Annual Report **2024 R E P O R T  A N D  F I N A N C I A L  S TAT E M E N T S F O R  Y E A R  E N D E D  3 1  D E C E M B E R  2 0 2 4** 














**THE FOLLOWING LOCAL CARING ORGANISATIONS RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE COLCHESTER CATALYST CHARITY FOR THE PROVISION OF RESPITE BREAKS FOR CARERS AND THEIR FAMILIES:** 

**Action for Family Carers** 0300 770 8090 **Braintree District Mencap** 01376 326302 **Cadows** 07379 836381 **Colchester Gateway Clubs** 07710 177050 **Crossroads Tendring & Colchester** 01255 860960 **Crossroads Braintree & District** 01376 529985 **EACH** 01223 800 800 

**Essex Carers Support** 01255 474410 **Halstead Day Centre** 01787 476253 **Headway Essex** 01206 845945 **Mistley Kids Club** 07809 176252 **Stepping Stones** 01206 860467 **The Ark Family Resource Centre** 01255 502063 

## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** 

## **TRUSTEES** 

**C Hayward** MBA NPQH (Chairman) **P W E Fitt** FCA (Secretary) **M F Pertwee** BA (Hons) (Vice Chairman) **Dr N J Busfield** MA, PhD **Dr M P Hickman** MB B.Chir DCH **Dr S MacDonnell** MBBS FRCA FFICM **K Songhurst** LLB (Hons) (Retired December 2024) **E Thrower** DipCOT, MHCPC **I S Turner** MA MBA **J Davis** (Appointed 27 January 2025) 

## **SECRETARY** 

**P W E Fitt** FCA 

**CHARITY NUMBER** 228352 

**COMPANY NUMBER** 00634588 

## **REGISTERED OFFICE** 

14 Dedham Vale Business Centre, Manningtree Road, Dedham, Essex CO7 6BL 

## **AUDITOR** 

**Streets Whittle & Partners LLP** 

The Old Exchange, 64 West Stockwell Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1HE 

## **BANKERS** 

**National Westminster Bank plc** Colchester 



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Contents<br>Chairman’s Report 04<br>Figures at a glance 06<br>Administrator’s Report 07<br>Main Grants and Donations over £4,000 13<br>Development Manager’s Report 14<br>Case Studies 16<br>Total value grants year by year 20<br>Criteria for Grant Making 20<br>Trustees’ Report 21<br>Independent Auditor’s Report 23<br>Statement of Financial Activities 26<br>Balance Sheet 27<br>Statement of Cash Flows 28<br>Notes to the Accounts 29<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>




FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

**PRESIDENT: A H Frost.** 


**DIRECTORS: C Hayward** MBA NPQH, **P W E Fitt** FCA, **M F Pertwee** BA (Hons), **Dr N J Busfield** MA, PhD, **Dr M P Hickman** MB B.Chir DCH, **Dr S MacDonnell** MBBS FRCA FFICM, **K Songhurst** LLB (Hons) (Retired December 2024), **E Thrower** DipCOT, MHCPC, **I S Turner** MA MBA, **J Davis.** (appointed 27 January 2025) **ADMINISTRATOR: Stephanie Grant DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Rodney Appleyard** BA (Hons) 

## **Chairman’s Report** 


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CHRISTINE HAYWARD,<br>CHAIRMAN<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## **Welcome** 

**I am very pleased to write this introduction for the 2024 Colchester Catalyst Charity Annual Report and hope that you will be inspired and touched by the stories and case studies which Rodney Appleyard and Stephanie Grant write about in their commentaries. It is these which are the raison d’etre of the Charity and we are so very pleased that, even in difficult economic times, there is so much good work which is done and which we can, in some small way, support. Rodney Appleyard has also built up excellent relationships with other funders and planners so that Catalyst can continue its ability to catalyse as well as to help financially.** 

support individuals with health needs as well as grants to bigger organisations. I’d like, too, to take this opportunity thank all the individuals who help us to run the schemes. Your help is invaluable. 

It’s also very gratifying, as we look at the range of grants this year, to see a good mix of new charities emerging and those which have stood the test of time and the vagaries of funding streams over many years. We are very pleased that one of the latter, The Ark Family Resource Centre, based in Harwich since 1953, will be talking to us at the AGM about their journey and how Catalyst has been a helper on the way. 

It is a credit to our Finance Committee of Peter Fitt, Iain Turner, Mark Pertwee, Max Hickman and Keith Songhurst, that they have made very sound recommendations to the Board regarding our investments and what amounts might be available for grant making and we thank them for their work in this area. 

At the end of December, we said goodbye and a big thank you to Keith Songhurst who has been a member of the Board for nine years. His thoughtful and perceptive contributions will be missed and we wish him well as he takes on new challenges in his career and potential house move! Hopefully we will be able to announce his replacement early in 2025. 

As well as our general grants, Catalyst also supports our **Counselling Scheme** , our **Special Individual Needs Scheme** and our **Respite Scheme** . The Counselling Scheme, overseen by Dr. Max Hickman and Dr. Joan Busfield (PhD), contributes funding to counselling organisations for people who cannot afford to fund counselling sessions which a GP or health professional has recommended. The Special Individual Needs Committee, chaired by Dr Sean MacDonnell and assisted by Liz Thrower, Marie Pagett and the Wheelchair Service team, helps to fund certain health based equipment for individuals, equipment which would not be available on the NHS but which would enable those people to live their lives more comfortably. The Respite Scheme chaired by Stephanie Grant, assisted by Peter Fitt and range of Respite Service providers, grants funding to enable organisations to help fund respite services for their users. 

Our wonderful team of Rodney Appleyard, Development Manager; Stephanie Grant, Administrator and Wendy Larkin, Assistant to the Administrator, continue to be the beating heart of the Charity. They are both good on the detail and also being able to put our strategic objectives into action. They get things done with kindness, compassion and humanity. Thank you too to the Board – as you have read, everyone is involved in something! Each person gives their time with generosity and compassion, as well as with clear thinking and good decision making. All this makes my job as Chair, and Mark Pertwee’s as Vice-chair, both a pleasure and a privilege. 

I commend this report to you and in doing so, also thank all the charities and funders who create such a rich helping network across the CO postcode area and who continue to work so positively with us. 

This year, all these individual based schemes were reviewed to assess whether they were still useful, fit for purpose and should continue. With a few minor tweaks to their running, the Board agreed that they should all be maintained – it remains very important to us to continue to 

## _Christine Hayward_ 

Chairman February 2025 

**Colchester Catalyst Charity aims to improve the health of people living within the CO postcode areas by making a positive and ongoing contribution to the improvement of healthcare services in this region, specifically where help is not available from statutory organisations.** 



**The Ark Family Resource Centre, based in Harwich since 1953, will be talking to us at the AGM about their journey and how Catalyst has been a helper on the way.** 


**As well as our general grants, Catalyst also supports our Counselling Scheme, our Special Individual Needs Scheme and our Respite Scheme.** 


**...it remains very important to Colchester Catalyst to continue to support individuals with health needs as well as grants to bigger organisations...** 

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FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 


## **Direct charitable expenditure** 


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up 1%<br>£457,743<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## **Total net assets** 


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up 5%<br>£12,756,682<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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Total grants<br>expenditure<br>£372,174<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## **Figures at a glance** 

||**2024**|2023|
|---|---|---|
|Direct charitable expenditure|**£457,743**|£452,130|
|(Defcit) <br>|**(£108,171) **|(£57,861)|
|Realised Gains/(Losses)on sales of investments|**(£55,335)**|£23,458|
|Unrealised Gains/(Losses) on valuation|||
|of investments<br>|**£799,785)**|£389,854|
|Total net assets at 31stDecember 2023<br>|**£12,756,682**|£12,120,404|



## **General applications** 

|**General applications**||
|---|---|
|Equipment|**13**|
|Education|**3**|
|Counselling/Befriending/Mental Health|**7**|
|**Total 46**(last year 47)||



Accepted **24,** Unsuccessful **11** , Deferred **11** 


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Breakdown of total grants expenditure<br>General grants Respite<br>£169,850 46% £120,714 32%<br>SIN Counselling<br>17% 5%<br>£64,122 £17,488<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## **Administrator’s Report** 

**This is my fifteenth Administrator’s report for Catalyst and we continue to work closely with a small dedicated team comprising Rodney Appleyard, our Development Manager, Wendy Larkin, Assistant to the Administrator and myself.** 

In 2024 we were able to increase our overall budget by £20,000 as we recovered from the recent turbulent economic situation. I think that it is amazing that in its 34[th] year the Catalyst Charity not only continued to grow, but at the same time, was able to carry on its invaluable work of providing support and making a positive and ongoing contribution to the improvement of health care within the CO postcode area. 

