## **ANNUAL REPORTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **CHARITY REGISTRATION No: 1193378** Castle View Accounting Ltd Ground Floor Offices 53 High Street Arundel West Sussex BN18 9AJ ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **CONTENTS** |Page 3|Legal and Administrative Information| |---|---| |Page 4|Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees| |Page 5 to 17|Trustees' Report| |Page 18|Statement of Financial Activities| |Page 19|Balance Sheet| |Pages 20 to 25|Notes to the Financial Statements| 2 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** ## **CHARITY NUMBER** **CHARITY NUMBER** 1193378 **DATE OF REGISTRATION** 2nd February 2021 **START OF FINANCIAL YEAR** 1st April 2023 **END OF FINANCIAL YEAR** 31st March 2024 **TRUSTEES AS AT 31ST MARCH 2024** 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 instrument. **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 Ground Floor Offices 53 High Street Arundel West Sussex BN18 9AJ 3 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS** Report to the trustees/ members of Whispers of Hope on the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2024 set out on pages 18 to 25. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the 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. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention ## **Basis of independent examiner’s statement** My examination was carried out in accordance with general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent examiner's statement** In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: - to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. K. Collaku MAAT Castle View Accounting Ltd Ground Floor Offices 53 High Street Arundel West Sussex BN18 9AJ Date: 17th December 2024 4 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **Summary** This past year has been exciting as we have seen demand for our service grow and go from strength to strength. We now have experience of applying for funds, of producing a comprehensive business plan, placed greater importance of walking with our beneficiaries in their recovery and have established core values to go along with our vision, these are: **Holistic** – consider the wellbeing and needs of the whole person; **Collaboration** – through peer support and relationship building with other organisations; **Recovery** – we walk with people throughout their journey to recovery; **Empowerment** – empower women to take control of their own lives and manage future challenges; **Aspiration** – encourage women to dream of new future for them and their children. One that may previously have been unimaginable; **Stewardship** – responsible care for, and management of, our resources and people. ## **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. ## **Introduction** Back in 2019 we started Whispers of Hope with our Friday morning SafeSpace providing health and well-being sessions . Here our women were able to meet safely at a secret location to receive help and support from our volunteers. We continue to use this location to this day. In November 2019 we opened Avan House, our safe house where we are currently able to accommodate 3 women at a time. Having this house for women with no recourse to public funds is crucial, especially when we know that statistically 66% of women fleeing domestic abuse will find themselves homeless. Each woman is dealing with the trauma of being a victim of domestic abuse, but this often includes being forced into an abusive marriage, being at serious risk of honour based violence, some have also been trafficked and come under the label of ‘modern day slaves’ and many others have been sexually violated. Our main priority is their safety and many of our volunteers will go the extra mile to ensure this happens. The major part of our work focuses on the women’s recovery once we have ensured their physical safety . This includes being away from the perpetrator(s), sorting out their immigration status, access to funds, GP, mental health support, food, clothing , housing and anything else required. Much of this is overseen by our admin support worker. The safety planning and risk assessment is currently provided and overseen by our founder. ## **The Extent of the Problem** We reported last year that approximately 32,000 domestic abuse survivors had no recourse to public funds (London School of Economics and the Oxford Migration Observatory). Just over 7,700 need some form of accommodation. The Report commissioned by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner Safety before status stated that “no victim or survivor of domestic abuse should ever be prevented from accessing the support and protection they need. Migrant survivors are left desperate and often destitute with nowhere to turn.” 5 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** The unmet need for this ‘non-status’ group is such that Whispers of Hope regularly receives referrals from a growing list of agencies including: · Police - NHS teams; community nurses, mental health professionals, drug & alcohol services, social prescribers - Housing dept - Social workers - The Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference - Other Domestic Abuse