Hertsmere Annual Report April 2024- March 2025 me cap
Adult Activities
Adult activities continue to go from strength to strength. Sessions run every day; Arts & Crafts, Move to the Beat, Coffee Morning, Drama, Dance Aerobics, evening session (Jubilee Club) social club and Youth Club.
All sessions run on a weekly basis.
Thursday’s Drama moved from Allum Hall to Fairway Hall in June, at a later time for an hour. All our activities are now at same venue. Drama will be coming to an end in April, and we will be trialling a weekly bingo session in its place, with the view of introducing seasonal drama workshops in the future.
Attendance has increased across all activities, accommodating up to 20 members for most sessions. Our Friday dance troupe performed at Tesco in June (for Learning Disability Week) and at Christmas. The second Wednesday of the month after Coffee morning, we take 14-20 members, along with their support workers (that need) for a Lunch Out. We rotate with Fish & Chips, Toby Carvery and Chinese Buffet.
•JP4
Learning Disability Forum
We hosted four Learning Disability Forum’s on behalf of Hertsmere: June 2024 – Coping with bereavement and grief Sept 2024 – Positive Behaviour Support Dec 2024 – Social Services March 2025- The importance of Sleep and strategies to help
Other talks at Coffee Morning included:
Sky Studios returned in June for an update. They have agreed to host a private screening of ‘Wicked’ for our members next year.
Fire Safety- talk at Coffee Morning in January 2025 We welcomed speakers from White Watch | Borehamwood Fire Station | Hertsmere, Welwyn & Hatfield
Sky Studios presentation, Laughter Therapy, Purple folder update and Drama workshop
Trips 2024
Daytime session trips included a visit to Southend on Sea in July and a visit to the Pantomime in December
Christmas Adult Party December 2024
We had a great turnout, with over 100 people at our Christmas Party. Will Smith and family provided a wonderful disco and we enjoyed the new addition of a photo booth! As usual the buffet was enjoyed by all.
Christmas Card Competition
We ran a Christmas Card competition for our members, with KellMatt to sponsoring 200 printed cards, that had been designed by our members.
Awards
The Elisabeth Spector Award for Volunteering was presented to Stephan Syme for his dedication to Hertsmere Mencap
The Roy Pursey Award for a member’s contribution to the Society was presented at the Christmas party to Steven Hill for his contribution at coffee morning, the kindness he shows to our members and the help he gives to staff and volunteers.
Awards 2024
2024 saw Vicky Wallis receive the Leading Light award at the Annual Rumble Awards, organised by Pioneer Approaches saw. Once again, our member Neil Hoskin hosted the event. Several members took part in Rotary North London’s Disability Games in October 2024, winning several medals
Members
Since March 2024 we saw over 30 new members join Hertsmere Mencap, this is a record number for us.
The 2024 Learning Disability Week theme was "Do you hear me?" and focused on being seen, heard and valued. In keeping with the theme, our HM roving reporters returned with Simon Orwin and Stuart Brown expertly undertaking interviews with people connected to Hertsmere Mencap. We continue to provide vital support to our members — including help with benefits and healthcare, form-filling, advice, signposting, advocacy, and crisis support. This work is critical to preventing escalation, reducing reliance on statutory services, and ensuring our members live safe, healthy, connected lives. We are seeing a greater demand for support from our members.
Volunteers
We continue to receive a lot of interest in volunteering and have recruited 20 new volunteers between April 2024 and March 2025, including an HR Volunteer, two Volunteer Bookkeepers and a Volunteer minibus driver. Each one of our dedicated volunteers plays a huge role in the success of our activities as well behind the scenes and we are very thankful for their support.
Our volunteers continue to support us through our daily activities, driving our minibus, administration and IT support. A special thanks to Linda Davidson who took over sending out birthday cards to each of our members.
Our volunteers are finding us through Caritas Volunteer Service, Communities 1st, GoVolHerts, JVN, word of mouth and through Facebook. We are extremely fortunate to have a cohort of over 40 volunteers. We celebrated Volunteer Week 2024 with a memorable video featuring personal messages from our members and staff.
We are very lucky to have the continued support of members undertaking volunteer roles and we thank you all very much for your help. Keep up the good work!
Staff & Volunteers Training
We continue to offer our staff, volunteers and member volunteers the opportunity to undertake training through HCC. Courses include Introduction to Learning Disabilities, First Aid Awareness, Epilepsy Awareness and Safeguarding. 17 courses were attended.
