Neurodivergent Safe Space Trustee Annual Report
Charity No: 1203335
Charity name: Neurodivergent Safe Space
Charity No: 1203335
Address: 9 West Road, Westcliff on sea, Essex, SS0 9AU
Trustees: Mrs Jo Richardson, Miss Becky Verrall, Miss Grace Rush, Mr Patrick Richardson Report written by: Mrs Jo Richardson; Charity Director
The day-to-day running of the charity is overseen by the Director; Mrs Jo Richardson.
All decisions are made by the board of trustees via a voting method.
We hire trustees through interviews with the current trustee board and background checks to ensure that they are suitable for the position as we support vulnerable teens and young adults.
We started running a weekly club for 13-21 year olds in February 2023 that was held in a room at the Friends and Places Together charity unit, that we rented for one day a week.
Through experience, we found that the age range was too broad and that it was not suitable to have 13 year olds mixing in the group with 18 and 19 year olds. So, we amended the age range, temporarily, to 16-21 year olds.
As well as the weekly club, we have also taken the attendees on various day trips. For example; Indie Rock indoor climbing, the beach, and Hadleigh Farm.
Once we obtained enough funding, we began renting our own premises in January 2024 that is designed and decorated to make it a relaxing and calming environment that appeals to Neurodivergent teens and young adults. We also have a sensory tent where attendees can take some time out if they feel overwhelmed or anxious. This is a private space where they can relax with sensory toys and lights as well as blankets and cushions to cuddle up with.
The premises needed a great deal of renovation due to the dilapidated state upon we took on the tenancy. The renovations were completed at the end of March 2024 and we held our Open Day on Saturday 6[th] April 2024.
We now run three weekly clubs where trustees and volunteers supervise the activities and are on hand to support the Neurodivergent teens and young people, who attend the clubs, with their mental health challenges.
During the clubs, we provide activities like arts and crafts, game consoles (Wii & Xbox One), board games, puzzles, colouring, and drawing.
We run a Peaceful club for 16-21-year-olds on a Monday where the level of noise is kept to a minimum as many Neurodivergents cannot cope with a lot of noise.
On Friday we run a club for 16-21-year-olds where the noise level and activities are not subdued, which is preferable for ADHD individuals who struggle to keep their voices or noise levels down.
On Saturday we run a club for 13–15-year-olds which has the same format as our Friday club but is for younger attendees.
Our objectives for our first year as a charity was to obtain enough funding to rent our own premises, to open further clubs to support more people from a wider age range, to forge relationships with other charities and support organisations in the area, to attend various events, and to start producing affordable training courses for teen and young people, parents and carers, and professionals.
We have achieved most of our objectives; we now have our own premises, have opened a further two clubs (with a third in the planning stage), have forged good relationships with several local charities and organisations, and have attended three community events; Wellbeing Festival in Sept 2023, Winter Pride in Feb 2024, and the Spring Fayre in April 2024.
Our training program is still in development but will be released later this year.
The feedback that we have received from attendees is overwhelming in it’s praise and positivity about the benefits they have received from attending the weekly clubs. We are very much ‘attendee-led’ in terms of what activities we provide, what day trips we take them on, and on the décor of the premises.
The feedback from the public is that the need for our service is immense and we have received a great amount of praise for opening our clubs for Neurodivergent teens and young people in need of mental health support.
The feedback from professionals is much like the public feedback; we receive referrals from various services and have forged various relationships with local services, charities, and organisations to enable us to work together to help more people.
The charity and clubs are for them; which means that they are the best people to direct us on how best to support their needs.
Financial Report
We have received the following funding;
Mid and South Essex Microgrant - £1,500 March 2023
ROSCA Trust - £4,500 September 2023
National Lottery Community Fund - £10,000 December 2023
Our expeditures for Feb 2023 – Mar 2024 are as follows;
Activities - £883.24 Refreshments - £33.83
Sensory - £46.72
Sundry - £2.49 Stationary - £105.61 First Aid - £16.82
Books - £18.75
Advertising - £128.66
Reimbursement of items purchased for charity before the charity bank account was opened - £257.69
Website - £289.20
Admin - £289.10
Birthdays - £44.84
Rent – £3,825
Events - £389.83
Furnishing - £1,349.76
Training - £24
The charity bank account balance (as of 01/04/2024) is : £8857.75
Mrs Jo Richardson
Director Neurodivergent Safe Space
Monthly Expenditure Totals 2023 - 2024
Monthly Expenditures 23-24
| Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activities | 47.73 | 25.57 | 171 | 51.8 | 9.88 | 0 | 78.8 | 35 | 149.27 | 121.7 | 164.12 | 0 | 0 | 28.39 | 883.24 |
| Food/Drink | 26.58 | 0 | 7.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.83 |
| Sensory | 46.72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46.72 |
| Sundry | 0 | 1 | 1.49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.49 |
| Stationary | 0 | 0 | 50.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54.82 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 105.61 |
| First Aid | 16.82 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.82 |
| Books | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.75 |
| Advertising | 0 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 91.66 | 0 | 0 | 128.66 |
| Reinbursment | 0 | 186.4 | 0 | 45.14 | 26.13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 257.69 |
| Website | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 289.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 289.2 |
| Admin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85.2 | 17.58 | 17.58 | 17.58 | 17.58 | 17.58 | 19.38 | 39.74 | 56.88 | 289.1 |
| Birthdays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.19 | 0 | 12.98 | 19.67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44.84 |
| Rent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 225 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 1600 | 0 | 990 | 830 | 3825 |
| Events | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40.2 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 216.63 | 0 | 389.83 |
| Furnishing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 402.34 | 448.77 | 498.65 | 1349.76 |
| Training | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| 141.9 | 250 | 231 | 96.94 | 626.6 | 193.2 | 164.18 | 252.3 | 181.6 | 139.3 | 1781.7 | 538.38 | 1695.14 | 1413.92 | 7705.54 |
Monthly Income
| 2023 | From | Reason | Amount | From | Reason | Amoun | Amount | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb | Jo Richardson | Funding | 186.42 | 186.42 | |||||||
| Mar | Mid and South Essex Microgrant |
Funding |
1500 | 1500 | |||||||
| Apr | 0 | ||||||||||
| May | Jo Richardson | Climbing | 35 | 35 | |||||||
| June | 0 | ||||||||||
| Jul | Amazon refund | 8.99 | Merchandise sales | Feel Good Event |
54.33 | 63.32 | |||||
| Aug | Merchandise sales | Feel Good Event |
55 | Paypal test | Test | 0.01 | 55.01 | ||||
| Sept | Adyven N.V | Donations from website |
58.33 | ROSCA Trust | Grant funding |
4500 | 4558.33 | ||||
| Oct | 0 | ||||||||||
| Nov | 0 | ||||||||||
| Dec | National Lottery Fund |
Grant | 1000 | 1000 | |||||||
| Jan | Homebase refund | Refund | 25 | 25 | |||||||
| Feb | B&Q refund | Refund | 36 | Sales from Pride event |
Sales | 121.1 | 157.07 | ||||
| Mar | 0 | ||||||||||
| 7580.15 |