OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2024-03-31-accounts

The Bridge Project

Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements

31st March 2024

35 Salem Street Bradford West Yorkshire BD1 4QH

Registered Charity No. 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No. 01946704

Contents

Our Vision, Objects, Mission, and Values 2
Our Recovery Statement 3
Trustees’ Annual Report 4
Review of Activities and Performance 4
-
Drug Treatment and Recovery Services		 5
-
Navigation Services		 9
-
Housing Services		 27
-
Communities, Early Intervention and Prevention		 29
Plans for the Future 37
Financial Review 40
Governance, Trustees and Stakeholders 42
Organisational Policies 44
Statement of Trustees Responsibilities 46
Independent Auditor’s Report 47
Statement of Financial Activities 51
Balance Sheet 52
Statement of Cash Flows 53
Notes to the Financial Statements 54 - 67

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

1

Our Vision

A place where everyone can achieve a fulfilling life.

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower people experiencing multiple barriers to achieve positive change.

Our Objects

To relieve sickness, poverty and promote social inclusion through the provision of treatment, care, rehabilitation, education and training services, social housing, and housing support, to persons or members of their families who:

Our Values

Bridge is a value driven organisation. These strong values are at the heart of all we do as we believe in people’s ability to change and their right to high quality services:

Integrity Always doing the right thing.
Compassion Not judging the people who use our services, responding to them with
kindness and understanding.
Empowerment Enabling people to achieve their full potential.
Equitable Respecting each person’s uniqueness and treating them fairly.
Ambition Striving for excellence.
Sustainable Ensuring we are in for the long haul.
Boldness Willingness to take calculated risks and having courage to face challenges

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

2

Our Recovery Statement

Recovery is the common outcome all Bridge services aim to achieve. Recovery is a journey of transformation enabling a person to live a meaningful life in a community of their choice while striving to achieve their full potential.

Bridge will use the following core principles to build resilience and facilitate recovery:

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

3

Review of Activities and Performance

2023/24 has been another turbulent year, marked by political and economic instability, and a continued costof-living crisis that has had the most impact on vulnerable communities. The health and social care sector has been particularly affected, and we see organisations struggling to fill vacancies, handing back contracts, and being forced to make difficult moral and ethical decisions about the future delivery of services.

We have not been immune to these issues, but we have seen our organisation grow, with innovative new services coming to fruition. Our increasing social impact goes beyond the immediate service outcomes we are commissioned to deliver, benefiting our communities and society.

The achievements outlined in this report have been achieved through the passion, hard work and commitment shown by our workforce. We are a charity shaped by our staff who embody our values and vision, empowering the people we support to live the lives they aspire to lead.

You will see many examples in this report of how ‘A Way Forward’ is more than just a strapline – it encapsulates the resilience and spirit of the Bridge Project, no matter how tough the challenges may be, we find a way to achieve positive outcomes.

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

4

Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Services

New Vision Bradford Partnership

In April 2023, Bridge, in collaboration with three local partner charities—Project 6, Create Strength Group, and Waythrough (previously known as HumanKind)—launched an innovative partnership called New Vision Bradford (NVB). This initiative has transformed drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services for adults (18+) across the Bradford District. By combining resources, NVB provides a comprehensive, locally informed service across 17 locations. Over the past year, Bridge has supported approximately 2,500 individuals through one-to-one support, group therapy, health checks, and substitute medication. With a dedicated team of 47 staff members across five teams, New Vision Bradford offers empathetic and knowledgeable support to individuals at every stage of their recovery journey.

  1. Treatment Team – includes a Team Leader and 12 Recovery Co-ordinators who provide comprehensive support from the initial point of entry through the entire treatment and recovery journey. They offer full clinical support and holistic recovery care planning for individuals struggling with class A drugs and alcohol. Most individuals in the service are prescribed opiate substitutes. Each recovery worker manages up to 75 clients aged 21+ years, with visits every six weeks or as needed. Clients aged <21 years, using opiates, are referred to the One80 Bridge service. The team collaborate closely with GPs, social workers, and hospitals. Treatment plans are reviewed every 12 weeks and data is recorded using NHS SystemOne.

  2. Early Intervention Team – includes a Team Leader who manages:

  3. a. Seven Early Intervention Recovery Coordinators located within GP practices. They offer 12 structured intervention sessions to individuals concerned about their use of non-opiate substances or alcohol.

  4. b. Three Addiction to Medicines Recovery Workers collaborate with eight GP centres to support individuals who have become dependent on prescribed opiate-based painkillers.

  5. Recovery & Aftercare Team – includes a Team Leader, a Building Recovery in Communities (BRIC) Coordinator, a Care Worker, a Volunteer Coordinator and two Group Workers. This team makes use of a new dedicated Recovery Centre called Flourish located on North Parade for people moving towards sustained recovery and community reintegration. Bridge’s vibrant volunteer programme offers a pathway for people recovering from substance use and other challenges to develop and utilize their skills, knowledge, and experience in support of their community. It also supports people with experiences as concerned others.

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

5

This year the volunteer programme supported 30 volunteers to:

Bridge provided volunteer placements to 45 volunteers which: 

  - Brought fresh insight through lived experiences with drug and alcohol and wider skills to Bridge

  - Totalled 9,529 hours, amounting to £99,292 ‘worth’ of time based on the living wage calculation.

  - Created employment opportunities within the district - 40% of volunteers (18 people) achieved full-time (10 people) or part-time ((8) paid employment with Bridge, New Vision Bradford, and other health/social care related organizations.

  1. Rough Sleeper Team – includes a Team Leader and eight Recovery Coordinators who operate an outreach model responding to referrals regarding risk to rough sleeping from the police, hospitals, the HOP, probation and self-referrals. Recovery coordinators connect with individuals rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping with substance use concerns and other unmet needs, which may include mental or physical health, relationships, finances or criminal justice involvement.

  2. New Vision Supported Housing - This is a Bridge-managed housing programme, delivered in collaboration with Project 6 and Waythrough. The team includes a Deputy Director of Supported Housing, a Senior and four Floating Support Workers, one Housing Administrator and two Housing Recovery Support Workers. Together they support housing and recovery tenancy support for people receiving treatment with NVB. Data for the year up to 31[st] March indicates they have :

  3. Reviewed 224 referrals for housing and recovery support where NVB beneficiaries were at risk of losing their tenancy and/or experiencing acute issues managing their tenancy or need to be reallocated due to property’s unsuitable conditions.

  4. Provided floating support to 115 people, where 91 (79%) of the tenancy support was provided by Bridge. Referred 109 individuals who did not meet the NVB criteria to alternative services.

  5. Just initiated the process for our first tenant from the NVB to be accommodated by a Bridge Recovery Homes (page 27) property.

  6. Successfully assisted 25 out of 31 participants in completing the program and moving forward positively.

  7. The service continues to support 60 people as of 31st March 2024.

  8. Person centred support ranging from 6 to 334 days, with an average of 142 days per person

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

6

Bradford’s Young Person’s Drug and Alcohol Services

Bradford Council commissions Bridge to provide a personalised confidential drug and alcohol support outreach service for young people aged 21 and under who live in Bradford District and are concerned about their use of substances including alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, club drugs, opiates, crack and laughing gas.

In Bradford, hospital admissions for alcohol have declined over time but remain higher for young women than men. Conversely hospital admissions for drugs are increasing over time and is above the average in England. Child in need assessments reveal the same trend[1] , with child misuse of alcohol below national average and drug misuse above national.

Our 4 Recovery Practitioners guide young individuals to i) jointly recognize their drugs and alcohol challenges, and ii) create a personalized care strategy that builds upon their unique strengths and capabilities. Depending on their level of need and engagement our workers offer two pathways:

  1. A brief intervention care package and

  2. a high intense structured treatment package

Overall, 66% of young people complete their treatment pathway.

Working with Partners

The One80 team works in close partnership with the young person, and anyone involved in their life including complementary services that support a young person’s unmet needs. This may include different groups depending on the treatment pathway.

  1. During the brief intervention care package, interventions are aimed at strengthening young people’s knowledge and resilience and families are supported to engage, and referrals agreed where indicated for wider support needs.

  2. During the structured treatment pathway, an integrated co-designed care plan is aimed at identifying integrated multi-agency work, bringing in services such as children’s social care workers, schools, youth offending team, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), and other professionals to address substance use but the wider risks.

1 Public health, Bradford - Young Person Alcohol & Drug Needs Assessment & Service Review Dec 2023 The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

7

Successes

This service was re-tendered for in June 2024, and Bridge were successful in retaining the service from October 2024, with a new contract for at least five years. We will also seek to increase representation of young people from global majority populations, given high proportion of young people in Bradford describing themselves as Pakistani (16%) compared to nationally (1%).

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

8

Navigation Services

Overview

Over five years, Bridge has led the design and implementation of evidenced based navigator led services to positively engage and support vulnerable people living with multiple complex disadvantages in West Yorkshire.

The navigator model involves a dedicated worker who acts as a ‘navigator’ relating, connecting and accompanying people to appropriate services such as housing, healthcare, employment, or education, and provides ongoing support to identify their needs and create a plan to achieve those goals.

Evidence in support of the navigator model was produced by Sheffield University in 2020[2] . It is now accepted by Bradford Council to be an effective evidenced-based means of engaging and supporting vulnerable people where traditional approaches have failed to make positive change in people’s lives.

Bridge is commissioned to deliver a range of services using this model, expanding the reach and quality of support available to people in Bradford.

