Annual report and accounts for charitable fund April 2024 to March 2025

Foreword

Welcome to our 2024 and 2025 annual report and accounts for Your Hearts and Minds, the new working name for the Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund (Charitable Fund).

This document records the activities and final and audited financial accounts for the financial year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Your Hearts and Minds is a truly local charity, supporting people living in Rotherham, Doncaster and North Lincolnshire. We raise funds to support activities, projects, education and research which go above and beyond normal NHS funding to improve the care and experience of patients.

We are extremely grateful for the continued support from individuals, groups and local companies who help us with our fundraising efforts. From attending coffee mornings, to skydiving out of a plane, choosing us as their charity of the year, or leaving a legacy in their will, they demonstrate an overwhelming desire to ‘give something back’ for the care we provide and to the communities we serve, and we send our thanks to everyone who has made this year so successful.

Thanks to their generosity, the charity’s funds support a range of charitable and health related activities and are used to support and enhance the experiences of our patients, their carers and our staff.

Our St John’s hospice in Doncaster celebrated its 32nd anniversary this year, and we are proud of millions of pounds, which have been donated over the years.

The most significant funding awarded from the charity this year was £763,000 to St John’s hospice for the provision of a range of staff including counsellors, nurses and healthcare support workers.

Donations which are not used immediately are invested in accordance with the Charity Commission guidelines ensuring appropriate financial return is achieved. The performance of the investment is reviewed quarterly at the charitable funds meeting and on a yearly basis with the investment management company to ensure we protect the value of the portfolio until such time as they are needed to be spent.

With the relaunch of Your Hearts and Minds charity in October 2024, we set out ambitious plans to increase our income generation, with the aim to increase charitable spending across all of the services we provide to improve the experience, health and wellbeing of patients, staff, carers and the wider community, whilst ensuring the future sustainability and growth of the charity.

We have also launched our first ever community grants scheme, working with Voluntary Action in Doncaster, Rotherham and North Lincolnshire to invite bids from local voluntary, community and social enterprises for grants worth between £1,000 and £3,000, which deliver partnership working with teams in RDaSH to benefit patients and demonstrate a positive impact on our local communities. We will award £77,000 from our fund to support this scheme.

As chair of the Charitable Funds Committee, I offer my sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed so generously in time, energy and money to support the Charitable Fund.

Pauline Vickers, Chair of the Charitable Funds Committee and Non-Executive Director of Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust.

Kathryn Lavery Chair of Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust.

The launch of Your Hearts and Minds Charity

It has been an exciting year for our relaunched charity Your Hearts and Minds. We have changed our vision and mission and are now more focused on supporting local communities, our patients and our colleagues.

We believe that it is vital to help our children and young people have a good start in life and are working with local voluntary organisations to support a range of support across mental health, physical health and neurodiversity. Equally empowering people to be their best self is at the heart of our charity, whether that be foot health care for the homeless, hydrotherapy for people with a learning disability or providing support for people with dementia. Of course, our commitment to ensuring people have a good death continues with the charity’s focus on end of life care and St John’s hospice. Alongside that we have set out ambitious plans for the charity to raise funds for a state-of-the-art Education, Learning and Simulation Centre and to advance our research capability.

This year we have engaged with our communities and identified some exciting local projects to work together on with voluntary community sector organisations. Working closely with communities means that our charitable funds get right to the heart of what communities need. We want to continue to work with more communities and local organisations in the coming year.

We also want to work alongside some of our local business and corporations as partners to our charity. Local businesses who feel that their values align with the charity’s can support us with their time and fundraising activities. In the coming year we will be inviting local businesses and corporations to join our development assembly to influence and support our charity work.

This annual report showcases many of the fundraising activities that so many kind and generous people have undertaken and some of the great projects we have invested in. We hope you enjoy reading about it.

Our new name and branding

We created three new names and branding ideas:

• RDaSH Better Lives
• Your Hearts and Minds
• Our RDaSH Charity

We wanted as many people as possible to have their say in the new name, so we shared these ideas with our staff, patients, partners and the wider community, and invited them to vote for their favourite in an online survey.

Your Hearts and Minds was the clear favourite with 48% of the votes. This now gives the charity a separate identity from the RDaSH brand, which can be easily recognised.

Our five fundraising priorities and key missions

Our five fundraising priorities are separate income streams, or “funding pots” to fund activities and projects that will bring the most benefit to the people who need our support:

A good start (children and young people)

We provide a wide range of services for children and young people to support their physical, mental and emotional health across North Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire.

We want to support children, young people and families to have the best possible start in life. This means helping them to be more prepared to start school, working to educate and improve their nutrition, and encouraging them to interact with our services in new, more innovative ways. We’re focusing on the following areas to raise and spend funds:

• virtual Reality initiatives for schools (£200,000)
• family therapies support for one full year
• autism support for one full year
• school nursing initiatives

Our best self (mental wellbeing of patients and staff)

Our best self is all about supporting people living with physical or mental illness, and addiction or with a learning disability: helping us to deliver more specialist care, improving the environments where we deliver that care and creating new spaces that best meet their needs. It’s also about looking after the welfare and wellbeing of our staff. We know that staff who feel supported and well cared for, deliver high quality care to our patients:

• hydrotherapy pool (£250,000)
• neurodiversity Centre
• mental health accident and emergency
• specialist therapies, for example, Veterans’ team
• rewarding our staff
• dementia support

Trust research

Research not only benefits our patients and the wider community, it helps our organisation attract the best clinicians to work for us. Research funding through our charity will kickstart new fellowships, and in time senior lecturer and professorial units, helping us to attract the best talent locally. We are also committed to working with our communities on community-led research:

• Three Research Fellows (£300,000)
• dementia care
• autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• nutrition

Learning and development

We have ambitious plans to raise funds to build and develop an education and learning centre, which could include state-of-the-art education methods such as simulations suites and training on new technology such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and dementia virtual experience. As well as being a huge asset for our organisation, we aim to share the facility and resource with others such as community organisations who will work with us in delivering care and support to our patients. Patients and carers will play a key role in setting up our education and learning centre. In addition, we want it to support local groups and forums for those with lived experience: Health and Medical Education Centre, with Simulation Suite (£1,000,000) build 2027.

A good death

We believe that everyone deserves the best possible end of life care and support. End of life care is not only about the patient, it’s also about the support we give to their loved ones. From diagnosis, through to bereavement, our services touch the lives of local people with life limiting conditions, both within our inpatient settings, and in the wider community.

Our St John’s hospice in Doncaster has been providing care for over 30 years and we are proud of millions of pounds, which have been donated over the years. We need to raise £500,000 each year over and above the NHS contribution to care in order for us to continue to provide our high-quality specialist care and support service.

Continue with current fundraising target of £500,000 in line with spending commitments.

Your Hearts and Minds community grants

2025 The NHS is celebrating its 77th birthday in 2025. To mark these celebrations Your Hearts and Minds charity launched its community grants programme on Monday 6 January, with a total of £77,000 of funding available.

As well as delivering our five key fundraising missions, we want Your Hearts and Minds to work closely with other local charities within our communities. The community grants were an exciting new scheme to encourage collaboration between RDaSH, Your Hearts and Minds and local voluntary community and social enterprises (VCSEs) to deliver projects that make a real difference to those most in need, or who may not be able to benefit from mainstream support.

