of the impact.
Peer Support Group
A vital new venture established this year was online peer support groups. This provided a mutual support context enabling survivors to encourage each other through life, and on their healing journey.
The new FB Peer Support Group ‘if Only We Are Not Alone’ includes
-
Coloured hearts to share status
-
This prompts support & encouragement from others in the group
-
Gratitude Journal - With questions such as ‘What made you laugh today?’
-
12 week Gratitude Programme building conversation
-
6 week Mindfulness Relaxation programme
-
A critical lifeline for many survivors
Retreat
An off-site retreat was held at the beautiful and peaceful context of the Othona Community in Nov 23 Retreat for 6 survivors. This extended to include both Cookery and Art Therapy.
Extensive positive feedback reflected the confidence that this built and encouragement on the survivors’ healing journeys:
-
I really enjoyed my time at the retreat.
-
I felt so looked after and safe at all times, everything was so thought out and carefully considered which was really reassuring.
-
I felt truly listened to, understood, seen and part of a really special group and like I really belonged and connected.
-
I am so grateful for being invited and for everything if Only… has done to make it such a wonderful memory and experience that I will really cherish forever.
Online Presence
Social Media messages of hope and encouragement
Over 1,500 messages of hope and encouragement were posted on social media to the growing network of survivors. This was an increase of over 100% on previous years and ensured fresh messages at whatever time of day a survivor might need that vital positive presence in their lives.
These generated over 8,000 Likes and around 600 direct messages of follow up.
Web development rebranding
We have engaged the services of a professional web designer. We are using grant funding to create a website that is specifically aimed at survivors and their supporters who are unable to find help and support.
Evidences
Instagram and Facebook daily messages of hope and encouragement plus instant message direct support exceed all previous years. This provided a wealth of support to a growing network of closely connected survivors.
There has been substantial growth in the core number of survivors connected.
Over the year there has been a further increase of 123 in the daily posting of messages of hope and encouragement on Instagram and Facebook
-
A total of 1,649 messages were posted
-
An increase of 121 on the previous year
-
Averaging over 4½ for every day of the year
-
These generated a wealth of ‘Likes’ showing positive engagement and response: - Total of 9,841 ‘Likes’
-
27 for every day of the year
-
Increase of 331 over previous years
In addition to the welcome and vital support this provided to the existing network of survivors, there has been a substantial growth in the number of survivor social media followers throughout the year:
-
321 new followers
-
By the end of the Charity year: 437 on Instagram and 544 on Facebook.
-
50% increase on the previous year.
The impact of these were demonstrated in the positive Survivor Messages received in response:
-
Total of 2,230 positive response messages from survivors
-
Over 200% increase on previous years
Website Support Resources for Survivors
In order to increase the outreach of the Charity a whole new and extensive website has been developed to promote the hope and encouragement messages and to make a rich source of resources available to survivors and those supporting them. This was funded from a Grant of £8,755 obtained, in the last financial year, from the National Lottery Community Fund. The associated training and website development and deployment was completed in the current 2023/24 Charity year.
The new website was launched on 8 Mar 24 and has generated much positive response. The website provides a new Mailing List enquiry contact service which will enable future newsletter mailings and communication of upcoming retreats and other events, together with new support opportunities and resources.
Training
Further skills development and training has been initiated in the following areas:
-
Mental Health First Aid
-
Level 4 Counselling Training
-
Deep Release Counselling Training
-
Gabor Mate Compassionate Enquiry
-
Working with Suicide
-
Mental Health & the Body - Carolyn Spring
-
Working with Shame - Carolyn Spring
Additional Key Achievements
-
Our Bingo night was a fun night. We had 50 people present and were joined online by 8. The event raised £1200 and generated much interest in supporting the work of the Charity.
-
If Only… supported the Project 90/10 launch by Emma Jane Taylor. It is a very significant schools programme for awareness to keep them safe #notmyshame.
-
The Charity welcomes long standing volunteer supporters Emily Bird and Lorna Kimpton as new Trustees going into the new Charity year.
-
A Somerset survivor completed a 20km wild water swim in Vobster Quarry which raised £375 for if Only.. plus the same for another therapy!
