**Annual Review 2020-2021** The Trust for Deaf Studies
The Vassall Centre Gill Avenue Bristol BS16 2QQ Charity Number: 289302
www.deafstudiestrust.org
Deaf Studies Trust Annual Review 2020-2021
## **Chair Report**
This is my fourth report as Chair of the Trust. It was the year of the pandemic. It was the year when we could not meet on-site, when all our Trustee discussions were held on Zoom and Facetime. It was a bad year for the deaf community. Some of this appeared in my last report and our concerns are even more heightened now by the loss of deaf club meetings and even of the deaf clubs themselves. As well as all other social events where the deaf community meets, be it a cafe, pub or a social gathering. The very nature of the progression from deaf schools to deaf youth activities to deaf community and older life has been disrupted. Everywhere we look, we see deaf life as being more isolated, more marginalised, less community engaged and less empowered.
The fiasco where daily briefings were a struggle because the English Government refused to have an onsite interpreter in BSL … on the ridiculous grounds that there was no space at Downing Street, while both the Scottish and Welsh Governments managed this without a problem. The interpretation which had to be delivered remotely from a different studio in London, was hampered by lack of advance information and by the obscure personal style of the senior Ministers. And not all briefings/announcements were interpreted.
At the start of May 2020, the Trust set up a daily news service on DeafStation – all in BSL and all delivered by a team of deaf news signers. This multiplatform initiative meant that the over 2,000 registered users could watch and search the Covid, national and international news every weekday
morning. Even with over 1,500 news stories in BSL, the deaf community was only partially served and still well behind the hearing community in the depth and extent of information. We had a 6-month Community Fund award for the service. Deaf people got Covid and went to hospital where face masks were mandatory and as a result the communication between doctor and patient was almost impossible. The only bright spot was that deaf people could more easily communicate in BSL through the window in care homes.
All on-site activities of the Trust had to be postponed and will mostly occur in 2021-2022, that is if we manage to become free of Covid.
I would just like to thank Jim Kyle, our secretary, to Esther, our Treasurer and to the other Trustees for their efforts in a very challenging time.
Clark Denmark, Chair, 2021
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Deaf Studies Trust Annual Review 2020-2021
## **Secretary’s Report**
Although at the time of writing these comments, we are supposedly released from the lockdown and from restrictions on socialising, we are not much further forward in analysing the impact of Covid on the deaf community’s everyday life. There is an urgent need for research with deaf community members and with service providers. Mask wearing and social distancing has certainly created a major
disturbance as deaf interaction relies on facial expression and also on physical touching. For nearly 18 months, the famous “deaf hug” has not been allowed. There is some suggestion that we can undertake the research in 2022 needed to determine the status of the community (our last national study was around 2000).
Although the trustees have not met on-site in the last year, the work of the Trust has continued and is described in the following pages.
Our priorities remain the same as in the last year – everything has simply been paused by 18 months: dealing with dementia, working with families with deaf members and in increasing opportunities for activity for deaf children and adults – right through to training and competitions in athletics. There is also a commitment to research, develop and promote Deaf history and to utilise the extensive database of sign language materials which we hold. We are planning carry out at least a pilot study on deaf health to follow up on the oerk in 201214. When we reach the end of the tunnel of the corona virus, the Trust will be ready to move on with these aims.
Special thanks as always to Esther Drewe who manages our finances and to our Chair, Clark Denmark who shares his enormous experience in all matters to do with the deaf community.
Jim Kyle, Secretary
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Deaf Studies Trust Annual Review 2020-2021
## **Language Skills Project (Erasmus+, 2017 to 2020)**
The major R&D collaborative project continued to the end of 2020 (although as usual with EU projects, administrative activities have continued until March. The fact that we were unable to provide a summer school in the summer of 2020, meant the project was underspent and we think that the managing team had to return an amount to the Czech national ERASMUS+ body.
The Language Skills project was a cooperation with partners in Czech Republic (coordinator), in Hungary, in Austria and also with UCLAN in Preston in the UK.
