Minutes of the Phoenix Group for Deaf Children and Young Adults
15 January 2026, 7:00pm through Teams
1. Welcome and introduction by the Chair
Valerie Copenhagen, Chair of the Phoenix Group, welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced herself. She reflected on a positive and productive year for Phoenix, highlighting the organisations resilience and careful planning under the leadership of CEO Julie Bayford.
Valerie expressed gratitude to Hertfordshire County Council for continuing to commission Phoenix to deliver key programmes, as well as thanks to charitable trusts, funders, individual donors, staff, and volunteers. She acknowledged the significant work carried out behind the scenes and thanked Julie and her team for their continued positive impact on deaf children, young people, and their families.
2. Adoption of Minutes from the 2025 AGM
The minutes from the 2025 AGM had been shared in advance. Members were invited to comment.
• Proposed by: Phil Linnegar
• Seconded by: Valerie Reed
The minutes were approved unanimously.
3. Treasurer’s Report and Adoption of Accounts (2024–2025)
Beryl Whyatt presented the Treasurer’s Report.
For the financial year ending March 2025: - Total income: £212,857
- Total expenditure: £169,888
- Net operating surplus: £42,968
Key funders included Hertfordshire County Council, BBC Children in Need, the Garfield Weston Foundation, Edward Gosling Foundation, and the Cranfield Trust. Fundraising efforts enabled Phoenix to keep activity costs for members to a minimum.
The decision to leave The Hyde was financially driven, with premises approaching £40,000 per year. Ending the lease was considered a sensible and timely decision.
Phoenix ended the year in a strong and stable financial position, despite it being the first year operating without Big Lottery funding.
Members were invited to ask questions, either during the meeting or by contacting the office later.
• Accounts proposed by: Valerie Reed
• Seconded by: Eleanor Brown
The accounts were adopted.
4. Election of Trustees
Angela Ansell stepped down as a trustee during the year. The Board formally thanked her for her valuable contribution, particularly her work supporting parent engagement.
Two new trustees were welcomed:
Beryl Whyatt
Beryl shared that she had been involved with Phoenix for nearly 15 years and decided to formally join the Board to support governance and financial oversight.
Eleanor Brown
Eleanor introduced herself as the parent of a deaf four-year-old daughter and a regular Phoenix member. She expressed her motivation to support Phoenix and the wider deaf community.
• Proposed: Phil Linnegar
• Seconded: Valerie Copenhagen
Both appointments were unanimously approved.
5. Current Board and Re‑Election
Valerie Copenhagen confirmed the current Board members and roles:
- Valerie Copenhagen – Chair
- Beryl Whyatt – Honorary Secretary
- Valerie Reed – Trustee (appointed January 2025)
- Philip Linnegar – Trustee
- Eleanor Brown – Trustee
The reappointment of the Board for the next financial year was approved.
• Proposed by: Julie Bayford
• Seconded by: Alison Hale
6. CEO’s Report
Julie Bayford presented the CEO’s report, highlighting key developments:
• Expansion of services to Bedfordshire, now supporting 25 families with funding from NDCS.
• Continued success of the Hatchlings Group, initially funded by the NDCS and now funded by Hertfordshire Community Foundation.
• Ongoing delivery of BSL training sessions led by Georgia, a former Phoenix youth member.
• Over 110 children are currently supported through the Short Breaks Local Offer.
• As far as we’re aware, Phoenix remains the only known registered Deaf‑specific Duke of Edinburgh registered centre in the UK.
Julie also discussed: - The planned move to a new, more accessible premises, expected in March. - Staffing updates, including two key workers leaving the charity and new and current staff members successfully continuing to deliver this work.
Julie gave special recognition and thanks to Elsie Walker, aged 11, for fundraising through school activities, including a sponsored non‑speaking lesson.
Julie closed by thanking families, staff, trustees, and particularly the young people, noting their resilience and inspiration.
7. Any Other Business
No additional items were raised.
8. Meeting Close
Valerie Copenhagen thanked everyone for attending and encouraged continued involvement with Phoenix through volunteering, fundraising, or governance.
The meeting closed at 7:40pm.