2024-06-30-accounts

ANNUAL TRUSTEES REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the period 21[st] June 2023 to 30[th] June 2024

Supportive Approachable Friendly Environment (SAFE)

Charity Number 1203674 c/o Lancaster District CVS The Cornerstone Sulyard Street Lancaster LA1 1PX

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Table of Contents

Charity Information………………………………………………………………………………	3
Trustees Report……………………………………………………………………………………	4
Receipts and Payments Accounts………………………………………………………….	13
Statement of Assets and liabilities……………………………………………………..	14
Independent Examiner………………………………………………………………………….	15
Notes to Financial Statements……………………………………………………………….	16

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Charity Information

Trustees Charmaine Rothwell Rebecca Blackburn Jon Lowson Rhiannon Sharkey Amanda Davey Charity Number 1203674 c/o Lancaster District CVS Registered Office The Cornerstone Sulyard Street Lancaster LA1 1PX Chief Executive Keeley Wilkinson Governing Documents Constitution of Charitable Incorporated Organisation Independent Examiner Shweta Pankhadiwala Lancaster District CVS The Cornerstone Sulyard Street Lancaster LA1 1PX

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Trustees Report for the period 21[st] June 2023 to 30[th] June 2024

The Trustees present their year-end report and the financial statements as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) for the charity’s reporting period ended 30[th] June 2024.

The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the charity’s governing document.

Objectives and Activities

The charity’s objective is to provide services for the public benefit, the relief of those in need, by reason of suffering from mental ill-health, residing in the Lancaster district, in particular but not exclusively providing early intervention and prevention support, through the provision of creative arts, social and recreational activities, health and well-being workshops, practical advice and support delivered in community settings.

SAFE achieves its objectives through its three core programs

• Prop Up Project: For young people aged 13-19, we deliver two weekly groups. These sessions use creative activities and wellbeing strategies, nurturing positive thinking and providing coping strategies. Our approach aims to encourage gradual, personalised progress.

• Prop Up Project Young Adults' Group: Designed for individuals aged 20-25, these monthly sessions promote connections and coping strategies, helping them overcome barriers to social and educational engagement.

• Socialease: This program, running twice weekly for adults aged 18+, offers a space for casual interaction, fostering mental wellbeing and addressing isolation through activities and discussions. It includes a unique table card system to facilitate engagement.

Our programs play a vital role in reducing social isolation and developing essential coping strategies. We strive to empower our participants to take control of their wellbeing, manage challenging situations, and recognise early signs of declining mental health.

The charity is actively seeking to expand the services and deliver extra sessions for young people – to deal with more referrals from other agencies.

SAFE’s Vision, Mission & Values

Vision

To build a community where everyone lives a life with the confidence, skills and connections to take positive steps forward.

Mission Statement

SAFE aims to empower people to build a positive life, which they are at the centre of, providing tools to improve wellbeing and life skills in a judgement free space. Because we believe everyone deserves to live a life with confidence, skills and connections to take positive steps forward.

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Values

Care and wellbeing - We foster a secure and supportive environment where individuals feel valued, respected, and welcomed.

Togetherness - We create a sense of belonging and connection, encouraging personal growth and shared learning.

Fulfilling Potential - Through a personalised approach, we empower all involved with SAFE to reach their full potential.

Thinking about the Future - Support people to envision a brighter future by helping them build the confidence and tools needed to see new possibilities and pathways forward.

Achievements and Performance

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Our Activities

In this financial period, the charity has delivered 208 sessions for the benefit of 74 people (34 young people and 42 adults). This included 42 new referrals for young people aged 13-19 and 15 new referrals for adults.

Our team of 13 amazing volunteers, provided 751 hours of support in our regular sessions and other organised activities.

Prop Up Project

We have delivered a total of 98 Sessions for young people aged 13-19 who are experiencing barriers to accessing social environments due to mental health difficulties, neurodiversity and other life challenges. This breaks down to 49 2 hour sessions in Morecambe & 49 2 hour sessions in Carnforth across the 12 month period. Our two program are delivered in Partnership one with the Lancashire County Council Targeted Youth Support Team (Morecambe) & one with Salvation Army Crops in Carnforth.

From June 2023- June 2024 we delivered creative sessions which focused on wellbeing topics, chosen as important by the young people. These included:

• Self-Care & Distraction techniques: Young people made sensory toys to support self-regulation and distraction boxes with techniques and activities which were practices and could be used in real world settings.

• Mindfulness: We practiced a variety of grounding technique to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety in indoor and outdoor environments.

• Independent living skills – The group practice communication skills and built conversations starter to be used in other contexts. This young people also practice how to use public transport to overcome any worries regarding this and decrease reliance of transport from adults.