In November, our Designated Safeguarding Leads for Adults & Children attended HCPA’s Designed Safeguarding Lead course.
We continue to offer all new volunteers and staff training opportunities.
In January 2025, we ran two mandatory refreshers sessions on Safeguarding & Code of Conduct for all staff and volunteers.
Communications
We continue to ensure members, support workers and prospective members are able to reach out to us. Our easily accessible website is regularly updated, and our Facebook and Instagram pages are updated daily.
We have 854 Facebook followers and 307 Instagram followers to date
Hertsmere Mencap staff are always available to answer new enquiries and guide prospective members towards joining. We take time to ensure all prospective members understand our unique and special offerings.
We continue to send out a lively monthly newsletter to around 1000 people featuring photos and news from the month.
Networking
We continue to build relationships with HCC Adult Disability team, meeting quarterly.
Hertsmere Mencap was represented at:
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Viatris (global healthcare company) – Volunteer Week event in June building awareness of our volunteering opportunities
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Herts Specialist Learning Disabilities Service Provider Forum in June in conjunction with Learning Disability Week
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Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Disability Employment Adviser Lead and Disability Employment Adviser Conference in September to launch Hertsmere Mencap’s Employment Training programme
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GoVoltsHerts Virtual Volunteer Fair in January where our Head of Communications invited Alex, one of our log standing volunteers to join. Alex gave a passionate and heartfelt account of volunteering at Hertsmere Mencap.
Hertsmere Mencap’s Employment Training Programme
In January 2024, we began building an Employment Training course to prepare our members for employment. The course aims to equip learners with the skills and confidence to join the workplace. The course will last 9 weeks with a maximum of 6 learners per course.
Key Topics: Introduction to the workplace, Understanding work types and environments, Developing essential job skills (communication, teamwork), Practical job search skills (CV writing, interview prep) as well as Support during employment.
We piloted the course with 4 learners who graduated in March 2025 and have secured employment at The Venue Leisure Club and potentially 2 learners will be running a film club via Macintyre Charity.
We recruited Pamela Gradel in November as our Employment Support Advisor to run the 9 week training programme, along with recruiting learners and approaching employers to source suitable employment for the learners on completion of the course.
With huge thanks to the team who helped to bring this project to fruition and a huge thanks to our guinea pigs (Aaron, Elise, Courtney, Stuart, Jake & Nathan) who enabled us to pilot the program.
Children’s Activities
Children’s Holiday Club
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The Tender to continue being an SBLO provider through HCC, was awarded to Hertsmere Mencap Holiday Club in April 2024.
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No Easter Holiday Club 2024 due to senior staff changes.
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Following the success of the pilot, Club 15 – 19 took place in May half term 2024, with 12 CYP attending. Club 15-19 is staffed through HC staff. The CYP do not require 1:1 support and all are independent.
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Activities included Arts and crafts, table tennis, table football, badminton, Wii gaming console, cooking, quizzes, games, and a trip to the Reel cinema in Borehamwood, followed by lunch and activities at The Library 96 Shenley Road.
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Very positive feedback through parent evaluations.
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HC children and their parents enjoyed a free visit to Meadow Park Funfair in June 2024.
Children’s Activities
Children’s Holiday Club
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HC children and their parents enjoyed a free visit to Meadow Park Funfair in June 2024.
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To date, we have fulfilled 90% of our contracted funding through HCC.
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Additional funding has been proposed and accepted through HCC to cover Christmas 2024, and Club 15-19 activities up to 31 March 2025.
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HCC funding proposal for 2024/25 to be completed when prompted in the next few weeks.
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We were awarded HCC funding proposal for Holiday Club and Club 15-19 activities for 2025/2026.
Children’s Activities
Children’s Holiday Club
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Summer Holiday Club 2024 was relaunched with a cohort of 20 plus new staff, existing families, and new families.
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34 CYP accessed the scheme, and it was a huge success.
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Venue remained the same, St Teresa’s School Borehamwood.
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A slimmed down scheme with duration 12 days over a 3-week period, with an addition of cementing much needed communications between parents and Holiday Club. Parents were able to bring their children into the main hall, meet staff, and have a look around. The purpose of this to forge strong relationships and transparency, and to showcase the environment.
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Staff training was provided by Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust and was free of charge.
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All staff were trained in managing Epilepsy and promoting positive behaviour for children who have SEND.
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Annual visit from HCC was very positive.