A simple, easy to follow application process invited bids against the community grants fund for up to 30 grants valued between £1,000 and £3,000, which met the following criteria:

• make a foreseeable difference to one of our charity’s five missions
• help to support community activities and resources in line with the goal of nurturing the power in our communities
• identify a clear plan for how the money would be spent and what on
• be a bid jointly made by an employee of RDaSH and a local registered charity or voluntary sector body in Rotherham, Doncaster, or North Lincolnshire

Voluntary community and social enterprises (VCSE) were required to have existed for more than 18 months and be able to identify either audited accounts or charitable registration.

We were delighted with the response, with more than 77 bids valued at £168,000 submitted in total and each and every one was worthy of our funding, but we had to keep within our agreed budget.

The 30 successful bids were selected by a joint panel comprising non-executive and executive directors of the Charitable Funds Committee, working alongside a voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSE) representative from each of the three places, the general manager of Flourish and a patient representative, and we are excited to be working in partnership with so many local worthy causes and seeing their hopes turn into reality.

Funds will be distributed in April 2025 to the following projects:

Rotherham

“Through our social and activity groups (including arts and crafts, gardening, dementia cafés, games and quizzes) we are combating isolation and loneliness experienced by many people with care needs and unpaid carers. Loneliness is strongly linked to poor mental and physical health and increases the likelihood of GP visits and reliance on medication. By creating spaces for connection and joy, we improve wellbeing and help people stay well, which reduces demand on already stretched health services.”, Making Space.

“I would say this more than a free meal. It provides a social outlook that is invaluable. I am married and have a grown up family that I am actively involved with. Some people are not so lucky and I see what being able to socialise means to others., I have enjoyed meeting people with different outlooks, so yes it is invaluable”, S62.

“The Hearts and Minds community Grants will allow people to access a tailored Workshop designed to support them to build strategies and confidence completing tasks required for managing everyday life. The course will run in collaboration with Rush house and other voluntary sector organisations to provide participants with a range of hands-on experience and resources. We are hoping the workshops will support a minimum of 18-20 participants to gain better life skills. The workshops will include practical and theory-based learning on :meal preparation, cleaning routines, budgeting, laundry, career development and personal and property safety.”, Rush House.

Doncaster

“The funding has been invaluable to support young people at Better You to open a social enterprise called Better Brew. The project has launched with the support of our community grant enabling young people to build their skills and confidence. Thank you for believing in our young people.”, Better You.

“The grant has allowed us to support children to see the value in creating a positive impact in our community, through the Choose Kindness Art Club. This has helped to reduce social isolation, create community cohesion and educate our future generations about the difference kindness and inclusion can make. We are truly grateful for the funding we received to allow us this opportunity and can already see the impact the club has made on both those children attending and the community they are reaching with their gifts and visits. Thank you for your support.”, Lakeside Community Group.

“The grant supported Doncaster Dementia Partners to produce a substantial funding pot to enable the refresh of the Community Sensory Garden to make it a great relaxing space for the whole community to enjoy.”, The Memory Club.

“Receiving our Your Hearts and Minds community grant feels like our school has won the lottery, we can’t thank your charity enough for the opportunity that has been given to us. With this grant we are currently purchasing special needs equipment to support our neurodivergent children in our school. Many neurodivergent children are often unseen and don’t receive the support they need in their early years which has a significant impact on their mental and physical wellbeing in their later years. With this grant we will be able to support our neurodivergent children, children with learning disabilities and sensory processing difficulties by helping them feel safe with a sense of belonging in our classrooms. It’s such a wonderful opportunity to make this huge difference in our school so much appreciation from all of us at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary School.”, Lady of Mount Carmel School.

“The funding from yourself means we can continue to empower young people to achieve their potential a recent beneficiary who completed her 15 sessions Jody Year 9 at Ash Hill: it felt really good to open up to someone, I am better behaved at school now and my attendance has gone up from 70% to 79%”, Worth Unlimited.

North Lincolnshire

“The funding from Your Hearts and Minds is enabling us to meet the increasing need for the voluntary car service, helping us to support people in North Lincolnshire who can’t access public transport to get to hospital and health appointments as well as visit friends and family, go shopping and simply get out of the house. You are also funding the support for our fabulous volunteer drivers. It’s not just about the money though, you have taken the time to really understand our service and how it helps people living in North Lincolnshire to stay independent and active, and that means a lot to us.”, Humber and Wolds Rural Action.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generous donation we received thank you for believing in our work and the strength of this community. Your support is already making a meaningful difference. Thanks to your funding, we’re deepening our partnerships with a wide range of local organisations, including FLOW, the Ukrainian Youth Club, Oasis Academy schools, the Islamic Centre, the ambulance and fire services, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) providers, Ongo’s Refugee Resettlement team, and North Lincolnshire Council. Together, we are creating a welcoming and supportive environment for refugee and asylum-seeking families.”, The Sanctuary Group.

We are excited to be working in partnership with so many local worthy causes and seeing their hopes turn into reality. The projects and activities we are helping to fund reach far and wide into the community, and also offer opportunities for networking and sharing across the charities. This was an exciting way to start the new financial year, and we look forward to hearing about their success and how they have benefited local people over the coming year.

Fundraising highlights

Courtyard garden is transformed

Thanks to £37,500 in donations from generous donors including Next, Northern Powergrid, First Bus Company and the Rotary Club of St George’s, we have been able to transform our hospice courtyard garden, which is accessible from both our inpatient unit and day therapy unit, and it is now a bright, relaxing, tranquil space for patients, visitors, staff and volunteers to enjoy.

Community comes together to raise thousands at charity football match

Residents from two neighboring villages came together to demonstrate their community spirit by raising over £4,180.

The annual charity football match between Barnburgh and Harlington held at Barnburgh Playing Fields kicked off at 1pm on Saturday 1 June, and the close-fought match saw Harlington win the game four goals to three on penalties to pick up the winners’ trophy.

Big hearted “Buffs” donate £800

The donation to Your Hearts and Minds was made by Scunthorpe and District Provincial Grand Lodge to say thank you for the excellent care and support given to one its members at Great Oaks Mental Health Unit on Ashby High Street.

Charity funded bags support people with learning disabilities

More than 230 people have been given a Hospital very important person (VIP) bag to support them on hospital visits, via our North Lincolnshire Community Learning Disability team and a further 115 by our team in Doncaster, thanks to funding from our charity.

A Hospital VIP bag is a rucksack which helps to support people when they go to hospital by identifying that a person has a learning disability.

Each of the green bags contains a drink bottle, a sensory item, a mindful colouring book and crayons, along with a checklist of the things a person needs to take to hospital with them, easy read information about visiting the hospital to enable it to be pre-packed and ready for a hospital visit. There is also an easy read sheet containing four important questions for the individual to show to healthcare professionals.

The fundraising beat goes on

An annual Northern Soul fundraising event has raised £1,082 this year. Eight years ago Roger Smith started organising musical nights, then an annual garden party at his home, in memory of his partner Cheryl, who spent her last days being cared for at the Hospice. Roger’s fundraising total now stands at £10,782.

