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2023-03-31-accounts

ANNUAL REPORTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

CHARITY REGISTRATION No: 1193378

Castle View Accounting Ltd New Barn Mudberry Lane Bosham Chichester West Sussex PO18 8TS

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WHISPERS OF HOPE
CONTENTS
Page 3 Legal and Administrative Information
Page 4 Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees
Page 5 to 16 Trustees' Report
Page 17 Statement of Financial Activities
Page 18 Balance Sheet
Pages 19 to 24 Notes to the Financial Statements
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WHISPERS OF HOPE

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

CHARITY NUMBER

CHARITY NUMBER 1193378 DATE OF REGISTRATION 2nd February 2021 START OF FINANCIAL YEAR 1st April 2022 END OF FINANCIAL YEAR 31st March 2023 TRUSTEES AS AT 31ST MARCH 2023 Deana Korwin-Kochanowski Paula Hodgson Rowan Meade Geraldine Sweeney

The existing trustees appoint any new trustees following the provisions laid out in the organisation's governing

LEGAL STATUS Unincorporated Charity

GOVERNING INSTRUMENT Constitution Adopted 2nd October 2019 as Amended on 23rd January 2021.

OBJECTS

To preserve and protect health and relieve the needs of women in the UK which are victims of domestic abuse or sexual trafficking who also have immigration issues and no recourse to public funds.

CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS

192 Grove Road Fenton Stoke-On-Trent Staffordshire ST4 4LE

PRIMARY BANKERS

HSBC Bank Plc Crown Bank Hanley Stoke-On-Trent Staffordshire ST1 1DA

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS

Castle View Accounting Ltd New Barn Mudberry Lane Bosham Chichester West Sussex PO18 8TS

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WHISPERS OF HOPE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS Report to the tr￿Ste¢S1 member5 of wh￿perS of Hope on the acC￿nts for the year end&1 31st March 2023 set out on pag88 17 10 24. A9•p￿tiVe r••pon•ibllltlM of trust••¥ and exarninor The ¢harity's trustees are rwinsible lor the preparation of tho 8w)unts. Thè carTty's trustees consider that an audit 1$ not required for this year under section 144 of thè Charill&s Act 2011 (the Chariti8s Act) and that an Indep8nOenl examlnatlon 1$ n8&dad. It ts my ro8ponsikn.lity to- examine the ac¢ounts under 8&tion 145 of the Chorikngs A to follow th& prc¢edures laid down in the gereral Directions grven by t￿ Charity Commlssbn (under sèttion 14515llbl of the Charities Act, ant1 to slate whelher particular mattars hav¢ ¢¢rf￿ to my att8nt Ba•1• of Ind•p•nd•nf •x•mln•r'• •t•t•rn•nt My t￿MInatI0Th Corr￿ out in occLdanc• with gwwal do￿1￿ given by the Charity Commi88lon. An examination in¢ludes a wew of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the account8 prgsgnted wth thos8 r8cord8. It alsc in¢lud98 con6Kleratfv)n of any unuwal items or disclosures in the aceL)unts, ond S8gklng gxplanaiions fvom the trustees concornlThJ any such fflatters. The procedures undertaken do not provlde all the Id8llCe that would be required in an audrt, a￿fj consaquèntly no oplnKJn is gNen as lo whèthèr thè 8¢¢ount$ pr¢sgnt 8 rue and lair. vigw and the report ks limited to th089 matters Set out in Statsment b9k)w. Ind•p•nd•nt •x•mln•rf• •t•t•m•nt In connection with my examination. no matler has come lo my attention which gives mo reasonabl8 eaustr to ￿lIeve thal in, any mat8ri81 rosp8¢t. th• r•quiremgnts.' to keep accounting records in accordance %wth section 130 of Charities A¢l', and io prepare accounts wh￿h Vlth tho a￿(￿11n9 re￿rdS arKI 9)m￿Y with accounllng requlremenls of the Charities Act have not b8gn m8t: or to which, in my ok¥nion, attention shoukl be dra¥￿ in ryder lo wbatle a woper ur*J8rstanding of ihe xcounts to rea¢hod. K. Collaku MAAT Castle View Accounting Ltd New Barn Mudberry Lan• Bosham ch￿hester West Sussex P018 8TS Oate.. 8th NovemLw 2023

WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Summary

Whispers of Hope has had an exciting and challenging year of consolidation and growth

I am pleased to be able to provide you with our third annual report. I am sure you will find it to be an inspiring read; from the number of women we have been able to help and support to the wide range of services we have provided along with the valuable new connections we have been able to make.