services: New Era, Glow, Women’s Aid - Asylum charities - Probation Services - Harplands Hospital and Community Cafe - Early Intervention Team (NHS) - Local charities: WOJA, Gingerbread, ASHA, Cultural Zebra etc. - Local churches - Social Prescribers - Out of area agencies We also receive self-referrals from women who have heard about us from others in the same position. ## **Whispers of Hope at a Glance** ## **Statistics** Total no. of women referred during this year: 47 - Supported in the house: 8 - Supported in the community: 22 new (36 women altogether) - No. of children supported: 16 - Unable to establish contact: 8 - Declined support: 3 - Did not meet our criteria: 6 ## **Support Provided** · Financial support: e.g. subsistence (House), travel costs, emergency food/living costs, topping up phone, PPE etc. As required - Befriending - Getting to and from SafeSpace - Opportunity to attend SafeSpace - Accessing UC, opening a bank account, signing up with a GP - Moving into independent accommodation, providing furniture, liaising with services, acting as support worker for first 3 months - Accessing donations of clothes, toiletries, toys, food - Advocacy - Bi-weekly cultural food (15 families) - Safety planning - Responding in a crisis - Supporting them to get their British Passport - A shoulder to cry on - People to celebrate their healing with 6 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **Type of Abuse Experienced** - Honour based violence - Physical - Verbal - Sexual - Emotional - Stalking & Harassment - Financial - Abandonment - Modern day slavery/domestic servitude - Forced marriage - Attempted abduction - Threats to kill ## **Nationality of Women supported** - Kurdish Iraqi - Iraqi - Pakistani - Chinese - Albanian - Malawian - Malian - Indian - Iranian - Ghanaian - Mauritian - Bangladeshi - Afghani - Thai - Australian - Rumanian - Namibian - Filipino - American - Slovakian - Cameroonian · Arabic ## **Achievements: 2022/2023** - Continued growth in SafeSpace attendance averaging 11 women per week. - Steady occupation of Avan House. · Continued access to a consultant (financed by Blue Thread) to develop and implement our fundraising plan to support our strategic development. - Volunteers trained in trauma informed principles. - Regular prayer meetings. - Able to claim gift aid. - Publishing of annual accounts. - Recruitment and training of volunteers. - Liaising with and developing links with organisations who refer to Whispers of Hope. 7 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **Achievements: 2022/2023 (Continued)** · Befriending of beneficiaries, we are receiving more requests from referrers for this support. This is unique to Whispers of Hope in the Domestic Abuse provision in Stoke on Trent. · Robust safeguarding procedures in place. · Resourcing homes when women get leave to remain. This has been extended by developing strong reciprocal links inks with Emmaus Trust and Glow Domestic Abuse Housing Advocate. - Advocating with services on an individual’s behalf. - Developing a stronger Recovery offer. - Linking in with private training providers. - Health and Well-being sessions. - Budgeting awareness. - Partnership working. ## **Finance Report** ## **Finance Report 2022-23** The Accounts to be presented, and accepted by, the forthcoming AGM are the accounts for the year ending 31st March 2023. These were finalised October 2023 and the full report is available on Teams. A copy of the SOFA (Statement of Financial Activities), which is the financial report prepared by Castle View Accountants and signed is available on the charity commission site. ## **The Statement of Financial Activities** 8 WHISPERS OF HOPE TRUSTEES, REPORT leontinu•dl FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024 Th• Balanc6 Sheat .If 1È.927 1&1X2 &B7 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **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. There has been a greater demand for all our services this year and we have been unable to offer accommodation support to all those who have been referred to us. Over the last year we were unable to accommodate eleven women who were referred to us for housing due to Avan House being fully occupied. Fortunately we have been able to signpost them to other charities such as Black Sisters, Southall who have some funding to support women with NRPF. Over the last year Avan House has welcomed guests from the local area but also from further afield. The house has been occupied to full capacity 94.8% of the time which demonstrates the need for the 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. Many of the women who come to us for help are in the UK on a spouse visa Every year thousands of vulnerable women are brought to the UK on spouse visas, many of these are forced or arranged marriages. When the women arrive, they are reliant on their husbands and their families. Many women are subjected to violence and abuse. They have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) meaning they cannot access any benefits, housing or medical support from the government and must pay for this themselves. With no independent right to remain, these women don’t know how to access justice or protection in the UK. 