Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 06/04/2024 Period start date To 05/04/2025 Period end date Charity name: The Healing Harbour
Charity registration number: 1201305
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To promote the physical, mental health and well-being of those people and their families or carers in North Norfolk who are living with a life-limiting condition/palliative diagnosis, in particular by the provision of: A) A sensory, ‘Healing’ Garden B) A range of Holistic Therapies including but not limited to Horticulture, Reflexology and Music. C) Workshops in Advance Care Planning and Palliative Care |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | All Trustees have knowledge of the guidance published by the Charity Commission in relation to Public Benefit they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the commission’s public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Our Governing document is the Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation whose only voting members are its charity trustees (Foundation Model) |
|---|---|---|
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Charitable Incorporated Organisation |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Charity Trustees are appointed for three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | The Healing Harbour |
|---|---|
| Registered charity number | 1201305 |
| Charity’s principal address | 16 Waterbank Road, Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8RB. |
| 1 2 3 4 |
Trustee name | |
|---|---|---|
| Alison Brennan | Chair Trustee | |
| Paul Brennan | Trustee | |
| Jacqueline Spencer | Trustee | |
| SallyRevell | Trustee |
The Healing Harbour Charity No.1201305 Annual Report April 6[th] 2024-April 5[th] 2025
The Healing Harbour is a small North Norfolk charity dedicated to ‘Bringing People Together’ through a compassionate community approach. We support the well-being of people who are living with life-limiting health conditions (Palliative Care), alongside their families who care for them. We also promote public awareness and understanding of palliative care through accessible community learning and workshops.
Our long-term vision is to create a ‘Healing Garden’- a beautiful and sensory outdoor space in which people can participate in therapeutic activities, have meaningful time with others, and experience the wellbeing benefits of nature.
Our Second Year
Building on Our Foundations
During our second year, we continued to strengthen our core offer of wellbeing activities, including gardening groups, art sessions, complementary therapies and drumming circles. These activities were delivered with the commitment of our fantastic volunteers and were accessed by people living with serious illnesses threatening and shortening lives and their families, caring. Alongside this, we worked hard to raise awareness of our charity and secure the funding needed to keep our work going and reach more people.
Here is some of the feedback we have received
-
Healing Harbour has been a safe harbour for me. I found the charity when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer. ………. provided a safe space where I could talk and ask questions at the drop-in sessions. Later in my journey I have been helped by monthly reflexology sessions in a caring and supportive environment. Fabulous local charity.
-
From my professional perspective, The Harbour Charity is nothing short of transformational for the people and families they support. Over the years, I have seen first-hand how their work changes lives – not just in the immediate sense, but in ways that have a lasting and positive impact on confidence, wellbeing, and community connection.
-
the very best of what a charity should be. They lead with integrity, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference. Their dedication not only benefits the people they directly help, but strengthens the community as a whole. In every respect, they are an absolute credit to the area, and it’s a privilege to witness the positive change they create.
-
I feel this is such a valuable charity, and I feel very privileged to be able to use their services
-
As a full-time carer for my Husband with many critical conditions, is really lovely to have the support and back up. To know there are lovely people who are willing to give their time and resource in such a helpful and caring manner is so good, when life can be very lonely and uncertain
-
……….. and her team are wonderful! They have been so supportive to my husband during his recent cancer journey! He has received reflexology, cranial sacral and reiki which he has found most helpful at such a difficult time in his life………….. has also been there to talk me through the treatment plan which at times can be very hard to understand!
Grant Funding and its Impact
Funding Support and What It Enabled
We were extremely grateful to receive a £10,000 grant from the St Faith’s Crematorium ‘Recycled Metal Fund’. This support has made a real difference to what we have been able to offer in the community. It has helped us to:
-
Decorate and Equip the Therapy Room, including buying a height adjustable electric massage table
-
Provide free Complementary Therapies to people with life-shortening conditions and their families
-
Run two ‘Compassionate Community Days’, giving carers a much-needed break and growing community awareness
-
Resource wellbeing activities/therapies and cover venue costs when free spaces weren’t available
-
Run ‘Looking After Yourself’ a team day for volunteers to build connections between volunteers covering a large geographical area and offer wellbeing activities to support those caring for others.
We are currently the only organisation in North Norfolk offering free complementary therapies to people with life-shortening conditions (outside of cancer-specific services). Our volunteer therapists have been remarkable in sharing their time and skills.
One reflexologist has been offering regular treatments to people living with kidney failure at the local renal dialysis unit — something not available through the NHS locally. The feedback from patients and the unit’s staff has been incredibly positive, highlighting the value of this support. Patient’s have described Reflexology as:
-
‘You brought life back to my right leg, I want to keep that feeling’
-
‘My feet felt good most of the week’
-
‘My restless legs were more settled, so I slept better after the last treatment’
-
‘My feet are numb but you made them come alive’
-
‘I am walking on air’
-
‘I absolutely adore it’
Thank you to our wonderful therapist Erica Redmond, and the supportive nursing team at Cromer Renal Dialysis Unit led by Naomi Parfitt.
