NORTH AVENUE YOUTH CENTRE
Charity Number 1197085
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
| Note 1 INCOME FROM: Donations,grants and legacies 2 Charitable activities 3 Investments 4 EXPENDITURE ON: Raising funds 5 Charitable activities 6,7 Net movement in funds Total funds brought forward 1 January 2025 Total funds carried forward 31 December Total Total Net income/(expenditure) Transfers between funds |
Unrestricted general funds Unrestricted designated funds Restricted income funds Total 2025 Total 2024 £ £ £ £ 26065 0 61069 87134 96354 5227 0 0 5227 3573 527 0 0 527 438 |
|---|---|
| 31819 0 61069 92889 100365 |
|
| 7165 0 0 7165 6596 96249 90 13380 109720 96552 |
|
| 103414 90 13380 116885 103148 |
|
| -71595 -90 47689 -23996 -2783 |
|
| 46932 -46932 0 0 |
|
| -24663 -90 757 -23996 -2783 |
|
| 42426 90 10286 52803 55586 |
|
| 17762 0 11044 28806 52803 |
NORTH AVENUE YOUTH CENTRE
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025
| Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 8 Total fixed assets Current assets Debtors and prepayments 9 Cash at bank and in hand 10 Total current assets Liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 11 Net current assets/(liabilities) Total assets less current liabilities Funds of the Charity 12 Restricted income funds Unrestricted funds Total funds |
Unrestricted general funds Unrestricted designated funds Restricted income funds Total 2025 Total 2024 £ £ £ £ 789 0 0 789 141 |
Unrestricted general funds Unrestricted designated funds Restricted income funds Total 2025 Total 2024 £ £ £ £ 789 0 0 789 141 |
|---|---|---|
| 789 0 0 789 141 |
||
| 951 0 0 951 9232 16071 0 11044 27116 43713 |
||
| 17023 0 11044 28067 52945 |
||
| 50 0 0 50 285 |
||
| 16973 0 11044 28017 52660 |
||
| 17762 0 |
11044 28806 52801 |
|
| 11044 11044 1436 17762 0 17762 54150 |
||
| 17762 0 11044 28806 55586 |
APPROVED by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by
Rebecca Mabey Chairman
NORTH AVENUE YOUTH CENTRE
Notes to the Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31 December 2025
1a. FORMATION OF CHARITY
North Avenue Youth Centre was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registration number 1197085 on 13 December 2021.
1b. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP2019 - FRS 102) issued by the Charity Commission, and the Charities Act 2016 The accruals basis of accounting has been adopted, and the principal accounting policies set out below are applied consistently.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
Income
Income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity becomes entitled to the resources; it is more likely than not that the trusteees will receive the resources; and the monetary value can be established with sufficient reliability
Grants are recognised when the general recognition criteria are met, and any applicable performance conditions are met
Grant money unspent at the end of the period is considered to be a liability if repayment is probable.
The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees' annual report
Expenditure and liabilities
Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred and include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.
Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
Tangible fixed assets
The premises used by NAYC are owned by the United Reformed Church (Eastern Province) Trust with whom NAYC has an agreement for use of the premises until 2046 in the first instance.
Tangible assets with a purchase value over £100, other than those purchased wholly by a specific grant, are depreciated over a period of 5 or more years.
