Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements
For the year ended 30 March 2025
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Charity Number: 1207324
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Information
Charity Name:
Charity Name: Young BwD Foundation Charity Number: 1207324
Registered Office: Unity House, 49–51 Preston New Road, Blackburn, BB26AE
Structure: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Governing Document: CIO constitution registered on 05 March 2024 Independent Examiner: To be appointed
Trustees during the year:
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Amar Abbas – Chair
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Leon Crosby – Trustee
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Jonathan McCaughey – Trustee
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Mohamed Tayyab Sidat – Trustee
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Trustees’ Report
Structure, Governance and Management
Young BwD Foundation is governed by its CIO constitution and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Charity Number: 1207324). The trustees are responsible for the overall governance, strategic direction and compliance of the organisation.
The Board of Trustees brings a breadth of experience from youth work, education, community development and strategic leadership. During the year, the Board strengthened its governance capacity through the appointment of trustees with deep sector insight and leadership experience, supporting the Foundation’s strategic development as it transitions from foundation phase towards operational activity.
Our history and development
Young BwD Foundation emerged in response to significant pressures facing the youth work sector in Blackburn with Darwen. Reductions in grant funding and trust investment created a more competitive environment, placing increased strain on individual organisations and reducing the availability of opportunities for young people.
In 2018, supported by the Local Authority, local youth work organisations united to form the Strategic Youth Alliance, agreeing a shared Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate more effectively in support of young people and families.
The success of this alliance led to the establishment of a formal charity - Young BwD Foundation - supported by 11 founding member organisations. These organisations serve as a representative network of experienced youth work providers, united in their shared commitment to transforming outcomes for young people across the borough and to building a sustainable future for youth work services.
The Foundation acts as a coordinating body that facilitates information sharing, identifies gaps in youth provision, supports partnership working and strengthens collective impact across the local youth sector.
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Mission
Young BwD Foundation places children and young people at the heart of all it does. The charity works to understand their needs, provide appropriate support and empower them to achieve their full potential. By supporting young people today, the Foundation aims to strengthen the future wellbeing and prosperity of local communities.
In pursuit of this mission, the Foundation works collaboratively with families, schools and partner organisations to enable wraparound support that responds to the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing needs of young people, helping them build resilience and opportunities for positive growth.
The Foundation is committed to being inclusive, culturally sensitive and responsive to the diverse needs of the children and young people it serves. It strives to make a positive impact in their lives by working with members and partners to create opportunities that promote development, wellbeing, aspiration and achievement.
Values
The Foundation’s membership and partnership working reflect four core beliefs:
Partnership
We believe collaboration is essential to achieving our mission, and we actively seek partnerships to maximise impact and reach.
Collaborate
We work with mutual respect, trust and open communication, co-designing delivery programmes and services with members, partners and stakeholders.
Supportive
We believe every young person deserves support in their journey, delivered in safe and meaningful environments that promote wellbeing.
Open and Transparent
We are committed to open communication about our programmes, services and organisational decisions, welcoming feedback to strengthen our work.
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Membership and Founding Organisations
Young BwD Foundation represents a collaborative network of local youth work and community organisations who share a collective commitment to youth empowerment and partnership working.
Founding Member Organisations:
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Blackburn Rovers Community Trust
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Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
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Child Action North West
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FACE
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Healthy Living Centre
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IMO
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NewGround Together
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One Voice
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UCO
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Youth Action
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Youth Zone
Activities and developments
The year ended 30 March 2025 was a development phase for Young BwD Foundation. While no externally funded programmes were delivered, the Foundation focused on establishing governance, building strategic partnerships, supporting youth participation and contributing to sector planning and collaboration.
Key achievements included:
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Strengthening governance frameworks and trustee leadership
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Engaging with partners across the voluntary and public sectors
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Supporting the growth of youth participation structures
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Contributing to local and national policy discussions on youth work and collaboration
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Youth Participation and the Youth Forum
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Youth Participation
Young BwD Foundation places youth voice at the centre of its work. During the year, the Foundation supported the Young BwD Foundation Youth Forum, comprising over 30 young people, including the Youth MP for Blackburn with Darwen from across member organisations.
The Youth Forum meets monthly and provides a formal mechanism for young people to influence priorities, give feedback on organisational development and highlight key issues affecting their lives. The trustees regard the Youth Forum as a vital advisory body and are committed to ensuring that young people’s voices contribute directly to strategic decisions.
Our approach to Participation – The Lundy Model
The Foundation applies the Lundy Model of Participation to ensure meaningful and structured engagement with young people. This framework emphasises:
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Space – Providing safe, inclusive spaces for young people to take part
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Voice – Supporting young people to express their views freely
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Audience – Ensuring that decision makers listen to young people
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Influence – Acting on the views young people express
This approach ensures that participation is not tokenistic but genuinely informs organisational planning and development.
Sector Engagement
National Youth Strategy
During the year, the Government published Youth Matters, a new National Youth Strategy highlighting the importance of strong local youth partnerships bringing together voluntary, statutory and community sectors to improve outcomes for young people.
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Young BwD Foundation’s collaborative model aligns with these strategic priorities, reflecting the value of partnership working and coordinated local responses for children and young people.
National Research Recognition (DCMS)
The Foundation’s role in collaborative youth support was recognised by the UK Government, in a Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) research report on multi-agency working. The research notes:
“ Youth workers are connectors ” - embedded in their local areas, working across sectors to create referral pathways, broaden access to support and enable young people to access help earlier, preventing challenges from escalating into crises.
The above underscores the importance of coordinated youth work and locally rooted partnership approaches that the Foundation seeks to enable.
Civil Society Covenant
Young BwD Foundation worked in partnership with Blackburn and Darwen Community Network to contribute to a local Civil Society Covenant submission. This provided an opportunity to influence local policy conversations about how civil society and public services collaborate, ensuring that youth organisations and young people’s perspectives are represented in future planning. The work is in progress and we aim to have this launched in the new year.
Collaboration and Network Development
Collaboration remains central to the Foundation’s purpose. During the year, the Foundation supported the development of bi-monthly Youth Work Leads Network Meetings, creating a forum for sector leaders to share insight, discuss local priorities and identify opportunities for joint working.
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Financial Review
The charity had no income and no expenditure during the year ended 30 March 2025. Total incoming resources were £0.00 and total expenditure was £0.00.
Plans for the coming year
The Foundation plans to secure funding, launch youth-centred programmes, strengthen youth participation and develop monitoring and safeguarding frameworks.
Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf:
A Abbas
Amar Abbas
Trustee
Date: 30/01/2026
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Statement of Financial Activities
For the year ended 30 March 2025
| Total income: | £0.00 |
|---|---|
| Total expenditure: | £0.00 |
| Net movement in funds: | £0.00 |
| Funds brought forward: | £0.00 |
| Funds carried forward: | £0.00 |
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Balance Sheet
As at 30 March 2025
| Cash at bank and in hand: | £0.00 |
|---|---|
| Total assets: | £0.00 |
| Creditors due within one year: | £0.00 |
| Net assets: | £0.00 |
Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf:
A Abbas
Amar Abbas Trustee Date: 30/01/2026
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Notes to the Financial Statements
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Accounting policies – The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102).
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Income – No income was received during the year. (£0.00)
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Expenditure – No expenditure was incurred during the year. (£0.00)
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Trustees’ remuneration – No trustees received remuneration or expenses.
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Staff costs – The charity had no employees.
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Related party transactions – None.
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