2023-03-31-accounts

Registered Charity Number 1196742

REFLECTIONS COUNSELLING SERVICE

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD 23 November 2021 - 31 MARCH 2023

CONTENTS
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION	Page 2
THE TRUSTEES	Page 2
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT	Page 3
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES	Page 4
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE	Page 5
FINANCIAL REVIEW	Page 10
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES	Page 11
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS	Page 13
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT	Page 14

Page 1 of 16

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the Charity for the period 23[rd] November 2021 until 31[st] March 2023.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Registered charity name: Reflections Counselling Service

Charity registration number: 1196742 Principal Address: 393 Bury Road Bolton BL2 6DE

THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees who served the Charity during the period of this report were:

Karen Ottewill (Chair) Ruth Wood (Treasurer) Sharan Charnock (Secretary) Linda Charnock Janet Bakewell Lynn Cawley Nina Rudnick

All major decisions are taken collectively by the Trustees.

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STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Reflections Counselling Service was established in 2011 and operated as an unincorporated association. Reflections Counselling Service became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) – Foundation and registered with the Charity Commission on 23[rd] November 2021 with Charity Registration number 1196742 Reflections Counselling Service governing document is a constitution.

Recruitment and appointment of trustees

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees would be in line with the Reflections Counselling Service’s constitution and with the consent of the Trustees. The criteria for the suitability of a new candidate is set out in the constitution.

In order to bring a range of skills and cover the broad reach of the charity, the trustees have a diversity of backgrounds.

Trustee induction and training

New trustees would be briefed by the existing trustees on the objects and operations of the charity and referred to the guidance for new trustees published by the Charity Commission.

New trustees will be given a copy of the constitution and all trustees are expected to be familiar with the work of the charity and get involved in events and services regularly including participating in training that is seen as beneficial to the charity.

Trustees also discuss the future plans and the development of the charity in relation to the objectives of the charity and ways to secure and strengthen the financial position of the charity.

Additional governance issues

The charity is currently funded by grants and we operate on a policy of rolling applications for grants for specific planned activities. All the funds we have are from grants with specified expenditure – fees, phones, rent, office expenses, etc.

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Risk review

The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, in particular those related to operations and finances. They are satisfied that systems are in place to manage exposure to the major risks.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The objects of the Charity are:

To Promote and protect the physical and mental health of people affected by mental health conditions for the public benefit through the provision of counselling and support.

Public benefit

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers or duties.

The charity has provided free counselling sessions to Bolton residents suffering from mental health issues that aim to empower, educate and support clients to enable them to improve their mental health and well-being.

Objects of the Charity, principal activities and organisation of our work

The Charity’s object and its principal activity continue to be that of providing free counselling sessions to people suffering from mental health issues.

Two qualified counsellors (Diploma Level 4 Integrative Counselling) provide one to one counselling to Bolton residents - Adults (Over-18) for issues including anxiety and depression, relationship breakdown, stress, alcohol and drug misuse, bereavement and loss. Offering counselling is free, accessible and open to all.

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The counsellors are responsible for and manage the day-to-day activities of the Charity.

Trustees meet periodically to manage the affairs of the Charity.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

In November 2021 Reflections received registered charity status.

Development, activities, and achievements during this period

In the period from November 2021 to March 2023 Reflections delivered: 897 free counselling sessions to 101 clients (average of 8-10 sessions).

Typical Disabilities

• Mobility

• Lung disease

• Pain

• Dyslexia

• Fibromyalgia

• Arthritis

• Hearing Loss

• Sight impairment

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Age

Ages of clients range from youngest at 19 to oldest at 91

Ethnicity

Black British	1
Black Caribean	2
British Indian	2
British Asian	1
White Irish	2
Mixed race	2
Pakistan	1
White British	90

Postcode within Bolton

BL1	28
BL2	16
BL3	6
BL4	23
BL5	18
BL6	7
Radcliffe	3

Page 6 of 16

Referral Source

GP 41 Mental Health Nurse 22 Local Agencies 14 Self (inc Facebook/Internet) 11 Family and Friends 6 Social Prescribers 6 Hospital Mental Health Team 1

