Chair Annual Report
Year ending- 30[th] April 2024
Charity No: 1046862 www.cynonvalleypals.co.uk email: cynonvalleypals@aol.com
Status
The organisation is a registered charity which registered 5[th] June 1995 and is governed by a constitution. Under the rules of the constitution the members of the management committee are elected at the AGM.
Management Committee 2023 - 2024
Throughout the year we have had a few changes to our Management Committee. Rebecca Lydon has stepped down from her role on the Committee. Lisa Walstow has made the decision to resign as Chair to become Vice-Chair. We have a number of volunteers who have expressed interest in joining the Management Committee.
Lowri Matthews – Chair Lisa Walstow- Vice-Chair Rebecca Shrubb- Treasurer Martyn Vardon - Treasurer Faye Matthews - Secretary Paul Shrubb Rhian Smith Laura Painter Katrina Whale Hannah Scobie Camilla Harding Rhian Davies
Principle Address 3, Hillcrest Avenue, Aberaman, Aberdare, CF44 6YH
The Management Committee present it’s report and financial statements for the year ending 30[th] April 2024
We held a full programme of activities this year. In May 2023, we held a Coronation Party at Dragons Den. During the May Half-Term we restarted our sessions at the Lido and Aberdare Splash Park. We also attended Daerwynno, Horse Riding, Cwm Cycling, a family meal at the Brynffynon Hotel, Cinema, Surfing with Surfability and swimming at Aberfan. We also hosted our 28[th] Birthday Party at Dragons Den.
For our Summer Playscheme we again tried to keep to similar activities on the same day each week in order to give the children a sense of routine. On Mondays we had Family Lunch, Cwm Cycling and Splashpad. Tuesdays were our trip days and we visited Longleat, Brecon Canal Boat Trip, Mountain View Ranch, Pembrey Country Park and Weston Super Mare. Wednesdays we enjoyed trips to the cinema, horseriding and our regular Dragons Den visits. Thursdays were local activities and we visited Colliers Adventure Farm, Daerwynno, Summit Centre and Plantasia. We had multi sports at the Ron Jones Stadium and swimming on Fridays. Saturdays were our regularly scheduled Lido sessions. On Sundays we enjoyed a variety of activities including, Parc Play, cinema trips, Trago Playcentre and a trip to Gwili Steam Railway. We also went to see Winnie the Pooh at the Millenium Centre.
In September we enjoyed a visit to Circus Starr at Pagett Rooms in Penarth
During October Half Term we went to Family Lunch at Ynys View Café, cycling with Cwm Cycling and enjoyed our family swim session at the Sobell Centre. We enjoyed a visit to Aberdare Coliseum Theatre for King of Nothing Puppet Show and to the cinema. We had our Halloween party at Dragons Den. We had Family Lunch at Brynffynon Hotel and an exclusive session at Kingdom of Chaos. We attended Horse Riding and Swimming at Aberfan Leisure Centre.
We had a busy Christmas period with a trip to Brecon Mountain Railway to visit Santa. We saw Santa at Rhondda Heritage Park and Colliers Adventure Farm. We went to the pantomimes at Aberdare Coliseum and New Theatre Cardiff. We had our Christmas party at Dragons Den. We also enjoyed a Breakfast with Santa at Brewers Fayre in Aberdare. We again entered Team PALS into the Nos Galan Road Races.
In January we started to distribute the Winter Warm Packs. These ran as ‘Winter Warm Hubs’ at Dragons Den in addition to our monthly session. January also saw us visit the Wales Millennium Centre for the show ‘Aladdin’.
In February Half Term we attended Trago Playzone and Egni. We also had a few of our regular half-term activities which included Family Lunch, at both Ynys View and the Brynffynnon, Cwm Cycling, Family Swim, Cinema and Horse Riding. We also put on a number of different activities which included Golf and Bowling, Lunch at Frankie&Bennys and Vertigo Trampoline Park. We ended half-term with our Warm Hub at Dragons Den.
In March we hosted our final Winter Warm Hub and also had a visit to the Wales Millennium Centre to see ‘Bluey’s Big Play’.
At Easter we had a busy two weeks. We were able to gift a number of children toys thanks to donations leftover from Christmas from St David’s Centre. We also got to go and see Fireman Sam at Aberdare Coliseum.
We enjoyed going to Cwm Cycling. We took part in Easter activities at Daerwynno. We had an Easter party at Dragons Den. We went horse riding at Smugglers and had an exclusive Easter session at Colliers Adventure Farm. We went surfing to with Surfability at Caswell Bay. Our weekly sessions at Ponty Lido started. We also enjoyed visits to the Cinema.
At the end of April we were also presented with our King’s Award for Voluntary Service by Peter Vaughan, the Lord-Lieutenant of Glamorgan. This was a fantastic opportunity for us to share the work of Cynon Valley PALS and our upcoming plans.
Throughout the year our regular sessions at Lido Ponty, Coliseum Cinema, Dragons Den and Cwm Cycling continued.
