Annual Report 2024-25
Reg Charity Number CIO 1200587
Report Contents
Photos of What we did page
Service & outcomes page 4-7
Micro projects, pages 7-8 mates & muchies, volunteers
Networks, Organisational Systems pages 8-10
Future Work 11
Open Minds Annual Report 2024-2025
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Activities 2024-25
Open Minds Annual Report 2024-2025
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Mission Statement
We aim to remove the ‘dis’ from disability by providing participative and fun events for isolated and vulnerable disabled people. The participation in events provides an awareness of lifelong learning opportunities and social skills within an atmosphere of friendship.
Service delivery
Our work can be separated into 2 discrete areas: monthly meetings and small projects that can be integrated into our core delivery, for example, mates and munchies workshops.
Why we do what we do?
Our membership consists of 98% of individuals diagnosed with a variety of autistic spectrum disorders and most of them are ineligible for statutory support, because their condition is considered mild. However, for most this means their attention span, verbal dexterity and communication skills restricts them from employment or voluntary work, which is tasked based.
Owing to their situation shelter and food needs are met by family and relatives, but other relationship needs, which many of us take for granted, are difficult for them to establish owing to their detachment disorders. This presents itself as heightened anxiety and fear of strangers. Strangely, we have had individuals, who seem to have nothing in common, but over time they build the bonds necessary to establish a friendship, to the workers and volunteers, who recognise this, it is reward.
Our lead facilitator holds a consultation day in January each year to establish the main events each month. During the year a constant monitoring of events takes place and so we can introduce new activities quickly. We are also aware that most of our activities are subsidised but do require members to pay for their own food and refreshment. Therefore, there will be a limit on the number of events that we can provide and expect individuals to attend. We feel that 1 every week is the most efficient use of funds. Our online forum provides a meeting place from which individuals can talk about venuebased services and look forward to meeting each other at future activities. Below is a list of monthly activities & outcomes.
Inviting members to attend an activity and produce an object is a tangible reminder for them of what they can do and what our service provides to members – a fun, warm atmosphere, which is in itself a soft outcome, but nonetheless an important part of relationship building. Below is a list of monthly activities and outcomes.
Open Minds Annual Report 2024-2025
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Mid and End of Month Meetings & Outcome April 2024 – March 25
Throughout the year Kelly & Sue ran these meetings which proved very popular.
| Month | Mid Month Activity |
Outcomes | End of Month Activity | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | Nottingham Puppet Festival |
Travel training, health exercise for health & wellbeing |
Animal Pots | Reduce isolation, peer support, learn something new |
| May | Attenborough | Nature walk | Presentation by Richard of his trip to St Ives’s in Cornwall |
Learn about trips and excursions and prompt risk taking |
| June | D-day festival at Hemlock Happenings |
Reduce isolation peer support |
Making mosaics | Using the dexterity of fingers and thumbs in a calm atmosphere |
| July | Meadows 10th Anniversary Fun Day |
Chatting in the spring sunshine |
Colouring canvas bags with ink blocks |
This was an opportunity to learn a new craft |
| Aug | Nottingham arboretum |
Health and Well being | A calm, relaxing workshop where individuals can think and talk about their week. |
|
| Sept | Kite Festival | Outdoor activity | Attenborough | Presentation on wildlife. Learning about migration patterns |
| Oct | Highfields in the autumn |
Chatter and walking around the lake and looking at the trees |
Halloween treat boxes | Craft activity |
| Nov | Stonebridge City Farm |
Learning about animal care |
Christmas craft | Making Cards |
| Dec. | Christmas market | Meeting up | No event | |
| Jan 2025 |
Wassailing at Arkwright Gardens |
Welcoming in the spring |
Pebble binding | Decorating washed pebbles with coloured threads |
| Feb. | Meadows Gardens in the spring sunshine |
Health and well being |
Origami flower pots | Folding card and decorating it with patterns |
| March | Nottingham Council House |
Learning about our civic institutions |
Easter Rabbits | Decorating origami shaped rabbits |
Open Minds Annual Report 2024-2025
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Our mid and end of month activities form part of our core service delivery. Mid-month activities will involve a health and wellbeing theme, for example, trips to local nature reserves, boating lakes, museums & art galleries. End of month workshops are based on a therapeutic theme and aimed to soften the atmosphere and create a relaxed, fun atmosphere. These activities will form part of our Facebook page where we aim to provide a feedback loop to visitors to our page.
