REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 06215916 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1120531

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

FOR

BIRTH TRAUMA ASSOCIATION

Page

Report of the Trustees

1

to

4

Independent Examiner's Report

5

Statement of Financial Activities

6

Balance Sheet

7

to

8

Notes to the Financial Statements

9

to

13

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 30 April 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).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The Charity's main aim is to support parents experiencing psychological distress as a result of having, or witnessing, a traumatic birth. This includes women whose symptoms qualify them for a PTSD diagnosis (about 4-5% of those giving birth) and those with other psychological symptoms such as anxiety or depression. About 1% of fathers and partners develop PTSD after witnessing a traumatic birth, and we also offer support to them, and to the wider group who experience some trauma symptoms after witnessing a traumatic birth.

Our other aim is to work for improvement in maternity services through training professionals, campaigning, intervening in policy and taking part in research projects.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

The following are some of the activities the charity undertook in the year ending 30 April 2025.

Trusted legal partner scheme

In November 2024, we launched a panel of six trusted legal partners - firms we are confident will provide a good service to the Birth Trauma Association's service users in need of legal advice, whether it relates to making a medical negligence claim, seeking information about employment rights after a traumatic birth or making a complaint. The partners all hold regular legal clinics in which they offer 30-minute pro bono consultations to service users. Each panel member pays a monthly fee of £15k.

We undertook a rigorous recruitment process to make sure all the legal partners matched our values as a charity. The six firms are: Bolt Burdon Kemp. Hodge Jones and Allen, Hudgell's, Irwin Mitchell, Leigh Day and Russell-Cooke.

Expanding our work in Wales

Because our reach in Wales has been limited, we appointed a Wales officer, who made contact with perinatal mental health teams in Wales and significantly raised our profile. This led to greater collaboration with NHS organisations in Wales in 2025. At the end of April 2025, we held a well-attended event in the Senedd to mark a year since the birth trauma inquiry. Attendees included Senedd members, NHS maternity professionals, and service users. The mental health minister for Wales, Sarah Murphy, spoke at the event.

Peer support

In 2024-25 we continued to expand our peer support work. By December 2024, our Facebook group had grown to 18,600 members. Our team of peer supporters was 15-strong (with slight fluctuation). Most of the team offered email support, with two offering phone support. We had two dads on the team, offering support to other fathers.

We held an event in Liverpool city centre in March 2025 that brought women with birth trauma together with relevant professionals, including midwives, health visitors, physiotherapists and lawyers.

We partnered with Scott Mair of Fatherhood Solutions to offer peer support sessions over Zoom to fathers.

In April 2025, we partnered with the tech startup Mendara to pilot WhatsApp support groups.

Research projects

We acted as PPI lead in a number of academic research projects, including: OdonAssist, a replacement for forceps; BirthGlide, a device that aims to reduce the need for instrumental birth; and Gabi, which is investigating the mental health impact on women of giving birth under general anaesthetic.

Training health professionals

We continued to provide training on birth trauma to groups of midwives, obstetricians and medical students.

Policy and campaign work

In 2024-25, we continued to be part of the birth trauma all-party parliamentary group (APPG), chaired initially by Theo Clarke MP and then, after the general election, by Rosie Duffield MP. In October 2024, we held a party at the House of Commons to celebrate our 20th birthday. This was attended by MPs, senior health professionals and policymakers. We held a successful Awareness Week in July 2024, which drew coverage in the Times and achieved substantial engagement on social media.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

Free reserves available for use by the charity entirely at the Board's discretion are deemed to be those that are readily realisable for spending, less trust funds whose uses are restricted by charity law and any corporate reserves we have designated for particular purposes.

At the end of the financial year, the charity's free reserves available for current and future charitable projects amounted to £45,777 (2024 - £25,925).

Reserves policy

Reserves need to be adequate to reflect the variability of the Charity's funding which is affected by three key components:

-

Variation in donation receipts which are significantly affected by media publicity around traumatic birth.

-

Receipts of large single donations or fundraising activities by supporters. Our experience is that these can be unpredictable both in frequency and amount.

-

Grant funding.

