Company registration number.. 2441231 Charity registration number: 802597 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 STEP FORWARD ffOWER HAMLErs) CONTENTS Legal and administrative infonnalion Report of the Iruslees 21011 Report of the independent auditors 121015 Statement of financial activities 16 Balance sheel 17 statement of cash flows 18 Notes lo the financial statements 19to29 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Status Step FoN8rd (Tower Hamlets) 15 a company limit•d by guarantee and a reglstered charrty govemed by ils memorandum and articles ol association. P•tron Slr lan McKellen Tru•teo1 Dennis Twomey Hussein All Chlef Ex•cutlv• Offlc•r Mrs Lee-xuan Roblnson 6•cr•tary Denni5 Twomey R•glstsr•d Offlco 234 Bethnal Green Road London E2 OAA Company R•gl•tratlon Number 2441231 Charlty R•glgtr•tlon Numb•r 802597 Ind•p•mlent Audltor Shaw Glbbs (Audit) Llmited Salattn House 19 Cedar Road Sutton Surrey SM2 5DA Page 1 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 The trustees are pleased to present their report logethor wlh the audi(ed financkal Stslemènts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. St•tu8 Step Forward (Tower H8mlels1 is a company limited ty guarantee and a registered charfty govemed by its memorandum and arb.cles of as50uation. structur•. gov•m•n¢• and management The organisalion is a chantable company limited by guarantèe,, Incorporated on November 8th. 1989. The Company was estsb118hed under a Memorandum of As$ocSallon which outline8 the cbjects and powers of the charitable company. Tha charity is also ¥ Limited Cornpany by Guarantee. 11 is governed by its Articles of Associatson which detail the aims and objectives ol the organisatson as well as the mechanisms through vthich 11$ Board of Trustees 1$ elected. In the event of the company going into liquidats"on. membeTS of the organis*ion ore required to contribute an amount not ex￿edIng £1. The Iruslee3 who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Ad 2006, present their report with the fflnandal statements of the charlty for the year ended 31 March 2025. The Iwslees have adopted the provisions of Accounlbng and Reporting by Charities.. Statement ol Recommended Practice applicable lo cF7arili•s preparing their accounts in accordance ￿ the Flnanelal Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and R&public of Ireland IFRS 1021. R•crultm•nt and appointm•nl of tru•t••• Slep Forward's truste8s are appointed in accordance the ch8rlty8 Articles ol Association. The Board of TnJ91eeg ly responslble for identifying and recruitsng new trustees, wth appointments made by re801utlon ol the existing Board. Tru8tee8 serve in a voluntary capacity and r•ceive no remuneration. The 8oard 4th.vety seeks lo recwlt trullees vtho bring 4 div•r•e range of 8kllls, exporlence and perspectives, and who reflect the communities the charity 98rves. In recrulling new Iru31ee8, the Board consider8 the ski115 and experience needed lo complement those already represented on d7e Board. particular attention to areas such as finance, legal, health, educab'on, human resources and Ilved expertence of the issueg affethng young people in Tower Hamlets. During the year 8nded 31 March 2025, Step Fotward partlcipated in the Minorili8ed Ethnic TnJ¥teé8 programme run by Tower Hamlet¥ Volunteer Service. This programme 19 Specifically deslgned to 5UPPOrt people from mlnorbtised ethnic communltie5 to take on trustee roles in local voluntary organisalions, and the charity welcomed the opportunity to recruit through this route as part of118 ongoing commitment to ensuring governance reflects the diversity of the borough it Se￿es. In addition to formal recrurtmenl programmes. the charity hay also welcomed approaches from individuals who have become aware of Step Forward's work thr¢ugh the charity's website or Ihrough ils presence in the local community. The Board considers all such expre85ions of interest carefulty, as$es$ing %thelher candidates have the relevant Skills, experience and commitment lo wntribute effectively to the chartty's govemance. Page 2 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 About Step torward Slep FoFw8rd 3UPPOrts the wellbeing, mental health and social development of young people aged 11-25 in Tower Hamlets. Established in 1988, our vlsion is of a wodd where all young people can reali5e their self-worth, ralse their aspirations and reach theii full polenb'al in life. Our mission is lo improve the well-being and life chances of local young people affected by poverty and disadvantage by provldlng accessible. flexible non-judgemenlal 5UPPOrt services. We provide free, high quality ¢onfidenlial, LGBTQl+ inclusive and curturalty Sensitive support, helping people often underserved or hesilanl lo engage wth conventional mental health services. We have a range of rooms for private counselling and group activities at our welcoming, accessible building on Bethnal Green Road and also work offsrte al schoo18 and youth centreg. Support can be provided on one.off, short.term. or ong¢ing basis. Our current