The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the group 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 Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 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)" (effective 1 January 2019).
2024/25 has been a time of both challenge and opportunity and the work of Footprints continues to demonstrate resilience and impact. Our staff, volunteers and partners remain committed to delivering high-quality services empowering women and addressing the needs of families in the community. We continue to face funding pressures with demand for services often outstripping resources, particularly in relation to support for women in crisis. We are seeing increased numbers of women presenting with multiple and interlinked needs, yet we continue to provide flexible, person-centred support. We are grateful to all those who have supported us throughout the year, without this support we would not be able to commit to our priorities as outlined below.
We remain committed to:
Sustaining and expanding key programmes, with particular focus on socio- economic empowerment, health and wellbeing, female led climate justice and sustainable living, leadership and participation and ending violence against women and girls.
Continuing to develop innovative projects that address both immediate needs and long-term empowerment across all key areas identified.
Strengthening collaboration with partners across all sectors, women’s centres and regional networks.
Securing increased multi-year funding to provide stability and continuity of services.
Remaining committed to continuous improvement and organisational excellence by fostering a culture of learning and innovation, investing in our staff, and strengthening governance.
Maintaining our commitment to co-design, ensuring women’s voices shape all aspects of our work.
Over the past year, we have actively participated in numerous government consultations and in May 2024 gave evidence to the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for the Executive Office all in an effort to share our work and help to drive meaningful change across a number of different areas that particularly impact women and their families. We particularly welcomed the Executive’s adoption of an Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) strategy and the announcement there would be associated funding, while noting that the available fund is relatively small compared to other jurisdictions, particularly given our concerning domestic abuse statistics. Nevertheless, we welcome the commitment to this work and remain hopeful our decades of experience in this area can attract funding to help us do work that mostly goes unseen and unfunded.
We continue to invest in our people at Footprints by providing a wide range of opportunities for learning and development. We recognise that our staff and volunteers are at the heart of everything we do and by supporting them to grow and build their skills, we ensure they are best equipped to respond to the evolving needs of our community. This commitment not only nurtures individual growth, but also enhances the quality, innovation, and sustainability of the services we provide. We have also been in a position to second a staff member this year to Rape Crisis NI, a project led by Women’s Support Network. This experience has provided valuable opportunities for shared learning, strengthened cross-organisational collaboration and allowed our staff to gain deeper insight into the specialist support needs of survivors of sexual violence.
We have continued to enjoy strong partnerships with many organisations throughout the year, while also developing new and meaningful working relationships. A particular highlight was our collaboration with the NSPCC, which led to the launch of Brave Belfast Cailíní, a group for young girls aged 12–16.
This initiative, led by the girls themselves, culminated in a powerful campaign designed to empower young women and girls to support one another in understanding healthy relationships, consent, and how to have open conversations about personal boundaries.
We are incredibly proud of this inspiring group of young women, who showcased their campaign in the Long Gallery at Stormont and received endorsement from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People.
Despite the usual challenges that our sector faces, the past year has shown the continued resilience and creativity of the women and girls of the centre. Footprints Women’s Centre continues to stand as a vital resource for women and families, offering not only services but also solidarity, empowerment, and hope.
We wish to thank our dedicated staff working in the centre and also within our daycare, our volunteers, our committed volunteer directors, the wider community, our funders and other partners for their continued support and commitment. As always, we look to the year ahead with renewed energy, optimism, and hope.
The purposes of the charity are:
The promotion for the public benefit of urban regeneration in the Colin area and the surrounding catchment areas in Belfast and Lisburn (the “area of benefit”), an area of social and economic deprivation, by all or any of the following means:
the relief of poverty in such ways as may be thought fit.
the relief of unemployment among women in such ways as may be thought fit, including assistance to find employment.
the advancement of education, training or retraining and providing unemployed women with work experience.
the creation of training and employment opportunities for women by the provision of workspace, buildings and/or land for use on favourable terms.
the provision of recreational facilities for women or those who by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, poverty or social and economic circumstances, have need of such facilities.
