## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 01/01/2023 Period start date To 31/12/2023 Period end date** ## **Charity name: The Links Group** ## **Charity registration number: 1196067** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The Links Group promotes the education of
the link between the abuse of people and
animals to professionals and the wider UK
population in such ways as the charity
trustees think fit| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|a.
Provision of education and training to
human and animal health care
professionals;
a.
Provision of advice and guidance to
human and animal health care
professionals;
a.
Promotion of inter-agency working;
a.
Commissioning and publishing research
and adding to collective knowledge and
understanding of the link between the
abuse of people and animals;
b.
Promotion of best practice across the
voluntary, public and private sectors| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|All Trustees have received the following
and will be completing the NCVO’s Charity
Trustee Induction and Refresher Course in
early 2023.

Our Constitution (Governing Document)

CC Trustee Welcome Pack (inc. CC3)

Charity Governance Code

Links Group Trustee Code of Conduct

Links Group Trustee Declaration of
Interests| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:| |---|---|---| ||SORP reference|| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|N/A| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|N/A| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|The Links Group is run solely by volunteers
who use their professional knowledge,
experience and expertise to promote the
purposes of the charity and ensure that it
was run and governed effectively| |Other||| ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|**Training**
Veterinary undergraduate training raises
awareness amongst veterinary
undergraduates about the link between the
abuse of animals and abuse of people. It
introduces the concept that perpetrators of
domestic abuse often abuse the close bond
between victim-survivors and their animals,
deliberately harm an animal, may lie about
how an animal has sustained injuries, can
withhold access to veterinary treatment,
and that this may be as part of a coercive
and controlling relationship.
Course content includes highlighting the
different types and signs of abuse, being
aware of the diagnostic indicators of non-
accidental injury (NAI), what to do if NAI is
suspected or there are concerns about
other members of the household (adults
and children) and reporting pathways.
We also cover the importance of specialist
animal fostering services for the pets of
people fleeing domestic abuse.
The impact of this training is that most
recent (up to 20 years qualified) veterinary
graduates have an awareness of the link
between the abuse of people and animals,
the role that the veterinary team plays in
dealing with cases and the importance of
multi-agency working.
Veterinary undergraduate training that has
taken place at UK universities in 2023
includes:

Bristol

Cambridge

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Liverpool

Nottingham

Royal Veterinary College (University of
London)

