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← My Home Life Charity

2025-07-31-accounts

Charity Registration No. 1187498 (England and Wales) SCO51898 (Scotland)

MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

TRUSTEES REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees Des Kelly OBE – Chair
Patricia Margaret Bailey (resigned 24 Sept 2024)
Julienne Meyer CBE (aka J Davies) - Secretary
Tom Owen (appointed 3 April 2025)
Anita Peet MBE (aka A Astle) (resigned 10 July 2025)
Sarah Penney (appointed 3 April 2025)
Carole Sawyers - Treasurer
Sylvie Silver MBE
Catherine Sharp (appointed 3 April 2025)
MHL Partners MHL England (City St George’s, University of London)
MHL Northern Ireland (University of Ulster)
MHL Scotland (Robert Gordon University)
MHL Wales (Age Cymru)
MHL Australia (South Australian Innovation Hub)
MHL Germany (Josef und Luise-Kraft Foundation)
(resigned 13thJuly 2025)
Charity number (England and Wales) 1187498
Charity number (Scotland) SCO51898
Company number CE020395
Principal address Melford House
Crown Heights
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 3TX
Bankers HSBC UK PLC
12A North Street
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 4AF

MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

CONTENTS

Page
Chair's report 1-3
Trustees' report 4-7
Independent Examiner’s Report on the accounts 8
Statement of financial 9
activities
Balance sheet 10
Notes to the financial 11-12
statements

MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

CHAIR'S REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

I have had the privilege of serving as Chair of the My Home Life (MHL) Charity since its inception on 1 August 2020. Over the past five years, MHL has remained steadfast in its commitment to advancing best practices across the care sector. Through a blend of research, practice development, and initiatives that enhance social impact, we strive to ensure that care home settings are places where quality of life is consistently prioritised—for residents, staff, families, and the wider community.

It is with great pride that I present our Annual Report for the year ending 31 July 2025. This report highlights the progress we’ve made, the partnerships we’ve strengthened, and the meaningful difference our work continues to make in care environments across the UK and beyond.

This year, our work has continued to benefit greatly from the expertise of our Trustees, who bring a wealth of experience and deep understanding of care homes. Sadly, Patricia Bailey was forced to resign for health reasons, but we welcomed 3 new trustees from across the UK – Tom Owen (England), Sarah Penney (Northern Ireland) and Dr Cathy Sharp (Scotland). All of the new trustees have worked closely with My Home Life over a number of years and bring a sound knowledge of the My Home Life ways of working. Their recruitment was deliberate to foster enhanced partnership working between MHL Charity and MHL Partners.

The MHL Charity Board has convened bi-monthly, consistently reviewing our policies and updating our declaration of interests in accordance with our Constitution. Trustees have also met bi-monthly with MHL Partners across the UK and Australia to stay connected about a shared ambition, namely quality of life in care homes. We are delighted that Heather Ferguson at Age Cymru is now the Lead for My Home Life Wales but disappointed to that My Home Life in Germany folded, due to difficulties in recruiting a Lead who could take forward MHL initiatives there. The lack of a shared language did not help.

A highlight was hosting a UK meeting of MHL partners in Newcastle in September 2024. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet face to face and spend time together, welcoming Heather Ferguson to the MHL family and supporting colleagues undergoing an organisational restructure in Scotland. It was at this meeting that we decided to extend the role of trustee to MHL Partners and to revise the Memorandum of Agreement between MHL Partners and MHL Charity.

Throughout the year, we have continued work in Australia led by Professor Belinda Dewar and Dr. Edel Roddy. This collaboration supports leadership and cultural development in care settings, helping practitioners enhance their leadership and facilitation skills, apply their learning, and refine their systems and processes. Belinda and Edel worked closely with Simon Charlton (MHL Australia Lead) to train up some new facilitators at the South Australian Innovation Hub (November 2024-May 2025) and, following the success of the work at the Roy Fagin Centre, Tasmania (specialised facility to assess and treat elderly persons with mental illness and dementia) were commissioned by the Department of Health Tasmania to deliver another leadership programme within Older People’s Mental Health Community Settings.

MHL Charity’s mission is to support our partners in improving the quality of life for those in care homes.

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MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

CHAIR'S REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Over the past year, the My Home Life Leadership Support Programme has continued to flourish across Northern Ireland (NI), building on its strong foundations and sector-wide support. Having successfully delivered five cohorts since the beginning of our five-year funding agreement, we are delighted that an additional sixth year of funding has been confirmed — recognition of the programme’s sustained impact and growing value within the care sector.

