**Registered Charity Number: 1192175**
**The Together Project CIO**
**Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 October 2024**
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Contents**
|**Contents**||
|---|---|
||**Page**|
|Charity information|3|
|Trustees’ report|4|
|Independent examiner’s report|10|
|Statement of financial activity|11|
|Balance sheet|12|
|Notes to the financial statements|13|
2
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Charity information**
**Registered charity name** The Together Project CIO **Trustees** Kelly Keating – Chair Elin De Zoete – Vice-chair Jon Clyne – Treasurer Nisha Goyal Alicia Luther-Jones Ashley Alleyne Frances Brownhill **CEO** Louise Goulden **Charitable objects** The objects of the CIO are to promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded and relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded in the UK through the provision of community-based social, recreational and cultural activities. ‘Socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of one or more of the following factors: youth or old age; ill health (physical or mental); disability. **Registered charity number** 1192175 **Principal address** Taylor House 22C Sutherland Road London E17 6SS **Independent examiners** Muras Baker Jones Regent House Bath Avenue Wolverhampton WV1 4EG
3
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 October 2024**
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 October 2024. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019) as detailed in the accounting policies.
The Together Project was originally set up as a Community Interest Company (“CIC”) on 9 October 2017. On 5 November 2020, it converted to being a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“CIO”). The process of conversion means that the entity has a continuous existence, so it does not affect the accounts.
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The Together Project is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by a Board of Trustees in accordance with The Together Project constitution (dated 12 September 2020).
## **Organisational structure**
The Together Project Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) is responsible to Trustees for the day-to-day management of the organisation. The CEO monitors financial performance and delivery of objectives in pursuit of the strategy agreed by The Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees approves the annual budget and delegates operational responsibility for the charity’s activities to CEO. The Board of Trustees offer a wide range of expertise and experience essential to the good governance of the charity. The Board of Trustees monitor the charity’s governance by way of quarterly board meetings and regular one-to-one conversations held with the CEO.
The Board of Trustees met 4 times during the year ending 31 October 2024, with two of these meetings being fully virtual and two meetings being a hybrid of in-person and virtual.
Apart from the first charity Trustees, every Trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity Trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity Trustees, the Trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the charity. The Trustees will make available to each new Trustee, on or before his or her appointment, a copy of the current version of the constitution and a copy of the charity’s latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts.
4
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 October 2024**
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
The objects of the charity are to promote social inclusion for those experiencing, or at risk of, social exclusion relating to age, disability or health (mental or physical).
The Together Project tackles this through intergenerational programmes that reduce isolation, improve wellbeing and foster community cohesion.
This year saw us build on the success of the previous year, with increases in beneficiary numbers, programme delivery, income and team size.
We ran two core programmes during this period, collaborated on two impactful community projects and formed three purposeful new partnerships.
## **Our Programmes**
Our **Songs & Smiles programme** more than doubled in size, with weekly sessions running in 47 older people’s care and retirement settings, up from 23 last year. This growth was fuelled by a significant grant from City Bridge Foundation that facilitated expansion across London, as well as funding from Global’s Make Some Noise that saw us launch seven new groups in the north west of England.
The multi-age music and social groups brought together 0-4 year olds, their parents/guardians and older adults to sing, move, play and make friends, helping to reduce social isolation and improve quality of life.
Our annual evaluation work found that 74% of parents/guardians and 82% of older adults felt less lonely as a result of participating, with 89% of both groups saying the programme developed better community connections for them.
Example feedback included:
“I love it all. I want to see the families every day. I love babies!” care home resident
“Songs & Smiles has had an amazing effect on the residents, it makes us very happy to see our residents smiling” care worker
“Songs & Smiles is the most wholesome thing ever. It’s fantastic to see all of the different generations together. Everyone gets so much from it!” parent
**Crafting Connections** supported 236 friendships between children and older adults over the course of the year. The project pairs children with older adults living in care homes across the UK to form long-term friendships via the post. Each of the pair receives an arts and crafts challenge to complete, based on a given topic, and some related questions to answer about themselves. When complete, these are swapped in the post with their partner (via The Together Project for safeguarding and monitoring). Each participant receives a Friendship Folder in month one in which to store their partner’s submissions, building up a record of their friendship as the months progress. In addition, children receive arts & crafts materials and ‘words of wisdom’ from older people in each monthly pack.
