2025-03-31-accounts - Zephyr's

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Zephyr’s (Registered charity, number 1199772) Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

Page	Contents
2 - 7	Trustees’ annual report
8	Independent examiner’sreport
9	Receipts & payments account
10	Statement of assets & liabilities
11 - 12	Notes to the accounts

Zephyr’s Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31 March 2025

The trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, submit their annual report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Full name Zephyr’s

Organisation type Charitable incorporated organisation

Registered charity number 1199772

Principal address

Unit 42 Sneinton Market, Freckingham Street, Nottingham, NG1 1DQ

Trustees

Raymond Patrick Fisher, Chair Gemma Lewis Nicholas Lawford, Treasurer Shamara Sadler Elise Quirk, until 23/07/25 Beverley J Brooks MBE, until 12/03/25

Independent examiner

John O’Brien , employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL

Governance and management

The charity is operated under the rules of its constitution adopted 25/07/22.

Trustees are appointed through an open and inclusive recruitment process, led by our Chair. We advertise via social media, our website and existing networks (including Charterpath), presenting a detailed role description (making it clear the responsibilities and the commitments required, as well as particular skills, experience and knowledge that we are looking for). We are particularly looking for enthusiastic, innovative and reliable people, who can multitask and make a strong contribution to the Board through sharing and implementing their energy, knowledge, expertise and life experiences. Applicants are asked to apply in writing and are given the opportunity to meet with the Chair to discuss the role in more detail and, where appropriate, to attend a Board Meeting as an observer. Preferred candidates are identified and invited to join the Board, subject to references, formal vetting and approval by all Trustees. Unsuccessful candidates are notified and thanked for their interest.

In selecting individuals for appointment as Trustees of Zephyr's, the Trustees always have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

Zep hyr’s

The Trustees will make available to each new Trustee, on or before their first appointment:

a) a copy of the current version of Zephyr's CIO constitution; and b) a copy of the latest Zephyr's Annual Report and statement of accounts.

Objectives and activities

The Objects of Zephyr’s are:

For public benefit and to promote the emotional health and wellbeing of all those affected by, or suffering loss through pregnancy or the death of a baby or child, or those who are pregnant or parenting after loss.
1. To provide specialist support services for those living, working, or cared for –
within, Nottinghamshire and surrounding areas for baby and child loss; including by not exclusive to, peer support, face to face and online sessions, bereavement counselling, creative and holistic therapies and resources.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit

Zephyr's provides bereaved individuals and families in Nottinghamshire (and surrounding areas) with specialist support, as well as opportunities to find connection in each other, and a network of others who understand. Our bereavement counselling service offers 1-2-1 sessions or therapy for couples, while our creative and holistic activities, and peer groups allow for a supportive and nurturing sense of coming together through creative and holistic approaches. Those who find Zephyr's are not alone in their loss. Sessions and workshops include yoga for bereaved mums, forest school activities for families (Into The Woods), woodworking for bereaved dads, group wellbeing walks, creative/play therapy for bereaved siblings, regular peer-led support drop-ins (both in-person and online, via Zoom), and seasonal celebrations. We provide spaces to meet across the city of Nottingham - currently in Sneinton, Sherwood, Tollerton and Colwick.

Zephyr’s is radically increasing the support available for bereaved parents in Nottinghamshire. Our experience (and research) shows that people who have experienced child loss can suffer depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, suicidal tendencies and panic. Specialist support, provided at the earliest opportunity, helps bereaved parents to improve wellbeing and reduce the long-term psychological impact. It supports them to face the world and continue living, when that might be the – last thing they want to do. All of our activities counselling, peer support, creative – and holistic therapies are provided for free.

Public benefit statement

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.

Summary of the main achievements during the period

– In April 2024 our two part-time staff - Chief Executive and Project Co-ordinator moved from freelance contracts to PAYE contracts.

