Charity registration number: 1194750
Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023
Community Accounting Plus Units 1 & 2 North West 41 Talbot Street Nottingham NG1 5GL
Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Contents (continued)
| Reference and Administrative Details | 1 |
|---|---|
| Trustees' Report | 2 to 4 |
| Statement of Responsibilities | 5 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 6 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 7 to 8 |
| Balance Sheet | 9 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 10 to 18 |
Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Reference and Administrative Details
Trustees Mark Weightman Julie Ann Ford Rachel Hudd David Simms Dr Milton Nyamtowo Senior Management Team Niki Parr Charity Registration Number 1194750 Principal Office Carers Federation Ltd Christopher Cargill House 21-23 Pelham Road Nottingham NG5 1AP Independent Examiner John O'Brien, employee of Community Accounting Plus Units 1 & 2 North West 41 Talbot Street Nottingham NG1 5GL
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Trustees' Report
The trustees present the annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023.
Trustees and officers
The trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:
Trustees: Mark Weightman Julie Ann Ford Rachel Hudd (appointed 1 June 2022) David Simms (appointed 1 May 2022) Dr Milton Nyamtowo (appointed 1 April 2022) Sarah Bull (resigned 11 April 2023) Ashreen Seethal (resigned 11 November 2023) Stuart West (appointed 1 April 2022 and resigned 11 April 2023)
Objectives and activities
Objects and aims
Provide relief to people who are disadvantaged and in need of housing, care or support through.
(1) The provision of advacacy services which help disadvantaged people to express their views, provide feedback and make complaints, and uphold their rights.
(2 The provision of services that help disadvantaged people to develop their capacity and life skills and enable them to participate more fully in society.
(3) The provision of assistance and support to organisations who deliver services to disadvantaged people to help them to better understand their service user's needs and aspirations.
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Trustees' Report (continued)
Objectives, strategies and activities
• We continued to deliver Advocacy and Participation services to people who use Framework’s Housing, Health, Care and Support Services and support Framework with a Service User Forum & Service User Advisory Group meetings which enable clients to access senior decision makers. We provide a quarterly report on our advocacy activity including advocacy case studies. We have expanded our physical presence across Framework’s services recently in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire as services are now more accessible following the Covid19 Pandemic;
• We have continued our work with the Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham Social Work Departments, offering participation input from those with lived experience of Health, Housing and Social Care services into both the recruitment of students and the delivery of course content. We also continued to deliver training to Health and Social Care students at Nottingham Trent University. We have recruited six new ‘lived experience’ volunteers to contribute to this activity;
• We continued to offer a Participation service for participants of the Money Sorted financial inclusion project in Nottingham, organising participant forums and supporting recruitment of participant ambassadors. We also continued to deliver the evaluation of this project through our partnership with ConnectMore Solutions Ltd;
• We have gained a further 3-year contract to work with Rough Sleepers in Nottinghamshire, consisting of a Service Lead and up to three lived experience Peer Mentors. The Lead and one of the Peer Mentor roles has been filled and we are proceeding with further recruitment. We will be required to liaise with current rough sleepers to gain an insight into the issues and barriers they face and ways to make services more accessible;
• We have begun to deliver an advocacy and participation service to a small, local temporary accommodation provider, Rene House. We are providing advocacy to their residents and supporting the development of a client-led Advisory Group;
• We have recruited a new SEA Service Manager, Nick Parr, who started in post on 28th November 2022.
Public benefit
Help to resolve disputes between health, housing and social care services and their clients.
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Financial review
The trustees are pleased with the financial position at the year end.
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Trustees' Report (continued)
Policy on reserves
The SEA Board of Directors is committed that the funds generated by SEA’s activities should be used for the benefit of local people and that SEA should not build up reserves over and above the level needed. However, the Directors acknowledge the need to build up a level of reserves that will ensure that the organisation can meet its legal and statutory responsibilities and ensure the sustainability of the organisation.
It is the intention of the Board to build up reserves to ensure that it can:
• Fund the development of costs of new activities that will add value to the work of SEA
• Respond to anticipated additional expenses e.g. covering long term sickness or parental leave for a member of staff
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Maintain SEA’s activities for a period of time if funding is reduced or comes to an end
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Close down in a planned way, meeting all its obligations to staff and creditors
The calculation of the required level of reserves is an integral part of the organisation's planning, budget and forecast cycle. It takes into account:
• Risks associated with each stream of income and expenditure being different from that budgeted
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Planned activity level
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SEA’s commitments
Reserves Policy
It is the aim of the SEA Board that the organisation moves to a position that it holds a general reserve equivalent to six months running costs to ensure that the organisation could continue to operate during a period of an unexpected reduction or cut to its funding.
During the financial year 2022-23, the organisation’s income was £191,712 and at the end of the year it held a general reserve of £117,740
Review of the Reserves Policy
Board members will review the Reserves Policy and the funds allocated to reserves annually as part of the business and financial planning cycle.