NORTH AVENUE YOUTH CENTRE
Notes to the Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2025
----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted
Unrestricted designated Restricted
general funds funds income funds Total 2025 Total 2024
£
2 Donations, grants and legacies:
Donations and gifts 665 - - 665 387
Grants 25,400 61,069 86469 95967
Total 26,065 - 61,069 87,134 96,354
3 Charitable activities:
entrance money 1,703 - - 1703 2059
YC activity receipts 3,525 - - 3525 1514
Total 5,227 - - 5227 3573
4 Income from investments:
Interest income 527 - - 527 438
Total 527 - - 527 438
Unrestricted
Unrestricted designated Restricted
general funds funds income funds Total 2025 Total 2024
5 Expenditure on raising funds: £
Incurred seeking grants 7,148 - - 7,148 6,596
Costs of fund-raising 17 17 -
Total 7,165 - - 7,165 6,596
6 Expenditure on charitable activities
Staff costs:
Salaries 62,491 11,107 73,598 61,517
Training 109 109 40
Travel etc expenses 1,418 1,418 434
Recruitment - 76
Youth Centre activities 19,629 90 2,273 21,992 22,274
Building costs:
Rent 12 12 12
Charity administration:
Insurance 1,117 1,117 1,033
Communications 1,462 1,462 1,260
Payroll services 307 307 327
Sundry costs 454 454 406
Support costs:
Independent examiner's fee - - -
Contribution to North Avenue Christian Centre 9,000 9,000 9,000
Depreciation 250 250 174
Total 96,249 90 13,380 109,720 96,552
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7 Staff and Trustee Costs
| Salaries and wages Social security costs Pension costs Total staff costs |
79005 7119 fully reimbursed by NI allowance 1400 87524 |
|---|---|
No employees had employee benefits in excess of £60,000
NAYC has arranged with the NEST pension scheme for eligible employees to be enrolled The charity trustees were neither paid nor received any other benefits from employment with NAYC in the year neither were they reimbursed expenses during the year
No charity trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity The trustees are the key management personnel of the charity The average monthly head count was 6 employees
8 Tangible assets
----- Start of picture text -----
Equipment since 2017,value at 1 January 2025 141
Additions 898
Depreciation allowed in year -250
Carried forward 31 December 2025 789
9 Analysis of debtors
Unrestricted
Unrestricted designated Restricted 2025 2024
general funds funds income funds
£ £
EYT Grant due 0 8400
Insurance in advance 951 951 832
951 0 0 Total 951 9,232
10 Cash at bank and in hand
Unrestricted
Unrestricted designated Restricted 2025 2024
general funds funds income funds
£ £
Co-operative Bank current account 6057 6057 3,152
----- End of picture text -----
| Co-operative Bank savings account 9921 0 11043 Floats and cash awaiting banking 94 16,072 0 11,043 Total Analysis of Creditors Amounts falling due within one year: Unrestricted general funds Unrestricted designated funds Restricted income funds Payroll 50 Total 50 - - Funds and grants The Jack Petchey Foundation makes grants and awards that are Restricted in terms of their use and time availability In 2019 Chelmsford City Council made a grant of £18250 for a community defibrillator, improved lighting and equipment. In 2025 Essex County Council topped up the defibrillator grant to cover replacement parts In 2021 Active Essex through EBGC awarded £2500 for use with families to cope after the winter of Covid-19 In 2024 the PFCC provided £16,000 of grant funding to establish the Schools project In 2025 a restricted income grant of £19,900 was received from Essex Community Foundation, for core costs Movement on Restricted funds during the year: Jack Petchey Schools project Defibrillator Winter Covid Balance b/fwd 1 January 2025 0 9572 24 690 Receipts 900 12874 364 Expenditure -897 -12119 -364 Balance c/fwd 31 December 2025 3 0 10327 24 690 Total |
20965 40,438 94 125 27,116 43,714 2025 2024 £ £ 50 285 50 285 2025 2024 £ £ 10,286 1436 14,138 16900 - 13,380 -8049 11,043 10,286 |
|---|---|
11 Analysis of Creditors
12 Funds and grants
Funding from other bodies which is not for core running costs is Designated for specific purposes. These are currently the purchase of equipment. This fund was added to a grant of £3000 from Bauer Radio for equipment Movements on Designated Funds:
| Total | 2025 2024 £ £ 90 90 - 0 - 90 0 0 90 |
|---|---|
| Balance b/fwd 1 January 2025 Receipts Expenditure Balance c/fwd 31 December 2025 |
Equipment 90 0 -90 0 |
|---|---|
North Avenue Youth Centre
Reg Charity No.1197085
Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2025
Address: North Avenue, Chelmsford CM1 2AL
