Annual General Meeting
REPORT 2024/2025
This document contains reports from:
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The Chair of Chorley Women’s Centre
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Treasury
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Centre Manager
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National Lottery Community Fund Project Management
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Counselling Services
Copies of this report can be obtained by emailing: rebecca.slater@chorleywomenscentre.com
Registered Charity No. 700446 www.chorleywomenscentre.com ID 20232152
Contents
Message from the Chair…………………………………..page 2 Centre Manager Report……………………………………page 5 NLCF Project Management Report…………………….page 8 Counselling Services Report…………………………….page 17 Treasury Report………………………………………………page 21 Accounts……………………………………………………….page 24
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Message from the Chair
Rebecca Slater
Chorley Women’s Centre
I would like to open by thanking everyone for attending our AGM and welcoming our newest supporters. Chorley Women’s Centre has had an incredibly busy and successful year. On reading back through last year’s report and identifying our organisational values, the one that really struck us as a priority was that Chorley Women’s Centre is accessible. It’d been our significant weakness that we did not have the appropriate ground floor facilities for disabled people and those with impaired mobility.
On hearing about an exciting new opportunity to access funding from Lancashire Sport and Culture Fund, paired with crowd funding we launched an ambitious campaign to raise the
launched in October 2024, we were successful with the Lancashire County Council funding and when our campaign closed in December 2024 we had successfully raised enough money to complete our initial plans. Our long term supporter Linda also ran her own successful fundraising campaign and raised the funds to replace our centre sign as well, so we now have a wonderful, bright sign welcoming people through our door – well done Linda!
Work started in January 2025 and I must thank our community partners at Health at Heart, Calico Lounge, Inspire and Primrose Gardens for providing temporary homes for all our services, so that we did not stop supporting the women of Chorley and South Ribble.
The work would not have been possible without the tireless support and commitment of Duncan Chapman from Regicide Ltd who provided his skills, knowledge and experience free of charge and was on site daily project managing the build, working with our contractors and suppliers and negotiating excellent rates. Thank you so much Duncan!
Our trustees also took the opportunity to update the rest of the building ensuring compliance with all the latest legislation and make some structural changes to our upstairs rooms to make the best possible use of our space. We also had our kitchen area improved thanks to Karl at Wrap My Vinyl, just one of the many amazing local businesses that supported our grand ambitions.
therapeutic room upstairs. This new room we have named Judy’s room in honour of our longest serving trustee and amazing supporter and volunteer Judy Haggarty. Thank you Judy for everything you have done for us.
The reaction to the new space has been incredible, with people now able to use the centre who couldn’t before and many clients returning now that we are accessible. We are also able to host
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more women in our haven room and run bigger groups. There is a real buzz in the centre now and I would like to thank everyone involved in creating such an inviting new space.
As well as change in the building we’ve had changes within our team, saying goodbye to Jackie Moss our centre manager who moved on to new opportunities. We also thanked Lydia Keighley who after many years stood down as trustee to focus on her work as Circle Co-Ordinator. We have also seen some of our volunteer team move on, we thank Janet Southworth, Kelly Hay, Pamela Martin, Jackie Saunders and Sheila Sammon for all of their hard work, commitment and support over the years.
to centre manager in early 2025, Sue has really hit the ground running and really developed our programme of incredible groups, activities and services at the centre. Thank you Sue for rolling your sleeves up and getting stuck in.
We have also welcomed some new trustees and volunteers. Niamh Foley and Pauline Summers have joined our governing team and we have welcomed Yushra, Trisha, Amy, Josephine, Elaine and Gill to our incredible team of centre volunteers.
We welcomed Mandy Barlow, one of our existing counsellors to the new role of Promotions and
July 2025 and her optimistic and uplifting presence will be sorely missed. We wish you all the best Mandy and are so pleased you will continue in your counselling role.
Our counselling services have gone from strength to strength headed up by our General and Release Co-Ordinator Emma Fisher and our Circle Co-Ordinator Lydia Keighley, supported by our student mentor Nina Buckley. Our team of talented, empathic, skilled and passionate therapists have ensured a high quality therapeutic service has been delivered face to face and remotely. I would like to thank the entire counselling team for their hard work and dedication to improving the wellbeing of our clients. Thank you!
