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2023-03-31-accounts

Charity Registration No. 1192772

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees F Purchase (Chair) R D’Cunha N Kuhrt CE Townend L Yaffe (appointed 17 May 2022) Chief Executive Officer E Baldwin Registered Charity name Release Counselling And Therapy For Women CIO Charity number 1192772 Registered office Community Base 113 Queens Road Brighton East Sussex BN1 3XG Website www.releaseforwomen.org.uk Telephone 07954216995 Independent Examiner TC Group The Courtyard Shoreham Road Upper Beeding Steyning West Sussex BN44 3TN Bankers Co-Operative Bank PLC Delf House Southway Skelmersdale WN8 6NY

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO CONTENTS

Trustees' Report 1 - 5
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities 6
Independent Examiner’s Report 7
Statement of Financial Activities 8
Balance Sheet 9
Notes to the Accounts 10 - 15

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO TRUSTEES' REPORT

The Trustees of Release Counselling and Therapy for Women present their Annual Report for the period ended 31 March 2023 together with the accounts for the Charity.

The accounts comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, the charity’s governing document and 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 2015).

Message from the chair and chief executive

Release Counselling and Therapy for Women was set up in Brighton and Hove in January 2013, and registered as a UK charity in 2020, to provide affordable counselling and other forms of support for women across Sussex experiencing mental health distress.

The vision of Release simply put is for better mental health and wellbeing for women across Sussex. As part of this, we aim to increase inclusion, reaching women often excluded from counselling and other mental health support due to cost.

Our mission is to support women to change how they feel and to live better. Through low-cost one-to-one counselling and a range of therapeutic groups, we empower women to bring about change in their lives, live better happier lives, and become more active in their communities through feeling more connected.

We have experienced a period of rapid growth in our activities in the last couple of years, increasing our income to over £100k, with the year ending April 2024 expected to show yet further growth. This increase in income reflects the high levels of demand for our services, which provide such vital support to women across the region.

Lastly, we would like to thank Fran Beckett who stepped down as chair in March 2023, for her invaluable guidance and contribution to the charity during her time in the role. It has been hugely appreciated!

Ellen Baldwin, Chief Executive Officer Felicity Purchase, Chair

1

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Overview of our work

Release Counselling and Therapy for Women (Release), is a UK registered charity, working to improve the mental health of women in Sussex, reduce isolation, and enable women to bring about changes in their lives. We specialise in maternal mental health, supporting mothers and their babies during the perinatal period, a key transition period in which many mothers experience vulnerable mental health.

Release operates a team of qualified counsellors and carefully selected trainee counsellors, and work within the BACP (British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists) Ethical Framework. As a team we have additional specialism in the areas of trauma and sexual violation, perinatal mental health, couples counselling, addictions, and bereavement and loss.

All our activities are funded by voluntary donations and other funding sources, to ensure that all women who are in need of support can access our services.

In 2020 Release Counselling and Therapy for Women transitioned from a Community Interest Company to a UK Registered Charity to better reflect the nature of our work. Release Counselling and Therapy for Women has been operating since 2013.

Mission

Release exists to help women across Sussex change how they feel and to live better, through one-to-one counselling and a range of therapeutic groups

Charitable objectives

To protect and promote the mental and emotional health of women (and their families where necessary), living in Brighton and Hove and the surrounding areas. This will be achieved through, but not necessarily restricted to: providing an affordable and accessible counselling service, and by the training of individuals or groups in the provision of such counselling and therapeutic support.