Fundraising Nos Galan - £1176.88
Choc Free February - £1401.00
Zipping for PALS - £250.75 One Lottery – £615.48 Raffles - £414.32 Donation Tubs – £3.00 Stalls- £117.50 Celebrate 28- £1204.25 Badges and Pins- £80.00 Charity Night- £667.00 Calendars- £174.60 Christmas Fundraising- £159.05 Rotary Raffle- £1000.00 Band Fundraiser- £250.00 Facebook Birthdays- £7.83
Grants- ALL HAVE SPENT
Pen Y Cymoedd- £1,100.00 Interlink- £520.00 Interlink- £1,000.00 Magic Little Grants- £500.00 National Lottery Awards For All- £10,000.00 National Grid Community Matters- £9,450.00 Charity Foundation Wales- £2,000.00
Donations
Aberdare Town FC- £101.50 Amazon Smile- £19.17 Blaengwawr Close- £125.00 Bonus Ball- £470.00 Facebook Donations- £64.00 Laura Painter- £60.00 L Evans- £40.00 K Langmead- £60.00 Mr Hill- £20.00 Mr Jones and Mr Furnish- £1000.00 Paypal Donation- £0.01 R. Smith- £15.00 S. Day- £14.00 T. Harris- £20.00 Townsends- £90.00 Townsends Golden Wedding- £50.00 Whitehall Golf Club- £1600.00 Y. Halford- £12.00
Future Strategy
We continue to evaluate the services that we provide to our families and are always looking for new ways to meet the needs of the children and the families we support. The focus for
next year will be to continue to find ways of working and supporting families, taking in to account the cost-of-living crisis. We need more committee members to help out.
Risk Review
The management committee has conducted its own review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed and has set out plans to minimize these risks.
Risk 1- The charity’s current committee is small in number and some roles are vacant
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Job descriptions for roles to be circulated
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Training for all committee members to be arranged.
Risk 2- We need more people to help out at and lead in person activities
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Readvertise for a playscheme leader
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Training for all volunteers to be arranged.
Risk 3- Financial stability
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although PALS have a good amount of money in the accounts a lot of this is restricted and can only be used for specific spending.
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fundraising is proving more difficult in the current climate and the number of grants available for have dramatically decreased
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continue to apply for grants as they are available
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continue with fundraising including monthly raffles, fundraising events
Financial Review
The attached accounts were presented by the treasurer. A review of financial practise was carried out. A review of policies was carried out.
Policies Review
A review of all current policies was carried out.
Responsibilities of the Management Committee
The Charity Commission required the Management Committee to prepare financial statements for each financial year. They must ensure that the accounts are prepared and formally approve them, along with the annual report.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP)- Accounting and Reporting by Charity, and has been approved by the Management Committee on June 14[th] 2024, signed on its behalf by;
Lowri Matthews (Chair)
Rebecca and Martyn are happy to continue in the role as Treasurers. We will ask if anyone has any links to accounts that could assist in formulating reports. Possibly investigate funding an accountant with grant funding by applying through admin fees.
Meirion Townsend will join the management committee. Katrina Whale has resigned from the management committee.
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Cynon Valley PALS Account Summary - Year Ended 30 April 2024
Income
Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds Total
Fundraising £7,521.66 £7,521.66
Parent Contributions £12,810.73 £12,810.73
Donations £3,760.68 £3,760.68
Grants
Pen Y Cymoedd £1,100.00 £1,100.00
Interlink £520.00 £520.00
Awards For All £10,000.00 £10,000.00
Community Fund for Wales £2,000.00 £2,000.00
National Grid Energy £9,450.00 £9,450.00
Magic Little Grants £500.00 £500.00
Interlink £1,000.00 £1,000.00
Total £24,570.00
Gift Aid £346.17
Interest £499.16
Total Income £49,508.40
Expenditure
Admin £5,334.03
Fundraising £600.00
Trips £13,053.60
Playscheme £16,909.04
Family Support £6,944.64
Refunds £10.00
Publicity £217.68
Total Expenditure £43,068.99
Surplus / Deficit £6,439.41
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Report to the trustees / members of Cynon Valley PALS, charlty number 1046862 on accounts for the year ended Aprll 3(fh 202 I report to the trustees on my examlnauon of the accounts of Cynon Valley PALS ("the Trusf) for the year ended Aprll 3(Xh 2024. As the charlty trustees of the Trust. you are responslble for the preparatlon of the accounts In aCcdanCe with the requlrements of the Charlties Act 2011 ("the kf). You conslder that the Tntst Is exempt from audlt for the year ended Aprll 3Clh 2024 under the Act and is efi8ible for Independent examlnation. I report In respect of my examination of the Trusvs accounts carried out undef sectlon 145 of the 2011 Act and in carryln8 Out my examination, I have followed the applkable Dlrections 8fven by the Charlty Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the kL I have completed my examlnatlon. I conflmi that no matedal matters have come to my attentlon In connectlon with the examinatson whkh SI$ me cause to belleve that In. any materfal respect: accountin8 reCth were not kept in accdanCe with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord wlth the accountin8 recw I have no concerns and have come across no other matters In connectlon wlth the examination to which attention should be drdwn In order to enable a proper understsndln8 of the accounts to be reathed. Signed: Date: Name: Mrs Cheryll Chkk Relevant professional qualifKion(s) body (If any): Retlred bank ckn Address: 7, Hlllrnt Avenue. Aberaman, Aberdare, CF44 6YH