Alongside her role in co-ordinating our counselling services Emma Fisher had been project managing our National Lottery Community Fund, she has done an amazing job launching several new things for the centre including yoga for mental health and thread journalling and completing all our reporting requirements. Emma has stepped down from this role and is focussing on counselling co-ordination, we thank her for hard work and determination.
The number of changes this past year have been really challenging and we have faced these and hopefully overcome them by really focussing on why Chorley Women’s Centre is here, and that
and supporting them to make their own decisions that will shape their lives.
matching that. We are working hard to improve our fund raising and sustainability to meet the changing landscape of the voluntary sector.
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We have enjoyed some wonderful fundraising and community events including our anniversary ball, Christmas wreath making, our spring fashion show and our female icons concert. We are planning many more incredible events next year.
I’d like to close by once again thanking everyone involved in keeping Chorley Women’s Centre providing excellent support and a wonderful hub of support and laughter for the women of Chorley and South Ribble.
As I am standing down as chairperson I wish our incoming governance team all the success in the world and I feel certain that Chorley Women’s Centre will continue to develop and adapt and meet the needs of our service users. It has been an honour and a privilege to chair our team of outstanding women.
As two more of our trustees stand down I would like to thank Emma Simpson for her patience and dedication in her role as treasurer, she has implemented many new systems and strategies and led on our transition to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Emma took on every new challenge with grace and perseverance and her skills and personality will be truly missed. Kate Carrington-Smith is also standing down and we will miss her creativity and amazing I.T. skills
during your time as trustees.
We are welcoming in new trustees with a range of amazing skills, experience and passion and I feel incredibly confident that they will ensure that Chorley Women’s Centre is still the beacon of hope and support that the women of Chorley and South Ribble need.
With thanks to all of our partners, funders and supporters,
Rebecca Slater
Chair
Chorley Women’s Centre
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Centre Manager’s Report
Sue Bell
This report details the activities and developments of Chorley Women's Centre Drop-In services over the last three consecutive quarters, highlighting its services, community engagement, and facility improvements aimed at supporting women's wellbeing and mental health.
Following a unsettled start to the year, that saw many Drop-In closures, due to sickness and lack of staffing, the Centre settled into a more regular and consistent routine for opening and service delivery.
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From September to December : the centre operated two days a week, offering drop-in services, one-to-one advice, telephone support, a warm space with food and Wi-Fi, relaxation sessions, and courses on yoga, journaling, and meditation. It also developed a neurodiversity support group and provided referrals to statutory and voluntary services.
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In November, the previous Centre Manager left, leading to the temporary (based on funding) appointment of a new Volunteer Manager (Me) to enhance volunteer coordination and training, and co-ordinating Centre activity. The Chair of the Board took on temporarily managing funding and other business aspects.
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The centre promoted self-care and wellbeing through monthly themes such as Suicide Awareness, Breast Cancer Awareness, and Mental Health Awareness. It ran a successful second course of Yoga for Mental Health and delivered a 'train the trainer' journaling course to extend that impact.
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Between January and March 2025 : the centre completed significant building renovations, including accessibility improvements and an accessible toilet, enabling better physical and mental wellbeing support.
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While the building was closed, services remained open and were delivered flexibly through community venue; Calico Lounge, and partnerships with other local organisations; Inspire Youth Zone and Primrose Gardens to maintain support and early intervention .
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Programs aligned with the five ways to wellbeing and included more Yoga for Mental Health, Walk n Talk, Coffee and Chat, Positive Journaling, Knit and Knatter, self-esteem workshops, neurodiversity support, and online courses on relationships (GOGL). Warm spaces remained available, and networking with other charities continued.
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Volunteers received supervision, training, and opportunities for development through their input in service planning.
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The Drop-In officially reopened in March 2025 with full downstairs accessibility, attracting more visitors with mobility needs. My position as Centre manager was extended for a further year in accordance with secured funding.
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April to July : The centre maintained its two-day weekly schedule offering drop-in, advice, telephone support, crafting, relaxation, courses, neurodiversity, mental health and domestic abuse support, and referrals .
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New activities included wellbeing through crafting, positive journalling, Knit and Knatter, felting, IT/job seeking support, wreath making, conversation groups for English language learners aimed at the resettled community, a Happiness Habits course, Indian head massage, neurographic art, a book/short stories club, a book share/library and a very well attended creative drama course,
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Successful completion of student placements for psychotherapy and counselling .
