2024-12-31-accounts

Hope into Action - South Leicestershire

Annual Report: March – December 2024

1. Chair’s Welcome

Our journey began late 2023 with a group of potential trustees being drawn together to prayerfully explore the possibility of forming a franchise which would later become Hope into Action South Leicestershire. In March 2024 we registered as a CIO and trustees began the necessary training, provided by Hope into Action UK, to prepare themselves for the tasks ahead. The vision of purchasing a house for those at risk of homelessness was shared at Whetstone Baptist Church. Thanks to the generosity of members there, 9 people committed to become investors in a property. Others responded with donations and a commitment to pray.

We look forward to finding a suitable house to purchase, refurbishing and furnishing it to the required standard, encouraging more trustees and supporters, appointing an Empowerment Worker and organising fund raising activities in the coming year.. We are confident that God will honour our prayers as we meet the challenges ahead.

2. Organisational Information

Charity Name: Hope into Action South Leicestershire

Charity Registration Number: 1207606

Address: c/o Whetstone Baptist Church Dog and Gun Lane Whetstone Leicester LE8 6LJ

Trustees:

Cheryl Pharoah - Chair Fiona Bedford Stephen Brown

Key Staff Members:

Margaret Hanning – Fundraising Gary Anderson - Supporter Susan Anderson - Supporter Dianne Tidball – Expert Advisor

Governance Structure:

Hope into Action South Leicestershire is governed by a Board of Trustees who are collectively responsible for overseeing the charity’s strategic direction, financial health, and compliance with legal and regulatory obligations. The trustees meet regularly to review progress, approve budgets, assess risks, and make key decisions relating to the charity’s operations and future plans.

Trustees are recruited through a transparent and values-based process. Potential candidates are identified based on their alignment with the charity’s mission, relevant experience, and commitment to serving vulnerable individuals. Recruitment may involve public advertising, personal referrals, or engagement with local networks. All prospective trustees undergo an interview and vetting process, including reference checks and DBS clearance where appropriate. New trustees receive an induction to ensure they understand their responsibilities and the charity’s governance framework.

Charitable Objects:

Our objectives are the prevention or relief of poverty of people who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness, by providing housing and support.

Mission Statement:

Providing a safe, supportive and welcoming home for those who are at risk of homelessness

3. Activities and Achievements

Our first year has focused on laying strong foundations for future service delivery. This has included developing a clear understanding of operational and regulatory requirements, engaging with potential investors, and preparing for the purchase of our first property. A significant portion of our activities has centered around raising awareness of our mission within the local community, conducting fundraising initiatives, and equipping our trustees through targeted training and development. These efforts have positioned us well for the next phase of purchasing a house and finding tenants in need of support.

Impact Stories:

As we have not yet purchased a property, we have not had the opportunity to acquire any impact stories. We expect these will come once we have housed our first two tenants.

Statistics and Outcomes:

As we have not yet got to the stage of housing any tenants, we do not have and statistics and outcomes to share just yet.

Progress Against Goals:

Our aims for the first year were to establish a firm foundation of knowledge, contacts, investors and community awareness.

In the main we have been very successful in achieving these aims. The trustees have been on training courses run by Hope into Action UK to gain the knowledge to perform their duties. Additionally, they have acquired a large amount of knowledge and experience just

through the activities that have been necessary to perform. We have taken every opportunity to spread the word of our mission through Whetstone Baptist Church, our support church. This is where we have found all our investors and many of the donations that we require to run the charity.

4. Public Benefit Statement

How Our Work Benefits the Public:

Housing the homeless benefits the public by reducing healthcare costs, improving public health, and lowering the financial burden on emergency services. Stable housing can lead to increased economic participation, as formerly homeless individuals are better able to find and maintain employment, which in turn contributes to the tax base. Additionally, it reduces the overall strain on social services and the criminal justice system. Although our impact will may be limited it will be consequential for those receiving the service.

Restrictions on Who Can Benefit:

At the time of writing, we have not settled on a specific demographic that we are looking to support. This will become clearer through prayer and possible contact with vulnerable groups.

5. Financial Review

Income and Expenditure Summary:

Total In £8,968.75 Total Out £2,540.00 Balance at December 2025 £6,428.75

Funding Sources:

All our funding has come from generous donations from members and friends of Whetstone Baptist Church.

Allocation of Funds:

All money spent has gone to Hope into Action UK for training and support

Reserves Policy:

At the end of 2024 we had £6428.75 unspent reserves. This will be used to pay for an empowerment worker and their associated equipment and training to enable the support for future tenants.

Value for Money Assessment:

As we have only spent money on our franchise fee and training, we consider that the money has been very well spent. During our first year we were not expecting to incur many expenses, and this turned out be the case

6. Custodian Trustee Information

Custodian Trustees:

The trustees are not responsible for any assets at present.

Assets Held:

Hope into Action hold no housing assets. When the investors purchase a house, we will lease it off them for a period of 5 years. Paying them 2% interest on their investment. This will be the model for any future expansion.

7. Future Plans

Strategic Priorities for 2025:

Our goals for the coming year are to first purchase a house so the main purpose of our charity can be performed. Alongside that, we will be employing an Empowerment Worker who will offer help and support to our tenants

Challenges and Mitigation Strategies:

The biggest challenge will be finding the right house to select that will be suitable for the tenants and also a good investment for our potential investors. Getting the acquired property up to specification will be a challenge as there will undoubtedly be many changes that will need to be made. Finding the best tradespeople to deliver these changes will be crucial. Other challenges will be agreeing on the rent with the council and creating all the policies that will be needed to run the charity. Then there will be the recruitment and training of an Empowerment Worker and finally selecting the appropriate tenants. To ensure that this goes as smoothly as possible we will:-

• Follow clear property selection criteria and engage with local estate agents and conduct thorough inspections before purchase.

• Work from a detailed refurbishment plan with timelines and budgets.

• Allocate contingency funds for unexpected expenses.

• Build a vetted list of reliable contractors through references and recommendations.

• Use formal contracts with clear deliverables and deadlines. Schedule regular progress checks and quality assurance inspections.

• Localise Hope into Action UK policies to meet our needs.

• Develop a clear job description and competency framework for the Empowerment worker.

• Use structured interviews and reference checks.

• Provide comprehensive induction and ongoing training programs.

• Implement a robust tenant screening process (background checks, references).

• Work closely with referral agencies and the council.

• Establish clear tenancy agreements and support plans.

All this work is underpinned by prayer at every stage of the journey. This is done by our supporters, church members and trustees. For without the grace of God none of this would be possible.

Funding Requirements and Opportunities:

We estimate that we will need approximately £10,000 per annum to run Hope into Action South Leicestershire. This will cover the cost of the Empowerment Worker, minor repairs, training and day to day expenses.

We already have in place a supporter, Margret Hannning, who has taken on the role of fundraising and already has plans for a meal at Chef and Spice in a few months time. She has many more ideas in the pipeline to help us hit our financial targets. We will also be relying on donations from supporters within the membership of Whetstone Baptist Church.

8. Acknowledgements

Supporters and Donors:

We would like to give our heartfelt thanks to all our potential investors who have seen the impact a charity like ours can have on the lives of the homeless.

We also thank most heartily those supporters who are working alongside the trustees to deliver a quality house. For without your help and guidance this work could become burdensome on the trustees.

With everyone’s support this project will deliver results for some of the most vulnerable in society. Bringing God’s love to the needy.