It is very encouraging to note that there has been a 5% upturn on the value of our investments from last year which makes for a strong position to end 2024. 

**It is over 30 years since Catalyst became a grant making charity and since that time £11 million has been given in grants and the charity is now worth over twelve million pounds.** 

We had a very successful AGM at Wivenhoe House with interesting presentations from CARA who provide counselling support for young people. We heard a very moving presentation from one of the young beneficiaries about the difference the counselling programme has made to her life and how she felt lost before being helped by the project. **‘‘** We also had a presentation from FaNs (Friends and Neighbours) who help older people to become more active and to improve their mental health and well-being. A number of mobility sessions were set up in 13 care homes that have lifted the spirits of 79 residents and helped to bring them closer together. 





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STEPHANIE GRANT  WENDY LARKIN<br>ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR’S ASSISTANT<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


During 2024, the Catalyst Board considered 46 General Applications (47 last year) from various organisations in our area of operation, of which 24 (48%) (21 - 45% last year) were successful. During this period £169,850 was spent on general grants, (£171,770 last year). 

In 2024 our priorities were to focus on hub development, health inequalities, including obesity, mental health including suicide prevention and to consider waiting times and how this could be improved. Catalyst likes to get involved with projects that have a strong health focus with a proven sustainable future and to work with groups to encourage and enable them to seek match funding from other organisations, thus unlocking further funding. 

**I would now like to tell you about some of the grants that we have made this year to give you a flavour of the wide range of organisations and projects that we supported in 2024.** 

**We were pleased to make our largest grant of 2024 to Age Well East.** Age Well East aims to alleviate poverty and reduce loneliness for those in Colchester and outlying villages. There are an estimated 106,000 people aged 65 and over living in Colchester postcodes. The population of Tendring in particular has a high proportion of older people with those aged over 65 making up 30% of this community. 

**Our grant of £24,496** will help to support and inform people diagnosed with dementia as well as those who care for them. The specialist dementia team focusses on providing holistic interventions. Their services prevent the need for further and complex support from local health or social care services. 

The new scheme will allow Age Well East to meet clients pre-diagnosis or shortly afterwards. They will have activities and strategies to maintain independence and connection to the community. This innovative new service will allow them to keep engaging with their clients all the way through their dementia journey. 

**In 2024 we were able to increase our overall budget by £20,000 as we recovered from the recent turbulent economic situation.  I think that it is amazing that in its 34th year the Catalyst Charity not only continued to grow...** 

Above: FaNs (Friends and Neighbours) who help older people to become more active and to improve their mental health and well-being. 

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Above and right: The Ark Centre offers counselling/play therapy, holiday schemes, respite care and a preschool nursery for SEN children in Harwich. 

In 2024 we continued to support projects that address health inequalities. **The Ark Centre** is an organisation that is well known to us. It provides practical and emotional support to families facing difficulties. Its criteria covers health inequalities arising from people living in deprived areas. The team offers counselling/play therapy, holiday schemes, respite care and a preschool nursery for SEN children in Harwich. 

**We made the Ark a grant of £15,500** to enable them to build/remould a space within the centre for a nursery, to support younger children than they currently help – many with Special Needs. It will also enable children with Special Needs to be diagnosed earlier. This new provision will be for children aged 3-24 months. Our grant will also allow two new rooms to be converted into a place for new health check-ups/services, including counselling and mental health support for domestic violence victims and their families. 

**StartStrong Fitness CIC** was set up to offer free fitness classes to ensure that everyone can access them regardless of their financial background. Free parent and baby exercise classes have been set up in and around Essex/Suffolk to ensure that there is more support for a holistic approach to better perinatal and postnatal care. Our grant of £15,000 will fund a project, in more deprived areas such as Greenstead and the Hythe, to offer free fitness classes at the community centre, catering to pregnant women and new mums and dads navigating mental and physical health challenges. Their specific aim is to target those with high BMI, gestational diabetes, PND and pre-eclampsia. 

**We made a grant of £11,700 to St Helena Hospice** to fund a cuddle bed in the inpatient unit in Myland Hall, Highwoods where specialist palliative and end of life care is offered. This bed has made a real difference to patients allowing them to share their bed with a loved one and to stay close to them throughout their stay. 

Another grant for equipment was made to **Shaftesbury Treetops** in Highwoods. Our grant of £11,410 was used 


to supply 7 ceiling track hoists to enable individuals with disabilities to move more freely and independently within their own space. This increased mobility allows them to perform daily activities such as transferring from bed to wheelchair, using the toilet and accessing other areas of their space without assistance. 

In 2024 mental health remained on our list of priorities and with this in mind we were very pleased to support the **Armed Forces Business Centre with a grant of £10,000.** The mission statement of this organisation is to create positive impactful change. 

Our grant will allow veterans, active service members and their families a comprehensive accessible therapy and diagnosis initiative to enhance their overall well-being and resilience. 

Below: StartStrong Fitness CIC offer free parent and baby exercise classes in and around Essex/Suffolk to ensure that there is more support for a holistic approach to better perinatal and postnatal care. It targets people from deprived backgrounds suffering from mental and physical health challenges. 



**Changing Lives is a Non-Profit Community Interest** 

referred by their special educational needs coordinator or GP, an outdoor counselling experience to support these struggles. 

**Group** that increases physical activity and mental and physical well-being, as well as eliminating barriers that prevent people from accessing physical activity. Our grant of £10,000 will allow the group to set up a gym for the use of low-income families, refugees, carers and the disabled and also addresses our intention to focus on obesity and to provide PT trainers, nutritionists and mental and well-being practitioners as part of the total package. 

**Our grant of £7,500 to St. Anne’s Church** will provide equipment to make the access better for those with limited mobility in an area of health inequalities in Greenstead 


One of our priorities for 2024 was to focus on hub development and so we were pleased to support Headway’s exciting and innovative pilot for a proposed new service in collaboration with the University of Essex Health Well-being and Care Hub. **Our grant of £9,149 will enable Headway Essex** to establish a specialised transition service for patients with acquired brain injury and to support their return to community life after their discharge from hospital. This funding will allow Headway Essex to provide support to adults with ABI, one day per week within the premises of the University of Essex. Headway Essex will be able to work collaboratively with students to meet the need for comprehensive and tailored support for these individuals with ABI. The hub will also provide student placements to experience a social setting alongside a clinical setting thus providing training placements for more students. 



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Educational<br>project - Cancer<br>Support Suffolk<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


**A grant of £7,060 was made to Cancer Support Suffolk,** (CO Postcode area) to buy prosthetic equipment for an educational project. 





