Annual Report
2024-25
DEAF CHOICES UK
Thrive with Language and Literacy
for Life
The Boatshed, Steamer Quay, Totnes, Devon TQ9 SAL
info@deafchoicesuk.com ~ vvww.deafchoicesuk.com - 01803 712 852
CONTENTS
Our Phllosophy
Executlve Summary
Introduction to Cued Speech
Charlty AIM, Artlcles and Governance
Pollcles and Safeguardlng
Why Cued Speech?
DCUK 8eneflclaries
Strateglc and Operatlonal Overvlew
Organlsatlonal Change
Actlvltles and Project Areas
Tralnlng and Networklng
Networklng and Actlve
PDC and Love Ilteracy
Love Llteracy
Nan In a Van INIAV) Development
NIAV Assessment
P.10
P.12
P.13
P.14
P.16
P.17
P.18
P.19
Outcomes and Outcomes Monltorlng
Partnershlps
Famlly Advlsors
Fundlng and Rlsk Management
Case Study
Deaf Cholces Team
P.21
P.26
P.27
P.28
P.29
P.31
Efflclent and Effectlve Dellvery
Statment of Flnanclal ActlvltOe3
P35
P.36
Legal and Flnanclal
P.37
Deaf Choices UK
The Boatshed, Steamer Quay
Totnes, Devon TQ9 SAL
Telephone 01803 712 853
info@deafchoicesuk.com
www.deafchoicesuk.com
Registered with the Charity Commission of England and
Wales No. 279523
A Company Limited by Guarantee No. 1477997
Welcome to Deaf Choices UK.
DCUK. Our name reflects our
approach.
We believe in the importance
of informed choice. We
support parents of deaf
children and professionals to
make the best CHOICE(S) for
Communication, Language
and Literacy.
Deaf Choices UK is currently
the only UK charity providing
Cued Speech training.
Introduction to Cued Speech
DCUK champions equal opportunities for
deaf children at home, in school and in
their wider communities. We do this by
providing information, training and family-
led activities.
Deaf Choices UK (DCUK) to better reflect
our philosophy and the evolving needs of
deaf children. DCUK realised the
powerful significance of offering parents
informed, unbiased choice. It is not just
one choice that is needed for a deaf child
but many throughout their lives to achieve
their potential, socially and emotionally.
Based in Totnes, Devon, DCUK provides
nationwide support to families of deaf
children, through online technology, in-
person home visits across the Southwest,
and a monthly community group for deaf
children and families in Plymouth.
Research indicates that Cued Speech
plays a vital role in language acquisition
for deaf children, ensuring they develop
phonemic awareness necessary for
literacy. By strengthening our
organisation and developing a specialised
literacy resource, we aim to help deaf
children thrive at home, succeed in
education, and reach their full potential.
DCUK is the only UK charity delivering
training and support in Cued Speech for
use at home and in education.
In 2024, Cued Speech UK rebranded as
"An Approach Designed to Fail Deaf Children and
Their Parents-and How to Change It"
Tom Humphries, Gaurav Mathur, Donna Jo Napoli, Christian Rathmann
This paper challenges outdated practices that advise parents of deaf
children to only pursue spoken language development which often leads to
devastating delays in language acquisition and cognitive development. The
authors argue for early, immediate access to visual language from the
moment deafness is detected.
They emphasize that delaying access to a fully accessible language-such
as a sign language-until a child falls behind is harmful. While sign
language is central in their recommendations, the core message supports
any system that provides clear, early visual language input, such as Cued
Speech, which can work alongside sign to ensure children acquire strong
language foundations.
Introduction to Cued Speech
Traditionally, the educators of deaf
children have been divided between
using an oralist approach where the
educator speaks and the deaf child
listens as best they can using technology
such as hearing aids or cochlear
implants, or a Total Communication
approach where the educator adds a
sign to some of the words as they speak,
this still leaves big gaps for many deaf
children.
Cu•d Speech Chart
Brltlsh Engllsh
DCUK
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Cued Speech (CS) bridges these gaps
and was developed in America by Dr
Orin Cornett with the aim of giving deaf
children equal access to spoken
languages by the speakers adding
manual cues to every spoken word as
they speak. Cued-to children can
develop age appropriate language levels
and often excellent literary skills.
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Vowel %xfftth..
Unlike BSL, CS directly supports literacy
by providing a visual representation of
spoken language. "Hooked on books -
Cued Speech allows deaf children to
learn to read so they can read-to-learn"
Dr Cornett.
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DCUK Articles and Governance
Deaf Choices UK (DCUK) aspires to give deaf children improved access to:
Language - by empowering their families to make fully informed choices.
Literacy - by supporting their educators to access information, training, and resources.
We provide knowledge, information and training around the unique benefits, concepts,
and skills of using Cued Speech.
Our offer supports deaf children and those with Special Educational Needs and
Disability (SEND) to thrive at home, succeed in education, and achieve their potential.
The DCUK Articles of Association and Memorandum of Association reviewed in
October 2001, have not changed:
Scan m
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Memorandums of A8soclatlon
Artlclos of A8soclatlon
Trustees
The Trustees work in line with DCUK Articles of Association.
All Trustees apply with a full CV and two references and are interviewed by the
Executive Director and another Trustee. New trustees are 'voted in, on their first
meeting by the full Board. All Trustees must complete Level I Safeguarding training
and have an Enhanced DBS check.
Volunteers
Volunteers provide a vital contribution to the work of DCUK. Our volunteers support
training activities, demonstrate how to cue at public events, provide external advice and
guidance, take part in fundraising activities, provide expert advice in specialist areas of
delivery and trial our new resources. Volunteers support the delivery of our monthly
coffee mornings at Plymouth Deaf Choices (PDC). Volunteers cannot work on their own
with children and when working with us they must have an enhanced DBS and have
completed level I Safeguarding training.
Policies and Safeguarding
Safeguarding
We are registered with the Safeguarding Network - "Confidence in safeguarding"
This is an online resource produced for schools. The site is updated with the latest
reports and articles and relevant training events. It contains information and training in
all the key areas which should be considered when working with children. Safeguarding
network has a training matrix which CSUK can use, update, monitor
and record the training log of every employee and Volunteer
including Trustees. It is an easy resource to use with online login
for every member of staff or volunteer and it also contains useful
proforma for recording incidents:
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Policies on employment, holidays, behaviour and inclusion
are available in the DCUK Handbook:
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HR Procedures and guidance are supported by Westcountry HR
(www.westcountryhr.com). Health and Safety at work is overseen
by Peninsular (www.peninsulagrouplimited.com)
Why Cued Speech
Cued Speech can provide a foundation
for all other communication interventions
for deaf children right from the start.
their self~esteem.
With Cued Speech children have
every opportunity to reach their full
potential.
Learning to read and write, a reader
needs to be able to think in English,
look at each letter and attach and
remember the sounds associated with
each letter. Next, the reader must
string the sounds together
(phonemes), to make words and
understand the meaning behind the
words.
Language
It provides access to the full and rich
first spoken language of the home on
which to build other languages such
as British Sign Language.
It positively impacts lip-reading which
is a significant skill underpinning
literacy development for deaf
children.
It allows a child to develop an
understanding of spoken language
and an auditory memory (regardless
of the level of hearing loss) that will
support and accelerate the
rehabilitation process post cochlear
implant.
A beginner reader needs to:
l.To recognise the letters of the
alphabet.
2.To identify all the speech sounds and
recognise which ones are in each
word.
3.To link the right sound with the right
letters.
4. The reading rules such as reading
from left to right, spaces between
words and punctuation.
Literacy
Cued Speech enables deaf children
to develop a fluent mental model of
the same language they later need to
read. Many go on to achieve age-
appropriate literacy levels. They can
then go on to explore the world
through reading which may enhance
Cued Speech can provide the link
between language and literacy for deaf
children.
•¥J•
DCUK Beneficiaries
DCUK beneficiaries are:
(a) Those deaf children who are not able to benefit fully or at all from hearing aids or
implants.
(b) The very significant number of children who use listening (via technology) but
subsequently fail to acquire a practical understanding of English.
(c) Visual learners such as children who have auditory processing issues, language
delay, dyslexia, auditory neuropathy, and those who do not have English as a first
language.
(d) Those children who are struggling to access literacy in education at Key Stage I
due to special educational needs and disability (SEND) including deafness.
A recent paper published in the Oxford Press by Gardiner Walsh
and Giese, 2023, further answers the benefits of Cued Speech
for deaf children accessing home language.
Scan the QR code to read the report:
Scan me
Strategic and Operational
Overview
and Language Therapists,
Communication Support Workers, and
mainstream teaching staff attended our
courses and in-service training sessions.
These sessions were practical and
tailored, giving professionals tools they
could use immediately to improve phonics
and literacy outcomes for deaf learners.
Strategic Overview 2024 2025
This year, Deaf Choices UK (DCUK)
reached more deaf children, families, and
professionals than ever before, delivering
support both in person and online, and
ensuring that Cued Speech is accessible
wherever it is needed.
Our family support work remained at the
heart of what we do. Over the past 12
months, we provided more than 1,200
hours of direct training to parents, carers,
and extended family members. Many of
these families were just beginning their
journey following a newborn hearing
diagnosis.
We also continued to nurture community
through Plymouth Deaf Choices, our
monthly social group for deaf children and
their families. Each event, from sports
days to arts and crafts, provided not only
fun and friendship for the children but
also a safe space for parents to share
experiences, advice, and encouragement.
We began disseminating a specialist
literacy resource, Nan in a Van (NIAV)
designed specifically for deaf learners.
For them, our sessions offered not just
practical skills but a vital sense of hope
and possibility. Training was delivered
flexibly through regular online sessions
that connected families nationwide, and
through home visits across the South
West, where we could offer more
personalised, hands-on support.
Due for launch in 2025 - 26, this will
integrate Cued Speech into literacy
teaching in a way that is accessible to
both families and professionals, helping
to close the persistent gap in reading
achievement.
Our advocacy and awareness work also
grew in reach. We presented at regional
and national education conferences,
contributed to policy discussions through
Alongside this, we worked closely with
education professionals to embed Cued
Speech into classrooms and early years
settings. Teachers of the Deaf, Speech
10.
Organisation Change
the Speech and Language Communication Alliance (SLCA). In all these ways, 2024-
2025 was a year of growth, innovation, and deeper connection, ensuring that deaf
children are language-ready for life and equipped to achieve their full potential.
Organisational Changes
There have been some structural changes within the charity that have had a positive
impact on the charity.
Name Change: The transition from Cued Speech UK to Deaf Choices UK has been
well received, with more users and stakeholders reporting that the new name better
reflects our inclusive philosophy and scope of work:
Charity Expansion: In September 2024, we formally adopted a smaller local
organisation, now known as Plymouth Deaf Choices (PDC) This group-based program
offers monthly activities and support to over 40 families through Saturday coffee
mornings and events-an immensely successful addition to the DCUK offer.