The drop-In service is currently growing and flourishing both within it’s offers and the numbers of women attending it. This can be seen in the data recorded:
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From September to December, figures recorded, reported approximately 56 women accessed services in that quarter, with many using multiple activities.
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In the latest quarter, the centre recorded approximately 197 drop-in visits with 49 new visitors, 33 women accessing one-to-one sessions, and 10 via Facebook support. Again, we are seeing women also accessing multiple activities. The centre handled 200 phone calls covering support, enquiries, and counselling requests, with some missed calls due to opening hours.
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Volunteers:
The year has seen many changes in the volunteer team working within the Drop-In service: 2 x volunteers left immediately with the previous Centre Manager and more recently, there has been the retirement of 3 older volunteers. Therefore, the majority of the current team have come on board this year. November saw a Drop-In services volunteer team of 8, whilst the current number of regular volunteers is 11, with an additional 4 women in their first week/2 weeks. These numbers are not inclusive of the Trustee members who it is recognised, are also valuable Chorley Women’s Centre volunteers.
For those that were here, the Centre closure and resulting changes in working, afforded good opportunity for the team to work together on developing the volunteer pathway and take advantage of some team bonding activities. Training, supervision and recruitment have been and continue to be a high priority.
Finally, last Tuesday, for the first time since I started as a volunteer at Chorley Women’s Centre, there was a period of time when the building was being used to capacity. Every room was occupied for a different purpose or activity to support the women attending at the time. It was an incredible testament to the hard work of all the volunteers who work so hard to make the service be so great. Thank you to them all.
Sue Bell
Centre Manager
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National Lottery Community Fund
Chorley Women’s Centre
Emma Fisher
Project Future Year One Report
The Story of Project Future
resilience, adaptability, and commitment to supporting the wellbeing of our community. Despite significant challenges, we achieved key milestones, learned valuable lessons, and strengthened our foundation for future growth.
The two main challenges we have faced has been leadership absences and trustee retention.
Jackie Moss, our Centre Manager, was on leave for four months due to illness, while other management committee members also faced personal challenges. Rebecca Slater, Chair of the Management Committee, stepped in as interim Centre Manager to ensure continuity of operations. Initially volunteering, Rebecca later transitioned into a paid position (funded by the National Lottery), which enabled the Centre to remain open. We now have a new Centre Manager in post, Sue Bell, who started in November.
We faced the resignation of four long-standing trustees, increasing the workload on remaining
regularly onboarding new trustees to prevent burnout and maintain governance stability.
The resignations did not come as a surprise as these four members have carried on longer than they wished due to the pandemic when there were no other options.
Learning Points:
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highlighted the need to create a succession plan and build leadership capacity within the team to reduce reliance on a few key individuals.
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We are aware it has not been ideal to be paying our Chair to provide management. We have updated the contract of employment for the Centre Manager role ensuring detailed conditions of absences and sick pay.
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A structured trustee recruitment and retention strategy is essential to ensure a steady pipeline of leadership talent. Attending local volunteer fairs and working with networks like CVS have proven useful in this process.
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Key Achievements
We are proud to report we are on track with our plan for year one and have made some valuable achievements.
- Programs and Workshops:
Despite resource constraints, we delivered a diverse range of services to support mental wellbeing and social inclusion:
- Yoga for Mental Health: A ten-week course that combined physical wellness with group discussions, positively impacting 20 participants. We linked with Aspire Yoga, a local business and launched the course in May 2024. These are held at Eaves Green Community Centre covering topics of Self Esteem & Confidence, Anxiety, Managing Emotions, Social Anxiety, Low mood, Stress Management, Healthy Relationship and Life Planning. Each set of sessions is
September to another ten participants. This time it was open to all gender identities. Again, we had a full house and have scheduled this to now run three times a year. We are also planning
- Creativity for Relaxation: This was delivered in conjunction with Edge Hill University. We
Creative Approaches. With our support and guidance, they created and deliver a short course or workshop through the centre. The next year they join the Counselling team to complete their 100 hours of counselling and psychotherapeutic practice. The popular workshop delivered in March, which promoted mindfulness through art and craft, will return in the Spring due to high demand.
organisation, Self Care Creatives. They use community venues to generate creative outlets designed to foster self-expression and build relationships. We ran Thread Journaling from the local Calico Lounge in Chorley for six weeks and then secured a venue in Leyland for a four week Stitch Your Vision course. Here participants create a mood board first to inspire the embroidery.