The Navigator Model

The navigation model refers to a client-centred approach that has been extremely effective in engaging and supporting people disenfranchised from any form of active help seeking. Regrettably such people have cycled ineffectually through multiple systems and processes, commencing in their early years and into their adulthood though services and repeated traumatic episodes, resulting in any combination of homelessness, addiction, offending, mental and physical ill health, and financial and social isolation

This group of people appears on many lists:

  1. During childhood – such as child in need/ child protection plans, looked after lists and youth offending, CAMHS and school exclusions.

  2. During adult years – such as non-attendance lists in GP and secondary care and treatment services, service exclusions lists/ special care plan lists, in custody suites, first response call lists, prisons, in homeless shelters, rough sleeping counts, complex housing needs panel meetings, sex working, in child protection cases as parents and Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) case lists to name a few.

Bridge continues to evidence that the navigation works with this group of people. The model is 100% outreach, most people will have no phone, we write no letters, we just show up and engage.

2 West-Yorkshire Finding Independence (WY-FI): Effectiveness, outcomes and impact - Final evaluation report 2020 | Sheffield Hallam University (shu.ac.uk) The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

9

To be effective, the model is operationalised with caseloads of around 10 per full time workers enabling due focus and flexibility to build confidence and trust by levering and advocating for peoples’ unmet need, taking individuals to appointments, holding multi-agency meetings and co-ordinating and recording all the moving parts of a plan in one single place.

This navigation model is designed to addressing the root causes of issues that may affect their ability to maintain tenancies or access other essential services. This increases empowerment, independence and selfsufficiency amongst beneficiaries of our services. Bridge’s application of the Navigator model follows 5 distinct stages of delivery ranging from referral, pre-navigation, full navigation, developing independence, and planned programme exit.

The following section details the 7 services where Bridge delivers a navigator-led service. For each service we provide i) an overview of the services, ii) our partnership working with multi-agencies to aid case conferencing and improve co-ordination of service delivery, and iii) our successes. The quotes in this report are paraphrased to accurately reflect the original sentiments. All names have been changed to protect identities.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

10

Table 1 - Bridge leads several navigational services summarised below.

Project/Service Client cohort

Adults with complex disadvantages and multiple needs People engaged, or at risk of engaging in sex work Referrals from the Police Integrated Offender Management Team who manage high/ medium risk perpetrators of domestic abuse Referrals are for victims and/or perpetrators of domestic abuse presented at MARAC more than once in the previous 6 months and who have declined previous supports from any agency. People on probation with significant reoffending risks who have not benefited from previous probation orders Referrals from Bradford Children and Families Trust for substance involved parents who are pregnant/ parenting children who may be subject to care proceedings People referred from the Bradford Council led Complex Needs Panel who have multiple needs and vulnerabilities and where no viable housing solution has been secured

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

11

Multiple Needs Navigator Service

Our Multiple Needs Navigator Service uses the navigator model to ensure that people experiencing multiple disadvantages have the opportunity of a settled home, positive health and well-being, access to education and employment and trust in a positive future. People who experience at least 3 of the 5 HARM criteria of homelessness, problematic substance misuse, reoffending behaviour, poor mental health and poor physical health. Navigators provide intensive individualised support to service users including co-design of care needs, advocacy with statutory and voluntary sector agencies to ensure service user access to treatment and support, long term support based on ongoing needs.

Working with Partners

The Multiple Needs Navigator Service is overseen and co-ordinated through a multi-agency review board (MARB). Our partnership working has further strengthened this year:

Successes

Our navigators helped improve the health and wellbeing of participants, including improved accommodation situation. No participants declined the program, feeling that navigator led service would be of value to them. Participants remained with the service between 4 and 30 months depending on their unmet needs. During engagement the service supported 24 people who entered full navigation support (plus 3 preparing to enter full navigation). In addition, our navigators positively discharged 10 out of 12 participants from the service to move forward positively.

Participants:

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

12

Joseph

“Hi just want to say thank you for helping me get out of the situation I

was in, I’m over a year clean now and genuinely couldn’t have done it

without you .”

Navigator

We’ve worked with J for 3 years. J is a registered sex offender. J lived in a bedsit with no electric or gas, and was dependent on methadone, heroin and cocaine. Now J is anti-psychotic, been drug free for 12 months, engages with the public protection unit, and has a better home and a bank account to manage his property.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

13

The Lotus Project

The Lotus Project team respond to the multiple unmet needs and vulnerabilities of commercial sex workers across the Bradford district. Comprising a senior case worker, 6 liaison case workers and 2 specialist Independent Domestic and Sexual Violence Advisors (IDVA & IDSA) the team responds to the high level of violence, coercion, control, and sexual assaults in Bradford. The Lotus team are community based and conduct evening street outreach sessions to offer care and engagement.

Working with Partners

Bridge chairs a Multi-Agency Safeguarding of Sex workers (MASS) meeting which is held each month with partners from both voluntary and statutory agencies spanning Police, NPS, CRC, Bevan Healthcare, Bradford District Care Trust, housing, and substance misuse to discuss and plan for the management of highest risk cases. This year our partnership with Bevan Healthcare Psychotherapist has brought therapeutic oversite and direct intervention to support sex workers mental health needs. We remain committed to championing mental health services for sex workers who are substance users and face challenges in accessing integrated care pathways.

Successes

The Lotus Project team is proud of the support they’ve given to almost 100 highly vulnerable people this year.

Highlights include:

Supportive measures such as treatment programs, regular health screenings, consistent street outreach, and the provision of secure housing have collectively decreased the reliance on emergency services which are often sought in response to the dangers of drug use and drug overdose, and incidents of sexual violence.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

14

“We supported 36-year-old T who used large amounts of heroin

and crack every day. T lived in poor housing with a coercive partner and was forced into sex work to fund their drug addiction.

T developed some suicidal ideations.

We helped T get placed in one of our Bridge Recovery Homes where T felt able to engage with treatment providers and remain on a script with an agreed safe reduction dose.

T reduced their methadone to 7mls and is no longer sex working. T volunteers, has reconnected with their children and has enrolled on a health and social care course.”

Lotus Project Navigator

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

15

Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Pilot

This year Bridge trialled a new approach to reduce domestic abuse, known as the ‘Perpetrator Pilot’ which started in October 2022 and currently runs to 31[st] March 2025.

The pilot involved partnership between Bridge and the Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Police team. Perpetrators of any gender involved in low to medium risk domestic abuse and domestic violence were offered early intervention and prevention support. Our skilled navigator builds relationships with perpetrators of domestic violence to co-design interventions that help reshape lives and sustain positive change. Perpetrators’ needs related to unmet housing needs, unmet mental health need, and unmet substance treatment need. Supporting these unmet needs had a positive impact on perpetrators and a huge impact on victim safety.

Working with Partners

Bridge works closely with the Police’s domestic abuse unit. The perpetrator pilot has helped police adopt a more balanced approach, emphasizing support alongside enforcement. In particular:

Successes

We demonstrated how support services that focus on the needs of perpetrators significantly reduces reoffending and escalation to MARAC. Bridge is proud of the positive difference this pilot has made. Highlights this year include:

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

16

----- Start of picture text -----
Lyra
“Client was on police bail for a domestic incident
with her mother when she was referred to the
Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Service. We helped
her find new housing, community mental health
support, resolved her benefits situation to gain debt
management and housing support. There were no
further domestic incidents during or after the service
and the client is now settled.”
Domestic Abuse Perpetrator pilot Navigators
----- End of picture text -----

Bob

“Client was referred to the service after domestic incidents linked to the

client wanting money for alcohol from his mother. We spent time

helping the client get help with his alcohol issues and rebuilding his life

after the loss of his father. The client eventually became alcohol free

and has rebuilt his life with his family.”

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

17

Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Navigator Service

MARAC Navigators provide intensive one-to-one support for victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse to mitigate risks and make positive changes. Bridge utilises 5 navigators for this service. Both the victim and the perpetrator in the relationship have their own Navigator to i) address issues that contribute to high-risk incidents of abuse and i) develop wrap around support networks to facilitate and sustain recovery.

Working with Partners

Referrals are made directly from the Bradford District MARAC meetings (where cases feature repeated highrisk domestic abuse and previous engagement strategies have been unsuccessful). Our Navigators then provide intensive one-to-one support for both victims and/or perpetrators of domestic abuse working alongside the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Team within Bradford Council.

Successes

The service supported 49 people this year, comprising people (75% female, 25% male) across most age groups and ethnicities (predominantly White British).

Individuals receiving navigator support:

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

18

Victims Quote

“Since working with you I now have a safe and secure home to call my own. To me it’s not only a home but a sense of belonging. My finances have all been sorted thanks to you and the cooker you got me is perfect. Me and my partner are stable. I know we have a long way to go but it just feels safer knowing that we have real support from you. I don’t feel frightened or lost. I feel I have a happy future.”

Perpetrators Quote

“When we first got moved to Bradford, we were completely lost and had no support structure. This was causing us to argue more, and our relationship was starting to become strained. When the navigators came to offer us support it couldn’t have come at a better time. My medical needs are met and most important of all, we each have our own navigator helping us rebuild our relationship together for which we will be eternally grateful.”

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

19

IDVA/ISVA

This year Bridge has embedded two specialist roles: the IDVA (funded through Ministry of Justice funding) and the ISVA (through Council funding) across Bridge’s services to support justice and care. Both roles have become increasingly vital to our work across i) The Lotus project, ii) Domestic Abuse Perpetrator pilot and iii) the MARAC (for victims and perpetrator) Navigation Service.

  1. Our Independent Domestic Violence Advisor has provided support to people who have experienced domestic abuse to ensure their safety and help them to rebuild their lives.

  2. Our Independent Sexual Violence Advisor has provided support and professional help to people who have experienced sexual violence, irrespective of whether they have reported to the police.