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 the dangers 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 and other volunteers support the women as they embark on the difficult journey of overcoming trauma and starting a new, independent life. 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 April 2023 to March 2024, we have accommodated eight women, making a total of twenty-seven ladies since Avan House opened in November 2019. We have seen a greater demand for our services and in total have given 1,041 nights accommodation from April 2023- March 2024. This year some of our guests have stayed with us longer than is usual due to more complex immigration issues and delays from the Home Office. 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. |**Guest**|**Number of Nights Accommodation**| |---|---| |1|73| |2|178| |3|366| |4|38| |5|19| |6|140| |7|149| |8|78| 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 or leave to remain, they are assisted to look for suitable housing for the next stage in their journey. For some ladies this will mean refuge accommodation where there is more support available for them or for others it could be local authority housing. We have been greatly assisted by the local Housing Advocate to find suitable accommodation for our ladies. 10 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** 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(aged 19) was not collected by her husband from the airport on her arrival in the UK. She was left abandoned and rejected in a strange country. Family members living in the UK and her own family in Pakistan refused to help as her husband had rejected her. If she returned to her home country she was in danger due to threats of honour-based violence. 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. 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: - Weekly house meetings. - Weekly subsistence of £50.00 per guest. - Celebrating Christmas- decorating the tree and hosting a mince pie evening for volunteers. - Access to medical and immigration support- completing forms/ accompanying to appointments. - Gathering and sending evidence to legal/immigration representatives. - Liaising with solicitors/immigration advisors. - Completing online/paper forms to access benefits/housing support. - Liaising with the police. - Working in partnership with the Early Intervention Mental Health team to support one lady. - Visits to local places e.g. Trentham Gardens/local parks. - Support to set up bank accounts. - Celebrating birthdays. - Shopping trips. - Support to find accommodation when moving on. - Donations of household things and furniture. - Support with moving to new accommodation. Thank you to everyone who has supported Avan House with their donations of household goods and money. Thanks also to those who have volunteered as a translator or befriender and to the immigration solicitor, the advisors at Citizen’s Advice Bureau and the local authority Housing Advocate, who we work in partnership with. The courage, resilience and capacity to move forward with their lives that each woman shows is truly inspirational. The waiting for weeks, sometimes months for news of visa decisions can be extremely difficult but we hope that the holistic approach offered by Whispers of Hope helps to ease that burden. In Avan House there is a plaque with a quote from Martin Luther King - “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just to take the first step” At Whispers of Hope we encourage and empower the women who come to us to make those first steps to a happy and fulfilled life. ## **Report by Geraldine Sweeney – Trustee and Avan House Lead Support.** 11 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **SafeSpace** I am pleased to say that SafeSpace has gone from strength to strength during this year. We have had new volunteers join us with cars so we have been able to transport more women each Friday to this bespoke session for them. Our weekly SafeSpace meetings provide an opportunity for our women and children to come together, spend time with us and each other, feel validated because they are with women who understand what they have been through, have fun and times to rejoice with each other when they have good news, cry and grieve with each other when times are hard, have cupcakes specially made for them, take part in a wide range of activities to help with their mental health well being and to grow in their self belief and confidence, participate in the ‘Why Men Hurt Women’ programme, meet with their befriender, make new friends, improve their knowledge and understanding of English and the community around them and so much more! Our activities have included the following. This is not an exclusive list, just here to give you a flavour: - Pamper sessions - Keeping Ourselves Safe and Well - Cake Decorating - Jewellery Making - Ceramics Painting - Tealight Holder Decorating - Meeting our local community policing team - Celebrating International Women’s Day - Knitting & Crochet - Christmas Party - Eid Party - Easter Party - Maggie’s 70[th] Birthday Party - Sharing about our different cultures - Mental Health Check Ins - Meeting professional from other Domestic Abuse Services - Ballet Dancing (yes you are reading this