Surrey
These undergraduate talks have been
available since 2003, initially as an optional
‘extra’ for undergraduates and now as part
of the curriculum. The training now equates
to reaching circa 1,200 veterinary
undergraduates who will join the veterinary
workforce in the next two years.| As the undergraduate training has only been available since 2003, there are many veterinary surgeons in practice who have not benefited from this awareness raising. The Links Group had been supported prepandemic by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) to run regional training days for veterinary teams across the UK. These re-started, as planned, in early 2023 with delivery in Antrim, Nottingham, Exeter, and London; with 170 people attending. In line with the purposes and main activities of the charity, the format of these training sessions has evolved into multi-agency training days. This allows us to use subject matter expert speakers in domestic abuse, child abuse and animal abuse and welfare, to bring a holistic awareness of the issues across the professions, highlight barriers to reporting for veterinary professionals and learning from our allied professionals in human health and social care, and emphasise the need for intersectionality in strategy and delivery of best practice. This series of training days is due to complete in 2024 with days in Cardiff, Southampton and the Northwest region. Speakers at these events include:  Women’s Aid,  the NSPCC,  regional police forces,  the RSPCA,  the specialist domestic abuse pet fostering groups,  a veterinary forensic expert witness,  and the Links Group speakers. Delegates and guests have been open to and attended by members of veterinary teams and any other agencies or individuals working in child and/or domestic abuse. This includes:  private and charity sector veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons and practice managers,  presidents and senior members of major veterinary professional organisations (RCVS, BVA, BSAVA, BVNA, NIVA, AVSPNI, Vet Support, Young Vet Network, SPVS and the VDS),  representatives of the vet schools and other academics, students, forensic science,  social workers, NHS safeguarding leads, |
city and county council| |---| |representatives,| |
police officers and representatives| |of offices of the Police and Crime| |Commissioners,| |
domestic abuse services for male| |and female victim-survivors,| |
an MP, and in Northern Ireland, the| |Department of Justice, the| |Department of Health and| |representatives of the Executive| |Office.| |Direct outcomes from these 2023 meetings| |have included:| |
delivering training for the VDS,| |
collaboration with the University of| |Sussex in delivering training in the| |to postgraduate practising social| |workers, developing a training| |stream for undergraduate social| |workers and veterinary nurses,| |contributing to a textbook on| |veterinary social work,| |
becoming an off-site partner of the| |Foyle Family Justice Centre, the| |only centre of its type in the UK; and| |a Links member sitting on their| |Board in an advisory role,| |
collaboration with Hestia to bring| |their Online Safe Spaces portal to| |the major veterinary organisations in| |the UK.| |In addition, the team have attended over 31| |bespoke training sessions engaging a| |diverse range of professionals including| |veterinary colleagues, animal welfare| |organisations, domestic and sexual abuse| |services, police, social workers, housing| |teams, health workers, substance misuse| |services and more across the UK and| |internationally. Through this activity we| |have provided training to over 3,500| |professionals in the last twelve months. The| |impact has been to drive that awareness| |about the link, raise the profile of the issues| |and promote inter-agency working to help| |tackle them.| |In 2015 we launched our free online| |training course hosted by the Virtual| |College to introduce the concept of the link| |and animal welfare to those working in any| |capacity in the human health and| |safeguarding sectors. Since launch, this| |course has been accessed by 10,830 allied| |professionals, helping them to understand| |how poor animal welfare can be an| |indicator of other issues within a home.| |The Links Group is internationally| |---| |recognised with talks delivered at the Link II| |Conference in Lisbon and also at the World| |Small Animal Veterinary Association| |conference.| |**Pet Fostering**| |A further key element of the Links Group is| |the animal fostering group, made up of| |specialist domestic abuse pet fostering| |organisations that include:| |
Dogs Trust Freedom| |
Cats Protection Lifeline| |
Endeavour| |
Refuge4Pets| |In 2023 our animal fostering services| |supported 728 individuals/families to| |escape domestic abuse by fostering 952| |animals.| |The Cats Protection Lifeline and Dogs Trust| |Freedom teams have been busy expanding| |the service even further this year. Both| |services now cover much of the UK, with a| |planned expansion into Northern Ireland in| |2025.| |The Cats Protection Lifeline team have| |been working hard to raise awareness| |about the importance of animal fostering| |services through their partnership with| |Refuge
.Both organisations collaborated| |with 7th Pencil, a talent artist to depict the| |depth of bond that so many survivors of| |domestic abuse have with their animals.| |Cats Protection’s Christmas Appeal| |focused on the Lifeline service from| |November 2023 which saw a 74% increase| |in cats helped to safety through the service.| |The team have just received the news that| |they have won a ‘People’s Choice’ Award in| |the Smiley Charity Film Awards, for their| |film ‘Mr Biggles & Ava, Together| |Again’ which has been shown across| |national TV.| |Over the last 12 months Refuge4Pets have| |led a pioneering pilot where they have been| |attending Multi-Agency Risk Assessment| |Conferences (MARACs) across Devon and| |Cornwall. MARAC meetings are where| |agencies work together to safeguard victim-| |survivors of domestic abuse. Refuge4Pets| |role at MARAC is to promote factoring| |animals into the safety plans for victim-| |survivors. The team at Refuge4Pets have| |been working withSafeLives
(a national| domestic abuse charity) to develop MARAC templates and guidance to include animals ready for a national roll out. In 1997, Paws for Kids/Endeavour founded the UK’s first pet fostering service to enable families to keep their pets safe and flee abusive households. Their foster service has grown to cover the Northwest in partnership with Dogs Trust Freedom. Endeavour has seven community projects supporting families in their homes and in temporary accommodation, with 2024 bringing our oldest ever client and pet owner, aged 99. **Governance and charity management** Priority activity in 2023 was a review of membership and the resulting creation of a new suite of non-voting ‘Supporter’ categories ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|Current priority objectives (progress against
which is summarised above)
1. Develop the Links Group as a
sustainable organisation
2. Deliver one under-grad training course
per year in all UK vet schools
3. Deliver 3 funded LVTI days per year
alongside partner organisations at
different locations across the UK
4. Create a suite of resources and
collateral for vet teams, animal welfare
teams and a broad range of
professionals in touch with victim-
survivors of abuse.
5. To set appropriate standards for pet
fostering services
6. Establish an overarching and
underpinning marketing and
communications plan| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|Fundraising plan to be developed in 2024| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|N/A| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|On 31/12/23 The Links Group had a cash
balance of £32,995 held in its named bank
account. This represented an in year
reduction in available funds of £6,418
(balance on 01/01/22, £39,413). However,
further sponsorship income of £9,990 is
pending, to be received in early 2024.| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|The charity doesn’t currently hold any
reserves.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|N/A| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|A reserves policy will be developed in 2024| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|N/A| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|The Trustee Board has no concerns with
the charity’s ability to continue as a going
concern| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|
Para 1.47|
**Sponsorship**
The Links Group’s main income is currently
in the form of sponsorship from MSD
Animal Health to support charity
administration and the delivery of veterinary
undergraduate training programmes. In
2023 the charity received £9,990 income
from this source with a further commitment
of £9,990 to be received.
**Donations**
The charity also received an unexpected,
one off donation of £1,000 from the Guide
Dogs Association
**Membership fees**
There were no membership receipts in
2023 as we revised our membership /
supporter categories. Future income will
be recorded a ‘donations’| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|The charity doesn’t hold any investments| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|A risk register will be developed in 2024| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|CIO Constitution adopted on 05/10/21| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|CIO| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Trustees are recruited through an
expression of interest process and then
appointed by voting members| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|
Para 1.51|
All Trustees receive / complete the
following induction