rnaln aCti￿tieS ar•.. Free and confidenllal counselling, cognrtlve behavioural therapy IC8TI and per8onal development gUPPOrt. School based coun8elling, CBT. wellbeing p8y¢hoeducallon work and group workghops in 4 8choolslcollegeg Online staff wellbglng support to 81aff from 48 Schools Bcro88 the borough. LGBTQ+ 8UPPOrt including 1..1 personal development anty counsBlling and groups for undar 9nd over 188 school holiday actsvllie$ for young people may have difficumgs 4rKe¥¥ng mgin8lream youth provision and need smaller, supportive group spaces. Outreach work to schools and ctsmmunily settings, speaking at a8semblie$, classes and parbcSpaling in events and mentsl health falrs, reaching over a thou58nd people a year. Our strrvices are free, hlgh quality. conffidenlial, LGBTQI+ incluslve and cutturally 8onsrtive, helplng people who are under¥eryed or hesitant lo engage wlh conventlon81 mental health servlces. Objectlvos Step FoNard 18 committed lo improving the health, well-being and Ilfe chances of local young peoF4e affected by poverty and disadvantage. Through provlding a holistic rang& of free. confidential. high quality therapeutic and psychosorAal support services we help young people deal wlth any difficulties or past trauma or abu8e. We offer a place of sanctuary thich inspires and encourages them lo realise Ihelr self-worth. raiso IheSr 4$piratSons and reach their full potenllal Sn lrfe. Publlc ben•flt Our ljoard of Irusle88 have consldered the Charity Comm1581on guidance ¢Jn public benefit and conslder that the charit8ble actiwlie5 of Step Forward provide a benefit lo the public. Our board and management team ensures that all of Step Forward's charitable activities Jre for publlc benefit and directly relate lo the charity's purpose and alm8. Slep FoNMrd attraGt8. welcomes and serve5 a diverse population of young peoplg. We reach young people through actlvilies at our own cenlre, through OUT regular satellite sessions in local schools and through outreach. education, training and events aCTOSS the borough. Our monitortng and slalisb'cs show Ih8t our service benefits members of the public induding both young men and young women from a range of cornmunibes reflected locally. We provide all our seNices free of charge. Page 3 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 A¢li¥itles and achlevement% Thi5 year Slep FO￿ard has made a Significant difference to the wellbeing of young people, 271 young people were referred to our oryani$*ion for potenb'al 1,.1 support. Support was provided to 263 of these, with 162 referred to our counselling 8ervice followng an assessment. 10 referred to Personal Oevelopment support, and a further accessing eady intervenlionlpsychoeducalion. Under 18$ accounted for 175165%) of Teferrals. and 18-25-year-olds account for 96 (35%). The average age al fiTSt referral was 16. The average age at first referral was 16. 210 177%) were from a global majority background, wth 114 142%) reported Bangladeshl herilage. 21 % of all clients slated they had a disability. Of these, 57% had a learning disability. Overall we are seeing an increase in dienls vkno are autistic. have ADHO, or other SENO (Special Educational Needs and Disabillliesl. 64% of the young people we worked wth last year identified as female, 30% 88 male. 3% identified as trans and a further 3% identifiad a$ 'othe Our aim Is 10 Smprove the health. wellbelng and life chance8 01 local young people, ￿lCh the organisations has been able lo achl8v8 through IIM corè actlvilles.. Th•i•p•utlc 4upport Step Forward provtded 1..1 Iherapeulic support lo young people which induded counselling 8nd cognitive b•h3vioural therapy ICB TI. 162 young people were referred to counsellingl CBT support. Young people reported improved emollonal health and wellbeing, self- awareness and an Increased ability lo talk about their worries and make changes in their lives. Our enhancèd CB T team added capacity to offer thbs evidence based intervention for young people experien￿ng low mood, anxiety. OCO and PTSD and conlSnued to grow with tsvo new trainee8 In post as part of the Chlldren & Young People, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Psychologlcal Training {CYP CBT-PTI programme, Our most senior C8T Practitioner also embarkad on gup&Nisor training whlch increastd the organisalion'8 capacity to provide SL4PPOrt and supervision in-house. P•rsonal d•v•lopm•nt •upport Our Personal Development Team ¢onlinuod to develop and Support young people both 1..1 and through group support. Young people reported increased confidence and self-aw8rene$g as 8 result of 1..1 support. Young people have also gained Assessment and Qualifications Alllance IAQAS) as a re8uIt of learning Dutcomes they have achieved, for example in leadership. The team have provlded wellbeing group acllvilies based on the 5 ways to wellbeing during the school holidays which has enabled many young people to access support in the holidays tral may otherwise find diffi¢ull to access larger more maingtream groups. The team have made links wth local voluntary and statutory