2025-08-31-accounts - Friends Of Squirrels

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THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS

Registered Charity No. 1139036

Report and Financial Statements

Year ended 31 August 2025

THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS

Report and Financial Statements, year ended 31 August 2025

Report of the Trustees	2
Independent Examiner’s Report	5
Statement of Financial Activities	6
Balance Sheet	7
Notes to the Accounts	8

THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS Report and Financial Statements, year ended 31 August 2025

Report of the Trustees

The Trustees of the Friends of Squirrels Charity (“the Charity”) present their report along with the financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2025. The financial statements have been prepared on a receipt and payment (cash) basis.

Objectives and activities

The objective of the Charity is to advance the education of pupils in Wimbledon Common Preparatory School (known as Squirrels) in particular by: Developing effective relationships between the staff parents and others associated with the school; Engaging in activities; or providing facilities or equipment which support the School and advance the education of the pupils.

The Charity achieves its objectives by organising fundraising events for pupils and their parents, and donating the net proceeds to purchase items and support activities that the Trustees agree will benefit the school.

Achievements and performance

We have achieved excellent results towards our objectives by funding 13 individual projects during the school year, including:

International Day , which provided students with a valuable opportunity to celebrate diversity and promote multicultural awareness, inclusivity, and global understanding through shared traditions, cuisine, and cultural exchange.
New outdoor learning equipment , such as a fire pit, to enhance experiential learning.
Educational workshops , including Florence Nightingale, First Aid, the Great Fire of London, Willow Weaving, Performance, and Tennis Coaching, all of which enriched students’ learning experiences.
Leavers party, a farewell party to our year 2 students who will be graduating to other schools from year 3.
Charitable donations to our school’s charity of the year, the Diamond Centre for Disabled Riders.

THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS Report and Financial Statements, year ended 31 August 2025

These initiatives were made possible thanks to the charity's successful organisation of numerous fundraising events, including the annual Christmas Fair , Quiz Night , and Summer Fair . In addition, the charity hosted the triennial School Ball at the Great Hall of King’s College School on 22[nd] March 2025, which was a tremendous success.

Our fundraising efforts were further supported by a range of other activities such as the Pumpkin Decoration Challenge , Reading Challenges , and a unique opportunity to bid for an overnight stay with baby chicks. We also raised funds through second-hand uniform sales and various merchandise offerings .

Financial Review

During 2024/25 school year, our fundraising activities generated total income of £55,537.25 . After deducting associated expenses of £29,876.52 , this resulted in a net contribution of £25,662.73 . In addition, we received donations amounting to £4,122.92 , and interest on deposits contributed a further £441.34 .

The Charity committed £13,799.87 towards school projects during the year. We also made a charitable donation of £1,427.40 to the Diamond Centre for Disabled Riders. In recognition of the dedication of our teachers and support staff, the parents’ community funded gifts as a gesture of appreciation.

Overall, the Charity achieved a net surplus of £11,950.36 for the year. As at 31 August 2025, we held reserves of £38,992.56 on deposit.

Management

The Charity is governed by a constitution dated 19 March 2010.

During 2024/25 school year, the Charity was overseen by three Trustees, comprising the Chair, the Treasurer, and a former Treasurer who served between 2022 and 2024. The Trustees are supported by the Friends of Squirrels committee, which includes eight additional parent volunteers and a representative from the school. The Committee meets virtually at least once a month to administer the Charity’s affairs.

In the year under review, the Committee drafted and unanimously approved an Investment Policy on 16 November 2024. This policy sets out how the Charity may deploy its funds, with the main change being the authority to invest surplus cash in money market funds.

THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS Report and Financial Statements, year ended 31 August 2025

Responsibilities of the trustees

The Charities Act 2011 requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year that give a true and fair view of the Charity's financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies that are appropriate for the Charity and apply them consistently;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent:
follow applicable accounting standards and the Charities SORP, disclosing and explaining any departures in the financial statements and
prepare the financial statements on the basis that the Charity will continue in operation unless it is inappropriate to presume this.

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the above requirements in preparing the financial statements.

They are also responsible for managing the Charity in accordance with its Constitution, and for maintaining accounting records that disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the Charity’s financial position. This enables the financial statements to comply with the Charities Act 2011. In addition, The Trustees are responsible for safeguarding the Charity’s assets and for taking reasonable steps to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.

Nicola Battey

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by Nicola Battey (Chair)

16/06/2026

THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS Report and Financial Statements, year ended 31 August 2025

Independent Examiner’s Report

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31[st] August 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the Charity's trustees, 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 Trust’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(5)(b) 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 (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

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.

Xiaoyu Zhang Associated Chartered Accountant Independent Examiner

16/06/2026

THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS Report and Financial Statements, year ended 31 August 2025

Statement of Financial Activities

THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS Report and Financial Statements, year ended 31 August 2025

Balance Sheet

The notes of pages 8 to 9 form part of these accounts.

Approved by the Board of Trustees and signed on its behalf on 16/06/2026

Nicola Battey, Chair

Jacky Ng, Treasurer

THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS Report and Financial Statements, year ended 31 August 2025

Notes to the Accounts

1) Accounting Policies: The accounts were prepared on a receipts and payment basis. Expenses that occurred in 2024/25 for activities in 2023/24 were included in this year’s accounts. Inventory such as merchandise items held are not recorded on the balance sheet. This method of accounting is deemed appropriate due to the gross income of the charity not exceeding £250,000 during the financial year.
2) Fundraising Events:
3) Fundraising expenses: Trustees and committee members received no remuneration but were reimbursed for goods and services ordered by them on behalf of the Charity in connection with its fundraising and social events
4) Donations: Donations are contributions made by parents that was not associated with fund raising events
5) Sundry expenses: The sundry expenses were mostly bank charges and a £0.01 rounding error to reach the final balance held within the Charity’s deposit account

THE FRIENDS OF SQUIRRELS Report and Financial Statements, year ended 31 August 2025

6) School Projects: Below is the details of the school projects budgeted and funded during year 2024/25: