2025-03-31-accounts - Free! Recovery

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Free! Recovery

Report and Accounts Year ended 31 March 2025

1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk

FREE! RECOVERY

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE 33 Brutton Way Chard TA20 2HB GOVERNING DOCUMENT CIO Constitution dated 06 September 2021 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1195719 TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE CHARITY Timothy Archer John Emra Louanne Enns (resigned October 2024) Helen Willcox (resigned December 2024) Amanda Ottaviani (appointed December 2024) BANKERS National Westminster Bank Plc INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Sarah Crispin ACA Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB

INDEX

Page 1 Legal and Administrative Details Pages 2-8 Trustees' Report Page 9 Independent Examiner's Report Page 10 Receipts and Payments Account Page 11 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Page 12 Notes to the Accounts

Charity Number: 1195719

FREE! RECOVERY

(CIO)

Trustee Report

From April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025

The trustees are pleased to present their report for the period for the year ending March 2025

Objects of the charity

To advance the Christian faith in the UK and elsewhere
To provide accessible support and relief to people, who are suffering psychological or emotional distress due to (primarily but not exclusively) addictive issues and other life-controlling behaviours.

Review of the charity’s main activities and achievements

To further the above objects and vision, the charity’s main activities and achievements were as follows:

●The website continues to be the principal access to our main resources, which accompany either an online or an in person support group. These resources have been made available free of charge, and include our main videos, and

guides,now up to date, with the facilitator guide having had a refreshed edit and print. There is a steadily increasing interest in these resources, both nationally and internationally.

●New resources: A 70-day guide to accompany the themes of the main sessions. This went live at the end of 2024 and is useful for 1-2-1 mentoring and an additional resource for support group work. A weekly guide to accompany the themes of the session had a fresh edit and print. This is now available; online availability in the next year.
●To increase our online presence there is now a weekly BLOG, and facebook posts on a variety of relevant themes. These are for both the leader and participant, including useful help for those accompanying the addicted person.
●The 10 week online support group using the new materials has been presented twice.
●There are 3 fully trained available facilitators for the online men’s groups.
●There are 3 fully trained available facilitators for the women’s online groups with 2 in training.
●There are now two webinars encouraging support groups in local church venues. Plus a webinar for both leaders and participants encouraging the freedom journey.
●The marketing consultant from the previous year informed the Blog and newsletter aspects of this year’s development.
●Continuing training events plus resources, in person or online for those wanting to run Free! Support groups in their local area.
●Consultation and support for leaders and organizations, who have begun support groups or would like to in the near future.
●Networking with local churches and individuals interested in supporting those struggling with addiction issues in their local churches/communities. Added many new connections. Increased geographical reach via radio interviews, and word of mouth.
●Networking with similar organizations to increase the help we can provide.
●Continuing to relate with those needing help, either by signposting or

having conversations/pastoral care, including facilitating support groups.

●The continuation of fundraising and the addition of two new grant making organizations to enable the above work to continue and grow.

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

Achievements and Performance

The charity has completed its third full year since its formation on September 9, 2021. The organization has been able to give hope and continue to help relieve some of the intense isolation that occurs in the lives of those struggling with addictive, life-controlling habits. We are encouraged at new people attending both the webinars and the online support work and courses. These new people have attended due to the wider networking; both via the Website, BLOG, facebook posts plus an email campaign to local church leaders. We are still having a wider geographical impact; Kenya, Egypt, USA and Europe as notable areas, plus a significant wider reach in the UK. This work has continued and grown, with local churches and organizations setting up groups, relieving isolation and struggles in their own local area. In this way, by training others, we have been able to continue with the support of day to day life coping strategies in the lives of our beneficiaries. As beneficiaries gain hope for their lives they pass it on to others and so the wider society is greatly benefitted.

The charity has continued to increase awareness of the benefit of having safe, compassionate places for those struggling with addictive, life-controlling issues, by networking with local churches, organizations, speaking on radio and with individuals.

The new website is is continuing to host an increasing number of resources; the material package, with the main video sessions, and the main guides for the facilitators and participants has been completed.We have added a 70 day devotional and one new weekly guide, printed and will be online within the next year. These free resources, now easily available, help the promotion and distribution of essential information to those needing freedom.

Two useful webinars, for those wanting to run their own local support groups, are now created and launched with new contacts attending.

The charity has continued to network with churches/organizations interested in developing a work for addictions using the Free! material. The team has continued to train facilitators in local churches. There are churches signposting back to Free! Online courses, churches and organisations have run the programme in Bucks,

Oxfordshire, London, Scotland. There is future training already being planned for two more London churches.

General fundraising through email newsletters and personal “asks” has grown slightly. We had some success in raising funds via grants; we are encouraged that a local church and a grant agency has doubled their contribution this year. To enable a greater growth, networking has increased our website registrations and sign ups by at least 100.

The objectives of the charity for this year have been reached.

Financial Review

The charity started the period under review with £9,634.30 in hand, and ended it with £7,806.70 in hand.

Income was £24,836.24, classified as follows:

Monthly and one-off donations via Stewardship* £18,971.24
● Regular and one-off donations via charity bank account* £2,365.00 ● Charitable grants £3,500.00

*Including any Gift Aid

Expenditure was £26,663.84, as summarised in the annual accounts.

During the period under review, there were no restricted funds held by the charity. As of March 31, 2025 the main charity account # 38105535 held £7,806.70 to be used for any charitable purpose.

Liabilities

The Trustees consider that the charity can settle its liabilities when they fall due.

Reserves policy

The charity has a reserve policy: building up a three month operating surplus to cover fluctuations in donation income. This covers three months of employee income, insurance and monthly costs totalling £6,500.

