## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
## **From 22/02/2023 Period start date To 31/12/2023 Period end date**
## **Charity name: Association of British Sign Language Teachers and Assessors (ABSLTA)**
## **Charity registration number: 1292957**
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The Association of British Sign Language
Teachers and Assessors (ABSLTA) was established
in 1989 with the purpose of supporting and
enhancing the professional development of
British Sign Language (BSL) teachers and
assessors throughout the UK. ABSLTA aims to
improve the quality of BSL education by
providing professional development
opportunities, networking, and community
support for its members. The charity’s work is
focused on advancing the education of BSL by
empowering Deaf BSL teachers and assessors
and promoting the growth of BSL education
across the UK. To further support these goals, a
new website was launched in October 2023 to
provide improved access to resources,
information, and member services.|
|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|In line with its charitable purposes, ABSLTA
provides a range of activities aimed at
supporting BSL education and its practitioners.
These include offering professional development
resources and opportunities for Deaf BSL
teachers and assessors, providing a platform for
networking and community building through
initiatives such as the ABSLTA Facebook page and
private group, and delivering guidance and
support to members and the wider public. A key
part of the charity’s work is its monthly
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
sessions, known as BSL Chat, which provide
regular opportunities for members to enhance
their skills and knowledge. In October 2023,
ABSLTA launched a newly revamped website to
further expand access to resources, facilitate
member engagement,and support the|
|||development of BSL education. The accounts
highlight the use of donations and membership
fees to fund these activities, including CPD
sessions, conferences, and the development of
educational resources.|
|---|---|---|
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|The trustees of ABSLTA confirm that they have
had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance
on public benefit when carrying out the charity’s
activities. In all its work, ABSLTA strives to ensure
that its support for BSL teachers and assessors
contributes to the advancement of BSL
education for the public benefit. The launch of
the new website in October 2023 further
enhances the charity’s ability to promote greater
inclusion and access to education for Deaf
individuals and those learning BSL.|
## **Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|As a newly registered charity (February 22nd),
ABSLTA has not yet established a formal
grant-making policy. This may be reviewed and
developed in the future as the charity grows.|
|Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|ABSLTA does not currently engage in social
investment or programme-related investment
activities, and therefore no policy exists at this
time. This will be considered as part of future
strategic discussions.|
|Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|Volunteers play a vital role in ABSLTA's
operations. The charity relies on the efforts of its
committee members and other volunteers who
contribute their time and expertise in supporting
BSL teachers and assessors. In addition, all
trustees are volunteers and cover their own
travel, accommodation, and other expenses
when supporting ABSLTA activities across the UK.
These contributions include managing events,
delivering monthly CPD sessions, and providing
member support, all of which are key to the
success of ABSLTA.|
|Other||Since ABSLTA was newly registered on February
22nd, formal policies are still in development.
The charity will continue to evolve its
governance and policies in line with its growth
and strategic priorities.|
## **Achievements and Performance**
SORP reference
|Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|ABSLTA has achieved significant milestones that
positively impact its beneficiaries: BSL teachers
and assessors, Deaf communities, and BSL
learners.
1.
Professional Development: The launch of
CPD sessions, including the BSL Teachers'
Lounge and BSL TeachHub, has provided
BSL teachers with enhanced skills and
valuable resources, leading to improved
teaching quality.
2.
Website Revamp: The revamped website
has made resources and information
more accessible, facilitating better
support for BSL teachers and fostering
community engagement.
3.
Increased Membership: Membership
growth has exceeded 100, indicating
strong demand for ABSLTA’s services and
a growing network of support for BSL
education.
Impact: These achievements have improved BSL
education, enhancing communication and
learning opportunities for Deaf communities and
promoting inclusivity and cultural awareness
among BSL learners. Overall, ABSLTA’s work
raises the standard of BSL education in the UK,
contributing to greater social inclusion and
awareness of Deaf culture.|
|---|---|---|
|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|||
|
Achievements against
objectives set|
Para 1.41|
In our first year (2023-2024), ABSLTA achieved
key objectives, including the successful review
and update of our constitution, establishment of
a governance sub-committee, and clarification of
trustee roles. We added 25 new members
through targeted outreach and launched a
redesigned website that enhances user
engagement. Additionally, we replaced BSL Chat
with the BSL Teachers' Lounge and BSL
TeachHub, successfully running bi-monthly
sessions.|
|Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|We initiated fundraising efforts by selling old BSL
books, which raised money for the new website.