Multiple sclerosis patients supported at Below the Belt event

An event to encourage people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) to be more open about their experiences was held in Doncaster.

The event, which was attended by more than 70 people, was held at Mount Pleasant Hotel on 15 October and funded by Your Hearts and Minds in partnership with the MS Society.

Charity-funded sensory boxes support young people with special educational needs

A donation of just £200 to our charity can help make a real difference to children and young people from our neurodiverse and intellectual disability communities.

Our children and young people’s mental health services (CAMHS) in North Lincolnshire, Rotherham and Doncaster have used Your Hearts and Minds charitable funds to create sensory boxes which are accessible to children and young people aged five and over who are accessing a CAMHS appointment at Kimberworth Place in Rotherham, the Crystal Building in Doncaster and St Nicholas House in Scunthorpe.

All equipment in the boxes can be easily cleaned between use, and they are checked and replaced when they become worn or removed. Ear defenders are also available for young people who are particularly distressed, and as these are single-use, the young person is able to keep these to take home with them.

They aim to support any child or young person who may require sensory based items, or equipment to help them in reducing anxiety, sensory, emotional distress, focus or distraction whilst they wait for their appointment.

Charity funding enables gifts of support at end of life

St John’s Hospice is using charitable funds, generated by donations from the public, to develop its “comfort pack” to support all patients and families as they are nearing end of life.

It comes in a branded cotton tote bag, with the telephone number for Doncaster’s single point of contact should they need advice as things change. Also included are mouth gel, ultra mild toothpaste a toothbrush and mouth swabs, along with an information leaflet all about good mouth care.

There’s also personal care wipes and shampoo cap for patients who may be bedbound or finding it difficult to wash their hair.

We’ve added a little note pad and pen for people to make notes or write down their thoughts. They may wish to think about making memories with their loved ones, so we’ve provided a handy leaflet to encourage them to start thinking about this.

There’s also an end-of-life booklet, which provides practical advice and reference to many aspects of care, including coping with the news, planning ahead, financial help, care as things change and support for carers, which will also assist with making plans.

Future plans 2025 and 2026

We believe that everyone has the power to make a difference, no matter how big or small. Whether you have a passion for philanthropy and the financial resources to donate, or you wish to get involved with our own fundraising and activities, your support is essential to us.

There are countless ways to contribute to our cause, including corporate and community partnerships and in-kind donations, as well as a whole range of volunteering opportunities.

We’ve created a “shopping list” of funding targets associated with our key priorities to show how your donations can directly support fundraising over the coming years, which will feature heavily on our communication channels and assist our development assembly and charity ambassadors in the future.

Examples of shopping list targets include:

• £10: a comfort pack for palliative patients
• £50: 5 silent clocks to help make the children’s and young peoples mental health service (CAMHS) setting autism friendly
• £100: 4 weekly meeting of the Togetherness Dementia Choir
• £200: 12 hospital very import person (VIP) rucksacks for people with learning disabilities
• £500: 3 sensory boxes to support neurodiverse young poeple
• £1,000: staff award sponsorship for outstanding care
• £2,000: develop a group to research mental health in the Muslim community
• £5,000: 130 mobile virtual dementia tour sessions
• £10,000: 270 family therapy sessions
• £20,000: 540 autism therapy sessions
• £50,000: 120 virtual reality (VR) licenses for young people’s therapies
• £100,000: 1 research fellow
• £250,000: hydrotherapy pool for people with learning disabilities
• £500,000: 1 year’s funding for St John’s hospice
• £1,000,000: our target for funding our Health and Education Centre

Hydrotherapy pool

We’re excited that our first Your Hearts and Minds major capital fundraising campaign will be for a new hydrotherapy pool in our learning disabilities services.

Our Diamond Activity and Therapeutic Centre in Doncaster provides care and support to adults with a diagnosis of learning disabilities, with associated physical disabilities, communicative disorders, neurological barriers and, or health needs.

The centre provides a variety of sensory and physical activities and therapies for clients and is open Monday to Friday.

We require £250,000 to replace our existing pool, which was installed in 1996, with a brand-new modern version.

Due to space limitations, only one member of staff is able to safely support a client in the water at any one time in the existing pool, this restricts the number of clients who can use the pool and limits the variety of therapeutic exercises that can be offered.

Currently the access steps are situated away from the pool liner steps, which increases risk to safety of mobile clients and staff.

A new pool will offer more space, enabling multiple staff to work with each client simultaneously, increasing the number of clients who can access the pool and receive therapeutic support.

Enhancing client safety (more staff in the water) and the variety of physical therapies we can offer. This will enable a more enriched sensory environment, more dynamic therapy sessions, better client engagement, leading to improved outcomes in physical mobility, strength and sensory stimulation for clients.

Hydrotherapy or water therapy involves the use of water for pain relief and treatment. It is different from swimming as it involves performing special exercises in a warm-water pool, and different from water aerobics as it focuses on controlled movements and muscle relaxation.

It can be a highly effective form of therapeutic exercise for people with muscle-wasting conditions. Studies suggest that when patients with muscle-wasting conditions receive physiotherapy in association with hydrotherapy, they achieve measurable improvement in the quality of daily living.

Support from our local community will be welcomed in terms of fundraising, however, we will look to secure funding through philanthropic grant making organisations and support from our Development Assembly to raise sufficient major funding to raise the funds for this project.

“X is wheelchair bound, one of her greatest pleasures is being able to move freely as she wishes, this is obtainable when she is fully supported by water in the pool. Due to health issues me and her dad are no longer able to take her to a pool ourselves”.

“Please don’t underestimate the benefits of this therapy resource, for X it’s the trinity of ‘mind, body and soul’. After a session X returns to us content, relaxed and calm. He’s an absolute delight to be around and engage with.”

From funding innovative training and research, and raising money to purchase state-of-the-art equipment, to improving the experience of patients and families in our care, we have ambitious plans for the future, which means that now, more than ever, your support is needed.

In line with our fundraising plan, which was approved by the Charitable Funds Committee in June 2024, there are a variety of ways for donors to support our charity:

Major donor giving

To fund some of our main priorities we need to secure some significant donations. We’ve developed a major donor strategy to attract major donors and high net worth individuals. In order to develop our approach we have secured external expertise and are working with an adviser with a significant experience in this area, Michael Mogan.

The work commenced at the end of January 2025 and will:

• develop a clear approach to fundraising with major donors and high net worth individuals
• improve knowledge and understanding of what is required to do this well
• identify skills and resource gaps for implementing the approach developed
• help the charity to become an effective fundraiser with this cohort of people

We have identified potential major donors, organisations and funds that we can apply for grants from, as well as individuals and sponsors.

To secure their support, we aim to establish a Your Hearts and Minds development assembly. Advocacy is crucial in fundraising, especially with high net worth individuals. Inspired assembly members can effectively engage these funders, opening new doors to new opportunities and resources. Recruitment will require a strategic and personal approach, and we are currently in the early stages of setting up our development assembly.

We appreciate that it will take some time to develop these relationships and activities. However, we are looking to submit bids for grants with key philanthropic organisations in the medium term to raise funds for our key missions when we are ready to submit a compelling case.