- Get Out, Get Love: This is a self-paced online program supporting survivors of domestic abuse and unhealthy relationships. This resource has been particularly valuable for those
at the point of need.
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Action for Happiness: This was six-week course teaching practical strategies to build positive mental health habits. We ran this first in November 2023 and due to success, we ran another for eight participants in October 2024.
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Neurokind support group was launched in November and has operates monthly. This has been providing neurodiverse individuals with a tailored support to meet their specific needs.
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Sessions are held in Primrose Gardens community centre, ensuring accessibility for participants. Feedback has been very positive we have even increased the capacity on the third session due to the level of interest.
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In December we ran a Christmas wreath making class at the Calico Lounge bring creativity and festive cheer to the community.
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Community Contributions and Events:
outreach opportunities in the community. These have included:
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Partnership working with Help the Homeless, Chorley Rough Sleepers, SafeNet Women’s Refuge and Chorley Council to provide free Winter Wellness boxes and provide a Warm Space.
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We formed links with Chorley Taxi Service to ensure safe transport for residents.
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We celebrated our 40th Anniversary with a Charity Ball in the Lancastrian Suite with honoured guests the Mayor and Mayoress. It was a wonderful night remembering our legacy and raising crucial funds to support our mission.
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Students from Runshaw College designed us a poster as part of our 40[th] Year celebrations. This was displayed in Chorley Library, where we gave a long-term display cabinet.
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A memorial bench and planter donated by Chorley Funeral Care, now honours the women who helped build the Centre’s legacy in our garden.
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We raised £25,000 in our successful Space Hive crowdfund to improve the Centre’s accessibility, including the installation of wheelchair-friendly facilities.
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Leadership and Development:
New Roles:
the Centre’s work.
- We have recruited four new counsellors to join our team. This is in line with the increase in
thousand seven hundred and seventy four sessions this year.
- Sue Bell, a long-time volunteer and previous trustee, joined as Volunteer Manager, focusing on the running of the Centre’s activities, drop in, volunteer recruitment and training.
will enhance the Centre’s operational and legal structure.
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4. Infrastructure Growth:
Following our successful crowdfunding campaign, accessibility improvements, including wider doorways, a wheelchair-accessible bathroom, and therapy room, were completed in March. To ensure continued service delivery, we temporarily moved centre activies to community venues,
face sessions temporarily relocated to Health at Heart. Drop in support activities such as our new Journaling for mental health and Knit and Natter groups relocated to the Calico Lounge and Primrose Gardens Community Centre. Walk and Talk sessions were also available around the local area.
What Worked Well:
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Flexibility and Teamwork. The team’s ability to adapt, support each other, and take on additional responsibilities was key to sustaining services.
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Community Engagement: Events like the Charity Ball and partnerships with local businesses strengthened our visibility and financial support.
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Innovative Programming: Programs like Yoga for Mental Health, Neurokind and creative
Learning Points:
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as domestic abuse recovery or creative therapy. We also learned the value of using digital tools like online courses to expand our reach.
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Strong community ties are vital. Engaging local businesses, charities, and residents in fundraising and awareness events fosters deeper connections and financial support.
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critical for long-term growth. Transitioning to a CIO will ensure the Centre’s legal structure aligns with its evolving needs. We are reviewing our current operational structure with the aim to provide a more structured and boundaried approach. This will include an update of all job descriptions and self employed/supplier contracts.
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Infrastructure projects require careful planning to minimise disruption. Transparent communication with service users about temporary changes helps maintain trust.
Looking Ahead to our second year we will be working towards the following:
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Increasing the counselling hours further across the three services.
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Final edit and release of the Ezine.
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Launch newly accessible facilities in the Centre, providing a more inclusive space for all.
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Expand popular workshops and introduce new initiatives like Neurokind, focusing on neurodiversity awareness.
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- Finalise the CIO transition and develop a comprehensive business plan to guide the Centre’s next chapter.
‘The thread journal course has been a real ray of light in a very dark time in my life. Starting to learn the hand embroidery has been a challenge but Steph is so patient and encouraging she really helps you believe that you can do it. I need to learn to make time for it in my day to day life!’
depression for an hour and a half a week. (and the time I put in at home) I was free from that. Thankyou.’
‘I have learned so much from this course, most importantly coping strategies for Sleeping and Family issues with Drugs and alcohol. These strategies have taught me to be much calmer in dealing bad situations that arise.’
