Trustees’ Annual Report
For the year ended 30 September 2025
Charity Name: SUNDOWNS
Registered Charity Number: 1089679
Reference and Administrative Details
Registered Charity Number
1089679
Principal Address 14 Utkinton Close Prenton CH43 2GP
Trustees serving during the year
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Mark Bridge (Chair)
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Kim Page (Treasurer)
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Tony Jones
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Ana Harrison McCormack
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Jamie-Lee Kevill
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Ian Kaney
During the year, the Executive Committee saw changes to its membership, with new trustees joining the Board, one trustee stepping down and Kim Page rejoining in the role of Treasurer.
These changes strengthened the charity’s governance and brought additional skills and experience to support its continued development.
Structure, Governance and Management
SUNDOWNS is a registered charity established to support children and young people with Down syndrome, together with their families, through information, peer support, education, social opportunities and inclusive activities.
Registered Charity Number 1089679
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The charity is governed by its Constitution and managed by an Executive Committee of volunteer trustees, who are responsible for the charity’s strategic direction, governance, financial management and ensuring that its charitable objectives are met.
During the year, the trustees reviewed and updated the charity's key policies and procedures, including safeguarding, to ensure they reflected current legislation and best practice.
A significant development during the year was the appointment of a Project Co-ordinator , funded through The National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All). The Project Co-ordinator supports the day-to-day operation of the charity under the direction of the trustees, helping to strengthen governance, improve communication with members and coordinate the delivery of the charity's activities and projects.
In September 2025, the charity was delighted to receive confirmation of a three-year grant from the John Moores Foundation to continue funding the Project Co-ordinator role. Although this funding was not spent during the reporting period, it provides financial stability for the charity and enables the trustees to plan confidently for the continued development of services over the coming years.
The charity continues to operate from the Project Co-ordinator's home office, enabling resources to be directed towards frontline services rather than premises costs.
The Executive Committee held three formal trustee meetings during the year, in addition to the Annual General Meeting in March 2025 , where three new trustees were successfully recruited to strengthen the Board. Regular communication also took place between trustees and the Project Co-ordinator throughout the year to oversee the charity's activities, governance and future development.
Objectives and Public Benefit
SUNDOWNS exists to improve the lives of children and young people with Down syndrome and to provide support, information and opportunities for their families.
The charity delivers activities that reduce isolation, encourage inclusion, improve communication skills, promote independence and create opportunities for families to build supportive relationships with others who share similar experiences.
When planning its activities, the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. The trustees are satisfied that the charity continues to provide clear public benefit through the support, services and opportunities it offers to children, young people and families across Wirral and the surrounding areas.
Registered Charity Number 1089679
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Achievements and Performance
The year ended 30 September 2025 marked a significant period of growth and development for SUNDOWNS..
Throughout the year, the charity supported approximately 70 registered families , providing opportunities for peer support, inclusive activities, information, advice and early intervention. Membership remained free of charge, ensuring that support was accessible to all families, while voluntary donations from members and supporters helped to sustain the charity’s work.
A key milestone during the year was the appointment of a Project Co-ordinator , funded through the National Lottery Awards for All programme. This investment enabled the charity to strengthen its governance, modernise communications and increase engagement with members. During the year, the charity completed a full rebrand, launched a new website and introduced regular email communications, making it easier for families to access information, activities and support.
The charity continued to deliver a varied programme of activities for children, young people and their families throughout the year.
Family and Social Events
The charity organised a number of inclusive social events, including:
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Easter Party
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Halloween Party
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Christmas Party
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End of Summer Disco
These events provided opportunities for families to come together, build friendships, reduce social isolation and celebrate within a welcoming and supportive community.
Activity Programme
A varied programme of activities was delivered throughout the year, including:
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Two farm visits
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Two bowling trips
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Four canal boat trips
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A residential respite weekend at Ribby Hall Village
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A family trip to Gulliver’s World
Registered Charity Number 1089679
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These activities promoted confidence, independence, social interaction and shared experiences for children, young people and their families.
During the summer holidays, SUNDOWNS also delivered a structured programme of activities for members of all ages, including Stay and Play sessions for early years children together with dance, drama, musical theatre and contemporary dance workshops. These sessions encouraged creativity, physical activity, confidence and social inclusion.
Recognising the importance of peer support for parents and carers, the Project Co-ordinator also introduced regular coffee mornings, providing informal opportunities for families to connect, share experiences and reduce feelings of isolation.
