Charity number: 1147172
DANIEL'S DEN
Charitable Incorporated Organisation no. 1147172
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
NfP Accountants Ltd
DANIEL’S DEN
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
CONTENTS
| Reference and administrative information | 1 |
|---|---|
| Trustees' annual report | 2 |
| Independent auditor's report | 20 |
| Statement of financial activities | 22 |
| Balance sheet | 23 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 24 |
DANIEL’S DEN
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
Trustees
Joanna Gordon - resigned Jan 2022
Ronald Herbert resigned Jan 2022
Keith Brown
Caroline Winterburn Ketan Sheth Judith Abbott Yvonne Smith Trevor Goddard – appointed Jul 2022
Charity reg. no.
1147172
Registered office
38 Berkhamsted Avenue Wembley Middlesex HA9 6DT
Independent examiner
Charles Ssempijja, FCA NFP Accountants Ltd 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street London
EC2A 4NE
Bankers
HSBC Plc, 16 King Street, Covent Garden London, WC2E 8JF
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DANIEL’S DEN
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2022. The Reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the charity's governing document, and the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (SORP FRS 102) (edition October 2019, effective January 2019), and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
Income and expenditure have been analysed on a 'natural basis, taking advantage of sections 4.6 and 4.22-4.26 of this SORP.
Structure, Governance and Management
Structure and governing document
Daniel's Den is a registered Charity number 114172 and was converted, on 28 March 2022, to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation when a new constitution was adopted.
Organisational structure and decision making
The governance of the Charity is the responsibility of the Trustees. Day to day management is by the Chief Executive Officer, who draws on the support and expertise of the highly experienced Board of Trustees as needed.
Appointment of Trustees
Trustees are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Articles of Association and the Charity’s own procedures. Regular reviews are held to identify any expertise gaps within the Board of Trustees and appointments are made where required to strengthen the Board of Trustees, subject to all trustees’ approval.
When it is necessary to appoint new trustees, due to either a trustee stepping down or a gap of expertise in the board is identified, recruitment will initially begin through the networks of the board and management team. Applicants will be reviewed by trustees and the successful applicant will be invited to attend a trustee meeting. Following this, on the provision that the board are satisfied and the applicant still wishes to join the trustee board, they will be appointed.
No other person or external body is entitled to appoint any trustees of the Charity. The Trustees who served during the period and after the year end are shown on page 1.
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Trustee induction and training
The Charity provides new trustees with an induction pack and mentoring from the Chair. The Charity has limited resources for formal training of the trustee body. However, on-going training opportunities are announced to trustees when these become available pro bono.
Related party relationships
The Charity has considered the disclosure requirements of the SORP for related party relationships. The Charity has no related party connections with other organisations. The trustees consider that the members of the board, and their close connections, to be the only related parties of the Charity. All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the Charity.
Trustees are required to disclose all relevant interests and register them with the Chair of Trustees and to withdraw from decisions where a conflict of interest arises.
Pay policy for senior staff
The pay of the Charity’s Chief Executive Officer is reviewed annually. The trustees draw on their knowledge of the sector and common practice in other charities of similar size to ensure that the remuneration set is fair and not out of line with that generally paid for similar roles.
Risk Management
The Board of Trustees fully accepts its responsibilities for ensuring that the major risks to which the Charity is exposed are identified, and that there are systems and procedures in place to mitigate those risks. The Charity has a Finance and Risk Sub Committee (FRSC) which monitors the risks and reports to the Board. The Charity maintains a risk register.
Objectives and activities Purposes and principal activities
To enhance the development and education of children up to and including eleven years of age, but primarily those under statutory school age, by encouraging parents and carers to understand and provide for the needs of their children through community groups and by:
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a) offering appropriate play facilities and training courses, together with the right of parents / carers to take responsibility for, and to become involved in, the activities of such groups, ensuring that such groups offer opportunities for all children, regardless of race, culture, religion, disability or means.
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b) Encouraging the study of the needs of such children and their families and promoting public interest in and recognition of such needs in the local areas.
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c) enhancing the development of family life in accordance with biblical principles.
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These objects shall be undertaken in accordance with Christian principles whilst recognising the diversity of a multi-faith society.