At Heads2Minds, their mission is to create a world where everyone facing mental health and well-being challenges feels safe, understood, and respected. 

**A grant of £8,780 was made to Open Road** to provide equipment for their SOS bus. The bus has recently been commissioned as a mobile welfare hub for the communities of North Essex, offering a wide range of primary healthcare services, including dentistry, cancer screening, hypertension management, podiatry, optometry and more. 

**Heads2Minds** want to create a world in which everyone experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges feels safe, understood, and respected. The grant we made of £7,000 will support people when they are discharged from Colchester hospitals to ensure and prevent relapses back into hospital. Tailor-made holistic therapy support is offered to manage their mental, emotional and physical health to enable them to integrate back into society with a view to obtaining the necessary skills to get them back into employment. 

We often hear about the beneficial impact of nature on mental health and well being. **Together We Grow** believe that therapeutic horticulture activities provide psychological and/or physical benefit. The transition from primary to secondary school with its change in teaching styles and increased workloads can be quite traumatic for some children, particularly those experiencing anxiety and low self-esteem. Our grant of £7,800 will offer children, 

Heads2Minds will be working with Essex NHS Partnership Trust who have agreed to be involved with this programme as part of the discharge procedure. 

08 

09 



## **We supported the Dedham Therapy Farm with a grant** 

**of £5,100** towards an OT pilot which will enable them to provide occupational and animal assisted therapy to support young people in overcoming barriers to their daily living. Many have mental health difficulties, and some individuals may have diagnoses of ASD, PDA, ADHD or other developmental needs. Participants will take part in gardening, animal care and feeding, dog walking and training, bushcraft, alpaca walking, woodwork, nature and conservation work. 

Some of our grants are made to support educational needs and with this in mind we were pleased to make **a grant of £5,000 to the MAZE group** . This group offers early support to parents/carers of children and young people with neurodevelopmental conditions and special educational needs and disabilities. Our grant will fund a qualified counsellor with specialist training in neurodivergence and a specialist nurse practitioner to work on a 1-1 basis with some parents/carers who often find themselves bounced between services, with no support. The MAZE group wants to offer tailored support through grant funding for the next 12 months to go above and beyond what is currently on offer. 

Living with unmanaged Eosinophilic Oesophagitis (EoE) means not being able to eat without pain or fear of food impaction, this impacts all aspects of a person’s life including social isolation and mental health problems. 

It is hoped that our grant of **£5,000 to EOS Network** will increase disease awareness and lead to more patients and families getting the help they need locally and without unnecessary delay. 

**A grant of £5,000 was made to Walk Colchester** in respect of the Colchester BOMA project. This electrically powered off road chair needs a full electrical and mechanical refit and has been used by many disabled people right around the year to access the Highwoods Country Park and enjoy the benefit of being outdoors and enjoying green spaces. Great mental health benefits have also been identified. 

This electric off road chair used by many disabled people to access Highwoods Country Park needed a full electrical and mechanical refit. 




A grant towards a pilot to help young people overcome barriers to daily living 


**A grant to increase disease awareness and lead to more patients and families getting the help they need locally** 


**A grant to fund a qualified counsellor and a specialist nurse practitioner** 




SARS provides specialist clinicians to assist the East of England Ambulance Service at the scenes of incidents Sailship champions work & life where patients need an enhanced level of medical care before they reach hospital. skills for people living with a learning disability. 

All our grants are monitored regularly, and we ask for feedback, reports and photos where appropriate. 

Many of our grants involve providing help/equipment for children. **Our grant of £4,000 to The Laughter Specialists** has been used to set up laughter therapy sessions for those with special needs, complex needs and autism. Laughter is significant because it allows individual emotional expression and regulation, social connection and communication and cognitive development and learning. **A grant of £2,500 will allow Clowns in the Sky** to purchase sensory items for children in hospital and **Happy Days Charity** received a grant of £1,116 towards providing breaks for those children in need. 

We continue to support counselling services, and this accounted for £17,488 of expenditure during 2024. 

Special Individual Needs (SIN) grants continue to be an important part of our work. There were 151 (196 last year) applications of which 123 (161 last year) were successful. This year we spent £64,122 on SIN (£83,357 last year) Once again the vast majority of grants provided mobility equipment for those who could not obtain it from the statutory providers. 

## **Suffolk Accident Rescue Service (SARS) received a** 

We continued to work in partnership with the Neuro Rehabilitation Unit at Colchester General Hospital to bulk purchase 3 and 4 wheeled walkers which they distribute as necessary. This will come to an end in 2025. 

**grant of £3,509** to purchase 12 Resuscitation mannequins and 12 Defibrillator training devises to train volunteers on how to use them to save lives in the CO Postcode area of Suffolk. 

Sean MacDonnell chairs the SIN Committee, who meet every 4 to 6 weeks via Teams, and is made up of health professionals. 

**Other grants included £3,380 to Sailship** in respect of art 

therapy, **£1,200 to Heads2Minds** for a project to empower young people and **£417 to the Robin Cancer Trust** for cancer education. 

We regularly receive letters and cards of thanks from individuals and their carers who are so grateful for the help provided. Some of these can be found on our Facebook page or website. 

During 2024 we have again supported a diverse range of projects addressing many different needs both physical and mental, from equipment to training and right across the age spectrum. 

Below: A grant of £417 was made to the Robin Cancer Trust for cancer education. 





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**Main Grants and Donations** 1ST JANUARY – 31 DECEMBER 2024 

The Catalyst respite scheme continues to represent a significant part of our budget and in 2024 £120,714 (last year £125,267) was spent on arranging short term respite care. This scheme allows full-time carers to have a break from their caring duties. We work in partnership with over a dozen care organisations, listed on the inside front cover of this report. Our partners are trained as assessors, and each organisation has an agreed annual budget. We monitor the activity and keep in touch throughout the year. 

Below: Our website www.colchestercatalyst.co.uk provides a wealth of information about our services and grants in addition to having links to partner sites providing advice, support and services to help improve healthcare within the CO postcode area. 


In communicating Catalyst’s activities, our website www.colchestercatalyst.co.uk provides a wealth of information about our services and grants in addition to having links to partner sites providing advice, support and services to help improve healthcare within the CO postcode area. 

Application forms for General and Special Individual Needs grants are available to complete or download from the site, as well as copies of past Annual Reports together with a regularly updated news section. Our website has undergone a facelift. We can also now be found on Facebook which is updated on a regular basis. 


Finally I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues, Catalyst’s Chairman Christine Hayward, Peter Fitt, Company Secretary, Mark Pertwee, Vice Chairman, the Board, Development Manager Rodney Appleyard, assistant Wendy Larkin and our partner charities and organisations for all their help, support and encouragement during the past year. We all feel very happy and privileged to be working for the Catalyst Charity, by bringing help to those people who fall outside the statutory remit. 

