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2023-10-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From November 1[st] 2022 To October 31[st] 2023

Charity name: BEXCEPTIONAL FOUNDATION

Charity registration number: 1192745

Objectives and Activities

Objectves and Actvites
SORP
reference
Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document		 Para 1.17 The object of the CIO is:
To preserve and protect the mental health and
wellbeing of and relieve the needs of women and
people who identfy as female who have
experienced mental health problems due to sexual,
emotonal, physical or mental abuse.
Summary of the main actvites
in relaton to those purposes
for the public beneft, in
partcular, the actvites,
projects or services identfed
in the accounts.		 Para 1.17
and 1.19		 The main actvites to achieve the above purpose
and objectves are the provision of:
a) grants of fnancial assistance to access
counselling;
b) support, actvites and opportunites designed to
build confdence and raise self-esteem thereby
empowering them to establish healthy relatonships
and live safer happier lives;
c) a signpostng service to support available from
other relevant organisatons.
In this reportng period the main actvites of the
charity have been:point a (grants of fnancial
assistance to access counselling) and point c (a
signpostng service to support available from other
relevant organisatons.).
Actvity B was not delivered during this fnancial
period.
Statement confrming whether
the trustees have had regard
to the guidance issued by the
Charity Commission on public
beneft		 Para 1.18 At the establishment of the charity (December
2020) the trustees all read and confrmed
understanding of charity commission guidance on
running and managing a charity and being a trustee.
The guidance is drawn upon when needed, and was
a key resource in designing the actvites, purpose
and delivery of the charity goals. This guidance was
re-read, discussed and confrmed as understood
between the trustees duringthis reportng period.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

SORP reference
Policy on grant making Para 1.38 The charity has a documented process that is
followed for every request for funds for a
benefciary – ensuring that funds are properly
allocated and managed. This is clearly
communicated to our partner counsellors
verbally and in writng, with a signature of
understanding and agreement to follow the
process obtained before any partner counsellor
begins working with the charity.
The trustees managing the grants and funds
allocated are also all trained on the policy and
process, and enact this on an ongoing basis.
Where there are challenges (e.g. when funds
are running low), there are ‘special
circumstance’ clauses that come into place
when agreed upon by all three trustees, and
are again clearly communicated to all partner
counsellors. Writen confrmaton of
understanding is received.
The grant making policy requires partner
counsellors to submit a completed benefciary
request form, which details:

Basic – yet anonymous – informaton about
the potental benefciary

Their CORE score (a score used to assess
the state of an individual’s mental health)

The presentng symptoms

The understood causes of the symptoms
and CORE score and why they meet the
criteria to be a benefciary of the charity

The funding request and number of mental
health counselling sessions being
requested

Justfcaton for funding request
Policy on social investment
including program related
investment		 Para 1.38 NA
Contributon made by
volunteers		 Para 1.38 During this reportng period the charity had no
volunteers, all voluntary tme was undertaken
by trustees.
This tme includes:

Managing the website and social media
channels

Responding to requests for help from
benefciaries

Managing the partner counsellor team

Agreeing and allocatng funds to approved
benefciaries

 Regular trustee meetings and review of progress, goals and finances  Working on the growth plan for the charity going forwards This is around 4 hours per trustee per month for the reporting period. NA Other

Achievements and Performance

SORP reference
Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identfying the diference the
charity’s work has made to the
circumstances of its
benefciaries and any wider
benefts to society as a whole.		 Para 1.20 In the reportng period the charity has made
progress against its goals, and has identfed
areas for improvement and growth for the next
reportng period. We are stll a small, trustee
run charity and aim to contnue our growth in
the coming years in a sustainable, step-by-step
fashion. The trustees are proud of the
achievements of the charity in this reportng
period and thank our contnued and new
supporters for their fundraising and support on
social media.
Under main actvity a) to provide ‘grants of
fnancial assistance to access counselling;’ the
main achievements of the charity in this
reportng period are:

Providing quick access to and funding for
31 specialist counselling or assessment
sessions to 4 benefciaries.