Zephyr’s

Zephyr’s continues to provide a wide-ranging programme of support for bereaved parents and families in Nottinghamshire, including:

Counselling: The Zephyr's counselling service is for bereaved parents, grandparents and older siblings aged 16 years and over who are based in Nottingham or Nottinghamshire. Held in our warm and welcoming therapy room at Sherwood Community Centre, we offer up to 12 sessions of counselling per person/couple for free, giving people the chance to feel held and be heard in whatever they feel ready to talk about. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, Zephyr's delivered 192 counselling sessions, supporting 30 individuals.

Our team of freelance counsellors - which grew to three in 2024/25 - are professional and well-skilled; supporting bereaved families as they explore and express their grief and feelings following loss. We provide a non-judgemental, safe and open space that is totally person-centred.

Feedback from Zephyr's counselling clients shows the difference that our counselling service makes. One person summed up the positive change that counselling had made very simply: "I don't feel suicidal anymore." Another participant said: "[Counselling] has helped me massively. I feel like a new person and I am able to cope with things a lot better than I did before. I have gained confidence in myself." Another said: "[Counselling] helped me reframe my thoughts and stop being too hard on myself. It's given me ideas on how to navigate relationships with friends. It has got me through the week knowing I have a session coming up, and I enjoy talking through my anxiety, I think I have got to know myself more and realise how resilient I have been. I may not have been without Zephyr's."

– Wellbeing Walks: We continue to run monthly Wellbeing Walks a healthy, group counselling session (facilitated by Green Space Therapy & Counselling), providing support for an average of 5-10 bereaved parents each month.

Monthly Meet-ups: On the first Thursday of the month, from our Nottingham city centre venue, we run a face-to-face get together for bereaved parents and families. Led by experienced volunteers, these warm and friendly evenings are a gentle chance to chat and be heard (with peers who truly understand), to listen and feel supported. Sessions provide time to be together, to borrow from our library, or simply just to be. Most importantly, as a previous visitor said, Monthly Meet-ups help people to understand that they are not alone and to “feel like facing the world again”.

Making Space for Dads: Monthly woodwork/making sessions for bereaved Dads, led by Zephyr’s Dad, Martin (himself an experienced workshop leader and artist). Participants may be supported to craft something in honour of their little one, or simply just to share a cup of tea with peers, or to take away a new skill working with a hammer, axe, knife or plane.

Zephyr’s

HOPE – Pregnancy after Loss: A volunteer-led support group, under the banner of Zephyr’s, HOPE is a group for anyone who is trying to conceive or pregnant after loss. HOPE run monthly group sessions (alternating online and in person), featuring professional practitioners and speakers, with sessions including: relaxation techniques, mindfulness, yoga, managing anxiety, birth planning, creative activities and professional support from midwives and other healthcare professionals.

Yoga: Working with The Yoga Village (Nottingham-based practitioners specialising in therapeutic and meditative yoga) we continue to provide quarterly restorative yoga sessions for bereaved women. These sessions give participants a calming, meditative and relaxing opportunity to connect with themselves and with peers.

Into the Woods: A monthly nature-focused play session for children who have experienced the death of a sibling, and their families. We want to support the wellbeing and mental health of children in Nottinghamshire; helping them understand, experience and express emotion and grief. Partnering with Boots & Brambles Forest School, we co-deliver monthly environmental sessions for children and families to gather in the woods, explore and feel supported by nature.

Creative Play Therapy: Towards the end of 2024/25 we began preparing to launch a new Creative Play Therapy service, providing 1-2-1 support for young people, following the loss of a sibling or a young family member. This pilot service launched in April 2025.

Through all of these activities and services, Zephyr’s provides support for an average of 80-90 bereaved parents and families every month (approximately 1000 per year).

Financial review

The Trustees are satisfied with the financial position of the charity at the end of the reporting period, having made a surplus.