Beneficiaries of our services
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Babies, toddlers, parents, carers, childminders
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Volunteers
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Venue host partners
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Community partners
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Local businesses via an opportunity to fulfil their corporate social responsibility via our network
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Other toddler groups & their leaders
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National organisations in the family support space (e.g. Parent Infant Partnership, Brent Council, Little Village, Children’ Commissioner, Care for the Family, London Diocese, Families Households Commission, Salvation Army, Home-Start)
Principal activities
To have family life valued in all levels of society both locally and nationally.
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Establishing and running parent and toddler groups, recognised as first rate by users. We reopened our in-person groups in September 2021, and by the end of the year were delivering 10 weekly in-person sessions each week.
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Offering parenting support, through our monthly hotspot interactive chat on Facebook Live. Discussing parenting issues. Parenting Postcards that were given to new members. Visits from Brent Council, Home-Start and Healthwatch Brent providing information for parents. Signposting via Social Media posts, answering comments, highlighting useful services and activities.
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Enabling people to recognise the value of parent and toddler groups through our response to running a Parent and Toddler group via a hybrid model. Sharing best practice with members of the council, national organisations in the parent support space and even international media platforms.
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Fostering mutual cooperation and support for toddler groups, hosting city and nationwide monthly Zoom sessions for toddler group leaders. Coordinating content across the 32 London Boroughs shining a light on good new stories in their area. Hosting events to encourage toddler group leaders across the UK to share experiences and learn from one another. Produced resources that would contribute to a national parent and toddler group programme.
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Supporting the choice of stay-at-home parents and raising awareness of the value they bring to society – in the year in which parents had to stay at home with their children provided the opportunity for insight and empathy.
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Public benefit
The Board of Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers or duties.
Achievements and performance
The trustees review the aims, objectives and activities of the Charity each year. This report looks at what the Charity has achieved and the outcomes of its work in the reporting period. The trustees report the success of each key activity and the benefits the Charity has brought to those groups of people that it is set up to help. The review also helps the trustees ensure the Charity's aims, objectives and activities remained focused on its stated purposes.
The trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Charity's aims and objectives and in planning its future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set.
In this report, we reflect on our five objectives (these form the basis of our principal activities) and demonstrate the outputs and impact of our work in the year in which we re-opened our in-person sessions. We are proud of the impact we’ve made and are keen to see a toddler group within walking distance of every family. We feel this level of support can make a world of difference to our children, their families, and local communities.
Celebrating 25 years
First and foremost, this was a monumental year for our charity as we celebrated our 25 year anniversary. As we collated the stories of our activities since 1996 for our exhibition, we marvelled at the way in which the small idea of a parent and toddler group that met on a Monday afternoon had grown and developed. The stories shared of the past 25 years (see objective 3 for more details) demonstrate our impact vividly and yet so much is unspoken and unseen. Lives have been transformed through relationships started in the sessions; communities have been enriched as people have used their new confidence and skills through volunteering and working, and amazing memories have been created for the thousands of children who have attended. As the children of the children start to attend, we recognise we are affecting one generation to another.
As well as looking back we also looked forward to 2046 – 25 years from now. Our commitment to see a toddler group within walking distance of every family is our driving force and our motto TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More underpins all we do.
Objective one: Establishing and running parent and toddler groups, recognised as first rate by users.
When we re-opened the physical doors of all our sessions in Sept 2021 we were overjoyed, apprehensive and expectant. Having closed our venues suddenly in March 2020, little did we know
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that it would take so long to re-open, and whilst we ran sessions online throughout the various lockdowns and had run some sessions outdoors in the Summer of 2021, the prospect of meeting physically in venues had its challenges.
The decision to reopen all venues involved lots of preparation in terms of being Covid safe, having masks and hand sanitiser in place as well as guidance on social distancing. We followed government guidelines and wondered who would come. We had used the lock down period to re-organise our procedures (including a new website and accounting system) and endeavoured to build on our strengths of being locally based, with local volunteer teams, offering clean good quality toys and equipment, a warm welcome and helpful signage. We wanted to make our sessions available to as many people as possible, being very aware of the need for socialisation for the new babies and toddlers who had never experienced meeting up with others.
From day one, we were overwhelmed by the keenness of people to meet. Wearing masks was no barrier and it enabled people to feel ‘safe’. It was amazing how eye contact meant so much and the conversations shared were a tonic to the families and volunteers. Meeting once a week in each venue meant we didn’t have to do a thorough clean each week, but we were constantly spraying and wiping down all surfaces. It was the new normal! Whilst the parents and carers were eager to meet there was a degree of apprehension regarding how the children would respond. In actual fact, the children strode in and embraced the opportunity to play in a new environment – it was as if they had always been coming. This was such a shock to us all – especially the parents – what a resilient generation. If ever there was a time when the opportunity to have a baby and toddler group within walking distance of your home was needed, it was now. And we were there.
