Annual Report 2023 to 2024
Board of Trustees
Wendy Harrison – Chair
Andrew Beaumont – Trustee
Toni Jackson- Trustee
Introduction to Echoes Charity
Echoes Charity is a registered Mental Health Charity and our aim is to provide free mental health and wellbeing workshops and groups via Zoom, to those in the general community, throughout England and Wales.
Echoes Charity currently have two regular volunteer staff , three volunteer Trustees and occasional additional volunteers (including placement A level students). The two regular volunteer staff, Maria Robinson and Elissa Vale, have managed the set-up of the charity and are guided and supervised in monthly meetings by the trustees, Wendy Harrison, Andrew Beaumont and Toni Jackson.
We aim to educate, support, and provide information for people disadvantaged through circumstance, such as the cost-of-living crisis and Covid-19, which has affected the mental health of even the most resilient, or disability. Using only qualified and registered counsellors and psychotherapists we will offer a safe, nurturing and therapeutic environment, where people will not be judged and have their voice and opinions valued and heard. We want to provide a service that is more interactive and allows for individuals, parents and carers, who may have felt previously isolated and unheard, to discuss their needs with others who are, or have been, on the same journey. We will providing general mental health strategies and skills that we use in individual
and group therapy as professional therapists and which have proved very successful.
Trustee Hiring process
When taking on new Trustees, Maria Robinson and Elissa Vale will conduct the first interview. Elissa Vale will prepare a summary of each candidate with skill sets and references. All candidates will be required to read and adhere to all Echoes Charity policies including the ‘Register of Interest’ policy and will be required to submit a ‘Declaration of Interest’ form. Trustees will be invited to the final interviews and will then choose candidates they would like to go forward for a six month trial period. If the candidate is successful and has understood and agreed to the requirements of governance, they will be asked to join the charity.
Trustees are an invaluable asset to the managing and running of the charity and a variety of skills and talents are needed. Becoming a trustee is a rewarding role and can play a vital part in providing support to the community.
If you are interested in becoming a trustee with Echoes Charity, please email Maria or Elissa at enquiries@echoescharity.org.uk
Aims
Echoes charity is ready for launch via website. In order to get off the ground we need to cover the annual running costs which amount to roughly £10,300 (insurance, CRM, IT, Accountant etc.)
With extra funding we hope to employ staff to manage the charity, write courses, facilitate the workshops and groups, train other therapists and volunteers and do general administrative tasks amongst other things.
Once launched, Echoes Charity will be flexible and will be asking the community what their needs are, through surveys on their website, and will be writing and providing workshops that are appropriate to meet those needs, as they arise, in a relevant time frame (thus reducing pressures on other organisations and mental health services such as schools and RISE).
Initial workshops and groups have been chosen because of the need in our community. By networking in many local groups, organisations and businesses in the area we have identified that parents and carers of those with autism, those who suffered bereavement during Covid and Carers are three of the higher priority issues locally (and nationally.) For this reason, these are the three areas we will focus upon first.
Website
Our website (which is almost ready for a soft launch) has a HUB where there will be access to free mental health and disability information and resources (including helpful strategies and tools), direct links to other charities and services (local and national) so those who access our website will become aware of, and can access, support elsewhere and also a Creative Corner where service users can build a caring community by sharing
music/art/poetry/strategies that they have found poignant/useful.
The Hub will bring organisations together and add value to their services as they can also use our Hub to find suitable support for, and to signpost, their clients.
We hope to work with and alongside other services, charities and professionals, such as CRUSE (Bereavement) and Act for Autism/Autism UK/MIND/CCASS and will welcome their contributions and expertise.
Date
Funding/Donation
| Amount Received | Date | Outgoings | Cost | Running Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/04/2023 | Domain | £304.64 | £270.37 | ||
| 02/05/2023 | Gsuite | £4.14 | £266.23 | ||
| 02/06/2023 | Gsuite | £4.14 | £262.09 | ||
| 03/07/2023 | Gsuite | £4.14 | £257.95 | ||
| 02/08/2023 | Gsuite | £4.20 | £253.75 | ||
| 04/09/2023 | Gsuite | £4.60 | £249.15 | ||
| 02/10/2023 | Gsuite | £4.60 | £244.55 | ||
| 02/11/2023 | Gsuite | £4.60 | £239.95 | ||
| 15/12/2023 | Gsuite | £4.60 | £235.35 | ||
| 02/01/2024 | Gsuite | £4.60 | £230.75 | ||
| 02/02/2024 | Gsuite | £4.60 | £226.15 | ||
| 04/03/2024 | Gsuite | £4.60 | £221.55 | ||
| 02/04/2024 | Gsuite | £4.77 | £216.78 |
Total Amount Received £0.00
Total Costs Total Balance £358.23 £216.78