The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026.
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 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)".
Together Collective, operating as Together Co, is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. The company was incorporated in December 1999 and is governed by its Articles of Association. Together Co is Brighton and Hove’s social health and loneliness charity, creating connections that change lives by linking people with communities and services that can help them feel happier, healthier and more supported. Together Co works directly in Brighton and Hove, while also sharing its ideas and expertise nationally.
The objects of the charity are to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the community in Brighton and Hove and the counties of East Sussex and West Sussex, and in particular the advancement of education, the furtherance of health and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness.
Our vision is a society where everyone feels that they belong and has someone they can count on. In 2025/26, we continued to deliver services that prevent and alleviate loneliness and social isolation, while strengthening our focus on social health: the quality of people’s relationships, connections and sense of belonging.
We deliver this work through befriending, social prescribing, volunteering and community-based connection services, and through our wider influencing work to champion social health locally and nationally. Our services include:
Befriending: one-to-one and group-based support to reduce isolation.
Social Prescribing: linking people to services, groups and activities that improve wellbeing.
Connection Hub: our central point of access, providing a welcoming route into support. The Hub listens to people’s needs, helps them to navigate local services, provides guidance, and connects them with the right Together Co service or wider community support.
Volunteer-led Programmes: including our Connection by Letter and Connector schemes that are flexible, inclusive and community-based.
Advocacy and Influence: campaigning to raise awareness of social health using research, policy outreach, and partnerships.
During 2025/26, the people we supported ranged in age from 18 to 100. Across our social prescribing work, 100% of people who gave us feedback reported a positive change in at least one area of their lives, 81% of social prescribing respondents and 91% of befriending respondents said their sense of wellbeing had improved.
In 2025/26, we continued to see strong demand for our services and responded by strengthening access, outreach and community connection.
During 2025/26, Together Co delivered services that prevented and alleviated loneliness and social isolation, improved people’s social health and wellbeing, and helped people feel more connected to their communities. Our services were provided free of charge and designed around the needs, circumstances and what matters most to the people we support.
People supported by Together Co reported high levels of satisfaction and valued the personal connections with volunteers, as well as the positive impact our services had on their lives.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Connection Hub
Now in its second year, the Connection Hub has become an established and integral part of Together Co’s service offer, providing a streamlined and responsive front door for people accessing support. Building on its initial development, the Hub has continued to evolve throughout 2025/26, strengthening its role in early intervention, system navigation and partnership working across the city.
Staffed by an experienced social prescribing link worker and a coordinator, the Hub provides skilled triage for all incoming enquiries and referrals. This ensures that people receive timely, person-centred support, with a focus on understanding need at the earliest opportunity and connecting people to the most appropriate services without delay. The Hub also continues to act as a key point of contact for professionals, offering advice, guidance and coordination to support joined-up working.
During the year, the Connection Hub has further embedded a low-intensity support model, enabling many people to receive the help they need through a single conversation or short-term intervention. This approach has reduced the need for longer term support where appropriate, while improving access and responsiveness across the system. In 2025/26, the Hub:
Supported 807 people through enquiries and referrals
Of those, 481 were one-off interventions and signposting conversations
Triaged 477 referrals and allocated to services
Service data across the year shows consistent use of the Hub for both triage and immediate support, reflecting its growing role in managing demand and improving access to social prescribing and wider community provision.
A key milestone in year two was the successful continuation of Together Co’s delivery of the UOK Central Access Point under the new UOK contract. This demonstrates confidence in the Connection Hub model and its effectiveness as a single point of access within the local mental health and wellbeing system.
Through the Central Access Point, the Hub provides a clear and accessible route for people seeking mental health information, advice and support. Members of the public and professionals can access the service by phone, email or call-back, ensuring flexible and inclusive access. The service:
Provides information and guidance about UOK and local mental health services
Supports people to navigate options and identify appropriate support
Makes direct referrals into UOK partner services
Enhances coordination across services, improving continuity and experience
Integrating the UOK Central Access Point within the Connection Hub has strengthened its position as a core access and navigation function across Brighton and Hove. It has supported a more joined-up system, reduced duplication and helped people access support more quickly and effectively.
In its second year, the Connection Hub has demonstrated its value not only in improving access, but in shaping a more responsive and coordinated local system. Its continued development reflects Together Co’s commitment to reducing barriers, responding to demand and ensuring that people receive the right support at the right time.
Together Co Social Prescribing
Social prescribing (SP) helps people access the support, activities and connections that can improve their health and wellbeing. It recognises that many challenges are shaped by social factors such as loneliness, housing or financial pressures, and addresses these as part of a person’s overall support.
At Together Co, our skilled link workers take time to understand what matters to each person. They build trusted relationships and work alongside people to explore their needs, overcome barriers and identify goals, connecting them with local groups, services and opportunities.
Through this holistic approach, social prescribing supports social, emotional and physical wellbeing. It also helps people build confidence, strengthen their sense of belonging and feel more connected to their community.