DST supported the preparation of an online English course for deaf people designed by the Czech partners and a set of accompanying teachers’ resources (developed by UCLAN). DST had two main tasks (a) the organisation and delivery of a summer school in Bristol for deaf college students in June-July 2019 and 2020 and in parallel, for teachers of English a week-long seminar on approaches to teaching English to deaf students in each of the partners’ countries; and (b) the creation of a BSL online course, suitable for deaf people who are users of a non-BSL sign language.
This course was aimed at deaf students who were likely to study in English potentially in contact with other deaf BSL users. We made considerable progress in preparing self-teaching materials online. However, the breakthrough came with the advanced use of Zoom where we were able to provide BSL video backgrounds which students were then able to set up on their own computer and could then simultaneously record themselves in copying signs and in taking part in dialogue.
Student self-records on left side then matches to the model
In regard to the online BSL course, progress had
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Deaf Studies Trust Annual Review 2020-2021
originally been slower than expected, partly as a result of materials and curriculum, prepared in one country being supplied to a partner (without BSL) in another country where the course was to be mounted. The result was that the specification from DST could not be met exactly. However, over the last few months (paradoxically) because of the extensive use of Zoom for our DST work, we realised the productive self-teaching component of the BSL course could be achieved as well as the receptive aspect.
Our projects on Dementia and on Families with deaf members and Active sports have all been postponed into 2021 and 2022.
## **Training of Medical Students in University of Bristol**
This continues to be a rewarding and effective programme. Students from the university are provided with an immersive course of three weeks duration. This is delivered remotely and this format has been very successful. Using the techniques developed in the Language Skills project, we are able to provide live remote BSL sessions with small groups and also the materials for selfteaching where the student matches their own signing to that of the doctor (or the patient).
Interestingly the course also allows the students to practise remote video consultations with a deaf patient and an interpreter online. This has become a more common form of interaction during the pandemic when on-site consultation has been considerable reduced.
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Deaf Studies Trust Annual Review 2020-2021
## **Finance Report**
## **The Statement of Financial Activities for the Year to 31st March 2021**
The financial situation in outline (31st March 2021) is as follows: Balance in the bank of £66k. Last year’s balance was £67.8k.
Income over the year has been from the Medic course in October (£18k) and from the Community Fund for DeafStation £15k).
Expenditure has been less than planned because of the Covid restrictions. However. The EU Language Project was completed in December. We had to repay around 7K euros because we had no summer school and were unable to travel to the final project meetings.
Looking forward, the Trust has plans to work on future activities – DeafStation has continued and there are priorities in Medic training, Health & Sports, and Dementia Awareness and the work should generate future projects and thereby, repay any financial investments made. We are due to receive £20k for the medic training in 2021-2.
We have continuing overheads of rent, accounting and website costs amounting around £5k per annum. We do not have any pension liabilities and we contract as necessary for different activities.
The Trust is in a good financial position at this time.
Esther Drewe
September 2021
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Deaf Studies Trust Annual Review 2020-2021
**The Deaf Studies Trust continues to move forward in its work. It succeeds with low overhead margins and does not seek to generate large profits on its work.**
**The Deaf Studies Trust strives continuously to make Deaf people’s lives more valued and understood by the society at large.**
## The Trust for Deaf Studies
The Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2QQ Tel (voice and minicom): 0117 958 3040 www.deafstudiestrust.org
Chair: Clark Denmark
Secretary:
Jim Kyle
Treasurer: Esther Drewe
Trustee: Hilary Sutherland
Trustee: Mike Gulliver
Trustee: Heather
Pender
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Charity no. 289302
The Trust for Deaf Studies Financial Statements Year Ended 31st March 2021
Chartered Accountants, 151 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2RA
**FARQUHAR PARTNERSHIP LIMITED**
## **The Trust for Deaf Studies Financial Statements Year Ended 31st March 2021**
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' Annual Report|1|
|Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees|3|
|Statement of Financial Activities|4|
|Balance Sheet|5|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|6|
**The Trust for Deaf Studies Trustees' Annual Report Year Ended 31st March 2021**
The Trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st March 2021.
