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2023-09-30-accounts

Southampton Mental Health Network Registered Charity No: 1200515 Registered Office: Voluntary Action Centre, Kingsland Square, Southampton, SO14 1NW

Report of the Trustees

October 2022 – September 2023

The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation for the period October 2022 to September 2023.

Purposes and Aims

The objects of the Southampton Mental Health Network are set out in the Constitution and are as follows:

The Trustees have:

Background and origin of the charity

Southampton Mental Health Network (SMHN) grew from a project developed by Communicare in Southampton from February 2016, launched in February 2019.

Communicare in Southampton is a small, independent, local charity that provides good neighbourly support to the residents of the city of Southampton. It carries out its activities in close partnership with a range of other groups, ensuring that the needs of its beneficiaries are met as effectively as possible by those with the most relevant knowledge and experience.

In February 2019 Communicare led on the establishment of a network of organisations and individuals, linked through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a vision to make Southampton a mental health friendly city.

Southampton’s Integrated Commissioning Unit (ICU) awarded funding in April 2019 to support the development of the network and establishment of a service user network. This allowed Communicare to employ a part time Administrator and to undertake a range of low key activities to take the project forward.

By March 2021 membership had risen to seventy, including representation from statutory organisations (NHS, City Council), businesses, small community organisations and individuals. There was active engagement at all levels, allowing collaborative work to be initiated and built on. It became clear that to secure its long-term future the network would benefit from becoming a charitable organisation in its own right.

Working from within the existing framework members explored various options together, culminating in the recruitment of a Board of Trustees with a broad range of experience and perspectives. The Board led on the creation of a constitution for a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, which gained registration with the Charity Commission in September 2022.

SMILE (Southampton Mental Illness Lived Experience)

In March 2019, following consultation, users of mental health services in Southampton and others who had lived experience of mental illness, SMHN concluded that the “service users network” being created through the organisation should be aimed at all those with lived experience, not just those who had/would make use of services on offer.

The group was established and led by Bob Clark and Saire Herschel-Clark.

Activity from October 2022 – September 2023

The main focus during this period has been on maintaining the well established networking opportunities provided whilst executing a smooth transition to the new charity.

Communicare’s funding from the ICU allowed the post of SMHN Administrator to remain open on a restricted basis throughout. With this support activities have included:

SMILE

SMILE sits under the umbrella of Southampton Mental Health Network. SMILE is not a crisis group but member organisations can provide support to one another. Objectives of SMILE:

Since Autumn 2021 SMILE has been led by Trustee Saire Herschel-Clarke.

Those interested in being involved with SMILE complete a questionnaire to allow Saire to contact them. Numbers completing a questionnaire:

During the reporting period there were two SMILE meetings attended by 10 individuals total.

Saire will step down as lead for the group in January 2024 and is not seeking re-election as a Trustee as she moves into a new employment position.

PR and media

In 2021 Porcupine PR were appointed to guide on the production of a PR Strategy and to support the network in its delivery.

During the period of this report the bulk of their time has been spent on assisting with establishing a website.

They will continue to play an important role in ensuring that all aspects of our communications are appropriate and effective going forward.

Website

The most significant and time-consuming project over this period has been building the Network’s own website.

Xebre Limited were commissioned to create the website, working closely with members to ensure that it meets the requirements of the group.

Facts & figures

Membership

At the start of the year all members of the Network had joined by completing the MOU

(Memorandum of Understanding):

Date Members
representing an
Organisation		 Organisations
represented		 Personal/individual
**memberships **		 Total
members
Oct-22 196 107 34 230
Jul-23 207 125 43 250

During 2023 members were invited to take out membership with the new charity to allow transition to the new body.

At the end of July 2023 only those who had taken out membership with the new charity were included on the mailing list and deemed to be a member of the Network.

In September 2023 membership of the new charity:

Date Members
representing an
Organisation		 Organisations
represented		 Personal/individual
**memberships **		 Total
members
Sep-23 46 41 14 60

Engagement

The level of engagement by members is seen as an indication of the value recognised by them of the Network’s opportunities.