As the programme was now two years old, we conducted a feedback-gathering exercise with both care settings and children’s parents to understand what was working well and where improvements could be made. This led to a new section of the packs where the children and older adults could ask
5
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 October 2024**
and answer questions to and from one another, allowing them to understand more about the specific areas of their friend’s life that most captured their interest.
We also conducted our first major qualitative evaluation study on the programme. 100% of parents told us they observed positive changes in their child’s emotional wellbeing as a result of their involvement, with 90% saying it had made their child more thoughtful and aware of older people’s experiences.
At the other end of the age spectrum, 94% of older adults said the programme improved their mood and 100% said that receiving the post from their friend made them feel happy.
## Example feedback included:
“I love the connection I have with Florence, I have no grandchildren and Florence has been like my surrogate grandchild” care home resident
“I have been a member of Crafting Connections for a long time now and my dementia has become worse but I still manage to do the crafts and still enjoy putting the pictures on my wall. They put a smile on my face” care home resident
“I love Crafting Connections because you can spend more time getting to know your older friend. Older people than me make me feel warm and joyful inside and I get to learn lots of new things!” child
## **Community Projects & Collaborations**
This year saw The Together Project partner with three other non-profit organisations to further expand our reach.
In April we lent our knowledge and expertise to Project OK!, which uses the power of movement and dance to improve wellbeing. We enabled them to add an intergenerational element to their work, bringing together toddlers, their parents and older adults in a care home to join together in a movement workshop.
In October half term, we joined forces with Creative Engagement Services, a fellow Waltham Forestbased non-profit that supports disadvantaged young people. Together, we ran a podcasting project in which members of their Leyton youth group interviewed users of the local Dementia Hub about what life was like when they were growing up, resulting in a four-minute audio recording that was shared at a ‘celebration session’ for participants, their families and carers and members of the Local Authority at the end of the week.
October also saw us partner with My Life TV, a charity that creates and curates television programming for people living with dementia. Their crew filmed a Songs & Smiles session, the footage from which was used to create a number of bite-sized programmes that their viewers could watch on-demand, spreading the intergenerational joy to hundreds of viewers in care settings and in communities across the UK.
At the end of the year we were also commissioned by the London Borough of Haringey to deliver work in their communities for the first time. The partnership will see Songs & Smiles rolled out to care settings in the borough and a new pilot project linking children and young people aged 10-17 with retired people in the community to create a podcasting series.
6
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 October 2024**
## **Public benefit**
The main activities undertaken to further the charity's purposes for the public benefit are described above.
The trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on Public Benefit requirement under the Charities Act 2011 when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in pursuing charitable activities.
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
This was a year of significant growth and expansion for The Together Project. Some of our highlights include:
- 113% increase in the number of people of all ages engaging with our services, from 2,058 last year to 4,374 this year.
- Winners of the Health Investor Seniors Housing Awards ‘Best Partnership of the Year’ trophy for our work with One Housing, and shortlisted in the Fantastic For Families Awards and the Dementia Care Awards.
- Charity of the Year partnerships with local shopping mall 17&Central and law firm Mills & Reeve.
- A brand new website, showcasing the breadth and impact of our work.
In total our work reached 1,237 older adults and 3,137 parents/guardians and children. The vast majority of these beneficiaries engaged with our programmes on a regular, ongoing basis, meaning that deep, meaningful connections could be formed that ultimately have a more profound effect on wellbeing.
