## OUR FREE MINDS CIO
# **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** FOR THE PERIOD 15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
## **A WORD FROM THE CHAIR**
This year we’ve seen so much growth and change at Our Free Minds - we have more students than ever attending and have consolidated our structures and governance to support this growth. A major part of this work has been our policy review.
We have also welcomed new trustees with a passion for progressive education and play, and a wealth of experience and knowledge to bring to the team.
With so much energy and enthusiasm from the students and their families, we are proud of continuing to provide the space for them to explore what they find interesting and important in a non-directive and nonjudgemental environment.
It is gratifying and heart-warming to see our small community evolve and expand, but it is witnessing the positive changes in students attending that is the stand out advantage of being involved with Our Free Minds.
**KATIE KOTTING** CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OUR FREE MINDS CIO
15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
## **OUR PURPOSE**
AS SET OUT IN OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENT
The advancement of education for the public benefit in the South West of England by:
a) establishing project-based educational settings designed to provide activities which develop the capabilities, competences, skills and understanding of homeeducated children and ‘school refusers’ aged between 5 and 18.
b) offering out of school extra curricular activities to all children aged between 5 and 18.
W
## **158,000 97,000 OFM**
pupils were severely absent (missed 50% or more sessions) in autumn and spring 2023/24, an increase from 1.9% in the same terms in 2022/23.
children in England are home educated (likely more as registration is not mandatory), demonstrating an increasing trend, rising particularly sharply following the pandemic.
At Our Free Minds, we offer our educational support service to meet this growing demand and help families provide educational resources and a supportive and sociable community for their children.
OUR FREE MINDS CIO
15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
## **OVERVIEW**
## ACTIVITIES, PROJECTS AND SERVICES
We create a space for young people to explore what is interesting and important to them, facilitated by open and interested adults and supported by a flexible community structure in which their voices are heard.
We do this by renting a space, during this period the Scout Hut in Burbage, three days a week and providing three adult facilitators who are available to support children with their learning projects and personal development.
During this period we worked for at least one day a week per term with over 51 different home educated children, two children who were attending a mainstream setting on a flexi-school basis and one child who was attending school on a regular basis and came to us as an extracurricular activity during his school holidays.
We also provide regular family days (7 days during this period), where the families of children can come together at the rented space, use the resources, connect and support one another, and socialise. We find that the families of children either struggling in school or during the deregistering or de-schooling process benefit from connecting with others who have been in a similar position and this in turn creates more stability and better quality of support for the children from their families.
OUR FREE MINDS CIO
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15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
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## **HOW THIS WORKS**
SELF-DIRECTED, CONSENT-BASED, COMMUNITY-FOCUSED
As a self directed learning group, our members decide how they invest their time and can opt in or out of every activity. Each day will vary depending on the individual’s mood, interests, ideas and inspiration.
The Charity's activities have been designed to deliver benefits in accordance with its objectives. Our activities have been reviewed through the year, referring to the Charities Commission's guidance on public benefit so as to ensure that our work complies with these requirements.
The types of activities the children undertook during this period are described in the following two pages.
## **Understanding Yourself**
- Our high facilitator-to-child ratio allows for children to have plenty of individual as well as group attention.
- We offer all our young people regular one to one mentoring sessions with a facilitator.
- Our daily meeting provides opportunities for group discussions and consent-based agreements.
- Conflict resolution and peer support are a natural and important part of learning at Group.
- Projects are self-directed and self-managed: young people have the opportunity to be bored and create their own motivation and direction.
## **Science**
- Using the microscope to view objects up close and learn about the parts of flowers and insects.
- Cultivating our own pollinator-friendly fruit and veg beds, learning about pollinators.
- Creating Marble Runs and learning about how to build more stable and efficient systems.
- Testing and comparing different household liquids with pH test strips, and using tables and graphs to compile and compare the data.
- Using our scrap paper to make paper pulp, and using the mould and deckle to turn that into new paper.
## **Creativity**
- Creating tiny houses in clay, cardboard, mud and mixed media, and imagining the lives of inhabitants.
- Exploring centripetal force with an electrical art spinner.
- Using pairs of compasses and rulers to create intricate geometric patterns and turn them into mandala images or other artworks.
- Sketching outdoors to practice our pencil skills and look at nature up close and at a distance (insects,wildlife, plants, cloudscapes, landscapes).
- Exploring a range of media including powders, paints, clays, pencils, pens, graphics pad.
- Baking and cooking.
## **Communication**
- Using story cards to create our own collaborative modern fairytales.
- Creating stop motion animation videos.
- Devising our own dramatic interpretations of the Wizard of Oz, mini zombie movies, and working on plays written by members.
- Devising Dungeons and Dragons scenarios and taking part in games.
- Word games such as “Poetry For Neanderthals” focussed on getting meaning across with single syllable words.
- Writing stories, poems and articles and scripts.
- Using Minecraft: learning the words for the passwords, finding a world, choosing an item, working with friends to solve problems and using the laptop keyboard.
## **Physical Development**
- Marco Polo in various versions, always negotiated and renegotiated.
- Chaos tag and other running games.
- Variations of ball games, climbing, skipping, running, jumping.
- Exploring the outdoor space and using the rope swing.
- Gymnastics challenges.
- Yoga sessions.
- Dance choreography and creating dance shows.
- Twister games.
- Balance challenges.
- Obstacle courses and hurdling races.
## **Strategy, Number & Logic**
- Logic puzzles, chess and board games.
- DnD and other role play games designed by the young people.
- Gathering data from science experiments and presenting it in table and graph form.
- Collecting names for start up games, and taking votes.
- Measuring ingredients for baking, working in fractions and converting.
- Measuring time and distance e.g. in long jump tournaments or hurling competitions.
- Using pairs of compasses to create mandalas and other geometric designs.
- Building understanding of shape and directional and geometric language by creating origami.
- Applying geometry in woodwork and junk modelling creations.
OUR FREE MINDS CIO
## 15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
## **FAMILY CONNECTION**
Beyond our sessions we constantly look for ways to create opportunities for connection between the families in our community, and offer support not only to our children but to their families too.
During the Summer of 2023 we organised three family activity days:
- BayLab science workshop Woodland Walk Lake day with raft building and campfires
These develop confidence in our young people, and create more opportunities beyond our walls for them to engage in and develop their own learning and interests, as well as enhancing the strength of our community by providing more opportunities for whole families to connect.
We also provide regular family days (7 days during this period), and two camp out experiences, where the families of children can come together at the rented space, use the resources, connect and support one another, and socialise. We find that the families of children either struggling in school or during the de-registering or de-schooling process benefit from connecting with others who have been in a similar position and this in turn creates more stability and better quality of support for the children from their families.
We connected with the Local Authority in order to better support our families to understand how to connect with the LA and what the requirements are from them.
## HONDOUR F **RE** INC.E MINDS CIO
15.11.22 TO 25.01.24YEAR 2030
## **ACCESSIBILITY AND HARDSHIP PLACES**
- We have a number of young people self-diagnosed and diagnosed as ASD or ADHD. We provide them with an environment in which their neurodiversity is embraced and valued, and in which they can find confidence within community and develop their skills at their own pace and in their own interests.
- We also offer Hardship places - during this period we supported 4 families (6 children) who would not otherwise have been able to afford our fees with reduced rates according to their financial need. We were able to offer these places due to fundraising and charging full fees to those who can afford to pay.
## HONDOUR F **RE** INC.E MINDS CIO
15.11.22 TO 25.01.24YEAR 2030
## **STRUCTURE AND ORGANISATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS**
We grew our trustee board from 3 to 4 trustees.
- We conducted an entire policy review and overhaul, and ensured all our policies are available to parents and the public via our website.
OUR FREE MINDS CIO
## 15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
## **MARKETING AND FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES**
We developed and re-designed our website: www.ourfreeminds.org.
We began publishing a termly parents newsletter online.
We created a blog with weekly updates, and used Facebook to communicate with current parents about our activities and more broadly to communicate our offering to new families and the wider community.
We fundraised for a Quiet Space. We wanted a space for members to use to regulate or have small break-out groups in, or to use for projects that would benefit from a separate space such as yoga, videos, accessing online calls, or simply a space to relax and chat to friends. The idea for what type of space to invest in developed from upgrading a tent that has been borrowed from our CEO, to buying our own tent, and exploring possibilities of creating a separate space in the main building. However, after a consultation with our fundraising taskforce we elected to go for a self-contained shipping container that would be more weather proof and could be moved with us should we move sites.
Our fundraising efforts this period (some of which were ring-fenced specifically for this objective) included a crowd-funding page, a sponsored danceathon, a Christmas Fair and a community Fireworks event organised jointly with other charities in the local area. We also set up an Easyfundraising account for raising additional funds, and Paypal to make donating to our charity easier for people.
## HONDOUR F **RE** INC.E MINDS CIO 15.11.22 TO 25.01.24YEAR 2030
## **TRAINING AND CPD**
- Our volunteer facilitator completed a two day Paediatric First Aid Course so that now all three facilitators are First Aid trained.
- Two facilitators completed the NSPCC level 1 Safeguarding training to upgrade their existing training.
HONDOUR F **RE** INC.E MINDS CIO
15.11.22 TO 25.01.24YEAR 2030
## **NEW PROJECTS IN THE MAKING FOR 2024 AND BEYOND**
- We began work on creating a Young Facilitators Training Programme, which we expect will take around 2 to 3 years to put together and will likely include other similar settings around the country to complete.
- We agreed that in 2024 we will train one facilitator as an Arts Award advisor and register Our Free Minds as an Arts Award centre, in order to increase our offering to our young people aged 8 up as they naturally become more goal-oriented. We plan to have our first group of young people enrolled on the Arts Award by the Q4 2024.
We aim to have bought and kitted out our new Quiet Space by Q2 2024.
## **CONTRIBUTION MADE BY VOLUNTEERS**
We pay two facilitators for 21 hours a week to cover their time during sessions. They volunteer an extra 4 to 39 hours a week. We also have a volunteer who volunteers her time as a facilitator 18 hours a week and also provides admin support for 4 to 9 hours a week .
The volunteered time during this period was spent:
- Hunting for a new space to house our sessions, so that we can leave long term projects overnight and create more opportunities for our young people and the wider community beyond our current hours.
- Marketing - for example, creating the website, advertising on Facebook, designing and creating posters and online banners, creating our info pack and other materials that describe who we are and what we do.
- Planning, organising and attending fundraising events and activities such as the Sponsored Danceathon, Christmas Fair, Fireworks Night.
- Communicating with parents and supporting and nurturing our community such as writing the parents newsletter, communicating and moderating the WhatsApp groups and Facebook pages for parents and prospective parents.
- Organising and attending the Family Days, Family Walks and other extra activities such as Baylab and the lake day.
- Managing finances and other admin tasks.
- Attending training / CPD sessions.
- Communicating with the wider network of Self-Directed Learning settings to share best practice and create a supportive wider network.
- Buying and managing resources.
- Cleaning and maintaining the premises.
- Travelling to and attending team meetings, finance planning meetings, meetings with the LA and trustee meetings.
We have 4 trustees who volunteer their time to support the charity, attend the quarterly meetings and fulfil their trustee duties.
OUR FREE MINDS CIO
15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
## **SUMMARY OF ACHIEVEMENTS**
158,000 pupils were severely absent (missed 50% or more sessions) in autumn and spring 2023/24, an increase from 1.9% in the same terms in 2022/23 (www.gov.uk 17 October 2024). Some of these children lose confidence, becoming anxious and isolated.
97,000 children were home educated in 2023’s summer term, an increase of 11,000 compared with the 86,000 home educated at the start of 2023 ( _The Guardian_ , Thu 25 Jan 2024)
Our Free Minds exists to fill the gap, providing:
a place to feel safe with a wealth of resources.
- a chance to develop citizenship and voice in a supportive, sociable, stable community.
opportunities for children in mainstream schools to access a self directed approach.
We hope that the three anonymised and combined example case studies on the following pages may illustrate this better than anything else.
“The benefits of these kinds of transformations to both the individuals directly involved and society as a whole are far-reaching. To have the opportunity to be immersed in and embraced by a stable democratic community helps to prepare children for life in the wider community - and importantly, it enables them to begin to develop and grow into people who know their own interests and know how to pursue them so that they can live fulfilling and happy lives.” Hannah Woolven, parent and facilitator
## **Meet “Jamie”**
Jamie is 10. At school she was becoming increasingly anxious. She found it impossible to eat with the other children. Well-meaning teachers isolated her during lunch and play times. Soon she was lonely and underweight.
Her family were desperate and terribly worried about Jamie. They knew that school wasn't helping her, and seemed to be making her ill, but they weren’t sure whether home education would give her the social life and confidence she needed either.
## **Jamie now**
Jamie joined Our Free Minds as one of our first members. When she first joined she was demonstrably shy and nervous. She found it difficult to speak out for herself. She shied away from other children and seemed only to speak to adults. She hardly ate a thing, and would quickly become overwhelmed and tearful.
Fast forward and she is now an active and vocal member of our group. She is passionate about acting, film directing, stop motion animation, drawing, the natural world and junk modelling. She has built a full scale model of one of her favourite TV villains and regularly leads groups of children in theatrical endeavours. She speaks up in meetings and advocates for herself and others.
## **Meet "Graham"**
Graham is 12. He is autistic. At primary school he managed well, masking his differences. But when it came to secondary school, it all became too much. His confidence plummeted and he became increasingly emotionally dysregulated and isolated. He was suffering from depression and social anxiety. He didn't want to leave his bedroom, let alone his home. His parents were beside themselves with worry.
## **Graham now**
Graham was so anxious that his first contact with Our Free Minds was by a video we made introducing ourselves to him.
After only 6 months with Our Free Minds, Graham is a model community member. He seems to intuitively know how to help other members, with a word of encouragement or a gentle shoulder squeeze. He regularly chairs our morning meeting and helps organise us all. During the sessions he works with incredible focus on his various beautiful art and creative writing projects. He is often seen taking breaks with a book, or initiating some sort of physical challenge game. He is a keen natural scientist and loves to laugh and joke with other group members. He is planning to take part in our Young Facilitators Training Programme as soon as it is in place, and we have no doubt that he will excel.
## **Meet "Sarah"**
Sarah is 9. She has been home educated for the last few years, but she was lonely and found it hard to make lasting friendships. Being home educated, Sarah's family found it difficult to meet other families. Sarah played increasingly alone and was often left to her own devices due to work schedules and illness in the family. She found socialising very difficult, and hadn't learned a lot of the skills that most children her age would have picked up. She was reactive and volatile, and found sharing and losing games overwhelmingly difficult. She was also desperately lonely and her self-esteem was low.
## **Sarah now**
When Sarah first started at Our Free Minds she was bursting into tears at least 5 or 6 times a day. She often found it hard to make herself understood. She would regularly emotionally lash out at other members, and didn't seem to understand boundaries.
Our Free Minds has provided that all important ingredient Sarah needed: a community. Through the relationships she has made at our group, she now has regular meet-ups outside of our sessions as well, so that she spends time with other children and is building relationships.
Through her interests at group sessions, Sarah’s literacy is improving and she is also learning how to communicate clearly and effectively with other people. She still gets upset sometimes, but we now rarely see tears more than once a week, which is a sign of her increasing resilience and understanding of social transactions. She has become a regular participant in role playing games, which has been incredible for her development in terms of communication, imagination and social engagement. Her parents also now have other parents to lean on and connect with, so that they can better support Sarah.
OUR FREE MINDS CIO
15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
The charitable incorporated organisation ended the year with a increase of net income and movement of funds of £11,324. The charitable incorporated organisation's total funds as at 25 January 2024 were £11,324, which are made up of £11,324 of unrestricted funds.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees considers that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained without throughout the period within the charity’s current account. We do not currently have a separate account for reserves but plan to set one up within the next two years.
Amount of reserves held in a separate reserves account is zero.
The reasons for holding zero reserves is that during this first year as a CIO we needed the flexibility to invest in items like resources and our shipping container while we grew and settled. As our member numbers stabilise we plan to open a reserves account and begin transferring funds into it from our current account at a reasonable rate.
We have no funds materially in deficit.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the board of trustees has a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
OUR FREE MINDS CIO
15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
**Trustee selection methods as per the Charity’s Constitution:**
**18. The CIO shall have a Board of Trustees (the “Board”) comprising at least 3 persons.**
**19. (i) New Trustees may be recruited to the Board at any time by the Trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as Trustees, the Trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.**
**(ii) The Board may elect such officers (chair, secretary, treasurer) as they see fit. First Trustees**
**20. The first Trustees are as follows: Katherine Kotting Jemma Eadie Mara Simmons**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
**Charity name: Our Free Minds CIO**
**Registered charity number: 1201014**
**Charity’s principal address: 4 Old Meadow Cottages, Lockeridge, Wiltshire SN8 4EN**
**Director name: Guy Asherson-Taylor**
OUR FREE MINDS CIO
15.11.22 TO 25.01.24
## **TRUSTEES**
**None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the Charity. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute in the event of a winding up.**
**None of the trustees hold title to property belonging to the charity .**
**No funds are held as custodian trustees on behalf of others.**
|||Trustee name|Office (if any)|Dates acted if not for whole year||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||1|Katie Kotting|Chair|||
||2|Mara Simmons||||
||3|Clea Sambrook|Safeguarding and
Treasurer|Appointed 08.05.23||
||4|Sze Wai Wong|Secretary|Appointed 09.05.23||
||5|Jemma Eadie|Secretary|Resigned 10.05.23||
**Charity registration number 1201014**
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
**ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION**
## **Trustees**
K Kotting C Sambrook M Simmons P De Witt
(Appointed 15 November 2022) (Appointed 20 April 2023) (Appointed 15 November 2022) (Appointed 29 February 2024)
**Charity number** 1201014 **Principal address** 4 Old Meadow Cottages Lockeridge Marlborough SN8 4EN **Independent examiner** David Owen & Co 17 The Market Place Devizes Wiltshire SN10 1BA
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **CONTENTS**
||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|1 - 2|
|Statement of trustees' responsibilities|3|
|Independent examiner's report|4|
|Statement of financial activities|5|
|Balance sheet|6|
|Notes to the financial statements|7 - 12|
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT**
## _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the period ended 25 January 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's Memorandum and Articles, the Charities Act 2011 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).
## **Objectives and activities**
The object of the CIO is the advancement of education for the public benefit in the South West of England by:
a) establishing project-based educational settings designed to provide activities which develop the capabilities, competences, skills and understanding of home-educated children and ‘school refusers’ aged between 5 and 18.
b) offering out of school extra curricular activities to all children aged between 5 and 18.
## _Public benefit_
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
## **Achievements and performance**
## _Significant activities and achievements against objectives_
The charity rents a local scout hut for three days a week, during term time, and provides three adult facilitators who are available to support the attending children with their learning projects and personal development. During the reporting period the charity worked with over 51 home educated children, two children who were flexi-schooling but registered in mainstream and one child who attended mainstream school while attending during the school holidays. During the reporting period, 7 family days were arranged in order to provide chances for connections between families who are outside of mainstream school communities.
## **Financial review**
The charitable incorporated organisation ended the year with a increase of net income and movement of funds of £11,324. The charitable incorporated organisation's total funds as at 25 January 2024 were £11,324, which are made up of £11,324 of unrestricted funds.
## _Reserves policy_
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the period.
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is a charitable incorporated organisation.
The trustees who served during the period and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
K Kotting (Appointed 15 November 2022) C Sambrook (Appointed 20 April 2023) M Simmons (Appointed 15 November 2022) P De Witt (Appointed 29 February 2024)
## _Recruitment and appointment of trustees_
Trustee positions are advertised on local social media platforms. Applicants are interviewed by the chair of trustees and then presented to the board for final decision. The application process is guided by document CC30- Finding New Trustees (Finding new trustees (CC30)- GOV.UK).
- 1 -
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
K Kotting **Chair**
13 January 2025
- 2 -
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES**
## _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping sufficient accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
- 3 -
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Our Free Minds CIO (the charity) for the period ended 25 January 2024.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
Your attention is drawn to the fact that the charity has prepared financial statements in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has now been withdrawn.
I understand that this has been done in order for financial statements to provide a true and fair view in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.
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:
- 1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
- 2 the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
- 3 the financial statements do 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 financial statements to be reached.
Mr Joe Bunton ACA David Owen & Co
17 The Market Place Devizes Wiltshire SN10 1BA
Dated: 13 January 2025
- 4 -
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**
## _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**Notes**
**£**
**£**
**Income from:**
Donations and legacies
**3**
1,913
2,505
Charitable activities
**4**
55,873
-
**Total income**
57,786
2,505
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
**5**
48,967
-
**Total expenditure**
48,967
-
**Net income and movement in funds**
8,819
2,505
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Fund balances at 15 November 2022
-
-
**Fund balances at 25 January 2024**
8,819
2,505|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
4,418
55,873|
|---|---|
||60,291
48,967|
||48,967|
||11,324
-|
||11,324|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the period. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
- 5 -
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## _**AS AT 25 JANUARY 2024**_
|**Notes**
**Current assets**
Debtors
**11**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
**12**
**Net current assets**
**The funds of the charity**
Restricted income funds
**14**
Unrestricted funds
**15**|**2024**
**£**
2,422
13,132
15,554
(4,230)|**£**
11,324|
|---|---|---|
|||2,505
8,819|
|||11,324|
The financial statements were approved by the trustees on 13 January 2025
K Kotting **Chair**
- 6 -
## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Charity information**
Our Free Minds CIO is a charitable incorporated organisation. The registered office is 4 Old Meadow Cottages, Lockeridge, Marlborough, SN8 4EN.
## 1.1 **Reporting period**
An entity shall present a complete set of financial statements annually, including comparative information from the previous financial year. The current accounting period for this set of financial statements is a period longer than one year, being 15 months. As this is the first year there is no comparative period.
## **1.2 Accounting convention**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's Memorandum and Articles, the Charities Act 2011, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a true and fair view. This departure has involved following the Statement of Recommended Practice for charities applying FRS 102 rather than the version of the Statement of Recommended Practice which is referred to in the Regulations but which has since been withdrawn.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
## **1.3 Going concern**
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
## **1.4 Charitable funds**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
## **1.5 Income**
Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
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## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
## **1 Accounting policies**
**(Continued)**
## **1.6 Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
## **1.7 Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
## **1.8 Financial instruments**
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
## _**Basic financial assets**_
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
## _**Basic financial liabilities**_
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## _**Derecognition of financial liabilities**_
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
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## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
## **1 Accounting policies**
**(Continued)**
## **1.9 Taxation**
Our Free Minds CIO, as a registered charity, obtains exemption from taxation under part 10, ITA 2007 and s.256 TCGA 1992.
## **1.10 Employee benefits**
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
## **1.11 Retirement benefits**
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
## **2 Critical accounting estimates and judgements**
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
## **3 Income from donations and legacies**
|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
Donations and gifts
1,913
2,505
1,913
2,505|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
4,418|
|---|---|
||4,418|
## **4 Income from charitable activities**
||**Unrestricted**|
|---|---|
||**funds**|
||**2024**|
||**£**|
|Services provided|55,873|
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## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
## **5 Expenditure on charitable activities**
|||**Direct and**|
|---|---|---|
|||**support**|
|||**costs for**|
|||**charitable**|
|||**activities**|
|||**2024**|
|||**£**|
||**Direct costs**||
||Staff costs|8,267|
||Learning resources|2,955|
|||11,222|
||**Share of support and governance costs (see note 6)**||
||Governance|37,745|
|||48,967|
||**Analysis by fund**||
||Unrestricted funds|48,967|
|**6**|**Support costs allocated to activities**||
|||**2024**|
|||**£**|
||Staff costs|36,082|
||Governance costs|1,663|
|||37,745|
||**Analysed between:**||
||Direct and support costs for charitable activities|37,745|
|**7**|**Net movement in funds**|**2024**|
|||**£**|
||The net movement in funds is stated after charging/(crediting):||
||Fees payable for the independent examination of the charity's financial statements|720|
|**8**|**Trustees**||
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the period.
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## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
## **9 Employees**
The average monthly number of employees during the period was:
||**2024**|
|---|---|
||**Number**|
||2|
|**Employment costs**|**2024**|
||**£**|
|Wages and salaries|43,183|
|Other pension costs|1,086|
||44,269|
There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000.
## **10 Taxation**
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
|**11**
**Debtors**
**Amounts falling due within one year:**
Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
**12**
**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
Other taxation and social security
Trade creditors
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income
**13**
**Retirement benefit schemes**
**Defined contribution schemes**
Charge to profit or loss in respect of defined contribution schemes|**2024**
**£**
2,194
228|
|---|---|
||2,422|
||**2024**
**£**
227
612
2,671
720|
||4,230|
||**2024**
**£**
45|
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## **OUR FREE MINDS CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 25 JANUARY 2024**_
## **13 Retirement benefit schemes**
## **(Continued)**
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
## **14 Restricted funds**
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
||**At 15**|**Incoming**|
**At 25 January**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**November**|**resources**|**2024**|
||**2022**|||
||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Comfortable space|-|2,505|2,505|
## **15 Unrestricted funds**
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
||**At 15**|**Incoming**|**Resources**|**At 25 January**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**November**|**resources**|**expended**|**2024**|
||**2022**||||
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|General funds|-|57,786|(48,967)|8,819|
## **16 Analysis of net assets between funds**
|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**At 25 January 2024:**
Current assets/(liabilities)
8,819
2,505
8,819
2,505|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
11,324|
|---|---|
||11,324|
## **17 Related party transactions**
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the period.
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