## Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts
## For the period
January 1[st] 2023 to December 31[st] 2023
## Contents
|Contents||
|---|---|
|Charity information|4|
|Trustees’ report|5|
|Achievements and performance|6|
|Partnerships|7|
|Planned actions for 2024|7|
|Quantifying Impact|8|
|Statement of public benefit|8|
|Carers’ Break acknowledgements|9|
|Donors|10|
|Kind words|11|
|Risk assessment|12|
|Investment policy|12|
|Financial review & Reserves|12|
|Fundraising and other policies|12|
|Serious incidents report (Nil report)|13|
|Receipts and payments accounts|14|
|Statement of assets and liabilities|15|
|Notes to the accounts|16|
|Charitable support costs breakdown|18|
|Post Balance Sheet events/Going concern and last word|18|
|Independent examiner’s report|19|
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## Charity Information
**Patron** Dame Joanna Lumley OBE, FRGS **Current Trustees** Hon. Alderman Alex Bentley - Honorary Chair Miss Valerie England - Honorary Co-Treasurer Miss Rosemary England - Honorary Co-Treasurer Ms Kemi Adenubi (resigned 29[th] April 2024) Mrs Joanne Clark **Charity Number** 1193232 **Address** Highfield Barn Lewdown Okehampton Devon EX20 4DS help@respiteassociation.org **Independent Examiner** Bush & Co Limited Accountants 2 Barnfield Crescent Exeter Devon EX1 1QT **Bankers** (Main) CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ **Bankers** (Reserve Account) CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ **Investments** M&G Charities PO BOX 9038 Chelmsford CM99 2XF
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## Trustees’ report for the year ended December 31[st] 2023
## **Trustees**
The Trustees who served during the period 1[st] January 2023 to 31[st] December 2023 were as follows:
Hon. Alderman Alex Bentley - Honorary Chair Miss Valerie England - Honorary Co-Treasurer Miss Rosemary England - Honorary Co-Treasurer Ms Kemi Adenubi Mrs Joanne Clark
The Charity is governed by an executive committee of no less than 3 members. The power of appointing new trustees is vested in the surviving or continuing trustees.
## **Investment Powers**
The constitution authorises the trustees to make and hold investments.
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity was originally established as an unincorporated association by written constitution dated 22[nd] January 2000 (registration number 1086598). A new Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) was formed (under this new Charity number of 1193232) on 25[th] January 2021. All assets, staff and trustees transferred to the new charity at the end of February 2021 as reflected in the published accounts of Charity number 1086598 for the period ended 28[th] February 2021. The old unincorporated charity number 1086598 will remain open for the time being to allow for the continued collection of anonymous and/or recurrent donations and any legacies. A legal transfer document to periodically transfer any funds collected in this way from charity number 1086498 to charity number 1193232 is in place. The objects of the new CIO are:
The relief of sickness and poverty of people with disabilities, long-term physical or mental health conditions or terminal illnesses, and their carers, within the United Kingdom, by (a) offering assistance to enable those in need to secure respite care and (b) providing respite breaks and other support for carers.
The policy of the charity continues to be to seek additional finance and support to run the charity for the benefit of current and future beneficiaries. Throughout the year the trustees delegate the day to day responsibility for managing the charity to the administrator/chief executive Mr John Turner MBE.
## **Objectives and Summary of activities in their support**
In support of these objectives our main activities during this reporting/accounting period have continued to involve us enabling Carers to obtain alternative care, either in the home or via residential provision, for the person or persons (almost always a close family member) for whom they normally provide assistance so that they may take a much-needed break to recharge their batteries. We continue to work closely with a number of other charities, and with statutory authorities, whilst ensuring that our help is in addition to their funding and not a replacement.
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## **Recruitment and training of Trustees**
Trustees are encouraged to take part in and attend appropriate external training courses as are staff. Recruitment of Trustees is open to any suitable individual regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexuality or gender. New Trustees will be required to take part in an induction course organised by the Chair of Trustees and will be issued with a copy of the Charity Commission's 'The Essential Trustee Guide'.