Both IDVAs and ISVAs help victims navigate the criminal justice process, and work with different statutory agencies to provide trauma informed wrap around support to help them rebuild their lives and begin to heal.

Successes

There were 38 open and active individuals in this reporting period

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

20

MARRS

The Multi-Agency Reducing Re-Offending Service (MARRS) was commissioned by The Probation Service. This year our navigator, with the support of a peer mentor (non-case holder) had capacity to support 15 people on a probation licence with a range of unmet needs, a history of reoffending, and short-term sentences. With a waiting list of a further 16 people. The demand for this service, addressing homelessness, finance management, access to health services, appointment attendance, substance use and past traumas, outstretches the current resource capacity. Bridge hope seek additional funding to develop and expand this service.

Working with Partners

The MARRS panel was established as the forum where referred cases (from Probation) are discussed, progress is monitored, and agreements reached for case-closure or referral-on routes and discuss case outcomes. The panel is attended by multiple stakeholders including the Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Police team leadership. We’ve grown the panel membership this year, to include Bradford Council’s housing providers and the Community Mental Health Integrated Outreach Team. This has helped coordinate client intelligence.

Successes

The service received huge support from the MARRS panel for its positive impact on the lives of people it supports. Over the year, the service:

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

21

Jim

“You’re expected to able to rebuild your life out of thin air.

I couldn’t have done this on my own. It [MARRS] provided

a safety net that was needed until I got myself on my feet

again. I’m in a good place now”.

Molly

“It feels like I'm going to get my life back together again, my mum says I don't look down as much. You’re a Godsend.”

MARRS Panel Member

“The navigator model has built meaningful connections between service providers and service users. It’s invaluable. I am a great believer in this service. I would

like to see it develop.”

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

22

Family Navigators

Our Family Navigator pilot started in July 2023. During the last 8 months the referral processes from Bradford Children and Families Trust (BCFT) have been established and data to date shows positive progress. Working from the Family Centres, our navigators offer support to individuals and couples who are pregnant or have children and typically use drugs and or alcohol, and simultaneously experience poor physical and or mental health, domestic abuse, chronic housing problems, exploitation, financial difficulties and criminal justice involvement.

Working with Partners

The Family Navigator Pilot has created referral pathways from lead social workers, the pre-birth tracking panel and supporting services such as Little Minds Matter. The interagency referral processes are now embedded and positive relationships and outcomes to date have increased the perceived value of the service. The pilot has been extended to the end of December 2024 and continues to support families on caseload, but demand currently outweighs capacity.

Successes

Since the start of the service in July 2023, Family Navigators have:

In some cases, where it was considered safe to do so, children were returned home with joint packages of care and supervision in place.

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

23

Parent “You have supported me in getting out of the maternal family home and supported me to get to appointments that I would have struggled to make. I will miss [the navigators] as they have supported our family to get where we are now so thank you.”

Partnership “They have established and maintained close and consistent relationships with parents and are able to bring their stories and experience to LMM consultations bringing a depth and detail to our understanding of families.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

24

Housing First

Housing First is an internationally evidenced intervention, which has proven success in supporting adults with multiple needs and vulnerabilities to maintain housing. The main premise is that an individual should not need to prove they are ready for housing and is instead given a permanent offer of their own home. Bridge’s five full-time navigators deliver intensive long-term support packages to individuals that help them maintain their tenancy. The service combines the Housing First model plus elements of the Bridge Navigation model to provide a vital service for Bradford.

Working with Partners

The Housing First service is a partnership between, The Bridge Project and Bradford Council in collaboration with multiple registered social and private landlords. People are referred to the programme through the Complex Housing Needs panel. Commissioned housing services, private landlords, and professionals representing individuals with a housing need meet monthly to broker housing solutions for the people referred. We also have one navigator embedded within the Homeless Outreach Partnership (comprising a specialist mental health nurse, a housing options officer and a substance misuse worker) to tackle the complex issues of rough sleeping.

Successes

This year the service has made huge impact to the 27 people on ‘full navigation’. Including the following highlights:

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

25

Dan

“If you need that support, go for it as they are so much better than any other team. I usually struggle to get on with workers. They are everything all in one – support workers, drug workers, counsellors”

Navigator

“Dan grew up in different care homes which was difficult and lead to a life on the street for 30 years. For the last 2 years Dan has retained a housing tenancy through HF and receives support for alcohol dependency and mental health needs. It’s great to see Dan engaging in the day centre and now volunteering in the community”

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

26

Housing Provision

Bridge Recovery Homes

Bridge has now expanded its program of intensive housing support to more people across multiple services, proving our commitment to provide stable living environment for adults from inclusion groups in need of integrated non-housing and housing support.

The Bridge Recovery Homes project now provides access to suitable housing for:

maintain their existing tenancies, but also support individuals in need of accommodation.

In both cohorts, Bridge provides a Housing Support Officer who builds a Tenancy Sustainment Plan covering budgeting, maintaining a home, repairs, social connectivity and accessing a range of resources. In this way people receive a coordinated package of care and support which maximises their chances of making and maintaining positive change in their lives.

Working with Partners

Bridge’s Recovery Homes project is developing as a critical element of the overarching support package that

we can offer people. Our portfolio of properties is growing in response to this need. Over the year Bridge developed relationships with select property management companies with multiple housing portfolio. Partnerships with private landlords and NVB have helped Bridge identify the housing needs of, and accommodate, more people.

Successes

Relationships with private landlords has helped Bridge adopt and manage 19 single occupancy properties through a rent and repair lease. Bridge also owns 3 properties. Collectively, Bridge Recovery Homes covers a portfolio of 22 single occupancies. The model involves an allocation of housing options via a people centred, choice-based, referral allocation system. Our properties have been allocated to:

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

27

Bridge has worked hard to define its model, develop its systems and processes in preparation for SHIP accredited exam to further improve our service offer. [Bridge passed this exam in August 2024.]

Barry

"I can't believe you have thought of everything I need. Even little things like tea towels and a tin opener. I was so worried about moving in with nothing but you have instantly taken that worry away and I can't thank you enough."

Shaz

"I were dreading moving out during the repair work, worrying my furniture would get damaged. But you protected my stuff while I wasn't here. It shows you are a good landlord how you have taken care of my things.”

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

28

Communities, Early Intervention and Prevention

Affinity Care Community Partnership

Bridge employed and supervised a Community Health & Wellbeing Co-ordinator for the Affinity Care Community Partnership. The post-holder worked closely with partnership leaders on the identification of local health and wellbeing needs and promoting health/wellbeing interventions.

Working with Partners

Meetings with key stakeholders were set up to develop relationships, share intelligence, and identify collaborations. This comprised collaboration with local area ward officers, local VCSE organisations, ACCP partners, and support infrastructure organisations such as CABAD. This resulted in a network of stakeholders supporting others to design and deliver improved local health and wellbeing.

Successes

The startup phase achieved successes in four areas:

Bingley Bubble Community Partnership

Bridge employ and supervise the Community Health & Wellbeing Co-ordinator and Project Manager for Bingley Bubble Community Partnership. They work across the footprint of the Primary Care Network covering GP practice sites including Baildon Medical Centre, Bingley Medical Practice, Oakglen Surgery, Springfield Surgery, Wilsden Medical Practice.

The Co-ordinator, employed by Bridge and funded by the Community Partnership, worked closely with the senior leadership team to map local health resources and develop a range of interventions and activities that promote self-care, healthy lifestyles and improved mental and physical health for people across the partnership.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

29

Successes

Bingley Bubble offered small grant funding, up to £2000 per organisations, funding 11 projects in total during 2023/2024 financial year.

Bingley Bubble applied for Core 20+ 5 Reducing Inequalities funding, to support the development of 3 projects for 2023/2024:

  1. Bingley Bubble Wellbeing Hub – Following expressions of interest sent via the VCS to all providers within the Bradford Wellbeing Network, The Bridge Project was selected to be the Hub provider. The hub is based at Canalside Medical Centre – Wednesdays & Thursdays. Specialist onsite services include Carers Resource, The Bridge Project & Windhill Advice Centre. Specialist services were chosen due to the community partnerships demographic.

  2. Social Prescribing Plus – Our Bingley Bubble Co-ordinator supported Engaging Communities to deliver the Social Prescribing Plus contract through the BBCP GP Surgeries. Patients who were identified as needing extra support by social prescribers were referred the Social Prescribing Plus Co-ordinator (The Bingley Bubble Coordinator was seconded part time to this role) who matched patients with a support volunteer.

  3. Children & Young People service – Our Bingley Bubble Co-ordinator coordinated expression of interest for a local organisation to support emotional resilience amongst primary aged school children. Step2 were appointed.

Co-ordinator

“A client wanted to attend a local community group but was too nervous to go on their own. Our volunteer met the client at home. Together they walked to the group, stayed & participated in the activity, then walked them home.”

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

30

City Wellbeing Hub

The City Wellbeing Hub ran for its second year, providing a one-stop shop providing holistic assessment and direct support and signposting to people for a range of wellbeing needs, including benefits and welfare, carers’ support, debt, domestic abuse, mental health, and substance misuse.

Working with Partners

The City Wellbeing Hub is one of six hubs providing provided specialist substance misuse in-reach support to deprived localities and forms part of the Bradford District & Craven Wellbeing Network (WBN); a partnership between the NHS and the voluntary sector. Following on from the success of the WBN, several community groups contacted the VCS alliance to discuss the possibility of a Hub for their community. From these conversations some smaller hubs, known as associate (mini) Hubs were developed. One of these is the Great Horton Mini Hub. The other is Bingley Bubble Mini Hub. Both are discussed below.

