## **Whitley Lodge Under Fives Annual General Meeting** Wednesday 8th December 2021 ## **Chairperson’s Report** A very warm welcome to everyone and a special thank you for attending the Whitley Lodge Under Fives AGM. We had hoped with the relaxation of some restrictions to have held a face-to-face meeting but in view of the continued high case rate it seemed wise to stick with Zoom. ## **Introduction** As you are probably aware Whitley Lodge Under Fives is an outstanding provider and we believe it offers a brilliant start to a child’s education, where children learn through play, in a safe and nurturing environment. Under Fives is funded through parental fees, government funding, fundraising activities, and grants and because we are a charity, we have a Committee or ‘Board of Trustees’ that meet regularly throughout the year to help steer and support the management. ## **2021 - another challenging year** This year has once again been a challenging one. COVID 19 has continued to change the way we live, and the necessary safeguards and restrictions have continued to affect the way Playgroup operates. Following a period of lockdown, when the setting was closed and the majority of staff furloughed, we re-opened in September 2020. Government guidance was implemented, and risk assessments carried out regularly, with policies and procedures being amended as necessary. Significant changes have been the “settling in”and “drop off and collection” procedures, with parents and carers being largely excluded from the setting and having to have socially distanced drop offs. The children have coped with these changes very well, on the whole, and the lack of contact between staff and parents has been overcome by telephone and email contacts and lots of meetings outside. During the second wave of COVID 19, starting in December 2020 and continuing until February 2021, when schools were once again closed except for children of key workers, Playgroup remained open to all children throughout. Some families chose to keep their children at home, particularly if parents were working from home and we suspended fees and kept their places open until they returned. The staff showed amazing courage and resilience to continue to provide a safe and fun learning environment for those children who continued to attend during this period. By Easter most children had resumed their places and Playgroup continued with its new normal, increased hand washing, lots of cleaning and sanitising, distanced drop offs, face coverings when necessary, but still the focus has always been to provide the children with a pre-school experience full of play and learning opportunities. Our sessions have been full, we have been able to offer parents mostly what they needed in terms of availability of sessions, despite not opening afternoon sessions because of the enhanced cleaning requirements. Most importantly the children have, as always, enjoyed being with us and have progressed in their journeys with us. In more normal times this report would have listed the many events and fundraising activities that we have held, but the pandemic has limited those activities. However, the group still held a sponsored toddle, albeit without the customary parental involvement and picnic, which was very successful. We also had a professional photographer, with profits from photographs going to Playgroup funds. I would like to say a huge thank you to all of the staff who have come into work each day despite their understandable anxiety, putting themselves at risk, to keep Playgroup open. You have smiled, played, and taught the children throughout. You are all truly outstanding. Special thanks must go to Carol too, who continues to manage during these difficult times. She has handled the ever-changing requirements calmly and efficiently and is always thinking of the needs of the children and staff. I must also thank all of the committee and staff for attending our virtual committee meetings, your support has been invaluable. Thank you, Lauren, for making sense of the meetings in the minutes. A big thank you must go to Emma, our Treasurer, who continues to oversee the finances of the group and gives generously of her time to keep our financial situation as healthy as it is. Thank you also to Barbe who is leaving us, we have appreciated your support. ## **Summary** Despite the difficulties of the past year Whitley Lodge Under Fives continues to provide a much needed and valuable service. We remain financially stable. The committee and staff continue to work well together to support the group going forward whilst our excellent staff team provide our children with a strong and happy foundation