## _Stephanie Grant_ 

Administrator February 2025 

|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||~~**GENERAL APPLICATIONS FROM ORGANISATIONS**~~||||||
||~~**Period Ended**~~|~~**31/12/24**~~|~~**31/12/23**~~|~~**31/12/22**~~|~~**31/12/21**~~|~~**31/12/20**~~||
||~~From Organisations~~|~~46~~|~~47~~|~~58~~|~~48~~|~~47~~||
||~~Successful~~|~~24~~|~~21~~|~~37~~|~~26~~|~~26~~||
||~~Unsuccessful/withdrawn~~|~~11~~|~~14~~|~~11~~|~~17~~|~~10~~||
||~~Deferred~~|~~11~~|~~12~~|~~10~~|~~5~~|~~1~~||
|||~~**SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL NEEDS APPLICATIONS**~~||||||
||~~**Period Ended**~~|~~**31/12/24**~~|~~**31/12/23**~~|~~**31/12/22**~~|~~**31/12/21**~~|~~**31/12/20**~~||
||~~From Individuals~~|~~151~~|~~196~~|~~190~~|~~164~~|~~141~~||
||~~Successful~~|~~123~~|~~162~~|~~160~~|~~139~~|~~112~~||
||~~Unsuccessful/withdrawn~~|~~24~~|~~29~~|~~22~~|~~25~~|~~22~~||
||~~Deferred~~|~~4~~|~~5~~|~~8~~|~~0~~|~~7~~||




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Over £4 [,] 000<br>Age Well East New Proactive Dementia Service  £24,496<br>The Ark Centre Refurbishment To Enhance SEN Services  £15,500<br>Startstrong Fitness CIC Pre & Post Natal Health Support  £15,000<br>St Helena Hospice Cuddle Bed  £11,700<br>Shaftesbury (Livability) Ceiling Hoist  £11,410<br>Armed Forces Business Centre Counselling Support For Veterans  £10,000<br>Changing Lives Health Practitioner  £10,000<br>Headway Essex Support For People With Head Injuries  £  9,149<br>Open Road Health Equipment For SOS Bus  £  8,780<br>Together We Grow Counselling For SEN Children  £  7,800<br>St Anne’s Church Disability Adaptations  £  7,500<br>Cancer Support Suffolk Cancer Prosthetic Equipment  £  7,060<br>Head2Minds Hospital Discharge Support  £  7,000<br>Dedham Therapy Farm O.T. Support  £  5,100<br>Support For Parents Of Those<br>The MAZE Group £  5,000<br>With Learning Disabilities<br>Support For People Suffering<br>EOS Network From Chronic Gut Disorders £ 5,000<br>Walk Colchester BOMA Dynamic Wheelchair Project  £ 5,000<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 


## **Development Manager’s Report** 


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RODNEY APPLEYARD,<br>DEVELOPMENT MANAGER<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


**I am delighted to report that 2024 was another excellent year of delivery for Catalyst, which involved us meeting the main principles of our strategy through supporting several imaginative projects that have already improved the health of many people in the CO postcode.** 

This strategy focused on developing services in existing and new hubs; addressing health inequalities in certain areas of the region; targeting support for people living with obesity; providing mental health support for those in need, particularly those at risk of suicide; and committing a special focus on health problems caused by people having to wait too long for vital operations. 

As has always been the case with Catalyst, when considering any project for a potential grant award, it is essential we provide support for areas of need that are not the responsibility of the statutory services. 

One of the common problems we find when researching into the biggest health problems within the CO postcode each year is some people must wait too long to receive vital support that can drastically improve their health. However, these findings galvanise us to focus on funding new solutions to address these health problems, although we appreciate some of these interventions can only go so far. 

This is why each year we review what we can and cannot do, to optimise our ability to boost new services in the sector. 

Our 2024 strategy, as mentioned above, was based on comprehensive consultations with many community organisations, fellow funders, commissioners and other statutory leaders in the sector. 

These consultations included the National Lottery Community Fund, the North East Essex Health and Well-Being Alliance, Essex Community Foundation, Healthwatch Essex, Commuity360, CVST, the local councils, as well as many more relevant organisations. 

## **Hubs and waiting lists** 

Our conversations about supporting new hubs are still ongoing, but we have managed to pump-prime a number of new projects in existing hubs that have already delivered valuable health benefits for many people in their local communities. 

This work included our support for the community building at St. Anne’s Church, with a grant of £7,500 to make modifications to its structure. This work will enable more people with disabilities to receive tailored services unavailable elsewhere. 

Another big priority for us, as mentioned above, was to focus on helping people who find their health deteriorating each week due to being on long waiting lists for operations. We funded a few projects aimed at supporting them while they wait for these procedures, such as the St. Anne’s project, which has big plans to bring important health services closer to people in pain due to the long waits, via the support of experienced health professionals. 

Additionally, with these strategic aims in mind, we focused on addressing health inequalities in the region, especially in remote areas of the CO postcode. People in these locations often feel crucial health services are out of reach for them. 

This was definitely the case with the £15,500 we awarded to the Ark Centre in Harwich, to change, refurbish and rebuild some of its rooms for the purpose of creating a new service within the hub to diagnose young children with Special Needs. This work focused on helping families with children between 3-24 months. 

The project also enabled the Ark Centre to increase its income to fund other new services in the building. Plus, it helped to free up another room for health professionals to visit and provide greater support for families. These services include a wide range of health checks and more counselling services. 

## **Health inequalities** 

As part of our drive to address health inequalities and expand services in hubs, we were keen to help people suffering from health problems brought on by obesity. In respect of this focus, we provided assistance to Changing Lives with a grant of £10,000, to set-up a new project targeted at people who are over-weight. 

Our funding covered part of the costs of a new practitioner, who will guide people with obesity, diabetes and disabilities, on how to improve their physical and mental health through specialist training programmes set-up at the gym. 

Active Essex also funded this project and it has received strong media coverage recently, including being featured on the BBC’s One Show. 

## **Mental health support** 

Furthermore, we focused on new projects aimed at improving people’s mental health and preventing people from committing suicide. This is of course such a complicated area to address, but we supported a strong case from the Armed Forces Business Centre. They requested a grant of £10,000 to launch a new counselling programme to help veterans, their children and the rest of their family, which expanded the services offered in the AFBC’s existing hub. 

Many of the veterans and their families helped by the AFBC also suffer due to health inequalities in the region, as a result of living in remote areas without much access to the services they need. 

We were also delighted that many of our awards last year led to other grant-making organisations providing additional funding to keep these projects going beyond the lifetime of our funding. 

## **Ambitious ideas** 

We are pleased that some of the projects we supported to address the issues of waiting lists have been very ambitious in their aims. This includes a new Headway project, which involves a close collaboration with the new Health and Well-Being Care Hub at the University of Essex. 

We awarded this project £9,149 to pump-prime a new service to help people with acquired brain injuries who have been discharged from hospital, but are on long waiting lists to receive follow-up support. This project is designed to help them recover while they wait. 

A new dementia project designed by Age Well East was another big and innovative project we supported last year. We awarded the organisation a grant of £24,496 to kick-start a new service focused on identifying dementia early, so steps can be put in place to help them and their family manage living with dementia. 

Although we addressed many of the health priorities we identified effectively last year, we know that many of these big problems still exist. So we will need to keep building on last year’s momentum as we look to the future. We will also keep working closely with funding partners and commissioners, to help more people who feel isolated and need services brought closer to them. 

We are looking forward to working with many of you in 2025 on new ideas that will help to relieve the pain and suffering of many people in the CO postcode. 

Finally, I would like to send a big thank you to everyone on Catalyst’s Board, as well as Stephanie Grant and Wendy Larkin, who work so passionately to assist the people we work with, for enabling us to deliver our strategic aims so effectively each year. 

**Our 2024 strategy was based on consultations with many community organisations** 



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C A S E<br>S T U D Y<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## **C A S E S T U D Y** 

## **£10,000 for new gym to help people struggling with extreme weight gain** 


**Thanks to crucial funding from Catalyst, combined with other funding from Active Essex, Colchester Borough Council and the National Community Lottery Fund, the Changing Lives gym has become a lifeline for over 200 free members, including individuals suffering from obesity, young carers suffering from isolation and people with disabilities.** 


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## **£10,000** 




## **£7,800 to support outdoor counselling for children** 

**We awarded Together We Grow £7,800 to set-up a new outdoor counselling service at a two-acre community garden inside Colchester’s Highwoods Country Park, which enables young children to experience therapeutic support in a natural setting.** 

Each child receives this service for at least six weeks, which also encourages them to be active and take a break from screens. 

