CARING BREAKS LIMITED Directors, Report for the year ended 31 March 2024 The Direciors present their report with the audited financial statements for the year ¢nded 31 March 2024. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with ihe accounting policies sei out in noie I to the accounts and comply with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association. the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charilies.. Siaiement of Recommended Pracrice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland published in October 2019" Reference and Admlnistrative Informatlon Charity Name: Caring Breaks Limited Charity Registraiion number: NIC103342 Company Registration number: Nl 37804 Registered Offjce.. 6c Wildflower Way, Apollo Road, Belfast, BTI 2 6TA Business Address: 6c Wildflower Way. Apollo Road, Belf&st, B T12 6TA Directors S O'Brien (Chairperson) J Donaghy (Treasurer) M Devlin P Crossin L Quinn B Mongan M Mitchell Secretary Vivienne Thompson Auditors Mccreery Turkington Stockman LTD, l Lanyon Quay. Belfast, B TI 3LG Bankers Bank of Ireland, 364 Lisburn Road , Belfasl. BT9 6GL Dansk¢ Bank, Finaghy, Lisburn Road, Belfast, BTIO OBD Page I
CARING BREAKS LIMITED Directors, Report for the year ended 31 March 2024 Structure, Governance and Management Caring Breaks Limiied whAch was incorporated on 26 January 2000 (company registration number N137804) is a chariiable company limited by guarantee, (registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC103342) and is governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association. It is managed by the Board of Trustees. The trustees. who served during the period, and up to the dale of signing are listed on page 3. During the year under review the Trustees met quarterly. The chairperson of the board is Stephen O'Brien. One third of the Trustees retire each year and Can make themselves available for re-election. New members of the board are selected by a panel comprising of exisling Trustees. The Financc Committee and th¢ Fund-raising Commiltee are made up of Trustees and other individuals. Both committees operaie under specific terms of reference which delegaie certain functions from the board. Each committee has its decisions raiified by the full board. The Trustees have also established a Carer Cornmiiiee for this specific area of the Charity's operations. Objectives and Aelivities The primary objeclive of the charity, as stated in its governing document. is to provide short respite break5 for the family carers of adults with learning disabilities. Trained and paid staff support and supervise activily-ba5ed recreaiional opportunilies for adults with learning disabilities. Mission To provide regular respiie breaks for family carers and at the same time. provide social and recreational aclivilies for their relaiive wilh a learning disability. Values We are people-centred. We collaborate. We are open and honest. We work in partnership. We provide a high-quality service. Strategic Objectives for Caring Breaks 2024-2025 Develop a recruitmenl and relention plan. Develop a fundraising plan. Step up engagement with Trusts and rebuild relationships. Glow powerful, strategic alliances. Develop expansion and communication strategies. Expansion of our core service. Page 2
CARING BREAKS LIMITED Directors, Report for the year ended 31 March 2024 Public Benefjt Ststement The public benefit requiremenr is defined in the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 and states that Purposes must be for the public benefit to be charitable. The trustees ronfirm thai they hav¢ complied with ihe duty to have regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission for Northern treland under section 4(b) of the Chariries Act (the public benefit requirement statutory guidance). The trustees are confident thal the aciivities have helped to achiev¢ the Charity's purposes and provide a benefit to th¢ ben¢ficiaries. Achlevements and Performance Over ihe pasr year. Carlng Breaks provided re5Plte sessions on a weekly basis for 170 family carers combined with social and recreational activitie5 for l 00 adults with a learning disability. In addition. 83 adults with learning disability were provided with support to enable them to parlicipaie in a weekend break and 128 family carers also benefited from these short breaks. In lolal 16 weekend breaks and an additional 7-day Irips which also provided carers with a full day's respile from caring were provided between April 2023 and March 2024. These weekend breaks and additional respite support were made possible with funding secured from the Carers Support Fund along with smaller grants from granr-making charitable trusrs. Caring Breaks is fortunate ro have a committed, professional team of staff dedicated to ensuring the best possible service is provided for family carers and adults with a learning disability. Over the past year, the team helped lo facilitaie a variety of educational and fun activilies which enabled our clients wi(h a learning disability to develop new interests and build friendships in a safe and welcoming environmenl. Staff members also participated in a range of training courses ro enhance and further develop the skills r4uired to provide support for adults with a learning disability. The siatement of financial activities for the year is sel out on page 10 of the financial statements. A summary of the financial results and the work of Ihe charity is set oui below. Flnanclal Revlew The charity's income increased to £396,125 when compared to £331,148 in 2023. During the year the chariry has a deficit nel of costs of £10.636 (2023: £130.302). The total funds of the charity- 31 March 2024 were £43,796 (2023- £54,432). Of these total funds, £5,600 (2023- £8,558) made up of a series of small grants, are held for restricted purposes and are not available for general puq)oses of the charity. Funding received includes recurrent funding received from the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust and from the South-Eastern Health & Social Care Trust totalling £229,039 to provide respite break5 for carers and S¢xial and recreational activities for adults with a leaming disability, The remaining payrnent £33,100 of the grant awarded in 2021 from the Carers Support Fund was also received during the year. This funding was used to provide a series of weekend breaks and carer events. Granis towards running costs were secured from the Garfield Weston Foundation £20.000 and Foundaiion £7,500. Donaiions from individuals and through fundraising activities decreased from £32,008 to 19.349 when compared to 2023. Page 3