The preservation and protection of health of women and the provision of childcare.
To provide encouragement and practical support services to existing and new women’s groups in the area of benefit so as to increase their efficiency and effectiveness in achieving their charitable aims.
To develop the capacity and skills of women in the area of benefit in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and to participate more fully in society.
To promote social inclusion, equality of opportunity and good relations across all diversity strands, including race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion and disability and to encourage diversity.
The vision that shapes our annual activities is, to enable women and children to grow to ensure their voices are heard and that they take their rightful place in a just and equal society. The charity also has general aims relating to each key area of activity all of which link to the charity’s purpose.
In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the directors have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, including the guidance ‘public benefit: running a charity (PB2)’.
Footprints Women’s Centre relies on grants and the income generated through the services delivered by Footprints Trading Limited. We strive to provide open access to all services, programmes, activities and projects, enabling women and children to reach their full potential.
We endeavour to encourage all women and children within the Colin community to actively engage and participate within Footprints at whatever level is appropriate for them.
The strategies employed to achieve the charity’s aims and objectives are to:
Lobby and work to influence policy to support better services for women and children.
Generate income through a social enterprise model that will enable us to develop autonomously and to sustain the services delivered within Footprints Women’s Centre.
Continue to build upon our existing early intervention programmes responding to emerging need.
Continue to champion the case for social justice as it affects the lives of women and children.
Putting these strategies into action we have 5 key areas of activity which are: Support Services; Children’s Services, Training and Education, Women’s Empowerment and Sustainable Living.
Support Services
Footprints Support team continues to provide must needed gendered support to women and families in the Colin area. Services include weekly drop-in groups including, WRAP group (Alcohol recovery), older women’s groups; a 1:1 support service for women experiencing domestic abuse; advocacy; referral to specialist agencies. Footprints also provides stress management support; ASIST suicide first aid contact point and domestic abuse awareness raising programmes. We have hosted one stop shops and health and wellbeing days, welcoming partner organisations into the centre for advice and guidance. Footprints support service is proactive in responding to community needs, providing women/families with open consultation days to contribute their views on service delivery provision and what is needed in the community to support women and families, and responded to accordingly. Support services are delivered with a holistic approach to ensure women and families are supported fully to enhance positive long-term outcomes. Footprints provides the only ‘open door’ crisis intervention services in the Colin Community for women. The daily demand for the service, demonstrates the overwhelming need that exists within the community for vital support services.
Family support continues to provide 1-1 support which includes anxiety management, signposting, liaising with health professionals and onward referrals. CHAMPS (Children Healing through Art, Movement, Play and Smiles) for children aged 5 – 10 years old. This service operates on a group work approach supporting children to building well-being and providing a safe space to promote social inclusion. The Brave Belfast Cailíní (young girl’s group) continues to provide gendered support (young women aged 12-16 years) and leadership capacity building for young girls in the area. Alongside bespoke programmes to support parents and families such as Baby Massage, parenting support workshops and family cookery courses and fun days to support family relationships.
Partnerships and collaborations with local and wider networks include - Youth Action NI, Belfast Harbour Commission, NSPCC, Playboard NI, Fight2Thrive, Parenting Focus.
This work is delivered by a highly skilled team who bring specialist skills and experience ensuring that services continue to meet the diverse range of needs of the women and families in the area. We have developed positive working relationships with key agencies, including Social Services, Belfast and Lisburn Women’s Aid, PSNI, Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference, NIHE, Colin Neighbourhood Partnership, Sally Gardens and Colin Surestart, ensuring access to a wide range of services is promoted and developed.
Children’s Services
Children’s services continue to be an essential resource for women in Colin, supporting access to employment, training, volunteering, and much-needed respite care. Every day, children enjoy our Green Flag Award-winning gardens, outdoor play spaces, and sensory areas, which foster positive health, wellbeing, and early learning. As a registered NI Forest School, we prioritise children’s connection with nature, recognising its importance from an early age.
