THE SYMBOL TRUST

Registered charity 1097042 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

-supporting small scale specialist education services for young people with special needs for whom no mainstream options are available - developing a web based national educational resource for students with special needs, their teachers and families - funding specialist after-school education for children whose parents have special needs in order to help them keep up with their peers

Objects

1. TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR CARERS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF DIRECT ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION.2. TO COMMISSION AND SUPPORT RESEARCH PROGRAMMES WHICH WILL INCREASE THE KNOWLEDGE BASE CONCERNED WITH THE NEEDS OF, AND APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS FOR, ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.3. TO ENABLE THE PUBLICATION OF WORK AND THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE MODELS OF BEST PRACTICE IN IMPROVING THE INDEPENDENCE, COMMUNICATION, EATING AND DRINKING SKILLS OF PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.4. TO FUND PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES OF DIRECT BENEFIT TO PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES.5. TO ORIGINATE, DEVELOP AND PROVIDE TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PRACTITIONERS, AND PARENTS AND CARERS IN ORDER TO DISSEMINATE BEST PRACTISE AND INCREASE EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE AMONGST THOSE WORKING WITH, AND CARING FOR, ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.6. TO ASSIST THROUGH FUNDING, COMMISSIONING OR WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ANY OTHER ORGANISATION TO ACHIEVE THE ABOVE OBJECTS.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Disability · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a financial shortfall of £27,307 for the year ended 31 December 2024, with total resources expended exceeding income. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves have decreased to £16,316, which is below the stated policy target of covering support and governance costs for a minimum of three months.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Complaints handling
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Conflicting interests
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Investment
• Risk management
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)

Reported reserves equal ~0.4 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (98% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

• Barry Naziri · trustee of 1 other charity
• Christopher Wood
• Mark Christian · trustee of 1 other charity
• Paul Mitchell
• Samuel Hinton

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Common questions

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).