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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 31[st] August 2022 Period start date To 31[st] August 2023 Period end date
Charity name: Up on Downs (Hertfordshire)
Charity registration number: 1126111
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | Support for people with Down's Syndrome and their families, helpers and carers within Hertfordshire. To create and develop the conditions which will enable people with Down’s syndrome to attain their full potential and to undertake any other charitable activities in connection with Down’s syndrome in the Hertfordshire area |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
• Support and networking meetings These are a major source of support and wellbeing for families, providing friendships with peers, entertainment for children with DS and their siblings and exchange of information. They also provide opportunities for volunteering and for practitioners to learn more about how to support families. We delivered 11 monthly meetings through the year. Training events and talks These are an effective way for family members, teachers and practitioners to learn how to support children at school and in the community. • Individual advice and signposting This is how we support individuals with specific complex situations that may be blocking their ability to access education and services. Resolving individual issues enables us to promote family wellbeing and inclusion. We also promote awareness of issues families are likely to encounter and how to navigate them. This also includes visiting new families and offering them our parent welcome packs with gifts and |
| information. • Small group speech therapyMost families are concerned about having very limited access to ongoing speech therapy. We employ a team of highly skilled |
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|---|---|---|
| therapy practitioners who aim to deliver 27 sessions throughout the year to each child enrolled in the scheme. Parents pay a contribution that approximates to roughly half of the cost of their child’s place and the charity funds the rest, occasionally making a much larger contribution for families in financial difficulty. Groups vary from 2-4 children although in some circumstances we also offer 1:1. During the period we trained a new speech therapy co-worker and started her with a new cohort at a third site. Social communication group for older young people This is an online facilitated group which enables them to meet a defined friendship group weekly to practice their skills and develop confidence . We delivered weekly sessions throughout term time for the year. Fitness club for older young people This is an online club led by a fitness trainer who has DS and is therefore an inspirational role model giving young people an impetus to exercise for health and wellbeing. We delivered weekly sessions in term time through the year. • Newsletters and information publishing We keep members up to date with a monthly newsletter featuring upcoming events and relevant information. We maintain a website which was developed throughout the year and we have stepped up our presence on facebook and Instagram with public pages and private groups. • Celebrations and awareness events As our children are often excluded from parties with typically developing peers we hold inclusive seasonal parties for all the family. These fulfil the same function as our regular networking meetings but are more focussed on entertainment improving wellbeing and quality of life generally. Our Christmas party is usually the largest event of the year. We also hold Easter and Halloween parties and whenever possible |
| we organise a summer trip to an outdoor animal park. • Teenage Events The Teenage club enables us to offer a friendship experience for older children who might find our other parties too “babyish”. We have found that meetings in a bowling alley are most successful for this group and they also enable parents to get together in a separate area and go out in a large group afterwards. • Choices Youth Club The Friday night youth club runs weekly and brings in a range of young people with disabilities whose social life is otherwise limited. The group ran sessions with sports, cooking, art, sculpture, dance and gaming, according to the interests of users. |
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|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | All trustees receive a Trustee Handbook with a copy of the charity’s constitution and guidance from the Charity Commission is referenced and circulated. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | The charity does not have a grants programme and aims to provide most of its services free of charge to members. Where contributions from families are sought towards a specific programme, eg. Speech therapy, the trustees can decide by vote to assist a family in difficulty by reducing or waiving these. |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | Many members and their close relatives and friends contribute to the charity by undertaking fundraising activities and assisting with the organisation and running of specific events. Occasionally we are also able to involve community volunteers such as students working towards the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or local business organisations who would like to focus on a particular cause for a limited time. Where volunteers are likely to be regular and are not members themselves, DBS checks are carried out. |
Other
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | In the f/y year 22/23 the charity: : We held regular monthly family meetings, welcome mornings and activities for parents to network online. We continued a weekly programme of online activities for young people including Social Communication on Thursdays and Fitness club on Tuesdays. We maintained a weekly youth club for teenagers with special needs to give them enrichment activities and regular contact with a friendship group. Numbers gradually increased and feedback has been consistently excellent from young people and carers attending. We extended our specialist speech development groups from two sites to three and brought our newly Symbol- trained co-worker up to full capacity to include new families in activities to promote better communication skills. We established an Ambassador programme to involve some of our teenagers in a more formal representative role. We arranged family days out at Thomley SEN Activity Centre and Standalone farm to enable the community to get together over the long school holidays. We also organised a day at the De Havilland Aircraft Museum to celebrate World Down’s Syndrome Day. We held a 3 day residential at Magdalen Farm Environmental Education Centre in Somerset giving families extended time to connect and experience a holiday where all the young people’s needs and interests were fully catered to. We held our annual Christmas party with gifts for all the children. We improved our new parent welcome packs with new books and toys. We continued to provideindividual |
advice on school-based education and to meet with colleagues to discuss local SEND. We continued to produce our regular newsletters and stepped up our social media presence throughout the period to keep our community in touch and aware of the offer.