Dale Connelly, who runs the project, and is a BACP Registered Psychotherapist, said the project also targets children between 4-11 who are on long waiting lists for critical mental health support. 


The children are referred to the project from a number of local schools, primary care services, parents and carers. Many have Special Educational Needs and disabilities, plus some suffer from issues caused by health inequalities in the region. Dale said these children have benefitted from having the freedom to be themselves and relax in nature. 

**We are a Not for profit Social Enterprise improving the lives of communities and individuals through encouraging engagement with nature and in particular with Food Growing. Our HQ is at the beautiful Big Garden located in High Woods Country Park Colchester.** 

Its resources and facilities have been instrumental with improving people’s physical health and creating a sense of belonging for those who might otherwise lack access to similar opportunities. 

The funding from Catalyst has enabled Changing Lives to take on a new personal trainer to deliver high quality sessions and offer self-care support. 

“Our service has become known as a new go-to intervention, which offers a judgement-free, confidential, open space for the children to express their feelings and work through their serious concerns. It  also helps them to build stronger bonds with their family. 

David Simmons, the co-Director of Changing Lives, said the impact is reflected in stories like Nina’s: “She was struggling with isolation, poor mobility and extreme weight gain. Since joining the Changing Lives Gym and working with our personal trainer, she has improved her mobility, increased her strength, and regained her confidence. She now lifts heavier weights and feels much healthier, both physically and mentally. 

“We’re excited to offer children in Colchester this alternative option to improve their mental health and well-being. We have also become a strong option for GPs and teachers to refer children for outdoor therapy.” 

Additionally, the project has now received funding from National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All programme to expand the project even further. He added: “This is critical so that we can support even more children in the future.” 

_“Similarly, Mathew’s life has been transformed. After losing his job and becoming homeless, he found a safe space at our gym. Unable to afford other gyms, Mathew built a routine, gained strength, and dramatically improved his mental well-being through the support of our community.”_ 


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Changing Lives has also extended its outreach through personal training sessions for homeless individuals with health problems at Beacon House and tailored health-based school programmes for Year 10s and 11s. David adds that across all its initiatives, participants have experienced remarkable improvements in their physical and mental health. 

## _“Being outside and exploring made_ 

_my daughter a lot more comfortable and helped her open up more than_ 

“These stories illustrate how this kind of funding reduces barriers to fitness and poor health, empowering individuals to thrive. At our gym, physical and mental well-being go hand in hand, making fitness accessible for all and creating a brighter future for them too.” 

## _ever before!”_ 

Testimonial from a parent – Anon 

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## **C A S E  S T U D Y** 


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C A S E  S T U D Y<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


**St Helena Hospice is a Colchester based charity which provides specialist palliative and end of life care to local people facing incurable illness in north east Essex, supporting them, their families, friends and carers.** 


**Improving lives after brain injury** 

**£9,149** 

## **£11,700** 


**We awarded St Helena Hospice £11,700 for a new Cuddle bed for its Inpatient Unit. The bed arrived in March 2024 and since then has been invaluable for patients.** 

## **£9,149 to rehabilitate people with head injuries** 

**“As you can see, the bed has made a huge difference, and we can’t thank Catalyst enough.”** 

**Headway Essex was delighted to receive a grant of £9,149 from Catalyst to pilot a new rehabilitation programme for adults with an acquired brain injury, in collaboration with the University of Essex’s Health, Wellbeing and Care Hub (HWCH).** 

Most recently, Catherine Loring benefitted from the bed when she received care from the Hospice, following a visit to A&E after her family became concerned that she was muddled and behaving oddly. 

The project addresses the gap in services and long waiting lists experienced by adults with an ABI. They usually require additional intensive rehabilitation, but find themselves unable to access timely help through the statutory health or social care organisations. 

But she has little recollection of what happened at A&E. After having an assessment, the hospital palliative doctors arranged for Catherine to be admitted to the Hospice, where she stayed for a few weeks before going home with the support of the Hospice in the Home team and SinglePoint. 

Lianne Keen, Trusts and Commissioning Manager for St Helena Hospice 

The project is called the ‘Next Steps’ programme, which offers rehabilitation from the hub’s clinicians and therapy students (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy). They work alongside Headway Essex staff to provide cognitive and social rehabilitation, supporting them to adjust and cope with the effects of their brain injury. 

While she had been at the Hospice, Catherine witnessed her daughter’s marriage blessing and shared her joy. She also took great comfort from being able to use the cuddle bed to spend quality time with her family. 


**In Essex, every 58 minutes, somebody is admitted to hospital with an acquired brain injury. As a charity, our mission is to ensure that everyone in Essex living with an acquired brain injury can live a fulfilling life and that families and carers are better able to cope within their caring roles..** 

The weekly sessions are tailored according the individual’s particular brain injury and symptoms, making them meaningful to each participant. 

_“I’m on a big bed, a cuddle bed, and my family can get in with me and we have had cuddles on the bed, which is fantastic to have that closeness,” said Catherine. “When you’re in a wheelchair or laying on a bed where you can’t actually cuddle somebody properly, to have that personal contact and closeness and just blubber together, and then start saying silly things to each other, just having that smile and that family silliness, that is very important.”_ 

_“They were so tailor-made and beneficial for my speech, swallowing, cognitive processes, diarising, monitoring my energy levels and following exercises to carry on with.”_ From an anonymous beneficiary 

At the end of the programme, participants understood their brain injury better; how to manage the effects; plus they also gain practical strategies for coping with daily life and recovering. 

- _“I have gained a better understanding of the type of brain injury I have experienced and how it affects me. I have also learned that it is OK to feel the way I do.”_ anonymous beneficiary 


**“As a charity St Helena Hospice relies heavily on the help and generosity of our fundraisers, donors and volunteers. Without them we wouldn’t be here.”** 

Without the grant from Catalyst, Headway Essex said it would not have been able to run this pilot so successfully. The charity can now use the positive results from the pilot to apply to other grant-makers to fund even more future sessions at the hub. 

## _Rodney Appleyard_ 

Development Manager February 2025 

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## **Total value of grants** 

on a year-by-year basis 

**2024 £372,174** ▼ **2023 £375,036** ▼ 

**2022 £554,502** ▲ 

**2021 £434,658** ▲ **2020 £396,494** ▼ 

**2019 £489,348** ▲ 

**2018 £476,048** ▼ 

**2017 £547,655** ▲ **2016 £473,413** ▲ **2015 £375,394** ▲ **2014 £365,679** ▲ **2013 £281,796** ▲ **2012 £256,545** ▼ **2011 £349,257** ▲ **2010 £341,552** ▼ **2009 £398,762** ▼ **2008 £475,095** ▲ **2007 £444,212** ▲ **2006 £325,421** ▲ **2005 £223,988** ▼ 


www.colchestercatalyst.co.uk 

## **Criteria For grant making** 

## **OBJECT** 

Colchester Catalyst Charity aims to improve the health of people living within the CO postcode areas by making a positive and ongoing contribution to the improvement of healthcare services in this region, specifically where help is not available from statutory organisations. 

## **POLICY** 

The over-riding concern of the Charity is to provide support where it will benefit the greatest number of people, principally by direct contributions to organisations for specific and well defined projects, including therapeutic aids, equipment and buildings for medical or nursing care. 

The charity recognises the need of some disabled people for specialised equipment. Where it is established that such equipment is not available from statutory organisations a contribution may be made to the cost involved. 

General funding or contribution to staff or other running costs are excluded but recognising the often overlooked needs of carers the Charity will consider funding respite care provided the care period is well defined, carefully controlled and readily monitored. 