partner8 vthlch has increased the range of opportUn￿e8 our young people have been able to a¢¢e$$. LGBTQ+ support Young LGBTQ+ people have been able lo re￿iVed yupport both 1..1 through Mun$ellinglC8T and personal development and through groups al Step Forward. Our weekly group get￿ce h83 continued lo grow in numbers and provides 8 safe space for young people lo openly discuss thebr feellngs and concerns and access opportunities to help them reach their potential. Due lo the increased numbers attending, thi5 year the organisation Splrt the group lo enablg delivery of an over 185 group and an under 18s group, which young people have responded to really well. This past year over 30 young LGBTQ+ people attending the $ession$ reported an improved sense of wellbeing. feellng more optsmislic about their futures and were better able to access holistic and supporttve opportunities acros5 LBTH. Page 4 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 School ba8•d support This year. Step FoThvard continued to provide counselling to tsvo Secondary schoo15 in LBTH through our longstanding partnershipslcontracts. We have also coftb'nued lo be a delivery partner ol the Tower Hamlets Emob"on81 Wellbeing Service (THEWSI which is the borough's Mental Health Support teams in Schools IMHSTsl programme delivered by the central THEWS team wlhin CAMHS, part of the Govemment's inili8live to Provide support and extra Bapacity for earfy intervention lo young people. AS part of THEWS whole school approach. one of our COLJn$ellors ha5 been providing wellbeing support lo staff %tho are part of the THEWS nehvork. InGreased numbers of staff have a￿$$ this support this year ￿￿ch has demongtr4ted the need and value of th18 SUPPOrt to school ¥laff. Outr•ach and cornfflunity vmrk Step Forward ha$ also conducted outreach and delivered wellbeing 8eBbions to young people in the community. This has helped raise awareness of the Importance of emotional and mental health and provlded young people wth tools they can use and information about where they can get yupport, including our $8rvices al Slep Forward. The organisation reached over 1250 young people in the ommunity though this work. Partngrdhlp¥ This year. Step Forward has maintained numerous 51atulory, voluntsry and corporate partnershlps as well as developed new relatioin$hips. These have helped lo provid& opportLtnilies for young peoplg, raised aw8rene83 ol the importance of emolonal and wellbelng support for young people andlor helped raise fund5 to enable us to continue lo make a difference to the lives of young peeple. P•rfomanc• The year ended 31 March 2025 w88 one of the most challenging in Slep Forward's recent history. The charity continued lo deliver ils ￿re services lo young people awss Tower Hamlets, bul dSd 80 again81 a backdrop of 8ignificant organisab'onal disruption, a sharply deterioratsng fundlng environment, and an ever-growng demand for mental health and wellbeing support from some ol the most disadvantaged young people in the county. The most signffleant internal factor affecting the charity's performance durlng the year was the long-lerm sl¢knes3 abBence of the Chlef Executive Officer. The CEO'S absen￿ placed conslderable pressure on the wder stsff team and the Board of Trustees, who worked lo ensure operation81 continuty. The existing Operations Manager stepped up lo help provide leadership and stability during this period ￿th addttlonal sUPPOrt from the Chair and T￿aSUrer. The Iruslees are grateful to all mem￿r3 of staff for their dedicatlon and resilience in mainlalning seNices through %that was gn exceptsonally difficult time. Managing an organisalion through unexpected $enS01 leadership absence 1$ a significant govgrnance and oper41ional challenge, and the Board 8cknowledge8 that Ihls has had an impact on the pace of certain strategic ¢Jevelopmenls during the year. Oe8pite these pressuies, Slep Forward contlnued to reath approximately 1,750 young people from aGro55 East London wrth free, confidentl81 therapeutic and psychosoci81 support services. Clienl feedback remains strongly positive, wlh 98% of respondents rating seryices 4 or S OLrt of 5 for Salislactlon, and 97% reporting they fett safe and experienced compassion frcffl our team. This reflects the ongoing commltment and prolesslonalism of our stsff and volunteers. Page 5 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 D•mand for s•rvic•• Demand for Slep Forward'5 services has continued to rise, consistent national trends. More than one in four young adullg aged 16 Its 24 are now living wlh ¢ornmon mental health condrtions such as anxiety and depression, a Significant delerioralion from figures recorded less than tsvo decade$ ago. In Tower Hamlets specifically. nearfy ha]f of all chIld￿n live in povety after housing costs- the highest rate of any London borough and children in the POOTest 20% of households are four limes more likely lo experfence mental he811h problems cornpared lo those in the highestearning 20%. The borough's acute deprivation means the need for accessible, free mental health