REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 06741107 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1131629

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

for

Sophia Forum

Page

Report of the Trustees

1

to

5

Independent Examiner's Report

6

Statement of Financial Activities

7

Balance Sheet

8

to

9

Notes to the Financial Statements

10

to

18

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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) (effective 1 January 2019).

Organisational structure

Sophia Forum is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 4 November 2008 and registered as a charity on 15 September 2009. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed by the Articles and Association. The trustees, who are also the directors for the tax year in question were:

Mercy Shibemba

Co-chair

Irina Lut

Treasurer

Mimie Chirwa

Wezi Thamm

Dr. Nicoletta Policek

Resigned 07.08.24

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The organisation's purposes and aims as set out in the objects contained in the company's memorandum are to promote and advocate for the rights, health, welfare and dignity of women living with HIV through research, raising awareness and influencing policy, by a) developing and delivering our advocacy programme; b) bringing together information and research on the issues affecting women living with HIV; c) creating partnerships with organisations and individuals delivering services and d) building relationships with policy makers. These aims are consistent with the purposes for which the organisation was established.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Programmes

-

The GROWS project funded by Fast Track Cities (FTC) focused on improving the quality of life of women over the age of 40 living with HIV. This partnership ended in March 2023 when the FTC funding ended.

-

Connect to Care was a HIV Peer Pilot Project supporting those lost to follow up, delivered in partnership by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (CW) HIV Clinics, Positively UK and Sophia Forum. It supporting people being tested via Opt-Out Testing in two CW hospital A&E departments, those who have disengaged form care and those being newly diagnosed. This projected was completed in 2024.

-

Project Respond documented the lived experiences of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage women living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic, between March 2020 and March 2022. This project was completed in 2023/24 with an advocacy brief produced.

-

We continued to develop our WiseUp program, which links into our previous We Are Still Here campaign by working to acquire funds for a range of different themed sessions. We hosted our successful WiseUp Bone Health event in March 2024.

-

We began our PrEP Position Project with the SHARE Collaborative, furthering our research evidence to support women broadly in HIV prevention and HIV care across the life course and expanded our staff members to include a community engagement worker for this workstream.

-

We developed a partnership with Gilead for the Women and HIV Policy Project for which Sophia Forum were the community partner. This work was about HIV from a lived experience and prevention perspective highlighting systemic failings of the HIV for women. A report was drafted and presented in a workshop with stakeholders (Systematically excluded and ignored: addressing inequalities for women in the HIV response).

-

Sophia Forum supported Gilead's development and launch of their new Women & HIV Campaign and women from our network were directly involved in the campaign. We conducted interview, filmed videos and did a photoshoot.

-

Our CEO is an advisory group member in the development of the Risk to Reason

-

Our PrEP Impact work aims to develop information leaflets on PrEP for women and provide online resources

Conferences

We attended AIDS 2024 Conference and presented our work from Connect to Care to an international audience.

British HIV Association (BHIVA): Sophia Forum used its stand to publicise work, and to build relationships with stakeholders in the HIV community at both the Spring and Autumn BHIVA conferences.

Advocacy

We've been involved in MSD's 50 over 50 Campaign for people ageing with HIV. Sophia Forum supported MSD to identify women of diverse backgrounds to share their thoughts, fears and hopes of people living with HIV aged over 50 years of age.

We are working with women from a previous WiseUp weekend to develop and revise our advocacy asks and will be incorporating all that we are learning from our current projects with a relaunch in due course.

Our PrEP booklets have been reprinted again for national dissemination.

Sophia Forum's menopause resources have now been translated into multiple languages collaborating with Dr's and community members to support translations for distributions throughout Europe and in African countries. We revised our longstanding prep leaflets and have further translations too support demand. These have been widely used in the UK and international orgs.

Grants

We were awarded several new grants and generated income through new partnerships.

We received confirmation of funding for our WiseUp Cardiovascular Health weekend.

We received funding for HIV Health, Equity & Justice partnership, carrying out work in prisons and analysing the surveys carried out as part of this work.

A new collaborative grant application to Fast Track Cities in partnership with other sector organisations, Positively UK, Plus Health, NAZ and CW hospital called Getting to Zero to further embed HIV peer support across North West London.

Personnel and organisational growth

We updated our staff handbook and updated/implemented our sick leave policy.

We hired a community research engagement lead for our PrEP Position Study.

We have engaged with the Fair Collective to receive fundraising support on a consultancy basis.