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Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | The charity achieved and exceeded the objectives set out in it’s forward plan due to its seizing new funding opportunities for it’s teenage work in particular. |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | • The charity brought in near enough to cover the year’s activities with 2K taken out of reserves to cover the excess. The reserve remained well above the minimum level set by trustees. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | NA |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Accounts submitted separately to the charity commission, available online. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The organisation aims to build up and maintain a balance of around £20K to enable it to plan beyond the next school term and anticipate cash flow variations between the beginnings and ends of terms. This equates to around 2/3 of the annual spending and gives security that we wouldn’t have to wind up without providing a full term’s activities with staffing costs. Trustees have agreed levels triggering an EGM and further actions if reserves fall. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | The reserve is not separated within the current balance. |
Reasons for holding zero Para 1.22 reserves Details of fund materially in Para 1.24 deficit Explanation of any Para 1.23 uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | The charity has no regular funder and raises its annual income through community fundraisers, grants from companies, charities and foundations and member contributions for specific services. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | NA |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
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|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document | Para 1.25 | Constitution, amended 2007 |
| How is the charity constituted? |
Para 1.25 | Charitable unincorporated association |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Trustees are elected at the AGM by members and trustees. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | A trustee handbook is provided for new trustees. |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | The charity is affiliated with the Down’s Syndrome Association which provides it’s insurance policies and is a member organisation of North Herts Council for Voluntary Services which provides some HR and payroll services. |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Up on Downs (Hertfordshire) |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | Up on Downs |
| Registered charity number | 1126111 |
| Charity’s principal address | 20A Upper Culver Road St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 4EE |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Hartley | Chair | Whole year | Board and membership of Up on Downs. |
| John Clark | Treasurer | “ | Board and membership of Up on Downs. |
| Secretary (vacant) Duties undertaken by Chair |
“ | Board and membership of Up on Downs. |
|
| Arron Hopcroft | Trustee | “ | Board and membership of Up on Downs. |
| Sarah Stockley | Trustee | “ | Board and membership of Up on Downs. |
| Dilu Chowdhury | Trustee | “ | Board and membership of Up on Downs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frances Woton | Trustee | “ | Board and membership of Up on Downs. |
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Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and | addresses of advisers (Optional information) | addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser |
Name Address |
|
| General and Personnel |
Julie Evens | |
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | ||
| Alisande Nuttall |
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) John Clark Arron Hopcroft Position (eg Treasurer Trustee Secretary,
Chair, etc)
Date April 18[th] 2024
Up on Downs accounts 2022/23
| Up on Downs accounts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | Bal b/f | Income | Costs | Bal c/f |
| Speech development | - | 4,983.50 | -7,284.88 | -2,301.38 |
| Grants, Donations & Other | ||||
| Expenditure | 26,821.85 | 28,307.90 | -28,216.45 | 26,913.30 |
| Total as at 31st August 2023 | 26,821.85 | 33,291.40 | -35,501.33 | 24,611.92 |
| Up on Downs accounts | ||||
| 2021/22 | Bal b/f | Income | Costs | Bal c/f |
| Speech Therapy | - | 4,037.00 | -7,400.08 | -3,363.08 |
| Grants, Donations & Other | ||||
| Expenditure | 39,659.85 | 14,467.23 | -23,942.15 | 30,184.93 |
| Total as at 31st August 2022 | 39,659.85 | 18,504.23 | -31,342.23 | 26,821.85 |
| Up on Downs accounts | ||||
| 2020/21 | Bal b/f | Income | Costs | Bal c/f |
| Speech Therapy | - | 5,063.00 | -7,953.38 | -2,890.38 |
| Grants, Donations & Other | ||||
| Expenditure | 39,447.00 | 29,068.08 | -25,964.85 | 42,550.23 |
| Total as at 31st August 2021 | 39,447.00 | 34,131.08 | -33,918.23 | 39,659.85 |
| Up on Downs accounts | ||||
| 2019/20 | Bal b/f | Income | Costs | Bal c/f |
| Speech Therapy | - | 2,824.00 | -4,517.80 | -1,693.80 |
| Grants, Donations & Other | ||||
| Expenditure | 39,450.72 | 20,428.83 | -18,738.75 | 41,140.80 |
| Total as at 31st August 2020 | 39,450.72 | 23,252.83 | -23,256.55 | 39,447.00 |
| Up on Downs accounts | ||||
| 2018/19 | Bal b/f | Income | Costs | Bal c/f |
| Speech Therapy | - | 6,027.00 | -6,590.20 | -563.20 |
| Grants, Donations & Other | ||||
| Expenditure | 27,391.58 | 26,494.17 | -13,871.83 | 40,013.92 |
| Total as at 31st August 2019 | **27,391.58 ** | 32,521.17 | -20,462.03 | 39,450.72 |
Balance carried forward is steady, having dropped by £2,209.93 (around 9%) to £24,611.92.
