Gelebrating lo.wdov . Supportlng youn9 p•opI• years Trusteesy Annual Report 2024.2025 1197273 CE027753 (England and Wales) Northampton, NN1 1PP Jan Jourard and Dr John Toby Chair - Stephen Edmonds Vice Chair - Andrea Martin Treasurer - Jonathan Smith Brendan Dunphy Georgina Bayliss Dr Mike Scanlan Dr Deborah Patton (left September 2024) Andre Gore Damon Boughen (joined January 2025) Will White (joined April 2025) Metro Bank Northampton Shaw Gibbs (who acquired DNG Dove Naish LLP) Chairs Report Our New and Improved Building How to Support Us CEO Report Happy Heads Who’s Who Our Mission and Vision RE:Start Youth Engagement Acknowledgements and Thanks Our Impact Information and Guidance Service Report of the Trustees Case Studies Out There LGBTQ+ Accounts Accessibility Statistics Youth Groups (separately numbered pages) Objectives Young Adult Social Our Services Youth Advisory Board (YAB) and Financial Review Service Statistics Mindspace How to Contact Us Our Post-Pandemic Journey Community and Engagement Social Media Highlights Fundraising **Welcome to our Annual Report, which updates you on how we continue to respond to the needs of our young people.** In last year’s report, I mentioned the commencement of our major capital project to increase the capacity of our Kingswell Street premises. You will read elsewhere that this has been successfully completed despite the numerous challenges along the way. During the year, the Charity’s constitution was reviewed and minor changes made to how any residual assets would be applied in the unlikely event of a winding up or dissolution. I had hoped that the tone of my report could be more upbeat this year, but once again the environment in which we are operating is increasingly challenging, with a mental health crisis so severe that 1.3 million young people were referred to mental health services in the last – academic year an increase of 71% in �ve years. Against this background, we have: **increased our support contacts by 10% year on year, with a 7% increase in our counselling services providing a record 12,135 counselling sessions** - an incredible achievement given the disruption of a major building project. You will also read about how our organisation is barely recognisable from that of �ve years ago, pre-Covid. Despite the very challenging funding environment that we face, I have no doubt that The Lowdown will be similarly unrecognisable in �ve years’ time from the organisation we are today as we continue to respond to the needs of our young people. As ever, I would like to express our immense gratitude to all those without whom this good work would not be - possible our outstanding Lowdown team, volunteers, supporters, and donors, who continue to be very special individuals and organisations. Chair of Trustees ## **What a year for The Lowdown... a rollercoaster is an understatement!** In 2016, The Lowdown and our landlord Beckett’s and Sargeant’s started discussing plans to use the waste land at the side of our - Kingswell Street building to extend it. Originally, the plans were for a single storey side extension, but due to the increase in demand for our services and expansion of them, it ended up as a two-storey wrap-around side extension. **The members of our Youth Advisory Board provided a long list of things they would like to see changed in the building, and we are pleased to say that we completed 90%, with the remaining 10% forming part of our future plans.** It is incredible what has been �tted into a relatively small extension – an additional �ve consultation rooms, an upstairs toilet, and a dedicated entrance and waiting area for young people using our services. There were three celebration events to mark this occasion (we never do things by halves). It is wonderful to see the building back in use and that the design works so well. Of course, there were challenges along the way with a drain being where the footings were planned to be, so the building had to be slightly adapted to build around it, adding another quirk to it. But as always, we adapt. It really shows that patience and perseverance pay off. We �nally took possession of the building in January 2025, and The Lowdown team moved back in. We are now all back together as a team, and nearly all services are under one roof as per the YIACS model (right), which drives our strategy. Of course, none of this would happen without the brilliant Lowdown team (staff, volunteers, trustees, and counselling student placements) who - continue to deliver high quality services for Northamptonshire’s young people. In terms of service delivery, we have not “missed a beat.” All our existing services (Counselling, RE:Start, LGBTQ+ groups, Café, and youth groups) continued to run, and we even expanded our counselling services in November 2024 to support 8 to 10 year olds as part of the wider Happy Heads project led by Service Six. We can’t thank them enough for their amazing work and their patience during a period of signi�cant change. A huge thank you also goes to our supporters, donors, funders, and Reach partners who make all this possible. - In March 2025, we launched a new Information and Guidance Drop in, a RE:Start Youth Engagement Role, and reduced our age range for our - Mental Health drop in to 8 years. Yet another record-breaking year for The Lowdown with 19,418 support contacts provided for young people and their families, a 10% increase on the previous �nancial year. Fifteen percent of our service users have utilised more than one of our wraparound services, a number that has already increased since we moved back into our Kingswell Street building. In total, we supported 2,304 young people and their families. Young people will always be at the heart of everything we do, and we will continue to strive to embed and improve our services to give them the vital support they need. CEO **services for 8 to 25 year olds.