“Thank you for your support. Your calls and the information you shared have been really helpful. I felt listened to, understood and supported across my physical health, mental health and social support needs.” - SP Client
Community Social Prescribing
This year we continued to adapt our service design and delivery in response to emerging need and wider system change, aligning with the shift towards more local, neighbourhood-based models of care, focused on prevention and reducing health inequalities.
Our Community Social Prescribing team played a central role within this evolving model, working as part of the city’s Integrated Community Teams (ICTs) and contributing to a more coordinated, place-based approach to health and wellbeing. Link workers are embedded across all three neighbourhood areas, with Together Co actively contributing to ICT Leadership Groups and neighbourhood Health Forums to share insight, highlight emerging need, and identify opportunities for more joined-up, preventative approaches to care.
A key focus of the year addressed health inequalities through targeted outreach and partnership delivery. We strengthened our Community Social Prescribing offer to reach more people in neighbourhoods where need was greatest and increased our presence in areas experiencing higher levels of deprivation. Community link workers delivered more than 139 outreach and community events, providing on-the-spot support, signposting and referrals, and enabling earlier engagement for people who may not otherwise have accessed services. They also generated referrals into the social prescribing team providing further sessions where needed.
Delivery took place in trusted, everyday community settings including food banks, libraries, community hubs, Job Centres and family hubs. This place-based approach reduced barriers to access and ensured support was available at the right time. Our outreach model continues to be informed by data and insight, supporting improved reach across CORE20 neighbourhoods and helping us identify and respond to gaps in access.
City Provision for Social Prescribing
Our citywide referral model ensures social prescribing remains accessible to all. Referrals are received through a wide range of routes, including NHS organisations, council services, Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners, internal referrals and self-referrals, with the Connection Hub acting as a central access point for triage and initial support. This enables people to access support without needing to visit their GP and ensures they are connected to the right service at the right time. Referrals are allocated to community link workers based on locality, supporting connection into neighbourhood-based provision.
Our open offer means any adult aged 18 or over can self-refer into the Together Co Community Social Prescribing service. In 2025/26, 431 people self-referred into the service.
Over the year, we received 606 Community Social Prescribing referrals, with distribution across neighbourhood areas as follows:
Central: 97
East: 185
West: 128
Out of area: 10
No fixed address: 4
Unknown: 182
The most common referral reasons by area were:
Central: mental health and wellbeing (64%), social isolation (47%), loneliness (39%), lifestyle/behaviour change (30%), financial advice (15%).
East: mental health and wellbeing (62%), social isolation (52%), loneliness (38%), physical health (28%), lifestyle/behaviour change (25%).
West: mental health and wellbeing (61%), social isolation (49%), loneliness (47%), physical health (38%), lifestyle/behaviour change (32%).
We made better use of information from our services to understand where demand was greatest, where people needed support most, and improved how we reached people across different neighbourhoods.
We continued to strengthen joint working with Adult Social Care, with link workers contributing to triage and locality-based working. Adult Social Care waiting list communications now signpost to Together Co, ensuring people can access support while awaiting statutory services. Outreach at key events, including the Inclusive Job Fair and MSK Appointment Days further increased access for people less likely to engage with social prescribing through traditional referral routes.
During 2025/26, we were involved in a Test and Change pilot in partnership with Deans & Central Brighton PCN, Trust for Developing Communities (TDC) and Adult Social Care, exploring how integrated social prescribing can improve outcomes for care home residents.
We also worked with University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust to design and began delivery of a pre-operative social prescribing pilot, supporting people on surgical waiting lists, particularly in areas of higher deprivation, to improve wellbeing and readiness for surgery.
Alongside this, we continued to deliver regular community-based drop-in sessions at local libraries and community centres, Saltdean Lido community hub and the Job Centre, providing consistent and accessible routes into support.
Supporting the City’s Social Prescribing Infrastructure
We continued to facilitate quarterly Social Prescribing Provider Network meetings, bringing together practitioners from across community and primary care to strengthen collaboration, share learning and stay connected to key developments across the city.
Each session focused on priority system themes, including mental health, winter support, and housing and social care, with input from a wide range of voluntary, community and statutory partners. This ensured practitioners remained informed about local provision and referral pathways while building relationships that supported more joined-up working.
Alongside system updates, the Social Prescribing Provider Network allowed opportunities for continued professional development through specialist sessions and peer learning, helping to build confidence and knowledge in supporting diverse communities.
Evaluation feedback confirmed the Network’s value as a space for connection, shared learning and practical insight. It also identified opportunities to strengthen future sessions, including more time for discussion, a broader range of speakers and deeper exploration of key topics such as housing, mental health and poverty.
PCN Delivery
We continued to work in partnership with Deans & Central Brighton PCN, delivering social prescribing through both our Connection Hub and embedded PCN link workers. An increase in referrals from the PCN this year drove an expansion in social prescribing capacity, enabling us to respond to growing demand and further embed support within primary care.
Our link workers continued to be based within GP practices, working closely with PCN and community teams, supporting outreach activity and extending the reach of social prescribing into a wider range of settings. This integrated approach strengthened community-based support and ensured patients could access personalised, non-clinical support alongside their healthcare.