Whispers of Hope has the most amazing group of volunteers, many of whom go the extra mile willingly because they are so passionate about what we do. They see first-hand the change for the better that happens to the women we support. This is our motivation, this is our reason for all that we do. We know we are helping to save lives, improve lives and most importantly we are giving hope where there was no hope.

I also want to acknowledge our amazing group of supporters and funders, none of this would be possible without them, from our SafeSpace cupcakes, regular financial donations, grants and one off giving along with many more practical donations we have been truly blessed.

As we step into our next year we are establishing our priorities for what is ahead and I am delighted we will be sharing that with you under ‘Future Plans’. There is still so much more that needs to be achieved for the women we support and we will continue to advocate, support and highlight the complex needs of these women and their children. We are utterly committed to seeing greater equality and inclusion in the wider domestic abuse agenda.

Deana Korwin-Kochanowski Founder & Chair

Introduction

Whispers of Hope began supporting women and children in May 2019. We started with Friday morning SafeSpace sessions where they were able to meet safely at a secret location to receive help and health and wellbeing support.

In November 2019 we opened Avan House, our safe house, we had to rush to get it ready as our first lady was desperately waiting to move in. This lady is now living her best life in Manchester. Since this first house guest we have welcomed another 20 women through the door. We are currently able to accommodate 3 women at a time. Each woman is a victim of domestic abuse, also often of forced marriage and at serious risk of honour based violence. Some have also been trafficked and come under the label of ‘modern day slave’ and many have been sexually violated.

We believe these women’s voices need to be heard. We help them to heal, rebuild their lives so they can communicate their own needs and tell their stories so they can get to the point where they will lead on campaigns for a more just system because despite crimes being committed against them in the UK these women are not eligible for help from any statutory service.

Vision Statement

To preserve and protect health and relieve the needs of women in the UK who are victims of domestic abuse or sexual trafficking who also have immigration issues and no recourse to public funds.

The Extent of the Problem

Much of the problem remains hidden but the report ‘Safety before Status 2022’ which was analysed by both the London School of Economics and the Oxford Migration Observatory suggests that approximately 32,000 survivors with NRPF (No Recourse to Public Funds) are likely to report the abuse each year, of these about 7,700 might require refuge or accommodation. This is currently an unmet need.

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

The unmet need for this ‘non-status’ group is such that Whispers of Hope regularly receives referrals from agencies including:

We also receive self-referrals from women who have heard about us from others in the same position.

Statistics:

Total no. of women referred: 86

Breakdown of support provided:

Other Support Provided:

Type of abuse experienced:

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Nationality of Women supported:

Volunteers: 22

There are currently 22 volunteers and between us we provide the following support:

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Achievements 2022/2023

Reports

Whispers of Hope Financial Report to the AGM April 2023

The Accounts for Whispers of Hope for the year ended 31st March 2022 were presented to Castle View Accounting Ltd, who have inspected our accounts and reported Annual Reports and Financial Statements for Whispers of Hope to the Charities Commission on our behalf.

The full financial report is available, and the statement of financial activities is copied here for information:

In Summary, in the year ending 31 March 2023

TOTAL
2022/23
£
Total income during the year was - 30,516
Our income from unrestricted donations and grants was - 20,516
Our income from restricted grants was - 10,000
Our expenditure – the cost of running Whispers of Hope - 24,245

Report produced by Jane Cronin

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Digital World

Whispers of Hope now utilises a range of digital technologies and solutions. These are growing as our digital reach is extended and the needs of the organisation evolve. We currently use Office 365, Teams, WordPress for our website, Facebook, Raw pixel, Canva, and Circle Loop.