Our daycare facility provides affordable, flexible childcare for working parents and women engaged in education or training, while also offering vital respite care for families in need and emergency social services referrals. This service ensures children have stability and support during challenging times.
In December 2023, our inspection by South Eastern Trust’s Early Years Service resulted in an excellent rating with no recommendations, reflecting our staff team’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards. Beyond statutory training, some of our staff have undertaken additional professional development, including ILM Level 3 leadership training, further strengthening the quality of care and leadership within the service.
We were delighted to appoint a Deputy Childcare Manager, enhancing our management team while providing additional support for staff and enriching the experiences of children in our care.
For children aged 5–16, our programmes continue to offer unique and innovative learning experiences. Strong waiting lists and consistently positive feedback demonstrate the commitment and creativity of our team, who deliver daily programmes, interactive activities, educational visits, and a vibrant summer scheme that inspires and engages every child.
Training and Education / Women's Empowerment
Our training, education, and empowerment programmes continue to provide high-quality, capacity-building opportunities for women in a safe and welcoming space. We are privileged to continue our partnership with a generous philanthropist, whose funding has enabled our Essential Skills programme to support women in securing employment, entering higher education, or retraining for a new career. This year, we were delighted to welcome students onto Essential Skills Maths and English, with the 15-week programme aiming to help 16 women achieve qualifications recognised as alternatives to GCSEs.
Thanks to additional funding from the National Lottery’s Awards for All programme, we were able to expand and enhance our training and education offerings in the second half of the year. We are also grateful for the support from Urban Village’s Capital Capacity Building fund, which has supported activities this year and will continue to bolster our education programmes in the year ahead.
This year, we renamed our programme “Radical Living”, reflecting our commitment to aligning all activities with our Strategic Priorities and creating a cohesive, empowering experience for women. Through these programmes, we are proud to provide women with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to transform their lives and futures.
Our Community Kitchen/Cookery School continues to strengthen our education and training programmes, delivering a range of skills-based, accredited courses that enhance women’s employment prospects and provide valuable work and volunteering opportunities.
Health and wellbeing remains a central strategic priority, and much of our training and education work is designed to support this focus. By embedding preventative approaches, particularly around mental health, our programmes not only raise awareness but also empower women with the tools to maintain their wellbeing.
Footprints’ Good Relations work remains a cornerstone of our services. Our Syrian women’s group has continued to flourish, meeting weekly to share meals, build supportive networks, and develop their English skills through conversational classes, creating a space of connection, learning, and community.
Sustainable Living
Throughout the year, our food services continued to provide nutritious daily meals for children in Daycare, offered a range of accredited and non-accredited cookery skills programmes in the Community Training Kitchen, and operated Social Supermarket services at both Footprints Women’s Centre and Mount Eagles Community Centre.
We gratefully acknowledge the continuation funding from the DfC Pilot Social Supermarket Project, funding from the Belfast City Council Social Supermarket Support Fund, and donations from both Glenwood Enterprise and private donors. These resources enabled Footprints to respond to the high levels of food support need within the community and to offer wraparound support tailored to each person’s individual circumstances. Social Supermarket members availed of a wide range of programmes and supports including money management, debt counselling, benefits advice, training and employability skills, volunteering and work experience opportunities.
In addition to the Social Supermarket provision, and with a focus on reducing food waste and carbon emissions by using surplus food, we delivered a range of projects designed to expand access to nutritious food and alleviate food insecurity. These included a summer lunch club and a partnership with DePaul Ireland’s outreach programme, which provided Practical Nutrition sessions at Clover Hill Family Accommodation and Mater Dei Emergency Family Accommodation. These initiatives were made possible through funding awards from Austin Hope Pilkington and Transition Together.
We continued to strengthen our collaboration with Windsor Women’s Centre through the Cultural Cuisines and Traditions programme, which brought together women from a wide range of ethnicities to cook and eat together, sharing skills, knowledge, and traditions while celebrating food culture and diversity. A new partnership with the Lagan Valley Education Project, welcomed young adults to the Community Kitchen each week to take part in a training programme designed to support career pathways in the hospitality industry.
