The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 July 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 [governing document], 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 purposes of the charity as set out in its governing doct/menf.
The charitable company exists to act as a holistic support for work and life skills development for the young people in the community of Gateshead, Tyne & Wear who are neurodivergent, have a learning condition, and/or poor mental health. It is a 'not for profit' organisation, managed by local people for the local people.
The main activities undertaken in relation to those purposes during the year.
The company acts as a not for profit organisation to provide the advancement of education, citizenship and work related opportunities to young people in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear. Offering 7 sessions per week, 3 community lunches in 2 venues ran by young people and community volunteers, monthly unpaid caregivers support group and an active social media presence.
The delivery of the objects are achieved by working in partnership with numerous organisations, and the trustees value this partnership working arrangement, and the input of the volunteers make many of these opportunities possible.
The charitable company has worked with local disability advisors, colleges, schools, Gateshead City Council and many VCSE organisations in Gateshead to raise awareness of the charity and develop referral processes to the Employability Skills Programmes and Wellbeing programmes.
Group members join us from across the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, with referrals coming from a variety of like-minded organisatons, as well as through word of mouth from young people and their families, who have valued our support.
Links have been established with local employers who support our charitable company's Work Placement Programme, and this has helped us to bridge the gap between disability and employment across Gateshead.
Once recruited, our members (young adults with disabilities) work with our sessional workers to support them through the transition from education into employment. We support our members through a personalised pathway directed via. an individual learning plan (ILP) which prepares each individual to realise their own personal potential, and sets reaGstic goals for their future in paid or voluntary/placement employment. ILP's support members through a bespoke journey of training, skills development, volunteering and employment placements.
We offer a programme of work and life skills development on a weekly basis to offer routine and structure.
The main activities undertaken during the year to further the charity's purpose for the pubtic benefit.
The organisation has developed its partner engagement in Gateshead to expand the holistic service of support, resulting in a greater number of young people progressing into paid employment than ever before.
The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the Charitable Company should undertake. The charity celebrated another anniversary in July. Invited guests included young people/parents/trustees/volunteers/staff/funders and local business partners.
We would like to take the opportunity to thank the staff team and dedicated volunteers, especially our trustees, who have supported the development of new partnerships, and recruitment of new staff to our existing team.
We are now running three warm welcome spaces in two different venues which allow our members to gain valuable work experience, especially in hospitality and catering. Engaging over 70 local residents every month, we are proud that both venues are part of the Gateshead Welcome Spaces programme and we are also National Warm Welcome Champions.
We would like to give thanks for the continued support of the Tyne and Wear Community Foundation, Gateshead Council, Sport England, Heritage Lottery Fund, beat businesses and other funders who allowed us to run free programmes throughout the year without your support this would not be possible to achieve the life changing results achieved.
We were delighted to be awarded a National Award from Employment UK for creating opportunities for young people with a variety of needs and The Difference Awards for our commitment to accessibility and inclusion for disabled people.
We are very proud of all the young people and their achievements over the past 12 months. They are a credit to themselves and the charity. Our weekly employment sessions and work placement programme have gone from strength to strength, and it is amazing to see our young people progress into paid employment once again this year. With 5 young people gaining paid employment.
Fundraising activities during the year.
During the year our organisation raised restricted funding from Gateshead Council, Community Foundation Tyne 8 Wear and Northumberland. Heritage Lottery and other local funders which is very much appreciated.
Young people if they can make a £5 per week donation to the unrestricted reserves of the charity
which is used for social activities during the year.
The difference the charity’s performance during the year has made to the
beneficiaries of the clarify and the wider society.
The charity continues to play a vital role in Gateshead supporting young people with a wide range of additional support needs. To be respected as individuals and to work with staff/volunteers to create a weekly timetable of activities to meet their aspirations. We are proud to have a programme of 7 sessions per week as well as our 3 warm welcome spaces, and monthly parents networking group.
The Trustees consider the financial performance of the charity during the year to have been satisfactory, and the surplus realised has given the charity a greater degree of stability with the retained funds as outlined above.
The retained funds will allow the Trustees to plan and apply for higher levels of funding, with more complex access requirements, and longer lead times, in the belief that the ongoing costs can still be met.
The charity aims to maintain sufficient reserves to cover all direct costs and overheads for a period of 3 months at all times.
At 31st July 2025 we have managed to amass unrestricted reserves of £18,872, and £120,703 of restricted reserves. Our costs amounted to £71,398 for the year so we have met our target for retained reserves at this year-end.
Availability and adequacy of assets of each of the funds The board of trustees is satisfied that the charity's assets in each fund are available and adequate to fulfil its obligations in respect of each fund.
Skills 4 Work (Gateshead) Limited is constituted by Memorandum and Articles of Association and is a company limited by guarantee. It was incorporated on 14 July 2014 as a company and the company number is 09128221. It was registered as a charity on 21 April 2016 with a charity number 1166652.
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:
The members of the management committee are elected annually by way of nominations at the
AGM, and normally hold office until the AGM the following year. Any co-opted non-voting vacancy
may be filled by way of nomination at the next meeting of the management committee.
Nominations and consents must be sent to the committee within seven days of the notice calling
the AGM.
New Trustees undergo an induction to brief them on their legal obligations under the charity and
company law, the content of the company's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the
committee and decision making processes, the up to date business plan and recent financial
performance of the charity. During their induction new trustees are encouraged to meet the key
individuals and other trustees. New trustees are also advised to attend appropriate external
training events, where these can facilitate a greater understanding of their legal responsibilities.
None of the Trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the Trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
The trustees were saddened by the death of Catherine Williams on 24th September 2025. Catherine Williams served as a trustee of the charity for many years and made a valuable contribution to its work.
The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Skills 4 Work (Gateshead) Limited (the Charitable Company) for the year ended 31 July 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.
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 2006 Act; or
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 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
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 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 financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Skills 4 Work (Gateshead) Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is A6 Kingfisher House, Kingsway, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, NE11 0JQ.
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” (“FRS 102”) 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)" (effective 1 January 2019). 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, [modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value]. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the 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.
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:
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.
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
Membership subscriptions
Sessional Tutors - Employment
Sundry Expenses
Room Hire
Stationary and Printing
Property Insurance
Other legal and professional fees
Travel and Subsistence - Staff
Rent payable under operating
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).