• Looking after your health: Young people were visited by local medical practices to talk about how to book and attend health appointments. The group then practice how to make phone calls and appointments online.

• Sleep: sessions covered the importance of sleep, including what hinders sleep and how to build a better sleep routine.

• Managing emotions: sessions covered what emotions are, how and why we feel them and how to managing difficult feelings.

Key to our approach to provide young people with independent toolkits and resources to take away to use outside of our sessions.

Alongside our core activities from January to May 2024 we delivered the NCS program in partnership with the association of girls and boys clubs for 7 young people 16-25.

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Feedback from young people.

‘Coming to Prop Up has helped me gained confidence in talking to people my age.’ Aged 15

‘The Prop Up Project sessions has helped me to think about my future more positively’ Aged 19

‘I leave each session feeling calmer and positive’ Aged 17

Impact

In 2023-2024 4 young people have successfully moved on from our sessions; to engage in other activities including volunteering.

One young person who moved from our sessions is now attending sixth form and report that he has gained form attending the Prop Up Sessions to give presentation, which otherwise we would have been unable to do. The young man now feels optimistic about his future, both personally and in terms of his career aspirations. His journey through SAFE's Prop Up Project has transformed his approach to challenges, equipping him with the tools to face life's uncertainties with confidence and resilience.

He engaged with us for a period of 15 months due to ongoing struggles with anxiety and previous help and management techniques not being effective.

Young people who engaged with SAFE’s Prop Up Project reported it supported them in finding useful distraction techniques and has provided relaxing activities that relieve stress.

86% of young people reported that SAFE’s Prop Up Project had improved their ability to deal with their problems effectively.

71% reported that SAFE’s Prop Up Project supported them in becoming more relaxed.

Prop Up Project Young Adults Group.

We delivered 12 sessions, for per month for young adult aged 20-25 who are experiencing barriers to accessing social environments due to mental health difficulties, neurodiversity and other life challenges.

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Our creative & wellbeing sessions included:

Sleep: sessions covered the importance of sleep, including what hinders sleep and how to build a better sleep routine

Self-Care: Group members created booklets to include a weekly routine, a list of support services and a list of people in their networks they could reach out to when needed.

Arts Sessions: Group members took responsibility to deliver an art activity linked to their skills and interests. This included Song writing, Origami and photography.

Art for relaxation: Sessions were delivered to show the benefits of art for relaxation, group members were given a choose of different activities; colouring, drawing and modelling.

Feedback from young adults

‘Prop Up Sessions encourages me to talk to and work with others myself, outside of coming to the group I am often at home with no contact with peers due to anxiety. I enjoy meeting with others and being around other who understand’ Aged 24.

Impact

As a result of engaging in our sessions young adults report a increased confidence in communication and working with other peers.

Young adults have also seen in improvement in dealing with problems, feeling optimistic about the future and having connections with others following attendance at our monthly sessions.

Socialease

We have delivered a total of 98 Sessions for adults aged 18 and over who are experiencing barriers to accessing social environments due to mental health difficulties, neurodiversity and other life challenges. This breaks down to 49 2 hour sessions in Morecambe & 49 2 hour sessions in Lancaster across the 12 month period.

From June 2023- June 2024 we delivered sessions and talks which focused on topics chosen as important by the group. These includes

• Lancashire Police Neighbourhood teams: To spread awareness about scam prevention and safety

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• Local Medical Practices: To talk about other services available within the surgeries aside from GP appointments.

• Lancashire Fire & Rescue: covered the importance of fire safety at home.

• Local Charities & Community Centres: shared information about other programs and activities people can access.

• Art for relaxation: We delivered a range of art activities from glass painting to card making to encourage people to give new things about to discover the benefits for their mental health and wellbeing.

• Mindfulness: Sessions covered a understanding of mindfulness and the benefits of this including practices techniques and when these are helpful.

• Board Games: These act as a mechanism to encourage conversations amongst peers.

Feedback from Adults

‘It is a safe space to come, no one passes judgement’ aged 35

‘I Like coming as there is no pressure to get involved, the table card choses means i can sit and listen.’ Aged 65

‘I find the talks helpful as I am made aware of other support I can access’. Aged 50

‘Helps me feel less isolated and the groups are relaxed. We receive useful information from other services’. Aged 55

Impact

Case study

As result of external talks 45% of adults have been able to access other services, they otherwise wouldn’t have heard of or had the confidence to access independently.

A lady was referred to our service via a social prescriber after accessing the GP due to struggling with her mental health and wellbeing. Before joining our activities; she was isolated, struggled with anxiety, lack of motivation and sense of self, which was enhanced by previous negative relationships and moving to the district from out of area. She has attended our Socialease group for 6 months, attending weekly, getting involved with group games and activities, interacting with peers experiencing similar situations to her, attending talks which arranged from external services and has had one to one chats with team members and volunteers where she was able to offload, share her worries and actively problem solve to overcome issues. While hesitant at first, she now reports that the Socialease group is her safe place, where she can speak to other group members or team members who understand and will not judge her.