## **Plans for the future**
The Together Project's vision is of a connected, inclusive society in which everyone has the chance to form joyful intergenerational friendships. Our five-year strategy sets out the charity’s ambitions for activities reaching ‘every age and life stage’ at a national level. This includes the growth of our current service offerings and the development of new ones, expansion into new geographical areas and reaching new beneficiary groups.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
The financial results are as shown in the accounts. The charity generated income of £258,205 (2023: £222,005) during the year ending 31 October 2024, which was mainly generated from grant income and donations. Expenditure totalled £235,815 (2023: £188,019). This resulted in a net increase to funds of £22,390 (2023: net increase of £33,986) for the year.
At 31 October 2024, the charity had total funds of £110,194 (2023: £87,804). Of these funds, £43,941 (2023: £38,096) is restricted for expenditure on Songs & Smiles, £13,248 (2023: £400) is restricted for expenditure on Crafting Connections, £1,000 is restricted for expenditure on rent
7
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 October 2024**
and office utility costs (2023: £6,833) and £1,167 is restricted to core costs such as salaries (2023: £0). Nothing is restricted for expenditure on staff costs and employee wellbeing this year (2023: £7,814). The remaining £50,838 (2023: £34,661) of funds are unrestricted. Based on the current level of funds held and a prudent projection for future cashflow, the charity is expected to have sufficient funds to be able to pursue its plans and cover core costs for the coming 12 months. There are also opportunities in the pipeline to be able to expand on what is currently being delivered.
## **Reserves**
Reserves are the part of the charity’s unrestricted funds that are freely available to spend on any of the charity’s purposes. There will be occasions where grants and donations are restricted and can only be used for a particular charitable purpose. These amounts will be excluded when considering what the charity’s reserves levels are.
Our aim is to maintain our reserves at a level which is at least equivalent to three months’ running costs, including staffing and overheads, which equates to £48,629 (as of October 2024).
The Board regularly reviews the amount of reserves at its quarterly board meetings, to ensure that they are adequate to fulfil our continuing obligations. At 31 October 2024, the charity had £50,838 (2023: £34,661 of reserves). This covers the three months’ running cost target, and a significant portion of the running costs of the charity are currently covered by restricted funds. The Trustees therefore consider this level of reserves and expected future cashflows sufficient to allow the charity to perform its intended activities over the next 12 months and beyond.
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES**
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The law applicable to charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 2011, Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
8
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31 October 2024**
## **APPROVAL**
This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 17 July 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
## **Kelly Keating**
Chair of Trustees
9
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of The Together Project CIO**
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Together Project CIO (the charity) for the year ended 31 October 2024.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity Trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’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.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Name:
Oliver Ross
Relevant professional qualification: FCA
Address:
Muras Baker Jones Limited
Regent House
Bath Avenue
Wolverhampton
WV1 4EG
Date:
10
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) For the year ending 31 October 2024**
|**Note**
**Incoming resources**
Donations
3
Grant income
4
Charitable trading
activities
6
Bank interest
**Total incoming**
**resources**
**Resources expended**
Employment costs
13
Staff costs
Crafting Connections
Songs & Smiles
We are friends
Printing/postage
IT costs
Depreciation
9
Insurance
Governance
7
Advertising/comms
Fundraising costs
Travel
Accountancy
Rent and office costs
Bank and stripe fees
Other
**Total resources**
**expended**
**Net income**
**Total funds b/f**
**Total funds c/f**
12|**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**£**
70,946
780
**71,726**
5,000
134,948
**139,948**
45,947
0
**45,947**
584
0
**584**
**122,477**
**135,728**
**258,205**
75,168
90,026
**165,194**
1,447
127
**1,574**
5,094
3,200
**8,294**
11,112
25,320
**36,432**
4
-
**4**
108
-
**108**
939
-
**939**
1,981
-
**1,981**
-
725
**725**
312
-
**312**
1,037
-
**1,037**
4,238
-
**4,238**
345
-
**345**
213
568
**781**
3,366
9,549
**12,915**
376
-
**376**
560
-
**560**
**106,300**
**129,515**
**235,815**
16,177
6,213
**22,390**
34,661
53,143
**87,804**
**50,838**
**59,356**
**110,194**|**2023**
**2023**
**2023**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**£**
44,290
-
**44,290**
12,672
