Reg Charity No: 1073553 Mottingham Lane, London SE9 4RW Tel: 0208 851 6447
New Lodge Riding for the Disabled Association Charity No 1073553 Annual Report for year ending 31[st] March 2021
New Lodge RDA operates at the New Lodge Riding Centre, Mottingham Lane, Eltham, SE9 4RW.
The charity is governed by a committee of three trustees with a working committee of a further five members who are not trustees but are involved with the day to day running of the charitable activities. The daily responsibility of running the charity and looking after the horses is assigned to Hilary Crawford. Committee meetings are held quarterly and the working committee report to the Trustees at these.
Trustees and committee members are nominated and elected by the voting members of the charity at the AGM.
The charity is governed by the terms of the constitution adopted on 20[th] November 1998. The charity is affiliated to the National Riding for the Disabled association, charity no 244108 and is governed by the terms set out in the constitution. New Lodge RDA benefits from use of policies and guidance provided by National RDA and is also covered by their insurance policy.
Trustees: Dot Johnson – Chair Hilary Crawford – Treasurer Amanda Green – Secretary In accordance with the terms of the constitution Dot Johnson stood down at the last AGM but was willing to stand for re-election. There were no other nominees so Dot Johnson was unanimously re-elected as Chair.
Working Committee members: Hannah West Kathryn Cartwright Amy Clark Hannah Ward Annabelle Evans
The accounts are examined and prepared by: Mike Flynn Association of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (retired)
20 Spinney Way Cudham Kent TN14 7QY
The objects of the New Lodge RDA are to promote the objectives of the Riding for the Disabled Association (a registered charity under no 244108) by providing disabled people the opportunity to horse ride as a therapy in order to benefit their health and well-being.
In order to achieve these objectives the New Lodge RDA provides riding five days a week throughout the year. Riders come from a wide range of ages and disabilities both intellectual and physical. We cater for a large group of riders on the Autistic Spectrum. The Centre is situated in the Borough of Bromley but we take in riders from all the surrounding Boroughs of Bromley, Royal Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Bexley. New Lodge RDA is fully inclusive taking in riders and volunteers from all walks of life and ethnicities.
This was a difficult year for the Centre as we had to lockdown during the pandemic and were unable to operate. During this time the horses still had to be fed and cared for but our income was severely reduced. We started operating as soon as we were allowed to provide riding for disabled as an outdoor sports activity but due to restrictions in how we operate our numbers remained down. Our school groups have yet to return so our activity during the week is greatly reduced outside school holidays.
We have a contract with Royal Greenwich to offer riding through their Short Breaks scheme but the remainder of our riders are now individuals attending with parents, carers or on their own. We hope to build up our school groups again in the future.
Most riders attend weekly either long term or for a block such as a term. This allows for progression over an extended period. We cater for an average of 40 riders each week and over the last year we closed completely for four months due to the pandemic. While we were open our riders gained great benefit both physically and mentally and for much of the time we were one of the few activities still open for our riders. This was remarked on time and again as being a positive help for the mental health of the whole family.
Our sessions allow riders to progress and individual programmes are set to allow each rider to achieve their full potential. Riders benefit through exercise, learning a new skill, therapy, learning new life skills, a sense of achievement, increased self-esteem, improved listening skills, interacting with the horses and having fun. Riding can lead to real changes in people’s lives we receive feedback from parents saying how their child’s confidence has grown and this is reflected in all areas of the child’s lives. Our more able riders often want to volunteer. Volunteering is often used towards gaining D of E awards. Some of the young people also go on to study Equine studies or animal care and hope to make a career in the industry.
New Lodge RDA could not operate without the help of a dedicated band of volunteers. We currently have over 30 volunteers registered with us who help lead the horses and support the riders during the rides. Volunteers come from schools, the local community and many retired people. New Lodge RDA has two part time paid staff to help with the rides and to take care of and prepare the horses. The New Lodge RDA provides a community atmosphere for all its riders, their families and volunteers. Everyone socialises during rides and fundraising events and often parents get a chance to mix and swop ideas and information.
The Trustees are aware of their duty to have regard to the commission’s public benefit guidance when making decisions to which the guidance is relevant.
The charity needs to raise approximately £30,000 per year to cover the daily running costs of providing the service and keeping and caring for the horses. In the past this has mostly been covered from fees and the contract with Royal Greenwich but this year the reduced fees left a big shortfall. We were successful in applying for grants to help us keep the horses and we have to thank the following for supporting us.