6 months on from starting in our sessions, she is now becoming more of an active member of our group, she supports other members, generates ideas to support the charity and is seeking out opportunities to help. She attends 5 other groups weekly, due to her increased confidence in being in new spaces with new people. She also reports she is able to find a balance between

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supporting others and looking after her own needs, which prior to attending Socialease she found hard to do.

Fundraising

The charity held fundraising events, including Wreath Making afternoon, Quiz Night and received donations from a team of knitters - to raise £2,026 for the charity’s unrestricted funds.

Looking forward to 2024-2025 financial year we have plans to hold the following events

• Summer of Sport Quiz

• Christmas Craft afternoon

• Autumn Quiz night

• Inaugural SAFE Glitter Ball.

We successfully raised grant funding of £37,511. Some of our top funders were:

Bank Lyons Memorial Trust Westminster Foundation Winter Food Red Rose Responding Fund Co-Op community Fund Lancaster City Council Housing Fund Break the Mold (funds donated from Francis Scott Morecambe Town Council Trust)

Grant Applications

As part of our current plans for income generation for 2024-2025 financial year, alongside continued research and development we expect to apply to

Garfield Westen Awards for All- National Lottery Foyle Foundation Walney Extension Community Fund Minds in The Bay Penhale Charitable Trust Francis Scott Charitable Trust

Structure, governance and management

Every Trustee must be appointed for a term of 3 years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the trustees.

In selecting individuals for appointment as trustees, the trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

The Trustees will make available to each new trustees, on or before his or her first appointment:

• A copy of the current version of the Constitution; and

• A copy of the CIO’s latest Trustee’s Annual Report and financial statements

• A copy of the CIO’s policies and procedures documents

New trustees are given a full induction into the activities of the charity and a full brief on all the activities, including future plans. New trustees are DBS checked and made aware of the charity’s

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safeguarding and protection policies. The Trustees have reviewed all of the Charity’s current policy documents.

Financial Review

The net surplus for the financial period was £24,069 and the total restricted funds were £18,654 with general reserves (unrestricted funds) now standing at £5,415. The total cash balance at 30[th] June 2024 was £24,363.

June This is the charity’s first accounting period as a CIO. The accounting period runs from 22[nd] 2023 (the day that the Charity was registered with the Charity Commission) to 30[th] June 2024 (12 months and 8 days). In future, financial periods will be of 12 months ending on 30[th] June, each year.

The charity founder had previously operated as an unincorporated association for five years and transferred restricted and unrestricted funds from the previous unincorporated charity to the CIO during this accounting period (with the agreement of those who had provided funding to the previous entity).

Reserves Policy and going concern

It is the charity’s policy to regularly review and maintain reserves comprising of unrestricted and designated funds to ensure the prudent day-to-day financial management of the charity and to meet obligations as they fall due.

The policy also aims to ensure that unrestricted funds are built to match at least 10% of turnover. As at 30[th] June 2024, total unrestricted funds are in excess of this target but we remain focused on securing further unrestricted funding to improve the charity’s financial position and enable us to better manage activities and projects. The trustees have currently not designated any reserved funds for future projects.

The trustees have identified no significant short to medium-term financial risks to the charity’s continued operations, and therefore the accounts have been prepared on the going concern basis.

Funding

The charity’s principal sources of funding are:

• Restricted Grants from various Charitable trusts or other Funders

• Unrestricted Grants from various Charitable trusts or other Funders

• Unrestricted donations from the general public or businesses

• Fundraising activities

The Trustees carry out due diligence to ensure that the Charity’s funders and partners align with the directives of the charity as per the fundraising and donations policies. At the end of the reporting period, the Charity had one outstanding Grant Funding applications under consideration with Allen Lane Charitable Trust, to a total bid value of £ 8,167.00.

Risk

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The charity is dependent on Restricted and Unrestricted Grants for its core funding. At the end of this financial period, it had secured such funding until at least April 2025. The charity’s activities will be at risk if further such funding cannot be secured for after this period. The Charity is also heavily reliant on the Founder/Chief Executive Officer for delivering services and would be at risk, if the Founder/Chief Executive Officer were unable to continue in that position. The charity’s aim in the short to medium term, is to reduce this risk by taking on other staff who could ensure continuity of service, if the Founder/Chief Executive Officer was not available.

