Plus Importance Project Annual Return November 2024 - October 2025
Annual Report
Plus Importance Project had a highly successful year, getting strongly established as a charity through developing our activities. In the year November 2024 - October 2025:
Volunteers
Talks
We grew our team to over 40 volunteers and started to organise Lived Experience Forums to get more detailed feedback from our Lived Experience Volunteers.
Short Film
We partnered with the team behind the aromantic asexual short film 'I Promise To Annoy You Forever' and organised a sensitivity reading where our Lived Experience Volunteers fed back their views on the script.
We delivered a number of talks on the importance of including people in the + of LGBT+ in the workplace, reaching an audience of over 250 business leaders and HR professionals.
Consultations
We responded to national consultations on the EHRC Code of Practice, National Hate Crime Strategy and Banning Conversion Practices in Northern Ireland to ensure that people in the + of LGBT+ were considered by decision makers.
Training and Support
We completed our pilot project of training and support for 13 charitable organisations across Bristol. Through the project, we delivered training to 133 people, and 98% agreed that the session improved their understanding of people in the +!
of participants felt more would 98% felt their 96% confident in 98% recommend our understanding of talking about the training to the + improved + of LGBT+ others!
Through our review service, we assessed over 1,250 pages of policies, governing documents and web content and suggested 725 changes. And with our culture strategy support, we identified 43 actions for organisations to take to make their culture more inclusive of people in the +.
We then started to roll out our training and support offer to more organisations where we have continued to receive excellent feedback.
The training was very thought provoking, our staff commented about how they had learnt new terminology and how previously people felt 'concerned' about saying the wrong thing but now feel more confident about using inclusive language.
Gender Stories
We contributed to the Bristol Museums Gender Stories exhibition as a community partner, helping to shape the exhibition into an inclusive and meaningful exploration of gender. The touring exhibition was in Bristol until October, and moving to Brighton and Liverpool in 2026.
Events
We continued to engage and educate the public at events including Trans Pride Bristol, Student Pride and Bristol Pride.
Research
We contributed to NHS England’s LGBT+ Health Evidence Review, sharing our understanding of why people in the + of LGBT+ often have worse health outcomes than non-LGBT+ people.
Partnerships
We increased our involvement in the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, advocating for a ban that is not only inclusive of transgender people, but is also inclusive of people in the + of LGBT+, such as asexual and non-binary people who are at increased risk of conversion practices.
We accepted an invitation to join the steering group of the Bristol LGBTQ+ Coalition, where we have helped to strengthen the local LGBT+ community and amplify a collective voice.
We also joined the Avon and Somerset Police LGBTQ+ Independent Advisory Group, holding the police to account over their engagement with LGBT+ people and encouraging improvements.
Governance
Plus Importance Project became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 8th January 2024. The Charity is governed by a constitution adopted on 8th January 2024.
Charity Number: 1206433
Registered Address: 57 North Contemporis, 20 Merchants Road, Bristol, BS8 4HH.
Trustees:
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Matt Humberstone (Chair to July 2025, Trustee from July 2025) Lauren Calder (Treasurer)
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Yasmin Wolfe
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Ryan David Yevcak
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Victoria Kensdale (stepped down September 2025) Mei Ling Chan (appointed January 2025)
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Xenia Kingsley-Gibbs (Chair, appointed July 2025)
The Trustees of the Charity are appointed by the Board at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees give due regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. The trustees meet formally ten times a year.
The Board of Trustees hold all the charity’s power and authorities. The Board is ultimately responsible for the overall control and strategic direction of the charity and the protection of its assets.
Governance
Charitable Objects:
To promote equality and diversity for the public benefit by the elimination of discrimination in relation to people in the UK that identify fully or partly in the + of LGBT+, defined as sexualities, gender identities and sex characteristics including, but not limited to, asexual, genderfluid, genderqueer, intersex, non-binary, pansexual and queer, by:
a) Training, advising and supporting organisations to become more inclusive of those that identify fully or partly in the + of LGBT+ b) Raising awareness of identities in the + of LGBT+
c) Conducting or commissioning research on equality and diversity issues
d) Raising awareness of equality and diversity
e) Promoting the interests and welfare of people in the UK that identify fully or partially in the + of LGBT+
f) Other support as the trustees deem appropriate
Statement of Public Benefit:
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit.