Legacy giving

Leaving a gift in your will is a valuable way to support our charitable activities.

Your will is an entirely private matter between you and your solicitor. However, after providing for your loved ones, you may wish to leave a gift to our charity, even the smallest gift will help us to make a difference.

Leaving a gift is easy and anyone can do it. Whether it’s a sum of money, a specific item, or a share of your property, your gift will help us to continue supporting our local community for generations to come.

Legacy giving has formed a substantial income stream for the Hospice. Legacy fundraising is extremely important in assuring future hospice fundraising income and we will continue to target 50% for this income stream. For the overall charity we will aim to build this over time to 30% of overall income.

We’ve put together a handy guide on making a will, which is available on our website. We also trialled a “Make a Will Campaign” with local solicitor Switalskis in May 2024, where they offered a free will writing service with a suggested donation to our charity, and this is something we would like to expand further in the coming months with a wider group of solicitors across our localities.

Corporate fundraising

Partnerships with local businesses can bring many benefits. They provide much-needed funds and sponsorship, expertise, gifts in kind and access to volunteers for our charity.

It also benefits the company with positive public relations, demonstrates good corporate responsibility, and offers tax benefits, as well as opportunities to develop relationships with potential major donors of the future.

We were delighted to work with a team of colleagues from Nationwide in 2024, who wanted to volunteer their time to support us. In May 2024 they took part in a bucket collection on our behalf at Asda, then helped us set up our Light up a Life event in December, travelling from Doncaster, Rotherham, Blackpool, Bradford, Howden, Lincoln, Leeds, Manchester and even Dundee.

In early 2025 they invited us to submit a bid for one of their colleague grants and we are delighted to reveal we have been successful in securing a £10,000 grant, which will be used to upgrade our hospice café in the next financial year.

We are also very grateful to the team from My Pension Expert in Doncaster for choosing us as their charity of the year for the second year in a row. In 2024 they raised a grand total of £5,083.70 from bake-offs, marathons, collection tins and festive jumpers.

Community fundraising

Many of our supporters like to fundraise their own way, and our Fundraising team are always on hand to provide support and promotion of their activities.

We have introduced some charity-run events and activities throughout the year for people to sign up for and attend, so, whether it’s taking part in one of our organised events and activities or fundraising your own way, every penny you raise and donate to our charity really does make a difference!

We appreciate the support of everyone who decides to fundraise for us, and our Fundraising team are here to provide you with all the tips, tricks and equipment you need to make your fundraising a success.

Our coffee mornings at the St John’s Information Centre offers an opportunity for the local community to come together to enjoy home-baked treats and hot drinks, along with a variety of stalls, raffles and tombola’s. We run two major raffles each year at the Hospice, which raised £5,900, along with hampers, which are sold by local businesses and RDaSH colleagues.

We entered a team in the Great North Run in September 2024, raising over £7,000.

We took part in the first collective of NHS Charities with NHS Charities Together, which offered a discounted race entry, along with access to training support and a marquee for NHS charity runners on the day, offering refreshments, massage therapy and stewardship support, which was welcomed by our supporters.

We already have 12 runners booked for 2025, with some running for a second time this year, along with staff members who are fundraising for their services in line with our fundraising priorities.

We work with local community groups such as the Rotary Club and Lions to secure community grant funding where applicable.

In 2024, we were able to complete a major capital project in the hospice thanks to grant funding. We were awarded £22,900 from five South Yorkshire Lions clubs, match funded by Lions Clubs International Foundation in the USA, which funded 12 brand-new rise and recliner chairs, a state-of-the-art bath hoist and three sensor mat kits, which all support patient comfort and safety. The new electric hoist complemented funds spent by the charitable fund on refurbishing the hospice bathroom and means more of our patients are able to enjoy a relaxing spa bath.

We have worked on developing relationships with local schools. Around 800 students from Sir Thomas Wharton Academy in years 7 to 10 took part in a writing challenge in their Summer Term.

They created over 40 stories about St John’s Hospice mascot John the Bear who went on a whole host of adventures thanks to their creative talents. The winning story received a prize and has been recreated within the hospice for young visitors to enjoy. There are also plans to collate and publish more of the stories into a book to raise funds for the charity.

Meanwhile, more than 300 pupils from Rosedale Primary School in Scawsby raised £1,020 in their Christmas Jumper Dash around their playground for our charity and we hope this will be the beginning of a new seasonal tradition for local schools to get involved. They also helped us draw the winning numbers in our Christmas Raffle while we were there.

In memory fundraising

In memory fundraising offers an opportunity to donate a financial gift in memory of a loved one, or a funeral collection. The experience of our care has a direct impact on a decision to donate a gift in memory. It has traditionally been another key source of income for hospice fundraising.

We introduced our first Light up a Life event in 2023, and our second event in December 2024. The service is open to anyone who has lost someone, not just those people whose loved one was cared for by the hospice. We held our service in the grounds of St John’s information centre, which included carols, musical performances and readings.

Everyone who donates to sponsor a light receives a Light up a Life tree decoration, on which to write their personal dedication, which is hung on our tree of lights during the service, along with one to hang on their tree at home.

We had over 100 dedications in 2024, and are already planning our event for December 2025 at a larger venue to accommodate our growing number of supporters.

Upcoming events

Please join us at one of our events:

April

• Easter coffee morning.
• Easter hampers.
• Cardio for a cause fitness challenge.

May

• Veterans Day afternoon tea.
• Summer raffle launches.

June

• Charity skydive.
• 24 peak challenge.

July and August

• Tie a ribbon campaign (In Memory).
• Charity abseil.
• Hospice heroes school reading challenge.

September

Great North Run.

October

Care for a Cuppa coffee mornings.

November and December

• Light up a Life campaign.
• Christmas raffle.
• Christmas coffee morning.
• Christmas jumper dash.

Looking forward

2024 and 2025 has been an exciting year and we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported Your Hearts and Minds by raising funds, with their time and donations.

We couldn’t do all of the great work showcased in this report without you. Our funds are spent to make sure that the lives of our people in our communities are better. Your ongoing support is vital to continue this.

In 2025 and 2026 we are aiming big to raise £1,000,000 for the first time, to help us support the communities that we work in. We are looking to work in partnership with local businesses and local business leaders who want to support our charity and help us make a big difference to the lives of local people in Rotherham, Doncaster and North Lincolnshire.

We know that many people and organisations want to give something back to their local communities and prefer to support organisations that they know will benefit local people, which is exactly what Your Hearts and Minds is all about. We will also seek funding from national and local grant funding organisations who support our charity’s missions.

Our three big fundraising priorities for 2025 and 2026 are:

• to raise £600,000 for St John’s hospice in Doncaster. Our hospice is a valued part of our community in Doncaster and many people raise funds for it. Every £1 required to run our Hospice requires 20p to be raised through our charity to ensure that we provide the best service possible and support people and their loved ones at the end of their lives;
• to raise £250,000 to replace our ageing and failing hydrotherapy pool for people with physical and learning disabilities in Doncaster. This is an invaluable resource for our patients as described by one of our patient’s carers, “Please don’t underestimate the benefits of this therapy resource, it fits the trinity of ‘mind, body and soul”
• being fund raising for the development of an Education, Learning and Simulation Centre for all of our staff, peer support workers and volunteers to ensure we provide cutting edge education and learning to help deliver the best possible care to all of our patients

You can help us reach this big ambition by raising funds on our behalf, providing corporate support, becoming a major donor, leaving funds to our charity in our will or simply jumping out of a plane as some of our braver fundraisers are doing in June 2025! However you choose to do it, we hope you are ready to go on this journey with us!