## **Achievements and performance**
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T
T
T
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 T
Respite Support Carers Breaks
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Applications for support from desperate carers rose by **7% compared to 2022** (to the highest number of carers supported in a year since we were formed in 2001)
Applications for support have **risen by 56.8%** since 2019 (which was itself our busiest year on record)
Carers breaks were **oversubscribed by 86.7%**
Our strategic partnership with Revitalise continued to add considerable value to the support we were able to offer to our clients, with Revitalise match funding our support. This partnership has already added nearly **£30,000** of value for our carers.
T Thanks to funding from Scottish charitable trusts we were able to Carers supported in Wales expand our activities north of the border. Unlike Wales where a similar project in 2021 saw an overnight and significant increase in cries for help from the principality, the project in Scotland is a little slower starting. From an average of just 1.6 applications over the previous 5 years 2023 saw 12 applications, and as most of these came in the second half of the year, we are hopeful that they are showing a positive 2018 2019 2020 Carers Supported in Scotland upward trend and will 2021 2022 2023 continue to rise through
2024. We are continuing to work with organisations north of the border in order to reach as many carers as we can.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2018 2019 2020
2021 2022 2023
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
T
**----- End of picture text -----**
We saw a significant increase in applications for carers breaks, with nearly 2 applications for every available week. All of those that we could not accommodate for a break in 2023 have been offered a priority application for 2024, but this leaves us with less than a third of our 2024 weeks available for new applicants. The trustees have therefore decided to prioritise finding an additional holiday facility, ideally in Yorkshire, by the end of 2024. (See also post balance sheet events on page 18).
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## **Partnerships**
As a small organisation we have recognised that working together with other organisations allows us to exponentially increase our effectiveness, reach more of those who desperately need our support and provide more support to those who reach out.
- T We are delighted to be working with The Victoria Convalescent Trust which allows us to signpost carers who require a slightly different service to ours. We can also, by acting as a formal referrer, apply on behalf of any of our carers who need assistance with travel costs for their free carer breaks.
- T 2023 saw us continue our partnerships with organisations providing summer camps for young people with a variety of medical conditions and disabilities. We supported more places than in any previous year, and received some incredible feedback. The support not only gives families a well earned break from caring duties, and allows for some quality family time, but also provides the young people involved with an amazing experience. One carer told us that for a month after camp her daughter was in such a good mood, and could not stop smiling.
- T We supported a new summer camp based in the north west of England for the first time this year, and hope to formalise the arrangement with a partnership to go forward from 2024.
- T Our work continued with two organisations supporting the Jewish community in North London, allowing us to reach a group of carers who suffer significant deprivation and who might otherwise not be able to apply due to literacy issues. In the case of one of our partners all of our support is match funded by the organisation too which allows us to support double the number of carers.
We remain incredibly grateful to our Patron, Dame Joanna Lumley, for her amazing support and generosity of spirit.
This year Joanna very kindly helped with a fundraising campaign for a new holiday facility in Yorkshire, as well as sending a Christmas message to our carers, which is always very well received.
## **Planned actions for 2024**
- i Our weekly lottery is growing slowly and providing an important income stream for us. We plan to continue promoting the lottery throughout 2024.
- i We will continue our legacy giving campaign
- through several forms of online/print media including the Law Society. Whilst this may not bear fruit in the short term, we remain convinced that this is an income stream that can provide significant returns in the long run.
- i We aim to expand our Carers Breaks service with a new facility on the Yorkshire coast.
- i We are continuing to identify new partnerships with a variety of organisations to allow us to continue to provide support to the widest range of unpaid carers possible. Discussions are already ongoing with an organisation based in Gateshead who provide services to the North West.
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i To refurbish our caravan in North Wales. The caravan came with fitted furniture. This is both impractical and is now looking somewhat careworn, so we will be removing the fitted furniture and replacing it with standard household furniture in time for the 2024 season.
## **Quantifying our Impact.**
Since our creation in 2001 we have always had incredibly positive feedback from the carers we have helped, but in 2023 we decided to see if we could formally quantify our impact. We set up an online survey and asked everyone who received our support to complete the survey.
- T **94%** of carers stated they were _**very stressed or stressed**_ before they were helped by The Respite Association, just two responded that they were ‘OK’.
- T **92%** were **relieved or very relieved** when we offered to help them.