Risk Management:
Plus Importance Project maintains a risk register and the Board of Trustees ensure that all major risks to which the charity is exposed are reviewed on a regular basis and that the systems and procedures are in place to manage these risks.
Financial Review
Overview:
At the end of the financial year, Plus Importance Project reported a total income of £1,502, primarily generated through grants and charitable activities. The total expenditure for the year amounted to £442, covering operational costs, public engagement activities and administration.
As a result, the net movement in funds for the year was £1,060, reflecting a positive financial position and growth in available funds. There are no material deficits reported, and the charity's financial position remains stable.
Reserves policy:
The Plus Importance Project maintains free unrestricted reserves to cover 6 months’ worth of running costs:
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to provide a level of working capital that protects the continuity of our work
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to provide a level of funding for unexpected opportunities to provide cover for risks such as unforeseen expenditure or unanticipated loss of income
The Board of Trustees review the above criteria with reference to the Plus Importance Project’s strategy and determine the target level of free reserves required. The Board of Trustees will at times designate funds from free reserves for significant project costs or replacement of major assets.
Amount of Reserves Held: £1,336
Please note that in the 25-26 financial year, the trustees designated funds of £1,000 from the charity’s reserves for the purpose of funding a staff member in the next few years.
The financial statements of the charity are prepared on a receipts and payments basis in accordance with Charity Commission regulations.
Financial Statement
For year ending 31st October 2025:
| Notes | 2025 Unrestricted Funds (£) |
2025 Restricted Funds (£) |
2025 Total Funds (£) |
2024 Total Funds (£) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income | |||||
| Donations | 100 | 0 | 100 | 0 | |
| Grants | 1 | 747 | 0 | 747 | 400 |
| Charitable Activities |
2 | 655 | 0 | 655 | 240 |
| Other Trading Activities |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total Income | 1502 | 0 | 1502 | 640 | |
| Expenditure | |||||
| Charitable Activities |
3 | 406 | 36 | 442 | 362 |
| Raising Funds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Governance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Total Expenditure |
406 | 36 | 442 | 364 | |
| Net Income | 1096 | -36 | 1060 | 276 | |
| Funds Brought Forward |
4 | 240 | 36 | 276 | 0 |
| Funds Carried Forward |
1336 | 0 | 1336 | 276 |
Financial Statement
For year ending 31st October 2025:
| Notes | 2025 Unrestricted (£) |
2025 Restricted (£) |
2025 Total (£) |
2024 Total (£) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assets | |||||
| Fixed Assets | 5 | 109 | 0 | 109 | 83 |
| Current Assets | 1336 | 1000 | 2336 | 1276 | |
| Total Assets | 1445 | 1000 | 2445 | 1359 | |
| Liabilities | |||||
| Loans Payable | 6 | 0 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Total Liabilities | 0 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | |
| Net Assets | 1445 | 0 | 1445 | 359 |
Notes on the Accounts
1) £747 unrestricted grant from Bristol Redistro.
- 2) Income from training session delivery and Bristol LGBTQ+ Coalition steering group.
3) Charitable activities expenditure includes event stall costs (£147), software (£96), volunteer travel expenses (£90) and insurance (£79). The remaining restricted funds from the Bristol Pride
Community Fund were spent on volunteer travel expenses and insurance.
-
4) Funds brought forward include a remaining £36 of a restricted £400 grant from Bristol Pride Community Fund for our pilot project of training and support for organisations.
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5) Fixed assets of a roller banner and spinner wheel.
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6) We continue to hold an interest-free loan from Matt
Humberstone, restricted in its use to support the funding of core costs and only to be returned if the (other) trustees agree that the charity is in a sufficiently financially stable position for repayment and in accordance with the charity’s reserves policy to maintain a suitable level of free unrestricted reserves. No repayment has been made in the 2024-2025 financial year.
The Trustees’ Report, incorporating the financial statement, was approved by the Board on 19/08/2026, and signed on its behalf by:
Matt Humberstone
Chair
Plus Importance Project plusimportance.org.uk Registered Charity Number: 1206433