Find out more about Your Hearts and Minds.

Please follow us on:

• Facebook: Your Hearts and Minds Facebook
• Instagram: Your Hearts and Minds Instagram 
• X: Your Hearts and Minds X

Find out how to make a donation.

Appendix A

Objectives and activities

The charitable fund’s governing document, the declaration of trust, incorporates the object or purpose of the charitable fund which is that: “The trustee shall hold the trust fund upon trust to apply the income and at its discretion, so far as may be permissible, the capital, for any charitable purpose or purposes relating to the National Health Service”.

The Charitable Funds Committee takes account of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in setting or reviewing the guidelines for fund advisers who are authorised to spend charitable funds. The Charity Commission has a set of objectives for the Charitable Funds Committee.

The Charitable Funds Committee works on specific activities to measure progress against these objectives so that we can more clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of our work. These objectives were agreed by the main Board and are shown below:

• ensure that the Charitable Funds Committee is appropriately structured, managed and sustained to the required legislation
• to continue to encourage fund raising and donations to the Charitable Fund to benefit service users and communities of the trust, including St John’s hospice
• to encourage a broad range of applications for support for initiatives from within and outside RDaSH to deliver benefits to patients, carers and RDaSH communities, in the sphere of mental health and community services
• to ensure the collection, management, and distribution of all funds strictly in accordance with legislation, best practice, and trust policies
• to encourage the larger funds to forward plan their spend to achieve a 2-year turnover of their fund

Activities

The main activities of the Charitable Fund are to benefit patients, carers, and staff within RDaSH and to support RDaSH services by enhancing and improving the environment for patients, carers, and staff. This is included in the money raised and projects supported in 2024 and 2025.

Corporate trustee

The Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund (Your Hearts and Minds) is a public benefit entity.

RDaSH, the corporate trustee, presents the charitable fund annual report, together with the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The charity’s annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 have been prepared by the corporate trustee in accordance with the Charities Act (2011), Charities statement of recommended practice (SORP) (FRS 102) 2019 and the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations (2008).

During the period, funds were held for the benefit of patients, staff and carers within RDaSH. Charitable fund members are recruited and appointed by the board of directors of RDaSH. Appointed members are required to be members of the board of directors of RDaSH. RDaSH is the corporate trustee of the charitable fund governed by law applicable to trusts, principally the Trustee Act (2000) and the Charities Act (2011). The members of RDaSH Board of Directors are shown below:

• Kathryn Lavery, Chair
• Dave Vallance, Non-Executive Director and Vice-Chair
• Pauline Vickers, Non-Executive Director
• Sarah Fulton Tindall, Non-Executive Director
• Janusz Jankowski, Non-Executive Director
• Kathy Gillatt, Non-Executive Director
• Dr Richard Falk, Non-Executive Director
• Rachel Blake, Non-Executive Director
• Toby Lewis, Chief Executive
• Dr Jude Graham, Director of Psychological Professionals and Therapies
• Richard Chillery, Chief Operating Officer
• Steve Forsyth, Chief Nurse
• Richard Banks, Director of Health Informatics
• Philip Gowland, Director of Corporate Assurance and Board Secretary
• Joanne McDonough, Director of Strategic Development
• Dr Diarmud Sinclair, Executive Medical Director
• Izaaz Mohammed, Director of Finance and Estates
• Carlene Holden, Director of People and Organisational Development
• Lea Fountain, NExT Director

Reference and administrative details

The charitable fund was registered as charity 1055641 with the Charity Commission on 9 April 1996.

Charitable funds received by the charitable fund are accepted, held and administered as funds held on trust for purposes relating to the National Health Service and Community Care Act (1990) and these funds are held on trust by the RDaSH corporate body.

Legal and administration

Principal Office
Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust
Woodfield House
Tickhill Road
Balby
Doncaster
DN4 8QN

Bankers

National Westminster
12 High Street
Doncaster
DN1 1EJ

Independent examiner

GBAC
Old Linen Court
83-85 Shambles
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 2SB

Investment broker

Investec Wealth and Investment Ltd
Beech House
61 Napier Street
Sheffield
S11 8HA

Solicitors

DAC Beachcrofts
LLP 7 Park Square
East Leeds
LS1 2LW

Structure, governance and management

RDaSH board of directors devolved responsibility for the ongoing management of the funds to the Charitable Funds Committee, which administers the funds on behalf of RDaSH. When money is given to the charitable funds, if it is given with a specific desire by the donor to be used in a certain way, or to be used in a specific area, it is a “restricted” fund, that is it can only be spent for the declared purpose.

If the money is given without any specific requirements, it is an “unrestricted” fund, that is it can be used anywhere by the committee as long as it satisfies our rules as described by NHS Guidelines. The charitable fund’s unrestricted fund was established using the Charity Commission’s model declaration of a trust for an NHS charity.

RDaSH (the corporate trustee) fulfils its legal duty by ensuring that funds are spent in accordance with the objects for each fund. By designating funds, RDaSH respects the wishes of our generous donors to benefit patient care and advance the good health and welfare of patients, carers and staff.

The charitable funds available for spending are generally allocated in accordance with RDaSH operational management structures. Each allocation is managed by use of a designated fund (unrestricted funds that have no limitations or stipulations placed on them by external agencies or donors can be internally restricted for a specific purpose) within the general unrestricted fund (monies to be used for any purpose).

There are six funds within the Charitable Fund which are restricted; these are for the benefit of:

• St John’s hospice
• our best self, frailty
• RDaSH research, frailty
• education and learning, frailty
• Forest Gate and NHS Charities

Last year, it was reported that there were four restricted funds, which were St John’s Hospice, Doncaster Frailty Pathway, Forest Gate and NHS Charities. Three of these remain unchanged, The Doncaster Frailty Pathway restricted fund has been re-aligned into the new fundraising priorities, and the fund has been split into the three reported Frailty funds, sitting within the new fundraising priorities.

By allocating these funds RDaSH respects the wishes of our generous donors to benefit patient care and advance the good health and welfare of patients, carers and staff in a specific way.

The committee is required to:

• ensure that charitable fund resources are appropriately utilised to augment the services and facilities available to RDaSH patients, carers and staff
• ensure that the activities of the charitable fund are appropriate to the charitable fund’s aim and comply with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit
• work to ensure that the requirements of the Charity Commission and Charities Acts are complied with
• ensure that annual accounts and an annual report are appropriately prepared in the format required
• receive and give direction in the development of policies, procedures and administrative arrangements relating to the charitable funds
• periodically review the investments held by the charitable funds and to ensure that such resources are being effectively managed

The Charitable Funds Committee met formally four times in 2024 and 2025. The members are shown below. The charitable funds manager attends the meetings and supports the committee. Investment brokers and other relevant advisers are invited to attend as required.