CARING BREAKS LIMITED Dlrectors, Report for the year ended 31 March 2024 Reserves Policy The total funds of th¢ charity as at 31 March 2024 were £45,796 (2023: £54,432). Of these loial funds, £5,600 (2023.. £8,558) are held for restricted purposes and are nol available for general purposes of ihe charity. The charity's policy is to relatn a level of free reserves which matches the needs of (he Charify both at the current lime and in the foreseeable fvture. Free reserves are those unrestricted reserves. excluding fixed assets. The charity aims to retain sufficient reserves equivalent io approximately six months, annual expenditure. Free reserves at 31 March 2024 were £38,196 (2023.. £45,874 (general funds minus fixed assets and designated funds). equivalent lo roughly Iwo month's forward expenditure based on 2023124 expenditure. Progress on fundraising is reviewed by the finance sub-group and Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis. Service payments received from service users who access Ihc scrvice via Direct Payments or Self-Direcled Support increased throughout the year and amounted 10 £59,714 (2023- £37.803). In June 2023 Caring Breaks was awarded a funher grant £74.397 from the Carers Support Fund. This grant will fund weekend breaks. day trips and well-being events for carers between April 2024 and March 2025. Plans for future developments The board has taken sieps and will conlinue to take steps to improve financial perforniance in 2024 and beyond. to ensure thal the charity can continue to provide its unique services for the family carers of adults with a leaming disability. The organisation's stralegy is 10 grow and develop the service to reach more people and expand ihe service into other health trust areas whilst maintaining the service for existing clients in Belfast. Bangor and Lisbum. Plans beyond 2024 include extending the service io more families wishing to purchase respite breaks via Direci PaymentslSelf-Directed Suppon. Golng concern Engagement with an external fundraiser has been renewed to assist in seeking funds from grant making trusts and corporate sponsors. Applications to 8rant-makin8 trusts are ongoing and will continue throughout the year. A review of the Tates paid under the contracis Caring Breaks holds with Ihe Belfast Health & Social Care Trnst and South-Easiern Healih & Social Care Tnjsts are ongoing and we are hopeful Ihat (he value of ihese contracts will increase following negoiiations. To support the going concern basis of preparation. the trustees have prepared cash flow forecasts. which include the use of reasonable downside scenarios for 5¢nsitivily analysis. These cash flow forecasts show that the charity has sufficient resources to meet obligalions as they fall due and as such lh¢ charity has the ability to continue as a going concern for the 12 months from date of signing. Page 4
CARING BREAKS LIMITED Directors, Report for the year ended 31 March 2024 Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others The charity holds no funds as custodian trustees on behalf of others. Risk management The Trustees hav¢ assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed. in particular those related to th¢ operations and finances of the charity. The Trustees are Salisfied that systems are in place 10 mitigate any exposure to major risks. Trustees, indemnities As permitted by the Articles of Association, Ihe Trustees have the benefit of an indcrnnity which is a qualifying rhird party indemnity provision as defined by Section 234 of the Companies Acl 2006. The indemnity was in force (hroughoui the lasr financial year and is currently in force. Page S
CARING BREAKS LIMITED Directors, Report for the year ended 31 March 2024 Staternent of Directors, Responsibilities The directors are responsible for preparing the Directors Report and the financial stalcmcnls in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (Uniied Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the stale of affairs of the company and of the incoming Tesources and application of resouices. including the income and expenditure. of the charitable company for the year. In preparing those financial staiements the directors are required lo: select suitable accouniing policles and then apply them consislenlly. observe (he methods and principles in the Charities SORP. make judgments and esrimaies that are reasonable and prudent; slate whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial sralements- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriaie to presume that ihe company will coniinue in operation. The directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and to enable Ihem to ensure (hat Ihe financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding Ihe assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other IegUlaTI(1e$. Audiiors In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposlng that Mccreery Turkington Stockman Lrd be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeling. Each of the trustees has confirnied that there is no inforniaiion of which they are aware which is relevant to the audit. but of which the auditor is is unaware. They have further confirnied that they have taken appropriate steps to identify such relevant information and to establish that the audiloi is aware of such infonnalion. This report as appro byt don Director 01terN7. Page 6