Over the year we have recorded 4119 child attendances at our sessions ‘Your website is outstanding and registration so easy’.
We held sessions in 12 different venues across the Borough.
We opened 2 new groups – on Wednesdays at Chalkhill Community Centre, Wembley in October 2021 (thanks to funding from Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy) and on Thursdays at The Church of Ascension in North Wembley. We moved our group in Wembley Central from Park Lane to Mandhata Youth and Community Hall and changed the day of St Cuthbert’s so that the vicar could come and volunteer.
Sung “Wheels on the bus” 360 times.
These are the outputs but what about the outcomes?
a) Users – children and parents/carers
Through a child’s eyes (an abridged version based on the words of the mum)
‘That day that mummy dressed me in my coat and put me in the buggy, I felt that something different was happening. She’d been on her phone, checking the website for opening times and had also checked
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public transport. We were going one stop on the train, and it felt exciting. We were going out on an adventure, and this was into a world of new colours, sounds and smells. Mummy was wearing her mask – it was the normal thing to do when we went outside. The journey was noisy and the walk through the streets went quickly.
When the door opened, mum pushed me into the community centre, and we heard those amazing words – ‘welcome to Daniel’s Den’. I could hear music as mum took off my coat and carried me up the stairs – it got louder and louder and when the main door opened, I was shocked to see so many toys in one MASSIVE room. There were other children playing and mums and dads sitting and chatting. They were all wearing masks, but all seemed to value connecting with other people. I saw some books on a rainbow rug and mum took me over and we found the book Elmer – one of my favourites. As we sat and looked at the pictures, mummy held me close. One of the volunteers came and said hello and mum seemed so happy to connect with other adults. I felt warm … and loved.
Playdough, puzzles, cars, crafts, wooden train – so many things to play with and I chose the books. Snack time was fun although I didn’t eat much. As things were cleared away and tables pushed to the side, the music went on and children began to dance. Suddenly, a huge bucket of balls was tipped on the floor and children squealed with delight. Mum told one of the leaders that it was a ‘magical’ moment, and she loved it. Tunnels appeared from a blue bag and in the midst of all the chaos I did something for the first time – I crawled through the tunnel. Mum took a picture to share with the family on WhatsApp and she was so happy. It was like we were in our own private world – just mum and me. The singing at the end was strange as all the adults were wearing masks. The leader showed us the actions and I loved zooming to the moon and rowing a boat. When we said goodbye, I felt a warm fuzzy feeling – I could see mummy looked so happy and this made me happy too. It felt like a significant moment for us both …’
The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Royal Foundation) commissioned Ipsos MORI to undertake research into children’s early years in 2020. The report was entitled “State of the nation: understanding public attitudes to the early years”. They found that ‘Parental loneliness dramatically increased during the pandemic from 38% before to 63% as parents have been cut off from friends and family. The increase in loneliness for parents was more apparent in the most deprived areas. These parents were more than twice as likely as those living in the least deprived areas to say they feel lonely often or always (13% compared with 5%). Compounding this, it seemed there was a rise in the proportion of parents who feel uncomfortable seeking help for how they are feeling from 18% before the pandemic to 34% during it.’
Throughout the year, we listened and offered support to parents and carers, reassuring them that coming to a group and meeting others is so good for the overall health of the whole family. We set up a WhatsApp group for each venue and this has been another way to help parents feel connected and not alone.
Case study – One mum came to one of our sessions in April and before she entered the venue, she apologised for the behaviour of her child. She said that he would scream the place down and that she was so concerned about him. He would only cling to her, his dad, and maternal grandparents. They’d contacted professionals for help and felt desperate. She was reassured by the session leader and
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encouraged to give it a try … after ten minutes the little boy was totally settled and had begun to wander around the room to play with other toys. The mum was shocked and thrilled and week by week, both the mum’s and child’s confidence has grown.