Teams is slowly being utilised more for documentation and our trustee and task and finish meetings are now taking place on teams. The finance and Avan House teams have exceled in their adoption of this method of working. We are progressing accessibility for all teams’ users and have provided training and practical support to volunteers this will continue. We have invested in appropriate equipment to increase accessibility to key users when supporting women.

The website was launched in November 2021. In the past year there has been a 67.20% increase in views over the previous year with 1096 views of the home page. There have been 30 referrals through the form on the website. The website is currently being reviewed and updated with consideration to the further development and needs of Whispers of Hope.

Facebook is our main social media account currently we have 212 followers. This is an area for growth over the next year. We are using Raw pixel and Canva as tools to create a unified brand image across our marketing and social media. We aim to recruit volunteers to assist in the development and of our social media platforms and campaigns.

Circle Loop is an application we use to provide us with our main contact number this allows us to have one phone number that comes through to multiple mobile phones. In the past 12 months we received a total of 41 inbound calls, 31 of these in the past 6 months. The majority of calls have been from professionals seeking advice or to make a referral we have received one self-referral. There have been some teething problems with this system which has meant most calls have only come through to one number. We believe that some of these issues have arisen when there are updates to the app these are resolved when user is signed out and back into the app. This will require monitoring.

Report produced by Rowan Cronin

Avan House

Avan House has continued to offer safety and shelter to women who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) who are fleeing very abusive, sometimes life-threatening situations. As Whispers of Hope has become more established in the Stoke area, we have received many more referrals. Avan House has often been full and we have welcomed guests from places out of area such as Derby and London because there has been no available support for those with NRPF.

Avan House offers accommodation and practical, financial and emotional support to women who are victims of domestic abuse and sexual exploitation. They also have the added complication of complex immigration issues. Our guests have no recourse to public funds and are therefore ineligible for support from the local council housing and other organisations such as refuges. Without the help we offer them to regularise their immigration status, thereby enabling them to access benefits, they would be in danger of homelessness and all that this entails. We can offer accommodation for up to three women at a time and there is a host who sleeps in twice a week. The host supports the women at other times as well as other volunteers.

Avan House is named in memory of a beautiful lady who lived in Stoke as an asylum seeker with her four children. She was a victim of domestic abuse and honour-based violence who was killed by her husband when he tracked her down. All of the volunteers of Whispers of Hope, and in particular those who work directly in supporting Avan House, honour her memory as they support women in their journeys from fear and danger to freedom and new life.

From February 2022 to April 2023, we have accommodated fourteen women, making a total of twenty-two ladies since Avan House opened in November 2019. We have seen a greater demand for our services and in total have given 972 nights’ accommodation from February 2022- March 2023. Avan House is currently full, hosting three ladies.

The table below shows how many nights’ accommodation each guest was given from February 2022- March 2023. One of the guests who stayed for two nights was not a victim of domestic abuse but could not be given emergency accommodation by local housing or a refuge as she had NRPF and the Police contacted us to ask if we could support her. Another of the guests who stayed for two nights is a UK citizen and was therefore eligible to access refuge support.

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Guest Number of Nights Accommodation
1 111
2 142
3 2
4 125
5 155
6 115
7 2
8 55
9 81
10 34
11 105
12 2
13 36
14 7

The ladies have come from many different countries of origin and it has been wonderful to learn about some of their traditions and customs. We have supported ladies from Pakistan, Iran, Namibia, Afghanistan/U.S.A. and Thailand.

Some of the ladies have come with very complex immigration issues but by working in partnership with a local immigration solicitor or the immigration advisors at Citizen’s Advice Bureau, they have been supported to regularize their immigration status. All of the ladies are also given emotional, financial and practical help. Once they have been granted the Domestic Violence Concession (DDVC) or leave to remain, they are then assisted to look for suitable housing for the next stage in their journey.

Some of the women arrive at Avan House with only the things they are wearing. They have no documents such as a passport with them and no extra clothing. In these cases, we provide pyjamas and underwear as well as the welcome pack of toiletries and towels. We also try to source clothing and other things such as phone chargers.