A highlight of the year was the opening of Danu Street Kitchen in June 2024. Currently based on site at Footprints Women’s Centre, serving affordable quality lunches, teas, coffees and snacks to the public, we plan to bring “Danu” mobile catering to corporate events and community celebrations soon. We gratefully acknowledge National Lottery Community Fund in this final year of the People & Communities grant which has enabled our vision of opening a Cookery School and launching a food truck business, become a reality.
Footprints journey towards building a sustainable community continues and we were delighted to retain the Green Flag Community site award 2024/25 and to facilitate, Repair Café, Belfast along with their amazing team of ‘fixers’ at the Centre once again. Forming strong partnerships, sharing insights and contributing to policy developments have been crucial to furthering our ambitions to support local, sustainable food production and lowering our carbon footprint. This year Footprints became a member of the Feeding Britain network, hosted visits from Armagh Council, FEED Cork and UK National Lottery, presented case studies at QUB Interdisciplinary workshops and contributed to regional and national surveys and consultation on affordable food, climate action and social farms.
Other highlights this year include the establishment of a Traditional Crafts project funded by PCSP. This project enabled new and existing communities in Colin to come together to address the issue of hate crime whilst designing an art piece for International Women’s Day 2025.
We continue to progress with Belfast Business Promise accreditation, achieved member status this year in recognition of Footprints standards and commitment to provide good jobs, whist supporting a sustainable local economy and building a healthier city for all.
The results for the period are as set out on pages 14 to 39. The group returned incoming resources of £3,516 (2024 - outgoing resources of £147) of which there were unrestricted incoming resources of £23,362 and restricted outgoing resources of £19,846. At 31 March 2025, the level of unrestricted reserves held by the group was £708,931 (2024 - £685,569).
The directors have set aside £477,648 (2024 - £241,925) out of unrestricted funds in relation to the operating activities of the group and for required capital and maintenance spend on the building.
Reserves policy
Footprints maintain a prudent level of reserves to enable the organisation to manage financial risk and deliver on our commitments.
The organisation is currently working to meet unprecedented challenges created by the pandemic and emerging cost of living crises. These have had a major impact on women and families we work with and created unidentified and rising levels of need. The board has unrestricted general and unrestricted designated funds to ensure sustainability and growth of our support services, investing in the maintenance and development of current and future FWC Childcare and Food services projects over the next twelve months. We remain committed to furthering our strategic aims and goals in meeting community need.
The directors consider that designated reserves should be the equivalent of 9 months' operating costs, calculated and reviewed annually. 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 charitable company will continue to monitor compliance with this policy on a regular basis and the board will review the appropriateness of the policy annually.
The directors have assessed the major risks to which the group is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The directors who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
New directors are appointed by the members of the charity at the annual general meeting.
Footprints Women's Centre is managed by a voluntary board of directors who are responsible for both the management of the charity and the trading arm owned by the charity, Footprints Trading Ltd. The board of directors meet monthly to oversee the management of the Centre. A finance and personnel sub-committee has been established. These groups meet monthly. There is a separate board for the trading company and this board meets bi-monthly.
The board of directors has delegated the responsibility for day-to-day management of the organisation to the centre director, Ms L Maclean. The board of directors conducts bi-annual reviews of the strategic plan, and at the same time reviews board performance. Policies and procedures are reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis.
The charity receives an annual gift aid donation from its trading subsidiary Footprints Trading Ltd. Footprints Trading Ltd runs a number of charitable activities which are also in pursuit of the charitable objectives of Footprints Womens Centre.
Key management personnel
The directors consider the board of directors, and the senior management team to comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the organisation on a day to day basis. All directors give of their time freely and no director received remuneration in the year.
The pay of the senior staff is benchmarked against NJC Scales.
The directors, who also act as trustees for the charitable activities of Footprints Womens Centre, are responsible for preparing the Directors' Report and the group financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the group and charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the group for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019;
- 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 group and charitable company will continue in operation.