Structure, governance and management
Nature of governing document
The CIO Foundation is operated under the rules of its constitution adopted 9 June 2021.
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Statement of Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) and applicable law and regulations.
The law applicable to charities requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that 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 Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, and the provisions of the constitution. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Approved by the trustees of the charity on .................... and signed on its behalf by:
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.........................................
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......................................... Rachel Hudd Trustee
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Services for Empowerment and Advocacy (the Charity) for the year ended 31 March 2023.
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 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 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
......................................
John O’Brien MSc, FAIA, FCCA, FCIE, employee of Community Accounting Plus Fellow of the Association of Charity Independent Examiners
Units 1 & 2 North West 41 Talbot Street Nottingham NG1 5GL
Date:.............................
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2023
| Note Income and Endowments from: Donations and legacies 2 Charitable activities 3 Investment income 4 Total Income Expenditure on: Charitable activities 6 Total Expenditure Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward 12 |
Unrestricted £ 175,869 15,307 536 191,712 (216,776) (216,776) (25,064) 142,804 117,740 |
Restricted £ - - - - (777) (777) (777) 777 - |
Total 2023 £ 175,869 15,307 536 191,712 (217,553) (217,553) (25,841) 143,581 117,740 |
Total 2022 £ 158,703 16,222 32 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 174,957 | ||||
| (217,557) | ||||
| (217,557) | ||||
| (42,600) 186,181 |
||||
| 143,581 |
All of the charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for the period is shown in note 12.
The notes on pages 10 to 18 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 7
Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 (continued)
These are the figures for the previous accounting period and are included for comparative purposes
| Note Income and Endowments from: Donations and legacies 2 Charitable activities 3 Investment income 4 Total Income Expenditure on: Charitable activities 6 Total Expenditure Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward 12 |
Unrestricted £ 158,703 14,255 32 172,990 (216,367) (216,367) (43,377) 186,181 142,804 |
Restricted £ - 1,967 - 1,967 (1,190) (1,190) 777 - 777 |
Total 2022 £ 158,703 16,222 32 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 174,957 | |||
| (217,557) | |||
| (217,557) | |||
| (42,600) 186,181 |
|||
| 143,581 |
The notes on pages 10 to 18 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 8
Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
(Registration number: 1194750) Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2023
| Note Current assets Debtors 10 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 11 Net assets Funds of the charity: Restricted income funds Restricted funds 12 Unrestricted income funds Unrestricted funds Total funds 12 |
2023 £ 4,595 117,186 121,781 (4,041) 117,740 - 117,740 117,740 |
2022 £ 15,782 136,264 |
|---|---|---|
| 152,046 (8,465) |
||
| 143,581 | ||
| 777 142,804 |
||
| 143,581 |
The financial statements on pages 7 to 18 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on .................... and signed on their behalf by:
......................................... Rachel Hudd Trustee
The notes on pages 10 to 18 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 9
Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023
1 Accounting policies
Statement of compliance
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the second edition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
Basis of preparation
Services for Empowerment and Advocacy meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
Exemption from preparing a cash flow statement
The charity opted to early adopt Bulletin 1 published on 2 February 2016 and have therefore not included a cash flow statement in these financial statements.
Going concern
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis.
The trustees assess whether the use of going concern is appropriate i.e. whether there are any material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees make this assessment in respect of a period of one year from the date of approval of the financial statements.
Income and endowments
Voluntary income including donations, gifts, legacies and grants that provide core funding or are of a general nature is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.
Donations and legacies
Donations and legacies are recognised on a receivable basis when receipt is probable and the amount can be reliably measured.
Grants receivable
Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released.
Investment income
Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due.
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 (continued)
Expenditure
All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregates similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.
Charitable activities
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Government grants
Government grants are recognised based on the accrual model and are measured at the fair value of the asset received or receivable. Grants are classified as relating either to revenue or to assets. Grants relating to revenue are recognised in income over the period in which the related costs are recognised. Grants relating to assets are recognised over the expected useful life of the asset. Where part of a grant relating to an asset is deferred, it is recognised as deferred income.
Taxation
The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
Trade debtors
Trade debtors are amounts due from customers for merchandise sold or services performed in the ordinary course of business.
Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the charity will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables.
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 (continued)
Trade creditors
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if the charity does not have an unconditional right, at the end of the reporting period, to defer settlement of the creditor for at least twelve months after the reporting date. If there is an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve months after the reporting date, they are presented as non-current liabilities.
Trade creditors are recognised initially at the transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Fund structure
Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees' discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.
Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.
Pensions and other post retirement obligations
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme which is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the charity has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods.
Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment.
