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2023-12-31-accounts

Men Who Talk

(Registered Charity Number 1201596)

Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31st December 2023

MEN WHO TALK

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Organisation full name: Men Who Talk
Organisation type: Charitable incorporated organisation (CIO)
Registered charity number: 1201596
Trustees: J King, appointed 15 November 2023 (Chair)
P Lipman, resigned 15 November 2023 (Chair)
L McGeachin , appointed 26 January 2024 (Treasurer)
J Parkin, resigned resigned 29 November 2023 (Treasurer)
D Bellringer-Mundy, appointed 17 February 2024
D Curtis, appointed 5 May 2023, resigned 25 August 2023
M Doucoure, appointed 5 May 2023, resigned 8 November
2023
C Morton, resigned 28 August 2023
M Saisi, appointed 15 November 2023
H Small, appointed 5 May 2023, resigned 15 November 2023
Key management personnel: Samuel Davies, Founder and Director
Principal address: 27 Oakdene Court
Walton-on-Thames
Surrey
KT12 1PD
Bankers: Lloyds Bank
98 Victoria Street
London
SW1E 5JL

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MEN WHO TALK

CONTENTS

Trustees’ report Pages 4 - 10
Declaration Page 11
Statement of financial activities Page 12
Balance sheet Page 13
Statement of cash flows Page 14
Notes to the financial statements Page 15 - 22

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MEN WHO TALK

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

The Trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st December 2023.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity’s governing document, the Companies Act 2006, 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).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Charitable objectives

For the public benefit, the relief of men in need in the UK, who may be experiencing or at risk of experiencing poor mental health, by means of, but not exclusively:

a) Increasing awareness of, and reducing the stigma attached to, men’s mental health;

b) Creating content, events, partnerships and experiences that encourage men to share their own inner struggle in a friendly and supportive environment.

Summary of activities

Our primary objective at Men Who Talk (‘the charity’) is to promote the relief of men in need in the UK, who may be experiencing or at risk of experiencing poor mental health. We deliver this objective primarily through the delivery of:

Public benefit

The Trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, ‘Charities and Public Benefit’, when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives, and planning future activities.

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Significant activities and achievements against objectives

The charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 16 January 2023, and our objectives for the first year as a registered charity were around growing stability and capacity as an organisation. In April 2023, we secured a transformative grant of £9,236 from the National Lottery Community Fund, which enabled us to invest in increased marketing of Men Who Talk groups and in-person engagement events to build online group attendance. Capacity growth stemming from this funding was also a significant achievement in the reporting period, enabling us to recruit and induct volunteers, and giving our online groups more consistency in the second half of 2023.

In 2023, the charity delivered online support groups to 11 attendees, and connected with around 25 further people through an in-person engagement event at Edge Hill University and a corporate workshop with WEG Ltd. Low group attendance in the period was due to the temporary pause of our online groups between October 2022 and May 2023, while we evaluated both their efficacy and potential barriers to access. Our improved online groups were piloted in May and June 2023, and relaunched officially in October 2023.

Raising funds and awareness

We were grateful to receive a core grant of £9,236 from the National Lottery Community Fund in April 2023, which allowed the charity to invest significantly in improving the stability and capacity of our organisation in line with our plans for the year. Other funds raised during the year came from donations from the general public, and from donations totalling £563.21 (inc. Gift Aid) from two trustees, Peter Lipman and Harry Small, which were administered through the National Funding Scheme. We also raised £645.35 in business income through the delivery of a corporate workshop with WEG Ltd on men’s mental health, and the creation and distribution of resources to help a business better support their male employees with their mental health.

As a young organisation, we recognise the importance of effective marketing to connect potential service users, as well as prospective partners and volunteers, with our organisation. In October 2023 we invested in the services of strategic marketing consultancy 5XR to help identify areas for development. The resulting marketing strategy allowed the charity to implement several ‘quick wins’ between November and December 2023 to help increase engagement and online traffic.

Between 16 January and 31 December 2023, the charity reached a total audience of 14,800 people on Facebook and 6,400 people on Instagram. Our social media and marketing activities also generated a total of 373 link clicks from the public.

