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 charitable company'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)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016).
Leicester Rape Crisis Limited was established for charitable purposes, in particular to prevent and relieve suffering caused to women who have been, or are potentially, subject to sexual abuse or harassment. Specifically it has continued to provide counselling, advice and support. As such, the activities are undertaken to further the charitable purposes for the public benefit.
In this respect, the charitable company relies upon unpaid volunteers who provide a wide range of skills and without whose support the charitable company would be unable to function. The charitable company therefore expresses its heartfelt gratitude to all those volunteers who have helped in the operating of the charitable company during the year.
The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charitable company should undertake.
The year presented significant challenges for the charity. Funding across the sector has become increasingly difficult to secure, and the rising cost of living has understandably led individuals to prioritise their own circumstances before extending support externally.
We continue to experience an increase in referrals and remain focused on reducing client waiting times. In parallel, we are actively exploring opportunities to enhance our income streams and further develop the services we provide.
It is the policy of the trustees to maintain a reasonable level of reserves designed to provide sufficient resources for the charitable company to continue in operation for the foreseeable future. The policy requires a regular ongoing review of the reserves that are available and those which will be required to fund operations and mitigate any adverse conditions that may arise. The Statement of Financial Activities shows that the charitable company incurred a net deficit of £26,627; total reserves at the end of the year were £57,478; no restricted or designated funds were held.
The current level of funding is considered sufficient to sustain the Centre's ongoing operations. However, the trustees acknowledge that the financial position is more fragile than desired and are actively implementing measures to strengthen it.
Leicester Rape Crisis Limited was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee on 26th February 2002. It is a registered charity, registration number 1095540 and is governed by its Articles of Association.
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:
Appointment of the trustees is governed by the Articles of Association. The trustees are authorised to appoint new trustees by resolution to fill vacancies arising during the year.
Trustees are recruited from current volunteers already working for Leicester Rape Crisis, through word of mouth and through advertising at Voluntary Action Leicester.
Comprehensive training is given to all new trustees by Voluntary Action Leicester and continuous training is available.
Whilst the business of the charitable company is managed by the board of trustees with all decisions taken being discussed at monthly committee meetings, the charitable company employs a part time manager to organise the day to day running of the centre; during the year this position was held by Cara Perry, now replaced by Beth Adman.
In addition, the charitable company employs part time administrators to assist in ongoing operational matters and client care.
The trustees operate a risk management policy which comprises the following:
an ongoing review of the various risks which the charitable company faces in respect of the sector in which it operates;
the establishment of systems, where considered necessary, to mitigate the risks identified;
the implementation of such procedures to minimise the impact on the charitable company should those risks materialise.
In respect of non-financial risks such as Health and Safety, the trustees have examined operational and business uncertainties faced by the charitable company and have established appropriate systems in order to minimise potential risks.
This Report has been prepared having taken advantage of the small company exemption in the Companies Act 2006.
The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Leicester Rape Crisis Limited (the charitable company) for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charitable 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 the charitable company’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Since the charitable company’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 Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, 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 charitable company 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.
Investments
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Leicester Rape Crisis Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 21 Upper King Street, Leicester, LE1 6XF.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charitable company'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 charitable company is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charitable company 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 charitable company. 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.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable company 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.
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 charitable company has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
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.
Expenditure is included in the Statement of Financial Activities on an accruals basis, inclusive of any VAT which cannot be recovered.
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charitable company on the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities, and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them based upon either time spent on the actual activities or usage.
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:
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.
At each reporting end date, the charitable company reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
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 charitable company 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 charitable company's balance sheet when the charitable company 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 charitable company’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 charitable company 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 charitable company’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.
Grants and donations received
None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration, benefits or reimbursement of expenses from the charitable company during the year.
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.
The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charitable company in an independently administered fund.
The income funds of the charitable company include restricted funds comprising the following donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes:
Big Lottery Fund
The Big Lottery Fund provided for main counselling costs, group support, service management and clinical supervision.
BBC Children in Need
The purpose of this funding was to provide for the costs of the Young Persons Support and Recovery Service.
Ministry of Justice
Funding was made available by the Ministry of Justice for the charity's Complex Needs Service together with training and development.
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner provided funding for a sexual violence support and outreach service in Leicestershire and Rutland.
SARC Fund
Provides counselling for women who are referred through SARC. This is money from the NHS to support shorter waiting times.
Foundation R - King Baudouin Foundation
This fund supports the employment of 1 years adolescents support for young women aged 16 - 18 years old.
Freeva Partnership RSF Fund
This is replacement funding for the continuation of the complex needs service - previously funded through MOJ.
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.
R.A Thacker, a trustee of Leicester Rape Crisis Limited, provides bookkeeping and payroll services through RT Accountancy Services Limited. During the year the charity was charged £1,800 by RT Accountancy Services Limited (2024 - £1,801).