**Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the period ended 31[st] October 2022 for Hope for Families CIO REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 1194541** 




## **Hope For Families** 

## **LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** 

## **FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2022** 

ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE The Barn, 1 Manor Farm Barns, Baines Lane, Seaton, Oakham, LE15 9HP GOVERNING DOCUMENT CIO Constitution registered 20 May 2021 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1194541 TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Garryl Clive Willis MANAGING THE CHARITY Amanda McPhie (appointed 25 October 2021) Andrew Martyn Giles Arnold Janet Elizabeth Brown KEY STAFF Louise Willis (Coordinator) INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Sarah Crispin ACA Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB 

CIO Constitution registered 20 May 2021 

## **INDEX** 

Page 1 Legal & Administrative Details Pages  2-7 Trustees' Report Page 8 Independent Examiner's Report Page 9 Receipts and Payments Account Page 10 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Page 11 Notes to the Accounts 

Page 1 



## **Hope for Families CIO** 

## **Report of the Trustees for the Period Ended 31[st] October 2022** 

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the period ended 31[st] October 2022. 

## **Establishment of Hope for Families CIO** 

Hope for Families CIO was established and entered on the register of the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 20 May 2021. 

## **Objectives and Activities** 

## Hope for Families’ Objects 

The Object of the Charity is, for the public benefit and in pursuance of Christian principles and the doctrines set out in the Statement of Faith, the advancement of education in matters concerning marriage, parenting, family life and relationships with a view to strengthening and enriching family life in such ways as the Charity Trustees may from time to time determine. 

## Hope for Families’ Vision 

Hope for Families wants every family to know there is hope for them. Every family has good times as well as hard times and Hope for Families wants to support them on their journey, whatever they are going through. 

## Hope for Families’ purpose 

Hope for Families exists to help all parents become more confident and to build strong and lasting relationships with their child. It empowers parents and carers to engage with each other at a local level, share their experiences and build a support network of their own. Hope for Families creates change by showing compassion, valuing its relationships and giving its time generously and is passionate about working with others to improve life for the families it serves. 

## Hope for Families’ values 

Born out of a passion for what Hope for Families does, its values help it to focus on how it creates the future it wants for both itself and the families it supports. 

- Compassion – Hope for Families values compassion by ensuring a culture of care for one another, respecting others, and being inclusive and welcoming. 

- Empowerment - Hope for Families values empowerment by walking alongside people and celebrating their individuality, advocating and affirming all those it works with, and sharing new resources while helping others to recognise what they already have. 

- Generosity - Hope for Families values generosity by providing everything it does in the most accessible way possible, sharing openly as a team and through its work, and making resources affordable and accessible for everyone. 

- Relationship - Hope for Families values relationship by celebrating diversity and championing families, sharing vision and goals together, opening up new connections and relationships. 

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## Hope for Families’ faith 

Hope for Families is founded on a love of God and its Christian identity underpins everything it does. Working in partnership with others, Hope for Families is passionately committed to supporting every family on their journey, of all faiths and none.  A distinctive part of its work is walking alongside parents who want to raise their children in the Christian faith.  It supports parents and carers in showing their children what real and authentic faith looks like, as well as empowering local churches to support parents in this vital role. 

## **Achievement and Performance** 

## Principal Activities – review of the last year 

## 1. Courses & events 

Hope for Families’ rolling programme of popular training courses, produced by the national charity Care for the Family and run in partnerships with the voluntary, health and education sectors, include training themes such as ‘Children with Special Needs', Time out for Parents’ and ‘Handling Anger in the Family'. All of its courses can be delivered online or in-person. 

Hope for Families aims to deliver 23 courses each year, which is 162 hours of facilitated sessions.  Its courses are a series of two-hour sessions that run between 4-7 weeks and can include up to 12 participants per course (one-off events such as ‘Left to their Own Devices' accommodates 22 participants). 

The Charity is pleased to have delivered courses and events to 150 parents and carers in Northamptonshire this year. 