Where financial help is given the Directors will satisfy themselves that satisfactory management and organisations exists to ensure that the money is properly used and in the case of equipment, that it can be efficiently operated and maintained. 

## **SUPPORT** 

In appropriate cases a grant or loan may be offered for full or part-funding of a project or equipment. No form of retrospective funding can be considered. 



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P W E FITT,<br>SECRETARY<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


**Trustees’ Report (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT)** FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

**The trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024.** 

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2016)”. 

## **Objectives and activities** 

The objective of the charity is the relief of the sick and suffering of North East Essex. The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when planning its future activities and setting the grant making policy for the year. 

Details of the charities activities and achievements during the year are set out in the chairman’s Report, administrator’s report and the development manager’s report. 

## **Grant making policy** 

The Charity’s detailed grant making criteria are set out on the Charity’s website, www.colchestercatalyst.co.uk. All applications for grants are considered by the Trustees and where successful are formally approved. An annual grants budget is set by the Trustees. 

## **Reserves policy** 

The current reserves policy is to endeavour to maintain a Capital Reserve of at least £12,000,000 as at 31 December 2023 in real terms. Therefore the target Capital Reserve as at the reporting date is £12,324,000. This level of reserves has been met throughout the reporting period. 

**TRUSTEES: C Hayward** MBA NPQH **Dr N J Busfield** MA, PhD **P W E Fitt** FCA **Dr M P Hickman** MB B.Chir DCH **Dr S MacDonnell** MBBS FRCA FFICM **M F Pertwee** BA (Hons) **K Songhurst** LLB (Hons) (Retired Dec 2024) **E Thrower** DipCOT, MHCPC **I S Turner** MA MBA **J Davis** (Appointed 27 Jan 2025) 

**The Charity is administered by a Board of Trustees.** 

**TRUSTEES:** The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements are above: 

Nominations for the appointment of new Trustees are made based upon the established knowledge and experience of the candidate and on the likely contribution that the candidate may make to the work of the charity. All Trustee appointments are subject to election at an AGM and all Trustees are subject to re-election at an AGM every three years. 

Trustees are provided with appropriate information and guidance on induction; no other formal training is provided to trustees. 

**ADMINISTRATOR & ASSISTANT: S Grant** 

**W Larkin** 

**DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: R Appleyard** 

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FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

**Auditor: Michael Greene BSc FCCA** (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of **Streets Audit LLP** 26 February 2025 

**Chartered Accountants, Statutory Auditor** c/o The Old Exchange, 64 West Stockwell Street, Colchester, Essex CO1 1HE 

## ~~FINANCIAL REVIEW~~ 

||THE RESULTS ARE SHOWN IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF WHICH THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY:<br>~~**31/12/2024**~~<br>~~31/12/2023~~<br>~~**£**~~<br>~~£~~<br>Direct Charitable Expenditure<br>**457,743**<br>452,130<br>Surplus/(Defcit) before Gains or Losses<br>on Investments<br>**(108,171)**<br>(57,861)<br>Realised Gains/(Losses) on Sales of Investments**(55,335)**<br>23,458<br>Unrealised Gains/(Losses) on Valuation<br>of Investments<br>**799,785**<br>389,854<br>Total Net Assets at 31stDecember<br>**12,756,682**<br>12,120,404|
|---|---|



FUTURE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE INVESTMENT INCOME & GROWTH ACHIEVED IN FUTURE YEARS. 

## **Investment policy** 

The investment policy is determined by the Trustees, with the benefit of external advice, after considering income requirements, risk profile and stock market prospects in the short and medium term. 

## **Risk statement** 

The Trustees confirm that the major risks to which the charity is exposed, as identified by the Trustees, have been reviewed and systems established to mitigate these risks. 

## **Plans for future periods** 

The Trustees plan for the foreseeable future to continue making grants with a view to making a positive contribution to improving care of the sick or suffering in the CO postcode area. 

## **Structure, governance and management** 

The charity is a company limited by guarantee (number 00634588), governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association and is a Registered Charity (number 228352). 

At 31st December 2024 there were forty three members. 

Colchester Catalyst Charity became a grant making charity in 1990 following the sale of the Colchester Oaks Hospital, in Oaks Drive, to Community Hospitals PLC. The sale was conditional on Community Hospitals PLC building a new hospital, to an agreed high specification, by 1994 - this was done and the new Oaks Hospital off Mile End Road was opened in January 1994. 

With the agreement of the Charity Commissioners the directors decided to devote the income, from the invested funds resulting from the sale ‘for the relief of the sick or suffering of North Essex’. 

**Disclosure of information to auditor** Each of the trustees has confirmed that there is no information of which they are aware which is relevant to the audit, but of which the auditor is unaware. They have further confirmed that they have taken appropriate steps to identify such relevant information and to establish that the auditor is aware of such information. 

## **The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.** 

## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES** 

The trustees, who are also the directors of Colchester Catalyst Charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and  fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year. 

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: 

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 

- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; 

- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and 

- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. 

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 Companies Act 2006. 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. 

## **Independent auditor’s report** 

## **Opinion** 

We have audited the financial statements of Colchester Catalyst Charity (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

In our opinion, the financial statements: 

- give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 December 2024 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended; 

- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and 

- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. 

## **Basis for opinion** 

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 

## **Conclusions relating to going concern** 

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. 

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. 

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. 

## **Other information** 

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and 

our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise  appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. 

We have nothing to report in this regard. 

## **Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006** 

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit: 

- the information given in the Trustees report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors’ report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and 

- the directors’ report included within the Trustees report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. 

## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception** 

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report included within the Trustees report. 

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion: 

- adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or 

- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or 

- certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or 

- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or 

- the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the Trustees report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report. 

P W E Fitt FCA February 2025 

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## **Responsibilities of trustees** 

As explained more fully in the statement of Trustees responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for  being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. 

## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial** 

## **statements** 

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. 

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below. We made enquiries of the trustees, including: 

- How they have identified, evaluated and complied with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance; 

- Their process for detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; and 

- Which internal controls have been established to mitigate risks related to fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations. 

We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that are applicable to the Charity. These include, but are not limited to, compliance with the Companies Act 2006, UK GAAP, Charities SORP and tax legislation. 

In addition, the Charity is subject to many other laws and regulations where the consequences of non-compliance could have a material effect on amounts or disclosures in the financial statements, for instance through the imposition of fines or litigation. We identified the following areas as those most likely to have such an effect: employment law and data protection. 

The Senior Statutory Auditor has assessed and concluded that the engagement team collectively had  the appropriate competence and capabilities to identify or recognise non-compliance with laws and regulations. 

## During our audit: 

- We reviewed the financial statement disclosures and tested to supporting documentation to assess compliance with relevant laws and regulations discussed above; 

- We made enquiries of the trustees; 

- We read minutes of meetings of those charged with governance. 

We considered opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including revenue recognition and the risk of override of controls), and determined that the principal risks were related to management override of the Charity’s grant awarding process. Due to the Charity’s extensive controls in place and regular oversight from the Board, the risk of fraud in this area is low. 

The specific procedures we performed to address this area was as follows: 

• We reviewed the integrity of the controls in place and discussed with management where any amendments had been made to ensure processes are up to date; 

- Performed walkthrough tests on a sample of grants awarded covering General, SIN, Respite and Counselling grants; 

- Ensured that all grants sampled had been approved by the board by reviewing meeting minutes of the Trustees and the SIN board committee; 

- Through review of the meeting minutes we concluded that adequate controls are in place for the identification of potential conflicts of interests such that grants are not awarded to those with a financial interest in the Charity. 

Our audit procedures were designed to respond to risks of material misstatement in the financial statements, recognising that the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery, mis-representations or through collusion. There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures performed and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we are to become aware of it. 