for the future. ## **Thank you** ## **Jane Greenfield** ## Whitley Lodge Under Fives Playgroup ## Treasurer’s Report Year Ending 31 July 2021 This year has seen the Coronavirus pandemic still effect our day to day running, which meant that we only briefly had to close our doors in January for one week but have been able to stay open the rest of the year. We have continued to run with just playgroup sessions running in the mornings and at this present time Toddlers has been unable to run to remain as covid safe as possible. During this financial year we have been lucky to be able to use the council’s flexible free entitlement payments, the governments furlough scheme, and as we stayed open during the lockdown in January we also received additional money from the council. Before the initial lockdown in March 2020 we were in the running to receive money from Tesco bags for life grant scheme but this had been halted when the pandemic took hold, since then we received notification that we were able to claim some funds from this campaign and the funds were received in our bank account towards the end of the financial year which will continue to help us to improve the outdoor play and learning areas over the coming financial year. The account balances on the 31st July 2021 were £14,286 (current account) and £10,842 (deposit account) compared with £10,180 (current account) and £10,840 (deposit account) as of 31st July 2019. This is a profit of £4,067.86 for this financial year. Continuing to help our parents and carers we have held off on taking deposits for children starting in September and onwards and our decision will be reviewed at a later date. Looking at the accounts in more detail: the gross income has decreased this year, by £879.13 (from £51,838 to £50,959.59) as the support from the furlough scheme was no longer required to the degree previously. As we have been able to update and covid secure the learning areas last year this has meant that the expenses for this year have decreased (from £60,099.83 to £46,891.73). During this financial year we have received donations and fundraising money through toddlers, photo commission, easy fundraising, teddy toddle, and Northumbrian Water. We have also received a compensation payment from HSBC for poor service and a Curry’s delivery refund when the product wasn’t delivered. As mentioned we have been able to receive help through the governments furlough scheme which has paid £3,586 to cover staff wages during times of closure. During this financial year we have changed our telephone contract, so we received a refund for the credit still attached to our account and due to misinformation with regards to the new product we were given credit that was applied to our telephone account and is currently being used over the coming months and then we will start paying via direct debit from our bank account. To date we have spent £225.60 of the Tesco grant and £940.40 is available for the coming financial year. A huge thanks go to Carol and the team for their hard work, determination and commitment during another difficult year ensuring all children are able to develop during these unpresidented times. Emma Dennis Treasurer Whitley Lodge Under Fives Playgroup. ITLEY LODGE UNI)ER 5'S PLAYGRIXJP IPKOME & EXPENDITUREACCOUNT AND STATEMENf OF AFFAIRS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JULY2021 Prwred trrf: Harrlson Hutchln*x) itd 246 P•rk Vlew Whldty Bav Tyne and Wear NE26 3QX WhiU8y Lodg8 Fives Playgrijjp Treasurer's Report Year Ending 31 July 2021 This year has seen the Coronavirus p￿deMiC still effect ow day to day running, vknich meanl that only briafiy had to dose our doors in Janu8ry for one week bul have be&n able to stay c4)8n the rest of the year. We have continued lo run with just plaYgc￿JP sessions rLmning in the momings and at this present time Toddlers has been Lmable to run to remain as covid safe as F*)s*ble. Dlffing this rinoncial year we have b88n lucky lo be able lo use the O￿ncil.