Volunteers, Partnerships and Community Engagement
The work of SUNDOWNS would not be possible without the dedication and generosity of its volunteers, trustees, supporters and partner organisations.
Throughout the year, the charity benefited from the commitment of six regular volunteers, together with many additional parents, family members and friends who gave their time to support activities, fundraising events and family programmes. The trustees are extremely grateful for their continued commitment, enthusiasm and willingness to support families across the year.
The charity also continued to strengthen relationships with a range of local organisations, businesses and statutory services. These partnerships have enabled SUNDOWNS to expand opportunities for families, improve communication and develop services that respond to the changing needs of children and young people with Down syndrome.
The trustees would like to thank the National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All) for their generous support during the year. This funding enabled the charity to appoint a Project Co-ordinator, undertake a full rebrand, redevelop its website and introduce improved communication systems, helping the charity strengthen its governance and increase engagement with members.
During the year, the charity was also delighted to receive confirmation of a three-year funding commitment from the John Moores Foundation to support the continuation of the Project Co-ordinator role and the ongoing development of the charity. This investment provides greater organisational stability and enables the trustees to plan strategically for the future.
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Early Years Provision
Supporting families from the earliest stages of their journey remains a core priority for SUNDOWNS.
The charity continued to deliver its weekly Signing for Babies programme at Seacombe Children’s Centre. Led by trained volunteers under the leadership of Libby Potter, the programme supports babies and young children with Down syndrome by introducing early communication through Makaton signing while providing parents and carers with opportunities to build friendships, access peer support and gain confidence.
The trustees remain committed to developing early years support and recognising the importance of providing families with opportunities to connect from the earliest stages of their child’s life.
Financial Review
The trustees are pleased to report that SUNDOWNS remained financially stable throughout the year.
Total income for the year amounted to £27,398 , comprising grant funding, fundraising income and voluntary donations. The charity's principal funding sources during the year were grants from The National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All) and the John Moores Foundation , together with the continued generosity of individual supporters and community fundraising activities.
Total expenditure for the year was £26,216 , reflecting the charity's continued investment in family support, respite provision, inclusive activities, communications and the appointment of a freelance Project Co-ordinator.
A significant investment during the year was the appointment of a Project Co-ordinator, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All).
As of 30 September 2025 , the charity held £22,143 in cash in the bank. This included £9,063 of restricted funding received from the John Moores Foundation, which had not been spent by the year end and was carried forward to support the continuation of the Project Co-ordinator role and related charitable activities in the following financial year. The remaining balance comprised unrestricted funds available to support the charity's ongoing work.
The trustees review the charity's financial position regularly and are satisfied that appropriate financial controls are in place to safeguard the charity's assets and ensure that funds are managed responsibly in furtherance of the charity's objectives.
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Reserves Policy
The trustees recognise the importance of maintaining appropriate unrestricted reserves to support the long-term sustainability of the charity.
As a grant-funded organisation, SUNDOWNS holds both restricted and unrestricted funds.
Restricted funds are applied only for the specific purposes for which they were awarded. The trustees aim to maintain sufficient unrestricted reserves to meet ongoing operating costs, manage unexpected expenditure and provide stability while seeking future funding opportunities.
The level of reserves is reviewed regularly as part of the trustees’ financial planning and budgeting process.
Plans for the Future
The trustees remain committed to ensuring that SUNDOWNS continues to grow in a sustainable way while remaining focused on the needs of children and young people with Down syndrome and their families.
During the coming year, the charity will continue to deliver its established programme of family events, early years provision, respite opportunities and inclusive activities, while building on the organisational improvements made during the year.
The trustees will continue to strengthen partnerships with health, education and community organisations, develop opportunities for fundraising and grant funding, and ensure that families remain at the centre of the charity’s work.
Following the appointment of the Project Co-ordinator and the successful implementation of improved governance, communications and organisational systems, the trustees are confident that the charity is well placed to continue developing services and responding to the changing needs of the families it supports.
Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and the Charity Commission’s guidance for charities preparing Receipts and Payments Accounts.
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The trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.
They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and for taking reasonable steps to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees approved this report on 16th July 2026 .
