2024-03-31-accounts

COBBES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION

CHARITY NUMBER 1074165

ANNUAL REPORT,

RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT AND

STATEMENT OF ASSETS & LIABILITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

Contents

	Page
Legal and Administrative Information	2
Report of the Trustees	3 to 6
Independent Examiner’s Report	7
Receipts and Payments Account	8
Statement of assets and liabilities and other notes	9 to 10

COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

Legal and Administrative Information

Trustees	Mr David Hall (Chair)
	Mrs Marguerite Heath
	Mrs Gerrie Serpell (Treasurer)
	Mrs Mary Mustafa
	Mr Philip Harland
	Mrs Catherine McCully
	Mrs Suzi Ross-Browne
	Mr Barnaby Swire
	Mrs Sally Murch
	Mrs Christine Sladden
	Mrs Teresa Whitehead
Registered charity number	1074165
Governing document	Constitution
Principal address	Candlers Way
	St Augustine's
	Chartham
	Canterbury
	Kent
	CT4 7TU
Independent examiner
	Bay Tree Accountancy
	Chartered Accountants
	Stelling Minnis
	Canterbury
	Kent
	CT4 6AA
Bankers	National Westminster Bank PLC
	20 High Street
	Ashford
	Kent
	TN24 SSH

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COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

Trustees' Annual Report

Aim and organisation

1. The Cobbes Meadow Group was started in 1972 and at that time was a Group within the single national Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) charity. In 1999 the national RDA charity was broken up and the Groups within it, including Cobbes Meadow Group, became individual charities in their own right. The Group is governed by a constitution agreed at that time between RDA National and the Charity Commission on behalf of Groups across England and Wales.

2. The aim of Cobbes Meadow Group is to provide disabled people with the opportunity to ride and/or carriage drive to benefit their health and well-being.

3. The charity is managed by the Committee of Trustees which has control of the Group’s property and funds. The Group’s constitution requires a committee of at least 3 and no more than 11 trustees. No trustee may be a paid employee of the Group, but must be a member of the Group. Election of trustees occurs at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) usually in June each year to which nominations may be made by any member or the Committee. One third of the Committee must retire at each AGM with the longest in office retiring first. Retiring trustees are eligible for reelection. If a vacancy occurs, the Committee may appoint a replacement until the next AGM.

4. Day to day running of the Group is the responsibility of a Management Subcommittee which reports to the Trustees. The Treasurer and Secretary of the Committee of Trustees sit on this subcommittee which then appoints its own Chairman. The charity employs no paid staff.

Review of progress and achievements

1. Our charitable objective is to provide disabled people with the opportunity to ride and/or carriage drive to benefit their health and well-being. The Trustees are pleased to report that riding sessions provided during the year continued to build on the success of the previous year and were maintained at a high level. Carriage driving sessions were increased with the return from injury of Charlie, our wheelchair carriage pony. This meant that each week 4 wheelchair users were able to access the wheelchair carriage by means of our purpose-built lift, in addition to the 4 drivers who use the step access carriage. Driving sessions operate between April and July and September to December.

2. The Group held various events during the year to not only raise funds but to also involve other people not associated with Cobbes Meadow and to introduce them to what we do. In the summer we hosted a Family Support Day which enabled other families to visit our Centre, to meet the ponies and to try riding and we even had the local Canterbury Fire fighters at the Centre with one of their fire engines. This went down very well with the visiting children who were allowed to climb aboard. Thank you, Canterbury Fire Service, for your support. We also held a Dressage Day for our riders as well as a dog show which attracted 43 dogs and their handlers. Rosettes and certificates were presented at both events. In September we booked a visit from the Autism Reality Experience. They came to our Centre with their bus which is fitted out with equipment to

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COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

demonstrate to non-autistic people the sensory processing difficulties faced by people on the autistic spectrum. Two groups of our helpers found the event invaluable in giving an insight into the challenges faced by those trying to deal with everyday situations which we may all take for granted.