“I have realised since having these sessions with the Link Worker, that having another person to talk things through with is really helpful.” - SP Client
“The Link Worker calls are very helpful, knowing I had these planned gave me structure to get these things done.” - SP Client
SP Plus
Together Co continued to lead the SP Plus partnership, working alongside Switchboard, Friends, Families & Travellers, Sussex Interpreting Services (SIS) and Trust for Developing Communities (TDC) to deliver social prescribing support across the city. This partnership remained integral to our approach to tackling health inequalities, supporting communities facing the greatest barriers to accessing services. Partners brought specialist knowledge and trusted relationships, enabling culturally appropriate and flexible support through outreach, one-to-one provision and volunteer-led approaches. During 2025/26, Together Co also worked with Switchboard to strengthen social prescribing for LGBTQ+ communities, providing senior link worker capacity for casework, case reviews and workforce. This supported skill-sharing and stronger coordination across the SP Plus pathway.
The SP Plus partnership continued to respond to high levels of demand. There were 375 referrals into SP Plus with the service supporting an average of 65 people each month.
Social Prescribing Impact
Referrals and Service Activity
In 2025/26, Together Co Social Prescribing and SP Plus partner services received a total of 1,328 referrals, leading to the delivery of 2,405 sessions for people.
Our link workers made an impressive 4,070 onward referrals to 540 different agencies, reflecting the breadth of our partnerships and the complexity of needs we respond to.
Demand for our services
Throughout 2025/26, we experienced a mixed picture in referral trends across our various pathways:
Community Social Prescribing saw a 40% increase in referrals, demonstrating growing demand and awareness of our offer in this area
SP Plus referrals saw a small 5% decrease, likely reflecting the transition to the new social prescribing contract and changes to service delivery towards the end of the year
Deans & Central PCN saw an increase in referrals by 12%, showing growing demand and awareness of our offer in GP surgeries
We asked for feedback from the people we support through evaluation calls, providing opportunities for us to listen and consider how we could adapt and improve our services.
It gave us a chance to assess their progress and to look at whether any more support was needed. On average, the people we support rated the usefulness of the SP service as 4.2 out of 5.
They also reported very positive outcomes following social prescribing support from Together Co and SP Plus partner services:
100% reported a positive change in at least one area of their lives
92% felt better informed about what was available to them
81% reported improved wellbeing
Targeted Outreach and Insight Development
We continued to assess the reach of our social prescribing (SP) services, with a focus on areas experiencing the highest levels of deprivation, including the city’s 29 CORE20 areas. To support this, we developed improved reporting systems that monitored SP activity and outcomes across Brighton and Hove. This data-led approach enabled us to identify under-represented neighbourhoods and direct our outreach and collaboration efforts to reduce health inequalities.
In 2025–26:
We received referrals from 27 out of 29 CORE20 areas, indicating strong coverage across priority locations
378 referrals (28% of the total) were for people living in CORE20 areas
50 referrals (4%) were for people identified as having no fixed address
We actively reviewed referral trends on a quarterly basis to identify areas where referral numbers were lower than expected. This helped us to understand where additional outreach may be needed and ensured we were responsive to gaps in access and provision.
We also worked closely with our SP Plus partners to build a coordinated and comprehensive picture of service impact. These insights shaped targeted outreach efforts and helped to ensure that support reached those who needed it most.
Together Co Befriending
Our Befriending Service is accessed through in-person visits, telephone calls and befriending groups which we run across the city.
In 2025/26, we supported 468 people through our befriending activities, including 132 new people who were able to benefit from befriending for the first time.
We supported 360 people through in-person or telephone befriending, streamlining volunteer recruitment, training and the matching process by acknowledging applications promptly, offering regular and flexible training and sharing clear information about people waiting for support as soon as volunteers were ready. This helped volunteers get started sooner and enabled people to be matched more quickly.
Throughout 2025/26, 91 people accessed befriending groups across the city, and we held 8,671 befriending sessions across the year, including face-to-face and telephone befriending.
Each match was carefully considered by our befriending coordinators to ensure interests aligned, and amazing stories of connection and friendship developed. Our volunteers were an incredible source of support to their matches, helping them to develop their confidence and access activities and information
Feedback from 82% of people accessing our befriending service said support from Together Co had increased their sense of belonging in their local community, and 94% of people who received befriending said that the service had a positive impact on their wellbeing.
“My befriender couldn't be a better match, she is lovely.” - Befriending scheme member.
“When we first met, he was sitting in the dark, his back too bad to be able to open his curtains or turn on his lights. With the right support, his world slowly opened up, his home became accessible, and he regained the freedom to get out on his own. Watching his confidence grow was incredibly moving. He told me he ‘couldn’t begin to describe the difference the visits made’ and how deeply grateful he was.” - Befriending volunteer Erin.
In 2025/26, we set up a new befriending social group in Coldean after an additional need was identified in the north of the city. This runs alongside existing groups in Kemptown in the east of the city, and Friends’ Meeting House in central Brighton.