Staffing Flexibility.: To manage budgets effectively, several staff members voluntarily
reduced their hours during summer 2024 and returned to full-time hours in September.
This allowed us to maintain full delivery capacity while remaining cost-efficient.
Family Advisors in Herts and the North East
Unfortunately, we were unable to secure ongoing funding for our Regional Family
Advisors, Sagira Jethra in Hertfordshire and Carly Simpson in the North East.
As a result, in August 2024, we had to part ways with these two exceptional and
experienced professionals. Their absence is deeply felt, as they made significant
contributions to the DCUK team.
Sagira's expertise in inclusion, cultural values, and familial dynamics, as well as Carly's
remarkable creative input through film and storytelling, represent a considerable loss to
our DCUK offerings.
11.
Activities and Project Areas
At DCUK, we are passionate about
addressing the needs of every deaf child,
providing them with visual access to
English and empowering them to achieve
their aspirations.
la. Supporting families remains a central
focus for Deaf Choices UK (DCUK).
Parents come to DCUK through referrals
from audiology departments, Teachers of
the Deaf (TODS), and self-referral.
This report will share the personal
journeys of deaf children, their parents,
and the professionals who support them,
highlighting how, through DCUK'S
activities and the use of Cued Speech,
they have gained greater access to
improved outcomes.
Most families prefer face-to-face support.
In many cases, this involves weekly home
visits from a Regional Choices Advisor
who helps families navigate the multiple
challenges they face in securing
appropriate services and funding for their
deaf child. These visits also include
training in how to use Cued Speech. The
new Nan in a Van resource has proven
invaluable in helping parents learn and
practise cueing and reading with their
child at home.
The report will cover our three key areas
of work:
l. Language and Literacy for Life (ages
0-18)
2. Active
Our regional family activities
delivered through Plymouth Deaf For families living outside South Devon,
Choices
DCUK provides support via weekly Zoom
3. Love Literacy - Focused on our work
calls and access to an online self-study
with schools using the Nan in a Van
course.
literacy intervention
When a child transitions into school,
DCUK offers training and support to
nursery or pre-school staff so they can
incorporate Cued Speech into the child's
learning environment.
l. Language and Literacy for life O
18
This includes our work with families,
training the team around a deaf child and
networking and publicity.
I am Tim.
12.
Training and Networking
Quote from a parent:
The delivery of workshops and
demonstrations at conferences and
seminars, for example we delivered a
workshop in how to use NIAV to 42
professionals at the International
Audiology and British Association of
Teachers of the Deaf (BATOD)
conference in March.
"For us as a hearing family of a deaf
child, Deaf Choices UK and the support
that they have provided for our family
has been vital. Having the opportunity to
learn Cued Speech has meant that our
daughter hasn't had to struggle
communicating with us, as we have been
able to turn our language into something
she can see, rather than having to rely
on her hearing aids and lip reading."
Ic. Networking
Networking Highlights
Manchester University 'Future Proofing,
Event- 22 April 2024
We explored the new mandatory
qualification for Teachers of the Deaf,
shared updates on technology and
research, and introduced the Nan in a
Van books to delegates.
Ib. Training
We have supported 146 professionals to
learn to cue in this year. This has been
achieved through:
SEND Summit, London- 19 June 2024
Attended to connect with education
professionals and raise awareness of
DCUK'S resources.
Working directly with schools and
their staff who support deaf children.
DCUK training provides training in
Cued Speech and a greater
understanding of the way in which
deaf children learn both language and
l iteracy.
The provision of access to our online
training for schools who are trialling
our literacy resource Nan in a Van
(NIAV.)
Bespoke training in Cued Speech and
demonstrations of NIAV to teams of
professionals.
BATOD Local Conference, Torquay- 31
August 2024
Showcased Nan in a Van and networked
with South West practitioners. Follow-up
interest was received from schools in
Plymouth.
Jersey Training - 10-13 February 2024
Delivered two days of training to Jersey's
13.
Networking and Active
Deaf Support Team. The Government of
Jersey invested in the Nan in a Van
materials for use across the island.
better speech and language outcomes in
education. The initiative received
ministerial backing and highlighted the
needs of children with speech and
language challenges.
BATOD National Conference - 22 March
2024
We ran a popular workshop and
exhibition stand, gaining two strong leads
for resource trials. The event focused on
innovation in deaf education.
Marketing Campaign with PR Specialists
Crest
Launched a major campaign to promote
DCUK across media platforms. Featured
on ITV Westcountry News, we introduced
Nan in a Van to children at Eggbuckland
School, with great engagement from
pupils and staff.
Access to Communication Services
Attended training sessions including
Theory of Mind and Metacognition. One
professional signed up for a free trial of
Nan in a Van.
Watch the video on
Youtube by scanning
the QR code with your
smartphone:
Podcast-'Education on Fire, with Mark
Taylor
Kathy promoted DCUK and shared her
personal story as a parent of a Deaf child,
reaching a wide audience of educators
and families.
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2.Active
Welcome to Plymouth Deaf Choices
(PDC).
Schools & Academies Show, NEC
Birmingham
Connected with key stakeholders,
including NASEN, and were invited to
attend their summer conference.
In September 2024 we finally 'adopted'
PDCS, and they are now Plymouth Deaf
Choices (PDC.) We are really delighted to
add this extra group to our offer of family
support, family group engagement, and
activities. We are also hoping to recruit a
new trustee as a representative of this
group.
Speech and Language Communication
Alliance (SLCA)
DCUK joined a Westminster visit to the
Houses of Parliament with the SLCA, a
coalition of 30+ charities lobbying for
Coffee mornings are held on the first
Saturday of every month in Plymouth,
14.
15.
Plymouth Deaf Choices and
Love Literacy
and the DCUK Executive Director has
attended a number of Saturday events. In
January the attending families made a
plan for the year ahead, which included
activities and information for deaf children
and their families.
Our team focused on training in sales and
marketing to bring NIAV to life, and we
have made notable progress. However,
navigating the education sector to make
sales poses its own set of challenges.
Schools operate within a variety of
complex frameworks, including
academies, trusts, and federations, each
with distinct budget holders and decision-
making processes. Identifying the right
contact can be quite difficult. Additionally,
ongoing reductions in education budgets,
particularly for Special Educational Needs
and Disabilities (SEND), leave many
schools struggling to meet even basic
requirements.
PDC provides a great opportunity for
families to meet and share experiences
and for deaf children to have a lot of fun
and extra activities with their deaf peers
and their siblings.
PDC enhances and supports the DCUK
outcomes at every level, increasing self-
confidence and improving family
participation. With its links to Cued
Speech and Eggbuckland school, we are
also enhancing the opportunities for
improved literacy.
While there have been assurances of
reform, tangible changes have yet to
materialise. On a positive note, thanks to
our networking efforts, community
engagement, and strong word-of-mouth
referrals, NIAV is beginning to gain
momentum. Schools that have
collaborated with us are already
recognising the benefits of our offerings.
Active has also supported dance
sessions for deaf children after school
attended by 8 children.
3. Love Literacy.
We launched our new foundation literacy
initiative, Nan in a Van (NIAV), to address
significant gaps in deaf education while
also ensuring our long-term financial
viability. NIAV delivers specialised
support directly to schools and
communities and introduces a new
revenue stream through our services.
Nan in a Van
Teaching Guide
Lesson Plans and Worksheets
16.
ove Literacy
What is in our NIAV Phonics Intervention
package?
Nan is out in the world!
Buyers include The Government of
Jersey.
Ten beautiful reading books
Ten matching eBooks with digital
avatars that cue and sign
Members of the Jersey Hearing/Deaf
Support Team including Teachers of the
Deaf, Specialist Teachers and Speech
Two Teaching Guides packed with
and Language Therapists attended a 2
over fity lesson plans, activities and day workshop held on the island to help
photocopiable resources
them use the Nan resource with their deaf
children.
Forty four brilliant sound cards
highlighting cued phonemes and a
whole range of spelling choices
Gathering evidence for Nan in a Van
We now have a number of trials running
Clever game-board that allows users in mainstream schools, these wonderful
to learn how to cue any word
collaborators are using the Nan materials
with their deaf students and getting great
results.
Instruction booklet that explains how
to use the cards to teach phonetic
awareness, make letter-sound links,
synthesise and blend new and
known words, teach new vocabulary
and prepare students for the
early phonics
screening test.
e)
Nan iii a
Nan In a Van
Teaching Gulde
Non In o Von
Teaching Gulde
It550n Piqni ond IVty&shty5
Parp 2
Book 6
OEAF CHOIC
17.
Nan in a Van (NIAV)
Development
Quotes from staff using the Nan books and card game (taken from voice recorded
interviews):
x has really grown in confidence with her literacy and you can see she really
understands it because she can pick up the words, it's so gorgeous." (TOD)
We are delighted that the guidance now says we can use cues for the phonic
screen test so we are very hopeful for better results" (TOD)
Nan in a Van (NIAV) is really helpful as we can send it home with him to share
with mum." (TOD)
DCUK NIAV books can be used as a foundation to any reading programme
used in school. Once deaf children understand how to blend from NIAV they
can transfer that skill into any literacy program" (TOD)
Her expressive language has really developed in the last few month as a result
of reading using the cues in NIAV" (TOD)
It is a joy to see how the cues impact on the accuracy of his speech sounds!"
(csw)
With the help of Cued Speech and NIAV, he blends (sounds) beautifully now"
(TOD)
Cued English
Word Bank
Cued English
Cued English
)•••41
•¥
18.,
NIAV Assessment
Request for an Assessment based on
NIAV
range of important everyday vocabulary.
And there are 'how to cue, tips throughout
that match with the lessons on our Learn
to Cue Self-study course.
Our trial users have requested we design
a Nan-specific assessment protocol that
they can use to track and record their
student's progress as they use the
intervention.
We think this is a great idea and work is
already underway to create a game-
based assessment tool that can be used
to track skills at single sound, single
word, sentence level and more. We are
grateful to have encouragement and
advice for this from 3 highly experienced
academics at DCAL (Deafness, Cognition
and Language Research Centre at
University College London).
Here is a link to a
YouTube film that
demonstrates a NIAV
lesson in school with
two profoundly deaf
children:
What's new this year in our Love
Literacy Project?
Scan me
Cued Speech Dictionaries
This year has seen the arrival of a long-
awaited resource for our parents and
professionals - three Cued English Word
Banks.
From saying 'hello' to talking about
school
Anyone learning to cue can use these
books to see exactly how to cue a whole
19.
Outcomes and outcome
monitoring.