‘This group has given me a reason to leave the house and something to look forward to each week. I have love it and the people I have met there, I just wish it could continue.’
‘This group of like minded people supported me in many ways, reassuring me in accepting myself for who I am and enabling me to move forward in all areas of my life. Until now I was truly stuck in my ways and had isolated myself from being around people and I hadn’t realise how this journey has opened up so many paths I’m now willing to explore.’
‘I have gained so much knowledge about myself from doing these sessions. I am understanding how to deal with situations better and understand more of me and what I want in my life. It's massively helped me and I'm so much more happier in myself. I've spoken about it a lot where I work and people have asked how I've got ok etc and I've recommended that counselling does help’
‘Counselling was just what I needed. My counsellor was kind and empathetic, but still professional. I felt relaxed from the start and that she knew what to do, which has been a problem in the past for me. What was crucial was that my counsellor didn’t churn out general counselling responses. She worked with where I was at and adapted accordingly. As I was right in the middle of an ever-changing picture, it was hard to move forward but I have gone back on the waiting list because I am certain my counsellor will be able to help me move on from the stress I’ve been under’
understanding and caring’
for support through the Women’s Centre. When I first accessed the service I was a mess and
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little and I am now also dealing with a long term physical illness. As a result I have good and bad days, but I try to apply what I have learnt in my counselling sessions to help me process what I’m feeling. I am currently taking a needed break from counselling but I find myself counting down the days until my counselling begins again because I feel that I am better prepared to deal with what’s happening to me when I am able to discuss my situation with my counsellor. I genuinely don’t think I could get the support or clarity which my counsellor provides if I had to secure support from another resource. I have been lucky enough to find a counsellor who listens and responds to my specific needs. That is priceless. I am so grateful to the Women’s Centre for not only giving me care and support via my counsellor but also for making the sign up process simple, but person centred. Every person I have spoken with who is associated with this service has been kind and understanding and supportive. I can’t rate the Women’s Centre high enough’
‘I have had a number of sessions using the phone counselling service. I have found these sessions invaluable in helping me to regain a sense of self-respect and keeping me from total despair. My counsellor was always sensitive to my specific needs and helped me tremendously. She has helped me see the positives from a seemingly hopeless situation. Thank you’
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Feedback Survey Results
one respondents:
Sc
This year has been both challenging and rewarding. Through teamwork, innovation, and resilience, we have not only maintained but grown our impact in the Chorley community. As we approach the next chapter, we are more determined than ever to empower, support, and uplift the lives of those we serve. Together, we are building a future full of hope and opportunity.
Year One Budget Review
| Project Budget Headings |
Year 1 Total Project Cost |
Year 1 request from The Fund |
Year 1 Spend from The Fund |
Year 1 Spend from additional Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counselling Coordinator hours |
£32,256 | £14,784 | 10,415.88 | |
| Centre Manager hours |
£16,744 | £5,824 | £6,196.90 | £372.90 |
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| Monthly Group Supervision £900 |
Monthly Group Supervision £900 |
Monthly Group Supervision £900 |
|---|---|---|
| Counsellor Sessional fees £49,920 £18,720 18,720 |
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| Sustainability and Promotions Officer £1,680 £1,680 £1,904 £224 |
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| Volunteer contributions £700 |
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| Counsellor Insurance contribution £600 |
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| Rent/venue costs £500 £500 £300 |
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| Training £1,000 £1,000 £530.30 |
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| Travel (Students) £1,000 |
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| Office costs £1,000 |
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| Equipment £1,500 |
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| Marketing & promotion £1,500 £500 £659.64 £159.64 |
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| Utilities £4,500 |
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| Insurance £3,000 |
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| CIO transition costs £2,500 £2,500 £687 |
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| Centre Cleaning/basic upkeep £200 £200 £130 |
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| Workshop/outreach event creation & delivery £1,700 £1,700 £2,473 £773 |
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| Total £121,200 £47,408 42,016.72 1529.54 |
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| Total | 42,016.72 | 1529.54 |
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Report compiled by:
Emma Fisher
Counselling Coordinator & Project Manager
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Counselling Services Report
Emma Fisher and Lydia Keighley
May 2024– April 2025
Overview
Chorley Women’s Centre provides a range of specialist and general counselling services, including:
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Circle – Domestic Abuse Counselling
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Release – Support for those recovering from rape, sexual abuse, and sexual assault, including historical abuse
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General Counselling – For all other emotional and psychological needs
While our centre is a women-only space, our counselling services are open to all genders. Men are supported either remotely or at alternative locations.
