Bright Places Counselling Services Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) Year ended 31 March 2024 The Iruslees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law. present their report and the unaudited financial slalements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. Reference and administrative details Registered charity name Bright Places Counselling Services Charity registration number NIC108096 Company registration number N1667318 Principal off Ice and registered 133 Ballinran Road office Kilkeel Co Down BT34 4JB The trustees J G Graham R S R Graham J A Hanna M D Hazard L D Norman B M O'Hare A B Smith l Hanna (Resigned 14 June 20231 (Appointed 4 October 2023) (Appointed 14 June 2023) Independent examlner Una Cunningham FCA 42 Greencastle Street KILKEEL Co Down BT34 4BH Bright Places Counselling Services Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (eontlnuedj Year ended 31 March 2024 Structure, governance and management Constitution The company is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and was sel 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. Organisational structure and decision making The charity shall be managed by a committee of trustees who are appointed al the Annual General Meeting IAGM} of the charity. A trustee musl be a member of the charity or the nominated representative of an organisalion that is a mernber of the charity. The charity shall have a membership. People. who support the work of the charity and are aged 18 or over, can apply lo the trustees lo become a member. Once accepted by the trustees. membership lasls for 3 years and may be renewed. The Iruslees will keep an up-lo-dale 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 lo be heard by the trustees before the decision is made. Trustees must hold at least 4 meetings each year. Trustees may act by majority decision. Al least 3 Iru51ees must be present al the meeting lo be able lo take decisions. Minutes shall be kept for every meeting. A meeting of the trustees may be held either in person or by suitable alternative means agreed between the trustees in which all participants may communicate simultaneously with all other participants. During the year, the Iruslees may appoint up lo 2 additional Iruslees. They must stand down al the next AGM bul are eligible lo sland for election al the AGM. Risk management The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied Ihal systems are in place to mitigate exposure lo the major risks. Objectlves and actlvities The aims of Bright Places Counselling Services 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 heallh 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 Trusl. Bright Places Counselling Services Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report {Incorporating the Director's Report) (contlnuedj Year ended 31 March 2024 Achievements and performance 2023-2024 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 service we offer. This is pos11ive, however the need for funding limits yel again our potential. We have not marketed Bright Places in the way we could if we had the funds in place to offer 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 approximately 600 sessions last year. This again shows the need for presence in our locality. Plans for future perlods For Bright Places lo continue lo grow and offer a timely service, we need to ensure funding is secured lo do so. Our Conslilulion delerrnines this may be done by fundraising, grant5 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 lo aclively 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 Services and we need lo continue lo work to ensure we have the funds available to provide the help and support our local community deserve. Financial revlew The results for the year are sel out on page 6 & 7 of the accompanying financial statements. Bright Places Counselling Services accounts for the year record a surplus of £1,29512023 Deficit 1£1,434>). 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 policy The Trustees have established a policy lo designate funds for particular purposes. if decided necessary by the Board, and lo restrict funds which are lo 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 unreslricled reserves of the charity amounted to £3,79212023 £2.497}. Bright Places Counselling Services Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report {Incorporating the Director's Report) (contlnu•dJ Year ended 31 March 2024 Directors. responsibilitles statement The Directors {who are also directors of Bright Places Counselling Services for the purposes of ompany 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 Praclicel. Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financia1 year. Under company law the Directors musl not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the stale 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 Ihese financial stalemenls, the Directors are required lo.. select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. ObSe￿e the methods and principles in the Charities SORP. make judgments and accounting estimates thal are reasonable and prudent. prepare the financial slatemenls on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation. The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy al any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them lo ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities The trustees, annual report wa5 approved on 22nd November 2024 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by.. M D Hazard Trustee L D Norman Trustee