Our core work

We fulfil our mission by running the following three areas of service:

  1. One-to-One affordable counselling for individuals, on a time-limited basis.

2. Therapeutic Groups

3. Workshops & Retreats

2

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Achievements and performance

The charity has upscaled it’s work during the period covered by this report, and facilitated the delivery of a wide range of community support, including:

The following stories give an insight of the impact that our services have had on individual women:

“When I started Mummyshock I was in a really tough place as a new mum. My hormones were all over the place, I couldn’t stop crying, I had a baby that needed me to keep it together and I felt like I had absolutely lost the plot. On top of this, I felt that other people were judging me, that other mums were coping so much better than me, and that maybe I just wasn’t cut out to be a mum. After the first Mummyshock session I walked away feeling so much less alone. I stopped judging myself for every bad day and thought of the other mums in the group who I knew were also finding these things hard. It felt like I was carrying them with me throughout the week. I knew I wasn’t the only person struggling with breastfeeding, waking up every hour throughout the night or crying over a bottle of spilt breastmilk. I don’t think there’s anything that could have truly prepared me for how difficult the transition into motherhood would be. But Mummyshock helped me put all those broken pieces back together again and now I am so much more confident as a mum, and on top of that, I have a community of fantastic women who I am so thankful to have in my life and who I will continue to see as our babies grow older. I will always be thankful to the Mummyshock team for supporting me in one of the most challenging periods of my life, and for helping me overcome post natal anxiety. I honestly cannot say a big enough thank you for running this fantastic programme and connecting us all. Mummyshock has been the village I needed.”

“I have suffered from social anxiety my whole life, but this group has massively changed my early experience of being a mum positively. I thought I'd be a recluse heading into motherhood, but instead I have spoken up within the group and met others outside the group. It has provided me with so much confidence going forward.”

“I feel that Mummyshock is incredibly important for all mothers during the postpartum journey. It provided me with a community of mothers and informs and reassures about all the changes that present themselves after having a baby. I wholeheartedly believe that all mothers should experience Mummyshock.”

3

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Plans for the future

In the year ahead, along with continuing our existing delivery, we plan to launch a new Mummyshock group specifically for mums with a history of sexual violence, as well as launching more groups and workshops for LGBTQ+ families in Sussex. We also plan to build on our current success by continuing to meet the growing need for our postnatal groups by providing services in new locations throughout Sussex.

Trustees

F Purchase (Chair) (appointed 6 March 2023) F Beckett (resigned 6 March 2023) R D’Cunha JA House (resigned 19 June 2023) N Kuhrt CE Townend LH Yaffe (appointed 17 May 2022)

Chief Executive Officer

E Baldwin

Registered office

Community Base 113 Queens Road Brighton BN1 3XG

UK registered charity number

1192772

Financial review

During the year ended 31 March 2023, Release Counselling and Therapy for Women saw an increase in income to £125,127 (2022: £101,148), which represented an increase of over 25%. This strong growth in income was driven predominantly through an increase in grant funding, but also through a greater focus on developing unrestricted income streams. This included seeing increases in fundraised income and income from our lowcost counselling provision.

Expenditure during this period also increased in line with the growth of our delivery activity, and through planned investment into increasing out organisational capacity. This investment included increasing our income generation capacity, which has seen a direct return in the year, as well as investing into the good governance of the charity.

Whilst there has been an immediate return on this investment, reflected in increases in income, there is projected to be a longer-term return in both income growth and organisational resilience.

Whilst the impact of this growth in income has resulted in a surplus of £1,632 at the year end, and an increase in reserves to £7,321, the investment of unrestricted funds to support long term growth has led to a small reduction in unrestricted reserves, leaving a year-end balance of £388.

The year ahead is projected to see the financial benefit of this investment, with both further growth in income,

4

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

and particularly a growth in unrestricted income, leading to a further growth in unrestricted reserves.

This strong financial performance during the past two years, combined with the strong financial projections for the year ahead, leave the charity well placed to continue to deliver impactful, life-changing work within our community.

Remuneration

The salaries of the staffing team are determined by the board of trustees and reviewed annually. The board ensures that the charity pay staff an appropriate and competitive level of remuneration. The board of trustees set and approve any annual cost of living increase.

Reserves

The trustees are focused on developing a proportionate reserves policy for the charity, whilst recognising that it is still in its infancy. The reserves policy looks to maintain an appropriate level of free reserves to support the ongoing activities of the organisation. This policy takes into account any risks to which the charity is exposed, along with the current and projected future levels of income and expenditure. The policy and determination of the required level of reserves are set in accordance with the Charity Commission guidelines and are reviewed by the trustees annually.

