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Registrar

Registration number: 11340969

(WECAN) West Essex Community Action Network Limited

(A company limited by guarantee)

Unaudited Filleted Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

 

(WECAN) West Essex Community Action Network Limited

Contents

Company Information

1

Directors' Report

2 to 5

Balance Sheet

6

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements

7

 

(WECAN) West Essex Community Action Network Limited

Company Information

Directors

J S Foile

C Emmett

R Boyce

C S Greenhill

S Crone

S P Summerfield

Registered office

The Rainbow Centre
2 Wych Elm
Harlow
Essex
CM20 1QP

Accountants

Lambert Chapman LLP
Chartered accountants
3 Warners Mill
Silks Way
Braintree
Essex
CM7 3GB

 

(WECAN) West Essex Community Action Network Limited

Directors' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

The directors present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the micro-entity provisions of the Companies Act 2006 and in accordance with FRS 105 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the Micro-entities Regime.

About Us

West Essex Community Action Network (WECAN) is a partnership initiative developed and managed by three of
the leading voluntary sector organisations serving West Essex: CVS Uttlesford (UCAN); Rainbow Services
(Harlow); and Voluntary Action Epping Forest.

Our well-established relationship with our local communities, as well as with local public sector and statutory
organisations, provides us with a sound platform upon which to build and strengthen the capacity and reputation of
the whole of the voluntary and community sector across West Essex.

Support for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE's)

WECAN aims to put VCSEs across the locality in a better position to compete for larger pieces of work to provide
better outcomes for service users, adding to the capacity and resilience of the sector locally, and maintaining a
diverse and thriving sector.

Support for Commissioners

WECAN creates a way for more local VCSEs to play a part in the delivery of larger contracts of work, whilst
maintaining the economies of scale that commissioners need. WECAN takes high level ideas and successfully
delivers them on a local level.

Review of the year

Find Your Active:

This project, led by Rainbow Services, aims to get people more active, whether that be a gentle walk or a marathon,
by a combination of awareness raising and direct intervention via referrals.

Our Project Officer, Mirka, has an incredible knowledge of the clubs, groups, and services available across West
Essex, and works with people referred to the service to break down barriers to becoming more active, which may be
anything from knowledge of what is available, to finance, to transport, or even just needing a friendly person to go
with in order to boost confidence.

Key achievements:

• 102 people helped into regular activities following referral
• 24 individuals given in-depth 1:1 support
• extensive social media promotion - over 34k page reaches and 914 followers on Facebook providing information
on activities available
Here is just some of the feedback we have received from our beneficiaries and partners:
“I feel like the worlds off my shoulders. I absolutely loved the walk. You are a ray of sunshine who’s come into my
life at the right time. I wouldn’t have even got dressed today if wasn’t for coming out to meet you. You never
pushed me to talk about topics I wasn’t comfortable about and gave me suggestions on activities e.g., seated
exercise, aqua aerobics, craft sessions and talking therapies… I can’t wait for another session next week with the
sit-down exercise then (hopefully) another walk before I go away.”

 

 

(WECAN) West Essex Community Action Network Limited

Directors' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

And:

“Mirka is a fantastic connector, she introduced me to a lot of interesting activities that I could not imagine existed! I
am impressed by her ability to bring people together and build bridges of cooperation. If you need some kind of
activity and have no idea where to turn, I recommend Mirka! In addition to her professionalism, she is also a
wonderful person, positive, kind and empathetic.”

Find Your Active is funded by Active Essex who have awarded further funding until June 2025.

Mental Health Discharge Service:

WECAN’s Mental Health Discharge & Suicide Prevention Befriending Service has been a programme of work,
taking referrals from primary care, secondary care and Crisis 24 mental health teams; where help in the community
is identified, as a discharge, or admission avoidance pathway measure.

In 2023-24 the service received and supported 144 discharged patients; over 75% of whom had reported recent
suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt.

78 referred patients were Epping Forest residents. 41 referred patients were Harlow residents and 25 referred
patients were Uttlesford residents.

43 referrals came from secondary care mental health services teams based at Rectory Lane, Loughton. 38 referrals
were received from the West Essex Crisis 24 team.

The service centres on providing timely, non-clinical, 1-2-1 outreach support, to help address both identified
practical and emotional needs through Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise assistance and intervention.

The service was mainly financially resourced by the Integrated Care Board through Wave 4 Suicide Prevention
funding, and therefore placed a significant focus on suicide prevention befriending, led by community coaches.

Typically, referred clients receiving coach befriending support would have 8-10 sessions, which would explore
occupational and psychological task struggles, and look at person-centred coping strategies and changes to support
with managing emotions and making small changes to material, lived experience.

I client, who was supported by the service for 3 months, after being referred by the Crisis 24 team in December
2023 said:

"I received support from Ayesha for a couple of months, seeing her mainly once a week both at home and in the
community.

She really helped me so much by helping me to cope with situations and not letting my fear/anxiety take over. I felt
able to talk to her about anything as she made me feel so relaxed and is very good at what she does. I now have a
tool kit that I use when I need to. She also helped me to realise that I can do things and that I am a worthy person
who does not have to be a people pleaser all of the time.