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report. 

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this re-port, or for the opinions we have formed. 

## **Michael Greene BSc** 

FCCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of Streets Audit LLP, Chartered Accountants, Statutory Auditor c/o The Old Exchange, 64 West Stockwell Street, Colchester, Essex CO1 1HE 





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**Statement of Financial Activities** 

## **Balance Sheet** 

## **Including Income and Expenditure Account** 

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

|**Including Income and Expenditure Account**<br>FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024|||
|---|---|---|
|Notes<br>**INCOME FROM:**|**2024**<br>**£**|**2023**<br>**£**|
|Donations and legacies<br>2<br>Investments<br>3<br>**Total income**<br>**EXPENDITURE ON:**|**310**<br>**349,261**<br>**349,571**|300<br>393,969<br>**394,269**|
|Charitable activities<br>4<br>Net gains/(losses) on investments<br>7<br>**Net income and movement in funds**<br>**Reconciliation of funds:**<br>Fund balances at 1 January 2024<br>**Fund balances at 31 December 2024**|**457,743**<br>**744,450**<br>**636,278**<br>**12,120,404**<br>**12,756,682**|452,130<br>**413,312**<br>355,451<br>11,764,953<br>**12,120,404**|



AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024 

|Notes<br>**FIXED ASSETS**|**2024**<br> **2023**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**|**2024**<br> **2023**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**|
|---|---|---|
|Tangible assets<br>11<br>Investments<br>12<br>**CURRENT ASSETS**||**166,697**<br>166,697<br>**12,420,545**<br>11,661,605<br>**12,587,242**<br>**11,828,302**|
|Debtors<br>13<br>Cash at bank and in hand<br>**CREDITORS:**|**538** <br>**204,187**<br>**204,725 **|911<br>334,960<br>335,871|
|Amounts falling due within one year<br>14<br>Net current assets<br>**Total assets less current liabilities**<br>**THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY**|**(35,285)**|**(43,769)**<br>**169,440 **<br>292,102<br>**12,756,682 **<br>**12,120,404**|
|Unrestricted funds<br>20||**12,756,682** <br>**12,120,404**<br>**12,756,682**<br>**12,120,404**|



The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. 

**The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 24 February 2025. C Hayward** MBA NPQH Trustee **P W E Fitt** FCA Trustee Company Registration No. 00634588 

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**Statement Of Cash Flows** 

**Notes** 

## **To The Financial Statements** 

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

|Notes<br>**CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES**|**£**|**2024**<br>**£**|**£**|**2023**<br>**£**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Cash absorbed by operations<br>19<br>**INVESTING ACTIVITIES**||**(465,544) **||(483,109)|
|Purchase of investments<br>Proceeds on disposal of investments<br>Investment income received<br>**Net cash generated from investing activities**<br>**Net cash used in fnancing activities**<br>**Net (decrease)/increase in cash & cash equivalents**<br> <br>Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year<br>**Cash and cash equivalents at end of year**|**(1,750,000)**<br>**1,735,510** <br>**349,261**|**334,771**<br>**- **<br>**(130,773)**<br>334,960<br>**204,187**|(898,232)<br>994,205<br>393,969|**489,942**<br>**-**<br>**6,833**<br>328,127<br>**334,960**|



FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

## 1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES CHARITY INFORMATION 

Colchester Catalyst Charity is a private 

company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 14 Dedham Vale Business Centre, Manningtree Road, Dedham, Essex, CO7 6BL. 

## 1.1 ACCOUNTING CONVENTION 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity’s Memorandum of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102. 

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £. 

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below. 

## 1.2 CHARITABLE FUNDS 

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives. 

## 1.3 INCOMING RESOURCES 

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, 

unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Other income including income tax recoverable is accounted for on an accruals basis as far as it is prudent to do so. 

## 1.4 RESOURCES EXPENDED 

Grants and donations payable are recognised as expenditure when the grant is approved. 

## 1.5 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS 

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses. 

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases: 

Freehold land and buildings 0% depreciation 

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities. 

## 1.6 FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS 

Fixed asset investments are initially measured at transaction price excluding transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at quoted sale value at the close of business on the balance sheet date. Changes in market value are recognised in net  income/(expenditure) for  the year and carried  to  the  capital  fund. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred. 

Quoted investments are included at quoted saleable value as at the close of business on the balance sheet date, any surplus or deficit arising on such valuation is carried to capital fund. 

## 1.7 IMPAIRMENT OF FIXED ASSETS 

At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment  loss (if any). 

## 1.8 BASIC FINANCIAL ASSETS 

Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at amortised cost. 

Financial assets comprise cash at bank and in hand, together with other debtors. Cash at bank and in hand is defined as all cash held in instant access bank accounts and used as working capital. 

Financial liabilities held at amortised cost comprise all creditors except social security and other taxes, deferred income and provisions. 

## 1.9 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received. 

## 1.10 RETIREMENT BENEFITS 

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due. 

## 1.11 GRANTS AND DONATIONS PAYABLE 

Grants and donations payable are recognised as expenditure when the grant is approved. 

## 1.12 GIFTS IN KIND 

The Charity receives the benefit of work carried out by volunteers. No value is placed on this in the financial statements. 

28 

29 



FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

|**2 INCOME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**<br>**Unrestricted funds**<br>Unrestricted funds<br>**general 2024**<br>general 2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>Donations and gifts<br>**310** <br>300|**2 INCOME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**<br>**Unrestricted funds**<br>Unrestricted funds<br>**general 2024**<br>general 2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>Donations and gifts<br>**310** <br>300|**2 INCOME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**<br>**Unrestricted funds**<br>Unrestricted funds<br>**general 2024**<br>general 2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>Donations and gifts<br>**310** <br>300|
|---|---|---|
||||
|**3 INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS**<br>**Unrestricted funds**<br>Unrestricted funds<br>**general 2024**<br>general 2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>Other income<br>**349,261** <br>393,969|||
||||
|**4 EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**<br>**Direct costs**<br>Staff costs<br>Offce expenses<br>Grant funding of activities<br>(see note 9)<br>**Share of support and governance costs** <br>(see note 10)<br>Governance<br>**Analysis by fund**<br>Unrestricted funds|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**63,248**<br>**11,526 **<br>**74,774** <br>**372,174**<br>**10,795**<br>**457,743 **<br>**457,743 **|2023<br>£<br>58,369<br>8,766|
|||67,135<br>375,036<br>9,959|
|||452,130|
|||452,130|
||||
|**5 TRUSTEES**<br>None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration,<br>benefts or payments for expenses from the charity during the year.|||
|**6 EMPLOYEES**<br>The average monthly number of employees during the year was:|**2024**<br>**Number**<br>**3**|2023<br>Number<br>3|
||||
|**EMPLOYMENT COSTS**<br>Wages and salaries<br>Other pension costs<br>There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000.|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**61,415**<br> **1,833**<br>**63,248 **|2023<br>£<br>56,669<br>1,700|
|||58,369|
||||
|**7 GAINS AND LOSSES ON INVESTMENTS**<br>**Unrestricted funds**<br>Unrestricted funds<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>Gains/(losses) arising on:<br>**£**<br>£<br>Revaluation of investments<br>**799,785**<br>389,854<br>Gain/(loss) on sale of investments<br>**(55,335)**<br>23,458<br>**744,450 **<br>413,312|||
|||413,312|
||||



## **8 TAXATION** 

The company is a charity and is not liable to corporation tax on income. It is entitled to receive certain types of investment income without deduction of Income Tax at source. Expenditure includes where appropriate irrecoverable Value Added Tax. 

