## **DTL-AGM-23-01/D/02** ## **Annual Report** **Picture by Evelyn (Age 9)** **Derbyshire Toy Libraries c/o Crich Glebe Field Centre Glebe Field Close Crich Matlock Derbyshire DE4 5EU** ## **Charity No: 1081255** **www.derbyshiretoylibraries.org** **Picture by Phoebe (Age 7)** ## **Contents** **----- Start of picture text -----**
04 About Us 12 Trustee Committee
05 Chair's Statement 13 Key Achievements
06 Treasurer's Report 14 Feedback from our
members
08 Our People
09 Key Activities
11 Our Governance
Picture by Akhil (Age 6)
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About Us ## 04 ## **We are Derbyshire Toy Libraries** Derbyshire Toy Libraries (DTL) is a registered Charity established in June 2000. We consider the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance in setting our objectives and carrying out our work. We carry out our work throughout Derbyshire and exist to: - support children’s education and development through the extension of play opportunities - provide a place for parents and carers to meet - offer support for parenting and parental involvement in play relieve financial hardship of families through the provision of affordable and subsidised play activities and resources - reduce the number of toys in landfill, encouraging multiple re-use - act as a hub within the local community - provide opportunities for volunteering and learning new skills We are run by a dedicated team of local people who work primarily on a voluntary basis. **I like the toy library because it does good vehicles which I like and I can play with lots of different ones.** **Noah (Age 3)** ## **Chairs Statement** ## 05 This year has been another incredible and challenging year. We have faced a period of planning our post Covid evolution. At the forefront of our planning is to keep our communities safe and well supported through all that we do, whilst continuing to centre our principle commitment to advance children’s education and development through the extension of play. We now move into an exciting phase as we focus on our organisational development, this will support our growth, stability, resilience and ultimately an improved Toy Library service for our communities. I extended deep gratitude to our founder Ann-Marie McMillan who continues to be an inspirational leader and always shows tenacity in driving our work forward. We are grateful to all of the DTL team who have much to be proud of in what we have achieved to support so many children and families throughout Derbyshire. We celebrate our achievements and performance. ## Rehana Reid ## **Treasurers Report** ## 06 These accounts have been drawn up on the accruals basis, consistent with previous years. Overall, the outcome for the year was a deficit of £4,363. At the end of the year, Derbyshire Toy Libraries had funds amounting to £5,269. The Charity’s policy on reserves is to hold sufficient funds to enable it to maintain the Charity’s equipment to a good standard and to meet all other reasonably foreseeable eventualities. - 21/22 continued to bring challenges, and some benefits, as a result of Covid. - Our Stay and Play sessions were restricted by Covid protocols and to some degree member confidence in returning to sessions. Income increased from nothing last year to over £4,000 this year but there is still some way to go as pre-covid this income stream regularly generated in excess of £6,000 each year. - The number of festivals/events, such as Belper goes Green, were reduced and as such our Marketing and Fundraising opportunities reduced. - Our Toy Hire income exceeded pre covid levels, a reflection of the increase in our membership base. - Income from Party Hire and Toy Sales far exceeded pre covid levels. - To enable more accurate financial reporting, toy hire and party hire began to be recorded under separate cost centres in the accounts. - Staff costs have increased as we have tried to keep up with the changes that have been necessary over the last 2 1/2 years. One notable change has been to increase the number of Click and Collect sessions each week so that we can service our membership. 