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the group and charitable company 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 group and charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that GMcG LISBURN be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The directors' report was approved by the Board of Directors.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Footprints Womens Centre (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the 'group') for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the group statement of financial activities, the group statement of financial position, the company statement of financial position, the group statement of cash flows, the company statement of cash flows and the notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group and charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the directors' report, prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the directors’ report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and parent charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report included within the directors' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the directors were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the directors' report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
As explained more fully in the statement of directors' responsibilities, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the group's and parent charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
We identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, and then design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, including obtaining audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In identifying and assessing potential risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliances with laws and regulations, we considered the following:
The nature of the industry and sector, control environment and business performance, including the group’s remuneration policies for directors, bonus levels and performance targets, if any;
Results of our enquiries of management about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities;
Any matters we identified having obtained and reviewed the group’s documentation of their policies and procedures relating to:
Identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instance of non-compliance;
Detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; and
The internal controls established to mitigate risks of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations;
The matters discussed among the audit engagement team regarding how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements and potential indicators of fraud.
As a result of these procedures, we considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the group for fraud and identified the greatest potential for fraud in income recognition. In common with all audits under ISAs (UK), we are also required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override.
We also obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that the group operates in, focusing on provisions of those laws and regulations that had a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The key laws and regulations we considered in this context included the Companies Act 2006, and local tax legislation.
In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which may be fundamental to the group and charitable company’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty.
Our procedures to respond to the risks identified included the following:
Reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations described as having a direct effect on the financial statements;
Enquiring of management concerning actual and potential litigation and claims;
Performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud;
Reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance and reviewing correspondence with tax authorities; and
In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments; assessing whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias; and evaluating the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
We also communicated relevant identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all engagement team members and remained alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. In addition, as with any audit, there remains a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as they may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.
Footprints Womens Centre is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Northern Ireland. The registered office is 84a Colinmill, Poleglass, Dunmurry, Belfast, BT17 0AR.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 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) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
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. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
The financial statements consolidate the accounts of Footprints Womens Centre and its subsidiary undertaking, Footprint Trading Limited. Footprints Trading Limited is a company incorporated in Northern Ireland and limited by guarantee.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the group and charitable company have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the directors in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Designated funds comprise funds which have been set aside at the discretion of the directors for specific purposes. The purposes and use of the designated funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
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.
The charity receives government grants in respect of the provision of specified services, projects and activities. Income from government and other grants are recognised at fair value when the charity has entitlement after any performance conditions have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. If entitlement is not met then these amounts are deferred.
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
Income from activities for raising funds represents amounts receivable for goods and services and is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the economic benefits will flow to the company and the revenue can be reliably measured. Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business, exclusive of trade discounts.
All expenditure is accounted for on an accrual basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. It is categorised under one of the following headings: Costs of raising funds, Expenditure on charitable activities and Other expenditure.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expense against the activity for which expenditure arose.
Support costs are those that assist the work of the charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs, governance costs, depreciation costs and administrative payroll costs. They are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity and include project management carried out at the office. Office costs, depreciation costs governance costs and payroll costs are allocated to charitable activities based on usage. The allocation of the support costs is analysed in note 10.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
Freehold land is not depreciated.
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
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 directors 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 annual depreciation charge on fixed assets depends primarily on the estimated lives of each type of asset and estimates of residual values. The directors regularly review these assets lives and change them as necessary to reflect current thinking on remaining lives in light of prospective economic utilisation and physical condition of the assets concerned. Changes in assets lives can have a significant impact on depreciation charges for the period. Detail of the useful lives is included in the accounting policies.
Judgements are made in relation to allocation of income and expenditure to restricted and unrestricted funds. The directors consider it appropriate to allocate these funds based on interpretation of donations received.