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

Contribution of volunteers

The Founder and Director of the charity was not employed by the charity during the period, but made a significant voluntary contribution to the running of the charity. This included organising and delivering online groups for men, as well as assisting the trustees in the development of a budget and business plan for the charity. Final decisions on the activities of the charity and the use of its resources were made by the trustees.

The charity’s online groups were facilitated by volunteers, including the Founder and Director, who manage the logistics of group attendance, help to guide the conversation, and play a key role in flagging safeguarding concerns to the organisation. The charity was supported by four volunteer group facilitators during 2023.

All new volunteers with the charity in the period underwent a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and reference checks. New volunteers also received a 90-minute induction from the Founder and Director, which confirmed their roles and responsibilities and outlined our safeguarding procedure, and all volunteers shadowed at least three online groups before facilitating one themselves. Group facilitator volunteers make a minimum time commitment of one 90 minute online group per month.

We look to recruit volunteers who have a passion for men’s mental health, and work to include service users in the organisation through volunteering. One former online group facilitator is now a trustee of the charity. Our Founder and Director, and Administrator, both assisted with the running of online groups during 2023 to maintain best practice, safety and equality.

Staff team development

In August 2023, the charity took on a part-time Administrator on a contractor basis to support the planning and coordination of our online groups, the recruitment and induction of volunteers, and the collection and analysis of data for the charity. This increased capacity enabled us to double our volunteer numbers from two to four in the second half of 2023 and played a key role in the relaunch of our online groups in October 2023.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

The charity’s income for the year ending 31st December 2023 was £10,480.02. As the charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 16 January 2023, we are not able to provide comparative figures for 2022 in this report.

This income comprised a combination of donations (£598.67), a grant from the National Lottery

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

Community Fund (£9,236) and earned income from workshops and the creation of resources for companies (£645.35).

The charity’s expenditure for the year ended 31st December 2023 was £4,898.44.

Cash funds at the end of 2023 were £5,282,78, with no debts or responsibilities. Of this amount, £4,698.65 comprised restricted funds from our grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, to be fully spent down by the end of April 2024. The charity held £584.13 in unrestricted funds at the end of the period, none of which were designated funds.

Reserves policy

The charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 16 January 2023, and did not begin the year with any reserves. The charity started the year with £389.60 in cash and cash equivalents.

As of 31 December 2023, the charity did not hold any reserves. During the year the charity was not able to build reserves, as our primary income, a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, was not to be used for building reserves but for expenditure on charitable activities during the grant period.

Going forward, the charity plans to build financial stability and establish a reserves policy and statement which will be implemented by the trustees, to allow us to build reserves at a sustainable pace as we move into a period of growth.

Going concern

At the time of approval of this report, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees have adopted the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements and this report.

However, the charity has faced significant financial and governance difficulties during the period. Despite having extremely low running costs, the establishment of the charity during a cost of living crisis in the UK has limited our ability to fundraise and created difficulties around volunteer recruitment and retention which, at times, threatened our ability to deliver our charitable activities. The charity also began the year in material deficit, owing a total of £688.40 in two loans to a trustee and our Founder and Director.

Securing a grant of £9,236 from the National lottery Community Fund during the year substantially relieved the financial pressure on the organisation, safeguarding our ability to continue as a going concern for the year ahead. Meanwhile, receipt of donations and earned income allowed us to repay all outstanding loans during the year, ending 2023 with no debts or responsibilities.

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

Between August and November 2023, our six trustees tendered their resignations from the charity, all of which were accepted by the board. This left the charity without a quorum in November 2023, needing to recruit new trustees before the charity could continue normal operations. We recruited two new trustees in November 2023, and liaised with the Charity Commission throughout the process to ensure adherence to good charity governance.

In early 2024, two additional trustees were recruited, bringing the total number of trustees on the board to four. We have also had significant fundraising successes and increased engagement with our services in 2024, all feeding into the resolution that the charity is a going concern at time of this report’s approval.

FUTURE PLANS

Plans for the year ahead are around improving the stability of the organisation through the recruitment of trustees, fundraising activities, and improving the consistency and utilisation of our services for men.

The temporary pause of our online groups during the first half of 2023 created time for Men Who Talk to review our progress, and look closely at key barriers that were preventing men struggling with their mental health from accessing our services.

