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Benger Bears Pre-school

Financial Accounts

Financial Year Ended 31[st] August 2022

Trustees Report .....................................................................................................................................1 Independent Examiner’s Report.............................................................................................................6 Receipt and Payments Account..............................................................................................................7 Statement of Assets and Liabilities.........................................................................................................8

Trustees Report

Charity Name

Benger Bears Pre-School

Registered Charity Number 1029641 Principal Address The Village Hall Sutton Benger Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 4RP

Management Committee

The Pre-School is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission and is managed by an elected management committee governed by a constitution adopted from the Pre-School Learning Alliance. Members are elected annually.

Trustees of the Committee during the period 1 September 2021 until the date of signing the report were:

Jemma Garland (Chairperson/Secretary) Appointed 18[th] November 2021 Anna Parkinson (Treasurer) Appointed 30[th] September 2014 Nina Abel Appointed 18[th] November 2021 Katy Spencer Appointed 18[th] November 2021 Bridget Meadows Appointed 18[th] November 2021 Jesika Hegley Appointed 3[rd] October 2017

Structure, Governance and Management

The Pre-school is governed by a Constitution. The Constitution provides guidance to the Management Committee (the “Committee”), in respect of both the formation of the Committee and also how the Committee should be governed. The Constitution was initially adopted by the Committee on 07/09/1993 and has been amended on 22/02/2012.

The overall management and control of the Pre-school rests with the individual members of the Committee. As well as being responsible for the management of the Pre-school the Committee members are also the charity trustees of the Preschool. The minimum number of Committee members shall be 5 and the maximum shall be 12, together with up to a further 3 co-opted members.

The Committee members shall be elected for one year at the Annual General Meeting. Retiring Committee members are eligible for re-election unless they have already served on the Committee in any capacity for ten consecutive years. All Committee members will have one vote each at Committee meetings. In the event of a tie the Chair of the Committee has a second or casting vote. A quorum for Committee meetings is not less than half the Committee, including any two of the Officers.

At the Annual General Meeting the prospective new elected members of the Committee will be those candidates receiving the highest number of votes from the Members, up to a maximum of 12 elected Committee members in total. At the first Committee meeting following the Annual General Meeting at which the newly elected members of the Committee are elected they shall choose from amongst their number the members who will act as Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.

The Constitution states, that the Committee shall hold at least 2 Committee meetings each year unless the Committee shall decide by simple majority to hold a further meeting or meetings. The Committee aims to meet more regularly than this, usually between 6 and 12 weeks.

The Pre-school shall in each calendar year hold a general meeting as its Annual General Meeting, in addition to any other general meetings in that year and shall specify the meeting as such in the notice calling it. The Annual General Meeting in each year shall be held at such time and place as the Committee shall decide. All General Meetings other than the Annual General Meeting shall be Extraordinary General Meetings. Each Annual General Meeting will be chaired by the Chair or in his/her absence another member of the Committee.

Objectives and Activities

The aims of the Pre-school are to enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age, by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children through community groups, and by:

offering appropriate play, education and care facilities, together with the right of parents to take responsibility for and to become involved in the activities of the pre-school, ensuring that we offer opportunities for all children whatever their race, culture, religion, means or ability;
encouraging the study of the needs of such children and their families and promoting public interest in and recognition of such needs in the local areas; and
Instigating and adhering to and furthering the aims and objects of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

The Pre-School is set in the rural village community of Sutton Benger. It is located in the village hall and the children make use of both the inside and outside space as well as using the local woods for

forest school. The village hall is next to the primary school and links with the school are positive; with the majority of those attending the pre-school transitioning to this school. The Pre-School is well regarded in the community many of whom are alumni parents.

The Pre-School is open from 9am to 3pm four days of the week, offering flexible sessions to enable people to use their Nursery Education Grant. One day of the week has been reserved for ‘Polar Bears’ (children starting school the following academic year). The pre-school has a total daily capacity of 24 children on current statutory guidance.