All of the ladies who come to Avan House have experienced trauma and we try to support them through the weeks and months as they build new lives for themselves. One lady was accommodated for three weeks in a hotel by local housing before being referred to us. She was only given a food parcel on two occasions and the last week in the hotel she was surviving on sugar and water. Many women who come to us have never been allowed to make decisions for themselves or have any control in their lives. We encourage and support them to become independent in order to adapt to life in the UK. It is very beautiful to see how the ladies support and bond with one another, continuing friendships after they leave Avan House.

Volunteers offer practical support such as accompaniment to medical and immigration appointments and also help to complete forms. Some ladies have never had a bank account or know how to use debit cards, so help is given with this.

Some of the things we have shared with or supported our guests with this year:

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Report produced by Geraldine Sweeney

SafeSpace

Cupcakes, crafts, chatter, children, coffee, classy, company, custard creams, crochet, café visit, Christmas presents, clothes, chocolate, cosy, creativity

All of the above take place at SafeSpace. 2022/2023 has seen our numbers of volunteers with cars grow which has meant we have been able to bring more women and children there.

Our year started well with Rowan, one of our volunteers getting married, we celebrated with a hen party, a special handmade present from all of us and 7 of our women attended the wedding. This is when we realised just how classy our women are! Everyone had a brilliant time and for our ladies it was their first time in church and at a British wedding reception, a truly great cultural experience.

We have continued with the same format which the women say they enjoy and look forward to each week. We are very grateful to Sister Bridget who makes sure we have tea, coffee, biscuits and bags of chocolate buttons for the children.

The highlight of each week are the cupcakes made by Katie. We have ‘cake o clock’ each Thursday evening when she drops the off at my house and each week the design is different. Thank you Katie for the time you take to make sure our women feel loved and valued.

We use any excuse for a celebration. Last year this included the Queen’s Jubilee, birthdays, getting their own home, having contact with their children, passing exams at college, getting a job and most importantly hearing they have got their leave to remain.

We have a time to chat, a time to share good news and also some sad news at times, a time to encourage each other, the main activity of the day and a time to go through our programme ‘Why Men Hurt Women’. We have also been to 2 local garden centres for coffee; a completely new experience for all of our women.

Some of our activities have included: pottery - making tealight holders, pamper sessions (we especially like getting our eyebrows done), our favourite music, showcasing our traditional dance, Christmas party, Eid celebration, Jubilee party, sewing, jewellery making, learning how to crochet, gentle exercise, card making, planting seeds and decorating the pots, well-being activities,

A big thank you to our SafeSpace volunteers: Sister Bridget, Anita, Chris, Klodiana, Rowan, Paula, Klodiana, Andy, Jane, Zee, Maggie, Shima, Shirrin, Without you each Friday would not be able to take place.

From February 2023 we have had 19 women attend SafeSpace on a regular basis.

SafeSpace also provides me with the opportunity to catch up with each woman to update on their situation and ensure we are on track with the support we are providing.

We have participated in a number of national days including‘Help for Lost Women, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, International Women’s Week.

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

SafeSpace continues to live up to its name for it is here we cry, feel sad, begin to smile, bond with others and find hope. Together with our befriending this is the bedrock of what we are seeking to achieve: being there for our women as long as they want us to be and seeing them become strong, determined and confident, gaining or regaining their aspirations and going on to achieve their dreams.

SafeSpace Report produced by Deana Korwin-Kochanowski

Volunteers Update

Hellos

We would like to welcome Maggie, Zee, Zarina to the Whispers family.

Goodbyes

Sadly we have had to say goodbye to Klodiana who has now moved to Oxford to be close to her family. She has been an amazing support right from the beginning and we miss her very much but we are so happy that she and her family are making a new life in a beautiful city together.

We have also said a very sad goodbye to Gloria who has made the decision to retire from Whispers of Hope on health grounds. We very much appreciate all she has contributed to the charity and know many women have benefitted from her support, particularly when it comes to teaching them English. We know this is not the end as we plan to keep in touch. Thank you Gloria.

