Where forgiving is living **Annual Report 2023 Including independently examined accounts for financial year ending December 2023 Registered Charity No. 1197237** 1 **Big Green Heart provides advice and assistance to young people and vulnerable adults through the provision of educational programmes, training and pastoral care.** 2 ## **Contents** **Words from our Founder & Interim Chair of Trustees Aims & objectives** **Achievements & performance The difference we made** **Our partnerships Looking to the future Governance & legal information Financial review Trustees’ responsibilities & declarations** **Receipts & payments accounts Independent examiner’s report** **www.biggreenheart.org** // **info@biggreenheart.org** Achievements & performance // Annual Report 2023 3 ## **Words from our Founder & Interim Chair of Trustees** **It is an honour for me to introduce our annual trustees report for 2023.** The concept of Big Green Heart was born out of an amazing personal journey, where I saw for myself the power that forgiving had to positively transform not just the mental, physical and spiritual health of a person but also the community around them. As a trained teacher I understood the impact this could have in a school context. In 2018, after using the concept for some years in the local Youth Project, Big Green Heart was piloted very successfully in a secondary school and further developed alongside the chaplain. The school is in Hull, in one of the most deprived areas of the UK[1] . Teaching the young people that forgiving was a ’super power’ that released them from being victim, transformed the lives of many of the most vulnerable. Big Green Heart is all about listening and giving opportunity to let out the ’stories’ and pain hidden in their heart. Alarmingly one in five children and young people in England aged 8 to 25 had a probable mental disorder in 2023[1] . It is our hope that Big Green Heart will grow to be an accessible and available early intervention tool that will help improve these statistics and reverse this trend. We often cite children and young people and overlook the work that Big Green Heart do with adults. We know the tools are effective with all ages and abilities. The KEYS Project have incorporated Big Green Heart sessions into their addiction recovery groups and we are training people to deliver sessions across many different contexts. We believe that the work that we do with vulnerable adults, young people and children, in particular those struggling with behaviour in school settings, is of significant benefit and value in alleviating mental distress both within society. This was underpinned by becoming one of five nationally recognised projects supported through The Cinnamon Incubator. Looking back over the year, we have much to celebrate and be grateful for, particularly all those who have championed and supported us. I hope you feel encouraged and inspired as you read, ## **Priscilla Smith** ## **Founder of Big Green Heart & Interim Chair of Trustees** 1 Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) data. 2 Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2023, NHS. 4 **“I was deeply struck by the gentleness and accessibility of the approach in accompanying participants on a pathway towards freedom and new possibilities.” Caroline Dollard, Board of Reference** Introduction from our Founder & Interim Chair of Trustees // Annual Report 2023 5 **Our aim is to teach people the power of forgiving as a life-skill and empower them to use it.** 6 ## **How do we achieve our aim?** Big Green Heart provides advice and assistance to young people and vulnerable adults through the provision of educational programmes, training and pastoral care. We teach people the power of forgiving through simple visual illustrations developed with school children in mind but useful for people of any age who are struggling with emotional distress. It is particularly effective with those who feel victim to their circumstances or who are suffering from mental ill health due to its concrete nature. ## **The training pathway** We train practitioners to lead individuals or groups through Big Green Heart sessions that enable them to articulate what they are feeling and thinking. Every emotion has a story behind it. Explaining that we can either remain victim to our past or can choose to forgive and set ourselves free from the emotional power of the other person’s actions has a releasing effect on the individual that is felt both mentally and emotionally. It is a simple process that has profound effects. **In 2023 we shared our teaching with...** 25 **different organisations** 105 **individuals** We operate a safer recruitment application process where individuals from organisations can join our training pathway to become trained practitioners. Applicants are fully trained in the tools, have to evidence safely using the tools and comply with safeguarding procedures in order to become accredited with continuing support throughout. In 2023 we have worked with people from 25 organisations, 43 individuals began the training pathway and 62 people heard Big Green Heart teaching for the first time. Big Green Heart has been used in schools, youth clubs, addiction recovery groups and churches. We offer in person sessions and individual sessions online. We appreciate that forgiving is a foundational biblical principle and have designed the material to be used outside of a religious context and taught as a life-skill. The tools are visual, tactile and accessible to many ages and abilities. Aims & objectives // Annual Report 2023 7 **Achievements & performance** **People from all over the country have accessed Big Green Heart training and teaching.