Highlights from the Year
services. We also introduced the Get Out Get Love (GOGL) programme – a self-paced, online resource for survivors of domestic abuse. GOGL can be accessed alongside, before, or instead
this programme is available separately.
(with student counsellors), in addition to our established Monday and Thursday provision.
Our Team
Our trauma-informed services are delivered by a dedicated team:
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Joint Service Coordinators: Emma Fisher and Lydia Keighley
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Student Mentor: Nina Powell
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Counsellors:
support for clients – before, during, and after therapy. We are deeply thankful to Centre Manager Sue and her team of volunteers for their ongoing support and referrals.
We extend heartfelt thanks to our counsellors, whose commitment, compassion, and collaborative spirit are the foundation of our work. Emma and I remain incredibly grateful to each of you.
Funding
Our services are made possible through funding from Chorley Borough Council, The National
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Lottery, VCSFE, and the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner. We are sincerely grateful for their continued investment in this vital work.
While securing funding remains a challenge in an evolving landscape, our focus is on achieving long-term sustainability. The 5-year National Lottery project continues to provide strong foundational support.
Looking ahead, we are pleased to share that Chorley Borough Council has extended its core funding for a further 12 months and provided additional support for the Circle service. Circle has also received a grant from Lancashire Foundation Trust Women’s Fund to support 20 clients with eight counselling sessions each.
Referrals
Our services continue to be accessed through a broad range of referral pathways, including Victim Support, GP surgeries, mental health practitioners, the Child and Family Wellbeing Service, and Talking Therapies.
the period covered by this report.
Looking ahead, we plan to transition to a fully online referral process over the next 12 months.
Training and Development
Our team has engaged in ongoing professional development, including SPEAK suicide prevention training through Papyrus in October. Monthly peer supervision continues to provide valuable reflective space and support for all practitioners.
both increased capacity and continued demand.
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Release (Rape, Sexual Abuse & Sexual Assault Support)
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Sessions Offered: 740
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Sessions Attended: 653
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152 — a 120% increase from the previous year
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General Counselling
o Sessions Offered: 746
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Sessions Attended: 649
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166 — representing a 186% increase
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Circle (Domestic Abuse Support)
o Sessions Offered: 696
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Sessions Attended: 549
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67 — a 64% increase from last year
team in meeting the needs of our community.
Waiting times
Release- 4 months
General-6 months
Circle- 3 months
it’s the only service that hasn’t received an increase in funding.
Service Growth and Engagement
highlighting consistent year-on-year growth and the increasing reach of our support.
Attendance rates remain strong at 80% or higher across all services — a notable achievement given the complex needs of our client group. This reflects the dedication of our coordinators and counsellors, who work proactively to support client engagement and minimise barriers to attendance.
Impact
We seek feedback on our service via an anonymous feedback survey using Google Forms. Included below are some of the responses which show a range of benefits for clients:
100 per cent of clients across all services said they are likely or very likely to recommend our service to others.
Respondents across all services have reported a positive impact on a number of areas of their life including confidence, resilience, coping skills and improved mental and physical health.
General Counselling
‘I had a positive experience with the counselling, talking in the sessions helped me to feel calmer and improved some things for me’
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Release Counselling
‘My counsellor was very supportive patient and always kind and understanding although my mental health is very bad she was always there to support me she never put me under any pressure. I cannot thank you enough for your time care and support’
‘This service has helped me understand why I'm feeling how I feel. It's also helped me with boundaries and other ways I can help myself. I would recommend it to anyone’
Circle Counselling
‘I’m not one to gush, but in just 8 counselling sessions I feel much more in control of my own life. I genuinely feel this is a pivotal moment in my life and I feel a much stronger person for it. Thank you’
‘It's super friendly and helpful, you know? No judgment, just easy conversation that helps you sort things out without feeling judged or like there's a big secret’
Looking ahead
We remain committed to responding to increasing demand and meeting the diverse needs of our clients. In the year ahead, we aim to further strengthen and grow our service through the following initiatives:
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Implementing a dedicated database to enhance record-keeping and streamline service delivery
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Recruiting new student counsellors to expand capacity and support future workforce development
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Providing additional training and development opportunities to ensure our team continues to deliver high-quality, informed care
need it most.