Our current volunteers are:

Jane, Bushra, Rowan, Andy O, Andy C, Chris, Maggie, Tony, Paula, Geraldine, Sister Bridget, Anita, Robin, Zee, Shima, Shirrin, Zarina, Deana, Alex, Janet.

Meet our Admin Support Worker

My name Is Zareen Hanif I am the first ever contracted person for Whispers of Hope, I started last year in September 2022. My title is Admin Support Worker I work alongside Deana who is the Founder of the charity. I currently work 8 hours a week which ranges from a variety of admin duties such as updating current beneficiaries case files, closing files, filling aways relevant information such as financial accounts, funding applications, current sponsors information, relevant beneficiaries information etc. I also take notes during Trustee’s meeting, then type the minutes & forward them onto Deana. I also take notes during other relevant meetings and events.

Other roles I undertake is taking Beneficiaries to Solicitors appointments to help them with their Visa application. I have also taken them shopping & helped them with various telephone appointments i.e. CAB, Jobcentre etc.

I have also been able to be an Interpreter in my Job role as I can fluently speak Urdu. I have assisted in risk assessments, multi-agency meetings & I have helped to resolved incidents that have took place with beneficiaries.

I also assist in a voluntary capacity on a Friday morning for SafeSpace.

Finally I like to say due to my experience & skills in this field, my desire to work in this type of role has always been my dream. I am so honoured to work alongside such as passionate team.

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Case Study

B was referred to us by a woman whose friend we had previously successfully supported. At the time of the referral B was homeless in Manchester. She was a victim of forced marriage, domestic abuse and honour based violence. She had been abandoned and thrown onto the streets by her husband 2 years previously at the age of 22. Her spouse visa had run out, her family would not support her return to Iran because of the shame and she had no idea what she could do. One friend had paid a solicitor to help with her immigration situation but B and her friend had been badly advised and the solicitor would not make any contact with them once he had received the money.

After seeking legal advice we informed B that her only course of action was to claim asylum. Whispers of Hope agreed we would provide her with a room in the house whilst she went through this process, we knew this would be a much longer commitment than the usual circumstances for our women. We then went into lockdown. B ended up staying in the house for a total of 13 months, some of that time she was completely isolated due to the pandemic. Now she was safe but lonely, WhatsApp video calls can only help so much. Before coming to the UK from Iran she was studying to become a dentist. When she finally got her leave to remain she immediately started a college course, got a part-time job and is now completing her access course and has two unconditional offers to train as a pharmacist from this September (2023). This is now her choice as she has lost too many years to be able to spend the time required to become a dentist. She continues to work, has her own flat and is a trained volunteer for Whispers of Hope, providing befriending, interpreting support, she is a member of our management group and is now applying for British Citizenship. She is a truly inspirational young woman who has benefitted from Whispers of Hope and wants more than anything to pay it

Highlights

· All of the women we have housed have been able to move on safely to either a refuge or their own home . They have been able to attend college, open a bank account, get a job and most importantly of all begin a life free from the abuse and their abuser(s).

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Challenges

Achieving a steady income and funding to expand are one of our greatest challenges that we are currently seeking to address with the help of a consultant.

We have proved the need for our safe house and also that the house is not big enough to meet the full need. We are going to seek funding so that we can rent a property that would accommodate 6-8 women at a time. This also means finding funding for the posts we have identified as crucial to the growth of Whispers of Hope, namely a half time IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Adviser), one full time equivalent domestic abuse practitioner and outreach worker and a half time administrator.

Lack of time. Most of us are volunteers who also have jobs and many other commitments. This often means that we have to extend strategic deadlines because we are caught up in dealing with crisis and operational requirements. It becomes a catch 22 situation. To this end we were able to pay for someone’s time due to some restricted funding received and successful recruited Zareen into this role in September 2022.

Health of volunteers. A number of volunteers have ongoing or chronic health issues, this came to a head in the summer of 2022 and demonstrated how vulnerable we were as a charity to be completely reliant on volunteers, even with the best will in the world.