Case study – At the end of a session, a new mum popped her head through the door of a church hall and asked if there was a group that she could bring her 3-month-old baby to. She was new to the area and was feeling very isolated. We listened as she shared her story of losing a baby at 21 weeks and a couple of miscarriages. She’d been on bed rest at her parents in Berkshire for her last pregnancy and now found herself in an area where she knew only her husband and his family. We told her about the services we offer, and she was delighted. She has attended every week since and made some amazing friendships. This mum had the confidence to reach out and ask for help.
b) Crafts and sensory play
‘Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn’ Benjamin Franklin. Watching the children develop skills and confidence in doing the crafts is pure joy … and even though the parents seem to enjoy these activities as much as, if not more than the children, we love the fact that our crafts go home and are displayed on walls, doors and even sent to family further afield. We do like to include sensory play when we can, knowing that this generates learning in different dimensions ‘Providing opportunities for children to actively use their senses as they explore their world through ‘sensory play’ is crucial to brain development – it helps to build nerve connections in the brain’s pathways. This leads to a child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks and supports cognitive growth, language development, gross motor skills, social interaction and problemsolving skills.’
Throughout the year we prepared 20 x 36 different craft activities for 10 venues = 7200 crafts! We used recycled materials and 100 glue sticks.
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We offer a range of play experiences to accommodate lots of learning needs.
‘I truly believe that Daniel's Den sessions are the most INCLUSIVE sessions I have ever been to. I am a mum of two twin boys who are now 3 years old, one of them has been diagnosed with autism at the age of 2 and it was very difficult for me to attend toddler's play sessions after the diagnosis as I didn't know what to expect and how my autistic child would have felt. Daniel's Den sessions offer a range of activities from the start till the end by setting up different corners with different toys to give the kids the chance to jump from one corner to another without being forced to do the same activity.’ Mum
This year we have continued to include activities from our Sowing Seeds project whether it was planting daffodil bulbs, hairy caterpillars, or plants through a partnership with National Park City. We had several Saturday Specials in our allotment including a Spud Special, Nature Trail and Bear Hunt. Giving children the opportunity to grow their own food and experience gardening is something we value and with over 20% of our families having no access to a garden or balcony, we are glad to make this available.
We also organised a trip to Hanwell Zoo, and this generated so much fun, language and friendship. ‘It was so good to discover a new place to go and I have made a new friend and my child has too’.
c) TEAMWORK – our volunteers
This year Daniel’s Den benefited from 2,331 hours of volunteer time given by 34 volunteers (active volunteers, defined as someone who did at least one 2-hour shift during the year). This was worth £27, 855 Based on the London Living Wage of £11.95 an hour.
This year we have welcomed lots of new volunteers. Covid has made many people rethink their priorities in life and we know many organisations have been unable to re-open due to lack of volunteers. The sense of commitment and support in our volunteer team is contagious and volunteers are bringing in other volunteers. So many different ages and backgrounds are represented, and this truly reflects our local community.
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Case study - Ewa is a Polish lady who has lived in Wembley for over 40 years. She was bereaved in the first lock down and wanted to do something to benefit the community. She started helping out at her own home – snipping crafts and packaging parenting postcards. When our sessions reopened, she volunteered in one of the sessions and met a grandma called Olivia, who lives in the Northeast of England but was here for a year looking after her grandson in one of the new apartments in Wembley Park. They instantly connected as they felt they were from the same generation and had both lost their husbands within 2 weeks of each other. They met regularly for lunch and through their shared lived experience of bereavement, they have developed a wonderful friendship.
We were delighted to be able to host our annual Celebration Evening for our volunteers and staff at the Black Horse in Sudbury. Past and present volunteers were invited as part of our Silver Jubilee year celebrations. Hermina Heder was the recipient of the Emma Hay Sunshine Memorial Award in recognition of her volunteering over the years and the way in which she recruits and empowers new volunteers.
Objective two: Offering parenting support
In the Royal Foundation research, just one in four respondents recognised the specific importance of the first five years of a child’s life. 70% of the respondents felt judged by others re their parenting skills.
The need to support parents is paramount and we do this implicitly and explicitly. We offer implicit parenting support through the way we run our sessions, modelling positive behaviours and experiences. Creating the opportunity for safe play, shared singing, playdough and being able to have a cup of tea made by someone else whilst your child plays with someone else is often the lifeline parents need. With the pandemic, parents had missed lots of this peer-to-peer support and it was
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great to see new friendships formed ‘I never like to think of a parent feeling alone’. Lots of our volunteers are parents and their lived experiences give them a real sense of empathy with attendees, and they are attuned to recognising the anxieties of parents.