support for young people remains as a¢ule as il has ever beert. Through our assessments with young people. we have recognl8ed that a greater proportion ol those seeking our support are presenllng wlh increasingly complex i55ues compared lo the period before the pandemic. This has led us to ¢on¢entral& more resources into our specialist counGelling. personal development, and LGBTQi+ support Setvices, And lo further develop our CBT and wellbeing workshops dèslgned lo meet a broader range of naed. The widor funding •nvlronmont The Iruslees wlsh to draw attention lo the extremely challenglng funding environment that the entire vduntary sector is navIga￿ng. Accordlng lo NCVO'8 The Road Ahead 2025, the unpredictable and challenging limes the charity and voluntary seclor bas experlenced in ￿cent years look set to continue, wlh many organi5alions lacing a perfect storm created by funding falling, costs increasing. and demand dlmblng glmult8neous1y. The October 2024 Autumn Budget introduced further significant presgures lor the sector. NCVO has hlghllghled that the 6.7% rise in the National Llving Wage and the increase in employer National In8urance conlribuliony lo 15%, both effective from April 2025, will bring substantial fingnc181 pressures for charities. NCVO Èytlm8ts3 that the Nalional Insurance increase alone fepresenls an additsonal financial strain on the voluntsry sector of £1.4 billion. Unlike the private sector. charits'es cannot pass these costs on lo seN1￿ user$, and unlike public sector organisatlons, they do not benefit from equivalent exemptions. Slep Forward 1$ not Immune lo Ihege pressures, and the trustee8 wlll monitor the impact ol these ¢o$l incrèas85 carèfully in the year ahead. NCVO has also noted that government conlr8cls lo charitie8 h8ve not been rising In Ilne K•Ath infl4t+on. meanlng that even where fvndlng h99 been mainlalned In c83h leTmg, Its real value has eroded. This compounds the drfficults'es faced by small8r, communily-based organi5atlon8 like Step FcMaTd, depend on a combination of 51alutory grants. contracts and trust funding lo $u8lain their services. The trustees are determined to respond proacllvety to this environment by contsnuing to diversify Sfrp FO￿ard'S income base and reduce reliance on any single funding Stream. Looklng ahead The trustees are proud that Slep Forward has continued lo provide vital, free servlces throughout year of significant internal and extemal difficulty. The challenge8 described alK*ve the CEO, obsen¢e, the reduth'on in certain income streams, and the br08der gector-wide fundlng pressures have tested the organisation's resilience, bul also ¢Jemon51raled the strength of its ftjundalions.. a skilled and committed staff team, an owned centre in Bethnal Green. robust reseNes, and 8 Strong local reputation buih over more than three decades. The trustees are focused on stabilising and securing the charitys leadership for the long term. We rem8in committed to meebng the gro￿n9 need for mental health and wellbeing 5UPPQrt among the young people of Tower Hamlets, and to ensuring step Fonvard has the resources and leadership lo conts'nue doing so for many years to come. Page 8 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 In 202&25 our aims were.. To maintsin a eommunity resource which is safe, accegsible and available for local young people Have continued to provlde support through our premi8es In Bothnal Green online suppgrt as well a8 delivery alongside our partners lo provid& $upport to local YP To complete an IT 8ySterns upgrade and office refit in order to respond to servlce demand and devekjpment IT systems continued lo be developed. Changed IT providers to asslsl wth this as previous suppller not able lo support 8dequately. Plans in place for 2025.26 To respond lo the demand fu mental and emooonal health ser¥lce8 by increasing seNices and improving care pathways CBT capacity grew In 2024-25. Continued lo respond lo demand Ihrough our core Personal developmonl and therapeutic offers. To support the development ol thlkfren and young people cenlred emotSon81 and mental health ser￿ceS locally and to work alongside local partners to 5LlPPOrt young people's emollonal and mental heallh in schools Achleved through our partnershlps wth 2 secondary gchools lo provide counselling as wall as through C￿deliVery on the THEWS proyrarnme %thich supported both young poople as well as staff in schools. To further develop the range of services available to local young people undar one room Oevaloped our CBT offer. Co-producllon wlh young people accessing our support, particularly our LGBTQ+ and wellbeing groups to help inforrn ath'vtts'es. Partnered organisalion called Get Out which offery the opportunity for young people lo connect ￿th nature and ty stand up paddleboarding ISUPI and surfing to Improve their emotional wellbeing. To support the professional development of staff and volunteers, including recruit to Ir8ln CBT IAPT trainees Recruited new traineeg In 2024 for thè 2025 academic yeor. Our Youth Devetopment & Wellbelng Worker¥ undertook young