** No young person will ever experience challenges alone. empowering them to thrive Inclusive, Empowering, Nurturing, Responsive and Collaborative. emotional wellbeing and resilience. the lowdov supporling young p•opie Our Impact2024125 2,304 young people were supported. Through all The Lowdown services we provided 19,418 support contacts for young people and their families. An increase of IO% on the previous year. Maln issues anxiety low mood familylrelationship problems education and training sleep problems loneliness suicidal feelings self harm self-esteem stress What do our service users say. 99% 99% "l *x)uld recommend The L£￿￿￿10wn. We're very ILKky to have this service and s¢ynthYhere to support young peoplg." - service user 96% vwld recommend ¢)ur servk• to others. felt they had a posftlv,. ouitome usln8 our **Jamie began attending Lowdown services through the Out There group, participating weekly from March 2024. They formed a solid friendship group as they felt they had found ‘their people’ and engaged in various activities, including Pride events. Some members of this new group were also attending the youth group on Thursdays and invited Jamie to join them.** Since June 2024, they have consistently attended the Thursday youth group, which helped them to expand their social circle and build relationships with the Free to Talk youth workers and the Mental Health Support Worker from The Lowdown. During one session, Jamie requested a one-on-one meeting with the Mental Health Support Worker and was referred to counselling, starting sessions in August 2024, after an assessment. Towards the end of the counselling sessions, some practical needs and additional support was identi�ed. Consequently, Jamie's counsellor assisted them in making a referral to the RE:Start service. Following an assessment at RE:Start, it was determined that although their mental health needs were not fully suited to the RE:Start Service, there were practical needs to be addressed. Thus, Jamie was introduced to the Information and Guidance (I&G) Drop-in workers. - The I&G Drop in workers conducted research, advocated for Jamie independently, and provided one-on-one sessions to address their practical needs. Jamie continues to attend the Thursday youth group, the Out There group, and seeks support from the I&G drop-in service as needed. Despite ongoing challenges, Jamie utilises appropriate support when necessary and has expanded their support network through positive relationships with both peers and trusted professionals at The Lowdown. **- experiencing suicidal thoughts and repeated self harm, including cutting and stockpiling tablets. Her emotional distress had escalated after eight months of bullying, leaving her feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and unsafe.** Early sessions revealed deeper struggles, including unresolved grief, anxiety about change, and dif�culty regulating her emotions. She worried about her younger brother starting secondary school and reflected on the impact of her mum’s hospitalisation when she was seven. Although school offered some support, it was also where the bullying occurred. At home, she often felt restricted in expressing herself. Safeguarding concerns were raised at the outset and monitored throughout. Focus was on building trust and creating a predictable, safe - space. Her goals included reducing self harm and feeling more in control of her emotions. She engaged well with creative tools, which supported emotional expression and helped her self-soothe. We used metaphors like “rollercoaster weeks” to help her talk about overwhelming feelings. A self-harm care pack was introduced, and we worked together to identify triggers and healthier responses. As the weeks progressed, she began to explore her identity, showing pride in small acts of self-expression like dyeing her hair and caring for her pet rats. She had a clearer understanding of her emotional triggers and was using her coping strategies independently. Her school engagement improved, and she felt more able to support her peers too. This young person’s journey shows how early, creative, and consistent support can make a real difference, helping young people move from crisis towards con�dence and emotional resilience. **Bailey had a history of mental health inpatient care and diagnosis of Bi-Polar Disorder, anxiety and Complex Post Traumatic Stress - Disorder. When they self referred into RE:Start they were living in a challenging environment, not working and struggling with issues around alcohol. They had a very limited support network.** At point of referral, Bailey was motivated for change but very stuck in their housing situation making them feel unsettled and at times unsafe. They were already engaging with the Community Mental Health Team for mental health support and aspired to learn to drive and start volunteering but found their living situation holding them back. Bailey was allocated a RE:Start support worker who went to their location as travel to Northampton was a barrier to accessing the support. The support worker offered a listening ear to help manage the overwhelm around the process of �nding alternative accommodation, accessing mental health support and achieving future goals. Practical help was given with the housing process and the support worker liaised with the professionals providing mental health interventions to assist with evidence to support the claim. Bailey started to learn to drive, accessed further interventions from the NHS adult mental health team and support around alcohol use. After much persistence they moved