- T **Over 94%** reported that their **mental health had either improved or was much better** after they had received the respite break. One respondent was OK and one remained stressed.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Stress Levels
Before After
Very Stressed
Stressed
OK
Reasonably OK/Somewhat improved
Managing well/much better
**----- End of picture text -----**
The change in mental health from **72% very stressed** before our intervention to **0% very stressed** after, is a clear indication of the impact we can have. Some of the comments at the top of the pages of this report are from the survey feedback and add considerable weight to our statement of public benefit.
## **Statement of Public Benefit**
The Trustees of the Respite Association have complied with their duty to have due regard to the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance. The work of the Respite Association benefits significant numbers of unpaid Carers, these being persons who are caring for someone who has a disability, a long term physical or mental health condition or who is terminally ill. The Charity helps unpaid Carers without any bias regarding age, ethnicity, religion, sexuality or gender.
The support provided benefits not only the Carer but frequently their whole family. Many carers of young children with disabilities or long term illnesses have other children who are unintentionally given less attention than these parents would prefer due to the needs of the other child. Our respite care breaks allow these parents to spend quality time with their other children. The provision of a respite break for a carer also has a beneficial effect for the person who they usually care for, who may otherwise become distressed at the level of physical, mental or financial stress that their carer may be experiencing.
Beneficiary quotes have been utilised throughout this report and a feedback (kind words) page is also provided on page 11 by way of demonstration of the public benefit and individual impact of our work.
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## **Carers’ Break acknowledgements**
## Joanna’s Cottage &
## Lan y Mor Hafan
We would like to thank the management and staff at Kenegie Manor in Penzance for welcoming us, and our visiting carers, to their family so warmly and for providing key holding and cleaning services free of charge.
Diolch yn fawr also to the management and staff at Lyons Holiday Parks in north Wales for going the extra mile when we first approached you and for giving our carers such a great time in Wales.
## **PLEASE NOTE:**
It is not the policy of the Charity to publish the names of any private individuals who may have donated during the year, however we do wish to express our sincerest thanks to them for their support.
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## **DONATIONS RECEIVED DURING THE 12 MONTHS ENDING DECEMBER 31[ST] 2023**
Our sincere thanks go to the following organisations for their much appreciated financial support during 2023. We also send our thanks to those organisations that asked not to be named publicly.
Abbfest Aireborough Rotary Club Andor Charitable Trust Bartlett Taylor Charitable Trust Bergne-Coupland Charity Carriejo Charitable Trust City of Durham Lions Club Delamere Dairy Foundation Eleanor Hamilton Educational Trust Forest Hill Charitable Trust Girdlers Company Harford Charitable Trust J S & E C Rymer Charitable Trust John and Susan Bowers Fund Joseph Sheldon Trust KKL Charity Leeds & Skyrack Lions Club Marsh Charitable Trust Miss Pannett Charitable Trust Murphy-Neumann Charity Company Ltd Olive Woolf Holiday Trust Fund Pearson and Others' Relief in Need Charity Percy Hedley 1990 Charitable Trust Pilkington Charities Fund Provincial Grand CharityWorcestershire Freemasons Rachel Charitable Trust Rotary Club of South Holland Rothwell District Lions Club Santa Barbara Heights Charitable Trust SC and ME Morland's Charitable Trust Sir John Beckwith Charitable Trust Sir John and Lady Amory's Charitable Trust St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation The Alan Edward Higgs Charity The Alecto Trust The AndyTFoundation The Angela Gallagher Memorial Fund The Aridev Foundation The Ashfield Trust The Benham Charitable Settlement The Carlton House Charitable Trust The Castanea Trust The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust The Chrimes Family Charitable Trust The Culra Charitable Trust The Curriers Company Charitable Fund The David Dutton Foundation The David & Elizabeth Kerfoot Charitable Trust The Dorcas Trust
The Douglas Heath Eves Charitable Trust The Dr James and Dr Bozena Bain Memorial Trust Fund The Duncan & Toplis Foundation The Edgar Lee Foundation The Eva Reckitt Trust The Eveson Trust The Family Rich Charities Trust The FDR Trust The Fifty Fund The Florence Turner Trust The Francis Winham Foundation The Gennets Charitable Trust The Golden Bottle Trust The H and J Spack Charitable Trust The Hardy Family Foundation The Heathside Charitable Trust The Ian Askew Charitable Trust The Jessie Spencer Trust The John Cowan Foundation The LAPA Charitable Trust The Lennox Trust The Lille C Johnson Charitable Trust The Lions Club of Darlington The Longacres Trust The Maud Elkington Charitable Trust The Metis Trust The Mollie Croysdale Charitable Trust The Moore Trust The Mulberry Trust The N Smith Charitable Settlement The Owen Family Trust The Paget Trust The Pat Newman Memorial Trust The Paul Bassham Charitable Trust The R C Snelling Charitable Trust The Rothley Trust The Scarborough Group Foundation The Screwfix Foundation The Serendipity Foundation Limited The Sir James Roll Charitable Trust The Sir Derek Greenaway Foundation The Sir Robert Gooch Charitable Trust The Vandervell Foundation Tylers' and Bricklayers' Charitable Trust W Wing Yip and Brothers Foundation Wensleydale and Swaledale Quaker Trust Winifred Eileen Kemp Trust
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# **Kind Words**
Extracts from letters and emails received.