Trustees: Trevor Andrews // to 2 July 2025 Peter Bardwell (Chair to 2 July 2025) Lucy Belcher // Lisa Cracknell resigned 12 March 2025 Yvonne Fitzgibbon // from 19 June 2025 Nicola Grieves // to 2 July 2025 Graham Handscomb // Jane Humphreys (Treasurer)// Rebecca Mabey (Chair from 18 September 2025) Martin Solder # Yvonne Spence Matthew Willmott // from 18 September 2025
// Nominated by the United Reformed Church
# Appointed by Essex Youth Trust
Other trustees are elected/re-elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Custodian Trustees: The United Reformed Church (Eastern Province) Trust are the custodian trustees of the premises
Bankers: Cooperative Bank Plc Miller Street Manchester M60 0AL
Independent Examiner: Roger Louth FCCA
Governing document:
Constitution agreed 07.07.2021
Objectives and activities
The aims and objectives of the North Avenue Youth Centre (NAYC) are to help boys and girls (age 8 to 18, or 25 with additional needs) through their leisure time activities so to develop their physical, mental and
spiritual capacities that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and as members of society, and that their conditions of life may be improved.
In order to achieve this, a full-time Centre Manager, part-time youth workers, and a combined administrator and fundraiser have been appointed. The grants awarded to NAYC allow it to run a varied programme of out-of-school activities for young people from the local area, which is one of great social deprivation. NAYC has the use of purpose-built facilities which include a sports hall and an outside allweather play space.
In their role of guiding and monitoring the planning and delivery of these activities, the NAYC Trustees (known as the Management Committee) have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
Achievements and performance
This year saw NAYC continue its valuable work with the young people of the area. This was carried out in several different ways.
- During school term times, centre based activities ran on three evenings a week. Seniors remained the largest group and the upper age limit was increased this year in response to requests from the young people, so the age range became for those school year 7 to age 17. Their Friday evening cooking sessions remained popular with young people keen to assist with the planning and preparation of the food each week. Due to the consistent funding for this session, we were able to run these sessions through most of the school holidays as well.
Juniors (age 8 to school year 6) met on Wednesdays. The group increased in attendance numbers throughout the year and reached full capacity on a few occasions. The group remained to have a high proportion of members with additional needs. Activities focussed on social skills, communication and kindness, promoted through group games and challenges, sports, crafts and discussion.
Monday Olders sessions continued to increase in numbers and in response to requests from the young people the age range was lowered to age 14 to 18. It remained a quieter session for activities exploring how to set boundaries and build respect.
The detached sessions ran twice a week in the local neighbourhood. Conversations across the year have centred around mental health, friendships, healthy relationships and the danger surrounding the use of E-scooters. Later in the year conversations also included school transitions and college. During the spring a number of the sessions were run for young people to make small potted plants for Mother’s day,
creating the opportunity to make gifts for mothers and talk about families and important relationships.
Surveys show that parents trust and appreciate the work done by team at NAYC.
Holiday sessions ran to the extent that funding was secured. During February half-term we ran very popular theatre workshops around stage combat and special FX make up skills. During the Easter break, we held our annual family Easter Egg hunt with over 100 eggs being given to children and young people. In the summer we took a group for five days to the EBGC camp in the Lake District. Other activities included a sleepover at the Centre, pottery painting, ice-skating, a trip to an escape room, a family fun day including magic shows and games, team challenges, and trainings sessions.
In October we held our annual Halloween parties, for which we received excellent feedback from young people and families.
Active Essex funded and supported our annual Christmas family day for young people and families. We further expanded the experience to 63 people focused on regular members and their siblings and parents who valued this opportunity to go to the pantomime – something which otherwise was unaffordable.
In the spring term we began working with St John Payne School offering 1:1 mentoring for 15 young people. During the autumn term we also began offering 1:1 mentoring at The Boswells School with a second member of staff in place.