Successes

City Wellbeing Hub has:

During the year, the City Wellbeing Hub supported 538 individuals and made 1,296 interventions classed as i) onward referrals to commissioned and ii) non-commissioned partners, iii) signposting to other community resources, and iv) in-house wellbeing support. These interventions predominantly addressed loneliness and isolation (301), support with benefits (260) and mental wellbeing (221). Other support needs, in decreasing order of need, related to debt concerns, housing needs, substance use, welfare, bereavement, physical health support, employment support, carers’ support, domestic abuse, family wellbeing support, cost of living, civil matters, food banks, gender identify support, asylum support, legal advice, concerned other, volunteering, and long-term illness, disability and pain.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

31

Great Horton Mini Hub

Bridge was awarded the contract to develop and implement this new project in partnership with local providers. The new Hub is located at Great Horton Community Hub and Library started in February 2024 running every Tuesday from 9:00am -5:00pm.

Working with Partners

As with the larger hubs from the network, partners deliver specific support on benefits, finance, substance use, caring responsibilities and support for refugees.

Successes

From In February and March 2024:

Bingley Bubble Mini Hub

As with Great Horton we developed and implemented a mini hub for the Bingley Bubble Community Partnership based at Canalside Health Centre in Bingley. The service opened in November 2023 and is open two days per week (Wednesdays & Thursdays, 9am -5pm).

Working with Partners

This Hub is delivered by three delivery providers (Windhill Advice Centre, Carers’ Resource, and Bridge), all of whom have presence at the Hub for at least half a day per week and can help with a range of issues including benefits/welfare, carers’ support , and substance misuse support. Working from the same location as our social prescribing colleague has been beneficial in enabling us to collaborate more effectively and subsequently improve the experience of our beneficiaries.

3 M ost deprived 20% of the national population.

4 PLUS population groups include ethnic minority communities; inclusion health groups; people with a learning disability and autistic people; coastal communities with pockets of deprivation hidden amongst relative affluence; people with multi-morbidities; and protected characteristic groups; amongst others. Specific consideration should be taken for the inclusion of young carers, looked after children/care leavers and those in contact with the justice system. The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

32

Successes

Between November 2023 and March 2024:

Befriending

The Befriending service, known also as Together Talks, was refunded through an underspend and monies from the Wellbeing Network enabling the program to restart in early February 2024. Policies and procedures were set up to cover a code of conduct, confidentiality, safeguarding, declarations, and best practice. An online video was created to recruit volunteers who understood and could relate to Bradford, its people and culture. Volunteers for the role of befriender were recruited across five online domains; social media, Indeed, Be Collective, Do It, and University Departments. The program received 44 applications in the first month. All applicants received an interview. To date 14 have completed training and successful DBS checks enabling befriending support.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

33

Befriender

Befriendee

“My training fitted around my family commitments. Doing this has given me confidence. It felt very professional. I use my language skills for the greater good, and feel it boosts me because I hope to return to the workforce next year”

“After a few weeks I have started to open about my past. My befriender doesn’t rush me. I’m so glad to have support during those dark days!”

SkillsHouse

The SkillsHouse partnership is a collaboration of organisations across the Bradford District that work with young people and adults, supporting them into work and training, and helping them to overcome a wide range of barriers they might have to reaching their potential. The service helps connect out-of-work residents to jobs and training. Bridge employs two full-time experienced employment advisers who provide free, impartial information, advice and guidance helping Bradford residents into employment and training. The support provided by SkillsHouse include:

Partnership working

SkillsHouse staff promoted the service at community events and jobs fairs to increase the service’s presence amongst communities and service providers. This helped establish links with social prescribers, community services, charitable organisations and the Jobcentre Plus. Staff increased their reach across BD1, BD3, BD7 BD8, BD9 within 6 charitable organisations and community settings, bringing the service geographically closer to people. Connections with Bradford Council and Incommunities coordinators, Bradford University, Shipley College, Bradford College, Brathey, and Karmand Community Centre

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

34

continue, bridging the service with people who need support. People accessing SkillsHouse were seeking employment whilst navigating language barriers, medical conditions, and other barriers, and they require prolonged support to help them achieve.

Successes

Susie

“My job was affecting my mental health. SkillsHouse really helped me – they connected me with professionals to help my mental health, and through job fairs and lots of supportive feedback to my CV and applications I got a new role. What a difference this has made to me. I am extremely grateful.”

Liaison and Diversion

Liaison & Diversion (L&D) is a multi-agency service, led by Wakefield Council, running across West Yorkshire, working with all ages who have become involved in the criminal justice system with the aim of diverting individuals away from crime and into health, social care, or other support organisations. L&D continues to thrive, over the last part of the year they launched the RECONNECT programme under L&D. RECONNECT is a national ‘care after custody’ service, which starts working with people before they leave prison and helps them to make the transition to community-based services that will provide the health and care support that they need.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

35

The partnership includes the NHS, West Yorkshire Police, Touchstone, Together Women, and Bridge. Bridge employs and manages eight workers within this service:

Successes

The service supported 4,940 referrals across West Yorkshire this year.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

36

Plans for the Future

Consultation with our stakeholders and involvement of people we support has directly informed the development of our new three-year strategic plan. The plan allows for the diversification of funding and activities and continues into 2026/27.

The strategic objectives in our previous plan served us well and stood the test of a global pandemic. This strategy builds on these successes and focuses on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Our seven priorities are:

Priority One – We will deliver and develop quality services that everyone can be proud of

How we will achieve this:

Priority Two – We will develop our Recovery Housing, providing safe homes to more people

How we will achieve this:

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

37

Priority Three – We will ensure that we have people at all levels who have the right skills and attributes to deliver quality services

How we will achieve this:

Priority Four – We will sustain manageable and financially expedient growth

How we will achieve this:

Priority Five – We will strengthen our infrastructure and governance, embracing new technology

How we will achieve this:

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

38

Priority Six – We will develop and grow our influence and be recognised as system leaders

How we will achieve this:

Priority Seven – We will ensure our services provide personal and social impact

How we will achieve this:

Jon Royle Peter Sleigh Chief Executive Chair of Trustees

Trustees’ Annual Report

The trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, submit their annual report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

39

Financial Review 2023-24

As projected last year, and detailed earlier in this report, 2023-24 was a year of significant organisational growth for Bridge, total income increased by 34% to £4.5M, and employee numbers increased by 27% to 108. Much of this growth, £0.7M, was attributed to the launch of the New Vision Bradford service, the Adult Substance Misuse Treatment contract in Bradford, with Bridge’s share of this contract expanding as part of the new delivery partnership led by Waythrough.

There were other areas of growth as well, with the new Substance Misuse Family Navigator and the Housing Support services both launching during the year, bringing in £101k and £302k respectively. Bridge’s Recovery Homes service also saw growth with the number of homes provided increasing to 16. Bridge was also able to buy its first Recovery Homes properties, three flats funded by a grant and loan from the Thrive Together Fund. Service delivery, staffing and income also increased but to a lesser extent, in several services, including One80 and the Wellbeing Mini-Hubs. One small contract ended in the year (Achieve), and one six-month contract started and finished during the year (JobCentre Plus). We received £4k in donations from the public and we thank all donors for their generous support.

Expenditure also increased, by 46% to £4.6M. However, there was £413k of exceptional expenditure during the year, funded from monies held in a designated fund, for the building repairs and refurbishment at the Salem St and Manningham Lane properties. After excluding the £413k, there was a 33% increase in expenditure, which closely matches the growth in income. Alongside the expansion in service provision, Bridge recruited four new infrastructure / management posts to ensure that the organisation was able to sufficiently support and manage the growth and additional service provision. 85% of Bridge’s non-exceptional expenditure was on staffing related costs, reflecting the staffing intensive nature of the work undertaken. There were no other significant changes to Bridge’s expenditure during the year, however most fixed costs and overheads did increase due to the impact of inflation.

The accounts do show a total net decrease in funds of £149k, however this would have been a surplus had it not been for the £413k of exceptional premises expenditure. After transfers between funds, Unrestricted funds increased by £135k to £1.01M. This is slightly above the £1M upper-level set in the current reserves policy. However, it is Bridge’s intention to spend some of the unrestricted reserves in 2024-25 on the purchase of further properties for the Recovery Homes project, reducing the level of reserves held to within the policy’s target levels. Designated funds decreased by £423k to £933k, of which £819k was the net book value less any loans of Bridge’s fixed assets (four office premises and three residential flats). Bridge held twenty-two separate restricted funds, the combined total held in these funds increased by £139k to £392k, this money is linked to specific contracts, grants or donations, with the expectation that these funds will be spent in future years in line with the restrictions in place. Notes 23 and 24 in the accounts explain the purpose of each fund and details the movement in their balances over the year.

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

40

As has been the case now for many years, Bridge remains in sound financial health, with sufficient reserves to allow for future investment in the organisation’s infrastructure and specifically the Recovery Homes project, whilst also being able to shield the organisation against any unforeseen future financial issues. Whilst it currently looks likely that Local and National Government spending will decrease in coming years, due to the nation’s current economic position, Bridge’s financial stability, as well as its recent diversification into the housing and domestic abuse support sectors, and an ability to adapt quickly to any changes in the funding environment, will enable it to see through any short or medium term funding changes without any long-term risks to the organisation.

Martin Brook

Director of Finance and Support Services

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

41

Governance, Trustees and Stakeholders

Registered Office: 35 Salem Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 4QH

Governance:

The Bridge Project is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 12/9/1985 and registered as a charity on 17/4/1986.

The company was established under a Memorandum of Association that established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. Under those Articles, the members of the Board of Trustees are elected at the AGM.

Members of the board of trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law and trustees for the purposes of charity law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report are listed below.

Members of the charitable company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charitable company in the event of a winding up. The total number of such guarantees at 31st March 2024 was 8 (2023:8).