** ## **Big Green Heart individual sessions** Alongside overseeing the training pathway, Priscilla has personally continued to lead individuals through one-to-one sessions both online and in person. The response is often... “this is so powerful“. These are bookable through the website but many clients come having been referred through The KEYS Project. ## **Big Green Heart group sessions** Sessions have continued with young people through a local community youth group. After a course of six weeks the practitioner saw young people become considerably calmer in their behviour. The physicality of engaging with the tools seems to really help people to feel the emotional release. During the final week the response of one young person who had presented as mute in the first session, was... “oh that feels much lighter“ as they popped their ‘wound’ in the bin! 8 **In 2023 we ran...** §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ § §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ 7 §§§ 2 **training days with 43 people experience days for 17 people** §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ §§§§§§§§ 6 §§§§ 1 §§§§§ **mentoring days with 44 people speaking event for 45 women** ## **The training pathway** We have developed a clearer training pathway and run training pathway days in York, Halisham, Healaugh in Yorkshire, Bristol, Stoke on Trent and Middlesbrough throughout the year. The process of training involves at least three days of training and mentoring followed by contextual mentoring to ensure that standards of practice are safe for both client and practitioner. It is not a quick process but we are confident that those to whom we give accreditation have good practice. ## **Experience days** Alongside the developments that we made to the training pathway, we also crafted an experience day to facilitate more access to the teaching on the power of forgiving without committing to the full training pathway. Through research we noted that people came with many preconceptions about what forgiving is and is not, and this day helps to educate and inform; this is our best form of marketing. This initial day was piloted successfully in Hailsham with 7 participants and again in Middlesborough with 10 participants. We are very keen to share about the work of Big Green Heart and willingly accept invitations to speak at events. We were invited to speak at a women’s event in Ripon where we shared with 45 women which was warmly received. On the back of this several individual Big Green Heart sessions were booked. Achievements & performance // Annual Report 2023 9 ## **Staffing** In February 2023 we engaged a freelance graphic designer, Karen Fowler, to work alongside Big Green Heart founder Priscilla. Together they have worked hard to develop the brand and embed systems of training, record keeping, applications, practitioner support and training, costings, shop and update the website. A communications database has also been established which has seen a regular trickle of people subscribing as our name has become more widely known. Priscilla has also been helped with administration by Kirsty Farrar who has worked on sourcing and collating all the products. The team is building strength alongside the very active and able trustees. ## **Funding** Following up on preliminary training and taking practitioners through our training programme is time consuming because of geography and the number of hours necessary to train each individual. Freeing up time with having another person to do the administrational and operational work became an obvious area that we should develop and so we put in a funding application and received a grant that will enable us to look at how employment might work. 10 ## **Governance and Board of Reference** ## **Case study: Hull Secondary school** Revd Anne Richards regularly uses Big Green Heart material through her role as school chaplain for one-to-one sessions and to inform assemblies and pastoral work. The school has recognised the benefit of the work and two further colleagues are now familiar with the material. The vision is that every class in the school has access to a forgiving tool. We are seeing the culture of the school changing, and the effect of that ripple out into the one of the most deprived communities in the UK (IMD). _“I don’t know what you are doing with that group of students but please keep at it, their behaviour is so different”_ Sports teacher We do not have a permanent Chair of Trustees in position and currently Priscilla has been appointed as interim chair. We have actively approached a number of people and we are hopeful that we will appoint the right candidate to enhance the skills that we currently have through our Trustee body. We were grateful for the input and help with training that Darrell Cocup gave and for his support and belief in the methodology which he was able to share widely and especially in his foreign travels. He