**LAMBS Charity Annual Report 2022-2023** The Trustees and Chair of Lincolnshire Area Maternity and Birth Support (LAMBS) Charity present their annual report and audited accounts for the year ended 2023 and confirm they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. As a small charity below the Charities audit threshold, this report focuses on the main activities undertaken by the charity. ## **Charity Details** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Charity Name : Lincolnshire Area Maternity and Birth Support (LAMBS)
Address : 62A Mill Lane, Lincoln LN6 9PD
Telephone number: 07784 868690
E-Mail: info@lambscharity.org
Website: www.lambscharity.org
Charity Reg. No: 1194960
Our vision
Our Vision Our vision is to help support families in
Lincolnshire by providing practical
support to meet immediate needs,
helping parents and children seize every
opportunity to flourish.
Our Mission Statement To ensure that children and their
families or carers, who are most in need,
benefit from the funding we have to
offer
Our Values
Families are at the heart of our work
Our Activities Provide practical support to meet
family’s immediate practical needs,
working with the wider community and
organisations.
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Review of activities and achievements** During 2023 we continued to advertise and develop our social media platform and increase volunteers. Support packages for parents/ carers/ siblings to aid their wellbeing and comfort whilst having a baby on the neonatal unit continue. Care packages have been delivered for those mothers/carers to help support them during a difficult period. These have been very successful on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas day and so far, we have managed to deliver these to Neonatal units in Boston and Lincoln, with good feedback from families as to their importance during a difficult time. They also continue to help promote the charity and spread the word. We are Registered Charity Name Registered Charity No. ## **LAMBS Charity Annual Report 2022-2023** now including delivering care packages to mothers that are admitted to hospital and do not have a hospital bag with them, whether this be through spontaneous labour or any other reason. Toiletry supplies for men have also been provided so that they are available should male partners/carers have an unexpected stay. The neonatal units have started sibling craft groups and LAMBS have donated art supplies to help get these sessions started. Future projects for 2024 include, but not limited to facilities or equipment – Providing practical items for babies/children within the community and vulnerable families. We will not accept restricted funds based on discrimination towards any characteristic set about within the Equalities Act 2010. For any business or group that wants to donate we will look at the donor and see if their vision and values are in line with that of our charity and the charity commission. The Facebook page and website remains active and our social media campaign is developing with the support of volunteers. ## **Running the Organisation** ## **Board of Trustees** |**Board of Trustees**|**Board of Trustees**| |---|---| |Mrs Claire Gartland|Chair| |Mrs Joanna Vickers|Secretary/Treasurer| |Mr John Stacey|Social Media/Marketing| |Mrs Amanda Pike|Social media/Marketing| The chair and trustees ensure the smooth running of the charity and the decision-making body for the charity. The chair and Trustees meet four times a year and more meetings can be held as required. Communication with Trustees and Chair is mainly by online contact. The Treasurer is responsible for keeping adequate accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## **Strategy for 2024** Our strategy in support of our objectives are: Registered Charity Name Registered Charity No. ## **LAMBS Charity Annual Report 2022-2023** - ➢ To work closely with organisations across Lincolnshire to receive funding and provide a rapid response to high priority funding cases that are made through our application process. - ➢ To identify the ongoing needs of our beneficiaries through direct communication with families and organisations. - ➢ To have in place our marketing strategy. - ➢ To ensure relevant policies and procedures are in place. - ➢ To work to create a volunteer network. - ➢ To diversify our fundraising committees, income streams and supporter base. - ➢ To grow our income from corporate supporters. - ➢ To grant wishes that may exceed expectations. - ➢ To find innovative ways to secure funding. - ➢ To raise our profile by growing our social media platforms. - ➢ To continue to provide Care packages for families within the Maternity and Neonatal service. - ➢ Each financial year publish an annual report and financial report detailing our income and expenditure. - ➢ To have clear policies and procedures in place. ## **Policies & Procedures** The Organisation has the following Policies & Procedures in place. The date following each title is the date of the latest revision. |The date followingeach title is the date of the|latest revision.| |---|---| |Bullying& Harassment|01-August 2021 review 2024| |Code of Behaviour|01-August 2021 review 2024| |Conflicts of Interest|01-August 2021 review 2024| |SafeguardingChildren & YoungPeople|01-August 2021 review 2024| |Supervision and Safe Recruitment of
volunteers
Fundraising guidance for volunteers|01-August 2021 review 2024| |Managingcomplaints|01-August 2021 review 2024| Copies of the above Policies & Procedures are available on request. ## **Fundraising Strategy/Promoting and Advertising** We aim in 2024 to: - ➢ Select the most effective campaigning activity or combination of campaigning activities to achieve our ends. - ➢ Build partnerships with the public and other organisations. Following the COVID pandemic and public vaccination priorities. 2023 centred on support packages for parents/ carers/ siblings within the maternity and Neonatal hospital units. Thereafter, as funding allows, specific funding may be available for larger cases through our funding request process. Registered Charity Name Registered Charity No. **LAMBS Charity Annual Report 2022-2023** |**Marketing**|||| |---|---|---|---| |**Action**|**Impact**|**Steps/Timeline**|| |Website developed|Clear and accurate
representation of
our Charity.