We measure our outcomes in three specific areas.
l. Deaf babies/children will demonstrate an increased understanding and use of
English
at single word level (vocabulary expansion) and sentence level and will
demonstrate the ability to apply this increased understanding of English to reading
and writing skills.
2. Deaf babieslchildren will experience increased self-esteem and confidence for life
and learning.
3. Deaf babieslchildren will demonstrate greater participation in family life.
Fil
21.
Outcomes and outcome
monitoring.
Totals for March 2024 - 2025.
Numbers that we have engaged with
Total number of children engaged
560
This number includes face-to-face at home, in
education and group settings and online
Number of children engaged with
Plymouth Deaf Choices
This is the number that attend the monthly
coffee mornings and other events and
activities
35
Number of children engaged with
school sessions
42
Total number who have engaged
with a 'live' intervention
450 plus 10
hearing children
This is the number who have engaged with
interventions at home, in education or in
groups
Total number of family members
trained
62
This includes live, one to one, in house
sessions and online sessions
Total number of professionals
trained
This is through education, online training and
workshops and conference
demonstrations
146
22.
Outcomes and outcome
monitoring.
Activity
Output March
2023 - April 1st
2024
Output March 2024-
April 2025
Attended Deaf Events
14
12
Cued Speech foundation and further
training
32
Attended children's deaf groups and
activities. Including 2 theatre trips, I
family NT Saltram House Easter fun and
8 themed coffee mornings and 4 sound
explorers group sessions.
15
35
Delivered CS training to schools
13
43
Cued Speech Foundation Training
Home visits
152
92
Online training
17
Preschool visits
30
67
Online Self study
26
18
Love Reading sessions
60
40
Choices programme
Nan-ln-a-van contact to schools
90 Schools Contacted
Nan-in-a-van Demo
10
14 done and 12 booked
Nan-in-a-van Sales
23.
Outcomes and outcome
monitoring.
Totals for March 2024 - 2025.
Outcomes and numbers that we have engaged with
The mother of L told us; "Cued Speech
has made a huge impact on our family
and L's potential. Since we started cueing,
we've seen a lot of progress. L is very
sociable and happy, and while she
communicates in her own way, I believe
she is absorbing English through Cued
Speech.
Outcomes.These have been
measured using data collected
on our Systems Impact Tracker
and through questionnaires
completed by families who have
been offered an intervention.
E is a baby of four months with complex
needs and deafness. On my first visit he
was non-responsive. At the six-month
review, he is happy alert and responding
to sound. He watches when he is cued to
and smiles back. He makes some sounds
and noises during interactions
Increased participation within
the family
Positive change 72 %
Following an eight-week period of using
Nan in a Van, Z has been able to access
the Read Write inc assessment which
demonstrated significant progress as she
had not been able to participate in the
assessment prior to using NIAV as a
literacy support intervention.
Increased Literacy
Positive change 78 %
E has been to an adventure park and
surfing.This is incredible as during my first
visits 24 months ago, E and her mother
never left the house. E's communication is
improving through Cued Speech and
some signs
Increased confidence
Positive change 56 %
24.
Outcomes and outcome
monitoring.
Review of Outcomes
Our outcomes help us to understand which areas are progressing and which are not
running efficiently, which helps us to improve and restructure our practice efficiently.
DCUK Regional Family Advisors across the UK did not generate the amount of
engagement that we had hoped for, particularly in the Northeast, therefore in response
to the data, we did not replace these posts. We were disappointed that the
Hertfordshire post was not funded through the Local Authority when our funding came
to an end.
JTr {
25.
Partnerships
DCUK have created some exciting
partnerships over the last six months:
University of Worcester. Professor Roger
Murphy is Director of the Visual Learning
Lab (VLL) at Nottingham University. His
areas of interest and experience include
educational research, evaluation and
assessment. He has a strong interest in
educational innovations, which open up
new ways.
We are currently working with 7
schools and 2 Speech and language
therapists from across the UK and in
Jersey who are engaged in trials of the
Nan in a Van literacy intervention. They
have agreed to give us an assessment on
change and development in literacy skills
of foundation level deaf learners and
interviews with educators on the
accessibility of the NIAV intervention and
its teacher handbook.
4. We have worked with advisors within
the field of deafness, Dr.Lee Fulwood
(specialist Teacher of the Deafj and
Stewart Harris, Senior Audiologist, who
have advised us on referral, intervention
and engagement of families with a deaf
child.
We are working with Researchers in
the field of deafness and Cued Speech.
Rachel Rees, (Cued Speech and
phoneme identification), Mairead
Mcsweeney (neurobiology of language
and deafness) and Fiona Kyle
(Developmental psychology and literacy
development) from the University College
of London, are working with us to create a
robust literacy assessment tool.
5. The ED is part of the advisory group for
the Speech Language and
Communication Alliance.
6. We continue to network through
conferences and seminars and were key
speakers at the International Conference
for Teachers of the Deaf in March 2025.
We have been advised by external
consultants in the field of Education and
assessment: _Dr Hilary Emery, initially a
primary teacher Hilary Emery, CBE, did
her PhD on assessment in primary
schools, worked on national assessment
policy and led teacher education at the
7. We are looking at the potential for
collaboration with an organisation - Elklan
www.elklan.co.uk). They are interested
in supporting our online training through
OCN and supporting sales of NIAV
through their website which has a well
established client base from education
and primary education.
26.
Family Advisors
Overcoming Challenges and Building
Impact
This year has certainly presented its
share of challenges, especially regarding
funding. Like many small charities, we
have felt the strain of a fiercely
competitive funding landscape. As more
organisations step in to assist
overwhelmed children's services,
particularly in critical areas such as
povety, mental health, and neglect,
resources are more limited than ever.
We look forward to what lies ahead and
are immensely thankful for our
supporters, partners, and the families we
serve. Together, we are dismantling
barriers to language and literacy for deaf
children through Cued Speech
interventions, paving the way for brighter
futures.
In response, Deaf Choices UK has
embraced innovation. In the upcoming
months, our priorities include:
Engaging more schools to participate
in trials of NIAV.
Collecting data and testimonials that
highlight the positive impact of NIAV
on deaf children.
Collaborating with researchers and
evaluators to assess effectiveness
and bolster our case for broader
implementation.
27.
Funding and Risk Management
Funding and Risk Management
Equity Diversity and Inclusion
Looking ahead, DCUK is committed to
developing our social enterprise model
and scaling our programmes based on
evidence and evaluation. While NIAV has
generated strong interest, current income
remains below expenditure.
93 % of deaf children are born to hearing
families, early language access is crucial.
Our strategy is holistic and promotes:
Technology: Encouraging the best use
of hearing aids and cochlear implants.
Sign Language: Promoting British Sign
Language for peer and family
communication.
Cued Speech: Filling the gaps where
technology falls short, supporting literacy
and spoken language development.
We maintain a hopeful yet pragmatic
perspective. Without crucial funds for our
core operations, we risk being unable to
sustain our charitable activities, which
may necessitate reducing employee
hours in the financial year 2025 - 2026,
ultimately limiting our capacity. Our goal
is to preserve our presence in Plymouth
and the Southwest while staying true to
our identity and mission.
At DCUK, we believe every deaf child
deserves access to communication and
language, regardless of income, location,
You can find our NIAV resources online via our website:
https://www.deafchoicesuk.com/nan-in-a-van
DCUK
Hom•
Cu•d Sp••ch
¢)ur Off•r
R••ourc••
N•n In • V•n
About U•
PDC
Erf•r i•rn
Nan-in-a-van
literacy
Intervention
28.
Case Study
or additional needs. That's why all our
interventions are provided completely free
of charge to families.
wealth of knowledge to share. Everyone
is so welcoming, and Isabelle enjoys the
sessions as welll"
Case Study
Both Becky and Lee have been learning
Cued Speech to support Isabelle's
language development. They combine
this approach with some sign language,
which Isabelle has responded to with
great enthusiasm. She is a highly
expressive child who loves creative play
and engaging with those around her. She
has already learned signs for animals,
colours, and emotions, and can identify
special people and familiar household
items.
Isabelle's Story: Confidence Through
Communication
Isabelle is 28 months old and has both
conductive and neurosensory permanent
hearing loss. She uses a BAHA device on
a soft band and recently had grommets
fitted. In addition to her hearing
challenges, Isabelle also has a condition
known as choanal atresia.
Her parents, Becky and Lee, joined
Plymouth Deaf Choices (PDC) group,
where they met with Henrietta Ireland the
DCUK Executive Director (ED) . The ED
has been regularly attending this group
since September 2024. It was through the
PDC group that they first discovered Deaf
Choices UK and were referred to the
DCUK Regional Family advisor..
At home, Becky and Lee regularly cue
words and phrases they use with Isabelle,
including "shop," park," time to go to
Nurserylchildminder," hello," and "bye
bye." Becky explains:
"Learning to cue has helped us
communicate with Isabelle more
confidently, reducing misunderstandings
and frustration. She loves to cue and say
words like 'shop' and 'park,' and she feels
happy when she's understood. Recently,
when l asked Isabelle if we should give
the dogs a treat, she responded by
signing 'tree,' so I cued 'treat, and she
immediately went to get it for the dogsl"
Having sessions at home has made a big
Becky shares:
'Attending the PDC sessions has
provided us with a support network of
families who understand the emotional
ups and downs we face and have a
29.
Case Study
difference for the family, enabling cued
speech sessions to fit in around their
busy work lives.
Having the opportunity to learn Cued
Speech has meant that our daughter
hasn't had to struggle communicating
with us, as we have been able to turn our
language into something she can see,
rather than having to rely on her hearing
aids and lip reading.
The fact that their practitioner is also a
parent of a deaf child has been
particularly meaningful, giving them real
hope for Isabelle's future.
I can say with certainty that she would
have never made the fantastic progress
that she has if it hadn't been for Cued
Speech. Deaf Choices UK also helped us
with stepping into the deaflDeaf world.
They taught us about Deaf culture, deaf
awareness and introduced us to other
deaf children and adults. I hate to think
about where we would be now as a family
without the vital support that Deaf
Choices have provided for us.,
They've also been using the Nan in a Van
resource, cue-it cards, and dictionaries,
all of which have inspired them to cue
more regularly with Isabelle.
Isabelle currently attends Pixieland
Nursery and spends some days with a
childminder.
Thanks to support from the Teacher of
the Deaf (TOD) team, including Kathy
and Jayne Loader, the professionals
involved in her care recently attended a
twilight session introducing them to Cued
Speech, ensuring everyone in Isabelle's
circle can support her communication
journey.
And Finally.
Quote from a parent."
For us as a hearing family of a deaf child,
Deaf Choices UK and the support that they
have provided for our family has been vital.
30.
The Deaf Choices Team
At the end of the financial year 2024 - 2025, DCUK maintain a highly motivated office
team of 6 part-time employees who use their transferable skills to meet the needs of
our beneficiaries and cover a number of projects delivered across the UK.