into a flat of their own with their RE:Start worker on hand to assist with the set up of bills and organising the move. The trajectory of Bailey’s life had changed, and they were doing well but - this brought fear around self sabotage and loss of what they had managed to achieve. Their RE:Start worker completed a referral into Lowdown counselling to work through these fears and support them to stick with their goals and positive changes. Bailey is now closed to the community mental health team and doing well. They are happy in their new home and have become a peer mentor supporting others with their mental health challenges. Their RE:Start worker continues to support them with life’s ups and downs as they build con�dence in their abilities and continue to focus on their recovery. Accessibility Statistics of our Service Users Ethnlclty Gender l•Vl*te. trish. 1271 Asian u Askn Birtish OIXK 81•L* Caithe•ft ¢rAlrk P￿1¢1 Noi 10 Soy P•rwt•9v (%) 18% are not white British. Irish or other. Age Range 149 213 30% stale they have a disabllity. 21YJ 126 91 81 74 io 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 zi 22 23 24 2S 26 **The Lowdown is a Mental Health Charity, providing - free and confidential support services for 8 25 year olds in Northamptonshire. Our services include Counselling, Information, Advice & Advocacy, Wellbeing, LGBTQ+, Youth Groups and Sexual Health.** Our services are developed based on the proven YIACS (Youth Information Advice and Counselling) model developed by Youth Access (youthaccess.org.uk) to provide a holistic approach to supporting young people. Part of this is ensuring that young people’s voices are heard, and we are developing our services **with** young people to meet **their** needs. Our services are easy to access, as young - - people can either drop in, self referred by professionals such as CAMHS, schools or their GP. We actively promote all our services in the local community so that young people and their families are aware of what we have to offer and how to access them. Robust safeguarding procedures are implemented and regularly reviewed to ensure that any disclosures are dealt with appropriately. The Lowdown offers unique and rewarding volunteering and personal development opportunities for young people and members of the public. We also partner with Higher Education providers, including The University of Northampton, Tresham College, Chrysalis etc. to offer placements and internships for students. Further details of our services are shown right, and **continue on the next page:** Our Out There LGBTQ+ groups offer a safe and con�dential space for young people to socialise, meet like-minded people, discuss issues and take part in activities. The Out There Youth Group is for - school years 7 13, and the Out There - Plus Group is for 18 25 year olds. For parents and carers of young people in the LGBTQ+ community we offer a Facebook group that is accessed by searching for ‘Out There Group Parent and Carers Support Network Northamptonshire’. - Supporting 8 25 year olds to manage and improve their mental health. Counselling can facilitate, support and empower young people to make positive changes in a safe, friendly and non-judgemental environment. - Counselling support is person centred, with aspects of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and solution focused therapy. We offer on average between six and twelve sessions, either face-to-face or remotely via telephone or videocall, on a wide range of issues that young people present with. Our **Mental Health and Wellbeing Drop-In** is for 8 to 25 year olds who need support, we are here to listen. Professional mental health workers offer - a safe space to talk, be listened to with one to-one support, wellbeing activities and peer support. Parents and carers of young people are welcome too. - There are 9 Drop Ins open 6 days of the week across Northamptonshire. We have established a **Youth Advisory Board** (YAB) for 11 to 25 year olds to volunteer their time, share views on our services, building, accessibility, website, social media etc. This helps ensure we are providing what young people need and want while offering those involved the opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people and make a difference in their community. ## **Mindspace** Our weekly Mindspace group for 11 to 18 year olds provides a safe space to explore emotional and personal wellbeing with activities such as relaxation, mindfulness, self-care and creativity. Our **Information and Guidance Drop-In** for 8 to 25 year olds provides in the moment support with practical issues. Our 4 weekly youth groups for 11 to 18 year olds are a place for young people to have fun and just be themselves. It’s an inclusive and safe space, a chance to meet new people and participate in fun activities; designed collaboratively with the young people that attend. ## **Young Adult Social Group** This free weekly group for 18 to 25 year olds is a space to meet new people and connect with others through fun activities. Our support workers are on hand if needed. We offer a listening ear and validation for anything that a young person may be experiencing. The **RE:Start** Service is for 16 to 25 year olds and provides practical and emotional wellbeing support for young people transitioning from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) to AMS (Adult Mental Health Services). Our **Sexual Health Service** provides information and support on all aspects of sexual health and relationships including free condoms, pregnancy testing and chlamydia and gonorrhoea screening for 14 to 25 year olds. This year, we updated our marketing materials based on feedback to provide a single flyer highlighting all our services