1. Our great celebration this year was the fact that one of our Trustees has clocked up 50 years as a volunteer with Cobbes Meadow. Catherine McCully joined Cobbes Meadow in 1973 as a volunteer which was soon after the Group was founded in 1972. Catherine has been involved in very significant ways throughout her 50 years, serving as a trustee, directing the Group as Chair of Trustees for many years but her greatest dedication has been to look after 4, sometimes 5 horses at her stables at home, gallantly supported by her husband, Douglas. As we operate on a daily basis this has meant having the horses fed, watered and ready to be transported to our Centre at 8.30am each day and then to provide for their needs on return in the afternoon. Catherine continues to look after 4 horses in her stables and supervises the care and welfare (shoeing, inoculations and other vet appointments) of the 6 other horses which live elsewhere. The Group held a special lunch in the summer to celebrate Catherine’s long service. Catherine was deservedly presented with her Gold 50 Year Certificate by Pauline Roestenburg, the Chair of the South-East Region of the Riding for the Disabled Association at our AGM in November 2023. Her exceptional service was also recognised at a higher level when Catherine was awarded the British Empire Medal in the first birthday honours of His Majesty King Charles III. Other long service awards were also presented by Pauline Roestenburg at our AGM to Claire Harland, Rosemarie Loxton-Edwards and Joy Claxton for 45 years each, with Joy also being presented with a glass trophy for being awarded the RDA South-East Region “Volunteer of the Year”. Jill Steadman was presented with her 40 Year Certificate as well.

Review of financial activities

1. The accounts for this financial year show an excess of income over expenditure of £32,197 compared to £20,565 in the previous financial year ended 2023. The reason for this is due to a significant increase of £21,000 in donations from our supporters (a total of £49,034 in the year) and a total of £9,231 raised in our own fund raising activities. An additional £3,720 was received from use of our facilities by others, compared to £690 for the previous year. Although our expenses were also up, these were fortunately exceeded by income received.

2. Sources of income came from a wide range of activities and donors and our grateful thanks goes to each and everyone of them. In May 2023 we held a “Ramble” with invited guest and media star, Clare Balding, leading the ramblers on the walk and signing books and autographs afterwards. The event raised £2,000. King’s School Rochester adopted us as their charity and painted some beautiful murals at the Centre as well as raising £7,700 for us during the school year. The East Kent Ploughing Match committee donated £500 to the Group and a similar sum was donated by the Lower Hardres Gardening Society with £1,000 received from the Sir John Swire Foundation again. Our “Crafty Christmas Fair” raised £2,000 from stall holders and from the sale of cakes, food and drink. We held a Quiz evening in February which was very well attended, great fun and raised £2,200. Cinque Ports Metal Detector Club donated £630 to us and The Worshipful Company of Loriners (representing the makers of bits and bridles) donated £750. The St

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COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

Augustine’s Lodge of the Masons raised £1,000 for us and the Dane John Lodge gave us £250. Special thanks must be given to Faversham Golf Club through Ginny Wilson, the Ladies’ Captain, and Nick Sage, the Gentlemen’s Captain, for selecting us as their charity of the year and for working so hard to raise £11,576 for us during the year; an incredible sum for which we are extremely grateful. Diane Tatt, a member of Canterbury Sunrise Rotary Club, sponsored our horse “Poppy” for a second year donating £4,200, which, with gift aid, will cover the livery costs for Poppy for a whole year and we are most grateful for this very generous donation. During the year we purchased two black and white ponies; Billy who stands at 15.3 hands and Tuppence at 13 hands. This brings our compliment of horses and ponies owned by us to 6, with 4 on loan and 3 others borrowed when required for driving days.

1. We submitted a funding application to the Kent Community Fund and received a most welcome donation of £2,500 from the Lawson Endowment Grant which will be used for the care of our other horses and ponies. Thanks are due to all our supporters who kindly donated funds to us and whom I have not publicly thanked by name.

2. On the expenses side our costs were up by just under £17,000 overall (excluding the cost of purchasing a new pony) with the main increase being for the livery and care of our horses (up by nearly £6,000) and £2,700 more being incurred in the running and maintenance of our 2 horse boxes which are used to transport horses from their “homes” to the Centre four days per week. Utility costs also increased by £1,100. Our overall expenditure was £62,337 for the year, up from £41,758 in the previous year; however thankfully more than covered by the additional income received in the year.

3. The policy of the Trustees is to have a financial reserve equal to one year’s normal operating costs. This has been in the order of £30,000 but in the light of the increased livery costs and other expenses the Trustees have reviewed this and set a new reserve of £50,000 to cover eventualities which may arise.