We asked one carer what our support meant to her, she simply said
## Other feedback included
## **“The much needed rest allowed me to recharge my batteries so I can continue caring for my daughter** ”
_“I would just like to say a huge thank you to you for enabling me to go to my sons wedding which I wouldn’t wanted to have missed for the world, it was a fabulous day, enjoyed every second of it. I did feel a little like Cinderella after the ball on coming home._
_The photographs have yet to come through but I will send you one when I receive them. Thank you so much again, your charity do a fantastic job,_ ”
_“It was a lifeline to a much needed rest to continue caring for my daughter and allowing her the best of me as her mum not as a carer.”_
“I was surprised and very grateful for the support given by the respite team. I have cared for my husband after he had a bad stroke for eleven years I feel very rested after my break. Thank you from us both .”
_“Both myself and my husband are over the moon, you have no idea what this means to us right now. We want to say a personal thank you to the Trustees for understanding our exceptional circumstances.”_
“My life is very challenging at the moment, I often feel like I am failing my children as I’m not able to look after both of them. The grant allowed me to enjoy my time with them plus have a little bit of time to eat a nice meal for myself.”
_“Having had the time to recharge batteries with the carer break, means I feel able to carry on for a bit longer, at least until the next respite break!_ ”
~~“I’ll send a proper letter and some pics tomorrow as will choose them with my mum whom I am seeing then so that you can see the happiness and joy your amazing charity enables parents like me to have.”~~
“Many thanks, I really haven’t seen such excellent service in my life! I must congratulate you for everything you do for us, carers. Many thanks for everything! This is five star service !”
_“I know you’ve been speaking to my beloved mum and I am so humbled and grateful for your help in funding carers. I have never ever been away without my special boys before and things have been so so challenging that I cannot even express how much this means to me. I will try to pay it forward in some way and help someone else I promise. You have been just such a beacon of hope to me_ ”
“Thank you so much for the support. It is very much appreciated and very kind. It has come as a great relief for us, I cried when *** told me we had been accepted. Thank you also for the lovely email, I will take advantage of that day even it is just to sit quietly which is much needed.
Thank you for your kindness.”
“Was lovely to speak to you, also must admit I did have a tear in my eye when you offered me the break... Counting down the days “
**“**** had the most wonderful break, enjoying swimming, fairground, the beach, kiddy rave and pottery painting. Meanwhile, we went to a barn in the middle of the Warwickshire countryside and did.. absolutely nothing. It was absolutely glorious.” We cannot thank you enough.**
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## **Risk Assessment**
The Board receives a report from the Administrator/Chief Executive each year. The current report does not identify any serious risks to the charity either financial or physical, save for the ongoing challenges of the financial crisis which is having a detrimental effect on the voluntary sector as a whole.
## **Investments**
At the end of the year the Charity held £110,260 in two investment accounts with M&G Charities (£20,995 in their Charibond account and £89,265 in their Charifund account). This consisted of £95,000 of general funding and £25,000 of a large restricted donation for the benefit of carers in Dorset from a Trust that donated £50,000 to us on their dissolution, with the instruction that it should be used for the benefit of carers in Dorset as The Respite Association saw fit. The decision to invest these sums was taken during 2021 due to the very poor interest rate on offer through any mainstream banking facility.