for young people. To ensure it appeals to our audience, our **Youth** - **Advisory Board** designed the eye catching poster (shown left), which we now use for both flyers and presentations. We appreciate everyone’s involvement - this is a - strong example of co production and youth voices shaping our work. OURSERVICE STATISTICS lowdov.. - number ofyoung people supported ••b•l)•111•g y•¥fv• p•••l• ace 50 Counsellin 11-18 year olds: 1,566 19-25 your olds: 352 "l Tealty enjuy coming to Mir)dspace because it makes rne hapw. l lo￿ doing loads of diffefeni Crafts and I loNed LGBTQ. GroLPS 137 'The group giv. rno a place where I feel I can be rn￿￿. where I can tell the staff genuinety care and CO￿StentlY go atXN8 and beyr)rKI what 15 necessary. "I had a really good experience, my counsellor helped me a lot. It gave me someone to talk to when I had no one." place,." outh Gro RE-Sl¢X 221 "I like youth gioup. because its Iwlpeol rTW yrw rny LorifideriLe dild helped me become more gXialise4J." hey offered In￿lUable support during my transltlon into adulihcvj. Thelr mentorship and ,.prartical gUKlance given me the cOnf￿￿nCe arKS skills I ne•d to navigate life's challenges.. l>ed lots Cf skills Drop kn F( tkop kn Sex￿4 Hed f lieods. 199 19 young people supported In our first monih of 90 individual contacts with young people. he workers were r@ally understanding of our situation. They were also aware of conf Identiality and were %E>ry kind." Our Post-Pandemic Journey What has The Lowdown achieved in the 5 years since the Covid19 pandemic began to address the mental health crisis among young people? 2019r21YIO 2020 2020 j•Th￿ry 2021 saPt￿￿￿ 2021 J•nLWy 2022 f￿r 3 •Mlstlng i•ry*•• Wdbelng Cafè (now w•r• c￿￿•11￿￿ Oul K4en131 Ne&lh aThl Thw• Gr(￿9$ S•xud Ototrln) FK• ￿ Fx• ¢OIJIIS+llty M Zoom clyKrn￿ &JPF¥yI After &¥ciO• •nd l•l•oP INS4SS) s*r¥tsJ c¢4ItMwts t(bJay and liyo¥es •xeswbilty. Cv•MI cwnselliry •nd Clthl Ow Oui ¢yoi & Ado*c*rt N4•nt41 efyKrnct 7￿1 conta￿$ wrth 4304 counselliTrJ SeWOTrS Pfovided IkThg Coyxl or cateo * The B S•pi•nkn 2023 kn• 2023 Youth Grou Youry *thli S¢¢i•l & Y(Abth A(MK)ry Th• Lowdovm D•v•niiy ¢Jrt Th•r• .knt S•r¥ic• Cap&ity and DeM￿d Lo¢wvJ• al 8thng ai Ih• hmdiry io MMI KI arwj of Dgppw. OWn•r￿ l¢x wr mrthbqd int¢ Sl Gles Strert 202412025 W• now provid• 10 ••r¥lc Oetobet 2023 Jwwary 2024 •11 2024 S•piwnber 2024 J•nuary 2025 •Aveh 202S Our counseiliry serrte (krt Thef* LGBTQ* Enwemert le￿ Wemtsery cafe mrfftd to 0￿p& 1wn¢h￿ at tr arted. Th• Inr*)¥•1￿ C•fttf• whbl• MknKI ow •¥i•nSlW relultsshmeftt al KI¥J￿1 Sb Happi lier*J3 All (e*r CounJ*i*wJ fcrt mo*d bac* Inl¢ Informww 0Th1 Dr¢>p In 19.418 contacts WlTh young op￿. a 26A Incr••s• from 2019r2tr20. a PEStsrt Y EngwJ￿+rt rokn 11135 counselling se:: Pro￿d*d • 280% hvxe••e Irom 201912020. IoiNdov: , This clearly demonstrates the remarkable efforts The Lowdown has made to support young p•opl•. Thank you to ev•ryon• that h•lp•d mak• thls happ•n. supportln9 yoyn9 p•opI• 14 fr**¢ 11 Iivl Social Media Highlights IE **The recently expanded Lowdown building provides:** - a mobility lift - ensures inclusive and easy access for all young people visiting the building. - 5 new consultation rooms - improve access for anyone with physical disabilities, including widened corridors and doorways. - newly refurbished, easily - - accessible, inclusive, gender neutral toilets, including facilities for those with disabilities and ambulatory users. - a more welcoming and less - clinical space, with ample room for wheelchair users. - enhancements - designed to support individuals with additional needs and reduce anxiety. **The Happy Heads service, offering - counselling to children aged 8 10 years, successfully launched in September 2024.** Recognising the unique needs of this younger age group, we adapted the service model following feedback later in the year, which indicated that most children felt more comfortable receiving support within their school environment rather than attending sessions at The Lowdown. To make the service more accessible, we recruited 2 dedicated Outreach Workers, Georgina and Andy, who joined the team in Spring 2025. Their roles focus on delivering counselling directly within school settings, helping to remove barriers to engagement and ensuring children feel safe and supported. This outreach model will allow us to strengthen relationships with schools, meet young people in spaces familiar to them, and provide early intervention to prevent issues from escalating. We are excited to continue developing Happy Heads as a vital part of our expanding mental health services for children and young people. **The RE:Start team has expanded again this financial year, and we welcome Bekah to the team as our RE:Start Youth Engagement Worker.** This role has been developed to tackle the health inequalities of those living in the more rural areas of West Northamptonshire, support our service users struggling with social isolation - to access more group and drop in support, and ensure a variety of activities to boost wellbeing. She has also launched a Youth Involvement Group (YIG) speci�cally for RE:Start clients to inform us on how to develop the service to meet their needs. Their �rst project is to organise a wellbeing event for RE:Start clients, planned for May this year. **In the latter half of 2024, we have continued our work towards fulfilling the YIACS model, particularly around open access and supported signposting and referrals.