## **Reference and administrative details**
Registered charity name The Trust for Deaf Studies Charity registration no. 289302 Principle office The Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2QQ
## **Trustees and Officers**
The trustees who served the charity during the year were as follows:
Dr H Sutherland M Gulliver C Denmark H A Pender A Gibbs
Secretary J Kyle **Independent examiner** C. A. Farquhar FCCA of Farquhar Partnership Limited Chartered Accountants, 151 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2RA
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The Trust for Deaf Studies is a registered charity, number 289302 and is governed by a trust deed. The charity is an unincorporated organisation, established in 1984.
When recruiting new trustees, the board looks for individuals with skills and experience which are likely to be of value to the organisation. If there is likely to be support for an applicant, initial contact will be made with the individual to ascertain both their suitability and their interest in a vacancy.
## **Objectives and activities**
The main objective of the Trust is to improve communication and understanding among deaf people and the members of the hearing community by unlocking the potential of the sign language using community and reaching out to hard of hearing people. The intention is to increase mutual respect and participation.
The Trust’s work is driven by research with deaf people and concerning their interface with hearing organisations, families and society as a whole. The Trust carries out this research and makes it available to all, in response to individual requests and directly to groups, in courses, in conferences and workshops and online through our website.
_page 1_
**The Trust for Deaf Studies Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ **Year Ended 31st March 2021**
## **Achievements and performance**
The period from April 2020 to March 2021 has been one of the most difficult periods for direct action and research. The pandemic and the resultant lockdowns meant that our presence in the office of the Trust was periodic and cursory. All meaningful work has been carried out at a distance. Nevertheless, there have been notable achievements.
The ERASMUS+ Language Skills project with partners in the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria was completed at the end of 2020 (with an extension of 4 months). The second summer school planned for Bristol in July 2020 had to be cancelled due to travel restrictions and although there were partner meetings online until November, the final outcomes of the project were reduced. Nevertheless, a full innovative online self-teaching programme in British Sign Language was delivered and is available through the designated servers in Brno.
We learned a great deal from this research and development work and the techniques have now been applied to our training programme for medical students. Our planned six-week programme for 3rd year students had to be cancelled due to University policies but the year 2 three-week programme was delivered completely from a distance with a full timetable of live and self-teaching sessions. The feedback from the participants and the contributors was wholly positive and the programme is now being replicated for future groups. The programme prepares doctors for live consultations with deaf people using British Sign language.
From May 2020, the Trust set up a daily sign language news service providing nearly 1,000 stories about Covid, national and international news. The service was provided every weekday morning to over 2,000 registered Facebook users and created a searchable archive online based on the text-scripts and the signed videos and delivered though a bespoke website. It is a unique service.
Our grant-funded work with families, dementia and sports has been carried over into 2021 and will be described in our next annual report.
## **Financial review**
The financial situation is monitored regularly and at the year end by the trustees. The charity's free reserves are represented by the unrestricted funds. The trustees believe the organisation's free reserves should be approximately three months unrestricted expenditure, which equates to £2,000. At the year end the charity's free reserves were £36,359.
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees' report above.
................................................... 30th September 2021 Jim Kyle, on behalf of the charity's trustees Date Charity Secretary
_page 2_
## **The Trust for Deaf Studies Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Trust for Deaf Studies Year Ended 31st March 2021 Charity no. 289302**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31st March 2021 set out on pages 4 to 10.
## **Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Independent Examiner**
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
- It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act), and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s statement**
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
............................................................................