The Pre-school provides high quality, affordable and accessible childcare to children aged between 2 and 5, in a safe and supportive environment. We work in partnership with parents in the provision of this childcare. Benger Bears values each child’s individuality in a caring, stimulating and nurturing environment. Children are inspired to learn through play to reach their full potential.

The Committee have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in deciding what activities the charity should undertake during the year.

Achievements and Performance

Child numbers

During the previous financial year, the pre-school felt the impact of the COVID pandemic and saw a decrease in child numbers as well as a reduction in hours of attendance from those children this has improved for the current financial year which saw a greater number of children attending the setting. The Pre-school has benefited from the building of new housing in the village over the last few years and child numbers as well as the numbers of sessions attended, increased for the current year.

Financial

During the Financial year, the Pre-school has made a net surplus of £2,836 (2021 deficit: £13,224). In the previous year, there were significant restrictions in activities due to COVID and in the current year, there was an increase in the number of children and also in the activities provided.

Fee income receipts totalled £72,161 (2021: £44,305). The increase is due to increased number of children attending the setting. The Committee and staff increased fundraising efforts during the year and there was £1,003 (2021: £218) raised through fundraising activities this year. A £999 grant was received and paid to the village hall for repairs to the fence.

Total costs have increased from the prior year, being £71,338 (2021: £57,748). This is due mainly to the increase in underlying costs of rent, salaries and activities.

Designated funds

The Pre-school holds reserves, which are classified as designated funds to cover potential future costs of closure, to support the pre-school where we incur a short-term fall in child numbers, and to cover any other unforeseen costs. The largest component of this is redundancy payments. The policy includes a detailed calculation for redundancy costs to support the monetary value of reserves held. During the year, our review of reserves has indicated that it would be prudent to maintain reserve levels at £12,000 in line with the prior year. The Pre-school reserves are ring fenced in the CAF Reserves bank account at the end of the year.

The committee is confident that the pre-school has sufficient funds to meet its obligations for the foreseeable future.

Advisors

Bank	CAF Bank	25 Kings Hill Avenue
		Kings Hill
		West Malling
		Kent
		ME19 4JQ
Independent Examiner	Janette Collier-Marsh FCA	Collier-Marsh Accountancy
		Old Coach House
		Seagry Road
		Sutton Benger
		Wiltshire
		SN15 4RX

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Benger Bears Pre-school

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2022, which are set out on pages 1 to 7.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide 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 fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act

have not been met; or

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Janette Collier-Marsh FCA 23 October 2024 Collier-Marsh Accountancy Old Coach House, Seagry Road Sutton Benger Wiltshire SN15 4RX

Receipts and Payments Account

Receipts Revenue Grants Fundraising Interest/Investment income Total Receipts Payments Advertising Bank charges Children’s Activities Consumables DBS Checks Equipment Fundraising costs Gifts/Charitable expense Insurance Office Costs Professional Fees Registration Fees Rent Repairs and Maintenance Salaries Software Welfare and training Total Payments Net gain/(loss)	Unrestricted Funds 2022 £ 72,161 - 1,003 10 73,174 465 98 1,425 1,089 52 173 343 245 813 2,066 923 138 8,459 - 52,713 627 709 70,338 2,836	Restricted Funds £ - 999 - - 999 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 999 - - - 999 -	Unrestricted Funds 2021 £ 44,305 - 218 1 44,524 58 84 555 472 129 91 123 98 798 857 590 130 7,714 - 45,340 625 84 57,748 (13,224)

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

Bank and Cash Accounts CAF Current CAF Reserves Cash Total Bank and Cash Other Monetary Assets Prepayments/Other debtors Total Other Monetary Assets Other Monetary Liabilities Fees received in advance Accruals Total Monetary Liabilities	Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total £ £ £ 27,085 - 27,085 12,250 - 12,250 - - - 39,335 - 39,335 886 - 886 886 - 886 729 - 729 1,356 - 1,356 2,085 - 2,085	2021 £ 22,676 12,242 204
		35,122
		312
		312
		200 521
		721

Signed on behalf of the Trustees

Anna Parkinson (Treasurer)

October 2024

2022-08-31-accounts