The Trustees’ Report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 31 January 2024 and signed on its behalf by;

Felicity Purchase Chair

5

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees, who are also the Directors of Release Counselling and Therapy for Women CIO for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare accounts 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 charitable company for that year.

In preparing these accounts, the Trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that 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. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the Charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Charity for the year ended 31 March 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust 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

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:

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.

  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.

Mr Mark Cummins FCCA FCIE for and on behalf of TC Group

The Courtyard Shoreham Road Upper Beeding Steyning West Sussex BN44 3TN

Dated: 31 January 2024

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Notes
Income from:
Donations
3
Grants
4
Charitable activities
5
Total income
Expenditure on:
6
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total expenditure
Net income and movement in funds
Fund balances at 31 March 2022
Fund balances at 31 March 2023		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Year ended
31 March
2023
Year ended
31 March
2023
Year ended
31 March
2023
Year ended
31 March
2022
£
£
£
£
18,088
-
18,088
13,643
37,830
62,005
99,835
85,258
7,204
-
7,204
2,247
63,122
62,005
125,127
101,148
1,106
-
1,106
96
67,727
57,162
122,389
95,153
68,833
57,162
123,495
95,249
(3,211)
4,843
1,632
5,899
3,599
2,300
5,899
-
388
7,143
7,531
5,899

All activities are classified as continuing. There are no recognised gains or losses other than those reported on the Statement of Financial Activities.

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2023

Notes
£
Current assets
Cash at bank and in hand
Debtors
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
9
Net current assets
Total net assets
Income funds
Restricted funds
10
Unrestricted funds		 31 March
2023
£
£
13,436
2,053
15,489
(7,958)
7,531
7,531
7,143
388
7,531		 31 March
2022
£
36,764
-
36,764
(30,865)
5,899
5,899
2,300
3,599
5,899

The accounts were approved by the Board on 31 January 2024

………………………………………

Felicity Purchase Chair

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO

1.0 Statutory information

Release Counselling and Therapy for Women is an incorporated charity registered with the Charity Commission in England & Wales. Further details regarding the charity are shown on the Legal and Administrative page.

2.0 Accounting policies

2.1 Basis of preparation

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and 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 (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) – (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

Release Counselling and Therapy for Women meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s). There are no material uncertainties about Release Counselling and Therapy for Women’s ability to continue as a going concern.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

2.2 Income

All income is accounted for in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the Charity is legally entitled to the income, receipt is probable and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

Income from donations is accounted for as received by the Charity. The income from fund raising ventures is shown gross, with the associated costs included in fund raising costs. The value of voluntary work is not included in the financial statements.

Grants are recognised in full in the year in which they are receivable and the charity is entitled to the income.

Other income is recorded on an accruals basis.

2.3 Expenditure

Costs are included in the Statement of Financial Activities on an accruals basis inclusive of irrecoverable VAT. All costs are allocated between expenditure categories and departments on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource.

Where possible, costs have been allocated directly to the activity to which they relate. However, there are also central support costs that enable the Charity’s charitable income generating and administrative activities to be undertaken.

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

2.4 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments. The trustees seek to use short and medium term deposits where possible to maximise the return on monies held at the bank and to manage cash flow.

2.5 Financial instruments

The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

2.6 Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions 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.

2.7 Accumulated funds

Funds held by the Charity are either:

Unrestricted general funds – these are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds – Donations, bequests or incoming resources for which the donor has earmarked for a specific purpose are treated as restricted funds.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

2.8 Taxation

As a charity, Release Counselling and Therapy for Women is exempt from tax on income and gains to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

3 Income from donations

Donations
Release Counselling and Therapy for Women CIC		 Unrestricted
funds
£
18,088
-
18,088		 Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-		 Total
2023
£
18,088
-
18,088		 Total
2022
£