108,649
**121,321**
56,394
-
**56,394**
-
-
-|
|---|---|---|
|||**113,356**
**108,649**
**222,005**
87,663
55,119
**142,782**
1,104
800
**1,904**
2,448
11,317
**13,765**
6,532
7,226
**13,758**
660
-
**660**
69
-
**69**
1,106
-
**1,106**
1,459
-
**1,459**
562
-
**562**
790
-
**790**
223
-
**223**
-
-
**-**
187
-
**187**
372
-
**372**
5,296
4,776
**10,072**
71
-
**71**
239
-
**239**|
|||**108,781**
**79,238**
**188,019**|
|||4,575
29,411
**33,986**
30,086
23,732
**53,818**|
|||**34,661**
**53,143**
**87,804**|
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
11
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Balance sheet As at 31 October 2024**
|**Notes**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible fixed assets
9
**Current Assets**
Debtors
10
Cash at bank and in hand
**Liabilities**
Creditors: amounts falling due
within a year
11
**Net current assets**
**Total Assets less liabilities**
**Funds of the charity**
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
12
**Total charity funds**|**2024**
**£**
**£**
913
**913**
21,967
97,185
**119,152**
(9,871)
**109,281**
**110,194**
50,838
59,356
**110,194**|**2023**
**£**
**£**
2,205
**2,205**
10,384
84,297
**94,681**
(9,082)
**85,599**
**87,804**
34,661
53,143
**87,804**|**2023**
**£**
**£**
2,205
**2,205**
10,384
84,297
**94,681**
(9,082)
**85,599**
**87,804**
34,661
53,143
**87,804**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**2,205**
**85,599**|
||**119,152**
(9,871)|**94,681**
(9,082)||
||||**87,804**|
||||34,661
53,143|
||||**87,804**|
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 17 July 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:
Kelly Keating **Chair of Trustees**
Jon Clyne **Treasurer**
The notes form part of these financial statements.
12
**The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **1. BASIS OF PREPARATION**
## **CIO information**
The Together Project CIO was registered as a charitable incorporated organisation in England on 5 November 2020 and is governed by a constitution dated 12 September 2020 and registered with the Charity Commission under charity number 1192175. The charity’s principal office address is Taylor House, 22C Sutherland Road, London, E17 6SS.
## **Conversion from CIC to CIO**
The Together Project was originally set up as a Community Interest Company (“CIC”) on 9 October 2017. On 5 November 2020, it converted to being a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“CIO”). The process of conversion means that the entity has a continuous existence, so it does not affect the accounts.
## **1.1 Basis of accounting**
The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities Act 2011.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts. The accounts present a true and fair view and the accounting policies adopted are those outlined in Note 2.
## **1.2 Going concern**
After a difficult few years following the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit The Together Project especially hard as it had to suspend its major charitable activity (Songs & Smiles) due to the particular vulnerability of care home residents, the charity is recovering well and continues to grow its income and operations. The Trustees have reviewed the financial position of the charity and are satisfied that it has sufficient resources to continue for at least 12 months beyond the date of approval of these accounts. There are sufficient funding streams in place and a variety of potential other sources of income in the pipeline to ensure that core costs can be covered and committed activity can be undertaken as planned. The accounts are therefore prepared on a going concern basis.
13
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
For the purposes of FRS102, the Charity is a public benefit entity and accounting policies are adopted accordingly. The charity has only basic financial instruments and the Trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.
## **Recognition of income**
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the general income recognition criteria are met. In the case of performance related grants, income must only be recognised to the extent that the charity has provided the specified goods or services as entitlement to the grant only occurs when the performance related conditions are met.
Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor. Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of that gift and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor or the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise.
Donations in kind are recognised at their open market value to the charity when received and an equivalent amount is included in the appropriate expenditure line; the only amounts included for donated services are those provided in a professional capacity.
## **Expenditure**
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category.
14
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the Trustees. Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
## **Taxation**
The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.
## **Financial instruments**
The charity accounts for basic financial instruments on initial recognition as per paragraph 11.7 FRS102 SORP. Subsequent measurement is as per paragraphs 11.17 to 11.19, FRS102 SORP.