- 80 have attended one of eight 'Handling Anger in the Family' courses 

- 35 have attended ‘Left to their Own Devices’ events 

- 20 have attended 'Time Out for Parents - the Teenage Years' courses 

- 15 have attended 'Children with Special Needs' courses 

Hope for Families has worked in partnership with 5 primary and secondary schools across Northamptonshire this year, as its licensed facilitators have delivered closed courses (for specific clients) and one-off events with the support of school staff members.  It has also delivered courses in partnership with Northamptonshire Children’s Trust and Home Start Corby.  Over 130 partners working in the fields of education, health and the statutory and voluntary sectors work hard to promote and advertise Hope for Families’ upcoming open courses. 

This year, with the support of grant funding, Hope for Families has been able to cover the cost of Care for the Family’s 3-day facilitator training for 4 more of its volunteers.  It now has a team of 9 licensed facilitators which will significantly increase its capacity across the county of Northamptonshire in 2023.  All its facilitators are fully licensed to deliver the core range of ‘Time Out for Parents’ courses and events, developed by Care for the Family. One of its facilitators is also licensed to deliver the ‘Time Out for Parents – Children with Special Needs’ course. 

Parents attending the sessions complete questionnaires at the beginning and end, to help the Charity measure impact and build a solid evidence base for its work.  The results of these evaluations so far have shown that parents can see that the knowledge, encouragement and practical techniques shared on the course are having a positive impact on their family life. 

94% of parents attending Hope for Families’ courses said that their confidence to meet the challenges of parenting had increased, 100% of parents said they were very satisfied with the course they attended and 100% of delegates said they would recommend the course to others. 

Page 3 



A group of parents recently commented: 

      - “I now have the tools I need to help us have a happier life” 

- “Thank you for the support in helping me feel I'm not alone and I can do this.” 

   - “The course has been very effective and useful, no judging or patronising (I have found that on other courses), everyone understands and emphasises and supports, sharing ideas and reassurance.” 

Hope for Families has also recently launched a parent forum where 10 parents have a highlyvalued voice in the future of the Charity and input into the courses and events it runs. 

Hope for Families’ Coordinator, Louise Willis, is employed part-time (20 hours per week) by the Charity and is the sole employee.  Louise leads its team of 9 volunteers. 

## 2. Bursaries 

Hope for Families aims to keep its course costs low and its support accessible.  The maximum any parent or carer would currently pay to attend a multi-session course or one-off event is £20.00.  Hope for Families’ bursary scheme provides further support, offering a 50% discount on course registration fees for those who meet the criteria below.  The Trustees occasionally award free discretionary places. 

To be eligible for a bursary place, parents and carers would need to be in receipt of one or more of these government allowances and would need to be willing to provide evidence of their receipt of this benefit should this be requested: 

- Universal Credit 

- Income support 

- Income based Job Seekers Allowance 

- Child Tax Credit only (with a family income of less than £16,190) 

- National Asylum Seekers Support 

- Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit 

- Employment and Support Allowance - income related only. 

During 2021-2022, 15 parents applied to the bursary scheme and received a 50% discount on registration fees.  The bursary scheme has also been able to offer 12 course places free of charge to parents who otherwise may not have been able to access its support. 

## 3. Covid-19 

Since launching its online courses and events in April 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Hope for Families has seen an increased demand for this service and many parents and carers have subsequently provided positive feedback about how accessible and easy they have found online sessions when juggling childcare and family life alongside attending sessions. 

Online courses and events have also enabled the Charity to increase its reach across the county of Northamptonshire and beyond.  During the past year, Hope for Families has begun to re-launch in-person courses, but the advantages of online sessions for parents and carers have resulted in a hybrid-approach being offered in the future.  Many of the schools the Charity works in partnership with are very supportive of its online offer. 

In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission. 

Page 4 



## **Financial Review and Reserves Policy** 

During the period, the charity received income of £34,193, of which £7,925 was restricted and £1,000 was a loan which was subsequently repaid. Total charitable expenditure for the period was £27,982 of which £7,777 was restricted. Cash funds at the end of the year were £4,063 unrestricted and £148 restricted. 