work qualTrlcalions and all staff continued tu receive supervision and training relevant to their needs, including lor example.. Safeguarding, Safely Inlervent*on trainlng. Prevent Iralning. . To maintaln and recruit volunteers lo help wlth both office support and direal seNce PrO￿$10n Two vc4unleers In thi5 timeframe have helped support our LGBTQ+ group and also Liffice support. Contlnued lo maintain and support a team of honorary voluntser counsellors lo help with our direct service provision. To ulillse the broad ronge of skills and experience5 of trustees through the board meelings and cruil new members Board have rnel Tegularfy and I¢￿king to recruit new member5 through the METS programme. Almlng to fvrther grow the Board in 202&26. . To diversify funding sources and altract a wder supporter base Page 7 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Continued work to diversify funding sources. Support from a consultant to develop our organisational and fundraising strategy. More work in 2025-26 needs lo be done to develop this fvrther. The Operations Manager conlinues to grow existing and develop new local corporate partnership5. To raise the profile of Slep Forward in the sector and to further publiclse and promote Slep Forward including using different media and resources. The team continued to raise Step Forward's profile in the sector through Its outreach work. The Operabon$ Manager also joined the Children and Young People's Mental Health Coalition ICYPMHCI lo connect with other organi5allons aGf05S the country. Further work on $o¢ial medial¢ommunicalions strategy needB lo happen in 2025-26. step Forward continued lo review and develop our services to ensure we can respond lo emerging needs of our client group. In November 2024 we began a 51Tategic ￿VIeW process wlh a board away day, bringing trustees and Senior jtsff together to Flan out 8 strategy development proce88 that would rnn untll the followng summer. Our Board and management team took steps in response lo the exiernal financial climaltr by reviewng our fvnding and looking for new funding sources, incre89ing OUT fundraising and promollonal actlvitleg to attract new 8upporter3. Rlsk management The Board ol Tw8lee8 has conducted a revlew of major risks lo vthich the charlty is exposed and maintains the Risk Reglsler vthlch is revlewed al least annually and updated a5 necessary. Procedures Are In place to ensure complianco vAth health and safety requlremenls for 8taff, volunteers, cllents 8nd vlsllors to the cenlre. We regularly review our operation81 policies and procedure5 to ensure they remain up lo dale and fit for purpose. All staff attend ¥afeguarding training and at least 3 members ol staff attend Advanced Safeguaiding Children Training to ensure that clients and peryJonnel are supported lo r8m8ln safe. To ensure a con81s1enl quality of delivery for all operational aspects of the charrty we are org8ni5ational members of BACP IBritigh Assodatlon of Counselling and Psychotherapy) and Youth Access, and also hold the Department of Health 'You're Welcome, qualbty mark. Internal financial control risks are minlmi88d by the implementation of procedures for aulhori8atlon of all Iransa¢ts'ons and projectg. All Iransactlons over £2,000 require the authorijabon of a Trust•e and the CEO. The Trustees are aware of the volatile nature of funding and Step Fopward 8vold8 becomlng dependent on any particular income source, as the loss of a major fvnding SOU￿ could have negative impact. Page 8 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Financial position Income for the year decreased by £102,563 to £325,51312024', £428,076), and expenditure increased by £6,095 to £539,694 12024.. £533,599). This re$ulled in a net decrease in funds for the year of £214.181 12024. £105,523). Cash decreased by £48,957 to £729,33912024.' £778,2961. Unreslrlcled reserves stood at £1.138,793 12024.. £1,293,898) and reslricled reserves stood at £30.00012024.' £89,077) at the year end. The INslees are aware that the scale of the reduction in Income this year. comblned ￿th reserves that remain relatively healthy, may prompt qvestions ITOM funders and other stskeholders about the charity's financjal pOs￿.0n. The Board wishes lo addres5 this directly. The reduction in income reflects specific, identifiable changes to our contract portfolio rather than a systemic de¢line in the Charity's standing or relevance. M05t significanuy, income from the ELFT Mental Heakh programme reduced by £107,391 followng changes lo the delivory model for mental health In schools, and Schoctls income fell by £18,408 following the conclusion ol certaln commissioned progfamm88. These reductions were partialty offset by growth in restrictod income, induding £40,000 from the Being Heard project and Increased HEE funding of £71,696. The charty'8 regerves, ￿lIe raducing as planned, remain aljove the minimum level requlred by the Board'5 re8eNes pollcy. A significant proportion of unreslricled funds are designatod for specific purposes, Includlng the bullding upgrade programme 1£200,0001, HR