We concluded that a lack of awareness and lack of consistency in the delivery of the groups were key blockers and will continue to look to rectify both in the year ahead. This will include investing in service development to better support men struggling with their mental health. We will look to streamline and standardise our online group delivery, and create an evaluation process to help us more robustly track live data about the impact of our work for men struggling with their mental health that raises early flags when our services are not effectively supporting people.

In due course, we hope to see demand for our online groups increase to the level that we would introduce weekly groups, which will require a team of volunteers to facilitate. A second potential service development is the introduction of an additional service which works directly with individuals who are supporting men in their lives with their mental health, to provide tools, resources and additional support.

In our second year of operation, we will continue to invest in raising awareness of the work of the charity. In particular, we will also look to grow our engagement programme with universities, corporate workshops and in-person events. As well as providing workplaces and institutions with the tools to better support men with their mental health, these activities help to raise awareness of the services delivered by Men Who Talk to men in need, and are also an excellent way of engaging potential volunteers. Finally, we will continue to implement the recommendations made in our

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

new marketing strategy, increasing our social media presence and building online engagement with Men Who Talk.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document and organisational structure

The charity is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), registered 16 January 2023 under charity number. Our registered charity number is 1201596.

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). The members of the CIO are its charity trustees. The only persons currently eligible to be members of the CIO are its charity Trustees. Decisions are made by vote by members of the CIO, with a vote threshold of two thirds for decisions.

Men Who Talk is a member of the Men and Boys Coalition and NCVO.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee is appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees take into account the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

The induction and training of new trustees in the period was conducted by the Chair with support from the Founder and Director.

The following trustees served in the period:

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

In the ten months since the end of the period (January - October 2024), the following trustees have been appointed:

Remuneration

An Administrator was employed during the year on a contractor basis. Pay of the Administrator was agreed at board level based on benchmarks for national averages for administrators, and taking into the consideration the National Living Wage.

Day-to-day running of the charity

Day-to-day running of the charity and daily decisions during the period were made by the Founder and Director, who worked with the charity on a voluntary basis, under the instruction of the Trustees through regular meetings and planning.

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DECLARATION

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees

Signature(s) Position(s) Chair Treasurer 21/10/2024 21/10/2024 Date ……………..…………………. ………………………..……….

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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Notes Unrestricted
funds
2023
£		 Restricted
funds
2023
£		 Total
2023
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies 2 598.67 9,236 9,834.67
Charitable activities 3 645.35 - 645.35
Total income 1,244.02 9,236 10,480.02
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
General charitable
activities		 4, 5 361.09 4,537.35 4,898.44
Total expenditure 361.09 4,537.35 4,898.44
Net income 882.93 4,698.65 5581.58
Reconciliation of funds:
Fund balances at 1
January 2023		 6 (298.80) 0 (298.80)
Fund balances at 31
December 2023		 584.13 4,698.65 5,282.78

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 15 to 22 form part of these financial statements.

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MEN WHO TALK

BALANCE SHEET - CHARITY NUMBER 1201596

AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2023

Notes 2023
£
Current assets
Cash at bank and in
hand		 5,282.78
5,282.78
Total net assets 5,282.78
The funds of the charity
Restricted income funds 10 4,698.65
Unrestricted funds 10 584.13
5,282.78

The notes on pages 15 to 22 form part of these financial statements. The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on

21/10/2024 Signed by Date L McGeachin, Trustee (Treasurer)

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STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Notes 2023
£
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities 11 5,581.58
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of borrowing (748.40)
Cash inflows from new borrowing 60
Net cash used in financing activities 12 (688.40)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 4,893.18
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 389.60
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 13 5,282.78

The notes on pages 15 to 22 form part of these financial statements.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

1 Accounting policies

Charity information

Men Who Talk is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in England and Wales. Charity number 0201596. The registered address is 27 Oakdene Court, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 1PD.

Men Who Talk was registered with the charity commission on 16 January 2023. These are the first set of annual accounts published by the charity, and as such there is no comparative information given for 2022.

1.1 Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity’s governing document, the Companies Act 2006, 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 the FRS 102.

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note. All amounts are shown in pounds sterling.

1.2 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 have adopted the going concern basis of accounting preparing the financial statements.

1.3 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 donor 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.