People who attended the groups enjoyed activities including ‘A Trip Down Memory Lane’, singing and sharing photos during the Ageing Well Festival, seated sports sessions with Rise Life and a gentle yoga session led by one of our volunteers.
“I love meeting everybody and talking to people. I also enjoy the games and the music and the dancing. I enjoyed the seated sports and when we had the television and everyone chose a song. That was fun, wasn't it? We'll have to do that again. Yes, and the belly dancing, I like that one.” - Group member Marlene, 89.
Together Co Volunteering
Our Volunteer Services Coordinators deliver the onboarding, training and ongoing support to our volunteer community.
In 2025/26, 472 volunteers gave 12,341 hours of their time in on-to-one and group befriending, helping at events and fundraising activities, volunteering with the social prescribing team, and supporting our office administration.
We onboarded 129 new volunteers who were met by a member of the team and taken through our in-house induction training.
Our training evaluation scores were consistently high, with 95% of volunteers rating the training as “very relevant” to their role, and 100% of people feeling “ready to start volunteering”.
“Ever since I met Patricia, it has become the highlight of my week. I would be walking, almost running, excitedly to her place, and we often chat over several hours, non-stop, without even realising so much time has passed.” - Yolanda, Together Co volunteer
In 2025/26, we continued to enhance our offering supporting our volunteer community through regular newsletter updates, check-ins with their named coordinator, and organising volunteer socials including crafting and refreshments at Hove Museum, a walk and talk in Hove Park, evening meet ups in pubs, and an evening with volunteer networking bingo at Pink Moon Café Bar.
We also offered volunteers the chance to attend in-person free mental health training and two workshops on end-of-life planning and safeguarding with an expert solicitor.
We continually strive to improve the service we provide and measure satisfaction through a quarterly Net Promoter Score (NPS). In 2025/26, our score increased over the course of the year from 66 to 75, demonstrating a high level of satisfaction.
Volunteering at Together Co had a positive impact on people with 91% of volunteers reporting an improvement in their wellbeing, and 73% said it had increased their sense of belonging in their local community.
At the beginning of 2026 we also reviewed our approach to corporate volunteering, recognising that longer term partnerships and enriching experiences provided a great outcome for everyone involved.
To ensure we had an offer for everyone, we developed corporate volunteering packages offering self-managed team volunteering, hosted corporate volunteering days, and partnership programmes.
“We had such a lovey time delivering the hampers and being part of such a wonderful initiative.” - Corporate volunteer
“I just wanted to say thank you so much for allowing us to partake in the volunteering this morning. It was so lovely to see the difference Together Co makes within Brighton and all the smiles we put on people’s faces this morning. It was really special.” Permit Room, Corporate volunteers
Together Co Connector Project
Our Connector Project, which is short-term and goals focused, matched people who needed support with a volunteer who helped them.
In 2025/26, our Connector Project continued to support people in Brighton and Hove who knew what would help their health, wellbeing or independence, but needed someone alongside them to take that first step. Connector volunteers offered short-term, practical help which included going with the person they had been matched with to appointments, activities, groups, on public transport and to community spaces.
This helped them to rebuild confidence, reduce isolation and reconnect with their local community. The people supported through the Connector Project often faced overlapping barriers, including disability, long-term health conditions, anxiety, reduced mobility, bereavement, low income and limited support.
This year was also an important period of learning and development for the service. Drawing on feedback from participants, volunteers and staff, we strengthened the Connector Project into a clear 12-week, goal-focused model, with shared agreements, midpoint check-ins and end evaluations. This helped create stronger boundaries, consistent support and better outcome tracking, while the service remained personal and flexible.
In total, 57 sessions were delivered through the Connector Project in 2025/26, with 17 new matches being made, involving 17 people receiving support and 15 volunteers.
*Rob was matched with *Alan at the beginning of the year to attend a men’s walking group that meets fortnightly in the city. Alan had recently been bereaved and found attending groups and social situations extremely stressful. During his three-month match he found the strength and confidence to begin to speak to other group members and decided to continue attending the group after the match ended.
*Not their real names
“Thank you both so much for helping – onwards and upwards.” - Alan, Connector Scheme Member.
Connection by Letter Project
Letter writing remained a powerful way to connect, allowing people to slow down, share their stories and build meaningful relationships over time. For many people, receiving a handwritten letter provided a sense of connection, anticipation and friendship, creating a meaningful relationship through the simple act of putting pen to paper.
During 2025/26, we reviewed the Connection by Letter service and made the decision to focus within Brighton and Hove. This change brought the project in line with our safeguarding approach and enabled us to provide more effective support to both participants and volunteers. Existing matches continued, and Brighton and Hove residents were rematched where appropriate, while those living outside of the city were no longer eligible for new matches.
Over the year, the service supported 84 matches involving 155 people, with 59 matches still active at the end of March 2026.
As the service continues to evolve, its purpose remains the same: helping people feel connected through the shared experience of regular letter writing.