The Board of Trustees has agreed the Charity’s reserves policy and this policy is reviewed annually.  Hope for Families reserves policy is to retain sufficient reserves to ensure the Charity can meet its financial commitments, to demonstrate that the Charity is sustainable into the future, to ensure that the Charity is able to manage future unforeseen financial difficulties and to ensure that excessive funds are not held without any identifiable reason or for any identifiable purpose. 

The Charity has very few overheads at present, the main commitment being the employment cost of its Coordinator, who is employed at present on a monthly basis.  The Trustees do not consider it necessary to hold reserves at present of more than £2,000 and this has been maintained. 

## Plans for 2022/2023 

As Hope for Families looks to the year ahead, it is hopeful that its partnerships will continue to flourish and that opportunities will arise for it to continue building upon pre-existing partnerships with schools, as well as establishing new partnerships with other schools and services across the county. 

Hope for Families’ volunteer team continues to grow and the hope is that more parents and carers will choose to join the team and/or the parent forum over the coming months.  Hope for Families is passionate about parents and carers attending its courses and then gaining the skills and experience needed to go on and support others in a similar situation and it would be great to see more parents/carers completing their facilitator training during the next year. 

One of the volunteers is due to complete the ‘Time Out for Parents – Children with Special Needs’ facilitator training over the coming months which will help to increase the Charity’s capacity in this area. The Charity will also be offering 12 free bursary places for parents/carers at another ‘Handling Anger in the Family’ course in the new year, run in partnership with Northamptonshire Children’s Trust. 

Hope for Families’ ‘Handling Anger in the Family’ course continues to be in high demand and because of an increased need for support in the area of child-to-parent violence and abuse, the Charity is currently seeking funding for ‘Who’s in Charge?’ facilitator training.  Its ‘Time Out for Parents – Children with Special Needs’ course is also very popular and it is also seeking funding for ‘When Dreams Change’ facilitator training, provided by the national charity ‘Growing Hope’ with whom Hope for Families is building a partnership.  By offering both courses in the future, it would enable the Charity to respond to the needs it is observing in the community and to pioneer both of these programmes in Northamptonshire, utilising its professional partnerships to promote these. 

Hope for Families’ Coordinator is currently in the final year of a Master’s degree in Theology, Ministry and Mission (specialism in Children, Young People and Families) and is in the process of writing her dissertation, researching the impact on parents/carers of the ‘Handling Anger in the Family’ course delivered by Hope for Families. It is hoped that the completed research will be instrumental in providing a rationale for funding in the coming months. 

Page 5 



## **Structure, Governance and Management** 

## Governing Document, Trustees, Staff and Volunteers 

The Charity is a charitable incorporated organisation and is governed by its constitution. The Trustees of Hope for Families have the power to appoint additional Trustees.  The constitution requires the charity to have a minimum of three trustees.  There is no formal recruitment practice, but the Trustees and the Coordinator continue to look for new Trustees who will be able to add value to the existing team of Trustees and whose skills and experience would contribute to the development of the organisation. 

Prospective Trustees are given the opportunity to examine the organisation extensively and to attend two trustee meetings before they, and other Trustees, reach a conclusion as to the appropriateness of the appointment.  New Trustees are provided with the opportunity to meet other Trustees and the Coordinator. 

The Trustees have met most months during the financial year to discuss and make decisions concerning the Charity’s affairs.  Their contribution is appreciated. 

The management of the Charity is delegated to the Coordinator.  She is employed on a parttime basis, as funds permit.  The Coordinator is a qualified primary school teacher, with extensive experience in the area of education and the church and charity sectors.  She is currently in the final year of a Master’s degree in Theology, Ministry and Mission (specialism in Children, Young People and Families). 

Hope for Families’ team of volunteer facilitators have vast experiences in the area of family life, both personally and professionally, working in the fields of education, health, church, HR, self-employment and youth work.  All facilitators are parents themselves and some are also grandparents.  They represent blended families, adoptive families, families with additional needs and single-parent families. 