Charitable activites
Training & Education
Womens Services
Childrens services
Healthy Living
Catering Services
Grants receivable for charitable activitites
Other trading activities
Childcare income
Shop income
Room hire
Hospitality
Investments
Raising funds
Training & education
Womens services
Childrens services
Healthy Living
Catering services
Catering purchases
Programme costs
Evaluation cost
Equipment and materials
Room hire costs
Training & education
Womens services
Childrens services
Healthy Living
Catering services
Training & education
Footprints currently provide the only community based adult learning and training facility within Colin, with on-site creche.
Womens services
Support services for women are a core area of work within the Centre, providing vital support programmes to women in the community who are most vulnerable.
Childrens services
Children's services offers vital services to children and parents within the Colin community, providing daycare services alongside work to champion the needs of vulnerable children.
Healthy living
The Sustainable Living project seeks to engage the community in various food initiatives. The aim is to promote healthier living, and to tackle food poverty within the Colin community.
Catering services
Catering services provided within the Centre across the various services offered, and also for the local community.
Rent and rates
Usage
Heat & light
Usage
Travel
Usage
Printing & postage
Usage
Telephone
Usage
Computer costs
Usage
Cleaning
Usage
Repairs
Usage
Insurance
Usage
Training costs
Usage
Accountancy and HR costs include costs of £5,998 (2024 - £21,912) representing the cost of payroll services, and also in the prior year for the cost of seconding a person from our accountants to cover the finance function of the charity and its subsidiary, rather than incur a salary cost for a finance member of staff.
Governance costs includes payments to the auditor of £5,280 (2024- £5,040) for audit fees.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity considers its key management personnel to comprise of the directors and the Centre Director. The total employment benefits including employer pension contributions of the key management personnel were £52,941 (2024 - £57,735).
As a charity all profits from trading activities and investment income are used for charitable purposes and thus no liability to corporation tax arises.
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 group and 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.
Awards for All
Funded by the Big Lottery, this project has been designed to develop an empowerment infrastructure within Footprints Women's Centre that will lead to stronger engagement with women from the Colin Neighbourhood and ensure that the services delivered by the organisation are needs lead. Women will be provided with access to empowerment programmes, which will regenerate future leadership and will promote transparency through a clear communication strategy. Ultimately, this will empower women to lobby effectively on issues affecting their lives and will effect real change.
BBC Children in Need
Funds Family Empowerment Worker post and delivery of a Family Empowerment project that targets disadvantaged support programmes for 5-16 years olds directly affected by poverty/domestic violence.
BCC PCSP
This fund supports the delivery of a Traditional Crafts project, facilitating engagement between new and existing communities in West Belfast and tackling hate crime.
BCC Revenue
The provision of funding for the running costs of the building.
BCC - Social Supermarket
This funding supports the operation of a Social Supermarket and the provision of Wrap around Support services at Footprints Women's Centre. The Social Supermarket improves access to nutritious food and affordable household essentials for members experiencing hardship. Wraparound Support offers money management, debt counselling, benefits advice, healthy eating on a budget, training and employability skills, volunteering and work experience.
Big Lottery - Energy Efficient Venue
Funding to carry out an energy audit, to increase the energy efficiency of the premises.
CNP Big Lottery - Nutrition/ physical Activity and Domestic Violence
Partnership to support people in the Colin Neighbourhood area, targeting the most vulnerable and socially deprived.
Buildings Reserve
Funding for the premises used by the charity.
BRO Community Development
Funding for salaries for Women's Support Manager and caretaker.
BRO Health & Development
Funding for salaries for Sustainable Living Manger, receptionists and cleaners.
BRO - Sectional Build
Funding for the sectional building creche and office space.
Community Food Shop
This project enables 200 families per year, who are experiencing food poverty to shop for healthy low-cost food at Footprints Social Supermarket. Members are able to access a wide range of wrap around support services including finance, debt, budgeting and nutritional advice to develop the tools to live autonomously and confidently. The project diverts surplus, in date, quality food from food partners to families in need and contributes to environmental objectives through a reduction in carbon emissions. Funding enabled the purchase of a refrigerated van to extend and strengthen the reach of the Social Supermarket by delivering food to vulnerable members of the community. The funding has sustained employment and created new posts, in order to develop Footprints Food Services as a social enterprise.