The St Faith’s Crematorium grant has also enabled specialist training for our volunteer therapists, ensuring safe, evidence-based practice. Training this year includes:
-
Cancer care reflexology
-
Lymphatic drainage techniques
-
Chi Medics (supporting organ-related wellbeing, particularly relevant to renal patients)
-
Cancer-specific aromatherapy massage
This investment in volunteer skills has significantly increased our public benefit in the community, as there were no therapists trained in these specialist therapeutic skills offering to free treatments to people living with palliative diagnoses in our geographical area.
We are continuing the work made possible through this grant, including delivering Life Stories and Memory Making workshops that help people reflect on their experiences, find meaning, and share their legacy. Some of the remaining funding will contribute to the development of the ‘Healing Garden’.
Community Support and Partnerships
Community engagement is at the heart of our approach. We have been welcomed into local cafés, libraries and other public spaces, and we are grateful to businesses such as Owl Tree Crafts, Fox’s Funeral Services and Later Life Care for their ongoing support. Later Life Care has been especially generous, donating the use of a room for eight days each month and their community hub room once monthly. This has given us a safe, reliable space to offer therapies — something we simply couldn’t have afforded otherwise.
We continue to build connections with other local organisations, schools, charities, statutory services and community groups. These partnerships help us share skills and resources so that people living with serious illness feel better supported.
We are committed to strengthening our community by building skills, knowledge, and confidence in areas such as Future Care Planning, Palliative Care, End of Life Care, and Loss and Bereavement. Our aim is to increase understanding across the local area so that when people encounter others living with serious illness, they feel prepared to offer support, compassion, and connection during times of health crisis and beyond.
To further this charitable purpose, we have taken part in numerous information-sharing events over the year, including conference presentations and community activities linked to Palliative Care Networks, Dying Matters Week, and Grief Matters Week.
Alongside this, we have delivered a series of Community Learning Share workshops across North Norfolk, covering topics such as Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning. We are passionate about increasing awareness of the importance of making choices about what matters most—particularly during periods of ill health—and remain committed to offering accessible training opportunities that support people to explore their own future care wishes.
We have also benefited from free training and resources provided by My Care Matters , enabling our volunteers to develop the knowledge and skills needed to support others in making informed future care choices. Through this programme, volunteers have trained as advocates and “Buddies,” helping community members consider and record their preferences for future care (Advance Care Planning).
Co-op East of England: What Matters Most to You?
We have completed our What Matters Most to You? project, funded by Co-op East of England. Support from Co-op Cares has enabled the charity to speak directly with people living with conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, circulatory and heart failure, advanced cancers, dementia, frailty, and other long-term health challenges. The project asked a question: “What matters most to you in supporting your well-being?”
In North Norfolk, no previous ‘evidence gathering’ project based in palliative care, has explored with people that have deteriorating health conditions, what/if they can identify as most important for their well-being. During the project the ‘champion’ leading the information gathering for the charity, hosted ‘empathy circles’ exploring the barriers that prevent people from accessing those things that matter and bring happiness to lives.
Being able to give time and listening to peoples lived experiences is essential for strengthening connections between community members and service providers, and for addressing the inequalities that limit access to well-being support. The fund also provided training for three people in ‘No Barrier’s Here’, an art-based approach to future care planning. This approach enables participants to explore and record their wishes around future care at the end of life through interactive art-based workshops.
This project would not have been possible without the generosity of Co-op Cares East of England Fund and the skilled approach of Elaine Spencer, who represented the charity in the community. Their funding has given us a valuable opportunity to continue improving the well-being of people—and their families and friends—who are affected by life-shortening health conditions.
Collaborative working shares resources and skills
The charity is an active member of the Norfolk and Waveney Compassionate Community Group which is creating a network of people that are striving to work together to ensure that people (and their families/carers) living with serious illnesses that shorten lives experience the support of the community around them. This group participation has been a unique networking opportunity for the charity, with others that are motivated to support people living with serious illnesses that shorten lives in North Norfolk.
The ‘Healing Garden’
Our vision is to create a dedicated Healing Garden where people can access therapies and take part in wellbeing activities in a beautiful, natural environment. Although we needed to relocate our gardening group to a new venue this year, we remain committed to finding a permanent space for this project.
While we continue our search, we have offered a community gardening club at a local allotment site, where participants grow flowers and vegetables together. We were grateful to receive seedlings from the National Trust at Felbrigg, which were nurtured in greenhouses across the community. Plant swaps with local gardening enthusiasts further strengthened these connections and supported our activities.