07 22/23 Looking Forward - Work continues to build upon the increased utilisation of the Toy Library services by the communities of Derbyshire. The Trustees are conscious of the need to consolidate the achievements of the past year whilst eliminating the deficit. Thereby securing the future of Derbyshire Toy Libraries for years to come. - The Trustees regularly look for funding opportunities. Several grant applications have been submitted for support in achieving our objectives. To date, we have been successful in securing a Grant of £2450 for the relaunch of our Crich Stay and Play sessions and await the outcome on other applications. ## Anna Field ## **Our People** ## 08 ## **Staff** ## **Founder / Manager** Ann-Marie McMillan founded the toy library 23 years ago. She now oversees the management activities, relationships and supports the running of stay and play sessions. We would not be where we are today with her generosity, passion and dedication. ## **Coordinator** Lyndsey Willis runs our popular stay and play and click and collect sessions. Lyndsey carries out her work for DTL with enthusiasm and encouragement for all who use the service. ## **Business & Governance Consultant** Elizabeth Brierton joined DTL in 2022 to undertake governance work, project support and website development. Elizabeth is also secretary to the trustees. Elizabeth brings a wealth of experience in Project Management, Continuous Improvement and Process Change.. Elizabeth is supportive and encouraging with a keen eye for detail. ## **Volunteers** We are supported by a group of volunteers who give their time to help out at our community events and stay & play sessions. This includes trustees and paid staff. Our grateful thanks goes to Georgina, Clare, Liz and Linda **Picture by Henry (Age 3)** ## 09 ## **Key Activities** ## **Click & Collect** Members pay £10 for an annual membership to the Toy Library, giving them access to an online catalogue of over 1,000 toys and resources including age based play packs which they can hire with prices starting at 50p per week. Enquiries and bookings are made online and the service is run by our Click & Collect Coordinator from our rented toy store in Belper. **The toy library is fantastic! A brilliant way to avoid buying toys that will only be needed for a short time, great for the environment and our finances”.** **Samantha** ## **Stay & Play** Our Stay and Play Coordinators, with the assistance of our volunteer team run a timetable of weekly, 90 minute stay and play sessions in 3 different locations. A rotated selection of clean, safe and high quality toys is put out for the children to play with alongside other play based activities such as arts and crafts and song time. Parents and carers engage in play based activities together. Each week parents/carers are offered refreshments. Sessions are charged at £4 and concessions are offered for those unable to pay. On average 132 children attend a Stay & Play session each month. ## 10 ## **Monthly Virtual Toy Auctions** These developed from Facebook Monthly Sale Events which enabled us to clear surplus stock we had sorted through lockdown from review and repurpose. We changed our Derbyshire Toy Libraries Selling and Fundraising Facebook Group to a dedicated sale outlet for DTL - On suggestion from Trustee Cassie we changed this to a Virtual Auction to give participants opportunities to bid and we need to raise greater funds to pay for Strutts Toy Hire Store and replenish gaps in resources and or purchase in demand items eg Soft Play and Monitorie Pikler Frames . The work involved is approximately the same for greater gain. We are looking at other ways to improve and make available not just on Facebook in the future for greater accessibility. We are 1st in Google Searches for Donations of toys. **Got a Maisie Mouse jigsaw, which my son loved, for 20p - absolute bargain!** We also cascade donations to other local charities as required. **Karen** ## 11 ## **Our Governance** The charity is governed by a board of nine unpaid trustees who hold legal responsibility for the charity and adhere to our governing document and supporting policies. Key responsibilities of the trustee board include setting the strategic direction of the charity, building its financial health, ensuring it fulfills its aims and objectives and overseeing its operation. As a minimum the board meets quarterly to review, plan and manage the work of the charity. Ad hoc meetings are arranged outside of these times as and where needed. Trustees and officers are elected and appointed upon a convening of a general meeting. We recruit for trustees using social media, face to face meetings, Toy Library Members /attendees of stay & play, contacts from strategic partners]. We look for people with a range of skills and experience that can support our work as well as a real commitment to advancing our aims and objectives. **Picture by Daphne (19 months) and Mum Debbie** 12 ## **Trustee Committee** **All trustees act in a voluntary capacity and no trustee receives any benefit in relation to their work as a member of the board.** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Chair