Providing approved benefciaries with
approval for partally funded counselling,
and access to that counsellor, on average
within two weeks. This was while the
average waitng tme for NHS counselling
reported in our benefciary applicatons
was over 6 months.

The mental health of these benefciaries
was documented to have improved
following the completon of sessions, with
their CORE scores reducing (demonstratng
improved state of mental health)

Maintaining a team of 12 partner
counsellors throughout England who are
able to deliver mental health counselling to
benefciaries withpartal fundingfrom the

charity. Under charity activity c) provide “a signposting service to support available from other relevant organisations”:  The charity developed an active social media network, with signposting and sharing of information with other relevant charities in the female mental health space, including Mind, Women’s Aid, Shelter and local women’s aid and refuge charities.  The charity also began conversations with other female orientated mental health organisations to establish partnerships and referral mechanisms, including Safe Gigs for Women.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against
objectves set		 Para 1.41 As above
Performance of fundraising
actvites against objectves set		 Para 1.41 In this reportng period the charity raised £647
in donatons. This is lower than in previous
years of the charity’s operatons. This was due
to the charity only hostng a small number of
fundraising actvites in the reportng period, as
opposed to hostng unsuccessful actvites.
This was due to reduced demand for the
service and reduced capacity for fundraising
actvites amongst the trustees.
The objectve of the charity has been to raise
£2,000 during this period, and so this objectve
was not met. In November 2023 (the frst
month of the following reportng period) the
charity raised £1,500 in 30 days, demonstratng
that when the trustee team have capacity for
fundraising it is successful.
Investment performance
against objectves		 Para 1.41 NA
Other NA

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s
fnancial positon at the end of
the period		 Para 1.21 During the reportng period, the charity had a
total income of £1,772
The outgoings in this fnancial period were a
total of £1,557.
This lef the charity at a balance of £215.
The income and outgoings are at a similar rato
to year 1 and 2 of the charity, but around half
the value of year 2 and quarter of the value of
year 1. The trustees have analysed this and
believe that this shows:

The models the charity uses to predict
income and outcome are ft for purpose

The charity’s method to balance agreed
grant values to benefciaries versus
actual and predicated income are ft for
purpose

Our fxed operatonal costs are low for
a charity, and have been reduced as
much as possible – for instance we
have changed mail service and
telephone providers to save money.

There was more spent on operatonal
costs in this period than on
grants/benefciaries. However, the
spending did meet the demand for the
services. Had there been more
demand, the charity would have done
more fundraising.

The goal is for there to be more
reserves in our accounts so that we can
invest in growing the charity, as well as
meetng the service demand.
The trustees agree that a passive, regular
source of income would be benefcial to the
charity to help us to grow. Work is underway to
establish this through a variety of fundraising
methods foryear 4
Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
statngwhytheyare held		 Para 1.22 NA
Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 £200
Reasons for holding zero
reserves		 Para 1.22 During this reportng period there was no
formal policy for holding reserves. However,
based on the previous year’s report and charity
performance, the trustees decided to keep
£200 as reserve at any one point in tme. This
was to ensure that in the event of a lack of
income – the basic operatonal costs required
by the charity (website, insurance etc.) would
be covered for a 6-month period, enabling the
trustees to operate a legallycompliant charity
whilst raising new/additonal funds. The
trustees managed cashfow and decisions over
grants to benefciaries as such, to ensure that
the charity did not over-commit to benefciary
outgoings without confrmaton that income
was guaranteed for that period.
In practce, the charity did not have to put into
acton any ‘special measures’ – such as paused
benefciary funding – during this period as
there was no tme where cashfow was an
issue, or where it appeared the bank balance
wouldget close to the reserve amount.
Details of fund materially in
defcit		 Para 1.24 NA
Explanaton of any
uncertaintes about the charity
contnuingas agoingconcern		 Para 1.23 NA

