Landulph Under Fives Trustees Annual Report (Charity Registration no. 1019722) for the period from 1st September 2021 to 31st August 2022
Address: Landulph Under Fives, Landulph Memorial Hall, Cargreen, Cornwall, PL12 6NF.
Trustees: Catherine Packer, Emily Duckering, Jessica Dyer, Geraldine Packer, Norman Watts.
Additional Committee Members: Joanne Butcher
Structure: There is a chairperson, a vice chair, secretary, treasurer, grants representative and hall & H&S representative.
Management: The committee share the day-to-day management and there are half - termly committee meetings to review performance. Trustees are commonly recruited from the pool of preschool attending children’s parents and sometimes volunteers come forward from the wider village community.
Objectives & Activities
The 2021/2022 year had again been very challenging partly due to the lasting effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic. We were able to operate normally during this period with relaxing of social distancing procedures but still continuing with best practice hygiene and hand washing. All toys and equipment used were sanitised at the end of the day.
September started off poorly with 4 children on the register however, the numbers increased during the year and we ended up with 10 at the year end. The numbers started relatively low at the beginning of the year no doubt due to the pandemic and the coronavirus restrictions in place regarding children attending dual settings but numbers seemed to improve when the restrictions were scaled back.
The coronavirus restrictions of the previous year (2020/2021) meant that we were unable to carry out our usual fundraising events involving the community so our cashflow was severely impacted by that and as such our funds at the start of this year were very low, and have relied heavily on successful grant applications and fundraising by the committee to get through this year.
Our staffing has remained the same during the year, with one Preschool Leader, one Deputy Leader and one Practitioner.
We said goodbye to the chairperson Cat Packer, vice-chair and treasurer Emily Duckering, staff management Geraldine Packer, grants coordinator Norman Watts and health & safety and Hall rep Jo Butcher at the end of the financial period. New committee members Jess Howells and Melissa Kellow were welcomed on board and appointed as Chairperson and Secretary respectively.
Pre school has been running since 1975 and we continue working hard to keep this a community led asset. Maintaining this status in the climate of increasing legislation gets more difficult each year and recruiting new committee members is always challenging as parents do not always have the spare time available to commit to volunteering when they work long hours and have children to look after.
We were able to keep the baby & toddler group (Landulph Stay & Play) running with help from a staff member Kelly, who had to step down in Spring but the role was taken over by volunteer Becky. We secured funding from Volunteer Cornwall Mental Health Support Fund to run a 12 week programme focussing on health and wellbeing for parents and carers, including sessions on breastfeeding and weaning advice, nutrition, paediatric first aid, relaxation and self-care techniques, which attracted new parents and children, some of whom stayed to attend on a regular basis. By the end of the year numbers were dwindling and the toddler group was struggling to cover running costs some weeks.
Achievements & Performance
The preschool was open 5 days a week in the 2021-2022 year and children’s attendance was good on all days. Activities for children at preschool have been improved by the strong skills within the staffing team and the leader has a keen focus on preparing our children for starting school. The staff planned a range of activities both indoor and outdoor and our children always seemed very happy and keen to start their preschool day.
Ofsted have not inspected our setting during this year.
The preschool continued to achieve its aim of providing a vibrant and caring environment for pre-schoolers to be cared for and encouraged to be ready for their transition to school. The preschool is still attracting children from outside the village.
Financial Review
Due to the lasting effects of the pandemic and low numbers of children, 2021 – 2022 was another tricky year for pre-school and our savings were completely diminished. We have been getting by on successful grant applications and continuous fundraising by the committee and staff.
We are very proud that we made it through the year as we are aware that many small preschools in the country were not as lucky. We are very grateful to the supportive community that we reside in.
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Independent Examiner’s report to the Trustees of Landulph Under Five Pre-school
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of Landulph Under Fives as presented on 14 June 2023, for the year ending 31 August 2022.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity Trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiners statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts 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 accounts to be reached.
Signed
Name: Elizabeth Gawith
Relevant professional qualification or membership of professional bodies (if any): BSc, MBA, FICE Address: Ham Quay, Cargreen, Saltash PL12 6PA
Date: 19 June 2023