“I’ve found corresponding with Shirley so easy. I get really excited when I see her letter on the door mat and can't wait to sit down with a cup of tea to read it.” - Anne, Connection by Letter volunteer
Together Co’s Wider Impact and Influence
It was a landmark year for Together Co in 2025/26, as we celebrated 25 years of creating connections across Brighton and Hove. This milestone provided an opportunity not only to reflect on our history, but to engage thousands of people in conversations about belonging, community and social health.
Throughout the year, communications activity focused on bringing our anniversary theme to life through storytelling, partnerships, events and campaigns that highlighted the importance of human connection. Our aim was to ensure that loneliness and social isolation remained visible issues while showcasing the positive solutions and support available through Together Co.
At the heart of our anniversary programme was Connect in 25, a campaign designed to inspire people to make meaningful connections in their own lives and communities. The campaign generated engagement across the city and reached new audiences through a variety of creative projects.
The most visible project included a public photographic exhibition on Brighton's seafront, celebrating 25 years of Together Co and sharing stories of connection, resilience and community. The exhibition, which started at the beginning of Loneliness Awareness Week and ran for just over three weeks in June 2025, helped introduce new audiences to our work while showcasing the lasting impact of our services on people across the city.
The other initiative was a roadshow with Brighton & Hove Buses, which saw a specially branded bus visit communities across the city on the Friday of Loneliness Awareness Week, encouraging conversations about social health and celebrating the role connection plays in all our lives. We also displayed posters on the buses digital boards asking people to start a conversation or make a connection with a someone they might not usually meet.
The anniversary year also saw the launch of Together Co's 25 Club, bringing together businesses committed to supporting our work and championing connection in Brighton and Hove. Through fundraising, advocacy and awareness raising, members helped strengthen our profile within the local business community and demonstrated the growing recognition of social health as an issue that affects everyone.
Several major events created opportunities to engage supporters while generating significant publicity. The Together Co Gala at Brighton Palace Pier returned for a second year, raising vital funds and bringing together supporters, businesses and community partners. Entertainment from Ray Lewis, former lead singer of The Drifters, helped make the evening a memorable celebration of Together Co's achievements.
Another memorable moment came through our charity auction, which offered the rare opportunity to rename a carousel horse on Brighton Palace Pier. This attracted considerable attention and provided a creative new way to raise awareness of Together Co among residents and visitors alike.
Our Winter Hampers campaign was one of the year's most powerful examples of community action. Businesses, volunteers and supporters came together to help deliver 250 personalised hampers to people experiencing loneliness and isolation. As well as providing practical support during the winter months, the campaign generated positive media coverage and powerful stories that illustrated the impact simple acts of kindness can have on people's lives.
National recognition came through our Connection by Letter project, which was featured on BBC One's The One Show. The project, which matches people through letter writing to promote friendship and connection, captured public imagination and introduced Together Co's work to audiences far beyond Brighton and Hove. The coverage highlighted how traditional forms of communication can still play a significant role in tackling loneliness.
Alongside our own campaigns, we continued to support community initiatives across the city, including providing communications support for the Rotary Family Festival. Working collaboratively with local organisations remains an important way of raising awareness of Together Co while strengthening relationships across Brighton and Hove.
We also invested in improving our website, creating a more accessible and user-friendly experience for visitors seeking support, information about volunteering or opportunities to get involved with our work. These improvements ensure our digital presence better reflects the needs of our audiences and the breadth of services Together Co now provides.
In 2025/26, Together Co secured coverage across local, regional and national media platforms including The One Show, BBC South East Today, ITV Meridian, Latest TV, BBC Radio Sussex, Brighton and Hove News, The Argus, Brighton Journal, SussexWorld, Scene Magazine, and Sussex Business Times.
From anniversary celebrations and fundraising initiatives to human-interest stories and campaign activity, this media presence helped keep social health and loneliness firmly on the public agenda. Combined with growing engagement across our digital channels, newsletters and partnerships, this has further strengthened Together Co's reputation as a leading voice for connection and belonging in Brighton and Hove.
As we move beyond our 25th anniversary year, we will continue to use communications as a tool for change, telling stories that inspire action, building understanding of social health and ensuring that more people know where to find connection, support and community when they need it most.
Community Fundraising Highlights
This year, we continued to build on our community fundraising efforts thanks to all the people who supported us.
These included a Zumbathon which raised £700, a Valentine’s event from Salsa and Flow which brought communities together with dancing and connection bingo while raising money.
In October 2025, 30 people took on a sponsored SkyWalk on top of the observation deck of Brighton’s i360. The event raised more than £6,000 for Together Co’s services.
In December, we launched our inaugural Winter Warmer Crowdfunding Campaign inviting our community to come together to help tackle loneliness during one of the hardest times of the year. Alongside raising vital funds, the campaign introduced many new supporters to Together Co and provided valuable insight into how we can grow our digital fundraising and community giving in the future. The campaign raised £5,152 in donations.