$ flexible free entitlement payments. the govwnments furfough scheme, and 8$ we stayed open d￿Ing the lockdown in January we also re￿Ved &Jdilional money trom the council. Beforfj the initial lockdown in Marth 21Y20 we were in lh& running to recei￿ money from Tesco bags for life grant scheme ￿1 this had beén halted when the demic look hold, sincè then we received rntFficalh)n that we were able lo claim som& fvnds from this campaign 8nd th8 furKls were received in our bank account towards the end of the financi81 ye* ith will continue lo help us to improve the oLrtdC￿ play 8nd lewnirvj areas over th8 coming fift￿ck9[ year. The aCc￿nt balances cn the 31st July 2021 £14,286 IrJJrrent account}, £10.842 Ideposlt untl and £9) (cashl. This is compared with £10,181 {cwrent account), £10.841 (d9posiI accojnt) and £130 l¢eshl as of 31st July 2020. This is a profrt of £4,C66 for this financial year. Continuing to help ow parents and csrer5 we hav& hèld off on taking deposity dNldren starting in Septemb8r arvj onwards and our decision will bg reviewed *1 a later dale. Looking at the aC￿ntS in more dalail.. the gross incomo has decreasod thi5 year, ty £881 (from £51,839 to £50,958) as the support from th8 furlough sth8m8 was no longgr required to the dwe previously. As w8 have been able lo update and covid secure the learning argas1881 yew this has meant that thg expensas for this year have decreased (from £60,1CO to £46,893). Jnng this fir￿nCial yearv*E have receivod dcfflat￿ns and fundraising nbmey Ihrouth toddlers, Fthoto commi5slon. easy fuTraraising, tsddy l¢)Jdle, and Nortmmbrian Water. We have also recewed a compensation payment from HSBC for poor Servi￿ and a Curry's deliv8ry refurNJ whgn the produ vr4sn't delivered. As mentioned we have been able lo receivo help through the govemments furlou s(*emo which has paid £3,￿l2020.. £9,500) to Covgr staff wages during times of closwe. During this finarrial year we have changed our telephone contract, so we received a réfund for the croth't still attached to our account and ijue to misinfomation with règards to the new product we were given credit that was applied lo our lelephono account and is cuffently being used over tho wming months d th8n we wll start paying via dire¢t debit from our bank account. To date ￿ have spent £225.60 of tha Tesco grant and £940.40 is available fcf the Coming fin8ncial year. Huge thanks must go to Carol the tgam for Iha'r hard work, detsrmination commitment durirvJ gr difficult year ensuring all thildren are able to develop during thesa unprecgdenled limes. Emma Dennis Treasurer Wh1￿@Y Lcrtyge UrKler Five¥ Playgroup. IWILEY LODGE iW4DER 5SPIA¥GROUP ￿￿E￿NDEXpENDi[VREACC•l 2019 X117 Fees fooNed 22,874 19,343 828 1.166 231114 14,135 26,e63 Grnnts INEFI Fundra151D8 Donathn51Dlvld•nds Mllkrnturns Vouthers R¢tslfvEr 650 3,259 I￿72 1523 2247 1125 1¢3B8 7.186 3A18 19 10,5L 51J39 Olher TOTALIIICOME 1,728 50J5• SI￿7 EXPEND￿vRe W¥8e5 Iln¢ Penslcr61 Premlses¢05tsllnc Rent) Caterin8 EwlprTrent Consumab￿$ 37.885 930 415 44A65 1.652 377 41748 1.184 34.149 247 1,993 2,218 235 2,1 8*k ¢har8es Professlonol fges Tamthn W4es4dlusThtnt Cther TOTALEMPEP4)mJRE 1136 275 913 511 571 2,038 1.532 ityj 1.336 gJW3 41.707 SIMIWDEA¢JTI &2611 ￿795 8.9aJ 7.910 WHinEY LODGE LIIIDER 53 PL4Y6ROI STATEMEFif OFAFFAIRS 2017 Cash atBank sh ITh Hand C8pftalAcco (*herDebtor5 143 io.tsi 14534 57 17A53 io lo￿1 io. 10.&72 25 29 21152 ￿1) 26.618 23,1 CIAIRENTUAelllTIts Credltors¥Md •¢(¥oa1s 2S2 2L152 29WS REPRESENTEO BY Pwimulated Iwd bfvd su￿bj5/ IDefidtl 21,152 29,413 8.2611 26,618 2,7Y5 21685 14.775 WHITLEY LODGE UNDER 5'S PLAYGROUP INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS For the year ended 31 July 2021 I hereby report to the Trustees and members of Whitley Lodge Under 5's Playgroup on the accounts as set OLrt on pages 2 and 3 for the year ended 31st July 2021. Respective rosponsibilities of trustses and examinor Tr￿ Charity's trustees are responsit)le for Ine preparation of the accounls. Tne Charity S truslees consider that an audit is not required under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:_ (a) Examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act (b) To follow the pro￿dure laid down in the general Directions given by the Charities Commission (under section 145(5)(b)) of the Charities Act, and (c) To stste whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basls of independent examiner's statement My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consider8tion of any Ufits'sual itemo of visc matters. The procedures undertaken do not promde all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fairf view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the ststement below. Indp.pendent ex_aminer'A RtatemAnt In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention 1. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe in any material respect, the requ1￿ments. (a) To keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act. and (b) To prepare accounts which accord wrth the accountina records and complv with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met. 2. To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the ac unts to be reached Signed STÈPHEN DREW FCCA Chartered Certlfied Accountant Dated Address harrison nuichin&ion ild, 246 Park View. bvniiiey Bay, i yne ano vvear, i4E26