Signed:
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SIGN
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Mark Bridge Chair of Trustees
Registered Charity Number 1089679
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Charity Name No (if any) Sundowns 1089679 Receipts and payments accounts For the 1/10/2024 30.9.25 To period from
CC16a
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts VoluntaryDonations 2,649 Activities togenerate icome(projects) 5,946 Outdoor Activities Grant(lottery) Grant JMF 8,595 - - Sub total - Total receipts 8,595 Unrestricte d funds to the nearest £ Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
9,740 9,063 18,803 - - - 18,803 Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
- - - - - - - - - Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ 2,649 5,946 9,740 9,063 - - - 27,398 - - - 27,398 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ||||
| 7,028 | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| 7,028 | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| 18,803 | - | 27,398 | 7,028 |
A3 Payments Cost of Generating Voluntary Income
| - | - | - | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - |
| - | - | - | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||||||||
| Fundraising Trading Costs | - | ||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Marketing& Advertising | - | ||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Governance Costs | - | ||||||||
| Legal and Professional | - | - | |||||||
| Office Phone & Internet | 611 | 611 | 591 | ||||||
| Trustee &Treasurer expenses | - | - | - | - | |||||
| AGM Expenses | - | - | - | ||||||
| Insurance Health and Safety | - | - | |||||||
| Computer Costs | - | - | |||||||
| Payroll | 6,820 | 6,820 | |||||||
| Travel Expenses | - | - | |||||||
| Office Equipment | - | - | |||||||
| Printing,postage and stationary | 194 | 194 | 48 | ||||||
| Refreshments | - | - | |||||||
| volunteer expenses | - | - | |||||||
| IT support | 94 | 94 | 267 | ||||||
| Website | 2,097 | 2,097 | |||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Cost of Chariable Activities | - | ||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| BabySigning (pre-school makaton) | 758 | 758 | 760 | ||||||
| Educationprogram | - | ||||||||
| Respiteprogram | 581 | 9,740 | 10,321 | 3,200 | |||||
| Awareness Raising/fundraisingExp | 216 | 216 | 216 | ||||||
| children and familoyevents/activities | 4,605 | 4,605 | 1,522 | ||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - |
Sub total 15,976 9,740 - 25,716 6,603
| A4 Asset and investment | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| purchases, (see table) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Digital Camera | 500 | - | - | 500 | ||||||||||||||||
| - | ||||||||||||||||||||
| - | ||||||||||||||||||||
| - | ||||||||||||||||||||
| - | ||||||||||||||||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| **Sub total ** | 500 | - | - | 500 | - | |||||||||||||||
| **Total payments ** | 16,476 | 9,740 | ### | 26,216 | 6,603 | |||||||||||||||
| **Net of receipts/(payments) ** | - 7,881 | 9,063 | 1,182 | 425 | ||||||||||||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | 20,961 | - | 20,961 | 20,536 | ||||||||||||||||
| **Cash funds this year end ** | 13,080 | 9,063 | - | 22,143 | 20,961 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories
B1 Cash funds
| Details Deposit Account Current Account Petty Cash Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
to nearest £ - 13,080 - 13,080 - 0 Unrestricte d funds Unrestricte d funds |
to nearest £ - 9,063 - 9,063 - Restricted funds Restricted funds |
to nearest £ Endowment funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Endowment funds |
B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use
| Details | to nearest £ - - - - - - |
to nearest £ - - - - - - |
to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | |
| - | - | - |
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) - - - - - |
Current value (optional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | ||
| - | - | ||
| - | - | ||
| - | - | ||
| - | - |
| Details digital camera |
lottery Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) 500 - - - - - - - - |
Current value (optional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| digital camera | lottery | 500 | 500 |
| - | - | ||
| - | - | ||
| - | - | ||
| - | - | ||
| - | - | ||
| - | - | ||
| - | - | ||
| - | - |
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
| Details Nil Signature K Page |
Print Fund to which liability relates |
- - - - - Name Page Amount due (optional) |
When due (optional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of approval |
|||
| Kim | Page | 28/7/26 | |
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of SUNDOWNS On accounts for the year ended 30 SEPTEMBER 2025 Charity no lif any) 1089679 Set out on pages 1-11 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity I'the Trust") for the year ended 3010912025. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Acl and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(51{b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 2417126 Name: TRACEY PRITCHARD Relevant professional qualification{sl or body (if any): ICAEW Address: KBH ACCOUNTANTS LTD 255 POULTON ROAD. WALLASEY CH44 4BT Section B Disclosure Only complete ifthe examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). IER October 2018
Give here brief details of any items that the examinerwishes to disclose. NIA IER October 2018