left the trustee body in July. In 2023, we were thankful to be supported by a Board of Reference made up of Caroline Dollard, Revd Tandy Ruoff and Howard Worsley. ## **Schools work** After the successful pilot in a secondary school we were aware of the potential to develop work in primary schools. We identified that reading levels may prohibit written words being used to communicate so we have developed a set of visual emojis that enable the tools to be used regardless of literacy. This makes the tools very accessible. These have been well received and children as young as five have used them successfully. Priscilla has also begun to talk to a retired headteacher about the possibility of taking on expanding our work in primary schools and strategically developing this. ## **Summary** In summary this has been a year of growth , consolidation, encouragement, development and an increased sense that what we are doing is powerful and effective. We are grateful for all the support and encouragement that we have received from those with whom we work. Achievements & performance // Annual Report 2023 11 ## **The difference we made** We are in the process of investigating suitable ways to collate quantitive and qualitative benchmark data to inform our practice. At present we ask for feedback through both Big Green Heart sessions and trainings. We have a selection of anonymised quotes and case studies shared with permission. _“The following morning I awoke to a completely quiet mind – honestly, profoundly different. All the torment has gone, it’s incredible. Since then each morning I’ve been amazed at how still my mind has been, free from all the anxiety.”_ One-to-one online session feedback ## **Case study: Mentoring session** During a mentoring session the trainer was observing a trainee practitioner leading someone through the forgiving process,The client who is neuro diverse, repeatedly proclaimed that this was powerful, that she felt relieved, lighter, as though she had taken a ten-ton knapsack off her back and didn't need to pick it up again. She was exuberant about how effective this visual work could be in the special needs community. _“I had heard my colleague being excited about Big Green Heart, but confess I didn’t really understand what it was. So I attended an introductory session about vision and tools for Big Green Heart._ _Part of this session included having a go. I did not think that I was there to have a go! In fact I was so reluctant to do this and was planning how I could get out of it._ _However, I am SO glad that I didn’t, because facing my wounds during that session and having the trainer leading me through forgiving has been transformational, and has helped me to experience a freedom from the effects that those wounds have had on my life for far too long! Thank you!!”_ Experience day feedback ## **Case study: Team training** During team training with a group, our Big Green Heart trainer witnessed the transformation of one very withdrawn trainee not wanting to be noticed to someone who stood up and told their story in front of a room full of people three months later. Being able to speak out about what had happened during their one-to-one Big Green Heart session and the sense of empowerment was life transforming, releasing them from being victim of their past. **Case study: One-to-one session** Through a one-to-one session at Oxford elicited the response ‘transformational’ from one mature student. 12 ## **Our partnerships** ## **The KEYS Project** After a national team training day with Keys, where Priscilla did a fifteen minute presentation of the elements of the Big Green Heart, one lady commented, “that changed my life. I wish I had known this years ago, I could have helped so many more people.” The majority of the practitioners are being trained in conjunction with The Keys Project and this provides useful skills training for them and helps their groups as well as giving insight and experience to us. Many sessions have been done with people in recovery from addiction and again their responses are extremely positive. _“This is the most powerful therapy I have done – and I have done many!”_ Addiction clinic attendee ## **Cinnamon Network Incubator** In May our application for the Cinnamon Network Incubator programme was successful. The Cinnamon Network nationally identify social action charities with the potential to effect positive change. Despite lots of competition, we were honoured to be selected as one of five charities from across the country to benefit from two years of professional support and mentoring to develop all aspects of our governance and productivity. We had the opportunity to present to potential investors at the awards evening in London in November. This was a significant and encouraging event for us to be nationally recognised. Our partnerships // Annual Report 2023 13 ## **Looking to the future** ## **Thank you** We are so grateful to those that support our work. Over this financial period we recieved one significant grant, a number of one-off donations from individuals and have one regular monthly giver. We have ambitious plans to grow in 2024. We recognise the need to develop our processes and systems. After securing the grant we feel we are in a position to investigate the potential of recruiting our first employee. We will