We have had better success this year with grants from trusts, foundations and other funders and were very grateful to receive support from the National Lottery Community Fund, Jones 1986 Charitable Trust, Charles Littlewood Hill Trust, Orr Mackintosh Foundation (ShareGift), JN Derbyshire Trust, Severn Trent Community Fund and Star Trust East Midlands. We also generated over £10,000 by participating in two Big Give "match-funding" campaigns during the year. Zephyr's also continues to benefit from the hard work, passion and generosity of our community: in 2024/25 fundraisers took part in the Robin Hood Half and Mini Marathons; organised music events, cake sales, quizzes and a Truck Run; and gave money in memory of loved ones.

We recognise that to ensure the sustainability and development of the charity, we need to build up our reserves and attract more funding for core services - including essential staffing costs - and continue to maintain a stream of targeted applications to appropriate funders to achieve this.

Zephyr’s

Before becoming an independent registered charity in July 2022, Zephyr’s was formerly a project, managed by Nottingham Hospitals Charity (registered charity number 1165397). Nottingham Hospitals Charity still holds some funds which are ring- fenced for use by Zephyr’s. Rather than being paid to Zephyr’s, however, these funds are paid directly to practitioners worki ng on behalf of Zephyr’s to deliver projects. During 2024/25, these payments were as follows:

Month	Practitioner	Project	Amount
April 2024	Boots & Brambles Forest School	Into The Woods	£260
April 2024	Green Space Therapy & Counselling	Wellbeing Walks	£200
April 2024	Martin Sommerville	Woodworking for Bereaved Dads	£260
May 2024	Boots & Brambles Forest School	Into The Woods	£260
May 2024	Green Space Therapy & Counselling	Wellbeing Walks	£200
May 2024	Martin Sommerville	Woodworking for Bereaved Dads	£260
June 2024	Boots & Brambles Forest School	Into The Woods	£260
June 2024	Green Space Therapy & Counselling	Wellbeing Waks	£200
June 2024	Martin Sommerville	Woodworking for Bereaved Dads	£260
July 2024	The Yoga Village	Yoga Circle for Bereaved Mums	£200
July 2024	Martin Sommerville	Woodworking for Bereaved Dads	£260
September 2024	Green Space Therapy & Counselling	Wellbeing Walks	£200
October 2024	Green Space Therapy & Counselling	Wellbeing Walks	£200
October 2024	The Yoga Village	Yoga Circle for Bereaved Mums	£200
January 2025	The Yoga Village	Yoga Circle for Bereaved Mums	£200
TOTAL			£3,420

Zephyr's The charity's policy on reserves Zephyr's was registered as a CIO in July 2022. Our key aims during our first five years are to build a solid. stable base for our charity. We continue to develop gradually, ensuring that we have sufficient funding and support to Gommit to land sustain) our projects, programmes and core costs. In July 2025, Trustees set an updated target of generating unrestricted reserves equal to at least four months. operating costs (£30,000). This will be reviewed on an annual basis. Financial risks Like all small charities we face financial risks caused by the cost of living crisis. We rely on the generosity of donors and fundraisers (as well as grants and donations from trusts, foundations and corporate partners) to be able to deliver our programmes and servIs. If people stop being able to give to charity - because their spending ability is reduced due to increasing living costs then charities like Zephyrfs will struggle. We continue to experien the increased competition for funding from trusts and foundations - especially following local authority cuts for charitieslcommunity groups in Nottingham in 2023. Our strategy is to fa this by establishing and developing a broad base of support - including grant funding, community fundraising, in memory donations, individual giving, events, corporate partnerships and earned income (including our annual Zephyr's Christmas cards). Signed on behatf of the charity's trustees.. Signed Raymond Patrick Fisher, Chair Date li zr

Independent e xaminer’s report to the trustees of Zephyr’s for the year ended 31 March 2025

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Zephyr’s (the charity) for the period ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed ____ Date _______ 11/09/2025 Jo hn O’Brien MSc, F AIA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus

Zephyr’s Receipts & payments account for the year ended 31 March 2025

2024 Total Unrestricted Funds Funds £ Note £ Receipts 12389 Grants & donations 2 44903 22049 Fundraising 8256 1471 Sales & fees 1305 10588 Activities & events 2469 46497 Total receipts 56933 Payments 27740 Staffing costs 32285 12221 Activities & events 11400 62 Bank charges - 51 Equipment, repairs & renewals - 2913 Fundraising & publicity 2164 320 Insurance - 675 Legal & professional 1367 - Premises maintenance - 53 Printing & stationery - 4513 Rent & room hire 5633 - Sundry payments - 154 Telephone, internet & postage 126 684 Training & supervision 1258 - Volunteer expenses 25 49386 Total payments 54258 (2889) Net receipts/(payments) 2675 26390 Cash funds at start of this period 20586 23501 Cash funds at end of this period 23261	Restricted Funds £ 18661 - - - 18661 6928 - - 122 600 - - - - - - - 490 - 8140 10521 2915 13436	*2025* Total Funds £ 63564 8256 1305 2469
		75594
		39213 11400 - 122 2764 - 1367 - - 5633 - 126 1748 25
		62398
		13196 23501
		36697

Zephyr's Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 March 2025 2024 2025 Cash assets Bank accounts Cash in hand Note 23468 33 23501 36697 36697 Other monetary assets PrepayThents- Legal & professional 269 269 87 87 Assets retained for the charity's own use General equipment. Liabilities Creditr)rs 630 1630) 974 (974> These financial statements are acpted on behalf of the charity by: Signed Nicholas Lawford, T Dated io stee 10

Zephyr’s Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025

1. Receipts & payments accounts

Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.

2. Grants & donations

Condition Management Company Jones 1986 Charitable Trust National Lottery Community Fund - Awards For All Charles Littlewood Hill Trust donation JN Derbyshire Trust Severn Trent Water Community Fund Star Trust East Midlands Orr Mackintosh Foundation The Big Give - The Big Give Women & Girls Gift aid Co-op Food Group Sundry donations	Unrestricted £ 350 5000 20000 2000 3000 - 5000 3000 4996 707 500 350 44903	Restricted Total £ £ - 350 - 5000 - 20000 - 2000 - 3000 14000 14000 - 5000 - 3000 4661 9657 - 707 - 500 - 350 18661 63564

3. Funds analysis

Restricted funds Creative therapy Into the Woods Sibling Therapy Project Co-ordinator Unrestricted funds General	Opening balance £ - 1415 1500 - 2915 20586 20586	Receipts (Payments) £ £ 4661 - - (1415) - (122) 14000 (6603) 18661 (8140) 56933 (54258) 56933 (54258)	Closing balance £ 4661 - 1378 7397
			13436
			23261
			23261

Zephyr’s Notes to the accounts (continued)

Creative Therapy

Purpose: In October 2024, we raised £4,661 via the Big Give Women & Girls matchfunding programme. These funds are specifically to fund creative wellbeing activities (including yoga) for bereaved women.

Into the Woods

Purpose: To deliver a programme (January 2023 to April 2024) of nature-focused forest school play sessions for children who have experienced the death of a sibling, and their families. Funded by Severn Trent Community Fund.

Sibling Therapy

Purpose: We are currently fundraising to deliver a pilot programme of play therapy sessions for children who have experienced the death of a sibling. We launched this pilot in April 2025.

Project Co-ordinator

Purpose: In November 2024 we received a grant of £14,000 from the Severn Trent Community Fund to fund the salary of our Project Co-ordinator for 12 months.

4. Creditors

IE fee - Legal & professional Insurance	£ 654 320
	974

5. Trustees’ remuneration

Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.

6. Related party transactions

There were no related party transactions during the period.

7. Glossary of terms

Creditors: These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.

Prepayments: These are services that the charity has paid for in advance, but not used during the accounting period.

Restricted funds: These are funds given to the charity, subject to specific restrictions set by the donor, but still within the general objects of the charity.