I have had depression for 30 plus years and have seen many therapists, been referred to the Community Mental
Health Service many times and taken part in cognitive behavioural therapy and other therapies. I can honestly say
that being supported by Ayesha is the most useful therapy that I have had and has made a huge difference to my
daily life.

Your service is one that is needed and will really help benefit people like me who have tried everything".

WECAN Digital Inclusion Project:

Digital Share is an NHS Charities Together funded project (Lead by UCAN), working in partnership with Herts and
West Essex ICB.

 

(WECAN) West Essex Community Action Network Limited

Directors' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

The aim of Digital Share is to help people to be better connected, using digital technology. Twenty-two percent of
the UK population do not have the necessary skills to use technology for everyday life. Our mission is to bridge that
gap, to help support some of those people who are digitally excluded to be digitally included. Particularly those
within our Health Inequalities cohort, living with mental health or from a minority group.

We can achieve this by:

• Providing them with donated refurbished digital devices
• Providing them with donated data so they can get online
• Providing them with skills-based sessions to develop their confidence in using digital devices
• Providing technical advice and knowledge on specific devices that residents may already own, but not be able to
fully use.

Donations of equipment and requests for equipment, data, and skills development are processed through our
bespoke Digital Share platform (www.digitalshare.org), which enables us to manage requests and provides a single
point of access for professionals and service users to request support.

The project was launched in June 2021 since when it has exceeded its objectives:

• 1840 digital skills sessions delivered
• 1 Mental Health Support Worker recruited and deployed into the community for two years
• 100 Digital Buddies recruited and trained to deliver technical support
• Custom Digital Share case management system created and public facing website built
• 280 devices donated
• 127,000 Gb of data made available
• Databank registration completed
• Engagement with 3 major communications providers - Vodafone, O2 and Virgin Media
• Referral pathways created within Primary Care Networks
• Creation of a new step-by-step guide on how to use NHS Support Apps and Databank crib sheets - which has been
particularly important for those waiting to access NHS mental health services.

An example of the feedback we get from people who have benefited from the service:

“I have been attending subsequent sessions at the Epping Digital Share Hub alongside my husband SK for several
months. Adam’s help and support has been invaluable and as in some cases, such as my blue badge application
form, it has been life changing not only for me but also for S.

Each week we have asked for Adam’s help in how to do different things. He is always patient, calm and clear taking
us through each process and then also re-capping for us to make notes. We have both really enjoyed learning with
Adam and gained confidence with tasks that were not familiar to us.

In my initial meeting I asked Adam to show me how to copy my extensive photo collection from my phone onto a
laptop. He advised me which memory stick to purchase and in subsequent sessions took me through the process of
copying them. In another session Adam showed me how to set up an account with Sainsbury’s for food shopping.
This will be particularly helpful in the winter.

As my mobility has deteriorated, I decided to apply for a Blue Badge. The on-line form was extensive, so I asked
for Adam’s help. This took two sessions to complete. I became quite upset describing in detail how difficult
everyday life has become for me. Adam showed kindness and empathy. The account was set up and the form
submitted, and I was very pleased to receive an email several weeks later telling me that my application had been
successful.

This project has made a huge difference to my everyday life.”

 

(WECAN) West Essex Community Action Network Limited

Directors' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Directors of the company

The directors who held office during the year were as follows:

J S Foile

C Emmett

R Boyce (appointed 2 May 2023)

C S Greenhill

S Crone

S P Summerfield

Small companies provision statement

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

Approved and authorised by the Board on 29 July 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
 

.........................................
J S Foile
Director

.........................................
C S Greenhill
Director

 

(WECAN) West Essex Community Action Network Limited

(Registration number: 11340969)
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024

2024
£

2023
£

Fixed assets

1,594

1,756

Current assets

154,465

224,478

Prepayments and accrued income

422

1,203

Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

(3,555)

(2,178)

Net current assets

151,332

223,503

Total assets less current liabilities

152,926

225,259

Accruals and deferred income

(152,926)

(225,259)

 

-

-

Reserves

-

-

For the financial year ending 31 March 2024 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors' responsibilities:

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476; and

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the micro-entity provisions of the Companies Act 2006 and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

These financial statements have been delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime. As permitted by section 444 (5A) of the Companies Act 2006, the directors have not delivered to the registrar a copy of the Profit and Loss Account.

Approved and authorised by the Board on 29 July 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
 

.........................................

J S Foile
Director

.........................................

C S Greenhill
Director

 

(WECAN) West Essex Community Action Network Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

1

General information

The company is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England & Wales, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the members is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the company in the event of liquidation.

The address of its registered office is:
The Rainbow Centre
2 Wych Elm
Harlow
Essex
CM20 1QP

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with FRS 105 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the Micro-entities Regime'.

These financial statements are presented in Sterling (£), which is the company's functional currency.

2

Staff numbers

The average number of persons employed by the company (including directors) during the year, was 6 (2023 - 6).