The £25,000 of restricted funding was included in the investment purchase due to our ability to recall it within three working days if needed and was made on the strict proviso that any investment loss should be borne by the general funding and not the restricted donation. Due to the effects of the Truss/Kwarteng Mini Budget the value of our investments fell sharply in 2022. However these are now recovering and, with the investment income received to date (£11,658) and the benefit of a donation of £10,000 from The Roger and Jean Jefcoate Trust in 2021 to help provide a buffer for our investment risk, the Charity’s own general funding and the £25,000 of restricted funding remains unaffected.
## **Financial Review & Reserves Policy**
During the period under review, the Charity made an unrestricted cash deficit of £26,869. This was largely due to a continuation in paying grants offered but not yet claimed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst all payments are carefully planned, the Trustees remain mindful of the precarious nature of income generation as a result of the current financial crisis and have created a reserve policy to reflect this.
The Trustees have always been mindful of the Charity Commission’s recommendation that at least 6 months’ running costs for the Charity should be held in reserve should a sudden drop in income occur. Consequently, a reserve figure of £81,028 is held. This includes £60,000 for 6 months’ running costs and £21,028 being the remainder of the social investment loan outstanding to Big Issue Invest in order that this loan may be repaid in its entirety should it be called in for any reason.
Once the reserves are taken into account, the Charity held an unrestricted balance of £31,401 at the year end. However, this unrestricted balance is further reduced by the unrestricted grants outstanding but not yet paid and other known short term liabilities, less monies due to the charity totalling £6,260. This leaves us a small unallocated surplus of unrestricted funding totalling £25,141 at the year end. The Trustees consider that holding this further unallocated sum of unrestricted funding is sensible, particularly given the increased uncertainty of the financial year ahead as a result of the continued national financial crisis, (including the increasing costs of goods and utilities which will affect the cost of running our carers’ break facilities).
## **Fundraising Policy**
The Charity’s formal Fundraising Policies, along with all other policies, were reviewed by the Trustee Board in May 2022 and will be further reviewed in May 2024. The Trustee and Staff Expenses Policy was reviewed and amended in May 2023.
- ‚ Disciplinary Code ‚ Volunteer policy ‚ Conflict of Interest Policy ‚ Safeguarding policy ‚ Grievance Procedure/Policy ‚ Fundraising Charter ‚ General complaints ‚ Data Protection Policy ‚ Fundraising Complaints ‚ Trustee and Staff Expenses Policy ‚ Grant making & respite break policy ‚ Financial Controls
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## **Serious Incidents**
There were no serious incidents to report during the period covered by this Trustees’ Report.
## **Approval**
The Trustees approved this report on 28[th] June 2024 and it is signed on their behalf by:
## **Hon. Alderman Alex Bentley Trustee & Hon. Chairman**
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**The Respite Association Receipts and Payments accounts for the financial period January 1st 2023 to December 31st 2023**
||**Notes**|**2023**|**2023**|**2023**|**2022**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|**Total**|
|**RECEIPTS**||||||
|Trusts and Corporate Donors||69,837|88,513|158,350|99,781|
|Donations from individuals||4,025|10,432|14,457|3,918|
|Bank interest/investment income||7,571|-|7,571|5,052|
|Society Lottery income|1|382|-|382|160|
|In memoriam donations||1,227|-|1,227|-|
|||**_______**|**_______**|**_______**|**_______**|
|**TOTAL RECEIPTS**||**83,042**|**98,945**|**181,987**|**108,911**|
