2024-04-04-accounts - Roots Radical Learning

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 05/04/2024 To 04/04/2025

Charity name: Roots Radical Learning

Charity registration number: 1200121

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The object of the CIO is for the public benefit, to advance the education (including physical and social training) of children and families in Oxfordshire and surrounding areas in such ways that the charity trustees see fit.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	The charity runs a 3-day a week self- directed learning programme for young people aged 5-12 years focusing on social and emotional wellbeing. Workshops on compassionate communication are run for the wider community and have a focus on youth mental health and advocacy. As part of its Reasearch and Development, Roots has developed and recorded a set of audio files about compassionate communication with children, offered to local parents and educators, as a point of contact to the organisation.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	Roots Radical Learning does not operate a formal grant-making programme. However,

		the charity receives donations that enable it to provide:  Bursaries to support families who may otherwise be unable to access its learning programmes.  Funded workshops to ensure wider community access to self-directed learning and youth mental health initiatives. To ensure fair and transparent distribution of these funds, the charity follows these principles:  Needs-Based Allocation – Financial assistance is provided based on individual and community needs, prioritising families facing financial barriers.  Fair and Transparent Process – The charity ensures that funds are distributed equitably and in alignment with its mission.  Monitoring and Accountability – The impact of financial assistance is reviewed to ensure that donations are effectively supporting beneficiaries.
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	Roots Radical Learning does not currently engage in social investments or programme-related investments. However, any future investment activity would be guided by the following principles:  Alignment with Mission – Any social investment must support the charity’s objectives and benefit the community.  Ethical Considerations – Investments should align with ethical and socially responsible practices, avoiding industries that conflict with the charity’s values.  Financial Sustainability – Any investment decisions will prioritise long-term financial security while ensuring funds remain available for charitable activities. The charity regularly reviews its financial position to determine whether social investment opportunities may be beneficial in the future.
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	Volunteers play a crucial role in supporting Roots Radical Learning’s activities. Their contributions include:  Facilitating Learning Sessions–

Some volunteers assist in the delivery of self-directed learning activities for children  Maintaining an Overview of the Learning Environment – Volunteers help keep track of the children, ensuring they are supported and engaged in their activities.  Conflict Resolution and Wellbeing Support – Volunteers observe group dynamics and, when necessary, help redirect facilitators to address conflicts, emotional needs, or challenges children may be experiencing.  Supporting Facilitators – Volunteers assist facilitators by ensuring their needs are met, such as organising breaks, lunches, and general wellbeing during sessions.  Facilitating Communication – Volunteers act as connectors between children, facilitators, and the wider team, helping to create a responsive and supportive environment.  Workshop and Programme Support – They also assist in administrative tasks, event coordination, and outreach, helping to sustain the charity’s activities.  Fundraising and Outreach – Volunteers assist in events, grant applications, and social media campaigns to raise awareness and funding. The charity recognises and values the contributions of its volunteers, providing guidance, training, and support to ensure a positive and meaningful experience for both volunteers and beneficiaries. Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and	Para 1.20	Providing a regular and consistent programme for young people where they can explore their interests, building their confidence and skillsets. Compassionate communication courses delivered to public promoting youth mental health and advocacy, equipping local families with tools for evidence-based, effective ways of communicating with their young people.

any wider benefits to society as a whole.		Integration of young people into a learning environment who have had a history of school refusal, increasing levels of belonging, confidence and positive mental health for them and their families. Collaboration with and promotion of SEN specific services: working with ‘Autism Champions’ organisation to deliver training to facilitators and encouraging collaborative learning across Oxfordshire organisations. Family support for the families enrolled into the programme, benefitting mental health of families, promoting feelings of belonging and building local parenting networks. Running workshops on “Raising the Whole Child: Supporting Our Children and Ourselves” at Flo’s – A Place in the Park, a local community centre. By offering these sessions alongside free audio resources, Roots has ensured accessibility for parents on lower incomes. The workshop and audio materials have reached an estimated 120 people, and the charity is committed to making this an annual initiative.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	Roots successfully:  Delivers a three-day child-led learning programme supporting children’s emotional and social development.  Hosts workshops on compassionate communication and “raising the whole child”.  Offers mental health advocacy for parents and educators.  Expands community outreach, strengthening relationships with alternative education networks.  Secures and sources grant funding to enhance financial sustainability and support bursary places for low- income families.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	Roots Radical Learning has successfully raised funds to support key initiatives aligned with its mission. Notably, fundraising efforts enabled the charity to:  Provide Partial Bursaries – Ensuring that more children from low-income families could access the self- directed learning programme.  Fund the Purchase of a Yurt – Creating a warm and sheltered