In March 2026, 17 people ran the Brighton Half Marathon for Together Co. Building on the success of last year, we welcomed twice as many runners who collectively raised an incredible £8,556. The Maldron Hotel hosted a post run reception for our runners, with much needed refreshments and snacks, this also gave Together Co an opportunity to say thank you to our runners.
Corporate and Community Partnerships
Our corporate partnerships continued to be a cornerstone of Together Co’s work in 2025/26, combining fundraising, volunteering, and advocacy to create meaningful impact across Brighton and Hove. Through the generosity and enthusiasm of our business supporters, we were able to deliver vital projects while strengthening our connections within the local business community.
We celebrated 25 years of Together Co, creating the 25 Club, shining a light on local businesses going above and beyond to support Together Co. Members included Guesthouse Hotels, DMH Stallard, Webtrends Optimize, Lawton & Dawe Properties, IT Document Solutions, Brighton Palace Pier, L&G, Galloways Accounting and Coole Bevis.
A highlight of the year was the distribution of 250 Winter Hampers to people we support who are lonely and isolated. These hampers were sponsored by Webtrends Optimize, DMH Stallard, Hyde Housing and Moda, and expertly packed at the Leonardo Hotel, who kindly gave us space for free to put everything together. They were delivered by volunteers from L&G, Bird & Blend and Hyde Housing, with wonderful product donations from Permit Rooms, Socktopus, OMG Tea, Lawton & Dawe, M&S, and Lush, alongside other small businesses and personal donations, bringing comfort and joy to people experiencing loneliness during the winter period.
Best of British Events chose us as its partner charity for their Best of British and Irish Lions special event at the Waldorf in London, helping to raise £7,215.
Galloways Accounting also hosted a quiz night at Sussex Cricket Club which raised £7,000 for Together Co.
We were proud to be the chosen charity for the EARL Conference, providing valuable exposure to the wider business community and helping raise awareness of our work among local leaders and organisations.
Our partnership with the Business Leaders Wine Club raised more than £675 while offering excellent visibility and engagement with senior figures from across Brighton and Hove’s business sector.
The end of 2025 culminated in our All the Fun of the Fair gala fundraiser, which raised £19,394 through generous corporate sponsorship, an online auction and head or tails. We are incredibly grateful to IT Document Solutions, Unbarred, Brighton Palace Pier, and Guest House Hotels for donating prizes; their generosity played a key role in the event’s success. It was wonderful to welcome back many guests from the previous year as well as new faces. The event would not have been possible without our sponsors Lawton & Dawe Properties, Placr Recruitment, Coole Bevis, No. 124 Guesthouse and support from Brighton Palace Pier.
We were also honoured to be chosen as the charity partner for Female Founders, whose inaugural fundraising event raised more than £900, marking a fantastic start to what we hope will be a long and impactful partnership.
In addition, our Good Gift Guide networking event at Redroaster helped strengthen our position within the local independent business community, fostering new relationships and reinforcing the value of collaborative, purpose-led partnerships.
Finally, the BozBoz Battle of Brains quiz night was a brilliant example of creative corporate fundraising, raising both awareness and almost £500 for Together Co, while engaging businesses in a fun and meaningful way.
We are deeply grateful to all our corporate partners for their generosity, creativity, and commitment. Their ongoing support enables us to continue building connections and reducing loneliness across our city.
Good Gift Guide
Building on its successful launch in the previous financial year, Together Co’s Good Gift Guide continued to go from strength to strength. Over the last financial year, the initiative raised £5,921, providing vital unrestricted income to support our work tackling loneliness and isolation across Brighton and Hove.
We were delighted to welcome several new businesses, including Redroaster, Stanley Road Store, Sarah Arnett, and Tea & Tarot, demonstrating the growing appeal of this collaborative approach to giving back. We were also grateful for the continued commitment of our long-standing partners Velvet, Socktopus, Beyond & Co, Good Ideas Agency, Posh Totty, Little Jasmine Therapies, Flamingo Styling, 10 Hypnotherapy, Maxwell Grant, Nostos, Tottington Manor, MD Tea and Devil’s Dyke Distillery.
The Good Gift Guide remains a powerful expression of our values, championing local independent businesses while creating positive social impact through everyday purchases. Its continued success reflects the strength of our community partnerships and the generosity of businesses choosing to support Together Co through creative, values-led fundraising.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all participating businesses and supporters whose involvement helped make the Good Gift Guide such a success during 2025/26. Your collaboration and generosity play a crucial role in enabling us to continue supporting people who are isolated and lonely in our city.
Legacy Giving
We were fortunate and extremely grateful to receive a legacy this year, totalling £33,209. This generous donation provided much needed financial support to Together Co and helped us continue our vital work.
Financial position: We reported incoming resources of £717,358 (2024-25: £738,963) for the year; a decrease of £21,605. Expenditure in the year was £726,821 (2024-25: £754,961); giving a deficit of £9,463 (2024-25: deficit of £15,998).
Principal funding sources – Grants & Donations
Together Co is incredibly grateful for the generous support we received from a wide range of funders in 2025/26. Our work around social health, loneliness and social isolation in Brighton and Hove was made possible through a combination of statutory grants, commissioned funds, and contributions from charitable trusts, foundations, corporate partners, and individual donors.