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 (continued)
2 Income from donations and legacies
| Donations and legacies; Donations from companies, trusts and similar proceeds Grants, including capital grants; Government grants Grants from other charities 3 Income from charitable activities Contracts Grants Sundry 4 Investment income Interest receivable and similar income; Interest receivable on bank deposits |
Unrestricted funds General £ 291 59,344 116,234 175,869 Unrestricted funds General £ 15,039 - 268 15,307 Unrestricted funds General £ 536 |
Total 2023 £ 291 59,344 116,234 175,869 Total 2023 £ 15,039 - 268 15,307 Total 2023 £ 536 |
Total 2022 £ 1,000 57,703 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 158,703 | |||
| Total 2022 £ 14,255 1,967 - |
|||
| 16,222 | |||
| Total 2022 £ 32 |
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 (continued)
5 Grants and donations
| 5 Grants and donations |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Framework Money Sorted Opportunity Nottingham Bulwell Toy Library Rene House CIC Sundry |
Unrestricted funds £ 102,070 52,509 6,835 12,975 292 1,188 175,869 |
Restricted funds £ - - - - - - - |
Total funds £ 102,070 52,509 6,835 12,975 292 1,188 |
| 175,869 |
6 Expenditure on charitable activities
| Advocacy Involvement, steering group & meetings Equipment Bank charges Insurance Legal & professional Marketing Membership fees Office expenses Rent and Services Board costs Salaries NI & pension Evaluation Staff training Staff travel & expenses Volunter expenses Team meetings & supervision Sundry Recruitment |
Unrestricted funds General £ 130 944 323 113 2,363 37,942 1,686 540 3,192 5,197 536 127,005 27,830 2,008 3,245 2,802 92 433 395 216,776 |
Restricted funds £ - - - - - - - - - - - 777 - - - - - - - 777 |
Total 2023 £ 130 944 323 113 2,363 37,942 1,686 540 3,192 5,197 536 127,782 27,830 2,008 3,245 2,802 92 433 395 217,553 |
Total 2022 £ 214 2,622 379 89 4,259 15,897 - 497 5,311 4,680 941 144,041 34,638 657 859 2,253 - 220 - |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 217,557 |
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 (continued)
7 Staff costs
The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:
| Staff costs during the year were: Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs |
2023 £ 120,227 3,555 4,000 127,782 |
2022 £ 132,052 5,484 6,505 |
|---|---|---|
| 144,041 |
The monthly average number of persons (including senior management team) employed by the charity during the year was as follows:
| Number of persons employed | 2023 No 7 |
2022 No 7 |
|---|---|---|
(2022 - 7) of the above employees participated in the Defined Contribution Pension Schemes.
Contributions to the employee pension schemes for the year totalled £4,000 (2022 - £6,505).
No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year
The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £15,743 (2022 - £Nil).
8 Independent examiner's fees
During the period, the fees payable (excluding VAT) to the charity’s independent examiner Community Accounting Plus are analysed as follows:
| Accounting Plus are analysed as follows: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Independent examination Other financial services |
2023 £ 635 1,197 1,832 |
2022 £ 607 1,172 |
| 1,779 |
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 (continued)
9 Taxation
The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.
10 Debtors
| 10 Debtors | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trade debtors Other debtors 11 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Trade creditors Other taxation and social security Other creditors |
2023 £ 4,595 - 4,595 2023 £ 1,461 1,818 762 4,041 |
2022 £ 15,389 393 |
| 15,782 | ||
| 2022 £ 7,445 - 1,020 |
||
| 8,465 |
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 (continued)
| 12 Funds Balance at 1 April 2022 £ Unrestricted funds General General 142,804 Restricted funds National Lottery Fund 777 Total funds 143,581 Balance at 1 April 2021 £ Unrestricted funds General General 186,181 Restricted National Lottery Fund - Total funds 186,181 13 Analysis of net assets between funds Current assets Current liabilities Total net assets Current assets Current liabilities Total net assets |
Incoming resources £ 191,712 - 191,712 Incoming resources £ 172,990 1,967 174,957 Unrestricted funds General £ 151,269 (8,465) 142,804 |
Resources expended £ (216,776) (777) (217,553) Resources expended £ (216,367) (1,190) (217,557) Unrestricted funds General £ 121,781 (4,041) 117,740 Restricted funds £ 777 - 777 |
Balance at 31 March 2023 £ 117,740 - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 117,740 | |||
| Balance at 31 March 2022 £ 142,804 777 |
|||
| 143,581 | |||
| Total funds at 31 March 2023 £ 121,781 (4,041) |
|||
| 117,740 | |||
| Total funds at 31 March 2022 £ 152,046 (8,465) |
|||
| 143,581 |
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Services for Empowerment and Advocacy
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 (continued)
14 Related party transactions
There were no related party transactions in the year.
15 Trustees remuneration and expenses
No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year.
No trustees have received any reimbursed expenses or any other benefits from the charity during the year.
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