Non-executive members of the RDaSH board are appointed or re-appointed by the governors of the trust and executive members of the board are subject to recruitment by the NHS Foundation Trust board. Members of both the trust board and the Charitable Funds Committee are not individual trustees under charity law but act as agents on behalf of the corporate trustee.

Under a scheme of delegated authority approved by the corporate trustee, the committee must approve any expenditure over £10,000. Applications below that limit must have the approval of the Executive director of finance and estates.

The executive director of finance and estates acts as principal officer overseeing the financial management and accounting for the charitable fund during the year and reports on the activities of the fund at the monthly meeting of the RDaSH board members.

The Accounting records and day-to-day administration of the funds are dealt with by the charitable funds manager and financial accounts department of RDaSH located at Tickhill Road Site, Balby, Doncaster DN4 8QN.

The induction and training of the Charitable Funds Committee is conducted via on-the-job training and via questions to the charitable funds manager. The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) publication “NHS Charitable Funds: a practical guide” is also available for information and relevant Charity Commission links are also forwarded for information. Future plans include providing access to the HFMA e-learning package for charitable funds.

No staff are paid directly by charitable funds. Any staff costs are paid by the charitable fund via a recharge to the RDaSH.

Charitable Funds Committee

The members of the Charitable Funds Committee are also members of RDaSH as follows:

• Pauline Vickers, Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Committee
• Kathryn Lavery, Chair of the Trust
• Sarah Fulton Tindall, Non-Executive Director
• Kathy Gillatt, Non-Executive Director
• Toby Lewis, Chief Executive
• Izaaz Mohammed, Director of Finance and Estates
• Jo McDonough, Director of Strategic Development

Risk management

The Charitable Funds Committee reviews the performance of the fund on a quarterly, year to date and annual basis. Items reported to the committee include the value of the investments compared with the previous quarter; the balance of cash reserves held throughout the year, the amount of income and expenditure for the quarter and future spending plans. Any potential risks arising from the report are highlighted in the meeting and discussed. The committee maintains a risk register which is reviewed as required, any concerns are reported to RDaSH board.

Key risks were identified as:

• if the level of investment is not managed, then there is a potential of reduced investment performance and therefore a reduction in available expenditure for charitable activities
• if there is poor financial planning, then this may lead to over commitment of funds and potentially increased pressure in the Doncaster care group
• if there is a lack of fundraising promotion, then this will lead to a lack of committed support and an inability to provide charitable funds expenditure
• if the reserves policy is not adhered to then there may be a depletion of funds holding leading to no expenditure on charitable activities
• if the liquidity policy is not adhered to then there may be short term cash flow problems
• if policy and procedures are not followed, then there may be fraudulent use of funds and loss of reputation for the trust
• if donations are not utilised for the benefit of patients, carers and staff, this may lead to reputational damage for the trust
• if the Doncaster frailty pathway legacy is not utilised, then this may lead to reputational damage to the trust
• if policy and procedures in relation to safeguarding and voluntary organisations are not adhered to then there is a risk of loss of reputation for the trust
• an action plan is considered in relation to all risks to mitigate any potential adverse impacts

After each meeting of the Charitable Funds Committee, the chair presents a report to the RDaSH board of directors to update it on the most recent work of the committee providing assurances and escalating matters for further discussion as necessary.

Grant making policy

Applications may be made for items which the NHS would not normally fund, and these are classified as charitable activities and must be in line with the objectives of the charitable funds.

Applications from the designated funds for items which the NHS would normally fund but is unable to do so due to funds not being available are classified as a support cost to charitable funds. They are approved according to the procedure identified above.

During 2024 and 2025 the available funds for the charity were restructured in line with the 5 new missions of the charity: a good start, our best self, research, learning and development and good death. Any donations previously received or new donations with a designated purpose stipulated by the donor are allocated to the appropriate mission with applications for spend against them monitored. The charity no longer has a general fund.

Grants may also be approved by the committee for specialist charities and patient groups which support the work undertaken by RDaSH. During 2024 and 2025 the trust awarded £77,000 of charitable funds to 30 local community groups and charities, ranging from £1000 to £3000 per organisation. The process involved an application and selection process made by a panel of trustees, including the director of finance and estates and the trust chief executive, a patient and local voluntary action organisations. All of the successful applications had to align with an RDaSH service and benefit RDaSH patients.

Reserves and liquidity

The charitable fund has established a reserves policy with the intention of always being able to fund any committed spend whilst considering changes in investment markets.

Investments

The investment policy criteria aims are:

• balanced return between income and capital
• low to medium risk profile
• 3 to 5 year time horizon

Investment liquidity

The investments held by the charitable funds are in a portfolio that can quickly be turned into cash and are therefore liquid in nature. Trustees will maintain an investment of 10% in the fund to allow for price differences in the sale of investments when funds are requested.

Reserves

At 31 March 2025 the charitable funds currently has total funds of £1,817,000. All funds are held within restricted or designated fund pots, aligned with the fundraising priorities. Therefore there are no reserves within general funds. The charitable fund will limit the level of commitments to 90% of the value of the fund, to allow for fluctuations in the price of its investments.

Any balance in excess of the commitments will therefore be transferred over to a recognised investment manager to increase the existing portfolio. Cash not needed for immediate use is invested by Investec Wealth and Investment Limited on behalf of the charitable fund. Balances are reported to the committee on a quarterly basis and are reviewed in line with current spending plans and known commitments.

The reserves and liquidity policy is reviewed annually by RDaSH to identify any actions required to bring the amount of reserves it holds into line with the level of reserves identified by the trustees as appropriate given plans for the future activities of the charity.

The total cash available as of 31 March 2025 was £430,727. The reserves policy states that this liquid cash balance should cover at least a year’s net forward commitments. The recognised forward commitments, as set out in note 8, are:

• independent examination fees £2,472
• grants awarded, not yet paid £75,225
• payments to RDaSH £72,382

Going concern

Each year the trustee makes an assessment of the charitable funds ability to continue as a going concern. RDaSH has a reasonable expectation, that the services provided by the charitable funds will continue to be provided for the foreseeable future. This has been considered with reference to a cash flow projection for future spends. This meets with the reserves and liquidity policy, and therefore RDaSH considers that the going concern assumption is an appropriate basis on which to prepare these financial statements.

There is a reasonable expectation that the charitable funds has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for at least 12 months from the date of approval of these financial statements. For this reason, it continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the accounts.

Appendix B

Funds held on trust annual accounts 2024 to 2025

The accounts of the funds held on by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH).

Foreword

These accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 have been prepared by the trustee in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, Charities SORP (FRS 102) 2019 and the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations (2008).

Statutory background

The Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Funds (charitable funds) held on trust are registered with the Charity Commission and include funds in respect of Doncaster, Rotherham, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire services. The Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Funds is a public benefit entity.

Main purpose of the funds held on trust

The main purpose of the charitable funds is to apply income for any charitable purpose relating to the National Health Service.

Statement of trustee responsibilities

The Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust is the corporate trustee of the charity governed by law applicable to trusts, principally the Trustee Act (2000) and the Charities Act (2011).

The trustee is responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom generally accepted accounting practice), including FRS 102, The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Trustee 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 of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustee is required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
• observe the methods and principles in the charities’ statement of recommended practice (SORP)
• make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
• state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed
• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business

The trustee is responsible for keeping proper 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 Charities Act (2011), the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations (2008) and the provisions of the trust deed. 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.

The trustee is responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

By order of the trustee:

• Chairman of the Charitable Funds Committee, Pauline Vickers, 26 June 2025
• Chair of the trust, Kathryn Lavery, 26 June 2025

Independent examiner’s report to the trustee of Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust charitable funds

I report to the trustee on my examination of the accounts of Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Funds (the trust) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the income and expenditure account, the balance sheet and the related notes 1 to 19.

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustee, as a body, in accordance section 145 of the Charities Act (2011) and regulations made under section 154 of that act. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity’s trustee those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustee as a body, for my work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustee you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act (2011) (the 2011 Act). You are satisfied that your charity is not required by charity law to be audited and have chosen instead to have an independent examination.

I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed the applicable directions given by the Charity Commission under 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

Your attention is drawn to the fact that the charity has prepared the financial statements in accordance with the relevant version of the statement of recommended practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has now been withdrawn. I understand that this has been done in order for the financial statements to provide a true and fair view in accordance with UK generally accepted accounting practice.

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 as required by section 130 of the Charities Act (2011)
• the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
• the financial statements do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of financial statements set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations (2008) 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

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.

Victoria Jane Davies
FCCA for and on behalf of GBAC Limited
Old Linen Court
83 to 85 Shambles Street
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 2SB
Date 26 June 2025

Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2025

All gains and losses recognised in the year are included in the statement of financial activities.

The notes at pages 24 to 43 form part of this account.

These financial statements of Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber Charitable Funds registered number 1055641 were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 26 June 2025.

They were signed on its behalf by Kathryn Lavery, Chair of the Trust, June 2025.

Notes to the accounts

Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared under the historic cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value. The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by 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 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act (2011) and UK generally accepted practice as it applies.

Funds structure

Unrestricted funds comprise those funds which the trustee is free to use for any purpose in furtherance of the charitable objects. Unrestricted funds include designated funds, where the donor has made known their non-binding wishes or where the trustee, at its discretion, has created a fund for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are those which must be used for a specific purpose as set out by the donor, or by the terms of a public appeal, or are subject to a restriction on the expenditure of capital.

Total income

All total income is recognised once the charitable fund has entitlement to the resources, it is probable that the resources will be received and the monetary value of them can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Grants received from government and public bodies which are attributable to charitable funds (that is for a charitable purpose) are identified as charitable. Grants that are received from non-public bodies for a charitable purpose are treated as charitable fund donations, and therefore should be identified as such.

Income from legacies

Legacies are accounted for as income either upon receipt or where the receipt of the legacy is probably certain. This will be once confirmation has been received from the representatives of the estate that payment of the legacy will probably be made or property transferred and once all conditions attached to the legacy have been fulfilled.

Expenditure

The charitable fund’s accounts are prepared in accordance with the accruals concept, and expenditure is recognised when a liability is incurred.

Grants payable

Grant payments are only made to related or third party NHS bodies and non-NHS third parties in furtherance of the charitable objectives of the funds. A liability for such grants is recognised when approval has been given by RDaSH and the conditions for their payment have been met, or where a third party has a reasonable expectation that they will receive the grant.

Governance and support costs

Governance and support costs comprise all costs incurred in the governance of the Charitable Fund. These include external examination fees, recharges of appropriate proportions of salaries and internal audit fees from RDaSH, where applicable. The Charitable Fund Committee agree and ensure that the governance and support costs comply with the policy for charging administration and support costs.

Costs of raising funds

The costs of generating funds, are those costs solely attributable to investment management, and represent the brokerage charges and investment management fees incurred.

Irrecoverable valued-added tax (VAT)

Irrecoverable valued-added tax (VAT) is charged against the category of resources expended for which it was incurred.

Transfer of funds

Funds may be transferred for administrative purposes but they are kept for the purpose for which the donation was given.

Fixed asset investments

Fixed asset investments are stated at market value as at the balance sheet date. The statement of financial activities includes the net gains and losses arising on revaluation and disposals throughout the year.

The charitable fund is restricted from making direct investments into companies involved in the manufacture of alcohol or tobacco.

Short term investments

Short term investments consist of an instant access bank account and a 95-day notice account for longer term investment. Realised gains and losses All gains and losses are taken to the Statement of Financial Activities as they arise. Realised gains and losses on investments are calculated as the difference between sales proceeds and opening market value (or purchase date if later). Unrealised gains and losses are calculated as the difference between the market value at the year end and the opening market value (or purchase date if later).

Grant making policies

The fund managers have delegated authority from the charitable fund to decide how the funds may be spent.

Grants may be made to other NHS trusts in order to transfer funds which could more readily be used for their intended purpose by the recipient trust.

Grants may also be made to external organisations within strict limitations and criteria. In particular it must be to an organisation which is an accredited, properly constituted body which support RDaSH patients and, or service users or carers, and it must be able to demonstrate that the service it offers provides significant benefit to RDaSH patients, service users or carers.

Applications from other organisations must have the support of senior RDaSH management and are approved or otherwise at the discretion of the Charitable Funds Committee.

Allocation and apportionment of costs

Costs are apportioned and allocated to the funds on the basis of the average fund balance during the year.

Preparation of financial statements, going concern basis

See statement in annual report.

Each year, as part of the accounts preparation process, the trustee, RDaSH, makes an assessment of the charitable funds ability to continue as a going concern. It has been especially important this year as a result of the continuing cost of living crises. RDaSH, has a reasonable expectation, that the services provided by the charitable funds will continue to be provided for the foreseeable future. This has been considered with reference to a cash flow projection for future spends, avoiding recurring costs and is reviewed on a quarterly basis. This meets with the reserves and liquidity policy, and therefore RDaSH considers that the going concern assumption is an appropriate basis on which to prepare these financial statements.

For this reason, it continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the accounts.

Judgments and estimates in applying accounting policies

The following are the judgments and estimates that management has made in the process of applying the accounting policies and that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements.

Judgments

There are no critical Judgments made.

Estimates: investment valuation

Investment values are kept up to date, the charity receives investment valuations from its investment advisers. The valuations are based on market information.

Leases

Operating leases

Operating lease payments are recognised as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Lease incentives are recognised initially in other liabilities on the statement of financial position and subsequently as a reduction of rentals on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Prior year comparatives

Unrestricted funds

Restricted funds

Donations and legacies

Other trading activities

Investment income

Raising funds

Allocation on a percentage (%) basis: based on average fund balance during year divided by the total fund balance at end of year.

Analysis of charitable expenditure

Movements in funding commitments

Outstanding commitments at 31 March 2025 is a recharge payment owing to RDaSH, £72,000, accrual for the independent examination, £2,000, and grants awarded not yet paid, £75,000.

The recharge payment owing to RDaSH is for one month’s worth of expenditure paid by RDaSH on behalf of the charity, which is for salary recharges, £64,000, accounts payable recharges, £5,000, and other miscellaneous recharges, £3,000.