We were proud to receive funding from a wide range of charitable trusts and foundations. Thank you to Army Benevolent Fund, The Henry Smith Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, National Lottery Awards for All, Humanity at Heart, The Dodgson Foundation, Co-op Community Fund, Brighton & Hove Buses, Richer Sounds, The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust, Innholders’ Charitable Foundation, Waitrose Community Fund, Parry Family Charitable Foundation, Brighton District Nurses Association Trust, The Hadley Trust, Souter Charitable Trust, St James’s Place Charitable Foundation, Mrs A Lacey Tate Trust, The Homity Trust, TK Maxx Foundation, Brighton and Hove Soiree Rotary Club, Marsh Charitable Trust, Barleycorn Trust, The Pebble Trust, Focus Foundation, The Concertina Charitable Trust, Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust, Sussex Community Foundation, The Sir Bernard & Lady Schreier Foundation, The Chalk Cliff Trust.
We extend our warm thanks to each of these organisations for their investment in our mission. We are also thankful to our anonymous donors.
Designated Funds
Contingency Reserve
This reserve is in place to provide for the cost of staff redundancies in case of the closure of Together Co and is recalculated each year.
Legacy Reserve
The Legacy Reserve is an amount set aside for key projects, which have currently been identified as:
1. Investment in the organisation’s digital infrastructure, IT systems, AI systems and cyber security, including work to strengthen integrated digital approaches across services, communications, fundraising and reporting.
2. Data protection, information governance and compliance activity, including work to maintain GDPR compliance and maximise the safe, ethical and effective use of integrated digital and AI systems.
3. Contract and income contingency to support short-term staff costs where funding has been confirmed but the start of a contract, grant or payment has been delayed.
4. Strategic organisational projects that support Together Co’s long-term sustainability, service development, income generation or impact.
The level of unrestricted reserves at the end of the year was £202,476 (2025: £211,939); and restricted reserves were £nil (2025: £nil). Grants are recognised as restricted funds where applicable, whereas funds received through service-level agreements are treated as unrestricted, though they are designated to specific services or projects to deliver a contracted service. Included in these reserves is an element of contingency reserve, which we set aside to cover project termination costs. The total in the contingency fund amounted to £65,272 (2025: £63,029). The total reserves of £202,476 represent approx. 3.3 months of annual expenditure. Our policy sets the guide level of reserves that we aim to have on hand at around three months of annual expenditure.
We aim to hold surplus cash in accordance with our Reserves Policy, with the equivalent of approximately three months running costs maintained as cash deposits across current and deposit accounts held with banks covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Funds in excess of three months’ running costs may be invested in charity specific Common Investment Funds, the income from which is used in furtherance of the charity's Objects.
This year, we developed our new three-year strategy for 2025–2028 through an extensive and collaborative process, shaped by the voices of those who know our work best. Over several months, trustees, staff, volunteers, partners and people who use our services contributed through strategy sessions, surveys and in-depth conversations. Alongside this, we analysed local need, service data and wider social, health and funding trends to understand both current demand and future challenges. We brought these insights together to identify clear priorities and areas of greatest impact, ensuring our future direction is focused, responsive and grounded in evidence.
This work has taken place in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment. Rising costs, alongside a highly competitive and unpredictable funding landscape and sustained pressure on public services, are driving increased demand for our support, particularly among those facing the greatest barriers. At the same time, there is growing recognition, both locally and globally, of social connection as a fundamental component of health and wellbeing, creating an important opportunity for Together Co to play a leading role in this space.
Our new strategy builds on what we know works, while ensuring we continue to evolve in response to changing need. We will strengthen and sustain the high-quality services we already deliver, from befriending and social prescribing to volunteering and community connection, ensuring they remain responsive, inclusive and impactful. Alongside this, we will sharpen our focus on reaching those who need us most, particularly communities experiencing disadvantage, digital exclusion or barriers to accessing support, using more targeted approaches to ensure our support is accessible and effective where it is needed most.
The strategy is structured around four key areas: redefining volunteering as a powerful and inclusive force for change, making connections accessible for all, building an organisation that is resilient and fit for the future, and championing social health at a local, national and global level. Together, these priorities reflect our commitment to deepening our impact within communities while also influencing the wider systems that shape health and wellbeing, ensuring connection and belonging are recognised as fundamental to public health.
During the year, we continued to develop our approach to artificial intelligence (AI), exploring how AI could support our mission safely, ethically and in line with our values. We strengthened internal AI literacy, embedded clear governance through an organisational AI policy, and tested practical uses. Our approach remained firmly human-centred, with AI used to support people and relationships, not replace them. We also shared our learning beyond Together Co by delivering AI workshops for charity CEOs and senior leaders, creating an additional income stream while supporting other organisations to use AI safely and responsibly. We plan to build on this work through partnership and collaboration, sharing practical AI learning with charity leaders, trustees and boards and generating modest income for Together Co through training and support for other organisations.