We have also been generously supported by Kelling Heath Holiday Park , which offers extensive heathland, woodland, and nature-rich walking routes. The company has kindly provided us with a free meeting room and open access to the surrounding walks. This has enabled us to run yoga sessions, fundraising events, and gardening meet-ups in a peaceful and accessible setting. We have also been supported with a donation, following a fundraising event held by the company, which was very much appreciated.
Fundraising
The need for community-based wellbeing support in our area is significant. North Norfolk has no hospice provision, no Macmillan homecare services, and no Marie Curie nursing support. With only three full-time equivalent specialist palliative care nurses serving a population of more than 102,000 people, many individuals living with life-shortening conditions rely heavily on community resources. Our work, including the development of the Healing Garden, aims to help bridge this gap by offering connection, activity, and compassionate support close to home.
Our charity could not fulfil its vision and purpose without the generosity of our community. This includes not only the small team of volunteers who consistently give their time, but also the local organisations, businesses, and individuals who fundraise on our behalf.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Gary Powell for his ongoing commitment to supporting the charity. Gary has played a vital role in securing essential unrestricted funds, enabling us to cover insurance costs and day-to-day running expenses throughout the year. His belief in our work and his dedication to helping others has made a meaningful difference.
Volunteers
Our charitable activities are made possible through the dedication, skill, and compassion of our volunteers. The Healing Harbour extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who has chosen to stand alongside us in supporting people in our community living with palliative and life-limiting health conditions.
As the charity continues to grow, we hope to welcome even more volunteers so that more individuals—and their families and carers—can experience the strength and support of a connected community.
BriNJiNJ People Together Brirgir¥J People Together W¢ ore MmItted to cnhoKiry the xll.bti th dttffRYtifiTr3 Nlarf I1r froN11. fr ond Cr$. ¢lit79 Creat¥ya'HEditySxth' in thichwe Cortcffer tivitieS.471webd4rrt bry went in time 1 well. beiry. "CrmpClklc COThty. Inthich pecple liwrs th p11 conditioré.ond thr cryi¥Yrl tk¢Y COVawJnity. pnLwJr (thrty tc skills . PdliatNe cnd End of Life Cor¢.L•Ss1 so obl A Compassiomte Comnxmity The Hedlin9 Harur V•lthteers Wont to 5upporl People in their Commwity Offeriry". Aciivilits to CON w¢Th MJTure ststh s &Jrdeniw. Foro9irg oThJ F¢rett School Acliyilies. 'Drop Ins. to m¢¢t with oth¢rs. shor¢ Art/Crofts. Tea and Chai Support Holistic ThEr•pies >Kh os ReflLK¢109y. Htrbolism. DrummiNJ for Wellbeir4. Reiki. 5¢und 8oths Meditatio '¢ornNNity LtorniThJ shorts. in Fut Core Plonnir4, Pdlioli¥e Core. L¢)ss or¥J E1 Of Lif¢ D•Jol 5•ul Midwif¢
us About ug About us
tweDry? SHVI¥GV*VPWIYVTYHU> SHEA-U aA_..44RY-CTHL¥ ¢jO-w41 Isth COMPLOIEiifAIyThEAAPIES-FAEE T ALID
ofviIIFOMACHAT CJfftp&iom.. FrierAg tter> IW. wilTrX¥Jwltots 04 5hLVfSyX PDXtwl GARDENING BRINGING peopLe TOfjEfMER Corn wilh I•oro g¢JId•I9 s&Jll$ 10g•ihw. OriLe drtrp ty 0 ¢kn ol Ilp PLOT 37, WEYllOVItNE IIO*D ALLOTMEN SHE111140HAAI. ALL WELCOME.
coastal /¢Yw5doy24thS¢pttTntT AtA•tCoftctmWth NorfL VXPeTiencqdRRft8xoiDW5tsPuLla 0ndEr007¢sharWth•T sws celebyate ReliexLI AnssWeeh20t4 CommY •v•nt to ¢el•brat• WOIILD COMPASIIOIIATI COMMUNITY DAY CCKrrnY •v•nt to c•l•brat• woriLD COMPASIIOMATI C01414UNITY DAY 0•.3fy1•.M WELCOME Jtsl• WELCOMI 1&1>113• FUTURE CARE PLANNING? 10.1>11JD FUTURI CARE PLANNIN67 SLYTADLIIADvLT NATURf CRAFTS. MUSIC AND DRUMMIP4G rt4VLttD ALL*S¢5 SOMATIC MOlENT IWT•4LC FONILIAGF5 LISTENING CIRCLE
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Receipts and Payments Accounts EytjrlLry rJ&tJL4EYE3 ki'¢i'ipii .Ind p.Iymonis •wrK IpJ& É Ir. 1061
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) AJBrennan Full name(s) Alison Brennan Position (eg Secretary, Chair Trustee Chair, etc) Date 22/01/2026