A highlight of the year was the Celebration Day 2025, which brought together 86 care home leaders from 73 care settings who had completed the 2024/25 programme. This day was an opportunity not only to celebrate their achievements but also to reflect on the collective progress being made across the sector. In his keynote address, Minister for Health, Mike Nesbitt, commended the MHL Programme as a key driver in improving the quality of life for care home residents, families, and staff since its introduction in Northern Ireland in 2013. He recognised the programme’s vital role in supporting professional development, leadership, and staff resilience, ultimately enhancing care home culture and services.

In addition, the Department of Health (NI) completed an independent evaluation of the programme.

KEY FINDINGS

90.4% advised their enthusiasm for working in the Sector has increased

98.1% advised the quality of their management & leadership has increased

75% advised that time staff actively spent talking with residents & relatives has increased

76.9% advised the quality of life of their Care Home’s Residents has increased,

This independent review demonstrates the value of not only the leadership programme but in the partnership and collaboration across all health & social care systems and what can be achieved by working together.

In England, following the sad death of Stephanie Thompson, Dr Rebekah Luff joined the growing team, led by Tom Owen. Over the course of the year, the team delivered 17 programmes that supported 207 care leaders to promote quality of life in care services across England. Their work is developing strong connections to commissioners, providers and national leaders within the care sector, supporting them to reflect on their work, their partnership with others and their professional development. Various research

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MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

CHAIR'S REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

projects (Music meets My Home Life, Thriving in Residential Care, Evaluation of the Shropshire Virtual Care Service) continue to have impact and have led to literary outputs.

My Home Life in Scotland has been temporarily put on hold, whilst Robert Gordon University (RGU) restructures. This meant that My Home Life Scotland did not have a designated lead in the School of Health with Professor Catriona Kennedy being moved into a new school and Jill Will leaving the Deputy role to take on a new role elsewhere. The plan is to review MHL Scotland’s viability at RGU in 2025, when things have hopefully settled. My Home Life Charity has been supportive during times of transition, in particular the MHL Scotland’s external facilitators.

My Home Life Wales continues under the leadership of Heather Ferguson and progress has also been limited by organizational restructuring. However, there is a strong commitment to My Home Life in Wales, following many years of success under the leadership of Age Cymru.

In Australia, under Simon Charlton’s leadership, My Home Life is recognized as a strategic priority by The SA Innovation Hub and Simon regularly attends MHL meetings online.

Despite the many challenges currently facing the care home sector, we are proud of the positive and lasting contribution that My Home Life continues to make. Our work remains firmly rooted in enhancing the quality of life for residents, relatives, and staff, and we are encouraged by the tangible impact seen across care settings.

Through a strong and evolving programme of research and publications, leadership development, and social action, we continue to support those working in care to lead with confidence, compassion, and evidence-based practice. Our voice in the sector is further amplified by an active social media presence, helping us to share learning, celebrate successes, and build a connected and supportive community committed to driving positive change.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in making this another great year. The ongoing commitment and collaboration remain at the heart of My Home Life’s success. If you want to learn more, please review associated websites including MHL Charity, MHL England, MHL Northern Ireland, MHL Scotland, MHL Wales and MHL Australia.

Des Kelly OBE Chair

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MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2025. My Home Life Charity was registered as a CIO on 22 January 2020.

During this year, we have been consolidating our key strategic principles, namely:

OUR VISION

We aspire to maximum quality of life for those living, dying, visiting, and working in care homes, and other care settings, for older people.

OUR MISSION

Working with My Home Life Partners for positive change in the care and support of older people.

OUR VALUES

▪ Developing best practice together

My Home Life is informed by an evidence-base for quality of life in care homes (which is equally relevant to other care and support services).

▪ Focusing on relationships

Our central focus is on the importance of positive relationships between people, their families, and staff, and between care services and the wider community.

We recognise that the quality of life of everyone involved in the care experience is crucial to improvements in care practice and emphasise the importance of working together to co-create our desired future.

▪ Being Appreciative

We work appreciatively to focus and build on the positive – ‘what is working well now and why and how can we use that knowledge to inform how we can improve and make things even better?’

▪ Having caring conversations

Developing best practice, enhancing relationships and being appreciative is enabled through having Caring Conversations.

We support people to celebrate what is working well, consider the perspectives of all those involved, connect emotionally, be curious rather than judgmental, be courageous and take positive risks, collaborate to make things happen, and compromise in order to focus on what is possible.

OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

  1. To promote quality of life for those living, dying, visiting, and working in care homes, and other care settings, for older people.

  2. To seek to ensure that all activity is delivered in line with the values and principles of My Home Life.

  3. To ensure that all activity is delivered in a spirit of collaboration and learning between MHL Member organisations.

  4. To be evidence-informed and research-active.

  5. To support the long-term sustainability of the My Home Life movement acknowledging the origins of its co-created work.

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MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

OUR KEY ACTIVITIES

The key activities of My Home Life (MHL) include research, enterprise, social action as they relate to care home provision.