and other contingencie8 1£126,5001. and property and equlpmenl 1£357.3781. General free reserves, after accounting for designated funds, stood al £454,917 al the year end. The truslees are 8ali8fled that the charity remains flnancialty 8t8ble and that reserves are baing deployed appropriately to sustain and develop serv1¢?8 during a perk*d of transluon. The Iruslees are conffidenl that the charity's strong local repulab'on, ils owned premlses, ils dlver8ifled nding strategy and its committed $laff team place il in a sound position to rebijild income in the coming year. The 8oard continues to monf(or the financbal posib'on closely and receivo9 ￿gUlar financial reports at each of it$ quarterty meeb'ngs. R•••rv•s poll¢y 11 is the pollcy of the Board of Trustees lo malntaln a mlnlmum surplus of unrestricted fundg gufficient to meet six months, expenditure. In practice, a re8erv8 sufficient to meet approximately elght months, gxpendrture and any potential redundancy co818 18 held vknerever possible. In addition to maintaining these operational reserves, the Boaril has designated lund3 lo support the continued developmenl of the charity's Snlraslructure. Up lo £150,000 has been allocated for IT upgiades and construction work to reconfigure the ground floor of the charity's Belhnal Green centre to allow more space for service delivery. The Board wll keep Ihe level of design8ted reserves under review as Ihls programme progresse$. The tru8tee5 expect reserves to reduce further In the short term a$ the manages Its cash llow through a period of income Iran$ilion, and wll keep the reserves position under close revlew to ensure It remalns consistent wth the policy. Page 9 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Funding The charW8 Income durtng the year was drawn from a range of slatulory, trust and donated $ource8. The prfncip81 sources of income from charitable activities were the ELFT Mental Heatth programme (£101,201), Heath Education England via the HEE programme 1£71.8961. Schools counselling and support services1£58,9481, the Being Heard project funded by the London Borough of Tower Hamlet5 1£40,0001, LGBTai+ support service5 funded by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets 1£25.000), and the Reach Me prtsjecl1£11.2501. Donatsons and legacies totalled £17.418, including grants from the Eleanor Hamitton Educali¢2nal Trust {£7,000) and the Frank Halneg Memorf41 Trust1£5,4001. The trustees are grateful to all funders and 8UPPOrters vhlo have cenllnued to Snvesl in Step Forward's work during what has been 8 challenging year for the charity and for the sector as a whole. Audltorn The aUd￿orS Shaw Gibbs (Audit) Limited are deemed to be reappointed under secticln 487{21 of the Companies Act 2006. Tru8toes' r￿PonSIbIlI￿oi In relatlon to th• flnanclal 8tatsm•nts The charity truste0$ Iwho are also the diredors of Step Forward (Tower Hamlets) for the purposes of company lawl are responsible for preparing trustees, report and a trustees, annual report and finBnelal 8latemenls In accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (Uniled Kingdom Generally Acc•pled Accounllng Practice). Company law requires the charty Iruslees lo prepare financial glalements lor each year %thlch glve true and fair view of the 51ale ol affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resource$ and applicèlion of resources, induding the Income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that poriod. In preparing the flnancial statements. the Iruslee8 are required to.. select $ultsble a￿lUn￿ng policies and apply them consistently., observe the method5 and principles in the Charities SORP., make judgementg and e8￿MateS that are reayonable and pNdenl', state whether appllcable UK accounllng 8tsndard8 have been followed. subject to any materfal departures dlsclosed and explained in the financial statements., prepare the financial statements on the going concem basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business. The IiiJ61ee$ are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financlal posllion of the charity and lo enable them lo ensure that the fin8nci81 $lalemenls comply b*ilh the Companies Act 200S. They are also respon￿ble for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasona￿8 steps for Ihtr preverrtlon and delects.on of fraud and oiheT irregularllies. The trvslees are re¥pon$ible for the m8inlenance and integrty of the corporate and financial infornialion included on the charitable companYs webwle. Legislation in the Unlted Kingdom goveming the preparation and dissemin8tion of financial slalements may differ from leglslalion in other jurisdictions. Dlsclosure of Inlorniation to auditor In so far as the trustees are aware at the time of approving the report of the report of the Iru$lee5.' there is no relevant audit infomiation (as defined by section 418 of the Companies Act 20061 of which the charity's auditors are unaware., and the Iruslees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit infomialion and to establish that the auditors are a￿are of that