Micro Projects 2024-25
Following a feasibility study we have done a pilot project over 18 months. The goal of this project was to broaden members awareness of the world around them and to take an opportunity to involve themselves in it in small groups. We looked at bird feeding and mixed our own pots inviting members to place them in their gardens. We had a presentation in August 2024 on migration patterns and then in September 2025 on birds and rivers in the east midlands.
Attenborough August 2024
Mates & Munchies
In April/May 2025 we had an Art Exhibition at Nottingham Mechanics. This was the culmination of several months work on using oils and water colours to produce imprints.
Adam the manager and Bobby
Again, this project was about using our perception to spur our creativity and in this learn new ways of doing things.
Open Minds Annual Report 2024-2025
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Volunteers checks
Our volunteers are DBS checked by Notts County Council. We are lucky to have our 3 long-standing volunteer’s Pip, Andrew and Paula. Andrew still monitors our WhatsApp group and provides support at our computer corner at monthly workshops.
Pip and Andrew
Work with existing networks
We continue to work with other existing networks in the Nottingham city area, these include both referring agencies and infrastructure.
As regards referring agencies we work with care homes, social services and support workers. In 2024-25 we had 3 new members and 2 enquiries.
Our infrastructure support agencies include Nottingham CVS, Rushcliffe CVS and Broxtowe CVS. Nottingham CVS are the most important as they provide advice and guidance on volunteer recruitment and policy development.
Organisational Systems
So that our services support and assist our members a management committee and 2 subcommittees operate smoothly behind our frontline service. We have operated the PQASSO quality assurance system since 2007. This enables us to channel our policies and procedures in a manner that addresses members’ needs, for example, our volunteer policy identifies recruitment, training and staff support to meet members’ activities and meetings. We work alongside a network of organisations both serving disabled people and supporting this particular sector.
Open Minds Annual Report 2024-2025
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Management Committee
This body reviews our position and sets longer term direction, for example, reviewing budgets and planning developments. We meet 6 times a year, so every 2 months and have representation of professional, parental and member interests. There is a recruitment process, so that these individuals are more aware of what we do and what our long-term objectives are. There are currently 2 members of the group representing membership interests.
Finance & Fundraising sub-committee
This operates our financial instruments like projected budgets and cash-flow to monitor income streams and expenditure. This group consists of our Treasurer and Co-ordinator, who meet each month to monitor cash-flow. This activity identifies immediate and on-going expenditure plus areas of income development. Income development will become increasingly important to small charities.
For a small organisation like ours trust funding has enabled us to subsidise members’ services, but since 2008 this has slowly diminished. The financial gap that resulted has been partly filled by pockets of funding streams like sponsorship, members purchasing individual services, increased subscriptions and reducing expenditure. However as has been pointed out by infrastructure bodies like the local Community Voluntary Service financial reductions to frontline services reduce the effectiveness of those services to provide support to users.
Project steering group sub-committee
The purpose of our steering group is to support and guide the work of our Development Workers so as to meet the needs of our members. In this process, our steering group reviews reports on our workers progress and provides guidance on external constraints. The group meets 6 times per year and is led by our Chairman, who is supported by our Co-ordinator. We have purposefully kept this group small to focus discussions and avoid straying into unproductive areas.
Evaluating work completed enables this group to unpack details of services delivered and ensure value for money through evaluating member’s feedback. This means that quality of service and member’s views are always part of the discussion and so funders money is wisely spent.