## **Tangible fixed assets**
Tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. Cost includes the original price of the asset and the costs attributable to bringing the asset to its working condition. Items are capitalised where it is expected that they will be used for over a year, such as equipment to be used in Songs and Smiles sessions.
Items are only capitalised if they cost at least £25.
Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost less estimated residual value of all tangible fixed assets, other than freehold land, over their expected useful lives, using the straight-line method. The rates applicable are:
- Equipment (such as items used in Songs & Smiles sessions) 2 years
- ● Computer hardware and software 3 years
## **Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity held for working capital.
## **Debtors**
Debtors (including trade debtors and loans receivable) are measured on initial recognition at settlement amount after any trade discounts or amount advanced by the charity. Subsequently, they are measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be received.
15
**The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **Creditors**
Creditors are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.
## **Provisions**
A liability is measured on recognition at its historical cost and then subsequently measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date.
## **Deferred income**
Income received in advanced of services being delivered is recognised as deferred income. Grant income is deferred if any associated performance conditions have not been met at the balance sheet date.
## **3. INCOME FROM DONATIONS**
Donations are recognised at the point of receipt. Tax recoverable under gift aid is recognised at the date of the corresponding income.
|Donations/gifts
Gift aid
**Total**|**Unrestricted Restricted**
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
65,370
780
**66,150**
5,576
-
**5,576**
**70,946**
**780**
**71,726**|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
39,558
-
**39,558**
4,732
-
**4,732**|
|---|---|---|
|||**44,290**
**-**
**44,290**|
A donation of £780 was received on 29[th] October 2024 and restricted to Songs and Smiles activity. There had been no expenditure in relation to this donation by the year end.
All restricted donations received in previous years have now been spent.
Twenty volunteers donated their time to The Together Project this year. Goods and services with a total value of £500 (2023: £2,510) were donated to the charity during the year. This has been shown as £500 (2023: £2,510) of donation income, with £500 (2023: £800) showing in expenditure (this figure was included in IT costs in the Statement of Financial Activities), and £0 (2023: £1,710) being shown as fixed asset additions (in respect of a donation of office furniture).
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**The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **4. INCOME FROM GRANTS**
The following restricted grants were received during the year:
|Awards for all
Youth Music
McCarthy Stone Foundation
Charles S French 2023
Charles S French 2024
The People’s Projects 2022/23
AdLib Foundation
Sir Jules Thorn Trust
Comic Relief
City Bridge Trust
The Childwick Trust
London Borough of Waltham Forest
Global Make Some Noise
Chalk Cliff Trust
Clarion Housing
Woodroffe Benton
Salters Charitable Foundation
**Total**|**At 31**
**October**
**2023**
**Received**
**during the**
**year**
**Expenditure**
**during the**
**year**
**At 31 October**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**-**
19,283
(8,035)
**11,248**
**7,814**
5,342
(13,156)
**-**
**6,833**
-
(5,833)
**1,000**
**400**
(400)
**-**
**-**
4,800
(2,800)
**2,000**
**27,219**
-
(27,219)
**-**
**-**
5,000
(2,083)
**2,917**
**-**
2,000
(833)
**1,167**
**1,380**
2,620
(4,000)
**-**
**7,164**
41,750
(41,817)
**7,097**
**2,333**
-
(2,000)
**333**
**-**
273
(262)
**11**
**-**
30,700
(12,055)
**18,645**
**-**
3,500
**-**
**3,500**
**-**
4,680
(3,496)
**1,184**
**-**
10,000
(2,389)
**7,611**
**-**
5,000
(3,137)
**1,863**|
|---|---|
||**53,143**
**134,948**
**(129,515)**
**58,576**|
## **Awards for all**
A grant of £19,283 was received to support salary costs for Crafting Connections across two calendar years.
## **Youth Music**
A grant of £21,369 (the second instalment of a total grant of £54,000) was received from Youth Music’s Recharge Fund. The majority of the grant was spent on staff salaries, with a small proportion set aside for a staff wellbeing day in recognition of the impact that the pandemic on mental health and organisational resilience. This was fully spent by 31 October 2024.
