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2024-07-31-accounts

Registered Charity Number : 1203031 Companies House Number : 14221678

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024

FOR

THE BATON OF HOPE UK (CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION)

CONTENTS
CHARITY INFORMATION
TRUSTEES' REPORT
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
BALANCE SHEET
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS		 PAGE NO.
3
4 - 6
7
8
9
10 - 12

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THE BATON OF HOPE UK

CHARITY INFORMATION

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024

Name Appointment Date Resignation Date
TRUSTEES: Michael McCarthy 07-Jul-22
Andrea Louise Craig 07-Jul-22
Juthika Bhayani 01-Jan-24
Ben Wilson 01-Jan-24
Tanya Marwaha 27-Feb-24
Geoff McDonald 27-Feb-24
Charlotte Amelia Rush 27-Aug-24
Abbi Thomas 27-Aug-24
Victoria Right 27-Aug-24

CHARITY'S PRINCIPAL ADDRESS: The Baton of Hope The Circle 33 Rockingham Lane Sheffield S1 4FW REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER : 1203031 COMPANIES HOUSE NUMBER : 14221678 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER : Severn Accounting Shaw Mews 1 Shaw Street Worcester WR1 3QQ

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THE BATON OF HOPE UK

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024

The trustees, for the purposes of the Charity Act, present their annual report and independently reviewed Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] July 2024.

SUMMARY OF CHARITY OBJECTIVES

To promote and protect health for the public benefit by liaising and collaborating with charities and other organisations working in suicide prevention in order to (a) provide a forum to identify gaps in the range of charitable services available to those they serve; (b) provide advice, information and support to those working in this field; (c) representing the views of the forum to policy makers and funders; (d) promoting and supporting charities, initiatives and organisations working to prevent or raise awareness of suicide. To preserve and protect the mental health of those struggling with suicidal ideations in particular but not exclusively by funding, signposting and/or improving access to [a range of services]. To advance the education of the public into the causes, effects and prevention of suicide. To relieve the needs of persons at risk of suicide and their families.

OUR ACTIVITIES

The Baton of Hope UK raises awareness of suicide prevention, improving access to information and services, to normalise intelligent conversation about suicide. It acts to breakdown stigma, promote action, to improve understanding, services, and responses; as a forum to bring about change and hope; and it is a catalyst for initiatives such as the ‘Workplace Pledge’ which is a kite-mark for best practice relating to suicide prevention in the workplace.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

The trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in determining that these activities are for the public good.

Tour23 (A unique idea translated into a national event)

The beginning of the year relevant to this report came hot on the heels of the Baton of Hope UK’s first national tour in which trustees and volunteers took the specially designed Baton itself to 12 cities in 2 days. The baton, which is the world’s first physical symbol of mental wellbeing, was carried by more than a thousand people who had either survived a suicide attempt or had been affected by the loss of a loved one to suicide.

The purpose of this tour (the first of its kind ever held in the UK) was to raise national awareness around the subject of suicide prevention, to encourage society to understand that the subject is “everyone’s business”, to support other suicide prevention and mental health charities to collaborate for maximum impact and for the greater good of trying to save lives.

The tour was greeted with overwhelming enthusiasm by the communities and individuals concerned. It ended at no.10 Downing Street and an endorsement from the then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who described it as “the biggest suicide prevention initiative ever seen in the UK.” He went on to say: “The Baton of Hope is a true point of light in our country, and I am sure it will help to save many lives now and in years to come.”

The months following the tour became a period of consolidation for the charity as we assessed the impact of the event and commissioned an independent report to help with this process. It was, after all our aim to stage future tours…on a biennial basis.

The report focussed on the experiences primarily of trustees. It highlighted some concerns - principally the impact the tour had had on some of those trustees. There was clear majority support for another tour along with acknowledgement that for a fledgling charity we had overstretched ourselves and that lessons would have to be learned for any such future events.

Separately we gathered testimony from the 12 ‘project leads’ appointed in advance of the 23 Tour, baton bearers and volunteers. The overwhelming conclusion was that the Tour itself had been an enormous success. We have gathered testimony from many of the people listed above. They highlight the widespread media coverage resulting in a surge of awareness in suicide prevention and the profoundly positive effect on individuals, charities and communities who took part at ground level.

Inaugural national conference.

Following our tour a legacy committee of volunteers was set up in Sheffield to help organise our first conference ‘Making Suicide Prevention Everyone’s Business’ which was held at Sheffield University’s Octagon centre in May 2024. It attracted top tier speakers such as Prof Rory O’Connor - then president of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and author, political strategist, and broadcaster Alastair Campbell.

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THE BATON OF HOPE UK

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024 (Continued)

It was attended by approximately 300 people and included:

The Workplace Pledge.

The Workplace Pledge is a suicide prevention training package conceived and designed over a period of almost two years before its public launch at the national conference (see above. It has been refined after discussions with HR leaders, clinicians, academics, and individuals with lived experience of the suicide of a loved one or attempted suicide. The Pledge provides three levels os support bronze, silver, and gold. The aim is to make it relevant to companies, agencies both large and small. The bronze package is completely free, involves a broad package of resources and is supported by a quarterly webinar provided by the Baton of Hope UK.

Uptake of the training programme has been significant with a range of companies and employers following up the public launch in May 2024.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The board of trustees oversees the governance and management of the Baton of Hope UK and are responsible ensuring alignment with our mission and values. The principals of good governance are set out in a Policies and Procedures document shaped in part by independent legal and management specialists working pro bono. Regular conversations have taken place to shape effective and compliant strategies to deal with current and future initiatives. There is close collaboration with a core team of volunteers who provide practical support to further the plans and ambitions of the board thus strengthening our ties with UK communities.