Public donations also contributed to our funding.
However, the fundraising sub-committee has not
yet been activated, and no formal grant
applications have been submitted. We recognise
the need to prioritise these efforts moving
forward.|
|Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|As we are still in the initial stages of
development, specific investment performance
metrics have not yet been established.|
Overall, ABSLTA has laid a solid foundation for Other growth and engagement, aligning with our strategic objectives and preparing for future initiatives.
## **Financial Review**
|**Financial Review**|||
|---|---|---|
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|At the end of the financial period, ABSLTA's bank
balance was £2,448.21. Total expenditures for
2023 amounted to £7,113.32. Significant
expenses included the revamp of our website,
Charity Commission fees, two laptops, and
consultation fees for preparations related to the
Charity Commission submission. We also
incurred costs for attending a conference in
London aligned with our objectives, as well as
fees for Zoom, Google Workspace, and website
domain hosting.|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Currently, ABSLTA has no reserve funds. We
recognise the importance of holding reserves
and aim to implement a reserve policy in our
2024 year plan. Reserves will be essential for
ensuring financial stability and covering
unexpected expenses in the future.|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|As of now,ABSLTA holds zero reserves.|
|Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|The absence of reserves is primarily due to
significant investments in critical areas, such as
the website revamp and the purchase of
essential equipment like laptops. These
expenditures are vital for advancing our charity's
objectives and operational capabilities.|
|Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|There are currently no funds that are materially
in deficit.|
|Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|At this time, there are no uncertainties regarding
ABSLTA’s ability to continue as a going concern.|
|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|||
|
The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|
Para 1.47|
ABSLTA's principal sources of funds include
membership fees, fundraising activities such as
the sale of old BSL books, and public donations.
These sources help support our operations and
initiatives, including the recent website revamp
and ongoing professional development
programmes for our members.|
|Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|Currently, ABSLTA does not have a formal
investment policy. Our focus is primarily on
utilising funds for operational needs and projects
that directly support our mission. As we develop
our financial strategy, we will consider the
potential for social investment that aligns with
our objectives.|
|A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|The principal risks facing ABSLTA include financial
sustainability, reliance on membership fees and
donations, and potential changes in regulations
affecting the charity sector. Additionally, as we
expand our offerings and activities, there is a risk|
associated with managing resources effectively to ensure the success of our programmes. No additional information to report at this time. Other
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|ABSLTA operates under a constitution that serves
as its governing document, outlining the
purpose, structure, and operational guidelines of
the charity.|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|ABSLTA is constituted as an unincorporated
association, which allows us to operate as a
charity while maintaining flexibility in our
governance and decision-making processes.|
|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|Trustees are selected through a nomination and
election process as outlined in our constitution.