Lydia Keighley and Emma Fisher (Counselling Service Coordinators)
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Treasury Report
Treasurer Emma Simpson
Vice Treasurer Debbie Faulkner
Balance of accounts today 26/07/2025:
Liaison Account: £10246.57
Current account: £89917.79
This has been a challenging year for the treasury team. ES would like to thank Debbie and Kate for their continued support and hard work throughout the year.
Debbie has been responsible for payment of all invoices and Kate has continued to process payroll.
ES has worked in the background to try to improve the foundations of the treasury function of the charity, ensuring easier processes in future, better spending oversight, budget management and clarity of the overall financial health of the organisation.
Updates
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Successful additional grants/funding awarded this year include:
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Spacehive Refurbishment project grant from Lancashire Culture and Sport Fund, which contributed over £10k to the overall project costs
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Clothworkers Grant (£5800 towards the refurbishment)
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Resettlement Grant (£8548 12-month grant for the centre to deliver
- opportunities for social and work information for resettled population in Chorley)
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Chorley Borough Council DV Project (£8000 12-month funding for Circle)
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Lancashire Women’s Fund (£6923 funding for Circle for 20 clients)
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abuse services (£19,500)
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A number of small individual Lancashire County Council members grants (between £100-£200) awarded in support of the refurbishment
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Adlington Carnival picked Chorley Women’s Centre as their event charity which raised £1512
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These grants have been awarded through the hard work of various team members so it has been positive to see a more even share of fundraising responsibilities across the team.
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Successful fundraising activities over the course of this year include:
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40[th] Anniversary Ball – raised £1150 and was a fantastic event which had some great feedback. Was also the introduction of using Eventbrite for managing event sales and worked very well.
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£184
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Christmas Wreath Making – very popular and a minimal amount of work for the centre team, approx. amount raised after costs £350
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Fashion Show Fundraiser – ticket sales £264.29
Treasury Activities:
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We now have an annual budget for the organisation. This gives greater clarity on the
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budget lines against all funders and all services. Headline budget numbers:
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Total annual cost for the centre and all core services running at the current level: £134,543
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Total monthly budget for the centre and all core services running at the current level: £11,211
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Most funding streams end in March 2026, with the exception of the National Lottery (funding runs to 2028). Chorley Borough Council have given 10 month extensions on their main grants (mental wellbeing support and wellbeing support) to bring us in line with their financial year so will now also end in March instead of May as they have previously.
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Reviewed all utilities costs and met with potential new suppliers
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accounts. In progress with setting up Quickbooks to run the accounting process in future, this is being set up from May 2025 so next years annual accounts will be much quicker and easier to report. As part of this process a coding system for invoicing was set up to identify the service cost and the funding cost, allowing for easier identification
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Changed all accounts and suppliers to a treasury@chorleywomenscentre.com email log in so that these can easily be accessed by new treasurers when people change roles
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Registered CWC for Gift Aid
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Purchased a SUMUP machine for card transactions
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Almost completed CIO transition process. One outstanding item remains to be revised and sent to charity registration.
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contract with them to support development of a 5-year strategic plan for the charity.
Page 22 of 26
As I formally stand down as treasurer and trustee, I thank the team for their support and hard work and I wish the Centre all the best for the future.