** latest service development launched, offering an Information and Guidance drop-in for 8 to 25 year olds and their parents through the front door or via phone, WhatsApp, or email. This is an 8-month trial, but already we are seeing there was a need for such a service, as well as alleviating the pressure on the counselling service to ful�l practical, as well as emotional needs within sessions. This service is supporting our goal of ensuring we are visible and accessible within the local community and that support is available without the need to meet an entry threshold. It is a great entry point to The Lowdown to ensure all young people are aware of all the wonderful services on offer to them, so they ‘know us before they need us.’ LGBTQ *ALb li AtTnual Ort 2D2 Youth Groups (. Wil The LowdowrrTrusiees' Annual Retwt 2024.20 LM_ YoungAdultSocial ## **You said, we did:** Over the 2024/2025 year, the YAB (Youth Advisory Board) consulted on major decisions regarding the new building extension and refurbishment. We felt it was crucial that their voices were heard in order to - create a space that was youth inspired and comfortable for all. **The YAB gave their opinions on features such as lighting, wall colours, flooring, textures, décor, and the ambience of the building.** With their input, we were able to choose lighting that could be dimmed depending on preference, select wall colours that they felt represented The Lowdown and were not clinical, display artwork created by our service users to welcome people into the building, and most importantly, design a space where young people can feel safe. From January to July 2024, the YAB worked hard on creating, planning, and hosting a wellbeing event at Delapré Abbey. members of the public, offering advice and support for **ALL AGES** . They worked tirelessly to contact local organisations to participate in the day, gathered raffle prizes & donations, and liaised with businesses willing to contribute and support the event. One member also dedicated their time to designing a wellbeing journal, which many young people have since received to support their daily wellbeing. **The event was a huge success in raising awareness for wellbeing, supporting local organisations, fundraising, and developing vital life skills.** A big thank you to all organisations that supported the Youth Advisory Board with this event and to our young people for their continued dedication and commitment to the YAB. Mindspace ki, Community & Engagement Lowdown Trustees, Annu Report 024-2025 23, **Each year, we extend our sincere gratitude to all who support The Lowdown as their chosen charity. We are fortunate to have both new and returning donors contributing significantly to assist young people on their journey towards positive mental health, emotional health, and wellbeing. Your continued support is deeply appreciated.** We are honoured to have been selected by two Golf Clubs as their Charity of the Year for 2024. Northampton Golf Club organised numerous events, including a charity dinner and a Juniors Golf Day, raising an impressive total of £7,317.38. Rushden Golf Club held a charity day in our honour and various events throughout the year, collecting £2,550.84. Crick Software also chose us as their bene�ciary, hosting Bake Sales, a duvet day raffle, and a Euros Sweepstake, showcasing their commitment to our cause. We thank you all; your support not only funds our services but also raises awareness about them. Additionally, we continued to receive ongoing support from Lani Tebbut and the ‘Breaking Silence’ car meets, which promote mental health through automotive events, raising £1,909.66 to date, with donations continuing to grow. Members of The Lowdown team also actively participated in fundraising activities. Alongside Bing from Matchbox Café and Joleen Dotan, Kirsty, one of our Counsellors, and Oskar, a Youth Advisory Board member, 'Leapt for The Lowdown' by skydiving, raising a combined total of £2,865. Another signi�cant event was The Amazing Northampton Run, where Charlene (Access and Engagement Lead) - and Lisa Soper completed the 13.6 mile race, generating additional funds. ## **“I’m so immensely proud to be able to raise money and make this donation to a fantastic cause.”** Hays Travel hosted a prize draw, raising £6,17.20 and Weston Favell Shopping Centre contributed £1,974 as part of their 50th Anniversary celebrations. Roxanne Hair Boutique organised a Wellbeing Show featuring catwalks, stalls, and a raffle, raising £685.60. We also received £2,000 from John Lewis, thanks to a nomination by a previous volunteer. We gratefully acknowledge the return of fundraisers and donations from Northampton School for Boys Charity Week, Northampton Rotary Groups for the Santa Run in December, GXO in Wellingborough raising £2,752 during their Pride Month Celebrations, and the continuation of funding from Michael Jones Jewellers supporting Youth Activities for the third year. Your unwavering support is invaluable, and we are honoured to be consistently chosen. We received 'Much Loved' donations and memorial contributions too. We are deeply honoured to be remembered and chosen as recipients in memory of loved ones. We also extend our thanks to those who donate monthly, purchase tickets for the Northampton Lottery, and support us at various events, fundraisers, and promotions. **We express our heartfelt appreciation to every donor, fundraiser, funder, and supporter. Your generosity is truly remarkable.** Howtosupportus the Your support and donations are vital so we can continue to provide free services for young people. Our work helps us to increase young people's resilience and empower them to thrive and cope with challenges in their life. lowdov •¥p••rtIAg youfig p••pI• There are lots of ways you support Set up a monthly donation Make a one off donation Organise a fundraising event or activity Donate via JustGiving, easyfundraising or play the Northampton Lottery DONATE •• a easyfundralslng le419)ods*iNg JustGiving- SCAN Or scan this QR code to instantly >> DONATE The Lowdow4n Trustees, Annual RetK>rt 2024-2025 25 ## **Everyone who has worked or volunteered for The Lowdown between 1st April 2024 and 31st March 2025.