## Saint Pauls Child Contact Centre ## Bracknell ## Charity Number 1200547 Annual Reports & Accounts – 01/04/24 31/03/25 ## **OUR OBJECTIVES** 1. TO RELIEVE THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN SEPARATED FROM PARENTS AND/OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS THROUGH DIVORCE AND FAMILY BREAKDOWN IN BRACKNELL AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH THE PROVISION OF A CHILD CONTACT CENTRE TO FACILITATE CONTACT ARRANGEMENTS WITH NON-RESIDENT PARENTS AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS IN A SAFE, SECURE AND NEUTRAL LOCATION. 2. TO ADHERE TO THE STANDARDS SET BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHILD CONTACT CENTRES AND THE COVENANT WITH ST. PAUL'S UNITED REFORMED ## **Our Performance** 32 years and counting St Paul’s Child Contact Centre, is still the only centre of its kind serving this community, Our Coordinator is paid for 10 hrs per week on a Friday, to deal with all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes, before our families get to the point of coming here for contact. On Saturday’s, she is a volunteer just like everyone else. The vast majority of our referrals come directly from parents…, more and more are directed by the courts to make their own applications. Many cannot afford to go through solicitors……and social services are constantly asking for Supervised contact, contact in the community or to use us as a point of contact for children on protection orders, or in care of some description. They have their own funding and staff issues to deal with. During 2024/2025 we received 36 referrals we could accept, involving 46 children. Only 16 of those families actually came to contact…and .we finished the year with 7 families on the waiting list. Some of those may have come into contact in the following year We provided face to face contact for 20 children and of, 12 of those moved on to having contact outside of the centre. That’s amazing news for those children and their families St Paul’s Church is very much a part of this contact centre and has supported us in so many ways, over the last 32yrs. Times are hard….this building costs money to heat and run, and we are so grateful to St Paul’s for their involvement in what we do here. Without that support we simply couldn’t continue. All families have their issues, without additional drug, alcohol, and domestic violence issues some of our families have been dealing with. Mental health issues have risen dramatically since covid, as has addiction of some kind. Some will be struggling to put food on the table or heat their homes, and all of this puts enormous pressure on already strained circumstances and family dynamics. Our Resources ## **olunteer Coordinator Report 24-25.** At the end of March 25, We had 20 active volunteers, plus Pam and Keith to step in as needed that includes Federica, who was training and joined officially just before the year end. That figure is not so healthy now – we will be touching on this in our training later, But our thoughts and our sincere thanks go to: Steph, Alaina, Tamara and Debbie L To Georgie and James, Chris & Peyalee, and to Sarah, who is still part of the team, but fighting her own health battles. We just want to stress how valued their generous contribution has been, and how grateful we are for all they did. And of course, what we do on a Saturday afternoon isn’t all that’s needed to run this contact centre. AGENDA: LIST OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS. _Our treasurer……._ works all year round to make sure we have enough money to continue operating….and that we use our funds wisely. _Our Chair_ has the Charity Commission to deal with, and is also _Deputy Co-_ _ordinator_ _Our Administrator keeps_ us all in touch with what’s going on, communicates with NACCC regarding statistical returns and updates to policy and procedures, provides invaluable admin support……and keeps me sane! _Health & safety_ is ongoing, _Volunteer Rep_ is here if you have any issues…… _Equipment officer:_ _Safeguarding officer something I’d like to explore over the coming year_ This work, all of these roles, are absolutely vital to the successful operation of the centre, and I would ask you _all_ to consider if you could help us with any of these , particularly FUNDRAISING Please prayerfully consider this. It’s so very important to this centre and to the families we serve. Training is ongoing and our thanks must go to our administrator for keeping us all in line and on schedule, and to you for giving up even more of your time to complete them. All 10 modules need to be completed before our next accreditation hopefully this time, without the last minute rush we always seem to have. **Our Finances** For the period 3.10.2022 to 31.03.2024 ended the contact centre generated a small deficit in the year reducing our retained funds by £2,626. ## Income Our main source of income was the Children in Need grant of £7,987. In addition we received grants of £3,959 from NACCC/MOJ and £1,000 from Bracknell Town Council. ## Expenses . |.|.| |---|---| |Revenue in theyear was a total of £10,667. This was made upfrom:|| |Children in need|£7,500| |NACC/MOJ|£2,000| |Bracknell Town Council|£1,000| ||| |Employment costs were|£8,463 - 5% increase due to inflationary payrise| Costs excluding payroll rose from £2,156 to £2,451. Primarily due to increased rent donation from £500 to £700. We also purchased a new laptop for £479. The higher expenses were offset in the current year by increased MOJ funding raised in the 2025/6 year. Overall we had a small defecit of £248. Net assets at the end of the year were £13,751 Should the CIN funding cease we have enough funds to continue until June 2028. ## **Our Trustees** The charity currently has 5 Trustees registered with the Charity Commision, ## Russell Goodburn Chair Stephanie Winston Bray Treasurer Pamela Day Susan Perret Brenda Bailey All were appointed on 14/09/22 CHARITY COMMIS510N FOR ENGLAND AND WALES 4Jl D