Open Minds Annual Report 2024-2025
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Organisational Chart
Structure & Systems
Management Committee
Sets Strategic Direction
Project Steering Group Meets every 2 months Monitors & Evaluates Reports to Management Committttee
Project Finance sub-committee Meets every 2 months Monitors & Evaluates Reports to Management Committttee
Facilitators and volunteers deliver Co-ordinator operates core service services. There is a feedback loop to and fundraises for projects the steering group to monitor services. The facilitators and co-ordinator liaise. Reports to Management Committee
Open Minds Membership Isolated disabled people
Open Minds Annual Report 2024-2025
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Future Developments
Each year we like to introduce a new project to refresh our delivery, so that we do not become complacent. In 2026, we are looking to build on an architecture and buildings project study delivered in June 2025. This will expand to include nature and heritage using local places and venues, for example, how the Grand Central Railway has been extended from Loughborough to Ruddington in Nottinghamshire.
The idea is to support our members engage with local amenities and to change perception and further curiosity, so that they may wish to go there by themselves. Our WhatsApp forum has become a key part of our feedback system and via this we can assess interest of our members.
Open Minds Annual Report 2024-2025
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Open Minds Nottingham (Registered charity, number 1200587) Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
| Page | Contents |
|---|---|
| 2 - 3 | Trustees’ annual report |
| 4 | Independent examiner’s report |
| 5 | Receipts & payments account |
| 6 | Statement of assets & liabilities |
| 7- 8 | Notes to the accounts |
Open Minds Nottingham Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31 March 2025
Full name Open Minds Nottingham
Other names by which the charity is known Open Minds
Organisation type Charitable incorporated organisation
Registered charity number 1200587
Principal address Apartment 2, Hawthorn Lodge, Julian Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5AJ
Trustees
Pip Griesbach, from 20/11/2024, Chairperson David Austin, Treasurer Bobby Lee Gary Thomas, from 20/11/2024 John LeFeuvre, from 20/11/2024 to 24/4/2025 Lee Fury, until 31/7/24 John Mason, until 31/7/2024
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 CIO Association constitution registered 5 October 2022.
We advertise on Nottingham CVS digital volunteer bureau and if appropriate the Chairperson and Co-ordinator will interview them.
Objectives and activities
The Objects of the CIO are;
The relief of persons in the Est Midlands area who are in need by reason of disability, by;
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a) Providing activities and opportunities to meet like-minded people in a comfortable environment and the opportunity to go on outings and events;
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b) Advancing education by providing workshops and other educational activities;
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c) Providing the opportunity to gain self-confidence, independence and social skills and make new friends;
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d) Providing access to subsidised health and wellbeing related workshops and activities.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit
Mid and end of month meetings which differ as one is about days out in Nottingham and the other workshops; our members only WhatsApp forum which is used, daily 1:1 meetings with our facilitator; a zoom meditation and relaxation group; our Book club and arts group.
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Open Minds Nottingham
Public benefit statement
Our members have low level mental health conditions and some prone to panic attacks and high anxiety therefore our charity provides activities that reduce the likelihood of using medical or social services. Our activities are heavily subsidised meaning that our members, who are on benefits, do not need to rely on further support to meet like-minded people.
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
This document covers 12 months from April 2024 until March 2025, so during that time we have run core services and two minor projects.
A consultation was held in January 2024 in which members wanted a more meaningful mid-week activity, so a book club on their experiences took place over the summer and autumn 2024.
We held an art painting workshop mid-week at Nottingham Mechanics in Autumn 2024 and started a bird watching project at the same time. This will involve visits to Attenborough nature reserve on a Saturday in the autumn and spring of 2024-25. In between these times there were weekend workshops on preparing bird feeding mix and hanging the feeders in members gardens. The aim of this bird watching project has been to provide members with an interest outside of our service activities, but which still involved meeting up. The range of birds identified were matched with those provided at our Autumn workshop. The steps accomplished in this project and how it has affected members will be evaluated using our online forum.