Organisation:

The board of trustees administers the charity. The board is scheduled to meet four times per year in March, June, September and December. In addition, there are three trustee sub-committees with delegated authorities; Business and Finance; Compliance, Quality and Performance; and People; these each meet four times per year, with membership being a minimum of three trustees, each sub-committee then reports on decisions made and recommendations for board approval to the following board meeting. Additional meetings are called if trustee decisions are required outside this pattern. A Chief Executive is appointed by the trustees to manage the day-to-day operations of the charity. To facilitate effective operations, the Chief Executive has delegated authority, within terms approved by the trustees, for all operational matters.

Board of Trustees: trustees serving at the date the Trustees’ Annual Report was approved were:

Peter J Sleigh (Chair) Gordon Roscoe (Vice Chair) Mohanlal P. Mistry Jonathan Sutcliffe Marisa Lloyd Christopher Gibbs Aneta Gyorgyova (appointed 18[th] Sept 2024) Adeel Jafri (appointed 18[th] Sept 2024) Elizabeth Trueblood (appointed 18[th] Sept 2024)

No trustees left the board during the financial year 2023-24 (2022: 1). Two trustees left the board after the financial year end, Andrew Clayton-Stead on 16[th] Aug 2024, and David Memery on 1[st] December 2024.

All trustees give their time voluntarily and received no personal benefits from Bridge. Any expenses reclaimed from Bridge are set out in note 9 to the accounts.

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

42

Company Secretary: Martin W Brook (Director of Finance & Support Services)

Senior Staff:

Jon Royle Chief Executive Tracey Hogan Director of Operations Martin Brook Director of Finance and Support Services Sally Black Director of People

Pay Policy

The pay of senior staff is set by the board of trustees. The trustees benchmark senior staff salaries against pay levels for equivalent roles in other similar sized organisations in the health and social care sector. Salaries are reviewed annually and normally increase in line with any inflationary uplift awarded to the wider staff team.

Trustee Recruitment:

A skills audit of the current trustee board members is undertaken annually, this identifies the range of skills, knowledge and experiences that it would be beneficial for the board to contain. Recruitment is undertaken by word of mouth, and through external advertising, appropriate people are sought as required to fill any current skills/experience gaps on the board.

Trustee Training and Induction:

An induction process for new trustees is in place, which includes a detailed induction pack, explaining their role as trustees and the work of Bridge. Trustees are given a full introductory tour of the services and introduced to staff. Trustees are invited to attend staff meetings and a scheduled programme of visits to all services is in place, with reports back to all trustees.

Stakeholders:

Service users; family, carers and friends of service users; Bridge’s staff and volunteers; City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council; Bradford Children and Families Trust; Bradford VCS Alliance; Office for Health Improvement and Disparities; NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board; Affinity Community Partnership; Bingley Bubble Community Partnership; Wakefield Council – Liaison and Diversion service; Waythrough; West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Auditors: BHP LLP, New Chartford House, Centurion Way, Cleckheaton, BD19 3QB A resolution proposing BHP LLP to be re-appointed as auditors of the charitable company will be put to the AGM.

Bankers: CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

43

Organisational Policies:

Investments:

Under its Memorandum and Articles of Association the charity has the power to make any investment, which the Board of Trustees sees fit. Bridge currently aims to keep between £10,000 and £50,000 in its current accounts, with a fluctuating sum of between £100,000 and £350,000 held in instant access deposit accounts to manage the organisation’s quarterly cash flow cycle. The remaining funds are held in fixed term deposit accounts, of varying lengths, aiming to achieve the best possible interest rates available.

Reserves:

Bridge’s reserves policy is reviewed annually and was last reviewed and amended in November 2024, taking into consideration recent organisational growth and future expenditure plans.

The updated policy is to hold a minimum of £500,000 of free unrestricted reserves at any time. This minimum amount was calculated by assessing the organisation’s specific needs relating to the following three aspects of financial management: monthly and quarterly cashflow requirements; working capital requirements; and contingency planning to mitigate and manage a major loss of income scenario.

The upper limit of free unrestricted reserves to hold has been set at £1 million, this figure has been approved to allow Bridge the ability to accumulate sufficient reserves in the short to medium term to be then invested in further residential properties for the Recovery Homes project as this scheme expands.

As of 31[st] March 2024, Bridge’s free unrestricted reserves totalled £1,015,229 (2023: £880,225), this is just above the upper threshold set in the policy. A portion of these reserves will be spent on residential property purchases in 2024-25 reducing the level of free reserves to below the policy’s upper limit. Bridge held £114,068 (2023: £508,929) of freely accessible funds in designated funds for the Recovery Homes project, housing purchases, and future repairs on housing and office premises. £391,694 (2023: £252,807) was also held in twenty-two restricted funds for future expenditure against specific service provision activities.

Fundraising activities:

Bridge does not actively fundraise but appreciates the donations from the public. The charity does not use any professional fundraiser or commercial participator to carry out activities on the charity’s behalf.

Due to the low level of fundraising the charity undertakes, the charity is not a participant of a voluntary scheme for regulating fundraising, or any voluntary standard of fundraising for the activities carried out on behalf of the charity. Should the charity at some point in the future undertake a specific fundraising campaign or start to generate more income through fundraising, the trustees will look to sign up to a voluntary fundraising code.

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

44

Risk Management:

A full risk management review of the organisation was undertaken in 2023, which fed into the development of the 2024-27 strategic plan.

Bridge maintains a corporate risk register, which is reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). Risks are categorised into four headings; Operations; Human Resources; Finance; and Governance. Ownership of individual identified risks is allocated to member of the Senior Leadership Team, who hold responsibility for managing, mitigating and reporting against these risks. Ownership of the identified risks is also allocated to either the board of trustees, or one of the three trustee sub-committees, the risk registers are then reviewed quarterly by trustees at the applicable meeting, with any required actions being delegated to the SLT for implementation.

The Director of Operations in partnership with the Deputy Director of Operations, Head of Quality and Safeguarding, Service Managers, and Team Managers undertake and review risk assessments for the organisation’s day-to-day service provision on an ongoing basis.

Public Benefit:

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit ‘Charities and Public Benefit’. This Trustees’ report clearly sets out Bridge’s charitable objects, our current activities and how they benefit the public.

Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity:

Details of movements in fixed assets are set out in note 12 to the accounts.

Recognition of Liabilities:

Liabilities are recognised when there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the organisation to the expenditure.

Going Concern:

The Board of Trustees has reviewed Bridge’s activities, financial position and risk management policies together with factors likely to affect future development, including the economic uncertainty on contract income and service delivery. The trustees have concluded that it is reasonable to expect Bridge to have adequate resources to continue in operation for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the going concern basis of accounting continues to be adopted in preparing the financial statements.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

45

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The trustees (who are also the directors of The Bridge Project for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that 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.

So far as the trustees are aware:

On behalf of the board:

Peter Sleigh FCCA

Chair of Trustees 4[th] December 2024

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

46

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Bridge Project

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Bridge Project (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

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

Conclusions relating to going concern

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

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

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

The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

47

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Bridge Project (continued)

Other information

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

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

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

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustee’s report.

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

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

48

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Bridge Project (continued)

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

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

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

We gained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the charity and the sector in which it operates and considered the risk of acts by the charity that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud. We designed audit procedures to respond to the risk, recognising that the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

49

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Bridge Project (continued)

We focused on laws and regulations, relevant to the charity, which could give rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements. Our tests included agreeing the financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation, enquiries with management, review of charity minutes and legal expenses. There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described and, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it.

As part of our audit, we addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, including testing of journals and review of nominal ledger. We evaluated whether there was evidence of bias by the trustees that represented a risk of material misstatement due to fraud.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of noncompliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/Our-Work/Audit/Audit-and-assurance/Standards-and-guidance/Standards-andguidance-for-auditors/Auditors-responsibilities-for-audit/Description-of-auditors-responsibilities-foraudit.aspx. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

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

Lesley Kendrew (Senior Statutory Auditor)

for and on behalf of BHP LLP,

New Chartford House, Centurion Way, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, BD19 3QB

6[th] December 2024 The Bridge Project Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

50

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31[st] March 2024

(Incorporating the income and expenditure account)

Income
Notes
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Investments
5
Total income
Expenditure
Raising funds
6
Charitable activities 7 & 8
Total expenditure
Net income / (expenditure)
10
before transfers
Gross transfers between funds
Net movement in funds for the year
Total funds brought forward at 1stApril
Total funds carried forward at 31st March		 Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2024
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
£
106,464
37,500
23,680
167,644
127,393
2,543,297
207,160
1,496,731
4,247,188
3,187,013
43,562
1
140
43,703
17,579
2,693,323
244,661
1,520,551
4,458,535
3,331,985
63,844
-
-
63,844
62,219
2,485,583
661,136
1,397,414
4,544,133
3,087,696
2,549,427
661,136
1,397,414
4,607,977
3,149,915
143,896
(416,475)
123,137
(149,442)
182,070
(8,822)
(6,928)
15,750
-
-
135,074
(423,403)
138,887
(149,442)
182,070
880,225
1,355,988
252,807
2,489,020
2,306,950
1,015,299
932,585
391,694
2,339,578
2,489,020

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

51

Balance Sheet as at 31[st] March 2024

2024 2023
Notes £ £
£		 £ £
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 12 Tangible assets 12 930,668 837,017
Current assets
Stock in hand 13 500 500
Debtors and prepayments 14 344,561 501,229
Investments 15 1,083,548 714,096
Cash at bank and in hand 16 353,416 724,915
1,782,025 1,940,740
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling
due within one year		 17 (276,902) (288,737)
Net current assets 1,505,123 1,652,003
Total assets less current liabilities 2,435,791 2,489,020
Creditors: amounts falling due Creditors: amounts falling due
18		 (96,213) -
After more than one year
Net assets 2,339,578 2,489,020
Funds 23, 24 & 25
Unrestricted funds
General funds 1,015,299 880,225
Designated funds 932,585 1,355,988
Restricted funds 391,694 252,807
Total funds carried forward at 31 Total funds carried forward at 31st March 2,339,578 2,489,020

For the year ending 31[st] March 2024 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies but as this company is a charity, it is subject to audit under the Charities Act 2011.