		space for children during the winter months, enhancing their learning environment and comfort in colder weather. These fundraising achievements directly contributed to expanding accessibility and improving facilities for the children and families that Roots supports. The charity continues to explore sustainable ways to raise funds and provide equitable access to its programmes.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	As the charity does not currently hold investments, there are no performance metrics to report. However, trustees continue to review the charity’s financial position and cash reserves, ensuring that funds are allocated effectively in line with its mission.
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	The charity ends the year in a financially healthy and settled position, established as an entity within the community, and with consistent and numerous beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries to the programme
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The charity holds reserves which amount to 1.5 months worth of payments and expenses, with intention to double these reserves to 3 months worth of expenditure, for financial security and contingency
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£36,955
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Roots is primarily funded through:  Fees from families participating in the self-directed learning programme.  One-off donations for the acquisition of a Mongolian yurt
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	The charity currently does not hold significant investments. Funds are managed prudently to ensure financial sustainability while prioritising spending on programme delivery. Any future investment strategy will align with ethical and social investment principles, ensuring that funds are used to further the charity’s objectives while maintaining financial security.
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	The trustees have identified the following key risks:  Financial Sustainability – Reliance on participant fees and fundraising requires ongoing efforts to secure stable income.  Regulatory Compliance – The charity ensures adherence to safeguarding, health and safety, and education standards. Low administrative capacity constrains pace at which we review and update policies in line with safeguarding, health and safety and employment regulations. Mitigating factor is prioritisation of recruitment of new volunteers, board members and administrative staff  Capacity and Staffing – Limited resources mean that staff workloads must be managed effectively.  Reputation and Community Engagement – Maintaining trust with families and the wider community is critical to Roots’ success. The charity mitigates these risks through robust financial planning, trustee oversight, safeguarding procedures, and regular evaluation of its impact.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	The members or the charity trustees may at any time decide to appoint a new charity trustee, whether in place of a charity trustee who has retired or been removed, or as an additional charity trustee, provided that the limit on the number of charity trustees would not as a result be exceeded

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	Roots Radical Learning has a comprehensive Trustee Onboarding Handbook, which outlines the structured process for bringing new trustees into the organisation. This ensures that trustees are well-informed, aligned with the charity’s mission, and equipped to fulfil their governance responsibilities effectively. The onboarding process includes:  Trustee Handbook – A detailed guide covering the charity’s purpose, governance structure, legal responsibilities, key policies, and strategic objectives.  Induction Meetings – New trustees meet with existing board members and key staff to understand the charity’s operations, financial management, and safeguarding obligations.  Observation and Engagement – Trustees are encouraged to attend learning sessions, workshops, and community events to gain a deeper understanding of the organisation’s impact.  Training and Development – Trustees are provided with access to governance training, including Charity Commission guidance, safeguarding, and financial oversight.

This structured approach ensures that trustees are confident in their role and can contribute effectively to the charity’s leadership and strategic direction Para 1.51 The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works Para 1.51 Relationship with any related parties Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Roots Radical Learning
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1200121
Charity’s principal address	31 Rymers Lane Oxfordshire OX4 3JU

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	LucyFrost
	Tarzan Gemikonakli
	Laura Sewell

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

----- Start of picture text -----
Signature(s)
Laura Sewell
Full name(s) Tarzan Gemikonakli
Position (eg Secretary,
Chair, etc)
Date
02/07/2025
----- End of picture text -----

	Charity Name Roots Radical Learning	Charity Name Roots Radical Learning	Charity Name Roots Radical Learning	No (if any) 1200121	CC16a
	For the period from	4/5/2024 Period start	To	Period end date 4/4/2025

Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Programme fees 122,103 Donations 2,832 Jumble sales and rafes - - - - - - 124,935 - - Sub total - Total receipts 124,935 A3 Payments Wages 101,437 Rent 5,838 4,472 Mongolian Yurt Accommodation - Bursary Insurance 1,507 External coaching 120 Conferences - Training+ safeguarding 350 Enhanced DBSs 203 Site maintenance 275 Zoom/website 176 Sub total 114,378 - - Sub total - Total payments 114,378 Net of receipts/(payments) 10,557 A5 Transfers between funds - A6 Cash funds last year end - Cash funds this year end 10,557 Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ *Sub total*(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). Resources and equipment for A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)		- 2,061 - - - - - - 2,061 - - - 2,061 - - - 36 2,125 - - - - - - 2,161 - - - 2,161 - 100 - - - 100 Restricted funds to the nearest £	Endowment funds to the nearest £	Total funds 122,103 4,893 - - - - - - 126,996 - - - 126,996 101,437 5,838 4,472 36 2,125 1,507 120 - 350 203 275 176 116,539 - - - 116,539 10,656 - - 10,656 to the nearest £	Last year to the nearest £
			-	122,103	-
			-	4,893	-
			-	-	-
			-	-	-
			-	-	-
			-	-	-
			-	-	-
			-	-	-
			-	126,996	-

			-	-
			-	-	-
			-	-	-

			-		-

			-	101,437	-
			-	5,838	-
			-	4,472	-
			-	36	-
				2,125
			-	1,507	-
			-	120	-
			-	-	-
			-	350	-
			-	203	-
			-	275
				176
			-	116,539	-

			-	-
			-	-
			-	-	-

			-	116,539	-

		- 100	-	10,656	-
		-	-	-	-
		-	-	-	-
		- 100	-	10,656	-

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees	Details Reserves Details Details Details Details Signature *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Mongolian Yurt Accommodation Deposits from families ~~(refundable)~~	to nearest £ 36,955 - - 36,955 to nearest £ - - - - - - Cash fund Print Unrestricted funds Agreement Error Unrestricted funds Fund to which asset ~~belongs~~ Fund to which asset ~~belongs~~ Fund to which ~~liability~~
		Tarzan Gemikonakli

Laura Sewell 71212025

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Charity Name Roots Radical Learning	Charity Name Roots Radical Learning	Charity Name Roots Radical Learning

04/04/2025	Charity no (if any)	1200121

1 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended04 / 04 / 2025. As the charity's trustees, 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 Trust’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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

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.

Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.

Signed: Date: 02/07/2025 Name: Mohammad Hassanzadeh Address: 83 Magnetic Cresent London EN3 7FH

Oct 2018

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct 2018

IER