## **Beyond Sight Loss Annual Report to Members and the Charity Commission 2021-2022.** 

Beyond Sight Loss commenced the financial year 2021 – 2022 as it had been for more than a decade, an informal user-led community organisation dedicated to reducing the isolation, loneliness and poor health of people with visual impairments. On 19[th] April during the worst of the Covid pandemic restrictions, and following many months of preparation, Beyond Sight Loss was registered as a charity. This opened the door to new opportunities for funding and expansion of activities and the development of new and more specialised support for our constituency. 

The registration marked further turning points, coming as it dead in the middle of the ongoing Covid pandemic restrictions. Already, the chair and her team had begun to develop a strategic response the restrictions by forming an agreement with London Vision (a London wide networking charity supporting people with visual impairments) to commence regular group Zoom calls which would temporarily replace the monthly outings and face to face meetings which were our stable bedrock. These proved to be successful, in that they attracted a regular attendance which was about two thirds of the face-to-face meeting attendance. There was some shortfall where members without adequate technical skills to use Zoom felt a little intimidated by the technology or lack of direct human contact. It has been a difficult transition for many, and this was mitigated a little, using direct landline telephone inclusion in the Zoom calls. 

The visiting speaker programme continued during the Zoom calls and informal feedback from members was enthusiastic. Regular annual events such as the Christmas Dinner, Summer fund raiser and Seaside visit were cancelled. Our collaboration with Blind Aid continued, where members were phoned regularly by a worker to listen to their concerns, offer support and keep them in the loop. 

Our charity registration coincided with a funding opportunity led by Compass Wellbeing and the East End Community Foundation. We applied for a small grant to supplement a project entitled “Re-start” which was intended to recruit new volunteers and initiate new opportunities for members to meet and re-engage with Beyond Sight Loss following the long isolation. We were delighted to receive three times what we asked for and we will be reporting on the roll out of this project in our next annual report. 

As a charity the challenges we now faced were largely administrative, with our pre-charity capacity stretched as we were obliged to develop transparency and accountability processes and procedures, formalise accountancy and develop the management skills of trustees. A further new challenge has been the development of robust systems for canvassing the views and feedback from members. Our third challenge was the recruitment of new volunteers and trustees to join our existing group. To these ends we received and continue to receive substantial assistance and support from Tower Hamlet Council for Voluntary Service. 

We reached the end of our first year as a charity with a sense of optimism and hope as we began to reengage our membership, restart our face-to-face meetings and organise our outings. Our most significant expansion has been the continuation of regular Zoom meetings in addition to the restarted face-to-face events. 

I would like to thank all the trustees, volunteers and members of the charity for their contributions and support. 

## Ashrafia Choudhury 

## **Chairperson** 

January 2023 

Registered Charity Number 1194143. Registered Office c/o REAL, Jack Dash House 2 Lawn House Close, Docklands E14 9YQ Bank Account Beyond Sight Loss Barclays Bank Sort Code 20-45-45 Account No 00046078 




## **Beyond Sight Loss Finance Report to Members and the Charity Commission 2021-2022.** 

## **Report - Financial Year 1 April 2021 - 31 March 2022** 

|**During the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022:**||
|---|---|
|Bank Balance as of 1 April 2021|£11,671.96|
|Petty cash Balance as of 1 April 2021|£174.69|
||**£11,846.65**|
|**INCOME**||
|Donations\Grants|£10,400.01|
|Activities (collected from members)|£750.00|
|**Total Income**|**£11,150.01**|
|||
|**EXPENDITURE**||
|Volunteer costs (Expenses, travel, etc.)|£106.98|
|Administration|£576.00|
|Visionary subscription|£55.00|
|Insurance|£96.00|
|Activities (Expenses, travel, etc.)|£23.25|
|Website fees and maintenance|£340.59|
|Postage|£14.82|
|**Total Expenditure**|**£1,212.64**|
|||
|Financial Year end balance in bank|21,729.56|
|Financial Year end balance petty cash|54.46|
|**Overall Total**|**21,784.02**|



Ashrafia Choudhury **Chairperson** 

January 2023 

Registered Charity Number 1194143. Registered Office c/o REAL, Jack Dash House 2 Lawn House Close, Docklands E14 9YQ Bank Account Beyond Sight Loss Barclays Bank Sort Code 20-45-45 Account No 00046078