inft)mialion. Page 10 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Small compani•s provision $t•t¢ment The trustees have taken advantage of the small companies, exemptions provided by sections 414B and 415A of the Companies Act 2006 from the requirement lo prepare a strategic report and in preparing the trustees ' report on the grounds that the charitable company Is entrtled lo prepare its accounts for the yaar in accordance with the small companies. regime. Approved by the trusteey on 6 May 2026 and Signed on 11$ behalf by.. Dennis Twomey Treasurer Page 11 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) Oplnlon We have audited the financial Btslemen19 of Step Forward ffower Hamlets) Ilhe '¢harity'l for the year ended 31 March 2025, which comprise the Statement of financial aciiviti'es. Balancg sheet, Slalemenl of cash Ilows, and Notes to the financial slalements, including a summary of significant accounts'ng policies. The financial reportlng framework that ha5 been applied in their preparation 18 United 'ngdom Accounting Standards, compd51ng Charrties SORP . FRS 102 'The Financial Reporting standard applicable in th8 UK and Republic of Ireland, and applicable law {United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). In our opinion th¢ finanry818talements'. glve a true and fair view of the slate of the charlty's affalrs a8 at 31 Marth 2025 and of il¥ Incoming resource5 and application of resource8, for the year then endèd-, have btsèn properly prepared in accordance wrth United Kingdom G•ner8lly Accepted Accounllng Practice., and have been prepared In accordance wth the requlremenl$ of the Charities Act 2011, 8a•ls for oplnion We conduc19d our audit in accordonce ￿th Inlemallonal Standard8 on Audlllng IUKI IISA$ IUKII and applicable law. Our responsibilit'es under those standards are fvrther described in thè Audltorfs responsibllltles for the audit of the financial statements section of our ￿Port. We a￿ independent of the charity Sn a¢cordance wlh the ethical requiremenly that are relevant to our audrt of the financlal Statements in the UK. including the FRC'S Elhlcal Standard. and we have fulfilled our other ethical iesponsibililies in accordance wth these requirem&nl8. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained Is yufficienl and approprlgte lo provlde a basis for Dur opinion. Conclu•ion• r•latlng to golng C1￿cern In auditing the financial ststements, we hove concluded ih81 the tNslees' use ol thè golng concem baslg of accounting in the preparation of thg financial statement8 1$ not oppropriate. 88sed on the work we have performed, we have not Identjfied any moterlal unGert4inlieJ relallng to events or conditions that, Individually or collectively, may cast gignthcant doubt on the company's ablllty to continue as a going ¢oncem for a period of at least tsVe￿e months from when the financial statemen18 are aulhod8ed for Issue. Our responslbilltles and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concem are described in the relevant secllong of thls report. Other Infomiatlon The other Snformation cornprlses the informolon included in the annual report other than the flnancial slalement8 and our auditols report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other infomalion contained wlhin the annual report. Our opinion on the financial stslemenls does not cover the other information and we ¢Jo not express any form of assurance conelusion Ihereon. Our responsibllity is to read the other infomalion and, in doing so, consider ￿ether the other information is materially inconsi5tenl wlh the financial statements or our thowledge obl8ine¢Y In the course of the audit, or otherwise appears lo be materialty misstated. If we idenlfy suGh material Inconslsten¢les or apparent material misstatements, we are required to detemine whether this gives rise to a mateiial mlsslatemenl in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of thig other information, we are required to r•port that fact. We have nothing lo report in thls regard. Page 12 ## **STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS)** ## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception** In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Report of the trustees. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion: - adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or - the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or - certain disclosure of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or - we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or - the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies’ regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the Trustees’ Report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report. ## **Responsibilities of trustees** As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities (set out on page 10), the trustees (who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose 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 charity'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 charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. ## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements** We have been appointed as auditor under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder. 