30th September 2021 Date
C. A. Farquhar FCCA of Farquhar Partnership Limited Chartered Accountants, 151 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2RA
_page 3_
## **The Trust for Deaf Studies Statement of Financial Activities Year Ended 31st March 2021**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Total Funds
Funds Funds 2021 2020
Notes £ £ £ £
Incoming Resources
From generating funds:
Donations and legacies 3 - - - -
Charitable activities 3 - 34,561 34,561 25,325
Other income 3 - - - -
-
Total incoming resources 34,561 34,561 25,325
Resources expended
Charitable activities 4 3,896 31,558 35,454 28,563
Governance costs 4 720 - 720 660
Total resources expended 4,616 31,558 36,174 29,223
Net income/(expenditure) (4,616) 3,003 (1,613) (3,898)
Transfers between funds 10,11 23,005 (23,005) - -
Net movement in funds 18,389 (20,002) (1,613) (3,898)
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 17,970 49,833 67,803 71,701
Total funds carried forward 36,359 29,831 66,190 67,803
**----- End of picture text -----**
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses in the year and as a result a statement of recognised gains and losses has not been prepared.
All of the above amounts relate to continuing activities.
_page 4_
## **The Trust for Deaf Studies Balance Sheet Year Ended 31st March 2021**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2021 2020
Notes £ £
Current assets
Debtors and prepayments 6 - 526
Cash at bank and in hand 7 74,657 101,506
Net current assets 74,657 102,032
Creditors and accruals 8 8,467 34,229
Total assets less current liabilities 66,190 67,803
Funds of the Charity
Restricted income funds 9 29,831 49,833
Unrestricted income funds 10 36,359 17,970
Total funds 66,190 67,803
**----- End of picture text -----**
These financial statements were approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
.......................................................................... 30th September 2021 Trustee Date
_page 5_
**The Trust for Deaf Studies Notes to the Financial Statements Year Ended 31st March 2021**
## 1. **Basis of preparation**
These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and with the Charities Act 2011.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
## 2. **Accounting policies**
## **RECONCILIATION WITH PREVIOUS GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRACTICE**
The policies applied under the entity's previous accounting framework are not materially different to FRS 102 and have not impacted on funds of the Charity or financial activities.
## **INCOME**
## **Recognition of income**
These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when:
- the charity becomes entitled to the resources;
- it is more likely than not that the trustees will receive the resources; and
- the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
## **Offsetting**
There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses, unless required or permitted by the FRS 102 SORP or FRS 102.
## **Grants and donations**
Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the general income recognition criteria are met (5.10 to 5.12 FRS102 SORP).
## **Legacies**
Legacies are included in the SoFA when receipt is probable, that is, when there has been grant of probate, the executors have established that there are sufficient assets in the estate and any conditions attached to the legacy are either within the control of the charity or have been met.
## **Donated services and facilities**
Donated services and facilities are included in the SoFA when received at the value of the gift to the charity provided the value of the gift can be measured reliably.
## **Support costs**
The charity has incurred expenditure on support costs.
## **Volunteer help**
The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees’ annual report.
_page 6_
**The Trust for Deaf Studies Notes to the Financial Statements Year Ended 31st March 2021**
## 2. **EXPENDITURE AND LIABILITIES**
## **Liability recognition**
Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
## **Governance and support costs**
Support costs have been allocated between governance costs and other support. Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice.
Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, eg allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage.
## **Creditors**
The charity has creditors which are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts.
## **Provisions for liabilities**
A liability is measured on recognition at its historical cost and then subsequently measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date.
## **Value added tax**
Resources expended include attributable VAT which can not be recovered.
## **ASSETS**
## **Tangible fixed assets for use by charity**
These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year, and valued at cost.
## **Debtors**
Debtors (including trade debtors and loans receivable) are measured on initial recognition at settlement amount after any trade discounts or amount advanced by the charity. Subsequently, they are measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be received.