17
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **McCarthy Stone Foundation**
During a previous year a grant for £5,000 was received to cover the cost of one year’s rent for some new office space for The Together Project. At 31 October 2024 this was all spent. A further grant of £6,000 was made in the prior year to cover another year of rent, plus some office costs, and at 31 October 2024 £1,000 of this was remaining. This will be spent on rent and office costs in November and December 2024.
## **Charles S French 2023**
A grant of £4,800 was awarded to be spent on covering the cost for four care homes to participate in Crafting Connections for a year. The funds supported the cost of materials. This was fully spent by 31 October 2024.
## **Charles S French 2024**
Charles S French supported Crafting Connections for a second year, donating a further £4,800 to cover the cost of four care homes to participate in the programme for 12 months.
## **The People’s Projects 2022/23**
A grant of £40,309 was awarded by the National Lottery’s ‘The People’s Projects’ fund, to launch Songs & Smiles sessions in five east London care homes and fully-fund them for a year, including core costs, direct delivery costs and equipment. This was fully spent by 31 October 2024.
## **AdLib Foundation**
A grant of £5,000 was awarded by this small family trust to support the growth of Songs & Smiles, primarily spent on staff salaries.
## **Sir Jules Thorn Trust**
A donation of £2,000 was made under the trust’s Ann Rylands Small Donations programme to support The Together Project’s core running costs.
## **Comic Relief**
A grant of £2,620 was awarded to partially fund the continued delivery of Songs & Smiles sessions in two London supported living schemes for a year. The funds were spent on facilitator fees, staff time and materials. This was fully spent by 31 October 2024.
## **City Bridge Trust**
The next 4 instalments of a total grant of £125,000 (awarded in 2023 and covering a three-year period) were received. The funds support the expansion of Songs & Smiles across London, specifically targeting care settings housing residents who experienced high levels of socioeconomic disadvantage. The funding primarily covers core team salaries, with some allowance for equipment, materials and facilitator fees.
18
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **The Childwick Trust**
A grant of £4,000 was received in the prior year to cover the fund the continued delivery of Songs & Smiles in one London care home for two years. The funds were spent on facilitator fees, staff time and materials. £333 remains unspent at 31 October 2024.
## **London Borough of Waltham Forest**
We received a grant of £273 from the council’s Community Ward Funding pot to support the delivery of Songs & Smiles in a Waltham Forest care home.
## **Global’s Make Some Noise**
The Global media company awarded a two-year grant of £61,400, with the first 50% received this year. The funds will be spent on running Songs & Smiles in eight care settings in the north-west of England.
## **Chalk Cliff Trust**
A grant of £3,500 was awarded to support salary costs for the team delivering Songs & Smiles.
## **Clarion Housing**
A grant of £4,680 was awarded to support the cost of running Songs & Smiles in three of their assisted living schemes.
## **Woodroffe Benton**
The first instalment of a two-year grant to support the delivery of Songs & Smiles in three east London care homes was received.
## **Salters Charitable Foundation**
The first instalment of a two-year grant to support the delivery of Songs & Smiles in three east London care homes was received.
## **Unrestricted income:**
## **AD Charitable Trust**
An unrestricted grant of £5,000 was received from AD Charitable Trust.
19
**The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **5. INCOME FROM GOVERNMENT GRANTS**
No Government grant income was received during the year.
## **6. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
Income from charitable activities was comprised of the following:
|Songs & Smiles sessions in care homes
Crafting Connections Care Home income
We are Friends
**Total**|**2024**
**£**
44,417
1,530
-
**45,947**|**2023**
**£**
37,844
2,690
15,860|
|---|---|---|
|||**56,394**|
## **7. DETAILS OF CERTAIN ITEMS OF EXPENDITURE**
The independent examiner’s fee was £300 (inclusive of VAT) for carrying out the independent examination (2023: £300). This was included in Governance costs in the current year, having previously been included in Accountancy fees (the prior year figures have been restated to reflect this reclassification).