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Parent and staff feedback also positive, and on the back of that, we will be offering a longer scheme in 2024, in line with 2023
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. Christmas 2024 HC activities include a trip to the Panto on 30 December, and our annual Christmas party.
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Planning for Easter Holiday Club 2025 is underway, with a record number of 16 Children booked to attend each day, including 10 new families.
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10 new Holiday Club staff recruited for Easter 2025.
Children's Activities Hertsmere me cap Children's Holiday Club , Jil•
Children’s Activities Networking, Club 15-19 and Youth Club
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Networking opportunities included being present on a panel in conjunction with Aldenham parish Council and Radlett Lodge School, to organise regular coffee mornings at the Radlett Centre for parents whose children have SEND, offering support and guidance, and signposting to Hertsmere Mencap to raise awareness of the activities available. I have also begun to network with local schools to further support parents and children who are unaware of what we do, and the support we can offer.
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Club 15-19 took place over February half term 2025, with 17 CYP attending over 3 days. Many of the children will be turning 20 before the next planned sessions taking place over May half term 2025. A robust awareness plan has begun to spread awareness through HCC, local secondary schools, colleges, and local Mencap organisations (Watford and St Albans), who are not currently offering an SBLO half term club for this age group.
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Hertsmere Mencap Youth Club has grown from strength to strength. Currently 20-25 youth attending a robust and exciting session that’s been planned. Every 3 months the group go on a trip, including a visit to Toby Carvery, Topgolf and Bowling twice. On average between 14-20 members attend the trips. To meet the demand, we are currently rolling out a recruitment strategy to onboard new Youth Club volunteers. Adam Pratten-Stone and Susannah Shackleton hosted the youth club all the way through till July, when they did a handover with Chris Charrot, the new Youth Club session leader.
Inclusive Stay & Play
• Under 11’s Activities
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Children with SEND (under 10 years), along with their parents attended our monthly Inclusive Stay & Play at a local Borehamwood church hall.
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Various age-appropriate activities are available for the children to enjoy and is was a joint venture with the already established Up! Community, who funded the sessions.
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On average 12 children along with their parents attend, and the sessions were run by a session leader from Hertsmere Mencap, and volunteers.
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The sessions continued through to March 2025, until Up! Community decided to close the sessions due to relocation.
SEN Soft Play
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Our SEN Soft Play sessions in Potters Bar ran through 2024 and came to an end in November.
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On average 20-25 children attended and run by Hertsmere Mencap staff, and volunteers.
SEN Inclusive Climbing
- There was a need for a weekend session for children of secondary school age, parallel to our SEN Soft Play session in the same space, with the same staff/volunteers. We had up to 7 children attend, but unfortunately it became financially unviable to continue. We ran from July – September 2024
Hertsmere Financial Report April 2024- March 2025 me cap
April 2024 - March 2025 Financial Review
The Trustees believe the charity is operating on a sound financial basis. It had an income in the financial year of £183,257 an increase over the previous year of 6%. Expenditure for the year was £166,738, an increase of less than 1%. The Trustees therefore report a surplus for the year of £16,519 against £12,387 in the previous year.
Contract & Grant Income
We received a total of £120,538 from Hertfordshire County Council, Hertsmere Borough Council and Elstree & Borehamwood Town Council and from a number of charitable organisations.
Golf Day and other fundraising income
Our 2024 Golf Day was again our major fundraising event of the year and showed a net income of £18,219.
We received £31,010 from donations and other fundraising through the year.
Reserves Policy
The reserves that we have set aside provide financial stability and the means for the development and continuation of our principal activities. We intend to maintain our reserves at a level which is equivalent to at least six months expenditure of our running costs and £85,000 towards a property development reserve.