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

NA The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any Para 1.47 fundraising) NA Investment policy and objectives including any social Para 1.46 investment policy adopted NA A description of the principal Para 1.46 risks facing the charity NA Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Descripton of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)		 Para 1.25 The charity has a foundaton model
consttuton, approved in December 2020 by
the CharityCommission of England and Wales.
How is the charity consttuted?
(e.g. unincorporated
associaton,CIO)		 Para 1.25 The charity is a CIO.
Trustee selecton methods
including details of any
consttutonal provisions e.g.
electon to post or name of any
person or body enttled to
appoint one or more trustees		 Para 1.25 Trustees are selected by existng trustees. A
call for new trustees is made by the existng
trustees, and applicatons are received.
Following checks to ensure they meet the
criteria to be a trustee (secton 9,2 in our
consttuton), an interview will take place. If
the applicant is determined suitable the
existng trustees will vote on their
appointment.
All founding ‘frst’ trustees have equal vote and
right to appoint new trustees.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Will provide in the next annual report Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and Para 1.51 training of trustees Will provide in the next annual report The charity’s organisational structure and any wider Para 1.51 network with which the charity works Will provide in the next annual report Relationship with any related Para 1.51 parties NA Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charityname Bexceptonal Foundaton
Other name the charityuses NA
Registered charitynumber 1192745
Charity’s principal address Bexceptonal Foundaton,
7, Bell Yard

The Strand London WC2A 2JR

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1
2
3
4		 Trustee name Ofce (if any) Dates acted if not for whole year Name of person (or body) enttled to
appoint trustee(if any)
Rebecca Hall Chair of Trustees and
Founder - remote		 Whole year – ongoing Group decision between three
trustees – equal vote
Alice Palmer Trustee - remote Whole year – ongoing Group decision between three
trustees – equal vote
Marina el-Hasni Trustee remote Whole year – ongoing Group decision between three
trustees – equal vote

Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name None

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for wholeyear
None

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held None in this capacity Name and objects of the None charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for None safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of
adviser		 Name
Address		 Name
Address
None

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

None

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

None

Other optional information

None

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Full name(s) Rebecca Hall

Position (eg Secretary, Chair of Trustees Chair, etc)

Date

Name No (if any) Bexceptional Foundation 1192745 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period 11/1/2022 10/31/2023 To from

Section A Receipts and payments

Unrestricted
funds		 Restricted
funds		 Endowment
funds		 Total funds Last year
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Fundraising 647 - - 647 -
Balance in bank account at end of
previous financialyear		 224 - - 224 -
Costs loaned byfounder 901 - - 901 -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 1,772
 - - 1,772 -
Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts
Fundraising
647
224
Costs loaned byfounder
901
-
-
-
-
-
1,772
Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £
Balance in bank account at end of
previous financialyear
Sub total(Gross income for AR)		 to the nearest £
Restricted
funds		 to the nearest £
Endowment
funds		 Total funds
to the nearest £		 Last year
to the nearest £
Fundraising 647 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 647
224
901
-
-
-
-
-
1,772		 -
Balance in bank account at end of
previous financialyear		 224 -
Costs loaned byfounder 901 -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 1,772
 -
-
-
Sub total -
Total receipts 1,772
A3 Payments
Counsellorpayments
560
Insurance
96
Operatingcosts
901
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sub total 1,557
-
-
Sub total -
Total payments 1,557
Net of receipts/(payments) 215
A5 Transfers between funds
-
A6 Cash funds last year end
-
Cash funds this year end 215
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
-
-
-		 -
-
-		 -
-
-
-
-
1,772
- - -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 560
96
901
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,557		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 -
-
-		 -
-
-
-
- - 1,557 -
-
-
-
-		 -
-
-
-		 215
-
-
215		 -
-
-
-

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B5 Liabilities
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees		 Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Signature
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))		 to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Agreement Error
OK
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Fund to which
asset belongs
Fund to which
asset belongs
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)		 to nearest £
Endowment
funds
-
-
-
-
OK
to nearest £
Endowment
funds
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval