2024-2025 Annual Report
Foreword
This report summaries the activities, impact, opportunities and forward-looking vision for DICE as we enter our third operating year.
Conceived in 2022 and delivering outcomes through 2024 and 2025 DICE (DEAF, INCLUSION, COMMUNICATION and ENJOYMENT) set out to achieve the following objectives:
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1) To relieve the isolation of Deaf children during the school holidays
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2) To promote communication in Deaf children
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3) To advance Deaf awareness in the general public
DICE was established by Ryan Brewer who sits as Chair alongside six Trustees who assist in overseeing governance and strategy. Ryan works as a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf in a school for Deaf children. Through this role he identified an opportunity to further outcomes for Deaf Young People in Greater Manchester through the provision of a ‘communication club’ during the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays, where Deaf children are most at risk of communicative and social isolation.
Service delivery summary
In 2024 and 2025, DICE has delivered:
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Provided more than 2,300 hours of holiday club provision for over 40 different d/Deaf attendees with activities including, art, crafting, cooking, games, outdoor play, bowling, trampoline parks and team building.
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Employed five Deaf teenagers on a part-time interim basis to help run Communication Clubs, whilst also providing an opportunity for them to gain work experience and access paid employment.
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Provided a much-needed resource for d/Deaf children, their families and carers in Greater Manchester where their communicative social needs can be met effectively through targeted, meaningful support through a variety of communication modes (BSL, English and Sign Supported English)
Given the previous success of our 2023 and 2024 sessions, as well as the communicative needs of the children attending DICE sessions, it was deemed important to staff each day with adults who were familiar with working with Deaf children and had British Sign Language skills. Consequently, staff from Bolton Sensory Support Services, as well as the charity ‘Sign Health’ were recruited to assist the sessions.
This worked extremely well for different stakeholders attending the sessions:
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Previous attendees were familiar with DICE sessions. New attendees felt immediately comfortable with familiar peers and adults who could communicate effectively with them.
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Parents and carers continued to be reassured by the quality of care, communication modes and array of activities provided, as well as free transport for some attendees.
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Staff themselves were keen to offer their services to DICE again in 2025. DICE are particularly fortunate to be serviced by a staff team who are passionate about supporting Deaf children.
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DICE believes that the strategy of recruiting familiar staff and paying a fair, competitive salary is important in ensuring the long-term recurring viability and success of the sessions. It is simply not viable to rely on such specialist voluntary time being available.
Activities between 26th September 2024 and 26th September 2025
Between the above dates, DICE provided:
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10 full days of extra-curricular opportunities via our ‘Communication Clubs’
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A Christmas ‘Food and Film’ event for over 42 attendees split across x2 half-days.
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Multiple trips to sporting events through partnerships with Manchester City FC and Bolton FC.
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Over 40 d/Deaf different children and young people attended
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All costs were covered including staffing fees, resource costs, food and drink, entrance fees and free transportation for attendees receiving Free School Meals. Activities included art, design and technology, crafting, cooking, games, outdoor play, climbing, trampoline park, watching professional football and team building. Importantly, each activity day emphasised inclusivity and a focus on communication.
As in previous years, most sessions were hosted at a local community hall in Bolton. Other, off-site experiences were facilitated within the Greater Manchester area at various activity locations. This was deemed important in order to boost awareness of the needs of d/Deaf children in the community whilst providing the children with an opportunity for new experiences and confidence boosting activities with the support of familiar staff and peers who could communicate effectively with them.
Community Outreach
Within our mission we seek to advance Deaf awareness within the general public. We have done so this year by bringing children out into community spaces to meet and mutually gain from such interactions with members of the hearing community. These activities included trips to a local trampoline centre, parks, restaurants, climbing centres and football grounds.
Social Media
Additionally, the activities promoted by DICE via our Instagram page continues to attract attention. Our follower base continues to grow, now with 258 followers. You can follow DICE on Instagram using the handle ‘@dice.charity’.
Feedback
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"
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• Kerry and Frank had the 'BEST TIME EVER' their words. Thank you so much!
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"Very positive. 10/10. There is nothing like this available for Deaf children. My daughter joined a regular activity club last summer and felt very isolated because her communication needs were not met."
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We encourage you to view further feedback from parents on our website.
Awards
Our small charity was recognised at the University of Manchester 'Making a Difference' awards.
Rob (Trustee) and Molly (Activity Lead and fantastic Deaf role model) attended the ceremony and collected our recognition award on behalf of our team.
As always, this award was recognition of the hard work of all of our fabulous staff.
Financial Summary
DICE raised a total of £600 for services delivered between September 26th 2024 & 26th September 2025.
This was broken into:
● Grants - £0
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(NB: No ‘HAF’ funding was available for Easter 2025 due to the change of government. Furthermore, DICE was unable to access direct funding via HAF for their 2025 Summer clubs)
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Private fundraising - £600
Expenses
Expenses for our 2024-2025 Financial Year (26/9/24 to 26/9/25) totalled £16,374.10. (A breakdown of expenses can be seen on the next page) leaving a surplus of £1,534.35 to be carried over and used into 2026 and beyond.
The Board of Trustees is comfortable with the expenses and surplus for this financial year given the increased operating costs associated with the:
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Continuation of the number of ‘regular’ Communication Club days provided
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Additional activities including the ‘Film and Food’ Christmas event, and attending sporting events through partnerships with local teams. This led to increased transport, food and entrance fee costs across the year as a result of increased participation in events and trips across Greater Manchester.
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Increased number of participants
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Requirement to continuing employing additional staff due to increased participant numbers and specific medical needs of some attendees.
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Continued payment of staff above national living wage in recognition of the specialist expertise they provide.
Breakdown of Expenses (26-9-24 to 26-9-25)
Expenses for the calendar year 2024-25 are categorised as follows:
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Transportation (minibus hire, fuel, public transport): £629.23
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Venue costs: £1200
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Food and drink: £ 1449.89
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Staffing: £ 7610.38
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Resources: £ 785.05
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Entrance fees: £ 1441.71
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Administration: £ 1700.24
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(inc: accounting, branding, payroll, printing, communication devices, web management, insurance):
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Tax and National Insurance: £1557.60
TOTAL: £16,374.10
Forward looking strategy
The Chair and Board of Trustees are very pleased with the outcomes achieved in 2024-2025. We strongly believe the mission statement has been met and in doing so, significant value has been created for d/Deaf young people who have been in receipt of DICE services.
In 2025/2026, our chairperson and activity manager (Ryan Brewer) will be working abroad. In his absence, we have decided to temporarily cease operations until his return in 2026. Upon his return, our aim is to continue our operations as previous.
We look forward to growing our relationships with existing and new granting and fundraising partners whilst slowly growing the scale of services provided by DICE to deliver on our founding mission.
Thank you for your support and interest in DICE and those we provide services for. We look forward to doing it all again in 2026 and beyond!
Ryan Brewer
Chairperson
DICE - INCOME & EXPENDITURE REPORT
From 2024-09-27 To 2025-09-26
Funds brought forward from previous reporting period
| Income Donations Grants Expenditure Transportation costs Venue hire Food and Drink Staffing Resources Entrance Fees Administration Tax and N.I Funds to be taken forward |
Period 600.00 £ - £ 629.23 £ 1,200.00 £ 1,449.89 £ 7,610.38 £ 785.05 £ 1,441.71 £ 1,700.24 £ 1,557.60 £ 1,534.35 £ |
17,308.45 £ |
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| 600.00 £ |
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| 16,374.10 £ |
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Signature Name Ryan Brewer (Chair)