-
If Only… Childhood Sexual Abuse awareness and support resources were welcomed by Taiwo Owatemi MP’s Parliamentary Support team to be available as a signposting resources for any survivors, healthcare professionals, or survivor-supporting friends and family across her constituency.
Finances
Summary
This summary is based on the draft End of Year accounts. See Accounts for full details. The final accounts verified by the accountants will be submitted to the Charity Commission and be available from there.
Overall income was lower this year with fewer fundraising events:
-
£ 337 Donations
-
£ 381 Sales of Charity branded items
-
£1,362 Income from fundraising Bingo event (£553 Nett profit)
-
£2,081 Total Nett Income
Note: The £375 donation from the May 24 Somerset Swim was received in June 24 and appears in the next Financial Year
Outgoings included the second 50% of the grant funding spend from the Lottery Community Fund grant received in the previous Charity financial year. This was for the new website and training.
Accordingly, outgoings were, as planned, higher than income for the year.
Major expenditure items include:
-
£5,247 Website development
-
£2,122 Survivor Support skills training
-
£2,050 Survivor Support Materials
-
£ 804 Events sound equipment
Nett Expenditure was £6,732 in excess of income.
The End of Year closing balance was £4,977
The 2022/23 accrued financial commitments for the Website Development & Training were fully paid during 2023/24. No new accrual commitments were made.
The Charity’s appointed accountants fully verify the 2022/23 accounts, and will do so again for the financial year now completed. The Charity will continue to ensure this external professional voice confirming the rigour of financial prudence being applied by the Charity Trustees.
The Year Ahead
In the year ahead will include:
-
9 June 2024 will see a big new event - ‘June Afternoon Tea’. It will include networking and fundraising
-
Post event note: This proved to be a delightful, and massively successful, new event. This was the biggest event we have planned and catered for ourselves. We had an amazing 73 people attend. The event was a lovely afternoon with a live singer and we raised a huge £1,675
-
if Only… Charity will have a stand at the UK Convention of Forensic Nurses and Paramedics which takes place in Solihull, 20 Sep 2024.
-
Attending workshop by global leading psychotherapist Bessel van der Kalk in London September 2024
-
Retreat booked at Othona Community for November 2024. Highest level of interest expressed in participating.
-
Charity Newsletter to be launched using the new mailing list facility
-
Survivors Medical Card to be produced to help survivors making their needs known for Doctors Appointments etc.
-
‘Dear Little Me’ photobook to be published combining the poignant artwork of Lorna Kimpton, with the messages of hope from Jo Nachshon to her childhood self. Working with Survivor Memoirs on the publishing of this.
-
Further developing this new phase: Thriving and Strong …
IFONLY... FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF
I am reporting on the accounts for the year ended 31st May 2024.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with requirements of the Charities Act 2011. (the Act)
It is my responsibility to:
report in respect of my examination of the Charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Basis of independent examiner's report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination inclues a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts represent a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the 1993 Act and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 1993 Act, have not been met: or
2) which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Steve Castle FCCA
Castle & Co - Chartered Certified Accountants 16-18 West Street Rochford Essex Date: SS4 1AJ
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MAY 2024
| RECEIPTS Gifts and other donations Grants Sales Event income TOTAL RECEIPTS PAYMENTS Events Materials Shipping Online development Training Accountancy Admin NET (PAYMENTS)/RECEIPTS CASH FUND B/FWD |
2024 2023 337 1,975 - 8,755 382 251 1,362 1,203 2,081 2,081 809 733 1,418 2,608 192 168 330 5,423 224 2,500 240 240 (513) 914 2,701 2,701 (620) 5,357 4,737 |
12,184 12,184 12,586 12,586 (402) 5,759 5,357 |
|---|---|---|
BALANCE SHEET FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MAY 2024
| CURRENT ASSETS: Cash at bank CURRENT LIABILITIES: Accruals Committed funds CAPITAL AND RESERVES Accumulated Fund |
240 - |
2024 4,977 (240) 4,737 4,737 4,737 |
2023 11,710 240 6,113 (6,353) 5,357 5,357 5,357 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|