|**9 GRANTS PAYABLE**<br>Grants to institutions:<br>Charities etc<br>Special Individual Needs<br>Respite Care<br>Counselling<br>A detailed analysis of Grants and Donations over £4,000 made in|the year can be found on page 13.||**2024**<br>**£**<br>**169,850**<br>**64,122**<br>**120,714**<br>**17,488**<br>**372,174**|2023<br>£<br>157,770<br>83,357<br>125,267<br>8,642<br>375,036|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||
|**10 SUPPORT COSTS**<br>Audit fees<br>Accountancy<br>Sundries<br>Analysed between Charitable activities|**Support**<br>**Governance**<br>**costs**<br>**costs**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>-<br>**5,710**<br>-<br>**918**<br>-<br>**4,167**<br>-<br>**10,795**<br>-<br>**10,795**|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**5,710**<br>**918**<br>**4,167**<br>**10,795**<br>**10,795**|Support<br>Governance<br>2023<br>costs<br>costs<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>-<br>5,362<br>5,362<br>-<br>1,050<br>1,050<br>-<br>3,547<br>3,547<br>-<br>9,959<br>9,959<br>-<br>9,959<br>9,959||



## Governance costs includes payments to the auditors of £5,710 (2023: £5,362) for audit fees. 

An amount of £918 (2023: £1,050) was payable to an associate of the auditor, Streets Whittle & Partners LLP, for non-audit work. 

|**11 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**<br>**Freehold land and buildings**|**11 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**<br>**Freehold land and buildings**||
|---|---|---|
|**Cost**<br>At 1 January 2024<br>At 31 December 2024<br>**Carrying amount**<br>At 31 December 2024<br>At 31 December 2023|**£**<br>**166,697**<br>**166,697**<br>**166,697**<br>**166,697**||
|**12 FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS**<br>**Listed investments**<br>**Cost or valuation**<br>**£**<br>At 1 January 2024<br>**11,661,605**<br>Additions<br>**1,750,000**<br>Valuation changes<br>**799,785**<br>Realised gains/(losses)<br>**(55,335)**<br>Disposals<br>**(1,735,510)**<br>At 31 December 2024<br>**12,420,545**<br>**Carrying amount**<br>At 31 December 2024<br>**12,420,545**<br>At 31 December 2023<br>**11,661,605**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>Investments at fair value comprise:<br>Charifund:<br>**-**<br>Blackrock Charities UK Equity Fund (formerly Charishare):<br>**3,372,260**<br>Schroders Charity Multi Asset Fund:<br>**2,225,145**<br>Newton Growth & Income Fund for Charities:<br>**6,823,140**<br>**12,420,545**||2023<br>£<br>1,790,845<br>1,462,045<br>2,039,373<br>6,369,342<br>11,661,605|



30 

31 



FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 

|FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024|||
|---|---|---|
|**13 DEBTORS**<br>**Amounts falling due within one year:**<br>Prepayments and accrued income|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**538**|2023<br>£<br>911|
|**14 CREDITORS**<br>**Amounts falling due within one year:**<br>Other creditors<br>Accruals and deferred income|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**29,785**<br>**5,500**<br>**35,285**|2023<br>£<br>38,341<br>5,428<br>43,769|
|**15 OUTSTANDING GRANTS PAYABLE**<br>**NOTE**<br>**The analysis of grant funding and the balance outstanding**<br>**included in other creditors for the period is as follows:**<br>Grants approved not yet paid - brought forward<br>Grants approved in period<br>9<br>Grants paid in period<br>Grants approved not yet paid - carried forward|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**38,072**<br>**372,174**<br>**(380,889)**<br>**29,357**|2023<br>£<br>69,009<br>375,036<br>(405,973)<br>38,072|
|**16 RETIREMENT BENEFIT SCHEMES**<br>**Defned contribution schemes**<br>The charity operates a defned contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees.<br>The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently<br>administered fund.|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**1,833**|2023<br>£<br>1,700|
||||
|**17 RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS**|||



There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2023 - none). 

## **18 NON-AUDIT SERVICES PROVIDED BY AUDITOR** 

Streets Whittle & Partners LLP, an associate of the auditor, have processed the charity’s payroll from information provided to them (note 10). 

|**19 CASH GENERATED FROM OPERATIONS**<br>Surplus for the year<br>Adjustments for:<br>Investment income recognised in statement of fnancial activities<br>Loss/(gain) on disposal of investments<br>Fair value gains and losses on investments<br>Movements in working capital:<br>Decrease/(increase) in debtors<br>(Decrease) in creditors<br>**Cash absorbed by operations**|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**636,278**<br>**(349,261)**<br>**55,335**<br>**(799,785)**<br>**373**<br>**(8,484)**<br>**(465,544)**|2023<br>£<br>355,451<br>(393,969)<br>(23,458)<br>(389,854)<br>(618)<br>(30,661)<br>(483,109)|
|---|---|---|



|**20 UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**<br>The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations<br>and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to<br>how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out<br>of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes|**20 UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**<br>The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations<br>and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to<br>how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out<br>of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes|**20 UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**<br>The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations<br>and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to<br>how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out<br>of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes|**20 UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**<br>The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations<br>and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to<br>how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out<br>of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|General funds|**AT 1 JAN**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**12,120,404**|**INCOMING**<br>**RESOURCES**<br>**£**<br>**349,571**|**RESOURCES**<br>**EXPENDED**<br>**£**<br>**(457,743)**|**GAINS &**<br>**LOSSES**<br>**£**<br>**744,450**|**AT 31 DEC**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**12,756,682**|
|||||||
|**Previous Year**<br>General funds|AT 1 JAN<br>2023<br>£<br>11,764,953|INCOMING<br>RESOURCES<br>£<br>394,269|RESOURCES<br>EXPENDED<br>£<br>(452,130)|GAINS &<br>LOSSES<br>£<br>413,312|AT 31 DEC<br>2023<br>£<br>12,120,404|
|||||||



32 

33 



**LIST OF MEMBERS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024** 

**DIRECTORS** C Hayward P W E Fitt M F Pertwee N J Busfield M P Hickman S MacDonnell K Songhurst E Thrower I S Turner J Davis (appointed 27 January 2025) 

**PRESIDENT** A H Frost 

Colchester Catalyst Charity aims to **improve** the health of people living within the CO postcode areas by making a **positive** and ongoing **contribution** to the **improvement** of health care services in this region. 

**HON LIFE MEMBERS** R W Griffin E Hall C F Pertwee B Walsh R W Whybrow A Livesley TP Rudra 

## **OTHER HONORARY MEMBERS** 

D Parnell C Perry 

**MEMBERS** S Alexander S Avery C Booth S Brown V Depledge V Gamble C Heath M Jones L Keen D E Lodge _Mayor of Colchester (ex officio) Chairman of the Council, Tendring (ex officio) Councillor for Brightlingsea (ex officio)_ K Miles L Nicoll M Perrins M Robinson T Rudling A Saxon D Sollis M Vernon M White A Woolf J Wright 

**COLCHESTER CATALYST CHARITY** 14 Dedham Vale Business Centre Manningtree Road, Dedham, Colchester, Essex, CO7 6BL 

## **01206 323420** 

**info@colchestercatalyst.co.uk** Artwork: Hollock Waine Design Print: Optimum Print 



## Annual Report **2024** 

**Please pick up the phone and get in touch if you have an idea you would like to discuss with us 01206 323420** 

**14 Dedham Vale Business Centre, Manningtree Road, Dedham, Colchester, Essex, CO7 6BL** info@colchestercatalyst.co.uk Charity No. 228352  Company registration No. 634588  (England & Wales) **www.colchestercatalyst.co.uk**