|**PAYMENTS**||||||
|**Direct charitable expenditure**||||||
|Charitable support costs|2|91,140|27,394|118,534|113,762|
|**Other expenditure**||||||
|Training and travel costs||-|50|50|680|
|Equipment||1,290|-|1,290|614|
|Fundraising|1|10,247|-|10,247|11,171|
|Utilities and rent|3|2,820|-|2,820|2,167|
|Governance|4|4,414|-|4,414|4,020|
|||**_______**|**_______**|**_______**|**_______**|
|**TOTAL PAYMENTS**||**109,911**|**27,444**|**137,355**|**132,414**|
|||**_______**|**_______**|**_______**|**_______**|
|**Net receipts/ (Payments)**||**(26,869)**|**71,501**|**44,632**|**(23,503)**|
|Transfers between funds|5|12,131|(12,131)|**-**|**-**|
|**Cash funds brought forward (01/01/2023)**||**16,878**|**78,013**|**94,891**|**118,394**|
|**Correction of investment error in 2021**|6|**25,000**|**(25,000)**|**-**|**-**|
|||**_______**|**_______**|**_______**|**_______**|
|**Cash funds carried forward (31/12/2023)**||**27,140**|**112,383**|**139,523**|**94,891**|
|||**======**|**======**|**======**|**======**|
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||**The Respite Association**
**Statement of assets and liabilities as at December 31st 2023**
31stDecember
2023
31stDecember
2022
**CASH FUNDS**
CAF Current Account
52,859
12,154
CAF Gold account
86,634
82,737
**_______**
**_______**
Total Cash funds
**139,523**
**94,891**
**INVESTMENT ASSETS**
M&G Investment Fund holdings (Charifund)
20,995
67,537
M&G Investment Fund holdings (Charibond)
89,265
44,433
**_______**
**_______**
**110,260**
**111,970**
**TOTAL CASH & INVESTMENT ASSETS**
**249,783**
**206,861**
======
======
**Represented by funds:**
Unrestricted funds (The general fund)
31,401
38,942
Designated funds (reserves incl social investment loan o/s)
81,028
89,907
Restricted funds (specified location and item grants)
137,354
78,012
**_______**
**_______**
**TOTAL FUNDS**
**249,783**
**206,861**
======
======
**FIXED ASSETS FOR CHARITY USE**
Holiday bungalow (Joanna’s Cottage, Cornwall)
75,000
75,000
Holiday caravan (Lan Y Mor Hafan, North Wales)
20,296
23,196
Office Equipment
1,296
1,013
**_______**
**_______**
**TOTAL FIXED ASSETS FOR CHARITY USE**
**96,592**
**99,209**
======
======
**SHORT TERM ASSET**
(Unrestricted funds)
Overpaid Council Tax re Joanna’s Cottage
1,055
-
**SHORT TERM LIABILITIES**
(Unrestricted funds)
Grant commitments to carers
(4,271)
(13,259)
Independent examiner’s fee (estimate)
(1,000)
(600)
Refundable break deposits unclaimed at season end
(150)
(150)
Site fees for Joanna’s Cottage, Cornwall
(1,894)
(1,813)
(Restricted funds)
Grant commitments to carers
(8,450)
(17,713)
**_______**
**_______**
**NET SHORT TERM LIABILITIES**
**(14,710)**
**(33,535)**
======
======
**LONG TERM LIABILITIES**
Balance of Social investment loan (Big Issue Invest)
**(21,028)**
**(26,489)**
======
======|
|---|---|
The Trustees approved these accounts on 28[th] June 2024 and they are signed on their behalf by:
**Hon. Alderman Alex Bentley Trustee & Hon. Chairman**
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## **The Respite Association Notes to the accounts for the financial period ending December 31[st] 2023**
## **Note 1:**
We only launched our Society Lottery (with Sterling Lotteries) in December 2022, hence the small amount of income against this heading during this financial year. As noted in our plans for 2024, we will continue to attempt to build our supporter base for the Lottery as part of our wider plans to diversify our income streams for the future. The fundraising costs during the financial period further reflects our ongoing work in this area and includes investment in a nationwide legacy campaign, any results from which are likely to take a number of years to come to fruition. It should be noted, however, that this year has seen an increase in ‘in memorium’ donations which is almost certainly as a result of our advertising in legal and funeral directors’ publications as a suggested charity for those who wish to make a donation in a loved one’s memory.