** The Lowdown would not be what it is without our amazing team who are very flexible and constantly help us to adapt to ful�l every opportunity we get to support young people. Cami Martin, Eden Davies **CEO:** Sharon Womersley **Deputy CEO:** Laura Simms **Of�ce Manager:** Lisa Braithwaite **Fundraising and Marketing Manager:** Ellie White **Counselling and Wellbeing Services Clinical Manager:** Rachel Welsh Colette Rose, Kelly Lane, Kirsty Roberts, Kristyana Jimdar, Maxine Eborall, Meghan Wright **Support Services Manager:** Helen Heng **Shift Managers:** Becky Hyland, Ryan Parkinson, Meghan Wright Emma Watson, Demi Turland, Lisa Greenough, Niamh Roe, Richard Wootton Georgina Bridgewater, Jessica Hudson, Katie Redding, Krissy Jimdar, Geraldine Hardcastle, Matt Price, Caroline Parnell **Administrators:** Maxine Eborall, Alison Inglese, Victoria O’Shea Toni Allard, Geraldine Ward, Helen Shouler, Hitomi Palmer, Katie Redding, Laura Kaye, Rachael Moss, Roliste Jerman, Stephanie Clayson, Emma Rose, Adrian Shaw, Jennifer Gee, Natalie Morrison, Becca Ibbs, Colette Rose, Leanne Allsop **Participation and Wellbeing Coordinator:** Rebecca Kings Nyamariwata, Carol Jeyes, Steph Gardner **Youth Services Coordinator:** Kelly Emmanuel **Out There Youth Leaders:** Julie Holt, Cami Martin, Sophie Turner, William Beckett, Emma Ottaway, Aimee Harrison, Maxine Eborall Rebecca Kings, Maxine Eborall, Meghan Wright **RE:Start Support Workers:** Carol Jeyes, Julie Holt, Lauryn - Agyeman Kyeremeh, Steph Gardner, Rebecca Townson Anna Tutt, Caroline Parnell, Daniel Kwakye, Da-Sheena Fulford, Nyasha Nyamariwata, Georgina Bridgewater, James Young, Kanan Robinson, Kelly Alice Durbala, Amy Ebanks, Ben Olson, Bushra Ahmed, Bridgewater, James Young, Kanan Robinson, Kelly - Demi Turland, Ebony Mae Palliser, Emma Watson, Erin Lane, Kirsty Bees, Kirsty Roberts, Krissy Jimdar, Caspall, Ibtisam Mussa, Jennah West, Kenzo Parker Klea Matthew Price, Meghan Wright, Becky Hyland, - Tzatzo, Lisa Mayabi, Maria Marin, Matthew Hall, Nicole Rebecca Wheeler, Rose Marie Golaub, Ryan Ashcroft-Connolly, Oliver Munnelly, Olivia Makobu, Otto Parkinson, Toniiae Smith, Adrian Shaw, Jennifer Gee, Morrison, Oskar White, Ruby Cook, Shafee Jolil, Shane Emma Rose, Toni Allard, Natalie Morrison, Becca Ibbs, Gillett, Sophie Cassin, Thomas Gill, Sandie Nkomo Helen Shouler, Colette Rose, Roliste Jerman, Leanne Alsop, Laura Kaye **RE:Start Youth Engagement Worker:** Emma Erickson, Rebekah Troop **Access and Engagement Lead:** Charlene Ward-Greef **Project Manager:** Kathryn White Stephen Edmonds (Chair), Andrea Martin (Vice Chair), Jonathan Smith (Treasurer), Brendan Dunphy, Georgina Bayliss, Dr Mike Scanlan, Dr Deborah Patton, Andre Gore, Damon Boughen, Will White Daniel Kwakye, Matthew Price, Kelly Lane, Alison Souster, Clare Marshall and Rebecca Vivash, Charlotte Tomaselli-Halford, Catherine Bruce, Kate Williams Callum Crawford-McKellar, Camilla Cobb, Charlotte - White, Charlotte Ward, Dawn Willis Lovelock, Julie Elliott, Lucy Ananda, Niamh Roe, Sheelagh Chetwode, Teresa Marshall, Victoria O'Shea, Emma Rose, Helen Shouler, Colette Rose, Adrian Shaw, Roliste Jerman Jan Jourard, Georgia Mullen Jan Jourard, Dr John Toby **We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported The Lowdown during this year.** our vital services to young people. We feel very honoured to be recognised by so many in our community. - . · **Abbey�eld School** - **Northampton School for Boys** - Northampton School for Girls - Ashby Computers - **Northampton Town Council** - **BBC Radio Northampton** - Northamptonshire Community Foundation - Beckett’s and Sargeant’s Educational Foundation - **Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board** - **Breathe HR** - Crick Software - Our Reach Collaborative Partners : Youth Works, Service Six, Time2Talk and CHAT - **Department for Culture Media and Sport** - **Preston Hedges Trust / Parklands Primary School** - Earl Spencer Primary School - **Faraway Children's Charity** - Public Health Northamptonshire - Free2Talk - **Rotary Club of Northampton Becket** - **Gateway HR** - Rotary Clubs of Northamptonshire - Guilsborough Academy - **Roxanne’s Hair Boutique** - **GXO Wellingborough** - Royal and Derngate - Harpole Women’s Institute - **Rushden Golf Club** - **Hays Travel** - Social Investment Business - Hays Travel - Weston Favell - **St Andrews Healthcare** - **Jane Dollar** - St James's Place Foundation - John Lewis - **Sure�re Creative and Santander** - **Mental Health Collaborative Northamptonshire** - The Bridge - Michael Jones Jewellers - **The Talent Fund** - **Milton Malsor Women’s Institute** - The University of Northampton - National Lottery - **TJ Marketing** - **National Youth Agency** - Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire - NHFT - **Waitrose** - **Nlive Radio** - West Northants Council - Northampton Chronicle and Echo - **Weston Favell Shopping Centre** - **Northampton Golf Club** - Young Northants - Northampton Lottery - **Youth Investment Fund** The Trustees have taken due regard of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public bene�t. The Lowdown is a Mental Health charity, providing free and con�dential support services for 8-25 year olds and their families in Northamptonshire. We provide a caring environment where young people are always supported in - their journey towards positive emotional health and wellbeing regardless of their socio economic circumstances, ethnicity, gender, religion, ability, sexuality, or perceived disadvantage. We aim to help children and young people feel