Statement of trustees’ responsibilities

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 charity’s financial activities during the period and of its financial position at the end of the period. In preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view, the Trustees should follow best practice and:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

This report was approved by the Trustees on 11[th] November 2024 and signed by:

Charmaine Rothwell Chair

Rhiannon Sharkey Trustee

R.Sharkey

Jon Lowson Amanda Davey Treasurer Trustee

Rebecca Blackburn Trustee R.Blackburn

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CHARITY Col+lMISSION FOR ENGIAND ANO WAIE5 SUPPORnVE •>PR(X4CHABLE FRIEIIDLY E•f¥llioNIIENT (WE Recei ts and ments accounts CC16a For th• p•riod 2110612023 3C&.[￿.2o24 To Section A Receipts and payments Unr081￿cle¢I R￿trIcle& funds Endowment Toial lunds Lxt Jwr A1 R•c•4rt8 GwtF 31.717 2.028 712 711 Sub tot•l(Gross for AR) 31,717 A2 As••t and 1nwtTh￿1 Mb••, ub ￿1•1 31.77 4024• nls •71LI 131 Tithn IJ Sub knt•i A4 and Investmènt Sub ￿1•1 3.067 12J11 1&1 Il•t oIrnC•lpt￿p•Yrn•￿ts) AS Trnnsl•rs botweon lun AO Cash lunds 1•61 y•¥ •nd C•sh fvnds this Jwr•J 18J48 24J6J CCXX Rl ISSI 11111YaJ24

11/11/2024 R.Blackburn 08/11/2024 05/11/2024 R.Sharkey 03/11/2024 11/11/2024

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Indoperxlont •xamlngrfs rgport to the trustees of Supportive Approachable Friondly Environment (SAFE) Charlty No. 1203674 I report on the ￿)unIS lor the 22￿￿12023~ 301C612024 R•sp•ctlv• rnsponglbllltl•s of t￿￿1009 and •xamln•r consthr Ihat an audii 15 ￿t requred thi's year uTrJer Sec1￿ 144(21 ofthe Charitw Aci 2011 (the 2011 Act) ￿ Ihal an nd8peThlent eXarrMnati£￿ is noedad. h is my rnsp(t￿b￿ty to: nine the %0￿Trts secaion 145 of the 2011 Act: to fc4lcw the wttedures l&d dc¥n in the genera Dirtictic￿ts given by the Chanty Conynission Ufth 14515llbl of the 2011 Aet and to slate whether particular matters have ccrne to my allertt( Basls of Ind•p•nd•nt •xamln•f$ r•port My examination was carned out ￿ accordarKe Y4ith Ihe general ￿"T￿tiO￿￿ grven by the Charity C￿lsSion. kn e￿￿nIn￿￿"c￿ Ir￿￿deS a rEview of the accounlina records kept by the charty * a C￿riSon of the ￿co￿ts presented ¥￿th Ihose records. h aso includes cor6iderab.cn of usual iiems or dt5cb)5ure5 in Ihe acrounts, and seekn.ng eWanab)ns as trustees C4)ncemirwJ any ￿ch matters. proceJures undeltsken do Tr)t Kov#le al the evide￿ that bo required n an ￿di1 aTrJ consequenty no or¥rion is gNen as to whether thè aco)urts esent a'lnje fall the rerA)rt 18 IiTMted to I￿18e matth 8&t out in the statement low. Inthp•ndent •xamln•rfs stst•ment In C<￿[￿￿￿ rny &xaminatMin. no matter ha& uJm8 to my attenti(￿. (1) gi¥88 Me rau8e lo b8lieve that in matefial re8pe(1 the req￿rements.. to keep ac(Dunbn9 reojrds ￿ ac(￿d￿ wih 130 of ￿ 2011 Ad,. WNI to prerore acojwts th'ch acccfd wrth the ￿cOuntsng recryds and (x)mpty ryth tt ccwtiry reqUIre￿￿lts of the 2011 P hahE Th)t been c (21 Èo wl#th. n my opin•)n. aitention stmwld b& drawn in onler to enatAe a Fffoper urthrstandry the acc1￿￿9 to be reached. Sh¥%Ela Pankhadrwala Clo Lustw Dlstnci CVS, TM Cun*f￿ ¥ard Strtoi Lancasthr LA1 1PX 18h Sept 2024.

Accounting Policies

Basis of accounting

The financial statements of the charity have been prepared under the Receipts and Payments basis.

Grants Receivable

Grants, including grants for the purchase of fixed assets are recognised in full in the Statement of Financial Activities in the period in which they are received, even where those grants may be fully or partly restricted for other financial periods.

Other Income

Other income is recognised in full in the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which it received.

Allocation of costs

All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SOFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Some costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on a appropriate basis.

Fund Accounting

Unrestricted funds comprise those funds which the Trustees are free to us in accordance with charitable objectives. Restricted funds are funds which have been given for particular purposes and projects.

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