Other governance costs, such as Trustee training and the costs of running Board meetings, were £12 (2023: £490).
## **8. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS**
No Trustee or any person connected with them, received remuneration from the charity.
20
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **9. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
|**. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**||||
|---|---|---|---|
||**Equipment**|**Computer hardware**|**Total**|
|||**& software**||
||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Cost**||||
|At 1 November 2023|**2,783**|**2,278**|**5,061**|
|Additions|320|369|**689**|
|Disposals|-|-|**-**|
|**At 31 October 2024**|**3,103**|**2,647**|**5,750**|
|**Accumulated depreciation**||||
|At 1 November 2023|**1,012**|**1,844**|**2,856**|
|Charge for the year|1,542|439|**1,981**|
|Disposals|-|**-**|**-**|
|**At 31 October 2024**|**2,554**|**2,283**|**4,837**|
|**NBV at 31 October 2024**|**549**|**364**|**913**|
|**NBV at 31 October 2023**|**1,771**|**434**|**2,205**|
## **10. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
|Trade debtors
Accrued income
**Total debtors**|**2024**
**£**
10,505
11,462
**21,967**|**2023**
**£**
9,344
1,040|
|---|---|---|
|||**10,384**|
All amounts recognised as trade debtors at 31 October 2024 have been received in cash by the date of signing these accounts, which the exception of £100 which continues to be chased up. The accrued income is comprised of gift aid claims submitted to HMRC for donations made on or before 31 October 2024, where the charity holds a valid gift aid declaration. All amounts have been received by the date of signing these accounts.
21
## **The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **11. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
|Trade creditors
Other creditors
Accruals
**Total creditors**|**2024**
**£**
2,743
3,878
3,250
**9,871**|**2023**
**£**
1,984
3,747
3,351|
|---|---|---|
|||**9,082**|
Other creditors are comprised of employee taxes due to HMRC at 31 October 2024 and amounts due to the charity’s pension provider.
Accruals represent services received by The Together Project on or before 31 October 2024 where an invoice had not been submitted by the supplier by 31 October 2024.
## **12. MOVEMENTS IN RESTRICTED FUNDS**
During the financial year the charity held restricted funds for the charitable activities Songs & Smiles and Crafting Connections. It also received a grant from Youth Music to be spent on organisational overheads such as staff costs and employee wellbeing (the ‘Recharge Fund’). Funding was received from the McCarthy & Stone Foundation to help fund some office space for the charity.
|**Fund name**
Songs & Smiles
Crafting Connections
Recharge fund
Funding for office space
Core costs
**Total**|**At 31 October**
**2023**
**Grant**
**income**
**Donations**
**(inc Gift aid)**
**Expenditure**
**At 31 October**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**38,096**
103,523
780
(98,458)
**43,941**
**400**
24,083
-
(11,235)
**13,248**
**7,814**
5,342
-
(13,156)
**-**
**6,833**
-
-
(5,833)
**1,000**
**-**
2,000
**-**
(833)
**1,167**|
|---|---|
||**53,143**
**134,948**
**780**
**(129,515)**
**59,356**|
22
**The Together Project CIO**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **Year ending 31 October 2024**
## **13. EMPLOYEES**
The average number of persons employed by the charity during the period was 6 (2023: 5). Staff costs recognised in the SoFA in the year were as follows:
|Salaries and wages
Social security costs
Pension costs (defined contribution scheme)
**Total**|**2024**
**£**
152,735
8,942
3,517
**165,194**|**2023**
**£**
132,705
7,033
3,044|
|---|---|---|
|||**142,782**|
No employee received total employee benefits totalling more than £60,000 during the year. The cost to the charity of salary and benefits paid in respect of the charity’s CEO were £41,913 (2023: £39,799).
Pension costs incurred during the year of £3,517 (2023: £3,044) were allocated as £1,917 (2023: £1,175) in restricted funds and £1,600 (2023: £1,869) in unrestricted funds.
## **14. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES**
There were no related party transactions during the year.
23