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 thst 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 extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below: ## **Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud** Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows: - the engagement partner ensured that the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence, capabilities and skills to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations; - we assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified above through making enquiries of management and inspecting legal correspondence; and Page 13 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) we identified laws and regulatlons were communicated wrthin the audit team regularfy and the team remained alert lo in81ances of non-compliance throughout the audit. We considered the nature of the charity's sector and ts control enwronment, and reviewed the charity's documenlats'on of their policies and procedures relatsng lo fraud and compliance with laws and regulatsons. We a180 Idenufied the laws and regulations appIl￿ble to the charity through discussions wlh the Trusl&es and other management, and from our cumulative audit, kno￿edge and experienc& ot the charity. We obtained an understsndlng of the legal and regulatory framework that the Char￿Y operates in. and idenufied the key laws and regulats'ons that.. had a direct effect on the delemiination of material amounts and dS$clowrÈs In the financial ststemenls. These included the Companies Ad 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Charllies SORP and UK financial reporting standards as issued by the Financial Reporting Council., and do not have a dbrect effect on the financial ¥latemenl¥ bul compliance wlh v4hi¢h may be fundamental to the Charfly's abllity to operate or to avoid a mgtertal penalty. These Includ8d the Chanty's regulatory requlMm•nl8, employment and taxation legislalionB. We assessed the susceptibility of Ihe ¢hartty's financlal statements to material misslalement, Including obtslning an understandlng of how fraud might occur, by.. making enquiries ¢1 management as to ￿ere they considered there was su8ceptsbillty to fraud, their kn￿edge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud.. and considering the inlemal Controls in place lo millgate riskg ol fraud and non-compllance law8 and regulations. In re$poTrse to the risk of Irregularitie3 an¢J non-compllance wllh laws and regulallon$, we designed procedures %thich Included, but were not limited to.. reviewlng financlal statement disclosures by testing to supportlng docum•ntatlon to a8Be88 compliance wlh provisions of relevant law8 and regulatsons descrlb8d 98 havln9 a dlrect effect on the financial st8temenlg', performing analytlc81 procedures to identify any unuau41 or unexpected relalionshlps that may indicate ri$k$ of maledal misstalemenl due to fraud. enquiring of the trustees concerning actual and potenb'al Iltigatson and clalm8, and instances of non-compliance wlh laws and regulab'on8," and readlng minutes of trustee meetings, revI￿n9 Internal audrt report8 and revie￿n9 correspondence the Chartlles Commi8siori. In ie$pon8e to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance wth laws and regulations. we design8d procedures which included, bul were not limited lo.. agreeing financi81 $t8lements lo disclosures undedwng 5UPPOrting documenlat(on', enquiring of trustees as lo actual and potential lillgat(on and clalms., and analysing legal costs lo ascertain if there have been instances of non-compliance vhth laws and regulations. Page 14 STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF STEP FORWARD (TOWER HAMLETS) There 8re inherent lirnltations in our audh procedures described above. The more ￿MOVed that law5 and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standaids also Ilmil the audit procetJureB required lo identfy non-cr)mpliance ￿th laws and regulations lo enquiry of the Trustees and ¢)ther management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence. rf any. "ng lo the inh8rent Ilmilations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk th81 ￿ may not have detected some material misstatements in the financlal statements, even thou9h w• have properfy planned and performed our audrt in accordance auditing standards. For example, the fvrther moved non-compliance wllh laws and regulatsons lirregularitlesl is from the events and Iransaetions reflected in Ihe financial stalementS, the less likely the inherenlly Ilmiled procedures required by auditing standards would idents'fy it. In addition, as with any audrt, there remained a higher rfsk of nO￿deteCtIon of irregularities, as th85e may involve collusion, forgery, intentional Omis￿on5, mlsrepresenlallons, or the override ol internal controls. We are not responsible for preventin9 non