Space for donations. We have a garage space which we pay rent for but are aware that Andy and Chris’s garage operates as the overflow.

To ‘future proof’ the charity we need to attract more people who would be prepared to make a regular monthly donation, be that £5 per month or £50 per month. This helps us to be able to plan ahead and make meaningful projections of what we should be doing.

Looking ahead

Conclusion

As we take the time to look back at the last year the trustees are truly grateful for all that has been achieved and for the reputation we have gained, both with our beneficiaries and those who refer into and work alongside us. We are immensely proud of all we have done despite all the challenges faced. We have set ourselves some tough challenges for the future because we believe in what we are doing and know we are making a difference.

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WHISPERS OF HOPE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Organisations with whom links are established:

Asylum Nursing Team Blue Thread Sisters of Mercy Jo Gideon, MP Citizens Advice Bureau, Hanley Burslem Rotary Club Khai Tzedek TWOCO WOJA Early Intervention Team Asha Brighter Futures Cultural Zebra Hope Church Open Doors Yasha VAST Naccom New Era Housing Solutions Glow DA Housing Advocate Castle View Accounting Ltd Wolstanton Dance Academy Gingerbread No Eleven Holy Trinity Parish, Newcastle under Lyme Green Pastures Alice Charity Savanna Jubilee Project Sanctus St Mark’s Newcastle Housing MARAC Police Adult Social Care Children’s Social Services Glow Derby IDVA Service Kidsgrove High School

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WHISPERS OF HOPE TRUSTEES. REPORT Icortlnued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023 Trusts8s' Res￿nsiblitles The trustees are resp(￿sIble the Re￿￿1 of the Tn￿S the f￿￿￿al ststéff￿nts in accordance writh The Law ap￿ra￿E to Char￿e5 W th8 CtrAfitM 2011. Cth¥ty and Reports) ReguLqtws and the prDViSiMS ofthe Goveming rg]uires ￿ trustees lo tryare financial 5twrwts foT each rinan¢k?l yw give a aTrJ far of Ihe 5131e of of tF and of the irwmiro reg)urrs and applKath)n of reswrce& i￿￿1￿9 ￿ iruffle al￿ ex[￿rtUre oftr chanty thai In preparing those financk81 5teTwwt& the to.. obs8Fvethe ￿￿thodS and sn the Charty SORP. make judgerrwtsatKI estIr￿ th￿3￿ reaxmable and charity %MII conthllue to ¢)k the fiTrarul p0s￿On of Ihe charity and to erb￿ lhem to eTrgJre that the fina￿1￿ staternents corryty wih the C￿riteS Act 2011, the Chanty (Armmts arKJ Rwtsl fte￿￿ti￿S of ￿VernIng tkKurnenl They we a resp￿sib￿ tr safeguardiTrJ ￿ &s8ets of the charity arKI for takwvA rea9)nob￿ stws foT thE pre￿1th and Signèd on th￿beha1rbY Trustee.. PriTh￿ Narr 16

WHISPERS OF HOPE

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

Notes
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:
Donations, Grants & Legacies
3a
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable Activities
4a
Governance Costs
4b
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
Total Funds Brought Forward
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD		 Unrestricted
Restricted
TOTAL
TOTAL
Fund
Fund
2022/23
2021/22
£
£
£
£
20,516
10,000
30,516
21,287
20,516
10,000
30,516
21,287
16,745
6,575
23,320
16,899
925
-
925
600
17,670
6,575
24,245
17,499
2,846
3,425
6,271
3,788
13,052
5,875
18,927
15,139
15,898
9,300
25,198
18,927

Movements on all reserves and all recognised gains and losses are shown above. All of the organisation's operations are classed as continuing.

The notes on pages 19 to 24 form part of these financial statements.