correctly!) We were also successful in receiving a £10,000 grant from Awards for all which has meant we have been able to provide cultural food bi-weekly to 15 families being supported by Whispers of Hope. This has made such a difference to these families in these difficult times. Each week we are able to bring along, clothing, homeware, toiletries, toys, baby equipment and lots of other interesting things which they can look through. We consult the women on what they would like to do in the sessions and we provide the programme resources to make this happen. This has meant that our beneficiaries have the opportunity to try new things, learn new skills, have the space to focus on an activity that takes their thoughts away from the situation they are in as their minds are focused on something else. During this year we have had 473 attendances at SafeSpace from 10 different countries. Shout Out to our amazing SafeSpace volunteers: Anita, Jane, Sister Bridget, Chris, Andy, Zarina, Rowan, Paula, Zee, Maggie. You all play a valuable role each week to make SafeSpace happen. SafeSpace is an essential part of the recovery work we provide for our families. ## _**SafeSpace Report produced by Deana Korwin-Kochanowski**_ 12 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## _**Our Wonderful Volunteers for 23/24**_ Nothing would be achieved if we didn’t have this wonderful family of Whispers volunteers. I want to honour every one of them: Alex Andy C Andy O Anita Bushra Chris O Deana Geraldine Jane Janet Klodiana Maggie Paula Robin Rowan Shima Shirrin Tony Zarina Zee Honorary mentions go out to our Friends of Whispers of Hope: Katie and Steve Kenyon Seema Kazmi Bobby Buckley (courtesy of his mum Sarah Buckley) Karen Williams There are currently 25 volunteers and between us we provide the following support: · Volunteer host of Avan House. · Befriending. · Preparing the house for occupancy. · Advocacy. · Transportation. · Arranging transport for SafeSpace sessions. · Administration, policies, procedures, newsletters, prayer letters. · Trustee, finance support, chairperson, secretary. · Website Oversight and maintenance. · Teaching English. · Fundraising and bid writing. · Translation. · Developing Health and Well-being sessions. · Safeguarding and risk assessments. · Publicising the work, social media, networking, speaking engagements. · Helping women set up in their new homes once they obtain ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain). · Financial management. · Emotional support and safety planning. Our volunteers are trauma informed trained. · Project Management. · Receiving donations, bedding clothes, toiletries and distributing them. · Training and training development. · Links to useful agencies and groups, networking. · Co-ordinating SafeSpace activities, planning etc. 13 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **Social Media Achievements:** · We're thrilled to report that the £1,000 grant from "Awards for All" was strategically invested in acquiring a laptop and Canva subscription, which has demonstrably improved our online presence. · This investment has significantly improved our social media presence, allowing us to create more engaging and visually appealing content in a frequent and timely manner. · Frequent updates have resulted in seeing positive results! There's an increase in awareness of Whispers of Hope and the important work we do. · In the future, we intend to build a bigger and better team which will help us focus on impact, by sharing stories of success without revealing identifying details. · Talk about the number of women helped, the types of services provided, and the overall impact on their lives. · Feature our volunteers and staff (with their permission) who can talk about their experiences and the positive change they see. · Create posts around themes related to our cause. This could be self-care tips, inspirational quotes, information about relevant laws, or statistics on the issues we address. · Promote upcoming events like fundraising galas or awareness campaigns. · Offer glimpses into the work we do without compromising confidentiality. This could be photos of staff packing care packages, food parcels or preparing workshops (with faces blurred if needed). · Collaborate with relevant influencers who can spread awareness about our cause without revealing details about the specific women we support. · Organize online challenges or contests that raise awareness for our cause (e.g., a photo challenge related to a theme etc). · Host informative livestreams with experts or advocates discussing our cause especially on tips on how to recover after Traumatic experiences. · Gratitude post, by thanking our supporters for their donations and comments. · Post that briefly explain how donations are used to support the women we serve. · Share anonymous testimonials from women we've helped (with their permission). This will be done through text or quotes with identifying details removed. · By posting consistently, we intend to stay active on all social media platforms to build and keep our audience engaged. At the moment we don't cross-promote across platforms. We plan to promote our social media handles on our website and in any printed materials. ## **Report