Henrietta Ireland is the Executive Director of CSUK. Her energy and
creativity have continued to bring opportunities to the Charity and her
ability to fundraise has continued to bring income into the Charity.A
successful funding bid to the National Lottery Community Fund has
ensured some imperative core funds over the next three years and it has
given her the opportunity to consider the best pathway and plan for the Charity during
this time.Henrietta is currently working on a re-branding and marketing plan and
continues to network with potential partners.
Louise Creed is highly skilled at writing budgets for the Charity which is
an art and takes considerable experience and accounting genius. Without
this our funding bids would not have been successful. Louise keeps clear
and rigid spending targets and holds all project spending to account.
Debbie Hawke runs the day-to-day and month-to-month administration of
the Charity. Her role is integral to the efficiency and safety of our practice
and delivery.
Mark Murton can and does do everything and is remarkably successful in
achieving his goals. This may be re-writing the web-site or writing
standard appeals, and publishing the Annual Report. If he can't do it, he
finds out how. Mark also manages new referrals of families and the CSUK
online training site.
Cate Calder is the CSUK Training Lead. Cate is the creative and
professional gift to CSUK. She has spent the last 18 months as the key
point-of-contact for Robotica Machine Learning (RML) the company who
are making our digital interventions for us. Cate's eye for detail has
ensured that our products cue with accuracy and that the lip shapes made by Cassie
are 99 % faultless. Enabling Cassie to get to such a degree of accuracy has taken time,
diligence and commitment.
In addition to this she has monitored and overseen training delivered both online and
face-to-face and has been the highly respected - and in demand - voice and the face
of CSUK at conferences and seminars across the UK.
31.
The Deaf Choices Team
Kathy Kenny is the Lead Regional Family Advisor. Kathy continues to
focus her work as an RFA in the Southwest region but will take referrals
from other regions and when requested, from abroad! Her training as a
teacher and her experience of deafness through having a deaf child
herself, means that she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her work.
Kathy is really starting to reap the rewards of persistent engagement with families and
professionals over the last five years. She has multiple referrals from audiology and
works with our key schools in the South West where there is a specialist unit for deaf
children. As the Lead Practitioner, Kathy also oversees the work of the other Regional
Advisors offering them advice, guidance and supervision.
Carly Simpson, an RFA based in the North East, working in Newcastle,
North Yorkshire and Leeds.During and following the 'Lockdown years,,
Carly helped us generate a lot of creative material for you tube and the
website including cued stories, songs and view-it-cue-it. Carly never
stops looking for work opportunities and this has paid off this year with referrals of
families wanting to learn to cue and the provision of training for professionals.
Sagira Jetha, is an RFA in Hertfordshire. She is a hosted member of the
Hertfordshire Hearing Impairment Team and is a highly valued member
of the team. Her work was affected by Covid with less parents wanting to
engage with mother and baby or toddler groups. However numbers have
been improving month-on-month from September. Her Line manager in Herts is Claire
Gamon who will be leaving the Service in July. Claire has been a great advocate for
CS and her foresight helped us to set up our successful partnership in 2019. She will
be missed.
We are proud to also have 7 experienced Trustees on hand to offer specialist
advice and expertise to the team.
Peter chose Cued Speech for his profoundly deaf son in 1985 (a year
after he was born) and attended a number of beginners and intermediate
courses in Canterbury. Peter became a trustee in 1986 and was elected
chair of National Centre of Cued Speech Management Committee for a
number of years until 1995 during a time when fundraising and raising the profile of
Cued Speech were the key objectives. His son benefitted from Cued Speech and now
works for ITV adding sign language bubbles to the current programmes. His ability to
communicate in the deaf and the hearing world is excellent.
32.
The Deaf Choices Team
Vicki Macklin discovered Cued Speech in 2020 whilst looking for
Speech and Language resources to help her son Ryan, who was 4 years
old at the time. Speech and Language support was focussed on Makaton
whereas Vicki wanted to teach him sounds and speech. Ryan's
vocabulary had outgrown the Makaton signs he knew. During the COVID lockdown all
SALT support stopped.
As a parent of a deaf child with speech difficulties, and being deaf herself, Vicki hopes
that she can bring some experience and insight to the Cued Speech team from
personal experience, including sharing the benefits she has found using cued speech
which have gone beyond lip reading. Vicki think it is no coincidence that Ryan is in the
top reading and phonics groups at school.
Vicki is an IT Project Manager by profession.
Sarah Elumba-Hill has a Bsc Information Technology degree and has
worked in Information Technology and Sales. She now runs her own
business, Hill Top Brews LTD, where she sells and supplies roast to
order coffee beans, equipment and supplies.
Sarah has been profoundly deaf since birth and has worn hearing aids for 34 years and
now wears a Cochlear Implant. She looks forward to learning to Cue. Having
experienced a different type of multi-sensory speech therapy growing up, she sees the
benefit of how Cued Speech can improve the quality of life for a deaf person.
Ken is the grandfather of a deaf child brought up with Cued Speech.
Ken's early career was with the Merchant Navy, before moving into a
sales career in the food industry. Ken became aware of Deaf Choices UK
after his granddaughter was born deaf. She lives in France with her
parents and brother, who all attended a Cued Speech course in Exeter. His
granddaughter, now 11, not only speaks fluent French and English but uses Cued
Speech and signing in both languages. The whole family has benefited enormously by
learning to cue.
Christine Hardy is the Chair person of the charity, and brings with her a
wealth of knowledge from growing up in the deaf community, as a child of
a deaf adult. With NVQ Level 6 in British Sign Language and a rich and
varied background in which she has used her linguistic skills in the
working world, she will be a vital member of our committee. She currently works
33.
The Deaf Choices Team
as an 'Advocacy, Rights and Awareness Manager, for Deafblind UK, whom she has
worked for now for ten years, and has an educational background in both linguistics
and law.
Jacob Twomey is passionate about leveraging marketing expertise for
good, and he brings his 8 years of commercial experience to the Board of
Trustees. He will be instrumental in developing and executing strategic
plans for the exciting new initiative of establishing a trading branch for the
charity. Jacob's experience in branding, lead generation, and business
development, combined with his positive and collaborative outlook will be invaluable as
we work towards creating a sustainable trading branch. This will allow us to generate
income to support our goal in enabling as many deaf children and families as possible
with access to language and literacy. With his dedication and consultancy, we are
confident that this new venture will have a significant impact on the lives of deaf
individuals in our community.
llJ
111
34.
Efficient and Effective
Delivery
Our application to the National Lottery
needs to fulfil its outcomes which if
successful will provide income generation
by year 4 which will easily cover DCUK
core costs.
Multi-year funding helps the Charity to
evaluate the strengths and weaknesses
of its models of delivery and its activities.
Unrestricted funding enables the Charity
to be flexible and responsive in meeting
costs not directly related to projects such
as the cost of computers, staff training,
marketing and publicity.
Efficient and Effective Delivery
DCUK keep their overheads low. 60 % of
funding goes towards staff wages,
however, our team is small with only 8
part-time employees 6 full-time
equivalents, who have the skill and
knowledge to deliver within several
different work and social contexts.
Careful budgeting enables us to provide
all our family interventions for free for
parents of deaf children.
Core funding is essential to support staff
costs such as that of the Executive
Director and Training Lead.
Project funds are essential for meeting
the fast-changing needs we observe
when working with deaf babies and
children.
From September 2024 we will lose 2
Regional Family Advisors in Herts and
the North East, due to the termination of
funding, these posts will not be replaced.
The ED lobbied extensively to get the
post in Herts adopted by the Local
Authority Hearing impairment Service but
as of the date of writing this report, this
has not been confirmed.
With Thanks
We are most grateful to our funders who
have supported DCUK to continue to
deliver essential interventions to deaf
children and their families.
35.
Statement of Financial
Activities
Income
Donations
56,361
207,471
263,832
323,240
Charitable activities
92
6,645
6,737
2,703
Investment Income
2,991
2,991
1,793
Total Income
59,444
214,116
273,560
327,736
Expenditure
Expenditure on
charitable activities
(196)
(271,103)
(271,299)
(308,244)
Total Expenditure
(196)
(271,103)
(271,299)
(308,244)
Net income and
net movement of
funds
19,492
Net Incomel
(Expenditure)
59,248
(56,987)
2,261
19,492
Transfer of Funds
(28,370)
28,370
Net Movement of
Funds
30,878
(28,617)
2,261
19,492
Reconciliation of
Funds
Total funds brought
forward
92,370
46,849
139,219
119,727
Total funds carried
forvard
123,248
18,232
141,480
139,219
36.
Legal and Financial
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025
Fixed Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets
4,181
3,135
Current Assets
Stocks
743
743
Debtors
5,072
7,875
Cash at bank and in hand
141,048
138,977
Total Current Assets
146,863
147,595
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year
(11,825)
(9,250)
Net current assets
135,038
138,345
Net assets
139,219
141,480
Restricted income funds
46,849
18,232
Unrestricted Funds
92.370
123,248
Income
donated by charitable trusts, companies
and individuals. The remaining £9,028
included tuition fees and charges,
membership subscriptions and
Total income received in 2024125 was
£273,560, of which £263,832 was
37.
Legal and Financial
investment income.
Clare Milne Trust
Dorothy Hay-Bolton Charitable Trust
Dorothy Whitney Elmhirst Trust
Elizabeth & Prince Zaiger Trust
George A Moore Foundation
Henry Smith Charity
Marjorie and Geoffrey Jones Charitable
Trust
Marsh Charitable Trust
MCF Masonic Charitable
Michael Cornish Charitable Trust
Ms Chloe Gwynne
National Lottery Community Fund
Okemement Chapter Rose Croix
PF Charitable Fund
Reeve charitable trust
Shamrock Trust
Sir John and Lady Amory Charitable Trust
Smb trust
The Carmela and Ronnie Pignatelli
Foundation
The Foyle Foundation
Vandervell Foundation
Viscount Amory's Charitable Trust
W A Handley Trust
Weinstock Fund
Expenditure
Total expenditure was £271,299.
£235,998 was spent directly on
charitable activities. Support costs of
£35,301 includes our rent of £13.216.
Reserves
Income exceeded expenditure by
£2,261 resulting in an increase in funds
from £139,219 to £141,480 of which
£18,232 is restricted to specific work.
The Association's policy is to hold a
designated reserve of £30,000 and in
addition, operating reserves equivalent
to not less than three months,
expenditure. The balances held at 31
March 2025 met that requirement.