For the year ended 31 March 2025 - INCOME
| Account | April 2024 to March 2025 | April 2024 to March 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Income | Description | Amout |
| Fundraising | Donations | 49,229.17 |
| Grants and Other Income | Contract Income & Grants | 120,537.67 |
| Grants and Other Income | Income from Activities | 9,353.83 |
| Grants and Other Income | Interest Income | 4,136.05 |
| 183,256.72 |
| For the year ended 31 March 2025 - EXPENDITURE Account April 2024 to March 2025 Expenditure Description Amout Activities Costs Activities StaffingCosts 97,257.56 Activities Costs Activities Materials & Other costs 15,789.57 Activities Costs Activities Administrative & Other Costs 14,350.76 Administrative & Fundraising Costs Salaries 20,871.61 Administrative & FundraisingCosts Administrative & Other Costs 18,468.62 166,738.12 |
For the year ended 31 March 2025 - EXPENDITURE Account April 2024 to March 2025 Expenditure Description Amout Activities Costs Activities StaffingCosts 97,257.56 Activities Costs Activities Materials & Other costs 15,789.57 Activities Costs Activities Administrative & Other Costs 14,350.76 Administrative & Fundraising Costs Salaries 20,871.61 Administrative & FundraisingCosts Administrative & Other Costs 18,468.62 166,738.12 |
For the year ended 31 March 2025 - EXPENDITURE Account April 2024 to March 2025 Expenditure Description Amout Activities Costs Activities StaffingCosts 97,257.56 Activities Costs Activities Materials & Other costs 15,789.57 Activities Costs Activities Administrative & Other Costs 14,350.76 Administrative & Fundraising Costs Salaries 20,871.61 Administrative & FundraisingCosts Administrative & Other Costs 18,468.62 166,738.12 |
|---|---|---|
| Description | ||
| Activities StaffingCosts | ||
| Activities Materials & Other costs | ||
| Activities Administrative & Other Costs Salaries |
||
| Administrative & Fundraising Costs | ||
| Administrative & FundraisingCosts | Administrative & Other Costs | |
| 166,738.12 |
Hertsmere Financial Report April 2024- March 2025 me cap Paul Moxr. Ch•irm•n 16January 2026
| I i{t{{ffY if$$itrt$$fs# :r':ixinl,.r+iFa-- |
1 j I |
Recei Forthe period from |
and 01-Apr-24 |
and 01-Apr-24 |
ents accounts To 31-Mar-25 |
ents accounts To 31-Mar-25 |
ents accounts To 31-Mar-25 |
GC16a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section A Receipts and | payments | |||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted | funds | Endowrnent | Total | funds | Lastyear |
||
| tothe nearest t |
tothGnearest€ | totho nearott€ | to thenearclt€ | tothenearestC | ||||
| A1 | ||||||||
| Grants | 30,000 | 88,064 | 118,064 | 106,699 | ||||
| Fundraising activities | 23,459 | 23,499 | 16,931 | |||||
| Donations | 13,303 | 13,303 | 4,637 | |||||
| Golfday | 24,255 | 24,255 | 41,839 | |||||
| lnterestondeposits | 4136 | 4136 | 3,238 | |||||
| Sub total(Gross | incomeforAR) | s5,193 | 88,054 | 183,257 | 173,34 | |||
| A2Asset and investment sales | ||||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| Totalreceipts | 95,193 | 143,257 | 173,344 | |||||
| A3 | ||||||||
| Charitable activities& | grantexpenditure | 3,114 | 122,574 | 125,688 | 114,054 | |||
| Management&administrdion | 41,050 | 41,050 | 51,526 | |||||
| Subtotal | 14,184 | 122,674 | {56,738 | 165,580 | ||||
| Asset and | ||||||||
| Subtotal | ||||||||
| Totalpayments | 44,164 | 12Z,tt4 | 166,rJU | 165,580 | ||||
| Netofreceipts(payments) | 51,U29 | (34,510) | 16,519 | 7,764 | ||||
| A5Transfers betweenfunds A6 Cashfundslastyearend |
(29,331 190,348 |
29,33, | 5,179 |
195,526 | ||||
| Cashfundsthisyearend | 21z,a46 | (o) | 212,M5 | 195,526 |
| SectionBStatement | ofassets | andliabilitiesat t | heendof th | e period | e period | e period | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | ||||||
| SeteiJs | funds | funds | funds | |||||
| BlGashfunds | Cashat bank | and in hand | nearest€ 213,602 |
t | to | t | ||
| Term deposit | ||||||||
| Olher receivables balance | 180 | |||||||
| Totalcashfunds | 213.782 | |||||||
| funds | funds | funds | ||||||
| tonearest€ | to | nearest | f | tonearest | f | |||
| 82Other monetary assets | ||||||||
| ls | Fundto which | Cost(optional) | Currentvalue | |||||
| 83lnvestment assets | ||||||||
| Detai | Fundto which | Cost | (optional) | Currentvalue | ||||
| 84Assetsretainedforthe | Minibus | Unrestricied | 1.821 | |||||
| charity's ownuse | ||||||||
| Details | Fund towhich | Amount due | When due | |||||
| 85 Liabilities | Other creditors | Unreslricted | 3,558 | |||||
| Signedbyoneortwo trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | PrintName | Dateof |