Our explicit parenting support comes in different ways:
a) Welcome packs
We gave out 400 welcome packs which included a welcome letter, songbook and our 12 parenting postcards in a hessian branded bag. These cards offer bite sized advice.
b) Hotspots
We ran 10 Hotspots, monthly online discussions streamed live on Facebook. Topics such as early numeracy skills, literacy, love languages etc were discussed and it was great to see people interacting – either asking questions or sharing ideas. With an average of 80 people viewing these videos, we feel they enhance the understanding parents and carers have of early childhood development.
c) Visits
We welcomed visitors from Children and Family Information Service, Home-Start and Brent Health Matters who listened and gave information to the parents and carers.
d) Practical help
The power of the second question …
Case study - One day we received a call from a lady who had found us on Brent Council website. She’d just been moved into the area from another borough and was living in a house with 7 other households – sharing a kitchen and 2 bathrooms. She and her son had a bed, 2 chairs, a table and fridge in a small room at the very top of a small house. She discovered a Daniel’s Den nearby and went to join the group. The door was locked and didn’t open when she rang the doorbell. Hence the phone call to us and she was shocked to find out she’d gone on the wrong day. The conversation could have ended there but at DD, we know the power of the second question. Offering a few kind words and asking if they are new to the area, how old their child is etc, demonstrates we are interested and that this is genuine. We followed up the call with a visit and within 24 hours we were able to share food, bedding, towels, a suitcase to store her clothes in etc. People kindly donated toiletries, clothing and even a new pair of trainers – so wonderful to see the generosity of others. This lady and her son were moved again within weeks, and we are thankful we were able to make a difference there and then. This little family could have so felt alone but thanks to us being community based, we could offer help when and where it was needed.
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e) Mum’s Zone
In The Royal Foundation Research, 90% of people see parental mental health and wellbeing as being critical to a child’s development but, in reality, people do very little to prioritise themselves. Only 10% of parents mentioned taking the time to look after their own wellbeing when asked how they had prepared for the arrival of their baby.
We relaunched our annual Mum’s Zone event and organised a day of pampering, Zumba, crafts and, of course, food.
f) Dad’s Zone
We ran our monthly Dad’s Zone sessions and over the year we reached 105 dads, with an average attendance of 20 per session. Enabling dads, grandads and other male carers to meet with their young children in a safe space is a joy (for some it’s the first time they have taken their child out on their own) and many of the dads comment on how it has helped with their confidence - ‘Oh – I’m so pleased to hear you experience that too’ is a comment often overheard at these sessions and there is such a sense of community growing.
We ran a pop-up session in one of our other venues and we are looking to increase the number of venues that host Dad’s Zone – this comes at the request from venue hosts as well as the dads.
g) The Net
The Net is a new project of Daniel’s Den. For a number of months, Daniel’s Den welcomed asylum seeking families into one of our sessions – they were staying in one of the nearby hotels and came at the invitation of a contact known to the charity. We recognised there was a need to offer more direct help and we have started providing a taste of Daniel’s Den is a safe and familiar place through a series of pop ups in the hotel where they stay. We are creating sustainable connections by signposting families to our other established sessions in the local area to the hotel.
We offer simple play activities in each pop-up session and some of our volunteers are able to translate. We distribute toys, equipment and clothing and this is appreciated. We were delighted to welcome a number of asylum seeker families to our annual Great Get Together Picnic, and this was tangible evidence of our mission statement ‘to encourage and enrich family life in order to build stronger communities’.
In June we were awarded a Borough of Sanctuary Award in recognition that we provide a safe space for asylum seekers and refugees.
Objective three: Enabling people to recognise the value of parent and toddler groups
Our year of Silver Jubilee Celebrations was launched in November 2021, and this proved to be an excellent way of showcasing the impact of one toddler group in a local area. The preparation for the launch event enabled us to gather stories and pictures of our impact and during the ceremony past
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toddlers, parents, volunteers, partners etc shared about their experiences. These were recorded and make up a special page on our website. The timeline banners vividly showed the way in which one toddler group had grown and developed over the years.
Lord (Paul) Boateng ‘you have done so very well, so very much for families in Northwest London’.
Exhibition on tour
We took our exhibition on tour, and it was displayed in Brent Civic Centre for 2 days in March 2022. So many visitors walked by and here are some of the connections made:
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CEO of Brent Council commended us on the diversity of our staff and volunteer team, recognising the value of our offer of flexible working hours and the opportunity to develops various skills and confidence
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A community project leader invited us to open a new venue in Alperton
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College lecturer brought her students, and a new volunteer programme is emerging for them to have work experience at Daniel’s Den.