Board membership recruitment will remain a rolling process for the board and organisation as we work towards increasing capacity. We are actively seeking further training to strengthen our board's essential knowledge. We also worked on further developing our new strategy by conducting a skills audit and planning next steps to recruit more trustees and skills on the board. Current trustees have started a complete review and updating of all our governance documents to ensure we are compliant with charity law.

We have continued putting together a leadership board which will support the organisation and CEO in taking forward our strategy and development of future projects.

Community engagement

One Sophia Forum Trustee is a members of the UK Community Advisory Board (UK-CAB) Steering Group, NAT's advisory group and a regular speaker for THT Positive Voices.

Our CEO is a member of the HIV Action Plan Oversight Group, NAT Community Advisory board member and UKHSA SHARE/LEADS advisory board.

Our CEO and staff member were also invited to join ViiV's new advisory board on HIV prevention checkpoints and community-based services in Europe.

Our trustees are also invited to sit on stakeholder groups and share their expertise. We also attend a wide variety of events across the HIV and sexual health sector, including a Fast Track Cities Women and PrEP event, a U=U presentation and UK Black Pride.

Sophia Forum had a number of community members running to raise funds for our organisation through the annual LONDON REDRUN for World AIDS day.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

06741107 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1131629

Registered office

483 Green Lanes

London

N13 4BS

Trustees

Mercy Shibemba

Co-chair

Irina Lut

Treasurer

Mimie Chirwa

Wezi Thamm

Dr. Nicoletta Policek

Resigned 07.08.24

CEO

Sophie Strachan

Independent Examiner

Bennewith 2018 Limited

t/a A J Bennewith & Co

Upper Ground Floor

18 Farnham Road

Guildford

Surrey

GU1 4XA

Patrons

Dr Alice Welbourn

Professor Jane Anderson

Professor Baron Peter Piot

Michelle Brewer

Bankers

The Co-operative Bank

PO Box 250 Delf House

Southway, Skelmersdale

WNB 6WT

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

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 28 November 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

Ms I Lut - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Sophia Forum ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

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:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4.

the accounts 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 accounts 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 accounts to be reached.

A J Bennewith FCA, FCPA, FFA, FFTA, FIPA, DChA, FRSA

Bennewith 2018 Limited

t/a A J Bennewith & Co

Upper Ground Floor

18 Farnham Road

Guildford

Surrey

GU1 4XA

Date: .............................................

31.3.25

31.3.24

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

2,052

135,323

137,375

145,221

EXPENDITURE ON

Raising funds

1,050

-

1,050

-

Charitable activities

Project costs

5,386

100,562

105,948

79,068

Support costs

7,413

-

7,413

4,024

Total

13,849

100,562

114,411

83,092

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(11,797

)

34,761

22,964

62,129

Transfers between funds

7

20,151

(20,151

)

-

-

Net movement in funds

8,354

14,610

22,964

62,129

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

57,851

72,207

130,058

67,929

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

66,205

86,817

153,022

130,058

31.3.25

31.3.24

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

5

1,773

1,891

3,664

4,698

Cash at bank

65,787

84,926

150,713

135,250

67,560

86,817

154,377

139,948

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

6

(1,355

)

-

(1,355

)

(9,890

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

66,205

86,817

153,022

130,058

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

66,205

86,817

153,022

130,058

NET ASSETS

66,205

86,817

153,022

130,058

FUNDS

7

Unrestricted funds

66,205

57,851

Restricted funds

86,817

72,207

TOTAL FUNDS

153,022

130,058

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 28 November 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

I Lut - Trustee

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, 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 accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

2.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

3.	STAFF COSTS

31.3.25

31.3.24

£

£

Wages and salaries

54,259

33,037

Other pension costs

2,664

1,354

56,923

34,391

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

31.3.25

31.3.24

Project staff

2

2

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

4.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

fund

funds

funds

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

53,745

91,476

145,221

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Project costs

11,259

67,809

79,068

Support costs

4,024

-

4,024

Total

15,283

67,809

83,092

NET INCOME

38,462

23,667

62,129

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

19,389

48,540

67,929

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

57,851

72,207

130,058

5.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.3.25

31.3.24

£

£

Other debtors

3,664

4,698

6.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.3.25

31.3.24

£

£

Other creditors

215

8,869

Accrued expenses

1,140

1,021

1,355

9,890

7.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1.4.24

in funds

funds

31.3.25

£

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

57,851

(11,797

)

20,151

66,205

Restricted funds

Gilead - WISE_UP+ Ageing

5,197

-

(5,197

)

-

Gilead - WASH

4,341

-

-

4,341

MSD - WASH

4,813

(113

)

-

4,700

Fast Track City GROWS

8,829

(1,516

)

(5,000

)

