Chair’s Report, July 4 2025
Dear Parents, Carers and Friends of the Steiner Academy Hereford,
What a year! Perhaps I think that every year, but this year has been truly impressive. Last year we set ourselves the challenge of raising an extra £20,000 to fund the purchase of a new minibus, in addition to our usual fundraising commitments. And I’m so proud of all of us, because we have so nearly achieved this target!!
We have done all the usual things in our fundraising calendar this year: we made apple juice (lots), had a fabulous Harvest Lunch, held another magical Advent Fair, blessed the orchard with a Wassail, enjoyed a sunny Spring Fair, worked the Steiner Diner and children’s activities at Hellen’s Garden Festival and tomorrow we will enjoy a craft and wellbeing themed Summer Fair. Class 8’s Fun Dog Show hosted at Redbrook Farm was a huge highlight this year and I’m sure Class 9 will provide a delicious feast for Class 10’s Cabaret. The Kindergartens got creative with their fundraising ideas and held cake and ice lolly sales, produced the most beautiful cookery book, and catered for Arts Alive events. All these things take just a few lines to list, but the amount of effort and time that go into them is never small. So many people have worked very hard to organise and run these events and, as ever, they have done themselves proud.
On top of all this we have held numerous other events to raise money for a new minibus. These included hosting singing workshops at school, organising an Evening of Short Talks, a Bingo Night, a plant sale, sponsored runs and bike rides, a Virtual Balloon Race, and ice cream and watermelon sales. We’ve done so much fundraising! However, we would still be a long way off without all the very generous donations that we have received through our JustGiving page. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who was able to make a financial contribution, thereby accelerating us towards our goal.
We have had a lot of ideas that we haven’t even managed to make happen, but I have so enjoyed hearing people’s suggestions for ways to raise money and their enthusiasm for contributing in whatever way they can. Thank you to all those local businesses who have supported us with donations of prizes and services.
In addition to all the fundraising, we have also benefitted from the four workdays we held throughout the year, maintaining and caring for our premises while connecting with other parents and being treated to lunch and cakes. Thank you to everyone who attended a workday and of course to those who looked after our tummies as well.
Over the last year or so we have made a couple of changes to the way we fundraise. Previously, if an event raised more money than the amount that Friends asks each class to raise (currently £700 per class/£1200 for the Kindergartens), that class was at liberty to add the surplus to their ‘class pot’, as a way of helping to reduce the cost of class trips etc. Having given this some thought over the last few years, the committee has agreed that if an event is advertised as being in aid of Friends, it is not acceptable to divert some of that money to a different cause, and therefore ALL funds raised should
remain with Friends. However, classes are still free to raise funds for their own class’s needs (trips/resources, etc.) once they have raised their minimum amount for Friends. We simply ask that it be made clear these fundraisers are for a specific class and not for Friends.
This brings me on to what is currently known as the ‘class pot’. A somewhat messy concept, we have decided to tweak things to make it clearer what it is for and how it works. A handy document explaining all of this has been created to bring clarity, so please do read it when it comes your way.
Raised by class and whole-school fundraisers: £23,927 (with Summer Fair still to go!) Raised for minibus: approx. £16,100
therapies.
The Elder Tree continues to be a good support for our fundraising and also a valued source of clothing for our community. Apple juice sales continue to go very well. We started with an incredible 900 bottles this year and ‘only’ have approximately 250 left.
the treasurers and I have agreed with the Business Manager that we will continue with the same level of support for school next year. Namely, we have agreed that for the year 2025/26, Friends will give to school £20,000 from our fundraising account and £45,000 from our donations account.
Donations into the Donations Scheme are currently slightly lower than they have been, but we understand that contributions fluctuate sometimes and are confident that they will rise again in future. Many thanks for everyone’s continued support for this scheme. It makes such a huge digerence and when the scheme does well, it takes a little pressure og fundraising.
Thank you to all parents, carers and Friends who have supported this year’s fundraising endeavours. It is such a phenomenal egort, and it feels like a lot, but it is deeply appreciated and is such a crucial support to our beautiful school. Particular thanks to all those who shouldered responsibilities at these events to ensure that they came together and were successful. Without these special people willing to do that little bit more, none of this would be possible.
Friends Committee. Please do get in touch if you are interested in this role.