- Targeted
messages for range
of audiences.
- Increased
potential to
introduce new
volunteers and
beneficiaries to the
charity|Review target
audience and
services of charity as
a whole
- need further
support to guide
website
development
- Support to Liaise
with public and
stakeholders to drive
website
development
- Appoint external
company to design
website or consider
development
internally
- Monitor website
hits and activity to
understand market|Website developed but
require support to maintain,
sustain and further develop.| |Promotional
Leaflet/flyer has
been produced and
added to any care
packages.|Clear and accurate
representation of
our services.
- Targeted
messages for range
of audiences.
- Increased
potential to
introduce new
volunteers and
beneficiaries to the
Charity|Compile and
distribute leaflets
Completed.|completed| |Develop social
media and online
advertising text|Clear and accurate
representation of
our services.
- Targeted
messages for range
of audiences.
- Increased
potential to
introduce new
volunteers and
beneficiaries to the
Charity.|Identify target
audience and
services of charity as
a whole
- Develop text and
pages on Twitter,
Facebook, Instagram
- Connect with local
radio and TV within
Lincolnshire.|Social media on line presence
in place.
Volunteer recruited and
helping with social media
pages which have been
developed.
More volunteer recruitment
during 2024.| |Develop links
within the
community|New relationships
established with
schools,|Explore new links to
promote charity.|Continue to seek an adopter
for the charity.| Registered Charity Name Registered Charity No. **LAMBS Charity Annual Report 2022-2023** ||organisations,
police, children’s
activity services to
promote
fundraising
activities.|networking and
attending
appropriate
conferences / events
to explore funding
opportunities
Approach local
providers with
requests for
adopting charity.
Aim to secure 1
adopter of charity.|| |---|---|---|---| |Recruitment of
volunteers|Recruitment of
volunteers for
specific projects|- target universities,
colleges, local
community groups
by social media,
email, face to face,
virtual meetings.
Aim to recruit
volunteers by
December 2021|2 volunteers recruited at
present to aid with social
media platforms and
fundraising such as
JustGiving.| |Actively seek and
request donations
from large
organisations.|Supports charity to
achieve large
funding
opportunities|Target businesses in
Lincolnshire, lottery
funding.|ongoing| |Recruit
new/additional
trustees|- New insights and
ideas for the
project.
- Successor(s) in
place to allow for
retirement age of
existing Trustees.|- Continue to
network with local
organisations who
may have an interest
in a role on the
Committee.
- Ongoing: Review
annually.|Require new Trustees.| |Fundraising
Organise a LAMBS
Ball|Raise significant
funds|On-going social
media presence and
liaising with hospital
staff to help raise
awareness.|Volunteer required to
coordinate a LAMBS Ball aim
2024/2025| ||||| ## **Partnership Working** The LAMBS Charity works with a wide range of organisations to achieve its aims and objectives. These include working collaboratively with the Community, NHS professionals, Providers and charities. As well as teaming up with local organisations to maximise the opportunities and impact for children and their families. Working in partnership has strengthened links and has highlighted the Registered Charity Name Registered Charity No. ## **LAMBS Charity Annual Report 2022-2023** charity. However, we still need to progress with local businesses/organisations and community project work. ## **Volunteers** In the first three years the charity aimed to build a team of volunteers to support fund raising, ensuring that safeguarding requirements are met. The charity hopes to gain from more volunteer involvement – they bring a fresh pair of eyes and new skills. In turn we endeavour to provide experience of working with a charity to enable those volunteers to pursue their own career and life plans. Specific ventures within their scope of skills are given to volunteers to ensure clarity of their role. On recruitment they are given an introductory pack and be provided with the LAMBS Charity policies to which they will be required to work within, and a code of conduct agreement is signed. Support and supervision for the volunteers is undertaken, by a named Trustee. We monitor fundraisers, volunteers and third parties working with us to raise funds, to ensure that they comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice. We would like to thank our current volunteers who work so hard for the charity. ## **Financial Report** Any items purchased for packs that have not yet been issued to hospital services have been retained for use. Registered Charity Name Registered Charity No. **LAMBS Charity Annual Report 2022-2023** ## **Risk Assessment** ## **Strengths** Low financial outgoings Experienced Trustees from differing backgrounds with social media experience, life experiences and work experiences. ## **Opportunities** Well established links in the community and with Health Care organisations. Scope for development due to appeal of charity. Scope for schools, organisations, services to adopt charity. ## **Weaknesses** Limited financial resources at the outset, require more support with additional volunteers and Trustees. Limited time due to additional work commitments. ## **Threats** Competition with existing charities. Current financial climate. Restrictions during COVID 19 pandemic and family priorities reduced activity and face to face events, and limited opportunities. Which should improve during 2024 Claire Gartland - Chair Jo Vickers - Secretary Jon Stacey - Marketing March 2024 Registered Charity Name Registered Charity No.