A key part of building resilience has been our continued commitment to maintaining a diversified income base. During 2025/26, this was successfully achieved through a balanced mix of grants, contracts, partnerships, fundraising activity and emerging opportunities linked to our learning and leadership. This diversification strengthens our ability to respond to uncertainty, sustain our core services and invest in the work that matters most.
As we look ahead, our focus is on deepening our impact and sustaining the work that matters most. We will invest in our people and systems, respond thoughtfully to emerging challenges, and continue to adapt to the evolving needs of our communities. Above all, we remain committed to our mission to create connections that change lives, ensuring that even in an uncertain world, our support reaches those who need it most.
Together Collective, operating as Together Co, is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. The company was incorporated in December 1999 and is governed by its Articles of Association dated 13 December 1999, amended on 16 July 2019, 30 November 2022 and 16 January 2023.
In November 2022, the Board of Trustees revised and updated Together Co’s Articles of Association in their entirety. The revised Articles are available on request from the CEO at the registered office and include full details of governance and management arrangements.
Two Trustees stepped down and five new Trustees joined the Board during the year. Trustees volunteer their time and receive no remuneration. Details of any expenses claimed are set out in the notes to the accounts.
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:
To recruit trustees, we identify gaps in the Board's expertise, conduct community outreach and/or advertise and appoint candidates based on a written application and interview.
New trustees are given an information pack about Together Co, attend briefing sessions with the CEO and service managers, and are encouraged to attend courses on topics such as governance, safeguarding, voluntary sector developments and equality, diversity and inclusion.
The Board of Trustees held quarterly meetings during 2025/26 to provide direction for Together Co’s work, and they also gathered for a strategy and visioning day.
Responsibility for the day-to-day running of Together Co is vested in the CEO, who reports to the Chair of the Board. The operation of individual services is delegated to the senior team. In 2025/26, the previous CEO left the charity and the Deputy CEO was appointed as CEO. This internal succession supported continuity of leadership, governance and service delivery.
The Board regularly reviews Together Co’s business plan, strategic objectives and performance, working closely with the CEO to ensure the organisation remains focused on its aims and priorities. During the year, the Board and staff team developed and implemented a new organisational strategy for 2025 to 2028. This strategy now underpins the charity’s direction, informing action plans, performance measures and decision making. It provides a clear framework for continued improvement, ensuring that resources and activity remain aligned with Together Co’s mission and the evolving needs of the communities we serve.
Together Co is committed to maintaining high standards of governance, with a focus on embedding strong practice across the organisation. Board meetings, supported by the Finance and Risk and People and Culture sub-committees, provide robust oversight of organisational activity and ensure effective financial management across contracts and grants.
Risk management
The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for risk management and regularly reviews the principal risks facing Together Co, supported by the Finance and Risk Committee and People and Culture Committee. The charity maintains a risk register and has established controls covering financial management, income sustainability and business development, safeguarding, health and safety, data protection, cyber security, business continuity, governance and people matters. These include documented internal financial controls, safeguarding and safer recruitment procedures, staff and volunteer training, and processes to support the safety of staff, volunteers and service users. Commercial insurance is in place to cover normal business risks, including professional indemnity, employers’ liability and volunteer-related activity.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Together Collective for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- 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 charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity 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 charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Together Collective (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2026.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
Since the charity’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 charity 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.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Together Collective is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Projects The Lanes, Nile House, Nile Street, Brighton, BN1 1HW.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity'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 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.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity 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 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.
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. The charity has a policy to capitalise assets over £1,000.
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.
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 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.
Included within governance costs are fees paid to the Independent Examiner of £3,000 (2025: £3,000).
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year, but one of them was reimbursed a total of £37 travelling expenses (2025 - two trustees were reimbursed £54).
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
Redundancy and termination payments totalling £nil (2025: £9,250) were made in the reporting period.
The total remuneration of key management personnel during the year was £63,727 (2025: £64,643).
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 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.
Included within other creditors is pension payable of £2,292 (2025: £2,834).
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.
Designated funds
Contingency reserve
This reserve is in place to provide for the cost of staff redundancies upon closure of Together Co and is recalculated each year end. A transfer is made from general funds to adjust the value of the contingency reserve.
Legacy reserve
The Legacy Reserve is an amount set aside for key projects, which have currently been identified as:
1. Investment in the organisation’s digital infrastructure, IT systems, AI systems and cyber security, including work to strengthen integrated digital approaches across services, communications, fundraising and reporting.
2. Data protection, information governance and compliance activity, including work to maintain GDPR compliance and maximise the safe, ethical and effective use of integrated digital and AI systems.
3. Contract and income contingency to support short-term staff costs where funding has been confirmed but the start of a contract, grant or payment has been delayed.
4. Strategic organisational projects that support Together Co’s long-term sustainability, service development, income generation or impact.
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 total amount of lease payments recognised as an expense during the year was £21,240 (2025: £20,160).
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2025 - none).
The charity had no material debt during the year.