Bright Places Counselling Services Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) Year ended 31 March 2023 The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law. present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. Reference and administrative details Registered charity name Bright Places Counselling Services NIC108096 Charity registralion number Company regislration number N1667318 Principal offlce and registered 133 Ballinran Road office Kilkeel Co Down BT34 4JB The trustees J G Graham R S Fl Graham J A Hanna M D Hazard L D Norman B M O'Hare (Resigned 14 June 20231 Independenl examiner Una Cunningham FCA Purdy Quinn Chartered Accountants Northern Bank House 42 Greencastle Street KILKEEL Co Down BT34 4BH Bright Places Counselling Services Company Lirnited by Guarantee Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continu9d) Year ended 31 March 2023 Structure, governance and management Constitution The company is registered as a charitable comparFy limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 28 November 2019. The company has now been officially registered with the Charities Commission Nl under Charity Number NIC 108096. Organisalional structure and decision making The charity is managed by a committee of trustees who are appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the charity- A trustee must be a member of the charily or the nominated representative of an organisation that is a member of the charity. The charity has a membership. People, who support the work of the charity and are aged 18 or over, can apply to the trustees to become a member. Once accepted by the trustees, membership lasts for 3 years and may be renewed. The trustees will keep an up-to-date membership list. The trustees may remove a person's membership if they believe it is in the best interests of the charity. The member has the right to be heard by the trustees before the decision is made. Trustees must hold at least four meetings each year. Trustees may act by majority decision. At least three trustees must be present at the meeting to be able to take decisions. Minutes shall be kept for every meeting. During the year. the trustees may appoint up to two additional trustees. They must stand down at the next AGM but are eligible to stand for election at the AGM. Risk management The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure lo the major risks. Objectives and activities The aims ot Bright Places Counselling SeNices are as follows: To provide or assist in providing an appropriate and free confidential counselling service to young people in need aged 15-25 in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. To promote positive health through the provision of an education outreach service to young people aged 15-25 in Southern Health and Social Care Trust. To link with other agencies in the area to promote positive health and well-being in Southern Health and Social Care Trust. Bright Places Counselling Services Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees, Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (contlnued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Achievements and performance 2022-2023 has been a busy year with more referrals from various channels. We have seen an increase in referrals and more engagement with local Mental Health professionals who are now more aware of the seNice we offer. This is positive, however the need for funding limits yel again our potential. We have not markeled Bright Places in the way we could if we had the funds in place to ofler sessions with little wait time. On average our wait time is 8 weeks, however during some busy periods this has risen to 10 weeks. We were able to offer over 600 sessions last year. This is an increase on the year before and again shows the need tor a presence in our locality. Plans for future periods For Bright Places to continue to grow and offer a timely service, we need to ensure funding is secured to do so. Our Constitution determines this may be done by fundraising, grants and donations. We have received donations and undertaken fundraisers this year. We completed a collection in Asda and sent letters out to raise awareness and also asking for support and partnership from various businesses throughout the locality- We have placed collection boxes in some local shops and this passive income will be much welcomed. We will plan to create more opportunities to actively fund raise as well as apply for suitable grants. Our partnership with Old Forge Surgery is much needed in these lean days for Charities trying to secure funding and we are thankful for their partnership. Numbers have dictated there is a need for Bright Places Counselling SeNices and we need to continue to work to ensure we have the lunds available to provide the help and support our local community deserve Financial review The results for the year are set out on page 6 of the accompanying financial statements. Brighl Places Counselling Services accounts for the year record a deficit of £1,434 (2022 -surplus £3,496). Going concern After making appropriate enquiries, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Reserves pollcy The Trustees have established a policy to designate funds for particular purposes, as deemed necessary by the Board. and to restrict funds which are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Trustees have confirmed that the charity's assets are available and adequate to fulfil the obligations of the charity. At the balance sheet date the unrestricted reserves of the charity amounted to £2,497 {2022 £3,931). Bright Places Counselling Services Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Directors, responsibllities slatemenl The Directors (who are also directors of Bright Places Counselling Services for the purposes of company lawl are responsible for preparing the Directors. report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards {United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the Directors to prepare tinancial statements for each financial year. Under company law the Directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to: select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP. make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent. prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation. The Directors aro responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the linancial position ol the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the linancial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps lor the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities Small company provisions This report has been prepared in accordance with Ihe provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption. The trustees, annual report was approved on 18 December 2023 and signed on behalf ol the board of trustees by.. M D Hazard Trustee L D Norman Trustee