Meet the client
Blackburne House is a respected charity based in Liverpool, with a mission to empower and support women into education, employment, and enterprise. With a proud history of social impact, the organisation delivers a wide range of accredited courses and qualifications, many focused on sectors where women remain underrepresented.
From its iconic Grade II listed Georgian building, Blackburne House also runs several successful social enterprises—including a bistro, nursery, wellness centre, hospital catering, and a conference and events venue. All surpluses are reinvested directly into its mission, creating a unique and sustainable model where commercial success fuels social change.
The Challenge
Like many charities and social enterprises, Blackburne House has faced external pressures in recent years. Rising costs, increased competition for grants, and the cost-of-living crisis created new challenges for trading income. While the organisation remained ambitious and resilient, it recognised the need to strengthen financial systems and processes to ensure clear decision-making, transparency, and growth.
In particular, Blackburne House Nursery, an essential service for both local families and learners, was navigating sector change and rising costs, despite its strong reputation and demand. Leaders recognised that with the right systems, processes, and support in place, the Nursery could once again become a key contributor to the charity’s long-term sustainability.
How Adding Value Helped
Adding Value worked in partnership with Blackburne House to modernise and transform its financial management systems. Key steps included:
- Financial systems transformation: migrating from Sage to Xero, introducing a modern coding and departmental structure, and enabling budget-holders to take ownership of their areas.
- Improved reporting and accountability: implementing clear monthly management accounts, creating transparency and strengthening decision-making.
- Upskilling staff: delivering training on cloud-based systems, financial awareness, and embedding digital-first processes to replace outdated paper-based methods.
For the Nursery specifically, support included:
- Reviewing and updating the pricing model, benchmarking against local competitors.
- Implementing nursery management software, which streamlined fee collection and significantly reduced bad debt.
- Supporting leaders to manage staffing rotas more effectively, improving efficiency without compromising quality.
The Results
Within six months, these changes had transformed the Nursery’s financial performance, moving from a -2% margin to +21% margin. This turnaround that has not only restored profitability but also strengthened the organisation’s ability to reinvest in its mission.
More broadly, Blackburne House now has robust systems, better financial visibility, and a culture of ownership and accountability across teams—providing a stronger platform for long-term growth and sustainability.