National and Regional RDA Co-op Community Links Bromley – Direct Line ESC Lottery Fund – Sport England National Lottery Covid 19 response grant London Community Fund As well as many individuals for donations both large and small.
At the end of this financial year we had £22,339 in the bank which will be used to supplement the depleted income over the next year to give us time to get back on our feet. The charity has assets including stables, tractor, fencing, hard standings, security containers, horses, tack and a hand washing station. These are all in daily use providing the service,
New Lodge RDA currently has the use of eleven ponies. These cover a range of sizes and abilities to accommodate all our riders. Some are owned by the charity with some on long term loan.
The charity works with the New Lodge Riding Centre which allows us to use the premises free of charge. The Riding Centre pays most of the overheads and shares the cost of keeping the horses in return for their use on the weekend rides. This is a partnership which has been in operation for over thirty five years and works well. The Riding Centre also provides the instructor for all the RDA sessions without charge. During the lockdowns the riding school had to reduce its financial help as it had to close for longer and did not qualify for grants. As they return to normal they will increase the support again.
This year the total income was £41,513 and the total outgoings were £35,325. The contract with Royal Greenwich brings in £12,440. Most in house fund raising stopped due to the pandemic but the sponsor pony scheme continued as participants could be contacted by post.
The largest expenses are the wages of the part time staff and the cost of keeping the horses. There is also a fee for securing places on the mainstream weekend rides for the more able students. This is part of the Royal Greenwich contract and is covered by the funding received from them the fee was reduced this year as they were unable to operate sessions during the lockdowns. Insurance and the subscription to National RDA, utilities, general maintenance and general expenses make up the rest of the outgoings.
New Lodge RDA has been operating for over forty years and has always operated at full capacity. The pandemic has meant we have for the first time operated at reduced numbers and at times had to close completely, however, everyone was very keen to start up as soon as we were able. We need to fill the sessions during the week term time and will look to doing this as soon as possible but our weekend rides and school holiday rides are well subscribed.
Signed: Date: 20/11/20
Hilary Crawford Treasurer
CHARITY COMMISSION
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period te9ories Detsils Ilnrestrict fvnds Restricted funds nre8tÈ Endowment funds nearest£ B1 Cash funds k¢ nearest£ Total cash funds IX¥39 KWs}} Unrestrieted Restrictèd funds funds TtE nea&t£ B2 Other monetary assets Details End0mènt funds * rate8t£ Details FuThl toKh Cost lorknll urrentvalue 84 Assets retalned for the Char.5 ¢)wn use ails Fund to whh Cost I¢)&onl Currentvalue nal 5G<'_ f b Iva53 f IJL6 ¥AICf¥> )4¥3 I*¢x4E< Icrt i B5 Liabilltles DetÈils Fund b)whKh Amoufitd When duo na behalf of all Ihe trustees Signature Print Name Date or roval CCXX R2 accounts ISS) ly11121
NEW LODGE RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION 1073553 MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS RECEIVED 31 MARCH 2021 CO-OP £4584.54 SPENTON: FEED/VETS FEES/MEDICINES £3458 FENCING £1135 COMMUNITY LINKS BROMLEY £2500 SPENT ON: WAGES £1400 FEED/vFfs FEES £1235 ESC LOTTERY FUND-SPORT ENGLAND £2120 WAGES £1120 FEED/VETS FEES £1078 TELEPHONE £40 NATIONAL LorrERY COVID 19 RESPONSE GRANT £2984 SPENT ON: WAGES £1150 HANDWASHER £678 FEED/VEfs FEES £983 GENERAL EXPENSES £141
NEW LODGE RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION 1073553 MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS RECEIVED 31 MARCH 2021 LONDON COMMUNITY FUND £1880 SPENT ON . FEED/VETS FEES £1849 GENERAL EXPENSES £114 UK YOUTH FUND £1560 SPENT ON". WAGES £1160 FEED £525
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustsesl members of On accounts for the year ended NI.qc44 Charity no (rfany) Set oirt on pages 10 73S¥3 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended Rosponsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are reswnsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the qUirementS of the ChaTities Act 2011 {Ihe Ad"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying OLrt my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(bl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disdosed below") in connection with the examinatton which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect. accounting records were not kept in accordano wtth SelOn 130 of the A¢1 or the accounts do not &cord wrth the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no conoms and have come across no other matters in connection wrth the examinatron to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete the wonys in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Signed." Date: Name.. l&. Il. aoal Rolevant professional qualificatlon(s) or body (if any): Address.. 10 s ts•J October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. ER October 2018