1.4 Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured sufficiently reliably.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

1.5 Volunteers

1.6 Expenditure

1.7 Critical accounting estimates and judgments

1.8 Allocation of costs

1.9 Cash and cash equivalents

1.10 Taxation

The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all of its income is used for charitable purposes.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

MEN WHO TALK MEN WHO TALK MEN WHO TALK MEN WHO TALK
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
2 Income from donations and legacies
Unrestricted
funds
2023
£		 Restricted
funds
2023
£
Donations and gifts 598.67 -
Grants - 9,236
598.67 9,236
Grants receivable
The National Lottery Community Fund - 9,236
- 9,236
3 Income from charitable activities
Workshop and resource development fees 645.35 -
645.35 -
4 Expenditure on charitable activities
General
charitable
activities
2023
£
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds 361.09
Restricted funds 4,537.35
Total funds 4,898.44

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

4 Expenditure on charitable activities (continued)
Direct costs
Promotional materials 261.77
Video conferencing subscription 143.88
Disclosure & Barring Service checks 78
Staff costs 41.92
525.57
Share of support and governance costs (see note 5)
Support 4,372.87
4,898.44

Staff costs included in Direct costs are estimated based on the time spent by the charity’s Administrator delivering charitable activities (online groups for men) during the period.

5 Support costs allocated to activities
General
charitable
activities
2023
£
Marketing and publicity 1,972.49
Information technology 814.66
Staff costs 796.58
Governance costs 291.48
Insurance 268.82
Travel 95.86
Training 50

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

5 Support costs allocated to activities (continued)
Office costs 47.98
Professional memberships 35
4,372.87
Governance costs comprise:
2023
£
Office hire 75
Trustee expenses 216.48
291.48

6 Fund balances at 1 January 2023

At 1 January 2023 the charity had total cash and cash equivalents of £389.60 and total liabilities of £688.40. Fund balances is therefore shown as (£298.80) on the Statement of Financial Activities.

Employees

The charity does not have any employees. The charity’s Administrator is employed on a contractor basis, as set out in the trustees annual report.

Trustees

Excluding out-of-pocket expenses, none of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.

Trustee expenses

During the year trustees expenses of £216.48 were paid to one trustee in respect of subsistence costs reimbursed, and these costs were incurred in the performance of their trustee duties. This expense was incurred in the purchase of food and drink for the entire board of trustees on the day of a trustee meeting.

Men Who Talk does not meet the minimum requirement for its financial statement to require audit or independent examination. The charity has not paid any amounts to an auditor or independent examiner in the preparation of these accounts.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

10 Movement in funds

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
10 Movement in funds
At at 1
January
2023
£		 Income
£		 Expenditure
£		 Transfer
between
funds
Unrestricted
funds
General (298.80) 1,244.02 361.09 -
Total
unrestricted
funds		 (298.80) 1,244.02 361.09 -
Restricted
funds
National
Lottery
Community
Fund		 - 9,236 4,537.35 -
Total
restricted
funds		 - 9,236 4,537.35 -
Total funds (298.80) 10,480.02 4,898.44 -
11 Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow from operating activities
2023
£
Net income for the reporting period (as per the
statement of financial activities)		 5,582.58
Adjustments for:
Decrease in creditors 688.40
Net cash provided by operating activities 4,894.18

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

12 Cashflows from financing activities

The charity began the reporting period with the following liabilities:

During the reporting period the charity received a further loan of £60 from Samuel Davies (Founder and Director).

In November 2023 Peter Lipman was repaid the full loan amount of £60.

Between October and December 2023 Samuel Davies was repaid the full amount of the two loans made to the charity, totaling £688.40.

Analysis of changes in net debt

At start of year Cashflows Cashflows At end of year At end of year
£ £ £
Cash 389.60 4,893.18 5,282.78
Loans falling due (688.40) 688.40 0
within one year
Total (298.80) 5,581.58 5,282.78
13 Analysis of cash and cash equivalents At 31
December
2023
£
Cash at bank 5,282.78
Cash in hand 0
Notice deposits (less than 3 months) 0
Overdraft facility repayable on demand 0
Total cash and cash equivalents 5,282.78

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

14 Related party transactions

The charity received two donations from Trustees in the period. The details of these transactions are as follows:

These donations were made through the National Funding Scheme. Inclusive of Gift Aid and subtracting the National Funding Scheme fee, the total amount received by the charity from these two donations was £563.21.

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