Donors
The Directors are grateful for the
support, interest and encouragement
received during the year from trusts,
companies, organisations and
individuals, including members who
gave more than the minimum
membership fee. During the year
donations were received from five
anonymous donors and from the
following:
Individual Donations
Carole Fletcher
Anth Mills
Cathy Groeger
Sue Tweed
Ken Orpin
Mr C Millar
Mrs Emma Sadeghi
Gill Banham
Jane godwin
A C Gillespie
Mr Mark Evans
Peter Bowman
Win Burton
Charitable Trusts
Archer Trust
BBC Children in Need
Benham Charitiable Trust
38.
Qt
ThL"
on
DEAF CHOICES UK
Makes Spoken language visible for
deaf babies, children and adults
The Boatshed, Steamer Quay, Totnes, Devon TQ9 SAL
info@deafchoicesuk.com - MnNW.deafchoicesuk.com - 01803 712 852
Registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales No. 279523
A Company Limited by Guarantee No. 1477997
Company registration number: 01477997 Charity registration number: 279523
## Deaf Choices UK Limited
(A company limited by guarantee)
Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Contents**
|**Contents**||
|---|---|
|Reference and Administrative Details|1|
|Trustees' Report|2 to 6|
|Independent Examiner's Report|7|
|Statement of Financial Activities|8|
|Balance Sheet|9|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|10 to 23|
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Reference and Administrative Details**
## **Trustees**
Mr K Orpin Mrs C Hardy, Chairperson Mr P G Bowman Ms S C Elumba-Hill Mr J P Twomey
## **Charity Registration Number**
279523
## **Company Registration Number**
01477997
The charity is incorporated in England and Wales.
## **Registered Office**
The Boatshed Steamer Quay Road Totnes Devon TQ9 5AL
## **Independent Examiner**
S R Smith FCA Westcotts (SW) LLP Chartered Accountants Petitor House Nicholson Road Torquay Devon TQ2 7TD
Page 1
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annual report together with the financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 31 March 2025.
## **Cued Speech Definition**
Cued Speech is a visual manual code for spoken languages that enables accurate lip reading. As a speaker says each word, they make a hand shape near the face that replaces the missing acoustic information for the deaf receiver.
## **Public Benefit**
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
## **Objectives and activities**
## _**Objects and aims**_
From January 2024 Deaf Choices UK (DCUK) aspires to give deaf children improved access to the following: -
Language - by empowering their families to make fully informed choices.
Literacy - by supporting their educators to access information, training, and resources.
Providing knowledge, information and training around the unique benefits, concepts, and skills of using Cued Speech.
Our offer supports deaf children and those with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) to thrive at home, succeed in education, and achieve their potential.
## _**Activities**_
Our three key areas of work:
## **1. Language and Literacy for Life 0 - 18**
This includes our work with families, training the team around a deaf child and networking and publicity.
## _**Supporting families**_
Remains a central focus for Deaf Choices UK (DCUK). Parents come to DCUK for families living outside South Devon, DCUK provides support via weekly Zoom calls and access to an online self-study course. When a child transitions into school, DCUK offers training and support to nursery or pre-school staff so they can incorporate Cued Speech into the child’s learning environment.
Page 2
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
## _**Training**_
We have supported 146 professionals to learn to cue in this year.
## _**Networking**_
Attending seminars and conferences, sometimes delivering key speeches and demonstrations.
## _**Marketing Campaign with Crest**_
DCUK Launched a major campaign to promote DCUK across media platforms.
## **2. Active**
Welcome to Plymouth Deaf Choices (PDC).
PDC enhances and supports the DCUK outcomes at every level, increasing self-confidence and improving family participation. With its links to Cued Speech and Eggbuckland school, we are also enhancing the opportunities for improved literacy.
Active has also supported dance sessions for deaf children after school attended by 8 children **.**
## **3. Love Literacy**
We launched our new foundation literacy initiative, Nan in a Van (NIAV), to address significant gaps in deaf education while also ensuring our long-term financial viability. NIAV delivers specialised support directly to schools and communities and introduces a new revenue stream through our services.
## **Wales**
This fund is intended to pay for Cued resources to be made in Welsh. The work started in the previous year, but has been on hold, and will hopefully be finished this next year. It no longer became a priority as the family support practitioner we had working in Wales, was made redundant, as we no longer had enough funds for the post. The remaining funds will still be used for the same purpose.
Page 3
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **Trustees and officers**
The trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:
Trustees:
Mr K Orpin
Mrs C Hardy, Chairperson
Mr P G Bowman
Ms S C Elumba-Hill
Ms V Henry-Macklin (resigned 27 June 2025)
Mr J P Twomey
## **Structure, governance and management**
## _**Nature of governing document**_
The activities are governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association. Charity members elect the trustees who meet quarterly to oversee the work of the paid staff.
## _**Recruitment and appointment of trustees**_
The trustees work in line with Deaf Choices UK Articles of Association.
All trustees apply with a full CV and two references, and are interviewed by the Executive Director and another trustee. New trustees are voted in on their first meeting by the full Board.
Trustees are appointed for their personal and professional business expertise, and for their own lived experience or family experience of deafness.
## _**Induction and training of trustees**_
All trustees must complete Level 1 safeguarding training and have an enhanced DBS check, and from April 2025, all trustees will be given the Charity Governance code to read.
## _**Organisational structure**_
At the end of the year there were 6 part-time employees.
The Team consists of: -
Henrietta Ireland – Executive Director Cate Calder - Training Leader Louise Creed – Business Manager Debbie Hawkes – Senior Administrator Mark Murton – Training co-ordinator Kathy Kenny – Lead Regional Family Adviser (South West region) Sagira Jethra - post terminated (September 2024) Carly Simpson - post terminated (September 2024)
Page 4
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
## _**Major risks and management of those risks**_
## _Risk overview_
The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Charity is exposed and in particular those that are affected by fluctuations in the financial position of the Charity and we are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate the Charity’s exposure to major risk.
## _**Investment Powers**_
Under the Memorandum and Articles of Association the charity has the power to make any investment which the trustees see fit.
## _**Financial Review**_
Total income received was £273,560 (2024 - £327,736), of which £263,832 (£323,240) was received by grants and donations from charitable trusts, foundations and individuals. The remaining £9,728 (£4,496) included tuition fees and charges, membership subscriptions and investment income.
Total expenditure costs have reduced to £271,299 (2024 - £308,244), due to a decrease in the exceptional costs of £21,000 and wages of £20,000.
Income exceeded expenditure by £2,261 resulting in an increase in total funds from £139,219 to £141,480.
## _**Reserves Policy**_
The policy is to hold a designated reserve of £30,000 for any unforeseen circumstances. The combined funds are held to cover six months of total costs to operate at the current level if grant income falls significantly, whilst looking for alternative funding. The overall balances held at 31 March 2025 meet that requirement of approximately £130,000, where £18,232 (2024 - £46,849) is held for restricted work, and £123,248 (2024 - £92,370) for unrestricted funds.
## _**Conclusion**_
To maintain full capacity throughout the year, staff were asked to voluntarily reduce their hours during the summer holiday period (July to September), generating cost savings. In addition, two funded posts came to an end following the conclusion of project funding for our Regional Family Advisers in Hertfordshire and the North East. Together, these measures enabled DCUK to close the financial year in surplus.
Looking ahead to 2025-2026, we maintain a hopeful, yet pragmatic perspective. Without crucial funds for our core operations, we risk being unable to sustain our charitable activities, which may necessitate reducing employee hours, ultimately limiting our capacity. Our goal is to preserve our presence in Plymouth and the South West, while staying true to our identity and mission.
DCUK is committed to developing our social enterprise model and scaling our programmes based on evidence and evaluation. While NIAV has generated strong interest, current income remains below expenditure.
Page 5
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **Statement of trustees' responsibilities**
The trustees (who are also the directors of Deaf Choices UK Limited for the purposes 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), including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland". The report and accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions in the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards, comprising FRS 102 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 charitable company will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company 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 charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
## **Small companies provision statement**
This report has been prepared in accordance with the small companies regime under the Companies Act 2006.
The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity on 1 October 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
.. Mrs C Hardy Trustee
Page 6
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Deaf Choices UK Limited ('the Company')**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
Since the Company's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of Deaf Choices UK Limited as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
...................................... S R Smith FCA Westcotts (SW) LLP Chartered Accountants Petitor House Nicholson Road Torquay Devon TQ2 7TD
22 October 2025
Page 7
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (Including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**2025**
**Total**
**2024**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**2025**
**Total**
**2024**|
|---|---|
|**Note**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**||
|**Income and Endowments from:**||
|Donations and legacies
3|56,361
207,471
263,832
323,240|
|Charitable activities
4|92
6,645
6,737
2,703|
|Investment income
5|2,991
-
2,991
1,793|
|Total income||
||59,444
214,116
273,560
327,736|
|**Expenditure on:**||
|Raising funds|-
(26,567)
(26,567)
(28,062)|
|Charitable activities
6|(196)
(244,536)
(244,732)
(280,182)|
|Total expenditure||
||(196)
(271,103)
(271,299)
(308,244)|
|Net income/(expenditure)||
||59,248
(56,987)
2,261
19,492|
|Transfers between funds|(28,370)
28,370
-
-|
|Net movement in funds||
||30,878
(28,617)
2,261
19,492|
|**Reconciliation of funds**||
|Total funds brought forward||
||92,370
46,849
139,219
119,727|
|Total funds carried forward
19||
||123,248
18,232
141,480
139,219|
All of the charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2024 is shown in note 19.
The notes on pages 10 to 23 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 8
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **(Registration number: 01477997) Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025**
||**2025**
**2024**|
|---|---|
|**Note**|**£**
**£**|
|**Fixed assets**||
|||
|Tangible assets
13|3,135
4,181|
|**Current assets**||
|||
|Stocks
14|743
743|
|Debtors
15|7,875
5,072|
|Cash at bank and in hand
16|138,977
141,048|
||147,595
146,863|
|**Creditors: Amounts falling due within oneyear**
17||
||(9,250)
(11,825)|
|**Net current**assets||
||138,345
135,038|
|**Net**assets||
||141,480
139,219|
|**Funds of the charity:**||
|**Restricted income funds**||
|||
|Restricted funds
19|18,232
46,849|
|**Unrestricted income funds**||
|||
|Unrestricted funds|123,248
92,370|
|**Total funds**
19||
||141,480
139,219|
For the financial year ending 31 March 2025 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
## Directors' responsibilities:
- The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476; and
- The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements on pages 8 to 23 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 1 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
.. Mrs C Hardy Trustee
The notes on pages 10 to 23 form an integral part of these financial statements.
Page 9
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **1 Charity status**
The charity is limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the trustees is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £Nil towards the assets of the charity in the event of liquidation.
The address of its registered office is: The Boatshed Steamer Quay Road Totnes Devon TQ9 5AL
## **2 Accounting policies**
## **Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates**
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.
## **Statement of compliance**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
## **Basis of preparation**
Deaf Choices UK Limited meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
## **Going concern**
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity.