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Current and potential funders were thrilled to see the range of activities we do, and this has led to new offers of financial and practical support ongoing
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New families came along to our sessions after they’d picked up a leaflet
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The media coverage of this important milestone took the message out there that toddler groups make a lasting difference to people’s lives.
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Social media
The reach of our social media increased
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Twitter – up from 1085 followers to 1203 followers
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Facebook – 1075 to 1200 followers
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Instagram – 219 followers up to 342 followers
We use these channels to share news of what we do, and the comments and responses are great. After our Bear Hunt, a retired headteacher tweeted: ‘‘So glad I was invited to @DanielsDenUK event at Chalkhill allotment this lunchtime. Mud kitchen, planting, water play, Bear Hunt & a picnic. Laughter, splashing, adult play as well as children's play and so much spontaneous learning going on. That's what Early Years Foundation Stage should be like.” This tweet was retweeted by the author Michael Rosen.
Speaking engagements
Opportunities to be a voice for toddler groups regarding their value and the contribution they make were numerous throughout the year.
We contributed to the following publications, research papers, speaking engagements etc.:
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Salvation Army Calendar and National Month of Prayer initiative
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School Readiness Project with the Gather Movement, Care for the Family, Kids Matter and others
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Health Visitor Report compiled by Parent Infant Partnership
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Archbishops’ Commission on Families & Households
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Faith in the Nexus: The spiritual flourishing of the youngest child- research project by Canterbury University
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Spoke at The Ascension Church and St Cuthberts about Daniel’s Den
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Interviewed twice on United Christian Broadcasting Radio
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Stargazing discussion for toddler groups in the Church of England
In May 2022 our CEO was asked to lead a webinar for the Parent Infant Foundation on the topic of “The role of grassroots baby and toddler groups” and a wide range of listeners tuned in. This really showcased the vital role of toddler groups and was very well received. After the webinar we were contacted by other toddler group leaders all the way from Devon for advice to improve their group. A copy of the webinar is available on our YouTube channel.
Objective four: fostering mutual cooperation and support for toddler groups.
The challenges of re-opening toddler groups after the lock downs have been, and are huge, and so many groups have yet to re-open. If ever there was a need for support, it is now.
During the year we helped host monthly Zoom sessions for toddler groups across London – those attending said how much they had benefitted from this support and how they couldn’t have reopened their groups without it.
The London Network for Parent and Toddler Groups became an official project of Daniel’s Den and a new website was launched: www.londonparenttoddler.network. The Bishop of London was the keynote speaker at the annual Rhythms of Grace conference in October 2021 and 40 attendees enjoyed a variety of workshops via Zoom. The London Prayer Marathon was launched on the top of the O2 building in east London and again raised the profile of the value of toddler groups and how they need support and encouragement, and our online conference.
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Jo Gordon (CEO) is part of the advisory team for 1277, an informal network of church-based toddler groups and offers support in a lively Facebook group comprising of 3600+ members.
The camaraderie in our Daniel’s Den toddler group teams is contagious and helps keep us enthused – we receive lots of phone call and requests from across the country for help, advice and to be a sounding board.
Objective five: supporting the choice of stay-at-home parents and raising awareness of the value they bring to society
One of the major learning points from the pandemic has been the recognition of the joys and challenges of being home with your children. Flexible working has been given a lease of life in so many ways and people have been rethinking what their life could be like. This is music to our ears!
We have always advocated the need for a REAL choice for parents in the upbringing of their children. Creating the opportunity for parents to volunteer or be employed within school hours term-time only is so important to us and at present we have offered this to 11 number of volunteers and staff. Creating a space for parents to bring their children to play is so important to us. Whether they are stay at home parents or working part time/flexible hours – they all matter.
Thanks go to our funders
Reaching Communities (The National Lottery), NCIL (Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy), Quintain, Sisk, National Park City, Wembley Central Big Local, regular givers and one-off donors. Thanks also to our amazing friends who were involved in our fundraising month.
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REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
Plans for future periods
During 2022/2023 the Charity will continue deliver toddler groups within walking distance of families in Brent and hope to open at least two new groups.
We will continue to develop the London Network of Parent and Toddler Groups and are seeking additional funding to enable this development.