Directors’ responsibilities:

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 4[th] December 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

Peter Sleigh FCCA Chair of Trustees

Gordon Roscoe Vice Chair of Trustees

The notes on pages 54 to 67 form part of these financial statements.

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

52

Statement of Cash Flows for the year ended 31[st] March 2024

Notes
Cash flows from operating activities
26
Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Interest income
Purchase of investments
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Net cash provided by / (used in) investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of borrowing
Cash inflows from new borrowing
Net cash provided by / (used in) financing activities
Increase / (decrease) in cash and cash
equivalents in the year
Cash and cash equivalents at 1stApril
Cash and cash equivalents at 31st March
27		 Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2024
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
£
97,560
(286,543)
181,082
(7,901)
179,702
43,562
1
140
43,703
17,579
(61,347)
-
-
(61,347)
(252,483)
-
(150,000)
-
(150,000)
(11,220)
(17,785)
(149,999)
140
(167,644)
(246,124)
-
(349)
-
(349)
-
-
112,500
-
112,500
-
-
112,151
-
112,151
-
79,775
(324,391)
181,222
(63,394)
(66,422)
212,700
448,555
247,114
908,369
974,791
292,475
124,164
428,336
844,975
908,369

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

53

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

1. Accounting policies

The principle accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

a, Basis of preparation

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) (effective 1 January 2019) – (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

The Bridge Project 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.

b, Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis.

The trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting because of the continued financial stability of the charity.

c, Fund accounting Unrestricted funds are available for the use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the charitable objectives of Bridge.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been put aside at the discretion of the trustees for particular purposes (see note 23).

Restricted income funds are funds subject to specific restrictions imposed by the donors, funders, or by the purpose of the appeal. The purpose and use of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund, including where appropriate a fair allocation of management and support costs.

d, Income

Income is recognised when Bridge has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount can be measured reliably.

e, Deferred income

Any income received in this accounting period which relates to activities to be undertaken in future accounting periods is deferred.

f, Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.

g, Donated services

Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) the general time of volunteers is not recognised.

On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

h, Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

i, Allocation of expenditure

Direct costs, including directly attributable salaries, are allocated on an actual basis to the appropriate service type and fund designation. Where costs cannot be directly attributed they have been allocated to a service type and fund on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

54

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, HR, and governance costs which support the charities activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities, on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.

j, Operating leases

Rentals applicable to operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

k, Tangible fixed assets

Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight-line basis as follows:-

follows:-
Category
 Annual Rate
Freehold Premises 2%
Replacement Roof 2%
Major structural improvements 10%
Other premises improvements 20%
Computers and other equipment 33.3%

One full year’s depreciation is charged in the year of purchase.

l, Stock

Stock is included at the lower of cost or net realisable value. Donated items of stock are recognised at fair value which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay for the items on the open market.

m, Investments

Current asset investments include any deposit funds which are not readily accessible within one week.

n, Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments which are accessible within one week.

o, Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

p, Pension contributions

Bridge operates a pension scheme in compliance with the workplace pension requirements. In line with the regulations employees are auto-enrolled into a workplace pension when the necessary requirements are met. Bridge pays 4% of an employee’s gross salary into a defined contributions workplace pension provided by Scottish Widows. From 1[st] April 2017 employees on Bridge’s standard terms and conditions were required to contribute at least 4% of their gross earnings into their pension. Contributions due to employees’ pensions are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate. Details of the contributions in this financial year can be seen in the notes to the financial statements.

q, Taxation

Bridge is exempt from payment of income and corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Bridge’s main business activities are exempt under VAT regulations. Any irrecoverable VAT incurred is included on the relevant cost line.

r, Capital commitments

Bridge had nil capital commitments at 31[st] March 2024 (2023 £400,308).

s, Legal form

The Bridge Project is a company limited by guarantee domiciled and incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 35 Salem Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 4QH. The members of the company are the Trustees named on page 42. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity.

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

55

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

2 Statement of Financial Activities for previous year

Income
Notes
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Investments
5
Total income
Expenditure
Raising funds
6
Charitable activities 7 & 8
Total expenditure
Net income / (expenditure)
10
before transfers
Gross transfers between funds
Net movement in funds for the year
Total funds brought forward at 1stApril
Total funds carried forward at 31st March		 Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
65,117
-
62,276
127,393
2,061,038
248,344
877,631
3,187,013
17,397
-
182
17,579
2,143,552
248,344
940,089
3,331,985
21,547
40,672
-
62,219
1,970,563
204,904
912,229
3,087,696
1,992,110
245,576
912,229
3,149,915
151,442
2,768
27,860
182,070
(89,584)
90,813
(1,229)
-
61,858
93,581
26,631
182,070
818,367
1,262,407
226,176
2,306,950
880,225
1,355,988
252,807
2,489,020

3 Income from donations and legacies

Donations
Donated services and goods
CGL
Waythrough
Shipley College
Grants
City of Bradford MDC
Good Things Foundation
Inn-Churches
Leeds Community Foundation
NatWest Circle Fund
National Lottery Community Fund
Thrive Together Fund
Total		 Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2024
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
£
2,600
-
1,202
3,802
16,875
-
-
-
-
31,689
77,654
-
15,300
92,954
-
26,210
-
-
26,210
26,588
103,864
-
15,300
119,164
58,277
-
-
-
-
15,000

-
-
5,000
5,000
-
-
-
2,178
2,178
2,241
-
-
-
-
20,000
-
-
-
-
5,000
-
-
-
-
10,000
-
37,500
-
37,500
-
-
37,500
7,178
44,678
52,241
106,464
37,500
23,680
167,644
127,393

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

56

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

4 Income from charitable activities

Service Delivery Contracts
Affinity Community Partnership
Bingley Community Partnership
Bradford Children and Families Trust
Bradford VCS Alliance
Change Grow Live
City of Bradford MDC
Befriending Service
Capital Works Funding
DA/SV Comms Lead
Drug & Alcohol Housing Grant
Exiting Prostitution
Housing First
MARAC Navigators
Multiple Needs Navigators
Recovery Housing
Rough Sleepers Funding
Skills House
SSMTR
Substance Misuse Navigators
Young Peoples’ Substance Misuse
Engaging Communities CIC
ESF / Big Lottery – Stronger Families
Humankind (now Waythrough)
Job Centre Plus – DWP
MIND – Bradford
Ministry of Justice – Foundation
Red Letter Project
Wakefield Council – Liaison & Diversion
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Ancillary Trading Income
Reclaimed expenditure
Rental income
Vault Café
Total		 Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2024
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
£
-
-
40,000
40,000
36,001
-
-
44,412
44,412
24,234

-
-
101,250
101,250
-
29,521
4,152
223,710
257,383
218,870
-
-
-
-
818,842
-
-
-
-
61,000
-
-
-
-
63,610
-
-
35,055
35,055
-
-
-
-
-
11,258

338,649
-
-
338,649
322,201

264,845
-
-
264,845
252,795
-
-
189,402
189,402
167,863
213,000
-
-
213,000
192,062
-
162,924
-
162,924
137,419
-
-
-
-
33,480
-
-
69,793
69,793
63,448
-
-
-
-
4,122
-
-
-
-
167,864
173,226
-
-
173,226
159,933
989,720
162,924
294,250
1,446,894
1,637,055
-
-
12,558
12,558
-

-
-
-
-
76,620
1,287,261
39,955
682,936
2,010,152
-
16,275
-
-
16,275
-
-
-
-
-
13,103
-
-
-
-
11,596
2,073
-
-
2,073
-
209,112
-
-
209,112
229,466
-
-
97,595
97,595
93,435
2,084
129
20
2,233
11,190
5,185
-
-
5,185
14,662
2,066
-
-
2,066
1,939
9,335
129
20
9,484
27,791
2,543,297
207,160
1,496,731
4,247,188
3,187,013

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

57

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

5. Investment income

come
Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total Total
Funds Funds Funds 2024 2023
£ £ £ £ £
Bank interest 43,562 1 140 43,703 17,579

6 Expenditure on raising funds

Staff costs
Admin and office costs
Premises
Total 2024
Total 2023		 Unrestricted
Funds
Designated
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2024
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
£
60,689
-
-
60,689
60,002
2,335
-
-
2,335
1,653
820
-
-
820
564
63,844
-
-
63,844
62,219
21,547
40,672
-
62,219

7 Expenditure on charitable activities by fund designation

Service staff costs
Service provision costs
Admin and office costs
Premises
Depreciation
Governance costs
Support costs
Total 2024
Total 2023		 Unrestricted
Funds
Designated
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2024
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
£
2,012,717
40,052
1,166,993
3,219,762
2,315,989

66,189
80,783
31,981
178,953
173,615
84,792
3,824
58,097
146,713
125,746
126,177
458,209
30,640
615,026
192,999
-
56,349
-
56,349
56,349
55,148
12,354
30,446
97,948
76,940
140,560
9,565
79,257
229,382
146,058
2,485,583
661,136
1,397,414
4,544,133
3,087,696
1,970,563
204,904
912,229
3,087,696