During the period under review, the charity ended the year with this reserve intact.

Fundraising

The charity raises funds through liaison, promotion and correspondence within its own networks and does not use third party or professional fundraisers.

Risks

The charity has a comprehensive risk register under four headings: Governance, Financial, Operational and External. Keeping a continual watchful eye, none are deemed to be significantly high at the moment.

Public Benefit

We, the trustees of Free! Recovery, have sought in all we do to follow the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. Our principal aim is, and has been, to help and provide relief for those struggling with addiction issues.

The material and resources produced by Free! Recovery is determined by ministry considerations rather than commercial. Any resource is mainly subsidized from donations. The website is free of charge for anyone desiring to investigate this ministry further, with conversations for further discussion and support made available free of charge.

Remuneration of key management personnel

The charity has two employees, responsible for material development and day to day running of the charity; John and Sally Childress, the co-founders of the charity. The pay of senior staff is reviewed regularly, bearing in mind charities of similar size and activity.

Structure, Governance and Management

The charity is a CIO and has a constitution as its governing document.

The charity was registered on September 9, 2021 as a CIO. It consists of 2 senior employees and began with 4 trustees. At the beginning of 2024/2025 financial year we began with 4 trustees. One trustee ended a three year term in Oct 2024 and resigned. One trustee was added in December, 2024 and one other resigned at the end of December 2024, so we have 3 trustees at present. The trustees and senior staff meet for a minimum of 3 times a year, although at the moment are meeting every 6-8 weeks. The charity works with local churches/church leaders interested in the relief of addictions in their local community.

Trustees

The Charity Trustees select individuals for appointment as Charity Trustees. The Charity Trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

Induction and training

Each candidate trustee meets the co-founders/senior employees/present trustees for informal meetings to ascertain mutual suitability. The trustees proceed with a formal interview as to the candidate trustee’s skills, knowledge and experience. A new trustee has a DBS check and is required to complete safeguarding training. The new trustee is also required to undertake appropriate trustee training and read through the Charity Commission's expectations of a UK trustee. In addition, the trustee is expected to read the charity’s constitution, 5-year business plan, and all current policies. A key person/trustee oversees this induction and training process.

Plans for the Future

The focus in the UK is the continuing development and networking of the Free! main material resource, along with the provision of training and consultation. The addition of webinars and fully trained facilitators for local church/organizations plus the central online course is a continuing goal.

We are looking for people able to work alongside us and continue this work in the future.

We appointed a new trustee this past year with safeguarding experience to take this lead. We are looking to add 2 new trustees within the next few months, especially someone with financial/treasury experience and one with more general overall expertise.

Reference and Administrative Detail

Charity Name: Free! Recovery

Other Name used: Free!

Registered charity number: 1195719

Charity’s principal address: 33 Brutton Way, Chard Somerset, TA202HB

Approved and signed on behalf of the Trustees

CT Archer CT Archer (Sep 4, 2025 21:53:11 GMT+1)

Sep 4, 2025

Tim Archer

Chair of Trustee Board

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF

FREE! RECOVERY

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Free! Recovery ('the charity') for the year ended 31 March 2025 on pages 10 to 12 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

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 (Sep 23, 2025 10:29:30 GMT+1)

Sarah Crispin ACA

Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB

Date: Sep 23, 2025

FREE! RECOVERY

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

Notes *Income receipts* Donations Gift aid receipts Other grants *Total receipts* *Payments* 2 *Total payments* Transfers between funds 4 Net movement in funds Cash funds as at last year end Cash funds at this year end A Net of receipts / (payments) before transfers Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly		General Designated Funds Funds £ £ 21,086 - 250 - 3,500 - 24,836 - 26,664 - 26,664 - (1,828) - - - (1,828) - 9,634 - 7,807 - Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Funds £ - - - - - - - - - - -	Total 2025 £ 21,086 250 3,500 24,836 26,664 26,664 (1,828) - (1,828) 9,634 7,807	Total 2024 £
		General Funds £ 21,086 250 3,500 24,836 26,664 26,664 (1,828) - (1,828) 9,634 7,807
					17,659 - 4,000
					21,659
					29,125
					29,125
					(7,466) -
					(7,466) 17,100
					9,634

The notes on page 12 form part of these accounts.

FREE! RECOVERY

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

A Cash funds Cash at bank with immediate access B Liabilities Falling due within one year: Pension due Fee for Independent Examination C Assets retained for charity's own use Contents and equipment	General Designated funds funds £ £ 7,807 - 7,807 - - - 624 - 624 - Unrestricted Funds	Restricted funds £ - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs General	Total 2025 £ 7,807 7,807 - 624 624 Value 2025 £ 1,500 1,500	Total 2024 £
				9,634
				9,634
				50 750
				800
				Value 2024 £
				6,000
				6,000

The trustees have used the value of insurance cover as the trustees are unable to reliably estimate current values of equipment; insurance values may differ materially from current values.

D 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 CT Archer (Sep 4, 2025 21:53:11 GMT+1)CT Archer date Sep 4, 2025 _____Tim Archer _____

The notes on page 12 form part of these accounts.

FREE! RECOVERY

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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.

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 Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly Employment costs Website and networking Filming project Conference and training Insurance Governance Administration and support Other costs		Unrestrict	Designated funds £ - - - - - - - - - ed Funds	Restricted Funds £ - - - - - - - - -	Total 2025 £ 21,790 361 - 868 606 600 1,989 449 26,664	Total 2024 £
		General funds £ 21,790 361 - 868 606 600 1,989 449 26,664
						21,746 1,693 400 1,770 671 914 1,556 375
						29,125

Transactions with related parties

No payments were made to trustees or persons related to them, except for reimbursement of expenses paid out on behalf of the charity.