2,313

AAF

5,776

(15

)

(4,000

)

1,761

NAZ

5,954

-

(5,954

)

-

PReP Impact

2,943

(230

)

-

2,713

Project Respond

5,517

(2,243

)

-

3,274

Connect to Care

17,388

(13,440

)

-

3,948

WiseUp Bones - Gilead

4,004

(2,280

)

-

1,724

WiseUp Bones - MSD

7,445

-

-

7,445

WiseUp Cardio - Gilead

-

7,655

-

7,655

SHARE PrEP Position

-

28,290

-

28,290

FTC - Getting to Zero

-

15,952

-

15,952

HIV & Women Policy - Gilead

-

1,802

-

1,802

HIV & Women Campaign - Gilead

-

810

-

810

HERTS Women's Group

-

89

-

89

72,207

34,761

(20,151

)

86,817

TOTAL FUNDS

130,058

22,964

-

153,022

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

2,052

(13,849

)

(11,797

)

Restricted funds

MSD - WASH

-

(113

)

(113

)

Fast Track City GROWS

-

(1,516

)

(1,516

)

AAF

-

(15

)

(15

)

PReP Impact

-

(230

)

(230

)

Project Respond

5,687

(7,930

)

(2,243

)

Connect to Care

36,313

(49,753

)

(13,440

)

WiseUp Bones - Gilead

-

(2,280

)

(2,280

)

HIV Health, Equity & Justice

3,375

(3,375

)

-

WiseUp Cardio - Gilead

7,655

-

7,655

SHARE PrEP Position

36,000

(7,710

)

28,290

FTC - Getting to Zero

16,062

(110

)

15,952

HIV & Women Policy - Gilead

23,535

(21,733

)

1,802

HIV & Women Campaign - Gilead

6,460

(5,650

)

810

HERTS Women's Group

236

(147

)

89

135,323

(100,562

)

34,761

TOTAL FUNDS

137,375

(114,411

)

22,964

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

movement

At

At 1.4.23

in funds

31.3.24

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

19,389

38,462

57,851

Restricted funds

Gilead - WISE_UP+ Ageing

5,197

-

5,197

Gilead - WASH

4,341

-

4,341

MSD - WASH

4,813

-

4,813

Fast Track City GROWS

17,531

(8,702

)

8,829

AAF

6,926

(1,150

)

5,776

NAZ

5,954

-

5,954

PReP Impact

3,169

(226

)

2,943

Project Respond

609

4,908

5,517

Connect to Care

-

17,388

17,388

WiseUp Bones - Gilead

-

4,004

4,004

WiseUp Bones - MSD

-

7,445

7,445

48,540

23,667

72,207

TOTAL FUNDS

67,929

62,129

130,058

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

53,745

(15,283

)

38,462

Restricted funds

Fast Track City GROWS

4,000

(12,702

)

(8,702

)

AAF

-

(1,150

)

(1,150

)

PReP Impact

1

(227

)

(226

)

Project Respond

14,131

(9,223

)

4,908

Connect to Care

51,878

(34,490

)

17,388

WiseUp Bones - Gilead

12,671

(8,667

)

4,004

WiseUp Bones - MSD

7,445

-

7,445

HIV Health, Equity & Justice

1,350

(1,350

)

-

91,476

(67,809

)

23,667

TOTAL FUNDS

145,221

(83,092

)

62,129

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1.4.23

in funds

funds

31.3.25

£

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

19,389

26,665

20,151

66,205

Restricted funds

Gilead - WISE_UP+ Ageing

5,197

-

(5,197

)

-

Gilead - WASH

4,341

-

-

4,341

MSD - WASH

4,813

(113

)

-

4,700

Fast Track City GROWS

17,531

(10,218

)

(5,000

)

2,313

AAF

6,926

(1,165

)

(4,000

)

1,761

NAZ

5,954

-

(5,954

)

-

PReP Impact

3,169

(456

)

-

2,713

Project Respond

609

2,665

-

3,274

Connect to Care

-

3,948

-

3,948

WiseUp Bones - Gilead

-

1,724

-

1,724

WiseUp Bones - MSD

-

7,445

-

7,445

WiseUp Cardio - Gilead

-

7,655

-

7,655

SHARE PrEP Position

-

28,290

-

28,290

FTC - Getting to Zero

-

15,952

-

15,952

HIV & Women Policy - Gilead

-

1,802

-

1,802

HIV & Women Campaign - Gilead

-

810

-

810

HERTS Women's Group

-

89

-

89

48,540

58,428

(20,151

)

86,817

TOTAL FUNDS

67,929

85,093

-

153,022