The charity’s policy on reserves
The economic downturn has resulted in many organisations having reduced incomes. Ours has meant an £8,333 deficit which our treasurer had projected in March 2024. Fortunately, our reserves of £31,000 can absorb this sum.
Our reserve policy is 3 months winding up costs and redundancy, so we estimate this as £14,000. This would allow for £17,000 to be used as free reserves. Our deficit has been removed from that figure so we have approx. £8,500 remaining.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Signed Pip Griesbach, Trustee
Date 20,08.2025
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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Open Minds Nottingham for the year ended 31 March 2025
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Open Minds Nottingham (the charity) for the year 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:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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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 John O’Brien MSc, FAIA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus
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Open Minds Nottingham Receipts & payments account for the year ended 31 March 2025
| 18 months to 31/3/24 Total Funds Unrestricted Funds £ Note £ 33907 Receipts Grants & donations 2 17650 3218 Membership 1608 1316 Bank interest 1242 - Sundry receipts 490 57027 Opening transfer - 95468 Total receipts 20990 Payments 3908 Activities, trips & refreshments 2671 592 Equipment 163 845 Insurance 506 12015 Meetings & facilitator & expenses 7396 - Mobile phone 399 281 Payroll services 396 102 Printing & stationery 52 462 Publications & subscriptions 468 746 Rent & services 1157 738 Telephone internet & postage 73 236 Travel & transport 15 29058 Wages NI & pensions 15331 600 Legal & professional fees 696 980 Training & consultancy - 3850 Website - 13 Volunteer expenses - 54426 Total payments 29323 41042 Net receipts/(payments) (8333) - Cash funds at start of this period 39572 - Transfers between funds 1470 41042 Cash funds at end of this period 32709 |
Restricted Funds £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1470 (1470) - |
2025 Total Funds £ 17650 1608 1242 490 - 20990 2671 163 506 7396 399 396 52 468 1157 73 15 15331 696 - - - 29323 (8333) 41042 - 32709 |
|---|---|---|
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Open Minds Nottingham Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 March 2025
| Open Minds Nottingham Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 March 2025 |
|
|---|---|
| 2024 2025 £ Cash assets Note £ 41042 Bank accounts 32709 41042 32709 Other monetary assets 1408 Debtors 3 450 330 Prepayment - insurance 399 1738 849 Assets retained for the charity’s own use General equipment. Liabilities (744) Creditors 4 (714) (744) (714) |
|
These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:
14, July 2025 Signed Date David Austin, Trustee
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Open Minds Nottingham 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
| Unrestricted £ The Hanley Trust 1000 JN Derbyshire Trust 1000 The Jones 1986 Charitable Trust 8000 Arter Foundation 500 Forbes Foundation 1500 The Lady Hind Trust 2500 Anon 2000 The Jean Cope Trust 1000 Sundry donations 150 17650 |
Total £ 1000 1000 8000 500 1500 2500 2000 1000 150 |
|---|---|
| 17650 |
3. Funds analysis
| Funds analysis | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted funds Bailey Thomas Unrestricted funds General fund |
Opening balance £ 1470 1470 39572 39572 |
Receipts (Payments) £ £ - - - - 20990 (29323) 20990 (29323) |
Transfers £ (1470) (1470) |
Closing balance £ - - |
|||||
| (29323) | 1470 1470 |
32709 32709 |
|||||||
| (29323) |
The Bailey Thomas fund is towards the costs of supporting members to produce stories of learning disability, mental health problems and isolation, and the funding of an E book.
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Open Minds Nottingham
4. Debtors
| HMRC Employment Allowance Pensions overpayment |
£ 425 25 450 |
|---|---|
5. Creditors
| Legal & professional fees | £ (714) (714) |
|---|---|
6. Trustees’ remuneration
Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.
7. Related party transactions
There were no related party transactions in this period.
8. Previous period comparison
The previous period’s figures cover the period from 05/10/2022 to 31/03/2024.
9. Glossary of terms
Creditors: These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.
Debtors: These are amounts owed to the charity, but not received in 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.
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