8 Expenditure on charitable activities by service type

Service staff costs
Service provision costs
Admin and office costs
Premises
Depreciation
Governance costs
Support costs
Total 2024
Total 2023		 Drug &
Alcohol
Treatment
& Recovery
Navigation
Services
Housing
Support &
Provision
Communities,
Early
Intervention
& Prevention
Criminal
Justice
Education,
Training &
Employment
Total
2024
2023
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
1,483,647
1,011,047
230,809
232,635
175,294
86,330
3,219,762
2,315,989

38,021
45,263
82,528
10,748
1,367
1,026
178,953
173,615
73,164
36,959
15,030
12,122
5,592
3,846
146,713
125,746
156,573
437,968
16,399
911
-
3,175
615,026
192,999
47,018
9,331
-
-
-
-
56,349
56,349
38,371
26,172
17,077
8,309
4,582
3,437
97,948
76,940
96,886
68,132
21,860
21,631
11,927
8,946
229,382
146,058
1,933,680
1,634,872
383,703
286,356
198,762
106,760
4,544,133
3,087,696
1,090,331
1,276,114
104,512
242,342
229,019
145,378
3,087,696

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

58

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

9 Staff costs, staff numbers, and trustee remuneration and expenses.

Employee costs during the year were:

Employee costs during the year were:
2024
2023
£
£
Gross wages and salaries
2,980,404
2,135,311
276,978
199,035
103,175
79,726
Social security costs
Pension contribution
3,360,557
2,414,072

The charity does not hold or administer any pension fund or defined benefit pension scheme for employees, it does operate a defined contribution pension scheme. The charity makes defined contributions of 4% of an employee’s gross salary into a workplace pension scheme held and administered by Scottish Widows. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the charity to the scheme and amounted to £103,175 (2023: £79,726). Employer contributions totalling £9,087 (2023: £6,516) were payable to the scheme at the end of the period and are included in other creditors.

No statutory redundancy payments were paid during the year (2023: £2,025).

The key management personnel of the charity comprise the trustees, the Chief Executive Officer, Director of Operations, Director of Finance and the Director of HR. The total employee benefits (gross pay, employer’s pension, and employer’s NI contributions) of the key management personnel totalled £270,204 (2023: £265,220).

The number of employees whose total pay amounted to £60,000 or above for the year is as follows:

£70,000 to £79,999: 1 (2023:1) £60,000 to £69,999: 2 (2023:2)

The average monthly head count was 108 staff (2023: 85 staff).

£20,635 was spent on agency workers during the year to cover short-term vacancies, (2023: £13,378)

No remuneration or other benefits were paid to the Trustees during the year (2023: nil), no expenses were paid for reimbursing travel costs for attending meetings (2023: nil).

10 Net income / (expenditure)

These are stated after charging:

stated after charging:
2024 2023
£ £
Depreciation – owned assets 56,349 56,349
Operating lease rentals - 4,650
Auditor’s remuneration1 10,740 7,920
Interest on loans & overdrafts 3,353 -
Exceptional building refurbishment costs 412,808

1 Fees payable to the charitable company’s auditor for the audit of the charitable company’s annual accounts, including irrecoverable VAT.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

59

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

11 Valuation of donated goods and services

Services and resources which are provided directly by our funders or partners but integral to our work are included at their value to Bridge and allocated to the appropriate service.

dge and allocated to the appropriate service.
IT equipment, support & licences
Volunteer Training & Qualifications
Clinical Staff
Drug testing
Total		 2024
2023
£
£
39,600
9,120
26,210
26,588
44,840
21,099

8,514
1,470
119,164
58,277

The value of any volunteers’ time is not included, however we have benefited from 9,529 hours (2023: 8,027) of volunteer’s time through our volunteering programme.

12 Tangible fixed assets

Freehold
Property
Property
Improvements
£
£
984,344
1,164,888
150,000
-
-
-		 Computer
Equipment
£
27,668
-
-		 Vehicles
£
30,880
-
-		 Other
Equipment
Total
£
£
14,743
2,222,523
-
150,000
-
-
1,134,344
1,164,888		 27,668 30,880 14,743
2,372,523
288,343
1,032,848
19,687
34,418
-
-		 18,692
2,244
-		 30,880
-
-		 14,743
1,385,506
-
56,349
-
-
308,030
1,067,266		 20,936 30,880 14,743
1,441,855
826,314
97,622		 6,732 - -
930,668

The Salem Street & Hallfield Street premises were given a combined open market valuation for disposal of £200,000 in September 2011 by Hayfield Robinson, Chartered Surveyors, of Bradford.

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

60

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

13 Stock

2024 2023
£ £
Donated goods 500 500

14 Debtors: amounts falling due within one year

Trade debtors
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
vestments
Cambridge & Counties Bank (1 yr)
Cambridge & Counties Bank (2 yr)
Cambridge & Counties Bank (5 yr)
Charities Bank (40 days)
Hampshire Trust Bank (1 yr)
Monmouthshire B.S. (30 days)
Nationwide (35 days)
Redwood Bank (95 days)
United Trust Bank (1yr)		 2024
2023
£
£
304,661
440,903
5,400
5,254
34,500
55,072
344,561
501,229
2024
2023
£
£
50,000
-
-
89,751
85,000
-
156,070
-
182,194
175,000
152,398
5,696
183,091
177,758
187,245
180,891
87,550
85,000
1,083,548
714,096

15 Investments

16 Cash at bank and in hand

Petty cash
CAF Bank current account
CAF Bank instant deposit account
Co-operative Bank current account
CCLA Deposit Fund
Charity Bank
Monmouthshire BS deposit account
Scottish Widows instant deposit account
Unity Trust Bank
Total		 2024
2023
£
£
1,153
2,271
25,098
26,231
247,160
208,430
7,368
82,868
52,595
51,050
-
150,536
10,587
152,109
4,840
4,779
4,615
46,641
353,416
724,915

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

61

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

17 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Loans
Trade creditors
Taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income		 2024
2023
£
£
15,938
-
24,283
49,426
66,624
45,991
20,521
14,217

149,536
179,103
276,902
288,737

Other creditors are employer pension contributions and childcare voucher payments, all of which are paid within 30 days.

18 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year

Due between 1 to 2 years
Due between 2 to 5 years
Due after 5 years		 2024
2023
£
£
17,175
-
59,947
-
19,091
-
96,213
-

19 Contingent liabilities

Contingent liabilities
2024 2023
£ £
Grant for property purchase 175,000 175,000

A grant was received from Bradford Health Authority in October 1997 for the purchase of No 33, 35 & 37 Salem Street, Bradford. £175,000 is repayable if at any time the charity ceases operations, changes operations or moves premises. There is a legal charge over the properties with no time limit attached.

At the year end the Trustees were not aware of any possible events that would trigger this liability.

20 Deferred income

Deferred income comprises performance related grants received in advance of the terms of the grant being met.

2024 2023
£ £
Balance at 1stApril 144,392 111,153
Amount released to income (144,392) (111,153)
Amount deferred in the year 81,323 144,392
Balance at 31stMarch 81,323 144,392

21 Capital Commitments

There were no capital commitments as at 31[st] March 2024 (2023: £400,308).

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

62

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

22 Analysis of net assets between funds – current year


Unrestricted
General
funds
Designated
Funds
Restricted
funds
Total
2024
£
£
£
£
Fixed assets -
930,668
-
930,668
Current assets 1,138,571
142,104
501,350
1,782,025
Current liabilities (123,272)
(43,974)
(109,656)
(276,902)
Long term liabilities -
(96,213)
-
(96,213)
Fund balances 1,015,299
932,585
391,694
2,339,578

Analysis of net assets between funds- previous year

Unrestricted
General
funds
Designated
Funds
Restricted
funds
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
Fixed assets -
837,017
-
837,017
Current assets 987,858
595,184
357,698
1,940,740
Current liabilities (107,633)
(76,213)
(104,891)
(288,737)
Long term liabilities -
-
-
-
Fund balances 880,225
1,355,988
252,807
2,489,020

23 Purposes of funds

General Funds: These are the free reserves available to the charity for use without any restriction.

Designated Funds: These are unrestricted funds specifically designated for a purpose by the Trustees.

Achieve – DWP: Held funds for the Achieve service which ceased in 2023/24

Housing Purchases: Funding specifically received for Recovery Housing property purchases, the balance will be utilised in 24-25

Recovery Homes: Holds funds allocated and received for Bridge’s housing scheme, previously known as Lotus Housing.

Repair & Maintenance Fund – Housing : Holds funds allocated for future structural repairs and external decoration of our housing scheme properties.

Repair & Maintenance Fund – Offices : Holds funds allocated for future structural repairs and external decoration of our office premises.

Manningham Lane Fixed Asset Fund: Holds the net book value of the freehold property and property improvements for 30 Manningham Lane.

North Parade Fixed Asset Fund: Holds the net book value of the freehold property, property improvements for the 14 North Parade premises and other tangible fixed assets at that site.

Pelican House Fixed Asset Fund: Holds the net book value of the freehold property, property improvements for the 10 Currer St premises and other tangible fixed assets at that site.

Recovery Homes Fixed Asset Fund: Holds the net book value of the freehold property in the Recovery Homes scheme.

Salem Street Fixed Asset Fund: Holds the net book value of the freehold property, property improvements for 29-37 Salem St and other tangible fixed assets at that site.

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

63

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

Restricted Funds: These are funds, or services, which have clearly defined conditions for their specific use stated in either a grant agreement, contract, or when the funds were donated.

Affinity Community Partnership: Holds funds allocated for future service provision costs on this project.

Befriending Service: Grant and contractual income and related expenditure for this project.