## **Note 2:**
Charitable support costs have reduced slightly in 2023. This is almost certainly due to the elevated levels of grants having to be carried forwad in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on carers’ abilities to access respite care provision, so it is positive to see that this is reducing to pre-pandemic levels. However, our charitable support costs (without grants carried forward) continue to rise, albeit more steadily in 2023. In order to demonstrate how the demands placed on our limited resources have increased in the past few years, we have included figures for 2020 from our previous Charity Number of 1085598 by way of comparison (these figures are presented in blue below). It should also be noted that repayments of £7,262 to Big Issue Invest against the social impact loan are included in charitable support costs, as these form part of the direct costs of providing respite breaks to carers.
||**Charitable Support**|**Grants carried forward**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**Costs**|||
|**2020**|**£81,544**|**£34,708**|**£116,252**|
|2021|£90,875|£56,296|£147,171|
|2022|£113,762|£30,972|£144,734|
|**2023**|**£118,534**|**£12,721**|**£131,255**|
## **Note 3:**
Rent relates to the cost of a small storage unit as The Respite Association does not (by choice) have a formal office space, with the two part time staff members working from home. Our staff will continue to work from home for the foreseeable future. However the Trustees are mindful that, given the surging price of utilities, our staff should not be financially disadvantaged when working in this manner. Consequently, a new policy to enable staff members to claim a proportion of their utility and other working from home costs was formally agreed and adopted during 2023.
## **Note 4:**
Governance costs are those costs that enable the proper legal running and oversight of the Charity. These include a proportion of staff and administrative costs allocated to Trustee meetings, the cost of holding a bank account with the Charities Aid Foundation, insurance costs and the cost of the independent examination of the accounts.
## **Note 5:**
The respite break costs are paid for from the general unrestricted funds. Transfers between funds at year end related to the cost of respite breaks for carers residing in areas supported by trusts who wished to restrict their grant making to beneficiaries from specific geographical locations. Transfers were completed at year end to ensure that we had an accurate figure for the cost of each caravan per week provided.
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## **Note 6:**
As has been noted in the Investments section of the Trustees’ Annual Report, an investment of £120,000 was made with M&G Charities in 2021. That investment should have consisted of £85,000 of general funding, a £10,000 donation from the Roger and Jean Jeffcoate Trust given specifically to act as a buffer for investment variance and £25,000 of a large restricted donation given to us for the benefit of carers in Dorset on the winding up of the donating Trust. As the donation was given on the basis of use by the Trustees of The Respite Association as they saw fit, it was decided that it would be prudent to include some of this large donation within the investment to enable us to receive the benefit of additional investment income.
As noted, this was always on the proviso that any loss of value of the investments should be borne by the general funding only. It has, however, been noted that there was an error in the 2021 accounts (see p13 of that years accounts) whereby the whole of the asset purchase was allocated to the general fund. Therefore a correction has been applied to this year’s accounts to remedy this error. At the end of the financial year, the value of the investments was £110,260, meaning that both the £85,000 of general funding and the £25,000 of restricted funding remain intact and we would again like that to thank the Roger and Jean Jeffcoate Trust for the donation of the £10,000 ‘buffer’ to allow the Trustees to make such an investment with greatly reduced risk to the Charity’s own funds. It should also be noted that the investments have, since inception, provided investment income totalling £11,658 **.**
## **Accounting Policies and Basis of preparation of accounts**
The Charity's Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (The Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. The accounts are prepared on a Receipts and Payments Basis and comply with the Charities Act 2011.
## **Income**
Income and donations are accounted for as received. No permanent endowments have been received in the period.
## **Value Added Tax**
Value added tax is not recoverable by the Charity, and as such is included in the relevant costs in the Accounts.
## **Non-Monetary Assets**
The Charity owns a purpose built holiday cottage in Cornwall (Joanna’s Cottage), a caravan in North Wales (Lan-YMor Hafan), a desktop computer, two printers, a laptop and a tablet together with some additional office equipment. All non-monetary assets and liabilities were calculated as estimates at the period end.
## **Trustees' Remuneration and Expenses**
During the period no Trustee received any remuneration for the time they gave to the Charity. No Trustee claimed nor was paid any expenses in relation to their duties during the period under review. The Trustees’ insurance included Trustee indemnity insurance. There were no related party transactions.
## **Restricted Income**
Restricted Income is income that is to be strictly used (at the donor’s request) for the benefit of carers who reside within specific geographical locations or sometimes in cases involving people within certain age categories e.g. elderly persons or children. Occasionally donors may sponsor a piece of equipment, part of the cost of our carers break facilities and their running costs or perhaps the printing of one of our information leaflets. In all such cases the monies are used solely for the purpose(s) the donor has specified.