What MHL Charity does:

MHL Charity delivers UK-wide and international good practice communications to the care sector. It raises funds for practical projects, some of which will be delivered on behalf of the Charity by MHL Partners.

MHL Charity currently delivers activity directly or through a range of key academic and non-academic activities, working in 5 countries. A co-created Memorandum of Agreement holds these member countries to the values and conceptual frameworks of MHL with agreed ‘ways of working’. Intellectual Property is predominantly co-created.

The Charity will hold the shared IP/trademark and act as a supporter to the ‘country-leads’ for MHL Partners.

Objects of the Charity (as set out in the Constitution) are:

ACHIEVING OUR AIMS

In order to achieve our aims MHL Charity will:

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MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

MHL Charity are continuing work to develop a strategic plan, which will

The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the care sector has been substantial, particularly in respect of the workforce, priorities and finances. As a support charity, My Home Life continues to be flexible and to rethink how best to support quality of life in care homes.

Structure, governance and management

The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, whose only voting members are its charity trustees. Trustees confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit.

The trustees who served during the period and up to the date of signature of the financial statements are listed on the legal and administrative page of this report.

On 1 August 2022 My Home Life Charity was registered in Scotland.

The trustees set the policies of the charity and exercise overall control. There are currently no dayto-day employees. All work done on behalf of MHL Charity is done by independent consultants, specially selected for the knowledge and expertise on care homes and alignment with the visions and values of My Home Life.

Trustees are appointed by invitation and drawn from our network of contacts across the care sector. We aim to have a cross-section of skills (confirmed by a skills audit) and geographic representation. Potential Trustees are invited to attend and observe a Meeting prior to being formally appointed. All new Trustees are sent an information pack based on materials generated by the Charity Commission.

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MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

MHL Charity supports MHL Partners to deliver a range of key academic and non-academic activities, working in 5 countries. Our aim is to ensure quality of life for all those living, dying, visiting and working in care homes.

Reserves Policy

The trustees aim to hold sufficient funds to meet all costs of the charity for a minimum of one year. In the early years of operation Trustees also seek funds to allow the work of the charity to expand. All programmes are fully funded before they start.

Statement of trustees' responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and in preparing this report and financial statements the Trustees have followed the requirements with regard to Accounting and Reporting by charities as set out in the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP).

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the CIO and enable them to prepare the financial statements. 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' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

D Kelly Trustee 12 December 2025

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MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity for the year ended 31 July 2024.

As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I 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, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Elizabeth Turvey ACMA 12 December 2025

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MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

Note
s
Income from:
Charitable Activities
Total Income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
Governance
Net income for the period/
Net movement in funds
Fund balances at 31 July 2024
Fund balances at 31 July 2025		 Year ended 31 July 2025
Year ended 31 July 2024
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Total
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
£
£
£
94,391
94,391
62,690
-
62,690
62,690
62,690
44,795
44,795
105,946
527
106,473
3,456
3,456
2,360
-
2,360
46,140
46,140
(45,616)
(527)
(46,143)
28,482
28,482
74,098
527
74,625
74,622
74,622
28,482
-
28,482

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year ended 31 July 2025.

9

MY HOME LIFE CHARITY

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 JULY 2025

Notes
Fixed Assets
Tangible assets
Current Assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
Net Current assets
Total assets less current
liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due
after more than one year
Net assets
Income funds
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds		 2025
£
£
-
74,622
74,622
74,622
74,622
-
74,622
-
74,622
74,622		 2025
£
£
-
74,622
74,622
74,622
74,622
-
74,622
-
74,622
74,622		 2024
£
£
-
28,482
28,482
28,482
28,482
-
28,482
-
28,482
28,482		 2024
£
£
-
28,482
28,482
28,482
28,482
-
28,482
-
28,482
28,482
74,622
-		 28,482
-
74,622 28,482
-
74,622		 -
28,482
74,622 28,482

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 12 December 2035

D Kelly C Sawyers Trustee Trustee

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MY HOME LIFE CHARITY NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

1 Accounting policies

Charity information

My Home Life Charity is a CIO. The registered office can be found on the legal and administrative page.

1.1 Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the CIO's governing document and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 (as updated through Update Bulletins for periods commencing 1 January 2019).

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the CIO. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

1.2 Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the CIO has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

1.3 Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

1.4 Income Income is recognised when the charitable company is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charitable company has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charitable company has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.

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My Home Life Charity

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2025

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.5 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

1.6 Taxation

The CIO is a registered charity within the definitions of section 506(1) Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 and therefore it is not assessable to corporation tax on any surplus charitable funds.

2 Trustees

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or other benefits from the CIO.

3 Restricted funds

The Charity has no restricted funds at 31 July 2025.

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