17

711SPERS OF HOPE ASAT 31ST IAARCH 2023 Total 31￿ar-2$ 31-Mar-22 Fund Fund Fixed Awt T￿gIb￿ Assets Cash at 8ank and in Hand 16.598 25,898 19,527 16.598 2598 19.527 Cl￿11¢X￿. LkE ¥￿thin ye¥ NET CURRENT ASSETSI(LIABLITIESI 15.898 25.198 18.927 TOTALASSETS kn current lblkn8s 25,198 18,927 10 N￿ASsEr511LlABlLMESI 15.898 FU￿1$ ofthe charlty GeneTal Funds 1&898 15.898 9,3(K) 13.052 5.875 S3(K) Total FuNIs Apwo¥vl bythe Tntstees on ... Sigrth on th￿r beh8WbyTThth J..1 Printed Nwne.. D *fy)A el4 zA(4Th 14(72￿1￿) - 18

WHISPERS OF HOPE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Preparation & Assessment of Going Concern

Basis of Preparation

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 notes. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP - FRS102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The Charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

Assessment of Going Concern

Preparation of the accounts is on a going concern basis. The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Incoming Resources

Recognition of Incoming Resources

These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when:

▪ the charity becomes entitled to the resources;

▪ the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the resources; and

▪ the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability

Incoming Resources with Related Expenditure

Where incoming resources have related expenditure (as with fundraising or contract income) the incoming resource and related expenditure are reported gross in the SOFA.

Grants and Donations

Grants and Donations are only included in the SOFA when the charity has unconditional entitlement to the resources.

Tax Reclaims on Donations and Gifts

Incoming resources from tax reclaims are included in the SOFA at the same time as the gift to which they relate.

Contractual Income and Performance Related Grants

This is only included in the SOFA once the related goods or services has been delivered.

Grants with Performance Conditions

Where the charity gives a grant with conditions for its payment being a specific level of service or output to be provided, such grants are only recognised in the SOFA once the recipient of the grant has provided the specified service or output.

Grants Payable without Performance Conditions

These are only recognised in the accounts when a commitment has been made and there are no conditions to be met relating to a grant which remain in control of the charity.

Gifts in Kind

Gifts in kind are accounted for at a reasonable estimate of their value to the charity or the amount actually realised. Gifts in kind for sale or distribution are included in the accounts as gifts only when sold or distributed by the charity. Gifts in kind for use by the charity are included in the SOFA as incoming resources when receivable.

Donated Services and Facilities

These are only included in incoming resources (with an equivalent amount in resources expended) where the benefit to the charity is reasonably quantifiable, measurable and material. The value placed on these resources is the estimated value to the charity of the service or facility received.

Volunteer Help

The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts.

Investment Income

This is included in the accounts when receivable.

19

WHISPERS OF HOPE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

Expenditure and Liabilities

Liability Recognition

Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out

Governance Costs

Include costs of the preparation and examination of statutory accounts, the costs of the trustees meetings and cost of any legal advice to trustees on governance or constitutional matters.

Unrestricted Funds

These funds can be used for the general objectives of the charity as set out in the trustees report. The movements of the unrestricted funds are given in the Statement of Financial Activities.

Restricted Funds

These funds are where the donor has specified a purpose for the donation made. These restrictions often arise as a result of the regular appeals for special offerings.

Designated Funds

These funds are funds set aside by the trustees out of unrestricted general funds for specific purposes or projects.

Fixed Assets

Fixed Assets are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £1,500. They are valued at cost or, if gifted, at the value to the charity on receipt.

Depreciation Expense

Depreciation is calculated at a rate to write off the cost of tangible fixed assets over their estimated useful lives. The rates applied per annum are as follows:

General Equipment 25% - Reducing Balance Basis

2. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

The Charity held no fixed assets during this or the previous financial period

The annual commitments under non-cancelling operating leases and capital commitments are as follows: 31st March 2023 : None

31st March 2022 : None

20

WHISPERS OF HOPE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

3. INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS

Notes
a) Donations, Grants & Legacies
Gift Aid Tax
Gifts & Donations
Grants Received		 Unrestricted
Restricted
TOTAL
TOTAL
Fund
Fund
2022/23
2021/22
£
£
£
£
1,375
-
1,375
405
19,141
-
19,141
15,107
-
10,000
10,000
5,775
20,516
10,000
30,516
21,287