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## **Charitable Support costs**
A breakdown of charitable support costs is shown below:
|**haritable Support costs**
breakdown of charitable support costs is shown below:|||
|---|---|---|
||**2023**|**2022**|
|Employee costs|36,539|33,928|
|Direct respite care provision|78,012|77,484|
|Utilities|2,515|936|
|Postage & stationery|1,468|1,414|
||**118,534**|**113,762**|
|**Employee Costs**|||
|Total staff costs|**41,521**|**38,554**|
|Staff in 2023 (1 x 24 hours, 1 x 14 hours).|2 p/t|2 p/t|
## **Post Balance Sheet Events/Going Concern**
As noted in our 2022 accounts the charity was offered the lease of a semi detached house in Scarborough, Yorkshire as an addition to our carers’ respite break scheme. This was on the understanding that the charity would not pay rent on the property for an initial period of 7 years, but would pay for any refurbishment costs needed to bring the property up to date and in line with lettable standards in terms of health and safety, etc. Consequently a fundraising campaign was launched for the renovation of ‘Edina’s House’ which raised £33,970 during this financial year.
Regrettably, as we were writing up these accounts, the offer of the property was withdrawn. Due to the increased need for a third respite break facility, it is intended that an alternative respite break facility be found within the Yorkshire area. All donors who contributed to the funding raised for Edina’s House have been contacted to explain the situation and to offer them the opportunity to confirm their approval of their funding being used for a different property or to ascertain if they wish for their donation to be returned.
As ever, the last words in this years Trustees’ annual report and accounts go to some of the unpaid carers we have supported during the financial year.
_**Our caring circumstances had become extremely stressful to the point where my husband & I were considering living separately to allow us to have a break from our daughter. To have 24 hours together as a couple relaxing & enjoying each other's company was an absolute godsend.**_
_**My mental health is so much better since the respite break. It has made a massive difference to me, more than I could have ever imagined. Just getting away and relaxing and feeling like my old self again is just priceless. It was truly a light at the end of a very long dark tunnel and I feel the best mentally I have felt in absolute ages.**_
## _**[I] Felt rested, ready to continue my caring role**_
_**I Finally felt heard**_
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The Resplte Assoclatlon Independent examiner's report
to the Trustees of The Respite Association
I reportonthe a¢¢ountsofthe Charltylor the yearended 31 0gcember2023.
The CharWsTrustee3 are responsible for the prepara"on ofthe account5. The Charity's T¥uste85
considerthat an audt is not required lorthi5 year under section 144(21 of the Charibes Act2Q11 (the 2011
Act) and thatan Independ¢ntexaminatlon 18 needed. It Is my respOnbIlty to..
examine the accountsunder sectton 145 of the 2011 Act..
. tollowthe procedures laid down In ihe General D]rtIOnS glven bythe CharftyCommi8sloner unijgr
5e¢tion 14515llbl the 2011 Act,. an
• state whethei parti¢uLar matters have come to my attention.
Myexamination was ¢arri8d out in accordance wfth the G8netal Directions given bythe Charity
Commlssion8r. An ex8rninat5on includ8s a review ol the aeeountlng records kept bythe Charnyapd a
comparison olthe accounts presented with thosè records. A also Includes conslderatlon ol any unusual
rtems or disclosure5 In the accounts. and the seekingof explanatK)ns from you asTrustees concerning
arysuch matters. The procedures undertaken do not prtsde all tre evldencethatwould be required In
an aud1( and consequently no oplnlon 15 Ven as towh8therthe aGcount8 pregent a.true and fair wew"
and the report is 1kmell to those matter$ set out in the statemènt TrJ810w.
In conneeiion with my ex8min&tSon, no matter hascome to my attention:
1. Which gives me reasonable c3US8 to believe that. in ary material respaet, the requirements..
To keep accountlng records in 8ccordancewith sY¢tlon 130 ot the 2011 Act., and
•To prepare accountswhioh accord with the accounting record5 andto complywith the
aOuntIng requlremgnts of the 2011 Act have not been met-, or
2. To which, In myoplnion. attentlon should be drawn in orderto enable a proper understandlng ol
the accounts to be reached.
io 2cL
SunnyTrur•n FCCAACA
Bush & Co Limlted
Chartgrod Aecountsnls
2 Barntleld Crent
Ex•lar
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