produced by Ann Odita** 14 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **Highlights** · All of the women we have supported in applying for leave to remain have obtained it. · 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). · Beneficiaries becoming volunteers. · All volunteers attending Professional Boundaries training. · All volunteers attending Trauma Informed Training. · Strong working partnership with MH Solicitors. · Christmas presents provided by Sisters of Mercy, Eltham. · Selection boxes provided by Vinyard Church. · Easter eggs provided by Vinyard Church · Continued partnership with CAB which ensures the women housed by us are able to have their settled status applications made by a recognised case worker. · Continued development of our relationship with Vast. · Production of a concise business plan which demonstrates our need, our achievements and our plans for continued growth of the charity. · Beginning the application process of becoming a CIO. · We have continued to enable women to access mental health support by being persistent with health providers and advocating on our beneficiaries behalf. · Funding received from Blue Thread which continues to support our development strategy. · A stronger profile which is reflected in the increased referrals we now receive. · Hearing from outside agencies how much they value the service we provide. · We have more than proved the need for Whispers of Hope. · Having enough funding to keep our service going in this time of uncertainty is encouraging. · The growth in the numbers of women being able to access SafeSpace due to the commitment of our team of volunteers. 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. Finding funding which would enable us to employ people for our continued and professional development and which would ease pressure on current volunteer roles. Not having a dedicated office space for meetings, one to ones, referrals and safe storage of confidential information. 15 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **Highlights** 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 seeking funding so that we can successfully manage our plan for growth which includes obtaining funds for an office premises and a paid deputy role for Deana. 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. Health of volunteers. A number of volunteers have ongoing or chronic health issues and this makes our charity 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** · We are actively wanting to recruit more trustees, in particular someone who could take on the role of treasurer. · Development of our prospect list to ensure financial sustainability in order to achieve our growth objectives. · Continued networking and building of links across the city to ensure sharing of resources and expertise, no duplication and a holistic approach to the women we are supporting. - Continued expansion of our Website and social media presence to raise awareness. - Attendance at events, speaking engagements to raise our profile. - Working smarter to best utilise the precious volunteer time we have. - Ensure our front facing volunteers are all trauma informed trained and updated on a regular basis. - Continued expansion and development of our training programme for our volunteers. ## **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 been able to achieve and are in complete awe of the women we have supported. Their resilience is their strength. Helping them to recover is our privilege. 16 WHISPERS OF HOPE TRU5TEES' REPORT (¢ontlnuedl FOR THE YEAR ENDEO 31ST MARCH 2024 TNsl•es' Rèspohslblllll•s The Iwstees arv re¥wIts￿ l(* Re(tyl d ts Tnts*es ￿ the fffiantsal Sts*menls accordarr• ￿th F4Kab* law aTrJ Ihe Unrted Kry(knn sta￿d5 IUr*ted KirvJkTh Gewaly Accepted kno￿try PrxlKe GMPI. The Law appkatde lo in arrfj Wa*5, ¢hailip5 *£t 2011, CW IA¢¢tyJnts Rw1s) AegLdati¢yis d ttre ol Ihe Gryernry [k￿rnert rew*re5 Irustee5 ￿ wep¥e sthiemenis IL¥ eath [￿antial >tai gNe a Irue and fair view c4 Iho 51ato ￿ 31f•r5 ov thè cw aThJ ol Ihe I￿0Th9 resowces app1tati￿ of rescurce5, trthJiThJ Ihe 8mJ exp￿ cl Ih? ch*ty ￿nar￿All si¥t¢mert4 the tnksiees are r8quYed to". Select suilatle Ft*4e5 al￿ I￿Tr aFfty Ilwncwslefiitr. Obser¥8 thB Irtst￿￿$ ar¥J pri￿￿ ￿ lh¢ Chanty SORP. Make1*jthJe￿￿ntSdThJ estrnale5 Ilwt rea%x¥tle and tharilyvirfl Con1￿ lo cperate. Th¢ trysiees a￿ resF4JnsiNe Ic¢ keeFir¥J k¥cyr actcArtirYJ re¢tyds th"s¢knse rea5ryhat4B at any ¢Kne th• fffjarrial r￿sitth of Ihe ¢lwty aTrJ ioenat4tr IhErn Its•nwr•tW th? stalement5 ¢¢mKly th lh8 Cwthes kt 2011. lh¢ Charily lAc¢￿A￿ Repy151 Regui4iKffjs ol Gwernry D0¢4m*rt are #L responstse lor 5alegua¥dry fv assels d V* clwty aThJ therKe rea50na￿V steps lor IPe detectw of frwd and ollw irreguLvitw. Nwprovtd ty TDJstees tyi........ ....... &"9n•o on trw by T1￿*•. 17 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** |**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
Transfer Between Funds
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**|Unrestricted
Restricted
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
Fund
Fund
**2023/24**
**2022/23**
£
£
£
£
18,003
23,495
41,498
30,516
**18,003**
**23,495**
**41,498**
**30,516**
13,700
18,646
32,346
23,320
1,690
-
1,690
925
