Annual Report
Charity registration number: 297667 Charity name: Abortion Talk
Period ending 30/09/2024
Our activities in 2023-24
Running the Talkline
This year, we continued to operate our confidential Talkline. Following a successful grant application made to the Fore (for £30,000 across two years), we were able to extend our opening hours from two days per week to four days. From 7pm - 10pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, we provided support for anyone who needs to talk about abortion. This could be because they’ve had an abortion, are thinking about having an abortion, know someone who has had an abortion or work in abortion care.
In August 2024, we also launched a callback service by updating the Talkline’s voicemail settings. This means that, if people call when the line is closed or busy, they can leave a message to request a call back during our opening hours. In September we introduced an option to request a call back via a webform.
This year, we were able to answer 127 calls (a slight decrease from the 164 calls we answered in 2022-23), providing a confidential space for callers to talk through their thoughts and feelings and reflect on their experiences. Of our callers:
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71 were seeking an abortion
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34 had experienced abortion
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3 had supported someone else through an abortion
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1 was a healthcare worker
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18 had other experiences.
We also started monitoring some demographic information about our callers. We now know that:
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11 of our callers were under 24 years old, 19 were 25 - 35, 38 were 35 - 50 and 2 were over 50 (with the rest of our callers choosing not to disclose)
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The majority of our callers were women and girls.
We also had hundreds of missed calls during this period. In the next year, we’re developing a web chat service, to make sure that we reach even more of the people who need us.
Developing workshops and connecting with providers
Our workshops are safe spaces for abortion and other healthcare providers, researchers and community activists and organisers to explore the rewards and challenges of their role. This includes the emotional aspects of their work and the possible impact of abortion-related stigma on their well-being.
In2024, we developed a new, one-day Abortion Fundamentals course. This training session is designed to give healthcare providers the knowledge and skills they will need to respond appropriately when they see a patient who wants or is considering an abortion. The session is designed for all healthcare providers, especially those who are not involved directly in abortion care. The content and methodology are designed to be delivered without judgement of individuals’ positions on abortion, including those who have a conscientious objection. The session aims to give healthcare providers confidence to know they can practise in a clinically, legally, professionally and ethically robust way when they see a patient who wants or is considering an abortion, or who is unsure how they feel about their pregnancy.
In 2023-24, we delivered 8 workshops (compared to 9 in 2022-23, 2 in 2021-22 and 3 in 202021). This included:
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Supporting patients in a non stigmatising way
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Talking about abortion: theatre staff
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Talking about abortion in further education
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Abortion care fundamentals for nurse and midwifery students
In collaboration with Doctors for Choice UK, we also delivered our first annual conference on the theme Abortion: decriminalise, destigmatise, demedicalise , with the aim of bringing together healthcare workers and community organisations to discuss topics related to abortion stigma.
The event included speakers from activist organisations and charities: the Reproductive Justice Initiative, Ad’iyah Reproductive Justice Collective, Sisters Uncut, Alliance for Choice, Safe Abortions for Everyone and Antenatal Results and Choices. Academics from University College London, the London School of Economics, the University of Bristol, the Open University, King’s College London and Ulster University also presented.
Improving our processes, governance and support for volunteers through an expanded network of contractors and new trustees
We recruited our first (contractor) Operations Manager, Susie Corfield. With a background in charity leadership, Susie has supported us to improve our processes, strengthen our governance and supported the development of our services. We also worked with other contractors, Jane Calvert (volunteer support), Kim Newman (talkline coordination) and Kate Austen (workshop development).
In addition, several of our trustees indicated they would be stepping down at the end of their term. This led us to conduct an audit of trustees’ skills and experience, ahead of recruitment in 2024-25. This will ensure that we have the financial, volunteer management and business development skills in order to expand our services in the future.
Fundraising
This year we received £20513 from the Open University to further develop our workshops, building on the £19800 we received in 2022-23.
We received a £20000 unrestricted grant from The Fore (with a further £10000 pledged for next year) to develop our infrastructure and Talkline services.
Independent Abortion Providers supported us with sponsorship worth £15100.
The rest of our income was made up of workshop sales (£12600) and individual donations/merchandise purchases (£4800).
This represents a greater spread of income types which we will further diversify in 2024-2025.
| Abortion Talk | Abortion Talk | Abortion Talk | Abortion Talk | Abortion Talk | 297667 | 297667 | CC16a | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts and payments accounts | |||||||||
| For the period from |
01 October 2023 | To | 30 September 2024 | ||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments |
|||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||
| to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||
| Donations - Individualgiving | 4,675 | - | - | 4,675 | 4,617 | ||||
| Grants | 20,613 | 19,600 | - | 40,213 | 19,800 | ||||
| Sponsorshipandpartnerships | 15,100 | - | - | 15,100 | 5,650 | ||||
| Merchandise sales | 76 | - | - | 76 | 732 | ||||
| Workshopsales | 10,532 | - | - | 10,532 | 3,985 | ||||
| Other | 90 | - | - | 90 | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 51,086 | 19,600 | - | 70,686 | 34,784 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts | 51,086 | 19,600 | - | 70,686 | 34,784 | ||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||
| Wages | 23,257 | 11,524 | - | 34,781 | 14,320 | ||||
| Advertising and marketing | 469 | - | - | 469 | 389 | ||||
| Accommodation | - | 830 | - | 830 | 3,738 | ||||
| Audit and accountancy | 300 | - | - | 300 | 504 | ||||
| Direct costs of fundraising | 74 | - | - | 74 | 58 | ||||
| Office accommodation | 168 | - | - | 168 | - | ||||
| Insurance | 339 | - | - | 339 | - | ||||
| IT software and consumables | 187 | - | - | 187 | 180 | ||||
| Merchandise for re-sale | 360 | - | - | 360 | 467 | ||||
| Training and development | 494 | - | - | 494 | |||||
| Telephone and internet | 207 | - | - | 207 | 174 | ||||
| Travel costs | - | 2,908 | - | 2,908 | 3,737 | ||||
| Venue hire | - | 4,338 | - | 4,338 | 3,244 | ||||
| Sub total | 25,855 | 19,600 | - | 45,455 | 26,811 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment |
| purchases,(see table) | purchases,(see table) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Totalpayments | 25,855 | 19,600 | - | 45,455 | 26,811 | ||||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | 25,231 | - | - | 25,231 | 7,973 | ||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| A6 Cash funds lastyear end | 20,248 | - | - | 20,248 | 12,273 | ||||||
| Cash funds thisyear end | 45,479 | - | - | 45,479 | 20,248 | ||||||
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of theperiod |
|||||||||||
| Categories | Details | Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment |
| funds | funds | funds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||
| B1 Cash funds | Cash - Coop Bank account | 30,116 | - | - | |||
| Cash - Wise Bank Account | 15,263 | - | - | ||||
| Cash - Paypal account | 100 | - | - | ||||
| Total cash funds | 45,479 | - | - | ||||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
OK | OK | OK | ||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
|||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||
| - | - |
| B3 Investment assets | - | - | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
- | - | |||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| Details | Fund to which liability relates |
Amount due (optional) |
When due (optional) |
| B5 Liabilities | - | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Print Name | Date of approval |
||||||
| Laura Russell | 6 May 2025 | ||||||||
Abortion Talk
Independent Examiner's Report to the Members of Abortion Talk
Year Ended 30 September 2024
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30 September 2024.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under charity law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act;
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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
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner's Report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 you as 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:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 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.
Jane Ascroft FCA MA (Cantab) Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) and Independent examiner
Enterprise House Harmire Enterprise Park Barnard Castle County Durham DL12 8XP
12[th] May 2025