Members of ABSLTA have the opportunity to
nominate candidates for trustee positions, and
the elected members vote during the annual
general meeting (AGM). This ensures that the
board of trustees is representative of the
membershipand accountable to them.|
## **Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
training of trustees|Para 1.51|ABSLTA has established an induction programme
for new trustees, which includes an overview of
the charity’s mission, governance structure, and
operational procedures. New trustees receive
training on their roles and responsibilities, as
well as information about relevant legal and
regulatory requirements. Ongoing training
opportunities are provided to ensure all trustees
remain informed about best practices in charity
governance.|
|---|---|---|
|The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|ABSLTA operates with a flat organisational
structure, facilitating open communication and
collaboration among trustees and members. We
engage with a wider network of organisations
and stakeholders in the BSL community,
including educational institutions, advocacy
groups, and professional bodies, to promote the
advancement of BSL education and support our
members.|
|Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|ABSLTA has established collaborative
relationships with various organisations in the
Deaf and BSL community. These partnerships are
aimed at sharing resources, knowledge, and best
practices to enhance the overall impact of our
work. We maintain transparency in these
relationships to ensure they align with our
charitable objectives.|
|Other||No additional information to report at this time.|
||||
**Reference and Administrative details**
|||||
|---|---|---|---|
||Charity name|||
|||Association of British Sign Language Teachers and||
|||Assessors (ABSLTA)||
||Other name the charity uses|ABSLTA||
||Registered charity number|1202057||
||Charity’s principal address|Crown House,||
|||27 Old Gloucester Street,||
|||London,||
|||WC1N 3AX||
|||||
|||||
**Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
||**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not**
**for whole year**|**Name of person (or**
**body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (if any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|1|Gillian Stringer|Treasurer|2009 -
08/07/2023|
Founding Trustee,
Elected byMembers|
|2|Emma Iliffe|Chairperson|2014 - Present|Founding Trustee,
Elected byMembers|
|3|Jill Hipson|Secretary|2018 -
08/07/2023|Founding Trustee,
Elected byMembers|
|4|Stuart Parkinson|Vice Chair|2018 - Present|Elected as a
Standing Trustee by
Members|
|5|Judith Kidd|Committee|2019 - Present|Elected as a
Standing Trustee by
Members|
|6|Jane Folston|Committee|2022 - Present|Elected as a
Standing Trustee by
Members|
|7|Steve Leece|Committee|2022 -
08/07/2023|Served only as a
Committee Member;
did not become a
StandingTrustee.|
|8|Matt Jenkins|Secretary|08/07/2023 -
Present|Elected as a
Standing Trustee by
Members|
|9|Angela Barringer|Committee|08/07/2023 -
Present|Elected as a
Standing Trustee by
Members|
|10|Hamza Shaikh|Committee|08/07/2023 -
Present|Elected as a
Standing Trustee by
Members|
|11|Ola Postawa|Committee|08/07/2023 -
Present|Elected as a
Standing Trustee by
Members|
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name**
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
**Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year**
## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
|Description of the assets
held in this capacity|The charity does not hold any funds or assets as custodian
trustees on behalf of other charities or organisations.|
|---|---|
|Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|Not applicable.|
|Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own assets|Not applicable.|
## **Additional information (optional)**
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**||||
|||||
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
## Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
We do not disclose specific personal details about our key personnel, including trustees, to protect their privacy. However, we ensure that any potential conflicts of interest are managed in accordance with our governance policies, especially when trustees hold positions in other organisations.
## **Other optional information**
We are committed to transparency and accountability in our operations. While we may not disclose certain personal information, we provide relevant information about our governance structure and decision-making processes in our annual reports and communications.
## **Declarations**
## **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
## **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
|||**Signature(s)**|**Signature(s)**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||||
|||**Full name(s)**||Emma Iliffe||Judith Kidd|
||**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**
Chair
Treasurer
**Date**
22/09/2024||||||
||**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**||Chair||Treasurer||
||||||||
||||||||
||**Association British Sign Language Teachers & Assessors**|**Association British Sign Language Teachers & Assessors**|**Association British Sign Language Teachers & Assessors**|**Association British Sign Language Teachers & Assessors**|**Association British Sign Language Teachers & Assessors**|**1202057**|**1202057**|**1202057**|**CC16a**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**For the period**
**from**||22/2/2023||**To**||31/12/2023|||
|||||||||||
|**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||||||
|**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Restricted funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**|
|Merchandise Sale|**-**
**11-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**11-**||**-**
**--**|
|Donations|**-**
**300-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**300-**||**-**
**--**|
|Membership Fees|**-**
**3,180-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**3,180-**||**-**
**--**|
|Workshop Fees|**-**