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## treasurer ## trustee Rehana Reid 27/06/2018 Anna Field 12/09/2022 Lavinia Knowles 13/03/2014 trustee trustee trustee Liz Parker 13/03/2014 Beth Coley-Cross 01/09/2019 Cassie Ensor 12/09/2022 trustee trustee **It's awesome!** **Alexander (Age 3)** Yvette Holdsworth 08/02/2021 Karolyn St Martin 08/02/2021 ## **Key Achievements** ## 13 ## **We moved our toy store into The Strutts Centre** The new base is instrumental to the ongoing success of Click and Collect, it has fulfilled all the ticks on our dream list:- - Accessibility; central location in Belper with good transport links and is easily reachable on foot. The toy store is located on the ground floor, making it wheelchair/pushchair friendly. - Strutts is a multi-user building who we can support with our services. - It's safe and secure - (alarmed). - There are washing facilities for toys and resources. - Good Wifi allowing administration to be carried out on site. - Safe space to invite members in to view toys and resources and to provide advice on suitability. - People hire more resources when they can see them in person. ## **Attendance at Events** Ripley Town Council's Big Day Out Belper Goes Green Eco Festival 2022 at Belper Cricket Club Pride in Belper Sudbury Hall Early Years Play Event ## 14 ## **Feedback from our members** _I couldn’t ask for more from DTL, it’s become part of the weekly routine with my 3- year old and 9-month old to go to look around and hire a new and exciting toy for the week._ ## **Picture by Poppy (Age 5)** **New parents I tell about the toy library can’t believe that it’s not shouted about more, because it’s a lifeline as a parent - it gives my children so much, including life lessons about looking after someone else’s property, hiring and buying, even just the simplicity of actually choosing a toy each week** # **Produced by: The Trustee Committee Derbyshire Toy Libraries** ## **March 2023** **Picture by Arsh (Age 8)** 2ts21 s￿On le85 MembErthlplees Party hlre Toy hlr• 4.292 1559 16571 14.251 1.160 Fundralskn8 Grants rete S•le5 of tovs Other rtttlpts 4.104 8,542 10,708 24.959 9.794 16 staff costs Staff exper Room hlTt storaKe Refreshments Insurance Transp￿( Iwe￿￿te sutionery marke￿￿8 Fundra15irq costs SubscrlptloTkS Other payments TOV5 purtha5ed eral exptnses Lottery Grant C05fS Attountsfee 341 37Q $30 195 760 716 149 432 L773 371 5,556 Irj) 29.476 25.351 392 9,228 SU￿1￿5 i Oeflclt of recewts rmr pJyTrthts 8alance t*OU8ht forward 4,363 8,836 4An TOTAL FUNDS Represented by. Cash In hand 8ank acujunt balance 30 4ATa £ 8Ja6 Audltovs Report I confirm that th15 Recdptsand Payments xcount relledsthe flTwthlptyltknnln attordancAI wlth the recelpts and *>Jd*rsof WbyshlreToy uithe> . NJWJ Mrs ioth Marth 2023 DERBYSNIRETOY UBRARIES INDEPENDENT EXAMINEWS REPORT ON THE ACCOUtItS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st AUGUST 2022 The ChariVsTrustees are responsible forthe p￿Pa￿tK}n ofthe account& The ChafttrfsTntstees conskkrthat afi audit b Th)t rniuired for thls year undersectlon 144 ofthe CharwAct 2011 (the Ch)ritiesArt) and t?￿t an thdependent ey3mlnation bs needed. It ts my re5ponslblllty to: examine the accounts under settion 145 of the Charltles A¢L to fr>liow the prwdures laid down in the 8eneral Direcilons 8i¥en ty the Charity Commission lunder section 14515llb) of the Charl￿A¢t1. and to stste whether particular Matte￿ Iwe come to my attentk)n. My examinatk)n was Carl￿ out In acconlance wilh genernl Directionsghen by the Chorlty Commission. An examinatlon Includes 4 review of the account5r￿ record5 kept by the Chariry and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also Inclwles cons*leratlon of 81ry unusual itsms ordlsdosures in the &counts and seekin8 explanation5from the Tn￿eeS£o￿minB matter& The w￿ureS uNlertaken do Tr)t yo¥￿e all the eVIden￿ that ¥Jwld be requirnl in an audit. and consequertty no opinion is 8iven astowbett*rthe accounts present a.tnie andfrdif ¥lew aYKI the report Is limited to tlb)se matters set out In the siatemert beknw. In Connect￿Tr with my examirMtM)n. no matteT hascort to my attentK)n L whith 8ives me ￿asOnable cause to believe thaL in any material respecL the requirements to keep accountlng records in accordan￿wIth sectkni 130 of the Charii*S Act: to prepa￿ accounts whlch accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requi￿rnents of the CharIt￿5￿t have not been met. 2. to whith, in my opinion. attention SI￿Uld be drawn in order to enabk a proper undel5trndl￿ of ts accounts to be reached. Signed ty..... (Mr&) V.M. Date: ie Marth 2023 Amber AccountaKy kni 21 Spanker Lane Nether Hea8e Derbyshire DE56 2AT