Initial Issues

• Stress

• Depression

• anxiety

• Bereavement/loss

• Self esteem

• Relationships /parenting issues/ Divorce

• Health issues/ Fibromyalgia diagnosis/Health anxiety/ADHD

• Anger management

• Workplace stress

• Addiction - drug/alcohol misuse

• Suicidal thoughts

• Not coping

• Redundancy

• Living with cancer

• Childhood trauma

• Self-harm

• Domestic violence

• Stress as a carer/Living with husband's dementia diagnosis

• PTSD

Our records show clients report improvement in mental health and well-being as a result of our counselling characterised by:

• Improved - resilience, relationships, confidence

• Reduced - anxiety, depression, isolation, time off work, drug and alcohol misuse, risk of suicide

• Learning new skills - stress management, problem solving

• Engagement in healthier daily habits (eating, exercise, sleep)

• Feeling more positive about the future.

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We promote the service accessibly:

• Referrals through established links with local community and mental health services

• Active Facebook page

• Bolton CVS Find-a-group website

• Let’s Keep Bolton Moving website

• Recommendations - past clients

Supporting people at the earliest possible stage.

• We help clients access support in a timely manner:

• We have a straightforward self-referral process - this enables easily accessed, direct engagement with our service.

• Discrete, confidential service - reduces stigma, removes barriers to accessing support

Learning

Ongoing Evaluation - We use NHS recognised mental health questionnaires, comprehensive evaluation, client feedback and surveys to monitor effectiveness, and to appraise and develop the service.

COVID adaptations learning – Reflections found a more flexible way to respond to client’s needs.

As a result of the need to respond to COVID, our face to face sessions stopped and we developed more flexibility in the delivery of the counselling sessions we provided by offering phone, video conferencing or Walk and Talk counselling sessions. This helped resolve mobility, transport and childcare difficulties and to fit in better with work and family commitments. Walk and Talk encourages a healthier and more active lifestyle, proven to improve depression, stress and anxiety.

When the 2021 restrictions of meeting face to face lifted we continued to offer alternative delivery options alongside face to face sessions to enable us to keep giving our clients flexibility and choice.

Page 8 of 16

Our counselling support helps people to reach their potential:

• Providing necessary information, skills and support clients need to adapt to, process and manage the issues they are facing.

• Empowering clients to take control, live more intentional lives, achieve their own goals and aspirations.

Examples of Final Comments from Clients

• Given tools to grieve and learned to value my feelings

• Better understanding of self, better communication and coping skills

• Let go of past

• Coping better – Reducing anxiety

• Made me feel like me again

• Feeling heard and better relationship with self

• More positive about life

• Acceptance of how I feel – peace comes from acceptance

• Feeling I’m coping better – assertiveness skills and found motivation

• Feel safer and less overwhelmed

• Feeling calmer and less stressed – less expectations of myself

• Helped boost confidence and not feeling so stuck

• It’s literally been a lifesaver (suicidal thoughts) - counselling saved my life.

• Learned coping mechanisms to employ on my own in the future

• Enabled to see what has caused triggers in my life

• It’s allowed me to thrive in society

• People like myself are very lucky to be able to have counselling and I’m very grateful.

• This service has helped turn my life around

Page 9 of 16

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Transactions and financial position

Reflections Accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis and show a summary of the movement of cash into and out of the charity during the financial year.

Reflections Counselling Service received grants from National Lottery Awards for All and the Postcode Neighbourhood Trust

We hope to open a Just Giving page and facilitate more client donations as an additional funding stream in the financial year 2023-24.

Reserves

The Charity carries reserves sufficient to meet its immediate planned needs. Its reserve policy is to only commission projects once specific project funding is secured.

Page 10 of 16

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Page 11 of 16

Section B Statement of assets aiid liat)Ilities at the er)d ol the poriod Dptails OetajS5 Page 12 of 16

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

Grants

Lottery Awards for All grant was £10,000

Postcode Neighbourhood Trust grant was £15,840 Bolton CVS Grant was £200.00

Donations (unrestricted funds)

Leonard Curtis Foundation donation was £1000

Client donations £180

APPROVAL

I declare, in my capacity of trustee and Reflections Counselling Service counsellor that:

• The Trustees have approved the report above and

• Have authorised me to sign it on their behalf.

Signed:

Name: Janet Bakewell

Date: 05/09/2023

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF REFLECTIONS COUNSELLING SERVICE CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

Page 14 of 16

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This work has been made possible by an award from Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

We are also supported by the players of the National Lottery.

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