Community Kitchen and Food Truck
The Community Kitchen operates a Cookery School, offering women and girls in Colin accredited training, to enhance their volunteering capacity and employment opportunities. The Community Kitchen is also a space for women, including BAME to share skills and celebrate cultural traditions through food. Surplus food is used to prepare healthy meals in the Community Kitchen to supply the Social Supermarket with nutritious, ready meals. Fresh produce left at the end of the week is made into soups and breads by a volunteer team. This food is delivered to organisations working with the homeless community for distribution to their network. In Year 2 of the project a Food Truck/Pod will be operational, selling food to the general public to generate an income to sustain Footprints Food Services
DFC Community Investment Fund
Funding for salary for the centre manager and part salary for finance manager.
DFC Feed Enhancement
This project supports 100 women a year to gain the skills and qualifications to improve their life opportunities. Women are supported into volunteering roles in the community, work placements with local providers and assisted on their journey to secure employment.
DFC-WCCF
Funded by the Department for Communities, this project provided onsite childcare places for women attending training and development, family support programmes, volunteering and other facilitated programmes. Budget lines included salary costs, replenishment of equipment and registration costs.
JJ Charitable Trust
Funding towards Womens Centre and community garden.
MAS
Maternal Advocacy Support Service Project supported by Big Lottery Community fund. Footprints is part of a network of seven women centres building a peer support service for women in supporting and bringing about positive change for women experiencing perinatal mental health problems.
Magill Family Charitable Trust
This fund supported FWC to offer Essential Skills courses, supporting women into further education, employment and training. The fund has helped to remove barriers and supported women to undertake accredited training in numeracy and literacy in a community-based setting.
SET SLA
Block and spot contracts for the provision of childcare services.
Small Grants
Included in small grants are the following:
Austin Hope Pilkington – Improving access to nutritious food through the provision of a Good Food Lunch Club
BCC Good Relations Cultural Cuisine and Traditions - The Cultural Cuisines and Traditions programme brings together women from a wide range of ethnicities from Footprints and Windsor Women's Centres to cook and eat together, sharing skills, knowledge and traditions, whilst celebrating food culture and diversity.
BCC Community Summer Scheme - Funding to deliver summer scheme for children aged 5 - 14 years old. Delivered to children identified as having additional need or poor mental well-being. Children from areas of high social deprivation and families with complex needs. Designed to improve resilience, well-being and reduce social isolation through fun activities and play.
Belfast Trust - Funding to deliver focus groups for Newcomer Families (Syrian Women Group) to convey and vocalise their experience of NHS services (for those with English as a second language) to enable better service delivery.
Belfast festival of learning - Our collective goal remains to enhance individual, community, and organisational learning in our city,
Childcare Partnership – to support the charity’s work in relation to provision of childcare.
Education Authority - to support the Growth and Participation of young people.
Screw Fix Foundation – This fund supported a project to improve community facilities by improving accessibility. Our reception area benefitted from a new improved and accessible desk, a hearing loop and improved signage.
Transition Together – The Slow Food for Families project relieved food insecurity stress, by providing practical nutrition sessions in Footprints Cookery School, a lunch club and pantry ingredients packs to cook family meals at home.
30 Years celebration - This project will celebrate Footprints 30-year journey by compiling a digital archive of photographs, making a film of present-day services, members stories and the facilitation of future planning sessions.
The unrestricted funds of the group 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.
The directors consider that operating reserves should be the equivalent of 9 months' operating costs, calculated and reviewed annually. 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. At 31 March 2025 the directors have also decided to designate reserves of £200,000 towards capital and maintenance required for the building.
A contingent liability exists to repay grants received in relation to capital refurbishment costs should certain conditions not be fulfilled by the charity. In this regard deeds of covenants and charges have been registered by the granting body who financed the refurbishment works.
At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
The charity had no material debt during the year.
The charity had no material debt during the year.