The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)".
The charity works for the public benefit by providing reduced cost services to parents accessing its’ NACCC accredited contact centres; supported by a wraparound service that includes support for issues arising from contact between children and separated parents including pro bono legal advice provided by partners, domestic abuse support and access to counselling for all family members through our Issie's Emotional Wellbeing Hub.
The charity operates a not-for-profit family support service supporting local authorities around families who are on the edge of care, providing reunification packages, mentoring and provision of advice and guidance for parents, children and young people and extended families.
The charity supports schools within grant funded in-school counselling services and provides Issie’s Emotional Wellbeing Hub delivering counselling to clients who cannot access statutory counselling services and have limited financial resources.
The charity continues to advocate for family support through the leadership of the Family Support Network UK and attendance at events, meetings and seeks to expand its’ work with children and young people into further areas of the country by establishing a network of opportunities.
Our approach is that we provide a life-long commitment to families and we are there to inspire and empower parents to move forwards into sustained positive change for the child/children and family.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
The company became a charity during this period, achieving this on 17th March 2025.
The charity has continued to provide free counselling under the banner of Issie’s Emotional Wellbeing Hub supporting Children and young people, adults and those with mental health issues throughout this period funded by grants from multiple funders including The National Lottery, Broxbourne Council and City Bridge Trust.
The charity launched its’ second contact centre in Gloucestershire, achieving accredited supervised contact centre status.
The charity soft-launched the Family Support Network UK to provide a forum for family support services and to raise awareness of these services nationwide.
The charity continued to deliver its’ football programme for young people in Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage.
The charity supported over 251 children and 212 families throughout this period with a range of support including mental health, child to parent abuse, family separation, domestic violence and parental alienation
The financial results are set out in the following statement of financial activities. The year ended 31 March 2025 shows a net deficit of £20,561 on unrestricted funds (2024 - surplus of £29.996) and a net surplus on restricted funds of £19,592 (2024 - net surplus £nil), leading to an overall deficit for the year of £969 (2024 - surplus £29,996).
At the end of the year, the total reserves for the charity are showing a deficit balance of £4,201 (2024 - deficit £3,232). The charity has funding which will be realised in the 2025-26 year which will reverse the reserve position and has an action plan in place to build the reserves over the next few years.
Over the past year the charity has been seeking to expand its operations both in its current geographical area and in adjacent local authority areas. As a result of this expansion resources were expensed which will only be recovered following the success of these agreements. The charity has been successful in a number of areas and is currently awaiting the results on a few other, after which, and when the delivery of services has been approved the charity will be able to improve its Unrestricted Funds and restore the financial position which will allow it to continue to deliver its core services.
In addition, in the new financial year grant funding has been secured towards the Core Costs of the charity, which will seek to improve the financial position and assist with the recovery of the unrestricted reserves.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
Trustees are recruited through an advertisement, safer recruitment interview process involving a panel of two board members, a decision by the board on candidate suitability is then ratified by the board and the candidate is onboarded following an enhanced DBS check and two references are obtained. The interview tests the candidates understanding of the charity, it’s vision and their skills and suitability for the board.
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
The Charity is overseen by a board of trustees who set the charity’s strategy and overall direction, they have legal responsibility for the charity’s overall management and direction. The board of trustees have regular contact with the Senior Management Team and meet every three months.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Walk the Walk Family Support Service Limited for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' 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 trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Walk the Walk Family Support Service Limited (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000, the independent examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountancts in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
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 financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Walk the Walk Family Support Service Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Room 9, The Old Building, Bishops College, Churchgate, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN8 9XH. The organisation changed its name from Walk the Walk Family Support Service C.I.C on 3 February 2025 and became a charity on 25 March 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a statement of cash flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. 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.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity 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.
Over the past year the charity has been seeking to expand its operations both in its current geographical area and in adjacent local authority areas. As a result of this expansion resources are expensed which will only be recovered following the success of these agreements. The charity has been successful in a number of areas and is currently awaiting the results on a few other, after which, and when the delivery of services has been approved the charity will be able to improve its Unrestricted Funds and restore the financial position which will allow it to continue to deliver its core services.
In addition, in the new financial year grant funding has been secured towards the Core Costs of the charity, which will seek to improve the financial position and assist with the recovery of the unrestricted reserves.
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 or grantors 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.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity 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.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
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.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
During the year the charity paid £18,595 to a trustee, David Cotson for consultancy fees.