Emma Simpson
Page 23 of 26
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|
Ee} FOR ENGLAND AND WALES DRAFT Receipts and payments accounts CC16a . 1/20/2025 from Pome | | | Section A Receipts and payments Unrestrictedfunds Restricted funds Endowmentfunds Total funds Last year tothe nearest £ to the nearest£ to the nearest£ to the nearest£ to the nearest£ A1 Receipts EE eee ee [NHS ICB Counselling & CentreManager| pCi | ES[38,930] Support [ChorleyaBorough Council Vulnerable Adults [| | 9|| |) |rs [Chorley Borough Council CommunitySpace [| | PT Baa [Lancashire[Chorley BoroughPoliceCouncilCrime WellbeingCommissionSuppot_|| eT| TCCT|™C™~—“i~iS:SCSdCESC“(RNN’’N$’'''.eC - | [OCSPd~S [CouncilMemberGrants[National Lottery CidTC“ dCESC(“‘(‘“##(SCS;S..COCSS| TCSPs ;sid CoOp|[CO] 00] [|Cd a fT[™C™™™C~] [SpacehiveFundraisinglLancashireWomen||C—“‘CECL CTCTTC™C~—“‘C‘iLYTSC‘(RNN’NNN[C~<“‘“SC CTT™—~—“‘®$SCTRSC#&SLCSCO™™#‘(‘##(’NSCOB CT]EOOOCOC™C~C~CCC[TOO™O™~—C~SCS RibbleCommunitySpaces INHSICBCounseling[South TT| C—C‘iWE CC C “ CC“CdSSCSdETCCC™C™~Cts EC™~—“—t‘!CSdCESC(#$K$N’TN’NNNYCd [CircleCo-ordination(CBC),lCircleExpenses(CBC)CT| CC‘ eT C—“itEdCEC“‘$TCRNNNNWdTTTCCTC--'-CTT J [|CC[——~—“‘CW][™C™~—“—;!] CSCC Cd[PTC™~“‘] CS 2 [CBC[CircleCounseling(CBC,NHS) (RunningCosts) CE| Cd ECC™C~—“‘é‘“SSC[C™~C“‘C] == SSSTSSCOOCOC“(’RN’’N’NNSESC@d CSd [Release(NHS)CT C“(‘;‘tedTCTCSC:C‘“‘(RNNNT C<TCC™~“‘C(NCNCTee CT| [CentreManager| EC CCC CY 10,963 eeee ss ll | eeSub eS Ss lll total(Gross income for AR) ee etels A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). a aSub ee totalL__ =| A3 Payments insurancesCee| eeTCtC~“‘“ |aeSSSLdT:COOOOOUOOOOCOCdTC)C“ (‘$’$NNC. _Qpwp | |™~—“—™S~C~SCSCS [National[Circleco-ord[Centre[CentreManager Lottery CTCCTCCTC| |fFCdPoPeCdCY 8865] |[14,264] 5428| [Circlecounseling CT Po 85895] [13,265| [Circleexpenses | Pe | |Generalexpenses[Releaseexpenses|| C“‘H#‘LCTCOOOOCCBA| TCoe oe CSCd ||[Ce][Ce] Cd |GeneralcoordCT C“‘CONHLSCTCOOUOCOCOCOC4OSG| TC™C~—“‘“ RSCdCdECC‘“‘CSCO#C#‘#WK«SG Cd [Releasecoord[Release|Generalcounseling || |PeCd |[10,542] | [ProjectaManagement counselling & Promotions||| PCas |Cd MiscssCCC‘ ||PoCeCd Cd |||Cd[285] Cd| [Counsellorsexpenses_ ll TTT | C—“‘“SdCEC(‘;$SC“‘S(WCOC- OCT). UTPOOC™~—“—~‘“SCd” Sub total|6,385| Rees Agee na A4 Asset and investment purchases, see table
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
1
2/19/2026
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
; ; Unrestricted Restricted funds Endowment
Categories Details Pan funda
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
| ae
ni|aii | SeeRertael
Total cash funds 38,204 ersAGiA208| ||ieseae
(agree balances with receipts and payments account
(s)) ; Rees : f
Unrestricted Restricted funds Endowment
7
Details {6 iisarent £ to nearest £ fo nearoat £
SFEs |eeSe||ee
Details Fund fpnieh asset Cost (optional) Cunene
a ===
atai Fund to which asset Cost (optional Current value
B4 Assets retained for the
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Bee ees |
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CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
2
2/19/2026
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----- Start of picture text -----
Fund to which Amount due When due
Details liability relates optional optional
P|
|
Ps
a—— ee
Signedall the trusteesby one or two trustees on behalf of Signature Print Name Date of approval
#VALUE! Elaine Eyles 2/18/2026
19/02/2026
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CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
3
2/19/2026
vN CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
: Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
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----- Start of picture text -----
Report to the trustees/
members of | Chorley Women’s Centre
On accounts for the year | 31/04/2025 Charity no | 700446
ended (if any)
Set out on pages | One to three
| report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended .
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Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
-
| report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, | have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
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, under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
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Independent | have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
e accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
-
e the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
-
| have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. “Please-delete-the-werds-the-breekets-itthey-de-netapphy/
Name: | Alan A.Clements Rev'd
Relevant professional | Fellow Association of Charity Independent Examiners. qualification(s) or body
(if any):
Address: | 15 Carleton Road, Great Knowley, Chorley PR6 8TQ
IER
1
October 2018