**15,390**
**18,646**
**34,036**
**24,245**
**2,613**
**4,849**
**7,462**
**6,271**
15,898
9,300
25,198
18,927
(936)
936
-
-
**17,575**
**15,085**
**32,660**
**25,198**| |---|---| 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 20 to 25 form part of these financial statements. 18 WHISPÉRS OF HOPE 8ALANCE SHEET ASAT 31ST MARCH 2024 unrest￿ed Re5tsKted Fw¥J Fwwj Total T•tal 31th1*r-24 31.Mar-23 FIAed Assets T￿l￿￿e Assets C¥rr•nt Ass•ts C•sh al BanKand OeblN$ 8 fvepaymÈn15 18.415 15.(é5 2&898 Totsl Curr•ntA¥s•ls 11.41$ 15.015 33.500 25.891 Cr•dltors: *Jn¢w4 thJe will¥n ￿ Jtar NET CURREMT ASSETY(UA61unÉs} 17.575 15.L 316 25.198 TOTAL ASSETS Jess ¢wrert 17.575 15.015 31660 25.1 Cr•ditor& Lw Tem Lwt41*S 10 NEf ASSETMLIABILITIÉSI 17.57$ 15.085 31660 25.191 F¥rtds ofthe Chthty Gen¢ral Fund5 Re￿￿ted Funds 17575 17.575 15MBS 15.898 15X*S Total Furtds 17.57S 32.660 l..J:. J.>..-.2.Ib 40 Syxd bohawtry TnAlee............................................... D EANJ R KOQW Ipa - kc[HA￿oN5kj 19 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **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 note(s) to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2015) (Second Edition, effective 1st January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (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. 20 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)** ## **Incoming Resources (Continued)** ## _**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. ## **Expenditure and Liabilities** ## _**Liability Recognition**_ Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources. ## _**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 year. The annual commitments under non-cancelling operating leases and capital commitments are as follows: 31st March 2024 : None 31st March 2023 : None 21 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **3. INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS** |**Notes**
**a) Donations, Grants & Legacies**
Gift Aid Tax
Gifts & Donations
**6**
Grants Received
**6**
**4. EXPENDITURE ON:**
**a) Charitable Activities**
Administrative Costs
**6**
Community Support
**6**
Insurance Costs
Office Costs
Rent & Rates
**6**
Safe Space
**6**
Sundry Expenses
Travel & Subsistence
**6**
Utility Costs
**6**
Volunteers Expenses
Website Costs
**b) Governance Costs**
Independent Examiner's Fee
**9**
Legal & Professional Fees|Unrestricted
Restricted
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
Fund
Fund
**2023/24**
**2022/23**
£
£
£
£
3,068
-
3,068
1,375
14,935
18,595
33,530
19,141
-
4,900
4,900
10,000
**18,003**
**23,495**
**41,498**
**30,516**
Unrestricted
Restricted
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
Fund
Fund
**2023/24**
**2022/23**
£
£
£
£
-
4,241
4,241
1,761
-
7,051
7,051
4,325
549
-
549
515
475
-
475
390
4,159
4,200
8,359
8,327
624
840
1,464
702
808
-
808
369
4,050
810
4,860
2,708
406
1,504
1,910
3,371
1,750
-
1,750
260
880
-
880
594
**13,700**
**18,646**
**32,346**
**23,320**
840
-
840
700
850
-
850
225
**1,690**
**-**
**1,690**
**925**| |---|---| 22 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **5. DESIGNATED FUNDS** The Charity held no designated funds during this or the previous financial year. ## **6. RESTRICTED FUNDS** ## **CURRENT FINANCIAL PERIOD** |Administrative Fund
Stoke on Trent Council - Grant
Furniture Fund
Douglas Foundation
Lottery Awards for All Grant|**Balance**
**Balance**
**01-Apr-23**
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
**31-Mar-24**
£
£
£
£
£
3,425
-
4,361
936
-
5,775
4,900
4,900
-
5,775
100
-
-
-
100
-
10,435
5,040
-
5,395
-
8,160
4,345
-
3,815
**9,300**
**23,495**
**18,646**
**936**
**15,085**| |---|---| ## **PREVIOUS 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**| |---|---| The restricted funds held are wholly represented by the Charity's cash reserves. 23 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **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-24**
**31-Mar-23**
£
£
**£**
**£**
18,415
15,085
33,500
25,898
**18,415**
**15,085**
**33,500**
**25,898**
Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
**Total**
Fund
Fund
**31-Mar-24**
**31-Mar-23**
£
£
**£**
**£**
-
-
-
-
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**| |---|---| ## **9. CREDITORS ACCRUALS AND DEFERRED INCOME: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR** |Independent Examiner's Fee|Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
**Total**
Fund
Fund
**31-Mar-24**
**31-Mar-23**
£
£
**£**
**£**
840
-
840
700
**840**
**-**
**840**
**700**| |---|---| ## **10. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE IN MORE THAN ONE YEAR** The Charity held no long term liabilities during this or the previous financial year. ## **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-24**
**31-Mar-23**
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
-
17,575
15,085
32,660
25,198
-
-
-
-
**17,575**
**15,085**
**32,660**
**25,198**| |---|---| 24 ## **WHISPERS OF HOPE** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** ## **12. STAFF COSTS AND NUMBERS** The Charity employed no members of staff during this or the previous financial year. ## **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 ## **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. 25