_page 7_
## **The Trust for Deaf Studies Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ **Year Ended 31st March 2021**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
3. Analysis of income Total Total
Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds
Funds Funds 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Donations and legacies
- - - -
Donations and gifts
- - - -
Charitable activities
Assessment & reports - - - 727
Grants receivable
- - - -
Family
Short Courses Medical Students - 18,000 18,000 19,800
-
Language Skills 1,261 1,261 3,777
Sports & Health - - - 124
Dementia Awareness - - - 306
BITS Deaf Awareness - (80) (80) 145
Future Bright - - - 446
- -
National Lottery Community Fund for DeafStation 15,380 15,380
-
34,561 34,561 25,325
Other income
Other income - - - -
- - - -
Total Income - 34,561 34,561 25,325
4. Analysis of expenditure
Expenditure on charitable activities
Staff costs - 24,815 24,815 9,594
Consultancy - 49 49 2,975
-
Rent, rates and service charges 2,679 2,679 1,795
Insurance 240 - 240 227
Motor and travel - 3,838 3,838 5,929
Room hire and course expenses 32 - 32 1,815
Accountancy 480 - 480 714
Telephone 143 - 143 422
Office expenses 1,169 - 1,169 261
-
Interpreting fees 2,009 2,009 4,488
Admin fees (847) 847 - -
Gifts and entertaining - - - 343
- - - -
Sundry
3,896 31,558 35,454 28,563
Governance and support costs
Independent Examiner's fees 720 - 720 660
720 - 720 660
Total Expenditure 4,616 31,558 36,174 29,223
**----- End of picture text -----**
_page 8_
## **The Trust for Deaf Studies Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ **Year Ended 31st March 2021**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
5. Paid employees 2021 2020
£ £
Staff costs
Wages and salaries and employers NIC 7,250 9,481
Subcontractors 17,565 113
24,815 9,594
No employees received employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) for the reporting
period of more than £60,000.
no. no.
Average number of employees in the year involved with:
Charitable Activities 1 1
6. Debtors and prepayments
BITS Deaf Awareness - 80
Future Bright - 446
- 526
7. Cash at bank and in hand
Bank of Scotland 74,657 101,506
8. Creditors and accruals
Family Project - 36
Short Courses Medical Students 3,239 -
Language Skills - 359
Sports & Health - 144
-
Bristol City Council 33,690
-
National Lottery Community Fund for DeafStation 5,228
8,467 34,229
9. Restricted income funds
Balance Incoming Outgoing Balance
01.04.20 resources resources Transfers 31.03.21
£ £ £ £ £
Family Project 141 - - - 141
Short Courses Medical Students 33,219 18,000 (8,450) (23,000) 19,769
-
Language Skills 17,062 1,261 (11,785) 6,538
- - -
Sports & Health (587) (587)
Dementia Awareness (187) - - - (187)
BITS Deaf Awareness 85 (80) - (5) -
Future Bright 100 - (50) - 50
- -
National Lottery Community Fund for 15,380 (11,273) 4,107
DeafStation
49,833 34,561 (31,558) (23,005) 29,831
Bank interest - -
34,561 (23,005)
10. Unrestricted income funds
General funds 17,970 - (4,616) 23,005 36,359
**----- End of picture text -----**
_page 9_
**The Trust for Deaf Studies Notes to the Financial Statements** _**(continued)**_ **Year Ended 31st March 2021**
## 11. **Transfers between funds**
Transfers between funds represent the movement of net resources in line with conditions relating to the respective grants received.
|12.|**Transactions with related parties**||**2021**|**2020**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**£**|**£**|
||Name of trustee or related party|Legal authority|||
||H Sutherland, Trustee||||
||Teaching, lecturing, consultancy and expenses|Trust Deed|-|245|
||M Gulliver, Trustee||||
||Teaching, lecturing, consultancy and expenses|Trust Deed|3,899|1,789|
||C Denmark, Trustee||||
||Teaching, lecturing, consultancy and expenses|Trust Deed|2,050|1,733|
||H A Pender, Trustee||||
||Teaching, lecturing, consultancy and expenses|Trust Deed|-|31|
||A Gibbs, Trustee||||
||Teaching, lecturing, consultancy and expenses|Trust Deed|-|-|
_page 10_