## **Exemption from preparing a cash flow statement**
The charity opted to early adopt Bulletin 1 published on 2 February 2016 and have therefore not included a cash flow statement in these financial statements.
## **Income and endowments**
All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.
Page 10
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## _**Donations and legacies**_
Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charity before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.
## _**Grants receivable**_
Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released.
## **Expenditure**
All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category.
## _**Raising funds**_
These are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, the management of investments and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.
## _**Charitable activities**_
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
## **Support costs**
Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## **Governance costs**
These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.
## **Taxation**
The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
Page 11
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **Tangible fixed assets**
Fixed assets are initially recorded at cost, less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.
## **Depreciation and amortisation**
Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows:
**Asset class Depreciation method and rate** Fixtures and fittings 25% reducing balance
## **Stock**
Stock is valued at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell, after due regard for obsolete and slow moving stocks.
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.
## **Fund structure**
Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds set aside for specific purposes at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.
## **Pensions and other post retirement obligations**
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme which is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the charity has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods.
Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment.
Page 12
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **Financial instruments**
## _**Classification**_
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the charity after deducting all of its liabilities.
## _**Recognition and measurement**_
All financial assets and liabilities are initially measured at transaction price (including transaction costs), except for those financial assets classified as at fair value through profit or loss, which are initially measured at fair value (which is normally the transaction price excluding transaction costs), unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction. If an arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, the financial asset or financial liability is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.
Debt instruments are subsequently measured at amortised cost.
Page 13
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
**3 Income from donations and legacies**
|**3**
**Income from donations and legacies**||
|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2025**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Donations;||
|Donations|6,833
9,704
16,537|
|Membership subscriptions|279
10
289|
|Grants, including capital grants;||
|Grants from other charities|-
77,051
77,051|
|Grants from trusts and foundations|49,249
120,706
169,955|
||56,361
207,471
263,832|
|||
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Donations;||
|Donations|4,892
-
4,892|
|Membership subscriptions|330
34
364|
|Grants, including capital grants;||
|Grants from other charities|-
75,478
75,478|
|Grants from trusts and foundations|25,199
217,307
242,506|
||30,421
292,819
323,240|
During the year grants were received from the following institutions:
National Lottery Fund £77,051 (2024 - £75,478)
Henry Smith Charity £58,200 (2024 -£59,600)
BBC Children In Need £22,505 (2024 - £22,806)
Foyle Foundation £25,000 (2024 - £Nil)
Sylvia Adams Charitable Trust £Nil (2024 - £100,000)
Page 14
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
|**4**
**Income from charitable activities**|||
|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**||
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**||
||**General**
**funds**
**2025**||
||**£**
**£**
**£**||
|CS training income|-
598
598||
|Miscellaneous income|92
6,047
6,139||
||92
6,645
6,737||
||||
||**Unrestricted**||
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**||
||**General**
**funds**
**2024**||
||**£**
**£**
**£**||
|CS training income|597
530
1,127||
|Miscellaneous income|1
1,575
1,576||
||598
2,105
2,703||
|**5**
**Investment income**|||
|||**Unrestricted**|
|||**funds**
**Total**|
|||**General**
**2025**|
|||**£**
**£**|
|Interest receivable on bank deposits||2,991
2,991|
|||2,991
2,991|
||||
||**Unrestricted**||
||**funds**|**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**|
**funds**
**2024**|
||**£**|**£**
**£**|
|Interest receivable on bank deposits|1,678
115
1,793||
||1,678
115
1,793||
Page 15
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
**6 Expenditure on charitable activities**
|**6**
**Expenditure on charitable activities**||
|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2025**|
|**Note**|**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Charitable activities|70
25,245
25,315|
|Staff costs|-
180,115
180,115|
|Allocated support costs
7|126
32,664
32,790|
|Governance costs
7|-
6,512
6,512|
||196
244,536
244,732|
|||
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2024**|
|**Note**|**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Charitable activities|83
23,781
23,864|
|Staff costs|-
197,904
197,904|
|Allocated support costs
7|161
52,486
52,647|
|Governance costs
7|-
5,767
5,767|
||244
279,938
280,182|
Page 16
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **7 Analysis of governance and support costs**
## **Charitable activities expenditure**
|**Charitable activities expenditure**||
|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2025**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Staff training|-
2,214
2,214|
|Repairs and maintenance|-
386
386|
|Insurance|-
3,092
3,092|
|Rent|-
11,762
11,762|
|Legal and professional|-
720
720|
|Telephone and broadband|-
4,459
4,459|
|Printing, postage and stationery|-
4,096
4,096|
|Depreciation|121
925
1,046|
|Bank charges|5
55
60|
|Subscriptions and licenses|-
4,955
4,955|
||126
32,664
32,790|
|||
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Staff training|-
2,287
2,287|
|Repairs and maintenance|-
143
143|
|Insurance|-
2,913
2,913|
|Rent|-
11,762
11,762|
|Legal and professional|-
720
720|
|Telephone and broadband|-
5,111
5,111|
|Printing, postage and stationery|-
2,507
2,507|
|Depreciation|161
1,232
1,393|
|Bank charges|-
60
60|
|Subscriptions and licenses|-
4,631
4,631|
|Exceptional costs|-
21,120
21,120|
||161
52,486
52,647|
Page 17
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
Independent examiner fees Examination of the financial statements Other fees paid to examiners Meeting Costs
||**Restricted**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|
||**funds**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Independent examiner fees|||
|Examination of the financial statements|1,000|1,000|
|Other fees paid to examiners|3,174|3,174|
|MeetingCosts|1,593|1,593|
||5,767|5,767|
|**8**
**Net incoming/outgoing resources**|||
|Net incoming resources for the year include:|||
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Depreciation of fixed assets|1,046|1,393|
## **9 Trustees remuneration and expenses**
No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year (2024 - None).
No trustees have received any reimbursed expenses or any other benefits from the charity during the year (2024 - None).
Page 18
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **10 Staff costs**
The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:
|**10**
**Staff costs**
The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:||
|---|---|
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|**Staff costs during the year were:**||
|||
|Wages and salaries|183,660
202,110|
|Social security costs|11,767
12,849|
|Pension costs|6,949
7,404|
||202,376
222,363|
The monthly average number of persons (including senior management / leadership team) employed by the charity during the year expressed as full time equivalents was as follows:
||**2025**
**2024**|
|---|---|
||**No**
**No**|
|Number of staff|7
6|
|No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year (2024 - None).||
|**11**
**Independent examiner's remuneration**||
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|Examination of the financial statements||
||1,000
1,000|
|**Other fees to examiners**||
|||
|All other services|4,849
3,174|
Page 19
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **12 Taxation**
The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.
## **13 Tangible fixed assets**
|**13**
**Tangible fixed assets**||
|---|---|
||**Furniture and**
**equipment**
**Total**|
||
**£**
**£**|
|**Cost**||
|At 1 April 2024|21,758
21,758|
|At 31 March 2025|21,758
21,758|
|**Depreciation**||
|At 1 April 2024|17,577
17,577|
|Charge for theyear|1,046
1,046|
|At 31 March 2025|18,623
18,623|
|**Net book value**||
|At 31 March 2025|3,135
3,135|
|At 31 March 2024|4,181
4,181|
|**14**
**Stock**||
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|Consumables|743
743|
|**15**
**Debtors**||
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|Trade debtors|3,428
728|
|Prepayments|4,086
4,018|
|Other debtors|361
326|
||7,875
5,072|
|**16**
**Cash and cash equivalents**||
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|Cash on hand|200
200|
|Cash at bank|138,777
140,848|
||138,977
141,048|
Page 20
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **17 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
|**17**
**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|
**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Other taxation and social security|4,107|4,164|
|Other creditors|1,203|1,277|
|Accruals|3,940|6,384|
||9,250|11,825|
## **18 Pension and other schemes**
## **Defined contribution pension scheme**
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the charity to the scheme and amounted to £6,949 (2024 - £7,404).
## **19 Funds**
||**Balance at 1**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**31 March**|
|---|---|
||**April 2024**
**resources**
**expended**
**Transfers**
**2025**|
||
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|**Unrestricted funds**||
|**_General_**||
|||
|General funds|62,370
59,444
(196)
(28,370)
93,248|
|**_Designated_**||
|||
|Designated funds|30,000
-
-
-
30,000|
|**Total unrestricted funds**||
||92,370
59,444
(196)
(28,370)
123,248|
|**Restricted funds**||
|||
|0-4 UK|7,722
-
(24,712)
17,000
10|
|0-18 UK|31,714
136,143
(177,744)
11,370
1,483|
|Love Reading|2,444
58,177
(57,772)
-
2,849|
|Wales|4,969
-
-
-
4,969|
|Plymouth Active|-
19,796
(10,875)
-
8,921|
|**Total restricted funds**||
||46,849
214,116
(271,103)
28,370
18,232|
|**Total funds**||
||139,219
273,560
(271,299)
-
141,480|
Page 21
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
||**Balance at 1**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**31 March**|
|---|---|
||**April 2023**
**resources**
**expended**
**Transfers**
**2024**|
||
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|**Unrestricted funds**||
|**_General_**||
|||
|General funds|39,917
32,697
(244)
(10,000)
62,370|
|**_Designated_**||
|||
|Designated funds|20,000
-
-
10,000
30,000|
|**Total unrestricted funds**||
||59,917
32,697
(244)
-
92,370|
|**Restricted**||
|||
|0-4 UK|16,105
100,291
(108,674)
-
7,722|
|0-18 UK|9,215
153,600
(131,101)
-
31,714|
|Love Reading|22,558
47,811
(67,925)
-
2,444|
|Wales|11,932
(6,663)
(300)
-
4,969|
|**Total restricted funds**||
||59,810
295,039
(308,000)
-
46,849|
|**Total funds**||
||119,727
327,736
(308,244)
-
139,219|
The specific purposes for which the funds are to be applied are as follows:
The charity holds a designated reserve of £30,000, and combined operating reserves equivalent to approximately six months of current expenditure.
The restricted funds projects are explained in full in the Trustee's Report.
The transfers from unrestricted funds were made to cover the shortfall in those specific restricted funds.
Page 22
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **20 Analysis of net assets between funds**
||**Total funds at**|
|---|---|
||**Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted**
**31 March**|
||**General**
**Designated**
**funds**
**2025**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Tangible fixed assets|3,135
-
-
3,135|
|Current assets|99,363
30,000
18,232
147,595|
|Current liabilities|(9,250)
-
-
(9,250)|
|Total net assets||
||93,248
30,000
18,232
141,480|
|||
||**Total funds at**|
||**Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted**
**31 March**|
||**General**
**Designated**
**funds**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Tangible fixed assets|483
-
3,698
4,181|
|Current assets|73,712
30,000
43,151
146,863|
|Current liabilities|(11,825)
-
-
(11,825)|
|Total net assets||
||62,370
30,000
46,849
139,219|
## **21 Related party transactions**
There were no related party transactions in the year (2024 - £Nil).