With much gratitude for this incredible school community,
Sophy Simpson Chair of Friends
| FRIENDS OF THE STEINER ACADEMY HEREFORD |
FRIENDS OF THE STEINER ACADEMY HEREFORD |
FRIENDS OF THE STEINER ACADEMY HEREFORD |
FRIENDS OF THE STEINER ACADEMY HEREFORD |
1135990 | CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts and payments accounts | ||||||
| For the period from |
1st Oct 2023 | To |
30 September 2024 | |||
| Section A Receipts and payments | ||||||
| Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ A1 Receipts |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||
| DONATIONS | - 53,138- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 53,138- |
- 47,120- |
|
| FUNDRAISING | - 41,191- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 41,191- |
- 29,439- |
|
| SCHOOL SHOP | - 9,946- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 9,946- |
- 8,783- |
|
| BANK INTEREST | - 21- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 21- |
- 17- |
|
| HOLDING FUNDS | - -- |
- 109- |
- -- |
- 109- |
- 224- |
|
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) - 104,296- A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
- 104,296- |
- 109- |
- -- |
- 104,405- |
- 85,582- |
|
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||
| Sub total- -- Total receipts - 104,296- A3 Payments |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|
| - 104,296- |
- 109- |
- -- |
- 104,405- |
- 85,582- |
||
| FUNDRAISING COSTS | - 12,561- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 12,561- |
- 9,484- |
|
| PROFESSIONAL FEES | - 153- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 153- |
- 140- |
|
| BANK CHARGES | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- | |
| OTHER DIRECT COSTS | - 535- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 535- |
- 395- |
|
| SHOP EXPENDITURE | - 8,304- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 8,304- |
- 8,836- |
|
| DONATIONS TO SCHOOL | - 73,870- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 73,870- |
- 66,692- |
|
| OUTSIDE INITIATIVES | - 1,000- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 1,000- |
- -- |
|
| COMMITTEE EXPENSES | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|
| TRAINING | - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|
| Sub total - 96,423- A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
- 96,423- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 96,423- |
- 85,546- |
|
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
|||
| Sub total - -- Total payments - 96,423- Net of receipts/(payments) - 7,873- A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end - 60,430- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||
| - 96,423- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 96,423- |
- 85,546- |
||
| - 7,873- |
- 109- |
- -- |
- 7,982- |
- 36- |
||
| - -- |
||||||
| - -- |
- -- |
|||||
| - 60,430- |
- 1,974- |
- -- |
- 62,404- |
- 54,422- |
||
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | ||||||
| Categories | Details | Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
||
| B1 Cash funds | CASH & BANK | - 60,430- |
- 1,974- |
- -- |
||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
||||
| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Restricted | Restricted | Endowment | Endowment | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | Details | funds | funds | funds | ||||||||||||||
| to nearest | £ | to nearest | £ | to nearest £ | ||||||||||||||
| B1 | Cash | funds | CASH & BANK | - | 60,430- | - | 1,974- | - | -- | |||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- |
| B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Details Details Shephaerds Hut Cupboards Details Signature R. Thorne |
- 60,430- |
- -- |
|---|---|---|---|
| OK | |||
| Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) 2000 - -- 280 - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Print Name Richard Thorne |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| Current value (optional) |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| Current value | |||
| (optional) | |||
| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval |
|||
| Richard Thorne | 10 June 2025 | ||
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
| Section A Independent Examiner’s Report | Section A Independent Examiner’s Report | |
|---|---|---|
| Report to the trustees/ | Friends of the Steiner Academy Hereford | |
| members of | ||
| On accounts for the year | 30 September 2024 Charity no |
1135990 |
| ended | (if any) | |
| Set out on pages | Sections A and B of CC16a: receipts & payments accounts for year ending 30 | |
| September 2024 and the statement of liability and assets as at 30 September 2024 | September 2024 and the statement of liability and assets as at 30 September 2024 | |
| I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above | ||
| charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended30/09/2024. | ||
| 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 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement 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
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:14thJune 2025 ~~a~~ |
Date:14thJune 2025 ~~a~~ |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Name:Timothy Greenhalgh ~~Ce~~ |
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| Relevant professional | |||
| qualification(s) or body | |||
| (if any): | |||
| Address: | Stone Barn | ||
| Old Gore | |||
| Ross-on-Wye HR9 &QW |
1
October 2018
IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if 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 .
2
October 2018
IER