## Re-election of Board of Trustees 

Under the Charity’s constitution each Trustee is normally appointed for three years, but the first three Trustees were appointed for two years, three years and four years respectively. On retirement Trustees, being eligible, may offer themselves for re-election at a general meeting.  The Trustees to retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment. 

The Charity may by ordinary resolution appoint a person who is willing to act to be a Trustee and determine the rotation in which any additional Trustees are to retire.  No person other than a Trustee retiring by rotation may be appointed a Trustee at any general meeting unless he or she is recommended for election by the Trustees with the appropriate notice given. The Trustee must show his or her willingness to be appointed and he or she subscribes to the Statement of Faith. 

## Trustee Training 

Trustees are encouraged to read the Charity Commission guidance on responsibilities of a trustee and specific training for Trustees has been given by Trustees attending trustee training seminars/conferences and reading specific trustee-related guidance. 

## Risk Review 

A formal and systematic approach to identification and management of risks has been introduced and will continue to be fully reviewed and updated annually.  A review of the Charity’s operations was carried out to ensure that these are provided as efficiently as possible and to ensure that staff and volunteers are not over-burdened. 

Page 6 



In line with the Charity Commission's guidance on reporting serious incidents, the Trustees declare that during the reporting period there were no serious incidents that they have failed to bring to the Commission's attention. 

## Remuneration Policy 

The salary for the Hope for Families Coordinator is set with reference to the technical skills and experience required to fulfil the job duties, the comparative pay in the Christian charitable sector, as well as the funds available to the Charity. 

## Fundraising 

Over the coming year, Hope for Families plans to increase its fundraising efforts by mobilising local supporters, increasing its monthly giving income from individuals and local churches, as well as inspiring one-off fundraising efforts.  It is currently seeking grant funding for its Coordinator’s salary.  The Coordinator is its sole employee and oversees all aspects of the day-to-day running of the Charity and leads its volunteer team. 

It always gives opportunities for people receiving mailings to unsubscribe.  Hope for Families has a privacy policy which includes how it aims to be GDPR compliant.  This is available on its website. 

## Responsibilities of trustees 

Charity law requires us the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting period which record the receipts and payments of the Charity for the period. 

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. 

The Trustees also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the Charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities. 

## Approval 

This report was approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by: 

## **A.M.G. Arnold** 

NAME A.M.G. Arnold (Trustee) DA TE 21 December 2022 


Page 7 



## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT** 

## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF** 

## **Hope For Families** 

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Hope For Families for the period from 20 May 2021 to 31 October 2022 on pages 9 to 11 following. 

## **Responsibilities and basis of report** 

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). 

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. 

## **Independent examiner’s statement** 

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or 

2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. 

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 

## **Sarah Crispin** 

Sarah Crispin ACA 

Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB 

Date: 22 December 2022 

Page 8 



## **Hope For Families** 

## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT** 

## **FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2022** 

|Notes<br>**_Income receipts_**<br>Opening grant<br>Donations<br>Other grants<br>Course income<br>Other income<br>**_Capital and similar receipts_**<br>**_Total receipts_**<br>**_Payments_**<br>2<br>**_Total payments_**<br>Transfers between funds<br>4<br>**Net movement in funds**<br>Cash funds as at last year end<br>**Cash funds at this year end**<br>A<br>Loan received<br>Net of receipts / (payments) before<br>Payments<br>in<br>relation<br>to<br>charitable<br>activities undertaken directly<br>Loans repaid||General<br>Designated<br>Funds<br>Funds<br>£<br>£<br>1,669<br>-<br>20,304<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>2,797<br>-<br>498<br>-<br>25,268<br>-<br>1,000<br>-<br>1,000<br>-<br>26,268<br>-<br>20,205<br>-<br>20,205<br>-<br>2,000<br>-<br>2,000<br>-<br>22,205<br>-<br>4,063<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>4,063<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>4,063<br>-<br>Unrestricted Funds|Restricted<br>Funds<br>£<br>-<br>3,800<br>4,125<br>-<br>-<br>7,925<br>-<br>-<br>7,925<br>7,777<br>7,777<br>-<br>-<br>7,777<br>148<br>-<br>148<br>-<br>148|TOTAL<br>20/05/2021-<br>31/10/2022<br>£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||General<br>Funds<br>£<br>1,669<br>20,304<br>-<br>2,797<br>498<br>25,268<br>1,000<br>1,000<br>26,268<br>20,205<br>20,205<br>2,000<br>2,000<br>22,205<br>4,063<br>-<br>4,063<br>-<br>4,063|||
|||||1,669<br>24,104<br>4,125<br>2,797<br>498|
|||||33,193|
|||||1,000|
|||||1,000|
||||||
|||||34,193|
|||||27,982|
|||||27,982|
|||||2,000|
|||||2,000|
||||||
|||||29,982|
|||||4,211<br>-|
|||||4,211<br>-|
|||||4,211|