valued and supported so that they can live safe, happy, and healthy lives, be part of and enjoy family and community life, and achieve their full potential. The services we provide, along with our varied outreach services, not only bene�t young people directly but also the wider community. The Lowdown provides student placements for counselling and other trainees in order to develop the workforce of the future to support the escalation in demand for mental health services for children and young people. Our anonymous service user questionnaires, regular internal reviews, and feedback from the organisations that use The Lowdown enable us to keep abreast of any gaps in youth service provision, and we continually develop our services in order to �ll them. Young people are involved when introducing new services to ensure that they meet their needs. The Lowdown is a charity governed by its constitution. The trustees are responsible for the strategic direction of The Lowdown, meeting quarterly or more frequently to review the performance of the organisation. We have a Services Committee, chaired by a mental health practitioner, to review the delivery of The Lowdown’s services, and a Finance and Operations Committee, chaired by our Treasurer, to review our �nancial and operational performance. These committees then independently feed back to the Board of Trustees if there are any concerns. The CEO is responsible for the day-to-day management of the organisation and is in regular contact with the Chair of Trustees /Trustees to report progress. The Lowdown became a CIO on 1st April 2022 due to the growth of the organisation. opportunities in the advertisement, selection, recruitment, and training of its trustees, and within all aspects of its service delivery. Applicants are interviewed by the trustees and CEO, who then reach a decision as to the suitability of the candidate. Successful candidates are inducted and appointed subject to a satisfactory DBS check and ful�lment of a three month probationary period. At the next annual general meeting, they are of�cially elected, and trustees are subject to re-election at our AGM as per our constitution. In accordance with good practice, governance is regularly reviewed. lo￿vd0￿ . •upporling younq p••pI• IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• 1 * 2 io 11 k) Xi IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• •fv¥*abl• kn th• UK wwj {FIIS 102) (kn I 20101 11gnn P4N1 1PP A IA•rtln D P•ib)n n N 4PF4uble l•w and UrnE•d AccoLmUrvJ Stsndard5 Iunrted Kirbgdoffl Generauy knepted Pu(wnbng Praclul In *¥inKn Ih? finwbc41 sI•terrn￿S. - gtye a true and l•ir ol Ihe of th• ch*ty'* affart a• at 31 Marth 2025 and ol rts Ineorni rexxl￿ and applicgtwJn ol rewc•5. kn the year Ihen •nd•tt. . bo•n propoty prepar•d In accordanco whth unrt￿ ￿ngdoM G￿•rIlty kn•pl•d I£¢0￿1￿￿a Pr¥tyc•' . hvi• b•M pr•pw•d th accordvrt• V•th trk• MqWfAWih ol th• charli￿ ki 2011. BMIS lor oplnlan conducted ow aULIII kn •cO￿an¢t wth Irb*m8*on4 Slwdard• on A￿d￿n9 IUKI II&A• ILIK)l •hd *P￿￿bI& Lthv. Chjr rrfpJniibilili•i undér Ihos• SL*ndards ar• lurth¢¢ In thé Audrtorn. reBpQn%bIrt￿ lor Ihe awjil ol the fmanual staten*nts seclH￿ of 4Jur rewNI We w• Independent ol th• cl￿rity In &t¢rd¥rte wth Ihe étht•l r•quiren*nts thai are rel•vani kn our ￿011 ol lh• fi￿￿￿14 SL*i6m•nii in the UK. I￿lu¢jI￿ the FRC'S Eth￿1 SIBndard. ond we have fvNbod our olhw elhul respOn￿￿￿t*S In COrd￿Co with these roquirerMN• l•V• b•￿ ilw lh• au¢*1 I¥￿0n¢• w• haw otthmd PPTopnaie lo provKl• o basty lor ￿r oplnh)n Conclu•lon• rnlltkng to golng ¢on¢•rn In audibng the financial slaién￿D1l we ha￿ cN*cl￿ge0 thai t1￿ tr￿t￿. u•• ol th• 9* eonc•m Bawj on the w• hw• p•rfcYrn*d. we hav• ￿1 Idontrf*d ary m•l•n•l uncertamtres r•l•bng to •¥•nts ¢x CCKKlI1￿ffts Ihai. 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In connKkn wth (￿r 8LKl* ol the finarKxg1 $talon￿ts. ￿ r••pMgbdity Is Io foad tho otr*r lnfomwt￿n and, In doirwJ •0, con3Kl•r *t*•thw lh• othw Infomwlon Is m*•n••y IrbC¢)n$l$t•nl wilh th• Im•nc4Jl stsiements (* (wr kntrwle* tyJ•n11f￿ th• gr••t•ii rlik ol mat•f41 Imp•a on th• flA•rt￿l from lréguladth. lrtludir•g Irwd. lo be the oveJrKle ol by mana9en*nt armj the uThJefs18lement of re¥enw. Our a￿jrt edur•i lo rowr•d ￿ Ihas• fiskj IrKlud•J énquir1￿ ol M￿*0•n￿l 8￿J1 Ihthi own wJ•niific8t#)n and 8sMs•vMnl ol Ih• r*ks ot Irr•9uWrt￿$. Sanwle i•stthg on the ol Nm*, r•¥ithving meellrwj ￿￿[rte*. r•guL8tory corr￿￿￿•r￿• prol•s8#)n* t•fr*. 0￿•11￿j Substsntsve t•￿Th9 ¢)n th• c¢ryleteness of Incm. and revwnng eslm•le5 for ￿4￿•￿, Wt 11￿ revthv any regulatyy c¢xreswndenc• ¢>A•ir4J kn th• lth•rnni hmital￿n3 ol ￿ audll. thw• ty an un￿￿8010 Mk thal rmy Ml h•¥• *J•t•cl•d m¥terwl mBytst•frnnts In finantsal Stalemefflts, even Ihwh we woperty planne(l ¥r¥d pèrfmd ¢)ui In acc0fd•￿ wrth asAiling SI￿alr￿S. W• ar• nol f•8ponsit4è pr•v•nlir arNI cwnol be e¥wcled to d•leoX non<(xnplim W•lth a•1•rt5 8ThJ Tewl•lm. Thw• inh•fonl hmrtalKm W• Porttthfy in th• ol ftMsst•knnt resU￿ry friffi IrnLKI 83 thi• my Invol¥• ￿ph￿tea schemes ¢Jewrthl to ￿1￿ 0•t￿l￿. IrKludlw lalhJr• to f•C4xd twsact￿l, thtr pro¥isM)n ol ￿tent￿ThI misrewesen1ats￿1. A furllw de1cnp￿Tr of ￿r for Ihe audrt ¢1 the fin•nc481 St•ts￿￿￿1S is located on Ihe R•portiThJ Counofs Yfv*b•ll• W ww* frc org uklaudrtOfSf•wsibililJ•$ Tho d•scryllM Irmro p•rt of our Rep￿ ol th• Ir#Jep•ndwl Audil¢rn. Pa9• 4 REPORT OF THe NDepENOENT AUDITORS TO THe TRUSTEES OF THE LOWDOINN Ioimdov.: •iIPP•llin• p••pI• U8• ol our r•port Ths report ty m>Je solely lo the charity's Iwstees. as a b*, in acwdarKe *•nth Part 4 of the Chartss IAccouTrts and Rep￿￿) Regula￿Tr5 2tK18. Our 4udrt wn)r* has bwn undertakon so Ihat we whl stale lo lh• chonty's EnJslees those mattOfS we are requ*ed 10 State to Ihern aLKJROlS' and lor no other purpc$80. To the lulltr]18xlenl pern•lle¢J ty lth¥. wrn 4Jo r￿1 acupt r8sFK)n94bdity lo 8ny¢)no olhef Ihan the and the charity's Iruslees as a body. lor our audrt wryk. for Ifvs rewrt, N for opmK)ns w4 ¢>bb• (Aydltl Lrnrted, Sl•tytsry ALwJrt(Y Eligib￿ to act ts an •L#Ith In Itrn of Stct*n 1212 01 I￿ Compknl8t ki 2f Eagle Ho¢J 28 8IIYtg Road Northaryton Northarry)tO￿hft NNI D•t•. 