Page 23
Company registration number: 01477997 Charity registration number: 279523
## Deaf Choices UK Limited
(A company limited by guarantee)
Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Contents**
|**Contents**||
|---|---|
|Reference and Administrative Details|1|
|Trustees' Report|2 to 6|
|Independent Examiner's Report|7|
|Statement of Financial Activities|8|
|Balance Sheet|9|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|10 to 23|
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Reference and Administrative Details**
## **Trustees**
Mr K Orpin Mrs C Hardy, Chairperson Mr P G Bowman Ms S C Elumba-Hill Mr J P Twomey
## **Charity Registration Number**
279523
## **Company Registration Number**
01477997
The charity is incorporated in England and Wales.
## **Registered Office**
The Boatshed Steamer Quay Road Totnes Devon TQ9 5AL
## **Independent Examiner**
S R Smith FCA Westcotts (SW) LLP Chartered Accountants Petitor House Nicholson Road Torquay Devon TQ2 7TD
Page 1
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annual report together with the financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 31 March 2025.
## **Cued Speech Definition**
Cued Speech is a visual manual code for spoken languages that enables accurate lip reading. As a speaker says each word, they make a hand shape near the face that replaces the missing acoustic information for the deaf receiver.
## **Public Benefit**
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
## **Objectives and activities**
## _**Objects and aims**_
From January 2024 Deaf Choices UK (DCUK) aspires to give deaf children improved access to the following: -
Language - by empowering their families to make fully informed choices.
Literacy - by supporting their educators to access information, training, and resources.
Providing knowledge, information and training around the unique benefits, concepts, and skills of using Cued Speech.
Our offer supports deaf children and those with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) to thrive at home, succeed in education, and achieve their potential.
## _**Activities**_
Our three key areas of work:
## **1. Language and Literacy for Life 0 - 18**
This includes our work with families, training the team around a deaf child and networking and publicity.
## _**Supporting families**_
Remains a central focus for Deaf Choices UK (DCUK). Parents come to DCUK for families living outside South Devon, DCUK provides support via weekly Zoom calls and access to an online self-study course. When a child transitions into school, DCUK offers training and support to nursery or pre-school staff so they can incorporate Cued Speech into the child’s learning environment.
Page 2
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
## _**Training**_
We have supported 146 professionals to learn to cue in this year.
## _**Networking**_
Attending seminars and conferences, sometimes delivering key speeches and demonstrations.
## _**Marketing Campaign with Crest**_
DCUK Launched a major campaign to promote DCUK across media platforms.
## **2. Active**
Welcome to Plymouth Deaf Choices (PDC).
PDC enhances and supports the DCUK outcomes at every level, increasing self-confidence and improving family participation. With its links to Cued Speech and Eggbuckland school, we are also enhancing the opportunities for improved literacy.
Active has also supported dance sessions for deaf children after school attended by 8 children **.**
## **3. Love Literacy**
We launched our new foundation literacy initiative, Nan in a Van (NIAV), to address significant gaps in deaf education while also ensuring our long-term financial viability. NIAV delivers specialised support directly to schools and communities and introduces a new revenue stream through our services.
## **Wales**
This fund is intended to pay for Cued resources to be made in Welsh. The work started in the previous year, but has been on hold, and will hopefully be finished this next year. It no longer became a priority as the family support practitioner we had working in Wales, was made redundant, as we no longer had enough funds for the post. The remaining funds will still be used for the same purpose.
Page 3
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **Trustees and officers**
The trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:
Trustees:
Mr K Orpin
Mrs C Hardy, Chairperson
Mr P G Bowman
Ms S C Elumba-Hill
Ms V Henry-Macklin (resigned 27 June 2025)
Mr J P Twomey
## **Structure, governance and management**
## _**Nature of governing document**_
The activities are governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association. Charity members elect the trustees who meet quarterly to oversee the work of the paid staff.
## _**Recruitment and appointment of trustees**_
The trustees work in line with Deaf Choices UK Articles of Association.
All trustees apply with a full CV and two references, and are interviewed by the Executive Director and another trustee. New trustees are voted in on their first meeting by the full Board.
Trustees are appointed for their personal and professional business expertise, and for their own lived experience or family experience of deafness.
## _**Induction and training of trustees**_
All trustees must complete Level 1 safeguarding training and have an enhanced DBS check, and from April 2025, all trustees will be given the Charity Governance code to read.
## _**Organisational structure**_
At the end of the year there were 6 part-time employees.
The Team consists of: -
Henrietta Ireland – Executive Director Cate Calder - Training Leader Louise Creed – Business Manager Debbie Hawkes – Senior Administrator Mark Murton – Training co-ordinator Kathy Kenny – Lead Regional Family Adviser (South West region) Sagira Jethra - post terminated (September 2024) Carly Simpson - post terminated (September 2024)
Page 4
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
## _**Major risks and management of those risks**_
## _Risk overview_
The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Charity is exposed and in particular those that are affected by fluctuations in the financial position of the Charity and we are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate the Charity’s exposure to major risk.
## _**Investment Powers**_
Under the Memorandum and Articles of Association the charity has the power to make any investment which the trustees see fit.
## _**Financial Review**_
Total income received was £273,560 (2024 - £327,736), of which £263,832 (£323,240) was received by grants and donations from charitable trusts, foundations and individuals. The remaining £9,728 (£4,496) included tuition fees and charges, membership subscriptions and investment income.
Total expenditure costs have reduced to £271,299 (2024 - £308,244), due to a decrease in the exceptional costs of £21,000 and wages of £20,000.
Income exceeded expenditure by £2,261 resulting in an increase in total funds from £139,219 to £141,480.
## _**Reserves Policy**_
The policy is to hold a designated reserve of £30,000 for any unforeseen circumstances. The combined funds are held to cover six months of total costs to operate at the current level if grant income falls significantly, whilst looking for alternative funding. The overall balances held at 31 March 2025 meet that requirement of approximately £130,000, where £18,232 (2024 - £46,849) is held for restricted work, and £123,248 (2024 - £92,370) for unrestricted funds.
## _**Conclusion**_
To maintain full capacity throughout the year, staff were asked to voluntarily reduce their hours during the summer holiday period (July to September), generating cost savings. In addition, two funded posts came to an end following the conclusion of project funding for our Regional Family Advisers in Hertfordshire and the North East. Together, these measures enabled DCUK to close the financial year in surplus.
Looking ahead to 2025-2026, we maintain a hopeful, yet pragmatic perspective. Without crucial funds for our core operations, we risk being unable to sustain our charitable activities, which may necessitate reducing employee hours, ultimately limiting our capacity. Our goal is to preserve our presence in Plymouth and the South West, while staying true to our identity and mission.
DCUK is committed to developing our social enterprise model and scaling our programmes based on evidence and evaluation. While NIAV has generated strong interest, current income remains below expenditure.
Page 5
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **Statement of trustees' responsibilities**
The trustees (who are also the directors of Deaf Choices UK Limited for the purposes 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), including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland". The report and accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions in the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards, comprising FRS 102 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 charitable company will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company 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 charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
## **Small companies provision statement**
This report has been prepared in accordance with the small companies regime under the Companies Act 2006.
The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity on 1 October 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
.. Mrs C Hardy Trustee
Page 6
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Deaf Choices UK Limited ('the Company')**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
Since the Company's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of Deaf Choices UK Limited as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
...................................... S R Smith FCA Westcotts (SW) LLP Chartered Accountants Petitor House Nicholson Road Torquay Devon TQ2 7TD
22 October 2025
Page 7
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (Including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**2025**
**Total**
**2024**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**2025**
**Total**
**2024**|
|---|---|
|**Note**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**||
|**Income and Endowments from:**||
|Donations and legacies
3|56,361
207,471
263,832
323,240|
|Charitable activities
4|92
6,645
6,737
2,703|
|Investment income
5|2,991
-
2,991
1,793|
|Total income||
||59,444
214,116
273,560
327,736|
|**Expenditure on:**||
|Raising funds|-
(26,567)
(26,567)
(28,062)|
|Charitable activities
6|(196)
(244,536)
(244,732)
(280,182)|
|Total expenditure||
||(196)
(271,103)
(271,299)
(308,244)|
|Net income/(expenditure)||
||59,248
(56,987)
2,261
19,492|
|Transfers between funds|(28,370)
28,370
-
-|
|Net movement in funds||
||30,878
(28,617)
2,261
19,492|
|**Reconciliation of funds**||
|Total funds brought forward||
||92,370
46,849
139,219
119,727|
|Total funds carried forward
19||
||123,248
18,232
141,480
139,219|
All of the charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2024 is shown in note 19.
The notes on pages 10 to 23 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 8
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **(Registration number: 01477997) Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025**
||**2025**
**2024**|
|---|---|
|**Note**|**£**
**£**|
|**Fixed assets**||
|||
|Tangible assets
13|3,135
4,181|
|**Current assets**||
|||
|Stocks
14|743
743|
|Debtors
15|7,875
5,072|
|Cash at bank and in hand
16|138,977
141,048|
||147,595
146,863|
|**Creditors: Amounts falling due within oneyear**
17||
||(9,250)
(11,825)|
|**Net current**assets||
||138,345
135,038|
|**Net**assets||
||141,480
139,219|
|**Funds of the charity:**||
|**Restricted income funds**||
|||
|Restricted funds
19|18,232
46,849|
|**Unrestricted income funds**||
|||
|Unrestricted funds|123,248
92,370|
|**Total funds**
19||
||141,480
139,219|
For the financial year ending 31 March 2025 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
## Directors' responsibilities:
- The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476; and
- The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements on pages 8 to 23 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 1 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
.. Mrs C Hardy Trustee
The notes on pages 10 to 23 form an integral part of these financial statements.
Page 9
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **1 Charity status**
The charity is limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the trustees is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £Nil towards the assets of the charity in the event of liquidation.
The address of its registered office is: The Boatshed Steamer Quay Road Totnes Devon TQ9 5AL
## **2 Accounting policies**
## **Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates**
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.
## **Statement of compliance**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
## **Basis of preparation**
Deaf Choices UK Limited meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
## **Going concern**
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity.
## **Exemption from preparing a cash flow statement**
The charity opted to early adopt Bulletin 1 published on 2 February 2016 and have therefore not included a cash flow statement in these financial statements.
## **Income and endowments**
All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.
Page 10
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## _**Donations and legacies**_
Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charity before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.
## _**Grants receivable**_
Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released.
## **Expenditure**
All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category.
## _**Raising funds**_
These are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, the management of investments and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.