Attend NCVO’s Charity Trustee
Induction and Refresher Course

Read our Constitution (Governing
Document)

Read CC Trustee Welcome Pack (inc.
CC3)

Read Charity Governance Code

Sign Links Group Trustee Code of
Conduct

Sign Links Group Trustee Declaration
of Interests

Signposted to key policies and
procedures (e.g. expenses policy and
claim form)

More experienced Trustees provide
mentorship to those joining the Board| |---|---|---| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|The Trustee Board meets on a regular
basis (roughly monthly) to monitor progress
and agree actions.
Some activity is delegated to sub-
committees most notably the Pet Fostering
Group who oversee their areas of
responsibility and make recommendations
to the board. The board retain
accountability for this activity and decisions| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|Several charities and corporate
organisations are supporters of the Links
Group. These include –
**Charity members/partners who provide**
**pet fostering services**
Dogs Trust (also provide registered| address) Cats Protection Refuge for Pets Endeavour **Corporate Supporters** CVS IVC Vet Partners **Partner organisations** BVA BSAVA Other ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|The Links Group| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|| |Registered charity number|9GHF42TR| |Charity’s principal address|The Links Group
c/o Dogs Trust
17 Wakley Street
London
EC1V 7RQ| ||| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Paula Boyden|Chair||| ||Mike Elliott|Treasurer||| ||Vicki Betton|Vice Chair||| ||David Martin|||| ||Rebecca Ashman|||| ||Rachel Dalton|||| ||MaryWakeham|||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ## – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved ## **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of Name Address adviser** ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** N/A ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details N/A ## **Other optional information** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Signature(s)
Full name(s) Paula Boyden Mike Elliott
Position (eg Secretary,
Chair Treasurer
Chair, etc)
Date
02/09/2024
**----- End of picture text -----**
||**The Links Group**
|**The Links Group**
|**The Links Group**
|**1196067**|**CC16a**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**For the period**
**from**|**1/1/2023**|**To**|**12/31/2023**|| ||||||| |**Section A Receipts and payments**|||||| |**A1 Receipts**
Donations
**1,954**
Sponsorship
**9,990**
Membershipsubscriptions
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**11,944**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_ -**
**_Total receipts_ 11,944**
**A3 Payments**
Admin/Office expenditure
Insurance
**134**
Website / IT costs
**862**
Marketing,Design,Print & Storage
**8,615**
Volunteer Expenses
**4,488**
**55**
Service Delivery
**4,067**
MembershipFees
**141**
**-**
**_Sub total_ 18,362**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_ -**
**_Total payments_ 18,362**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_ - 6,418**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**-**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**39,413**
**_Cash funds this year end_ 32,995**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_
**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**
Volunteer Recruitment & Training (inc.
Trustees)
**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**||**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Restricted**
**funds**|**to the nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**1,954**
**9,990**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**11,944**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**11,944**
**-**
**134**
**862**
**8,615**
**4,488**
**55**
**4,067**
**141**
**-**
**18,362**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**18,362**
**- 6,418**
**-**
**39,413**
**32,995**|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| ||||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**1,954**|**-**| |||||**9,990**|**-**| |||||**-**|**-**| |||||**-**|**-**| |||||**-**|**-**| |||||**-**|**-**| |||||**-**|**-**| |||||**-**|**-**| |||||**11,944**|**-**| ||||||| ||||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**|| |||||**-**|**-**| |||||**-**|**-**| ||||||| ||||**-**|**11,944**|**-**| ||||||| ||||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**|**-**| |||||**134**|**-**| |||||**862**|**-**| |||||**8,615**|**-**| |||||**4,488**|**-**| |||||**55**|**-**| |||||**4,067**|**-**| |||||**141**|**-**| |||||**-**|**-**| |||||**18,362**|**-**| ||||||| ||||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**|| |||||**-**|| |||||**-**|**-**| ||||||| ||||**-**|**18,362**|**-**| ||||||| |||**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**- 6,418**|**-**| |||**-**||**-**|**-**| |||**-**||**39,413**|**-**| |||**-**||**32,995**|**-**| ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees|**Details**
Bank Account
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
Signature
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))|**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**32,995**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**32,995**
**-**
OK
OK
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Mike Elliott(Treasurer)
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**|**to nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**| |---|---|---|---| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||OK| ||||**to nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**When due**
**(optional)**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||Date of
approval| |||Mike Elliott(Treasurer)|9/2/2024| Paula Boyd&n Ichairl 21212024