It can be seen that we have had a more successful year in terms of income generation, and increase of £13,840.67 on last year (excluding the speech programme) from grants and donations. However, this has been offset by an increase in expenditure, which reflects an increase in our activity and staff salaries. It should be noted that the increase in income has come almost exclusively form grants and personal donations as we have been unable to secure new corporate sponsorship income as desired.
The cost to the charity of providing the Speech Development Programme remains steady at £2,301.38.
The balance of our PayPal account is currently £858.41.
Grants, donations and funds raised totalled £33,291.40 including these significant revenues as follows:
| National Lottery Community Grant | £5,720.00 |
|---|---|
| HCC Building Life Chances Grant (phase 2) | £4,500.00 |
| Donation from the estate of the late Anna Martinez-Lainez | £4,000.00 |
| Rita Donagh donations | £2,004.20 |
| Hitchin Youth Trust Grant | £1,750.00 |
| Neil Challis Birthday fundraiser (inc matched funding from Softwire) | £1,083.94 |
| St Albans Cathedral Congregational Giving Donation | £1,000.00 |
| St Albans Half Marathon sponsorship/marshalling | £743.40 |
| Salmon Swimming Club Swimathon | £725.00 |
| Chloe James Lifestyle fundraiser | £470.00 |
| Marriotts School fundraiser | £393.51 |
| Stagecoach fundraiser (Mrs T Francis) | £289.20 |
| Christmas card sales | £245.47 |
| Income from Christmas party tombola and games | £222.75 |
| Chloe James Lifestyle fundraiser £470.00 Marriotts School fundraiser £393.51 Stagecoach fundraiser (Mrs T Francis) £289.20 Christmas card sales £245.47 Income from Christmas party tombola and games £222.75 |
Chloe James Lifestyle fundraiser £470.00 Marriotts School fundraiser £393.51 Stagecoach fundraiser (Mrs T Francis) £289.20 Christmas card sales £245.47 Income from Christmas party tombola and games £222.75 |
|---|---|
| Outgoings totalled £31,342.23 including this list of the most significant costs to the | |
| charity: | |
| Staff salaries | £16,848.32 |
| Facilitator for teen zoom meetings (partially funded by BLC grant) | £2,445.00 |
| Cost of providing the Speech Development Programme | £2,301.38 |
| Magdalen Farm Residential trip (cost of trip less family contributions) | £1,674.00 |
| Choices teen youth club (funded by BLC grant) | £1,501.56 |
| Thomley play park and Standalone farm summer trips | £270.00 |
| Christmas party 2022 (including presents) | £196.89 |
| Zoom Annual Subscription | £143.88 |
| Family meetings costs | £94.65 |
Independent examinerfs report to the trurtees of Up on Downs {Hertfwthire) I report to the trustees on my examinatlon of the accounts of Up on downs (Hertfordshire) for the year ended 31 August 2023. Responslbllltles and basls al report As the charity trustees of Up on Downs (Hertfordshirel you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of Charitie5 Act 20111'the ACYJ. report re5pert of my examination of Up on Downs IHertfordshirel accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Art and in carrying out rny examination I have followed all the appllcable Dirertions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5llbl of the Act. Independent examlne¢s statement I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in connertion with the examination giving rne cause to believe that in any material respert,. l. accounting records were not kept in $pert of the Trust as required by sertion 130 of the Act; or 2. the cOunts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have corne across no other matters in tonnertion with the Èxamination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Name: FCCA: Address- Date: Elaine Hoar Fellow Chartered and Certified Accountant ILKI Church Street, Langford. Bedfordshire SG18 9NX th 26 October 2023