Un-recognised commitments

• The Charitable funds have un-recognised commitments of £769,000 funded via existing Hospice funds, future donations and legacies. Hospice staff (per annum) £314,000, ongoing.
• Hospice community staff (per annum) £216,000, ongoing.
• Fundraising Team (per annum) £168,000, ongoing.
• Hospice Counsellor (per annum) £71,000, ongoing.

These un-recognised commitments were approved at the Charitable Funds Committee and are reviewed on an annual basis to ensure they are affordable within the Hospice funds available.

Allocation of support costs and overhead

The costs incurred in raising funds relates to £19,000 paid to Investec in respect of their management fee and £6,000 in respect of fundraising expense costs. The costs incurred in charitable activities relates to £2,000 for costs for the independent examination of the annual accounts and £23,000 is for other admin charges, including back office staff salaries and management recharge.

Reserve policy

The policy aims to implement controls to ensure that the liquid funds are, as a minimum, equal to the level of current commitments at all times. The charitable fund will limit the level of commitments to 90% of the value of the fund, to allow for fluctuations in the price of its investments.

Any balance in excess of this amount will therefore be transferred over to a recognised investment manager to increase the existing portfolio. Cash not needed for immediate use is invested by Investec Wealth and Investment Limited on behalf of the charitable fund, in order to generate income and capital growth. The remainder of the cash is held in a combination of current and short notice investment accounts with the NatWest bank.

These accounts are reviewed quarterly in order to ensure maximum return is received on the balances whilst still being available for the charitable funds use. All of these balances are reported to the committee on a quarterly basis and are reviewed in line with spending plans and known commitments.

Related party transactions

The members of the Charitable Fund Committee are also members of the RDaSH Trust board. During the year none of the members of RDaSH Trust board or senior RDaSH staff or parties related to them were beneficiaries of the charitable funds.

Transactions relating to administration charges paid to RDaSH for services provided throughout the year amounted to £18,512 (2023 and 2024 £18,631).

At 31 March 2025 the total for creditors included an amount of £72,382 (2023 and 2024 £355,982) owed to RDaSH for invoices paid on behalf of the charitable fund.

Tax exemptions

The charitable fund is a registered charity, and as such is entitled to certain tax exemptions on income and profits from investments, and surpluses on any trading activities carried on in furtherance of the charitable fund’s primary objectives, if these profits and surpluses are applied solely for charitable purposes. There is no tax charge for financial year 2024 and 2025 (2023 and 2024 no tax charge).

Investments

Debtors

Cash and cash equivalents

Creditors falling due within one year

At 31 March 2025 the total for creditors included an amount of £72,382 (2023 and 2024 £355,982) owed to RDaSH for invoices and salary costs paid on behalf of the charitable funds.

During the year to 31 March 2025, the charity was relaunched as “Your Hearts and Minds”, and with that relaunch, the funds were re-aligned into five fundraising priorities with separate funding pots. The reallocation was based on fund pot values as at 30 September 2024.

The re-alignment affected fund pots in both unrestricted funds and restricted funds, but there was no movement between Unrestricted and restricted funds.

The tables below show the balances and movements within Unrestricted Funds for the year to 31 March 2025 with the comparative year balances and movements for the year to 31 March 2024, along with a table showing how the unrestricted funds were re-allocated.

Details of material funds: unrestricted funds

Details of material funds (year 2024 and 2025)

• A good death: end of life care including hospice services (formerly known as the St John’s hospice fund).
• Education and learning: to support education and learning activities which go above and beyond normal NHS funding in order to improve the care and experience of patients.
• A good start: to support the treatment and care of children and young people.

Details of material funds (year 2023 and 2024)

• St John’s hospice: care of the terminally ill and provision of palliative care services.
• Doncaster care group (mental health): to support the treatment and care of patients within the Doncaster Care Group (mental health).
• Rotherham care group: to support the treatment and care of patients within the Rotherham care group.
• North Lincolnshire care group: to support the treatment and care of patients within the North Lincolnshire care group.
• Doncaster care group (physical health: to support the treatment and care of patients within the Doncaster care group (physical health).
• Grounded Research: to undertake research studies to support the most vulnerable within the community.
• Other (less than £15,000):
  • children’s fund: to support the treatment and care of patients within the children’s care group
  • workforce and organisational development fund: to support patients, service users and staff within the chaplaincy
  • Grounded Research

During the year to 31 March 2025, the charity was relaunched as “Your Hearts and Minds”, and with that relaunch, the funds were re-aligned into five fundraising priorities with separate funding pots. The reallocation was based on fund pot values as at 30 September 2024. The re-alignment affected fund pots in both unrestricted funds and restricted funds, but there was no movement between unrestricted and restricted funds. The tables below show the balances and movements within restricted funds for the year to 31 March 2025 with the comparative year balances and movements for the year to 31 March 2024, along with a table showing how the restricted funds were re-allocated.

The reallocation within restricted funds was a sub-division of the frailty fund pot as described below. Income and expenditure before the fund pot reallocation, up to September 2024, was immaterial (income: zero, expenditure: £2,000), and therefore these notes only show prior year balances and transactions under the old frailty fund pot, alongside current year balances and transactions under the new frailty fund pots.

Details of material funds: restricted funds

Details of material funds

• St John’s hospice: this fund represents a number of separate legacies which were bequeathed for St John’s hospice. Sufficient funds are available to allow the restriction imposed to be complied with. The main purpose of St John’s hospice is for the care of terminally ill patients and the provision of palliative care services.
• Forest Gate: this fund represents a donation that was specifically received for Forest Gate. The main purpose is to provide extra comforts for patients who use the day services. Funding is available until such a time that the funds are expended fully.
• Doncaster frailty pathway (to September 2024): this fund represents a legacy which was bequeathed for Coniston Lodge, and revised in November 2020 due to a change in the service provision offered by Coniston Lodge. The main purpose is to enhance the clinical therapy support to the patient group within the frailty pathway by enhancing the therapeutic care and support via additional staff to benefit the patients’ experience. This may include equipment as well as additional therapeutic staffing to the unit.
• Reallocation in October 2024: from October 2024, the Frailty Pathway fund was reallocated within the new “Your Hearts and Minds” fundraising priorities, still restricted to benefiting patients receiving care under the frailty pathway.
• Our best self, frailty (45% of frailty, from Oct 2024): our best self funding priority is to support the mental wellbeing of patients and staff.
• RDaSH research, frailty (45% of frailty, from Oct 2024): research funding priority is to support research activities which go above and beyond normal NHS funding in order to improve the care and experience of patients.
• Education and learning, frailty (10% of Frailty, from Oct 2024): the education and learning funding priority is to support research activities which go above and beyond normal NHS funding in order to improve the care and experience of patients.
• NHS Charities Together: this fund represents a grant from NHS Charities Together to fund the health and wellbeing of staff,
  volunteers and patients.

Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow from operating activities

Leases: operating leases

This note discloses costs and commitments incurred in operating lease arrangements where the charitable fund is the lessee. The charitable fund has a lease for a fish tank within the inpatient reception hub, at The Woodlands unit. The cost of the lease is £828 per year. It commenced in February 2024 and is for 2 years with a minimum lease term of 1 year.

Page last reviewed: July 22, 2025
Next review due: July 22, 2026

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