spend time defining the role and establishing the safer recruitment process. We also aim to develop more robust methods of collating feedback and data collection, alongside developing a suitable content management system that will provide the platform for accountable growth in the future. If you would like to make a donation please head to **www.biggreenheart.org** We will embark on 18 months of mentoring alongside Amanda Bindon of Cinnamon Network that begins with a three day residential in January. We want to develop the schools work and feel that this will be best by appointing a suitable person to lead that project. We will investigate the sector lead model to develop location specific hubs with the first one being Bristol. We will continue the programme of regular trainings around the country in a variety of contexts. We hope to expand the Trustee body after completing an audit of skills, and recruit a suitable chair. 14 ## **Governance & legal information** CHARITY NAME Big Green Heart CHARITY NUMBER 1197237 DATE OF REGISTRATION 21st December 2021 START OF FINANCIAL YEAR 1st January 2023 END OF FINANCIAL YEAR 31st December 2023 TRUSTEES Mrs Priscilla Smith Interim Chair AT 31ST DECEMBER 2023 Mrs Serena Crawley Secretary Miss Amy Scott Treasurer Miss Leah Brown Revd Anne Richards Mr Anthony Holmes Mr Darrell Cocup Resigned in July 2023 LEGAL STATUS Charitable Incorporated Organisation GOVERNING INSTRUMENT CIO – Association Registered 21st December 2021 OBJECTS The relief of the physical and mental sickness of persons in need by reason of age or vulnerability in particular by the provision of counselling and support as an informed expression of the Christian faith. PRINCIPLE ADDRESS Healaugh Old Hall, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, LS24 8DA PRIMARY BANKERS Lloyds Bank Plc, 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS SPX Oxford, 19 Paradise St, Oxford OX1 1LD Governance & legal information // Annual Report 2023 15 ## **Financial review** ## **Income** The overall income for this financial period was £35,428 (2022 £5,911). This includes one-off donations, grant funding, regular giving and products and services. To the nearest £ One off income 30,795 (one-off donations & grant funding) Regular giving 525 Other 4,108 (products & services) **TOTAL 35,428** ## **Income breakdown %** n Grants 85% n Large box sales 5% n One-off donations 2% - n Practitioner Training Courses 4% n Regular Donations 2% - n BGH Sessions1% n Small box sales1% Income increased by 499% from the previous year. ## **Products sold by type** n Complete packs 47% n Forgiving packs 41% n Other items 12% 16 ## **Expenditure** Total expenditure for this financial year was £7,024 (2022 £2,276). Expenditure increased by 209% from the previous year. ## **Expenses breakdown %** n Admin 41% - n Box purchases 27% - n Training manuals 1% - n Practitioner Training Courses 6% - n Travel expenses 2% - n Safeguarding 2% - n Other 2% - n Website 7% - n Accounting 3% - n Venue hire 9% The growth in expenditure mirrors the growth in the organisation and is primarily driven by the following: i) Staffing Over the period Big Green Heart employed the services of a web developer, graphic design and communications freelancer plus selfemployed administrator on a sessional basis. There were also costs for an additional trainer for the training pathway provided by Darrel Cocup. ii) Operational Costs This includes product costs, subsrciption fees and admin costs. Cost for overheads remain very low because of the services provided by exceptional support from Mr & Mrs O Smith who generously allow use of their premises. The Trustees would like to record their gratitude for this support which cannot be quantified and therefore is not included in these accounts. ## **Net income** Net receipts for this financial period were £28,515. At the end of the year reserves stood at £32,039 (2022 £3,635) of which none were restricted. Receivables at 31st December 2023 were £860. Liabilities at 31st December 2023 were £980. Bank Account at 31st December 2023 was £32,038.59. Difference between accounts and bank account was -£0.41. The difference is due to rounding Having received more than £25,000 we are now in a category that requires an independent examination of our accounts. Financial review // Annual Report 2023 17 ## **Structure, governance & management** ## **Governing document** The organisation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) charity number 1197237, registered on the 21st December 2021. The charity is governed by a Constitution and its only voting members are its charity Trustees. ## **Recruitment and appointment of trustees and director** ## **Reserves policy** The reason for holding zero reserves is to date our receipts have been higher than our payments. We are in the process of developing our reserves policy moving forward as our activities increase. We do not have details of fund materially We have no uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern. As of 31st December 2023 Big Green Heart had 6 unpaid Trustees. All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity. No expenses were reclaimed from the charity during the year. Box purchases have been paid to Priscilla Smith in accordance with the agreement in place at the time of sale of the boxes. A payment of £450 has been made to Darrell Cocup, a former trustee, for assisting in running a training course in Bristol. ## **Organisational structure & management** The Trustees meet regularly (up to four times a year) and are responsible for the strategic direction and policies of the charity. At present the Trustees have members from a variety of professional backgrounds relevant to the work of the charity. ## **Related Parties** The Trustees confirm that there are no related party relationships at present, and that no related party relationships or transactions occurred during the year. There are no funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others. 