**420-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**420-**||**-**
**--**|
|Donation of funds from ABSLTA (non charity)|**-**
**5,650-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**5,650-**||**-**
**--**|
||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**|
||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**|
||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**|
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_|**-**
**9,561-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**9,561-**||**-**
**--**|
|||||||||||
|**A2 Asset and investment sales, (see**
**table).**||||||||||
||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**|||
||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**|
|**_Sub total_**|**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**|
|**_Total receipts_ -**
**9,561-**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**9,561-**
**-**
**--**
**A3 Payments**
AGM, Meeting and Workshop Costs
**-**
**540-**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**540-**
**-**
**--**
Audit Fees
**-**
**120-**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**120-**
**-**
**--**||||||||||
|AGM, Meeting and Workshop Costs|**-**
**540-**||||||||**-**
**--**|
|Audit Fees|**-**
**120-**||||||||**-**
**--**|
**----- Start of picture text -----**
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see
table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 9,561 - - 9,561 -
A3 Payments
AGM, Meeting and Workshop Costs 540 - - 540 -
Audit Fees 120 - - 120 -
**----- End of picture text -----**
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
1
|Subscription Fees for Zoom and Vimeo||**-**|**218-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**218-**|||**-**|**--**||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Committee Member Expenses||**-**|**289-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**289-**|||**-**|**--**||
|Web Hosting Fees (GoDaddy)||**-**|**57-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**57-**|||**-**|**--**||
|Prize for Christmas Quiz||**-**|**10-**|||||||||||**-**|**10-**||||||
|Domain Name Registration||**-**|**8-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**8-**|||**-**|**--**||
|Laptops||**-**|**1,088-**|||||||||||**-**|**1,088-**||||||
|BSL Conference Costs||**-**|**200-**|||||||||||**-**|**200-**||||||
|New Website Development Costs||**-**|**4,000-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**4,000-**|||**-**|**--**||
|Exhibition Display Materials||**-**|**88-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**88-**|||**-**|**--**||
|Consultancy Fees||**-**|**495-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**495-**|||**-**|**--**||
|**_Sub total_ **||**-**|**7,113-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**7,113-**|||**-**|**--**||
||||||||||||||||||||||
|**A4 Asset and investment**|||||||||||||||||||||
|**purchases, (see table)**|||||||||||||||||||||
|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**||||||
|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**||||||
|**_Sub total_ **||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**||||||
|**A4 Asset and investment**|||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**purchases, (see table)**|||||||||||||||||||||
|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**||||||
|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**||||||
|**_Sub total_ **||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**||||||
||||||||||||||||||||||
|**_Total payments_ **||**-**|**7,113-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**7,113-**|||**-**|**--**||
||||||||||||||||||||||
|**_Net of receipts/(payments)_ **||**-**|**2,448-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**2,448-**|||**-**|**--**||
|**A5 Transfers between funds**||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**||
|**A6 Cash funds last year end**||||||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**||
|**_Cash funds this year end_ **||**-**|**2,448-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**2,448-**|||**-**|**--**||
||||||||||||||||||||||
## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
||||||||**Unrestricted**|||**Restricted funds**|**Restricted funds**||||**Endowment**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Categories**|**Details**||||**funds**||||||||**funds**|
||||||||**to nearest £**||||**to nearest £**||||**to nearest £**|
|**B1**|**Cash**|**funds**|Bank Account|||**-**|**2,448-**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|
|||||||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|
|||||||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|||**-**|**--**|
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
2
|**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**|**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments account
(s))
**Details**
**Details**|**-**
**2,448-**|**-**
**2,448-**|**-**
**--**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||OK|
|||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**Fund to which asset**
**belongs**
**Fund to which asset**|**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**-**
**--**|
|||||**Current value**|
||**Details**|
**belongs**|**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**|
**(optional)**|
||||**-**
**--**|**-**
**--**|
||||**-**
**--**|**-**
**--**|
||||**-**
**--**|**-**
**--**|
||||**-**
**--**|**-**
**--**|
||||**-**
**--**|**-**
**--**|
||||**-**
**--**|**-**
**--**|
CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
3
## **B5 Liabilities**
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**|
||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**|
||||**Fund to which**||**Amount due**|||**When due**||
||**Details**||**liability relates**||**(optional)**|||**(optional)**||
||||||**-**|**--**||||
||||||**-**|**--**||||
||||||**-**|**--**||||
||||||**-**|**--**||||
||||||**-**|**--**||||
||Signature||Print|Name||||Date of approval||
||||Judith Kidd|||||28/10/2024||
||||Emma||Iliffe|||||
|||||||||28/10/2024||
CCXX R4 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
4