At the end of 2025 staffing was stable with a full-time Centre Manager, a full-time Senior Youth Worker, three part-time Youth Support Workers a part-time Fundraiser / Office Administrator and a part-time Youth Mentor for the Schools project. We also highly value the 4 community volunteers and 5 young leaders.
The United Reformed Church (Eastern Province) Trust continued to discuss the transfer of ownership of the premises at North Avenue Christian Centre used by NAYC with The River Church (the other primary user of the premises). In early 2025 they made a proposal to replace the current hiring agreement with NAYC with a lease on similar terms. The Trustees accepted this in principle but will review the details to ensure that NAYC can continue to operate effectively from the premises which were built to provide the home for activities.
Financial Review
NAYC continues to rely primarily on grant funding to operate. In 2025 we were grateful to Essex Youth Trust for their funding towards our core costs of £16,800. We secured a further £69,669 in grants, over £8000
less than in 2024, reflecting the increasingly difficult environment for securing grant funding, particularly for core costs. Different elements of our activities, and contributions to core costs, were funded by a range of bodies. Our thanks go to Essex Community Foundation (specifically, the Four Acre Core Cost Fund, Thriving Third Sector Fund and the Roger and Jean Heath Charitable Fund), Chelmsford City Council, Essex Council for Voluntary Youth Services, Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit, Active Essex, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Bauer Radio, John Lewis Partnership, and Fowler Smith and Jones Trust. We were pleased once again that our young people were able to enjoy awards from the Jack Petchey Foundation with three awards spent. The Schools Project operated thanks to £12,874 from the Police and Crime Commissioner with funding of £3803 approved for the period to March 2026. Essex County Council provided £364 for replacement parts for the defibrillator located on the Hall. Our members generated over £5200 from activities.
Overall expenditure in 2025 of £116,885 was £23,996 more than total income. The total assets of the charity therefore fell to £28,806.
The reserves policy of NAYC is to hold sufficient cash to cover six to nine months’ expenditure. At the end of 2025, unrestricted cash held totalled £16,071, equivalent to less than two months’ planned expenditure for 2026. The trustees are reviewing how to reverse this decline.
Looking forward
In January 2026 we were notified by ECVYS that we had been awarded Violence and Vulnerability Community Grant funding of £20,000 for the Schools Project and £15,000 for other activities for the year from April 2026 to March 2027. We are also confident that our long-term funders will continue to support us. We have applications to other funders for over £40,000 awaiting decisions.
Recognising the challenging funding situation for small charities like NAYC, we will
-
Prioritise operating the current level of centre-based sessions during school terms, to provide a safe space and opportunity for young people to gather away from the risks and challenges of local gangs
-
operate the Schools Project within the level of VVU funding plus any contribution from the school(s) involved
-
provide off-site activities, and activities during the school holidays only to the extent that they are fully funded
-
build a strong team of staff and volunteers who are trained and inspired to encourage the young people in enjoying the activities.
Declaration
This report and the accounts were approved by the Trustees at their meeting on 12[th] February 2026
Signed:
Position:
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiiier s Report Report to the t$t North Avenue Youth Centre . On xcounts for the yoar 31 Drnber 2025 Charlty no (if any) 1197085 Set out on pages charity fthe Tntsf) for the year ended 3111212025. Re8ponslbllitie8 and ba819 Ot report accounts in xcordance with the requirements ofthe Charites Acl 2011 (IheW. urnler Secti 145 of 2011 and in caryir¥J (xrt my examinath)n, I under seCtm 1445Xb) ofthe P examlnetrs statement Ix)me to my attenti in 0]nne(K with the eXamI10n whth gives me of the Charities Act" or the actounts did rK)t crAnpty with the applicable requirements (Accounts and Re[$) RryulatN)ns 2008 ther than any requirement that the ac(nts a 1nk and f* view which is not a matter Sign•d: 2P March 2026 wallftcattorfs) or body {if any): IER Oct 2018