4,959

8,684

13,643

4 Income from grants

Arnold Clark
Brighton & Hove Council
BUPA
Chalk Cliffe Trust
Comic Relief
Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust
Forrester Family Trust
Foyle Foundation
Groundworks
Henry Smith Charity
JJ Charitable Trust
National Lottery
Peacehaven Town Council
Postcode Lottery Trust
Postcode Society Trust
Schrier Foundaton
Sompting Big Local
Souter Christian Trust
Sport England
Sussex Community Foundation
The House Project		 Unrestricted
funds
£
1,000
13,330
6,000
5,000
-
-
5,000
-
-
-
-
7,500
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
37,830		 Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
1,500
-
-
-
-
-
10,000
500
500
24,938
-
900
-
-
21,667
2,000
62,005		 Total
2023
£
1,000
13,330
6,000
5,000
-
1,500
5,000
-
-
-
-
17,500
500
500
24,938
-
900
-
-
21,667
2,000
99,835		 Total
2022

£

-

20,500

-

-

2,000

-

-

4,000

1,125

3,000

5,000

7,500

750

-

20,000

3,000

-

3,000

7,050

8,333

-

85,258

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

5
Income from charitable activities
Counselling
6
Total expenditure
Raising funds
Fundraising activities
Charitable activities
Salaries
Programme costs
Support costs
Total expenditure		 Unrestricted
funds
£
7,204		 Restricted
funds

£
-		 Total
2023

£
7,204
Total
2022

£
2,247
7,204 - 7,204 2,247
Staff
costs
£
-
-
78,063
-
-
78,063
78,063		 Other
Costs
£
1,106
1,106
-
31,888
12,438
44,326
45,432		 Total
2023
£
1,106
1,106
78,063
31,888
12,438
122,389
123,495		 Total
2022
£
96
96
54,406
27,294
13,453
95,153
95,249

7 Support costs

Bank fees
Independent examiner
Legal & Professional Fees
Administrative costs
Staff training		 Total
2023
£
86
1,190
3,108
6,054
2,000
12,438		 Total
2022
£
26
1,080
3,150
6,941
2,256
13,453

These costs include amounts payable to the independent examiners of £1,190 (2022: £1,080) for independent examination and other services.

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

8 Staff cost

The total average monthly number of employees (number of staff employed) during the reporting period was 4.

Wages and salaries
Employers National Insurance
Pension costs		 Total
2023
£
62,175
11,284
4,604
78,063		 Total
2022
£
49,701
3,387
1,318
54,406

No employee received remuneration above £60k.

The key management personnel of the Charity comprised the Chief Executive. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £29,577 (2022: £36,455).

9 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Accruals
Deferred income
NIC payable
PAYE payable
Pension payable
Trade creditors		 2023
£
4,484
-
374
1,115
547
1,438
7,958
2022

£

5,368

25,497

-

-

-

-

30,865

10 Restricted funds

The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants for specific purposes:

Core infrastructure fund
Maternal mental health fund
Women's wellbeing fund		 Balance at
31 March
2022
Income
Expenditure
Balance at
31 March
2023
-
1,500
(1,500)
-
1,125
40,005
(40,654)
476
1,175
20,500
(15,008)
6,667
2,300
62,005
(54,662)
7,143

Core infrastructure fund - The core infrastructure fund comprises grant funding restricted to investment in the central management of the charity.

RELEASE COUNSELLING AND THERAPY FOR WOMEN CIO

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Maternal mental health fund - The maternal mental health fund comprises grant funding restricted to the support of new mums mental health and wellbeing. Funders include the Foyle Foundation and the National Lottery.

Women's wellbeing fund - The women's mental health fund comprises grant funding restricted to improving the mental health and wellbeing of women within Sussex.

11 Analysis of net assets between funds

Fund balances at 31 March 2023 are
represented by:
Current assets
Creditors
Fund balances at 31 March 2022 are
represented by:
Current assets
Creditors		 Unrestricted
funds
£
8,346
(7,958)
388
Unrestricted
funds
£
34,464
(30,865)
3,599		 Restricted
funds
£
7,143
-
7,143
Restricted
funds
£
2,300
-
2,300		 Total
£
15,489
(7,958)
7,531
Total
£
36,764
(30,865)
5,899

12 Control

No one member has overall control of the Charity.