Engagement is measured by looking at those who undertook one or more of the following during the specified period:

Figures for the end of the previous year are included for comparison.

Date Number engaging % engaging Number of
**meetings **		 Number
attending
Aug22 - Oct22 153 66 22 58
Nov22 - Jan23 150 63 13 45
Feb23 - Apr23 152 61 15 44
May23 - Jul23* 5 25
Aug23 - Oct23 68 89 5 20

*During May – Jul23 the Network significantly reduced its activity due to a gap in funding

Representation at city-wide & regional meetings

During August – October 2023 SMHN has been represented at:

Surveys & consultations

In 2021 SMHN conducted a survey with the general public to elicit ideas about what being a “mental health friendly city” meant to them. 500 responses were received and the results used to guide planning for the Network.

A second survey, picking up on areas where further elucidation was required, was launched in 2022 and has been ongoing.

SMHN has responded to requests from statutory providers to circulate surveys to relevant members of the public when they are seeking feedback on the services they provide.

Future plans

The following topics will be the main areas of focus for October 2023 – September 2024

Membership

Members are asked to renew their membership annually and pay a £2 fee for registration. They are invited to make an additional donation at registration if they choose. This allows the charity to track its membership more effectively and ensure that members are positively opting into engagement with the organisation.

Membership of the charity is open to anyone who is interested in furthering its objects, and who, by applying for membership, has indicated their agreement to become a member and acceptance of the duty of members as set out in the constitution. A member may be:

If the Southampton Mental Health Network is wound up, the members of the Southampton Mental Health Network have no liability to contribute to its assets and no personal responsibility for settling its debts and liabilities.

Governance

Day-to-day operational activities are delivered by the SMHN Administrator, who is employed by Communicare in Southampton. Line management is undertaken by Communicare’s Manager.

The Administrator and Communicare’s Manager report to the Trustees at their regular meetings. Strategic management, including adoption of policies, is undertaken by the Trustees. They also lead the various subgroups.

Trustees

Recruitment of Trustees

Six Trustees were recruited from within the membership of the Communicare-led network to launch the new charity. Care was given to appointing a Board that represented a wide range of perspectives and experience.

The Trustees that served during the year and up to the date of this report and are set out below:

Risk Review

The Trustees have considered the major risks to which Southampton Mental Health Network is exposed and have put in place policies and systems to mitigate these risks.

Much of the activity of the charity continued to be delivered through Communicare this year, which is protected under the insurance policy of umbrella organisation: The Hampshire Good Neighbours Network provided by Capital Markets Underwriting Ltd.

We are developing a wide range of policies including Adult Safeguarding, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities and Data Protection.

Cyber security is provided by Communicare in Southampton through subscription to Soda IT.

Financial statement

Southampton Mental Health Network CIO

Registered Charity Number 1200515

Financial Accounts for year ending 30 September 2023

INCOME

Membership fees paid during period £128.00 Additional donations (unrestricted) £122.00 Restricted purpose donations £105.00 (see note below) _ Total Income £355.00

EXPENDITURE

Mail Holding Facility Fee (SVS) £ 50.00 Restricted Purpose Expenditure £109.78 Additional expenditure £ 4.78 (see note below) _ Total Expenditure £159.78 (see note below) _ FUNDS HELD Opening Bank balance £ 0.00 Total Income £ 355.00 Total Expenditure £ 54.78 Closing Bank Balance £ 300.22 (reconciled with bank account 30Sep23)

NOTE TO ACCOUNTS

Note 1

Following the departure of our long-serving administrator (mainly during the period prior to registration as a charity), the members were invited to contribute towards a leaving gift to recognise the valuable contribution of this individual to the development and running of the Network. All donations received were recognised as ‘Restricted purpose donations’ in the accounts and the expenditure was similarly recognised. A small part of the cost was met by the Network itself.

Restricted purpose income £105.00 (former administrator gift) Restricted purpose expenditure £109.78 (former administrator gift)

Note 2

An independent examination of the accounts was not undertaken because the income and expenditure of the Network were below the necessary threshold.