18 ## **Trustees’ responsibilities & declarations** The trustees of the Big Green heart are aware of the guidance of the Charity Commission to ensure that the activities that we do are of public benefit. The Charities Act 2011 requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the CIO and of the surplus of the CIO for that period. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to: - Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently - Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent - Prepare financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the CIO will continue in existence. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the CIO. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the CIO and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s) Full name(s) SERENA CRAWLEY Position Secretary Date 02.09.24** Trustees’ responsibilities & declarations // Annual Report 2023 19 ## **Big Green Heart Receipts & payments accounts** **for the period from 1st January 2023 to 1st December 2023** **Section A Receipts and payments** Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Last funds funds funds funds year to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ **A1 Receipts** Donations 1,320 – – 1,320 5,515 Grants 30,000 – – 30,000 – Large box sales 1,853 – – 1,853 362 Small box sales 270 – – 270 34 Practitioner 1,505 – – 1,505 – Training courses BGH sessions 480 – – 480 – **Sub total 35,428 – – 35,428 5,911 (Gross income for AR) A2 Asset &** – – – – – **investment sales (See table) Sub total – – – – – Total receipts 35,428 – – 35,428 5,911** 20 Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Last funds funds funds funds year to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ **A3 Payments** Trainer/Course 450 – – 450 1,090 Expenses Website 466 – – 466 560 Box purchases 1,868 – – 1,868 396 Safeguarding 145 – – 145 145 Travel expenses 125 – – 125 – Training materials 98 – – 98 85 Miscellaneous 111 – – 111 – Administration 2,871 – – 2,871 – Accounting 240 – – 240 – Venue hire 600 – – 600 – Development 50 – – 50 – **Sub total 7,024 – – 7,024 2,276 A4 Asset &** – – – – – **investment sales (See table) Sub total – – – – – Total payments 7,024 – – 7,024 2,276 Net of receipts/ (payments)[ 28,404 – – 28,404 3,635 ]** A5 Transfers – – – – – between funds A6 Cash funds last year end 3,635 – – 3,635 – **Total payments 32,039 – – 32,039 3,635** ## **Notes:** Box purchases have been paid to Priscilla Smith in accordance with the agreement in place at the time of sale of the boxes. A payment of £450 has been made to Darrell Cocup, a former trustee, for assisting in running a training course in Bristol. Receipts & payments accounts // Annual Report 2023 21 ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** Categories Details Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds **B1 Cash funds**[ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £] Current Account 32,039 – – **Total cash funds 32,039 – –** Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds **B2 Other monetary assets**[ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £] Large box sales receivable 350 – – Small box sales receivable 221 – – Practitioner Training 400 – – courses receivable Fund to Cost Current which asset (optional) value **B3 Investment assets**[ belongs (optional)] – – – – Fund to Cost Current which asset (optional) value **B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use**[ belongs ][(optional)] – – – – Fund to Amount When which liability due due **B5 Liabilities**[ relates ][(optional)][(optional)] Travel Expenses to be paid 120 – – Box purchases to be paid 860 – – **Signed by one Signature(s) trustee on behalf of all the trustees Full name(s) SERENA CRAWLEY Date 02.09.24** 22 ## **Independent examiner’s report on the accounts** **Report to the trustees/members of** Big Green Heart. **On accounts for the year ended** 31 December 2023 **Charity no (if any)** 1197237 **Set out on pages** 20-22 of Receipts and Payments accounts ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of independent examiner’s statement** My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act or - the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I 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. _* Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._ **Signed Date:** 27th September 2024 **Name:** Sheila Parry **Address:** Peace House, Paradise Street, Oxford OX1 1LD **Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):** FCCA Independent examiner’s report // Annual Report 2023 23 Where forgiving is living **www.biggreenheart.org** // **info@biggreenheart.org** 24