4. EXPENDITURE ON:

a) Charitable Activities
Administrative Costs
Bank Charges
Community Support
Insurance Costs
Office Costs
Rent & Rates
Safe Space
Sundry Expenses
Travel & Subsistence
Utility Costs
Volunteers Expenses
Website Costs
b) Governance Costs
Independent Examiner's Fee
9
Legal & Professional Fees		 Unrestricted
Restricted
TOTAL
TOTAL
Fund
Fund
2022/23
2021/22
£
£
£
£
-
1,761
1,761
-
-
-
-
21
21
4,304
4,325
-
515
-
515
482
390
-
390
105
8,327
-
8,327
8,668
702
-
702
234
369
-
369
855
2,708
-
2,708
3,640
2,921
450
3,371
1,851
200
60
260
908
594
-
594
135
16,745
6,575
23,320
16,899
700
-
700
600
225
-
225
-
925
-
925
600

21

WHISPERS OF HOPE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

5. DESIGNATED FUNDS

The Charity held no designated funds during this or the previous financial period.

6. RESTRICTED FUNDS

CURRENT FINANCIAL PERIOD

Administrative Fund
Stoke on Trent Council - Grant
Furniture Fund		 Balance
Balance
01-Apr-22
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
31-Mar-23
£
£
£
£
£
-
10,000
6,575
-
3,425
5,775
-
-
-
5,775
100
-
-
-
100
5,875
10,000
6,575
-
9,300

PREVIOUS FINANCIAL PERIOD

Stoke on Trent Council - Grant
Furniture Fund		 Balance
Balance
02-Feb-21
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
31-Mar-22
£
£
£
£
£
-
5,775
-
-
5,775
-
100
-
-
100
-
5,875
-
-
5,875

The restricted funds held are wholly represented by the Charity's cash reserves.

22

WHISPERS OF HOPE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

7. CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND

Cash at Bank and in Hand
8. DEBTORS AND PREPAYMENTS
Sundry Debtors		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Fund
Fund
31-Mar-23
31-Mar-22
£
£
£
£
16,598
9,300
25,898
19,527
16,598
9,300
25,898
19,527
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Fund
Fund
31-Mar-23
31-Mar-22
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

9. CREDITORS ACCRUALS AND DEFERRED INCOME: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

Independent Examiner's Fee Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Fund
Fund
31-Mar-23
31-Mar-22
£
£
£
£
700
-
700
600
700
-
700
600

10. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE IN MORE THAN ONE YEAR

The Charity held no long term liabilities during this or the previous financial period.

11. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

Tangible Fixed Assets
Net Current Assets
Long Term Liabilities
TOTAL FUNDS		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Fund
Fund
31-Mar-23
31-Mar-22
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
-
15,898
9,300
25,198
18,927
-
-
-
-
15,898
9,300
25,198
18,927

23

WHISPERS OF HOPE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

12. STAFF COSTS AND NUMBERS

The Charity employed no members of staff during this or the previous financial period.

13. PAYMENTS TO TRUSTEES AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

No payments were made to trustees or any persons connected with them during this financial period. No material transaction took place between the organisation and a trustee or any person connected with them.

14. RISK ASSESSMENT

The Trustees actively review the major risks which the charity faces on a regular basis and believe that maintaining the free reserves stated combined with the annual review of the controls over key financial systems carried out on an annual basis will provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions. The Trustees have also examined other operational and business risks which they face and confirm that they have established systems to mitigate the significant risks.

15. RESERVES POLICY

The Trustees have considered the level of reserves they wish to retain, appropriate to the Charity's needs. This is based on the Charity's size and the level of financial commitments held. The Trustees aim to ensure the Charity will be able to continue to fulfil its charitable objectives even if there is a temporary shortfall in income or unexpected expenditure. The Trustees will endeavour not to set aside funds unnecessarily.

16. PUBLIC BENEFIT

The Charity acknowledges its requirement to demonstrate clearly that it must have charitable purposes or ‘aims’ that are for the public benefit. Details of how the Charity has achieved this are provided in the Trustees report. The Trustees confirm that they have paid due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit before deciding what activities the Charity should undertake

24