Bingley Bubble Community Partnership: Holds funds allocated for future service provision costs on this project.

Bridge Client Fund: Holds grants and donations from a number of sources specifically given for client related expenditure.

Circle Fund: Funding from the Natwest Circle Fund to support victims of economic and domestic abuse.

City Wellbeing Hub: Holds funding from the VCS Alliance to run the City Wellbeing Hub and associated service delivery.

Covid Health Inclusion: Holds funds allocated for future service provision costs on this project.

DA/SV Comms Grant: Shows income and expenditure for a worker seconded to City of Bradford MDC.

Digital Inclusion Grant: . Holds the balance of a grant to be spent in 24-25

Drug and Alcohol Housing Support Grant: Holds unspent funds from this funding to be allocated against expenditure in 24-25

Family Navigators: Holds funds allocated for future service provision on this project.

Helping Hand: A fund set up by trustees to make emergency discretionary purchases to service users in significant urgent need.

LCF Grant: Holds grant funding from Leeds Community Foundation for development of a new client drop-in facility.

Lotus Project - Service Users: Holds money raised by the Lotus Project specifically for their service users.

Lotus Project - Target Hardening: Holds restricted funding to specifically improve the personal safety of Lotus Project service users.

MARAC Navigators: Holds funds allocated for future service provision costs on this project.

MARRS Grant: Holds unspent funds allocated for a part-time post which started in 23-24 and will continue into 24-25.

MoJ – MARAC Funding: Shows income and expenditure from the MoJ for a number of MARAC posts, all funds spent within the year. New Vision Bradford – Rough Sleepers: Holds unspent funds from the Rough Sleepers Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant received through the New Vision Bradford service.

Rough Sleepers Grant: Holds unspent funds from the Rough Sleepers Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant received directly by Bridge.

Skillshouse: Holds funds allocated for future service provision costs on this project.

SMU Navigators: Holds unspent funds from the PHE’s universal grant funding scheme.

Spacious Places: Holds residual funds from this service which closed in December 2022.

VCS Alliance Grants: Holds grant funding from the VCS Alliance for future distribution.

Transfers between funds:

The £8,822 of net transfers from General Funds is split as follows:-

The £38,000 transfer from the Recovery Homes Fund comprises the following:-

The £37,849 transfer into the Recovery Homes- Fixed Assets Fund comprises the following:-

The £18,833 transfer from City Wellbeing Hub to the Befriending Service is with the funder’s approval.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

64

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

24 Movement in funds – current year

Opening
balance
1stApril 23
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Closing
balance
31st March 24
£
£
£
£
£
Unrestricted funds
General Funds 880,225
2,693,323
(2,549,427)
(8,822)
1,015,299
Designated funds
Achieve – DWP
10,042
4,152
(7,266)
(6,928)
-
Housing Purchase Fund -
37,500
-
(27,849)
9,651
Recovery Homes 78,937
163,054
(142,315)
(38,000)
61,676
Repair & Maintenance Fund – Housing -
-
-
28,000
28,000
Repair & Maintenance Fund - Offices 429,992
39,955
(455,206)
-
14,741
Manningham Lane, Fixed Asset Fund 259,161
-
(6,820)
-
252,341
North Parade, Fixed Asset Fund 141,463
-
(14,958)
-
126,505
Pelican House, Fixed Asset Fund 239,716
-
(25,240)
-
214,476
Recovery Homes – Fixed Asset Fund -
-
-
37,849
37,849
Salem Street, Fixed Asset Fund 196,677
-
(9,331)
-
187,346
1,355,988
244,661
(661,136)
(6,928)
932,585
Restricted funds -
42,640
(18,440)
11,250
35,450
12,965
20,600
(13,185)
18,833
39,213
-
59,610
(43,856)
4,500
20,254
10
2,198
(2,198)
-
10
1,710
-
(1,710)
-
-
76,725
197,830
(196,817)
(18,833)
58,905
5,992
-
-
-
5,992
-
35,055
(35,055)
-
-
-
5,000
(3,893)
-
1,107
-
101,250
(93,779)
-
7,471
400
-
(93)
-
307
550
302,386
(241,387)
-
61,549
27,711
-
(26,725)
-
986

507
200
(651)
-
56
3,192
-
(2,586)
-
606

52,264
189,402
(171,285)
-
70,381
15,000
-
(10,217)
-
4,783
-
97,595
(97,595)
-
-
-
395,850
(356,724)
-
39,126
8,822
-
-
-
8,822
28,130
69,793
(81,081)
-
16,842

14,713
-
(137)
-
14,576
1,116
1,142
-
-
2,258
3,000
-
-
-
3,000
Affinity Community Partnership
Befriending Service
Bingley Bubble Community Partnership
Bridge Client Fund
Circle Fund
City Wellbeing Hub
Covid Health Inclusion
DA/SV Comms Grant
Digital Inclusion Grant
Family Navigators
Helping Hand
Housing Support Grant
LCF Grant
Lotus Project – Service Users
Lotus Project – Target Hardening
MARAC Navigators
MARRS Grant
MoJ – MARAC Funding
New Vision Bradford – Rough Sleepers
Rough Sleepers Grant
Skillshouse
SMU Navigators
Spacious Places
VCS Alliance Grants
252,807
1,520,551
(1,397,414)
15,750
391,694
Total funds 2,489,020
4,458,535
(4,607,977)
-
2,339,578

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

65

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

25 Movement in funds – previous year

Opening
balance
1stApril 22
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Closing
balance
31st March 23
£
£
£
£
£
Unrestricted funds
General Funds 818,367
2,143,552
(1,992,110)
(89,584)
880,225
Designated funds
Achieve – DWP
-
18,719
(8,677)
-
10,042
Business Development 51,302
-
(40,672)
(10,630)
-
Lotus Housing 35,322
137,419
(93,804)
-
78,937
MoJ – Horizons Project 112,137
11,596
(8,972)
(114,761)
-
Premises Repair Fund 181,500
80,610
(37,102)
204,984
429,992
Manningham Lane, Fixed Asset Fund 265,981
-
(6,820)
-
259,161
North Parade, Fixed Asset Fund 156,421
-
(14,958)
-
141,463
Pelican House, Fixed Asset Fund 264,956
-
(25,240)
-
239,716
Salem Street, Fixed Asset Fund 194,788
-
(9,331)
11,220
196,677
1,262,407
248,344
(245,576)
90,813
1,355,988
Restricted funds 11,500
-
(11,500)
-
-
14,865
61,000
(62,900)
-
12,965
302
2,353
(2,645)
-
10
38
5,000
(3,328)
-
1,710
-
200,151
(123,426)
-
76,725
5,992
-
-
-
5,992
400
-
-
-
400
-
11,258
(10,708)
-
550
20,000
20,000
(12,289)
-
27,711

1,995
-
(1,488)
-
507
3,345
-
(153)
-
3,192

29,850
170,263
(147,849)
-
52,264
-
15,000
-
-
15,000
-
93,435
(93,435)
-
-
-
10,000
(10,000)
-
-
46,532
33,480
(71,190)
-
8,822
21,102
63,448
(56,420)
-
28,130
46,650
10,217
(54,522)
(1,229)
1,116
3,661
76,620
(80,281)
-
-

16,944
167,864
(170,095)
-
14,713
3,000
-
-
-
3,000
ARG Grant
Befriending Service
Bridge Client Fund
Circle Fund
City Wellbeing Hub
Covid Health Inclusion
Helping Hand
Housing Support Grant
LCF Grant
Lotus Project – Service Users
Lotus Project – Target Hardening
MARAC Navigators
MARRS Grant
MoJ – MARAC Funding
National Lottery Community Fund
Rough Sleepers Grant
Skillshouse
Spacious Places
Stronger Families - European Social Fund
& Big Lottery
SMU Navigators
VCS Alliance Grants
226,176
940,089
(912,229)
(1,229)
252,807
Total funds 2,306,950
3,331,985
(3,149,915)
-
2,489,020

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

66

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2024

26 Reconciliation of net income / (expenditure) to net cash flow from operating activities

Net movement in funds for the year
(as per SOFA)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charge
Deduct Interest income shown in investing
activities
Decrease (increase) in stock
Decrease (increase) in debtors
Increase (decrease) in creditors
Net cash provided by (used in) operating
activities		 Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2024
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
£
135,074
(423,403)
138,887
(149,442)
182,070

-
56,349
-
56,349
56,349
(43,562)
(1)
(140)
(43,703)
(17,579)
-
-
-
-
-

(9,591)
128,689
37,570
156,668
(124,668)
15,639
(48,177)
4,765
(27,773)
83,530
97,560
(286,543)
181,082
(7,901)
179,702

27 Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash in hand
Notice deposits (less than 3 months)
Total cash and cash equivalents		 Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2024
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
£
100,916
74,164
178,336
353,416
724,915
191,559
50,000
250,000
491,559
183,454
292,475
124,164
428,336
844,975
908,369

28 Disclosure of Trustee / Related Party Transactions

David Memery, a trustee of Bridge, is employed by Create Strength Group (CSG), Charity No 1193551 as their senior manager. Bridge received £4,620 from CSG in 2024 for office accommodation and support services (2023: £3,731), Bridge paid £400 to CSG for staff training in 2024 (2023: £500), and a grant of £955 through the City Wellbeing Hub small grants scheme (2023: £3,820)

Payments of £375 were made to Peter Sleigh (Trustee) in 2024 for services in a professional capacity, outside of their role as a trustee. (2023: £nil)

29 Ultimate Controlling Party

The charity is under the control of the board of trustees.

30 Post Balance Sheet Event

There are no post balance sheet events to report.

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24

The Bridge Project Registered Charity No 517356 Company Limited by Guarantee No 01946704

67