Until the next review, the trustees recommend maintaining 8- 12 months core reserves; consisting of staffing, core establishment and administration costs in addition to funds allocated for ongoing projects or parts of projects that will be completed within the financial year.

Reserve funds may be spent if income falls below expectations or for unanticipated cost overruns for individual projects.

Reserves policy will be reviewed annually.

FUTURE PLANS

The charity plans to continue to expand our peer support offer. This includes offering support through WhatsApp, recruiting more peer supporters who can take phone calls and relaunching our Zoom support.

We intend to have as much input as possible into the maternity and neonatal investigation led by Baroness Amos and to continue our involvement in the birth trauma APPG. We also hope to expand our training offer to health professionals, as this has been very well-received. Finally, we will continue our involvement in research projects designed to be of benefit to women giving birth, and to raise awareness of birth trauma through our annual Awareness Week and through speaking to the media.

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

06215916 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1120531

Registered office

16 Pentre Close

Ashton Hayes

Chester

CH3 8BR

Trustees

Mr P Alway (resigned 20.8.25)

Dr C Jones

Ms R Rhodes-Kemp

Mrs M L Treadwell (resigned 2.7.25)

Ms N Dhaun (appointed 31.7.25)

Ms S E Vandore-Mackay (appointed 31.7.25)

Independent Examiner

Christopher Joyce FCCA

Hysons

Chartered Accountants

14 London Street

Andover

Hampshire

SP10 2PA

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 8 January 2026 and signed on its behalf by:

Dr C Jones - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Birth Trauma Association ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 April 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.

Christopher Joyce FCCA

Hysons

Chartered Accountants

14 London Street

Andover

Hampshire

SP10 2PA

12 January 2026

2025

2024

Unrestricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

2

84,876

26,753

Charitable activities

4

Principal activity

-

2,250

Investment income

3

142

105

Total

85,018

29,108

EXPENDITURE ON

Raising funds

2,871

648

Charitable activities

5

Principal activity

62,295

37,202

Total

65,166

37,850

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

19,852

(8,742

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

25,925

34,667

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

45,777

25,925

2025

2024

Unrestricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

£

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

8

62

64

Cash at bank

49,258

28,746

49,320

28,810

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

9

(3,543

)

(2,885

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

45,777

25,925

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

45,777

25,925

NET ASSETS

45,777

25,925

FUNDS

10

Unrestricted funds

45,777

25,925

TOTAL FUNDS

45,777

25,925

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 30 April 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 30 April 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 8 January 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:

Dr C Jones - 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.	DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

2025

2024

£

£

Donations

19,038

14,315

Grants

-

9,525

Membership subscription

823

2,913

Trusted legal partners

65,015

-

84,876

26,753

Grants received, included in the above, are as follows:

2025

2024

£

£

The Light Fund

-

4,800

Other grants

-

4,725

-

9,525

3.	INVESTMENT INCOME

2025

2024

£

£

Deposit account interest

142

105

4.	INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

2025

2024

Activity

£

£

Research

Principal activity

-

2,250

5.	CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Direct

Support

Costs

costs

Totals

£

£

£

Principal activity

58,090

4,205

62,295

6.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 30 April 2025 nor for the year ended 30 April 2024.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 30 April 2025 nor for the year ended 30 April 2024.

7.	STAFF COSTS

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

2025

2024

Volunteer manager

1

1

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

8.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2025

2024

£

£

Prepayments

62

64

9.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2025

2024

£

£

Trade creditors

2,463

1,000

Other creditors

-

805

Accrued expenses

1,080

1,080

3,543

2,885

10.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

movement

At

At 1.5.24

in funds

30.4.25

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

25,925

19,852

45,777

TOTAL FUNDS

25,925

19,852

45,777

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

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

85,018

(65,166

)

19,852

TOTAL FUNDS

85,018

(65,166

)

19,852

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

movement

At

At 1.5.23

in funds

30.4.24

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

34,667

(8,742

)

25,925

TOTAL FUNDS

34,667

(8,742

)

25,925

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

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

29,108

(37,850

)

(8,742

)

TOTAL FUNDS

29,108

(37,850

)

(8,742

)

11.	RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 30 April 2025.