The notes on pages 11 form part of these accounts. 

Page 9 



## **Hope For Families** 

## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES** 

## **FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2022** 

|Notes<br>**h funds**<br>Cash at bank with immediate access|General<br>Designated<br>funds<br>funds<br>£<br>£<br>4,063<br>-<br>**4,063**<br>**-**<br>Unrestricted Funds|Restricted<br>funds<br>£<br>148<br>**148**|2022<br>£|
|---|---|---|---|
||||4,211|
||||**4,211**|



## **A Cash funds** 

## **B Assets retained for charity's own use** 

|Computers and IT<br>Furniture|Fund to<br>which asset<br>belongs<br>unrestricted<br>unrestricted|Cost<br>£|
|---|---|---|
|||412<br>222|
|||634|



## **C Guarantees and secured debts** 

The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities. 

The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by: 

## **A.M.G. Arnold** 

A.M.G Arnold (Trustee) 

Date: 21 December 2022 

The notes on pages 11 form part of these accounts. 

Page 10 



## **Hope For Families** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

## **FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2022** 

## **1 Accounting policies** 

The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs. 

The charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 20th May 2021 and these accounts have been prepared for the period from the date of registration until 31st October 2022. 

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects. 

|**2**<br>**Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly**<br>Employment costs including staff training<br>Office Costs<br>Insurance<br>Market & Website<br>Fundraising Costs<br>Legal & Prof Fees<br>Cost of running courses<br>Bank Charges|Unrestricted Fun<br>General<br>funds<br>£<br>10,024<br>1,635<br>584<br>855<br>3,379<br>925<br>2,669<br>134<br>20,205|ds<br>Designated<br>funds<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br> <br>-<br>-<br>-<br> <br>-|Restricted<br>Funds<br>£<br>7,777<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br> <br>-<br>-<br>-<br>7,777|Total<br>2022<br>£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||17,801<br>1,635<br>584<br>855<br>3,379<br> <br>925<br>2,669<br>134|
|||||27,982|



## **3 Transactions with related parties** 

Louise Willis, the sole employee, is married to a trustee and received employment benefits totalling £16,848 during the period. 

## **Movement of funds** 

|General funds<br>Restricted funds<br>Margaret Giffen Community Fund grant<br>Nene River Church fund<br>Tesco Community grant<br>Total funds|Opening<br>balance<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-|Receipts<br>£<br>26,268<br>3,000<br>3,800<br>1,125<br>7,925<br>34,193|Payments<br>£<br>(22,205)<br>(2,852)<br>(3,800)<br>(1,125)<br>(7,777)<br>(29,982)|Transfers<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-|Closing<br>balance<br>£<br>4,063<br>148<br>-<br>-<br>|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||148|
||||||4,211|



The Margaret Giffen Community Fund grant is to fund facilitator training and to contribute to the coordinator salary. 

The Nene River Church is to be spent directly on the education of people in support of family life and has therefore been put towards the costs of the coordinator salary. 

The Tesco Community grant was to facilitate the running of 6 ‘Handling Anger in the Family’ courses. 

Page 11