4. The major items of expenditure for the operation of the charity are veterinary and pony care and livery costs which this year together amounted to £32,372, an increase on the previous year’s figure of £26,373. The other item of expenditure which also increased was for transport where some large invoices were incurred for the cost of repairs to the 2 horse boxes and higher fuel costs due to increased usage. Fund raising events which have already been planned for the next financial year as well as high levels of activity on the riding and driving front, give the Trustees confidence for the year ahead and it is the opinion of the Trustees that the charity is considered to be a going concern for the next 12 months.

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COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

1. The Independent examiner’s report (attached) has been seen and noted by the Committee of Trustees.

2. The Trustees have examined the major strategic, business and operational risks which the charity faces and confirm that systems have been established to enable the charity to lessen or mitigate these risks. Furthermore, the Trustees consider that the Group’s objectives and activities comply with the Charity Commission guidance on Public Benefit.

3. The Trustees consider that the charity is in a sound financial position.

Signed:

Date: 20[th] June 2024

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COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

Independent examiner's report

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of Cobbes Meadow Group Riding for the Disabled Association (''the charity") for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the Trustees of the charity, 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 charity'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(5Xb) of the Act.

Independent examiner's 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:

• a. accounting records were not kept as required by section 130 of the Act; or

• b. the accounts do not accord with those records.

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.

Bay Tree Accountancy Chartered Accountants Stelling Minnis Canterbury Kent CT4 6AA

Signed:

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Date: 20[th] June 2024

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COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

Receipts and Payments Account

Income Grants and donations Receipts from activities - note 3 Fundraising activities Other Investment income Interest received Other income Sale of assets Gift Aid/GASDS claims Total income Expenditure Direct charitable expenditure Veterinary and pony care Tack and clothing Equipment, including repairs Transport Insurance (vehicles) Insurance (horses) Purchase costs of clothing Costs of public website Costs of outings, events & other activities Management and administration - note 4 Purchase of horse Purchase of equipment Total expenditure Excess/(Deficit) of income over expenditure Cash funds brought forward Cash funds carried forward	Unrestricted Restricted Total Total Fund Fund 2024 2023 £ £ £ £ 38,334 10,700 49,034 27,158 27,138 - 27,138 27,310 9,231 - 9,231 7,319 1,334 - 1,334 536 - - - - 6,747 1,050 7,797 -
	82,784 11,750 94,534 62,323
	24,622 7,750 32,372 26,373 1,184 - 1,184 747 736 785 1,521 280 7,501 - 7,501 4,804 825 - 825 794 - - - 1,499 - - - - 287 - 287 228 2,793 - 2,793 390 11,854 - 11,854 6,643 - 4,000 4,000 - - - - -
	49,802 12,535 62,337 41,758
	32,982 (785) 32,197 20,565 64,288 960 65,248 44,683
	97,270 175 97,445 65,248

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COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

Statement of Assets and Liabilities and other notes

Note 1 Monetary assets - cash and bank account

NatWest Current account Yorkshire Building Society	Unrestricted £ 59,744 37,526 Restricted £ 175 -	Total £ 59,919 37,526
	97,270 175	97,445

Other monetary assets £ Inland Revenue (Gift Aid tax refund) 1,735

Note 2 Non-monetary assets - held for charity's own use

All stated at original cost value	£
Land at the Former St Augustine's Hospital, Chartham	19,974
Riding school, Linnet Room and viewing gallery extension	125,370
Sand school (all above insured for £385,289)	28,202
Equi-Trek Super-Sonic horsebox 2010 (insured £20,000)	24,186
Renault Master Horsebox 2015 (insured £20,000)	30,420
Hoist and associated equipment	1,660
Sensory Ride	2,290
Muck trailer	350
All stated at estimated value
6 ponies owned at year end	17,000
4 ponies loaned at year end	-
4 carriages plus 3 sets of harness	12,650
Tack, jumps and general equipment	15,427

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COBB ES MEADOW GROUP RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

Statement of assets and liabilities and other notes - continued

Note 3 Receipts from activities Riders and drivers' subscriptions Sale of merchandise Donations for use of facilities Note 4 Management and administration Property Costs including maintenance and utilities Administration Insurance (public liability/personal accident/building/contents) Training Costs including courses Independent Examiner's fee Sundry expenses	2024 2023 £ £ 23,418 26,614 - 6 3,720 690
	27,138 27,310
	2024 2023 £ £ 6,993 3,523 119 95 1,997 1,730 2,145 845 600 450 - -
	11,854 6,643

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