## _**Charitable activities**_
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
## **Support costs**
Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## **Governance costs**
These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.
## **Taxation**
The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
Page 11
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **Tangible fixed assets**
Fixed assets are initially recorded at cost, less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.
## **Depreciation and amortisation**
Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows:
**Asset class Depreciation method and rate** Fixtures and fittings 25% reducing balance
## **Stock**
Stock is valued at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell, after due regard for obsolete and slow moving stocks.
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.
## **Fund structure**
Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds set aside for specific purposes at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.
## **Pensions and other post retirement obligations**
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme which is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the charity has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods.
Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment.
Page 12
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **Financial instruments**
## _**Classification**_
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the charity after deducting all of its liabilities.
## _**Recognition and measurement**_
All financial assets and liabilities are initially measured at transaction price (including transaction costs), except for those financial assets classified as at fair value through profit or loss, which are initially measured at fair value (which is normally the transaction price excluding transaction costs), unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction. If an arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, the financial asset or financial liability is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.
Debt instruments are subsequently measured at amortised cost.
Page 13
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
**3 Income from donations and legacies**
|**3**
**Income from donations and legacies**||
|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2025**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Donations;||
|Donations|6,833
9,704
16,537|
|Membership subscriptions|279
10
289|
|Grants, including capital grants;||
|Grants from other charities|-
77,051
77,051|
|Grants from trusts and foundations|49,249
120,706
169,955|
||56,361
207,471
263,832|
|||
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Donations;||
|Donations|4,892
-
4,892|
|Membership subscriptions|330
34
364|
|Grants, including capital grants;||
|Grants from other charities|-
75,478
75,478|
|Grants from trusts and foundations|25,199
217,307
242,506|
||30,421
292,819
323,240|
During the year grants were received from the following institutions:
National Lottery Fund £77,051 (2024 - £75,478)
Henry Smith Charity £58,200 (2024 -£59,600)
BBC Children In Need £22,505 (2024 - £22,806)
Foyle Foundation £25,000 (2024 - £Nil)
Sylvia Adams Charitable Trust £Nil (2024 - £100,000)
Page 14
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
|**4**
**Income from charitable activities**|||
|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**||
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**||
||**General**
**funds**
**2025**||
||**£**
**£**
**£**||
|CS training income|-
598
598||
|Miscellaneous income|92
6,047
6,139||
||92
6,645
6,737||
||||
||**Unrestricted**||
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**||
||**General**
**funds**
**2024**||
||**£**
**£**
**£**||
|CS training income|597
530
1,127||
|Miscellaneous income|1
1,575
1,576||
||598
2,105
2,703||
|**5**
**Investment income**|||
|||**Unrestricted**|
|||**funds**
**Total**|
|||**General**
**2025**|
|||**£**
**£**|
|Interest receivable on bank deposits||2,991
2,991|
|||2,991
2,991|
||||
||**Unrestricted**||
||**funds**|**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**|
**funds**
**2024**|
||**£**|**£**
**£**|
|Interest receivable on bank deposits|1,678
115
1,793||
||1,678
115
1,793||
Page 15
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
**6 Expenditure on charitable activities**
|**6**
**Expenditure on charitable activities**||
|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2025**|
|**Note**|**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Charitable activities|70
25,245
25,315|
|Staff costs|-
180,115
180,115|
|Allocated support costs
7|126
32,664
32,790|
|Governance costs
7|-
6,512
6,512|
||196
244,536
244,732|
|||
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2024**|
|**Note**|**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Charitable activities|83
23,781
23,864|
|Staff costs|-
197,904
197,904|
|Allocated support costs
7|161
52,486
52,647|
|Governance costs
7|-
5,767
5,767|
||244
279,938
280,182|
Page 16
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **7 Analysis of governance and support costs**
## **Charitable activities expenditure**
|**Charitable activities expenditure**||
|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2025**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Staff training|-
2,214
2,214|
|Repairs and maintenance|-
386
386|
|Insurance|-
3,092
3,092|
|Rent|-
11,762
11,762|
|Legal and professional|-
720
720|
|Telephone and broadband|-
4,459
4,459|
|Printing, postage and stationery|-
4,096
4,096|
|Depreciation|121
925
1,046|
|Bank charges|5
55
60|
|Subscriptions and licenses|-
4,955
4,955|
||126
32,664
32,790|
|||
||**Unrestricted**|
||**funds**
**Restricted**
**Total**|
||**General**
**funds**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Staff training|-
2,287
2,287|
|Repairs and maintenance|-
143
143|
|Insurance|-
2,913
2,913|
|Rent|-
11,762
11,762|
|Legal and professional|-
720
720|
|Telephone and broadband|-
5,111
5,111|
|Printing, postage and stationery|-
2,507
2,507|
|Depreciation|161
1,232
1,393|
|Bank charges|-
60
60|
|Subscriptions and licenses|-
4,631
4,631|
|Exceptional costs|-
21,120
21,120|
||161
52,486
52,647|
Page 17
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
Independent examiner fees Examination of the financial statements Other fees paid to examiners Meeting Costs
||**Restricted**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|
||**funds**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Independent examiner fees|||
|Examination of the financial statements|1,000|1,000|
|Other fees paid to examiners|3,174|3,174|
|MeetingCosts|1,593|1,593|
||5,767|5,767|
|**8**
**Net incoming/outgoing resources**|||
|Net incoming resources for the year include:|||
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Depreciation of fixed assets|1,046|1,393|
## **9 Trustees remuneration and expenses**
No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year (2024 - None).
No trustees have received any reimbursed expenses or any other benefits from the charity during the year (2024 - None).
Page 18
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **10 Staff costs**
The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:
|**10**
**Staff costs**
The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:||
|---|---|
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|**Staff costs during the year were:**||
|||
|Wages and salaries|183,660
202,110|
|Social security costs|11,767
12,849|
|Pension costs|6,949
7,404|
||202,376
222,363|
The monthly average number of persons (including senior management / leadership team) employed by the charity during the year expressed as full time equivalents was as follows:
||**2025**
**2024**|
|---|---|
||**No**
**No**|
|Number of staff|7
6|
|No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year (2024 - None).||
|**11**
**Independent examiner's remuneration**||
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|Examination of the financial statements||
||1,000
1,000|
|**Other fees to examiners**||
|||
|All other services|4,849
3,174|
Page 19
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **12 Taxation**
The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.
## **13 Tangible fixed assets**
|**13**
**Tangible fixed assets**||
|---|---|
||**Furniture and**
**equipment**
**Total**|
||
**£**
**£**|
|**Cost**||
|At 1 April 2024|21,758
21,758|
|At 31 March 2025|21,758
21,758|
|**Depreciation**||
|At 1 April 2024|17,577
17,577|
|Charge for theyear|1,046
1,046|
|At 31 March 2025|18,623
18,623|
|**Net book value**||
|At 31 March 2025|3,135
3,135|
|At 31 March 2024|4,181
4,181|
|**14**
**Stock**||
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|Consumables|743
743|
|**15**
**Debtors**||
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|Trade debtors|3,428
728|
|Prepayments|4,086
4,018|
|Other debtors|361
326|
||7,875
5,072|
|**16**
**Cash and cash equivalents**||
||**2025**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**|
|Cash on hand|200
200|
|Cash at bank|138,777
140,848|
||138,977
141,048|
Page 20
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **17 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
|**17**
**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|
**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Other taxation and social security|4,107|4,164|
|Other creditors|1,203|1,277|
|Accruals|3,940|6,384|
||9,250|11,825|
## **18 Pension and other schemes**
## **Defined contribution pension scheme**
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the charity to the scheme and amounted to £6,949 (2024 - £7,404).
## **19 Funds**
||**Balance at 1**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**31 March**|
|---|---|
||**April 2024**
**resources**
**expended**
**Transfers**
**2025**|
||
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|**Unrestricted funds**||
|**_General_**||
|||
|General funds|62,370
59,444
(196)
(28,370)
93,248|
|**_Designated_**||
|||
|Designated funds|30,000
-
-
-
30,000|
|**Total unrestricted funds**||
||92,370
59,444
(196)
(28,370)
123,248|
|**Restricted funds**||
|||
|0-4 UK|7,722
-
(24,712)
17,000
10|
|0-18 UK|31,714
136,143
(177,744)
11,370
1,483|
|Love Reading|2,444
58,177
(57,772)
-
2,849|
|Wales|4,969
-
-
-
4,969|
|Plymouth Active|-
19,796
(10,875)
-
8,921|
|**Total restricted funds**||
||46,849
214,116
(271,103)
28,370
18,232|
|**Total funds**||
||139,219
273,560
(271,299)
-
141,480|
Page 21
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
||**Balance at 1**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**31 March**|
|---|---|
||**April 2023**
**resources**
**expended**
**Transfers**
**2024**|
||
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|**Unrestricted funds**||
|**_General_**||
|||
|General funds|39,917
32,697
(244)
(10,000)
62,370|
|**_Designated_**||
|||
|Designated funds|20,000
-
-
10,000
30,000|
|**Total unrestricted funds**||
||59,917
32,697
(244)
-
92,370|
|**Restricted**||
|||
|0-4 UK|16,105
100,291
(108,674)
-
7,722|
|0-18 UK|9,215
153,600
(131,101)
-
31,714|
|Love Reading|22,558
47,811
(67,925)
-
2,444|
|Wales|11,932
(6,663)
(300)
-
4,969|
|**Total restricted funds**||
||59,810
295,039
(308,000)
-
46,849|
|**Total funds**||
||119,727
327,736
(308,244)
-
139,219|
The specific purposes for which the funds are to be applied are as follows:
The charity holds a designated reserve of £30,000, and combined operating reserves equivalent to approximately six months of current expenditure.
The restricted funds projects are explained in full in the Trustee's Report.
The transfers from unrestricted funds were made to cover the shortfall in those specific restricted funds.
Page 22
## **Deaf Choices UK Limited**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025**
## **20 Analysis of net assets between funds**
||**Total funds at**|
|---|---|
||**Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted**
**31 March**|
||**General**
**Designated**
**funds**
**2025**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Tangible fixed assets|3,135
-
-
3,135|
|Current assets|99,363
30,000
18,232
147,595|
|Current liabilities|(9,250)
-
-
(9,250)|
|Total net assets||
||93,248
30,000
18,232
141,480|
|||
||**Total funds at**|
||**Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted**
**31 March**|
||**General**
**Designated**
**funds**
**2024**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|Tangible fixed assets|483
-
3,698
4,181|
|Current assets|73,712
30,000
43,151
146,863|
|Current liabilities|(11,825)
-
-
(11,825)|
|Total net assets||
||62,370
30,000
46,849
139,219|
## **21 Related party transactions**
There were no related party transactions in the year (2024 - £Nil).
Page 23