TRUSTEE'S RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements under applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England & 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 CIO and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the CIO for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the CIO and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, and the provisions of the constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the CIO and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees are satisfied that they have complied with the above responsibilities

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Baton of Hope UK's main funding source to sustain its operations for the year ended 31st July 2024 was donations. Public donations and fundraising efforts following the Baton of Hope UK tour constituted a substantial portion of our funding, providing essential support for our initiatives. Going forward, the charity is diversifying its income to provide accredited suicide prevention training to further enhance its financial resources and ensure its long-term sustainability.

Transparent financial practices ensure the responsible allocation of funds to various projects, covering operational costs and facilitating the expansion of our charitable activities

The trustees propose to maintain the charity's reserves at a level which is at least equivalent to six months operational expenditure, and this is reviewed on a quarterly basis to ensure they are adequate to fulfil the charity's continuing obligations.

The charity has raised total funds to the amount of £153,619 in the period under review (2023: £155,301) of which £107,418 was spent (2023: £156,953) in the activities of the charity.

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THE BATON OF HOPE UK

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024 (Continued)

APPROVAL

This report was approved by the trustees on 25 May 2025

and signed on their behalf by: ……………………………….……………………..

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REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER TO THE TRUSTEES OF

THE BATON OF HOPE UK

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31st July 2024, which are set out on pages 3-5 and 7-11

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

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 accounts to be reached.

Severn Accounting Shaw Mews 1 Shaw Street Worcester WR1 3QQ Date : 26/05/2025

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THE BATON OF HOPE UK

Statement of Financial Activities ( incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account)

for the year ended 31st July 2024

INCOME FROM:
Notes
Donations & legacies
2
Charitable activities
3
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE ON:
Raising funds
Charitable Activities
4
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
before transfers
Transfers between funds
Net Incoming/(Outgoing) resources
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds bought forward
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD		 2024
2023
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
150,607
-
150,607
88,865
3,012
-
3,012
66,436
153,619
-
153,619
155,301
107,418
-
107,418
156,953
107,418
-
107,418
156,953
46,201
-
46,201
1,652
-
-
46,201
-
46,201
1,652
-
(1,652)
-
(1,652)
-
44,549
-
44,549
(1,652)

There are no recognised gains or losses other than those passing through the income and expenditure account.

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THE BATON OF HOPE UK

Balance Sheet as at 31st July 2024

Notes
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash at bank and in hand
Stock
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year
6
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due after more than one year
NET ASSETS
FUNDS
Restricted funds
7
Unrestricted funds
7
TOTAL FUNDS		 At 31st March
2024
40,302
4,522
44,824
275
44,549
44,549
-
44,549
-
44,549
44,549		 At 31st
March
2023
7,654
2,988
10,642
12,294
(1,652)
(1,652)
-
(1,652)
-
(1,652)
(1,652)

The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 26 May 2025

and signed on their behalf by: …........................................................

The notes form part of the financial statements

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THE BATON OF HOPE UK

Notes to the Financial statements for the year ended 31st July 2024

Note

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Accounting Convention

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the requirements of the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (FRS 102)

Cashflow Statement

Exemption has been taken from preparing a cashflow statement on the grounds that the charity qualifies as a small charity.

Incoming Resources

All incoming resources are included on the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Voluntary donations and gifts are accounted for as received.

The charity receives help and support in the form of volunteer assistance in carrying out its objects. No entries are required to be included in the accounts for the financial value of such help.

Resources Expended

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all the costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributable to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities

Fund Accounting

Unrestricted Funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for the particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when the funds are raised for a particular restricted purpose.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

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THE BATON OF HOPE UK

Notes to the Financial statements

for the year ended 31st July 2024 (Continued)

Note
2
INCOME FROM DONATIONS & LEGACIES
Donations
3
INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Grants:
Government grants
Merchandise Income
Other income
Total income
4
EXPENDITURE
Charitable Activities:
Bank charges
Advertising and PR
Subscriptions
Insurance
Entertaining
Rent and venue hire
Office and general admin costs
Travel, meal and accommodation
Accountancy fees
Other direct costs
Donations		 2024
2023
£
£
150,607
88,865
150,607
88,865
2024
2023
£
£
-
65,000
1,598
1,436
1,414
-
3,012
1,436
153,619
155,301
2024
2023
£
£
413
53
55,065
25,438
141
105
6,414
3,483
340
1,500
3,866
6,265
4,144
5,940
4,916
-
449
550
31,668
113,319
-
300
107,418
156,953

5 STAFF COSTS, TRUSTEES REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES

During the year no remuneration for services as a trustee were payable, directly or indirectly, out of funds of the charity.

There were no employees whose annual emoluments were £60,000 or more

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THE BATON OF HOPE UK

Notes to the Financial statements

for the year ended 31st July 2024 (Continued)

Note

6
Creditors : amounts falling due within one year
Accrued expenses		 2024
2023
275
12,294
275
12,294

7 Analysis of net assets between funds

Net Current Assets 2024
2023
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
£
£
£
£
44,549
-
44,549
(1,652)
44,549
-
44,549
(1,652)

8 Restricted funds

At 31 July 2024 the charity had no restricted funds

9 Commitments under operating leases

At 31 July 2024 the charity had no annual commitments under non-cancellable operating leases.

10 Related party transactions

There were no transactions with related parties during the year or previous year that require disclosure in these accounts.

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