10 S•pi•ml)•r 2025 Pay5 IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• 2fQ4 07,046 8n,3ai 7•1m JJ5.471 ga170 249,a20 1.171,￿ 1.CM374 7216 Yq 1013 761 iVJX72 277370 111181111 ￿Ll? I￿,406 e46.78I 750,225 3•I,24• 511931 524,843 I￿41.574 8432 1170412 1rn791 1011 f14 IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• 2024 nd• 11 747M I,1￿.4￿ 1x6308 12 127,381 835411 127.JS1 40 924 876 335 0.201 7a0 N1 Im ￿.•24 IIA3.IJW 141220 13 1411163) (418.153) (257.16)) 821,307 1.170.412 1,rn,799 1,041,074 1170412 e21,387 1170412 518,831 024 643 1791799 387 ￿1h• C(¥nrAnlw Pd 2ClJ 11x1 2LY25 2024 1,10QIM 989,•29 21.1100 513n 1171 qW> lo￿574 700 19.950 81.1fAI 607 067 752 S21 042.121 7rn7n Py13 IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• 42,129 TT1777 29,700 y￿th F¥nd 212.02• 10.(MXI 1KI.262 10.¢J 13250 149 1160 C46 9PB 112 cMl• (••• rd•ffj T(*•l• 3,740 15 IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• •w w#lwJ 31 IAwch 2024. 31 M•rth 2Q24. 51.781 13818 2CQ4 47 nd• 27JO4 MC47 3x471 4a 193,1162 1.CI6,374 7218 7216 T•Jtsl 7￿?21 lJg0 •12 IC4.1￿ 291,448 X241 412.131 2>).191 8Q.328 P•g•16 IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• nd• 618831 624 843 10415T4 1 ￿1 2fJ24 197.500 M7J• 1&311 783 881 31 %>26 901241 13311 1264￿7 AI 1 2024 CJwg• *Jr y•w 26.m 15000 12,7J2 T24 1J627 131 Mw¢* 2QS At 31 Id•rth 2025 •81241 246 016 12C• 268 31 2ro4 197 WJ 21KI 1D7,636 191126 172C 127 381 IKI 284 p4• 18 IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• 42.467 12.464 47.lieg 132.4CKI 288,562 03.839 Ikm 19 130 2$7 853 1.678) 91.878 93. Jrt D•lwrnd In tho Al 114124 311W25 018.Wl 101,450 a21,387 LG8TQ T2 fr.9￿) 190.647 818.238 919.784 Pty• 17 IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• knfw 1.01&708 ITC•.>YI) 101.456 LG8ro (46.7 (181• (7.9 (i.c •1B230 212.028 91I028) 40 320 379 74YJ 2 114R3 kn ftr41 31r￿4 101,•>J 516.•31 LGBTQ 10 214,6JO (7.9W 21yJ,S >X 548 JW 546 230 190 2•4 440 524 643 TOTAL VUK P•g•10 IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• IIPT.021 (7W21) 104.PA¥J LGBTQ P7,970) Fur¥J Owl (7.948) 1110 01 139• ￿1) 248 P4• 19 IoiNdov: •uPP•ft1ffl9 p•o•I• p•p 20 ## **This year’s �nancial statements may initially seem confusing without further explanation.** You will be aware that during this period we have been fortunate to have received capital - grant monies to fund the construction of a two storey extension to our Kingswell Street Building and to comply with accounting convention, these monies have been included in income in our Statement of Financial Activities. The accounts therefore show that total income amounted to £1.9m, a substantial increase on the previous year of £1.4m. A more representative picture of underlying performance can be seen by stripping out the Youth Investment Fund capital monies for both the current and previous �nancial year, which are one off in nature, and this shows that the income of the trust from charitable activities has increased by 18% from £1.1m to £1.3m Total funds have similarly been boosted by the capital grants and stand at £1.75m at 31st March with £1.12m of this being restricted and mostly relating to the expenditure on the building. Importantly, the amount of unrestricted funds has increased to £621k from £517k last year. Fixed assets have increased substantially because of the expenditure on the extension from £458k to £1,206k with assets under construction standing at £961k at the year end. - Cash balances remain well managed and the balance at 31st March of £876k (2024 £780k) includes some capital element. The Flagstone Cash Deposit account opened last year to better manage our treasury function, has resulted in a valuable amount of interest received of £24k. Staff salaries increased by 15% to £883k due to planned expansion of our services and, as ever, overheads are strictly monitored and controlled with the additional costs of operating from multiple sites now falling away. **This has been a very signi�cant year for The Lowdown, maintaining and expanding - our services whilst achieving our long held ambition of transforming our very special building and making it �t for the future.** Our team have been magni�cent in facing the many challenges which have at times seemed overwhelming. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the continuing generosity of our landlords, funders, donors, supporters and our amazing wider Lowdown family. Treasurer Howto getin touch with us: ackn Call us: 01604 634385 the lowdov Monday to Frlday. 9am. 5pm Saturday. 9am4pm supporting young people Email us: General Enquiries: "hampton.co.uk Fundraisin& Events and Business Partnership: elliewhiteL¢ i elowdownnorthampton.co.uk Wellbelng Servlces: wellbeli i" Jices@Ihelowdownnortharnpton.co.uk LGBTQ+ Support Enqulrles: 18biqsuppc i IIL,Il ielc,," lownnorthampton.co.uk RE:Start Enqulrles: aislin,:. e lygeciiiihe.'_ i'idownnorthampton.co.uk Youth Group5 Enqulrle5: youthgroups@thelowdownnorthampton.co.uk owdowr• How to find us: We are 2 mins from the Nonh Gale Bus If comfftg from Gold SueeL lurn ai the Travelo(Jge. no tne Blue Dcor arxj Ihe txjizer wl*n you airi The Lowdown. 3 Kingswell Street (off Gold Street). Northampton NN1 1 PP Follow us on Social Media For information on all our services or to make a referral. vlsit our website... It￿l0￿d0￿l989 thekyhxlownnnl in www.thelowdown.info The Lowdokn 30