We will further develop our fundraising strategy, prioritising core cost funding and diversifying our income sources.
The value of our volunteers is immeasurable and intend to build upon our volunteer programme to enable to sustain our service delivery.
Financial review
The charity achieved net income for the year of £12,778 (2021 - net expenditure of £17,860), details of which are shown in the Statement of Financial Activities on page 13. This brings the charity’s total funds to £56,862 (2021 - £44,084). Of this, £10,512 was unrestricted funds (2021 - £14,850). Free reserves stood at £10,512 (2021 - £14,850).
Total income for the year increased to £141,555 (2021 - total income was £94,700). Total expenditure amounted to £128,777 (2021 - total expenditure was £112,560).
Reserves Policy
The charity's reserves policy is to hold reserves that are sufficient to cover 3 months of working capital in case fundraising efforts do not deliver in line with expectations. At the balance sheet date, the Trustees estimate this would require reserves of £25,000. The Charity’s reserves at the end of the reporting period were £10,512, which is below this level. The trustees will be working with the management to increase these reserves, through fundraising, to the required level. This is expected to take at least two years.
Going Concern
After making appropriate enquiries, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.
The Charity continues to work strategically with Sisk, CVS Brent (fundraising & reporting support) and our venue hosts of course. This financial and moral support provides a firm foundation for the Charity’s activities which are set to increase even further in the next financial year.
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DANIEL’S DEN
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
Approval
This report was approved by the Trustees on 19 April 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
Keith Brown Trustee
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DANIEL'S DEN
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES
For the year ended 31 August 2022
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2022 set out on pages 13 to 21.
Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and examiner
The Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
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follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
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state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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1.(1) accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; or
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2.(2) the accounts do not accord with such records; or
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3.(2) the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or
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4.(2) the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102).
/Continued…
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…/Continued
I understand that the financial statements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair' view, and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair view'. This departure has involved following SORP FRS102 (effective January 2019), rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 (SORP 2005), which is referred to in the exitant regulations, but has since been withdrawn.
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.
Charles Ssempijja, FCA
NfP Accountants Ltd Chartered Accountants 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street London EC2A 4NE Date: …………………………. 19 April 2023
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DANIEL'S DEN (Registered charity no. 1147172)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES for the year ended 31 August 2022
| Unrestricted Funds Notes £ INCOME FROM Session donations 10,062 Regular donations 5,553 One off donations 10,263 Grants 3,840 HMRC Gift Aid 2,021 Events and trips 788 Fundraising 4,150 Other income (including bank interest) 1 TOTAL INCOME 36,678 EXPENDITURE ON Salary costs 3 31,154 Other staff costs 4 1,634 Running costs & overheads Crafts & Activities Supplies 2,009 Rent & Utilities - Events and trips 1,171 Equipment and Furniture 120 Refreshments 100 Office supplies, printing & postage 80 Phone & Internet 306 Website 366 Travel and subsistence 92 Database Fees - Annual Subscriptions for IT Platforms 148 Memberships & subscriptions 107 Professional fees 2,155 DBS fees - Insurance - Marketing and publicity - Donations made 650 Other expenses 180 Independent examination fees 744 TOTAL EXPENDITURE 41,016 (4,338) Transfers between funds 7 - NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (4,338) TOTAL FUNDS AT 01 SEPTEMBER 14,850 TOTAL FUNDS AT 31 AUGUST 10,512 Net income/(expenditure) before transfers |
Restricted Funds £ - - - 104,877 - - - - 104,877 60,904 3,974 4,555 1,680 141 1,052 5 297 1,210 145 4 4,750 37 27 6,870 542 945 443 30 - 150 87,761 17,116 - 17,116 29,234 46,350 |
Total Funds 2022 £ 10,062 5,553 10,263 108,717 2,021 788 4,150 1 141,555 92,058 5,608 6,564 1,680 1,312 1,172 105 377 1,516 511 96 4,750 185 134 9,025 542 945 443 680 180 894 128,777 12,778 - 12,778 44,084 56,862 |
Unrestricted Funds £ 1,320 3,260 2,885 - 1,933 - 1,236 - 10,634 - 1,050 320 - 65 420 35 36 - 675 4 - 5 - 690 - - - 600 825 720 5,445 5,189 (198) 4,991 9,859 14,850 |
Restricted Funds £ - - - 84,066 - - - - 84,066 74,377 10,319 7,250 1,680 - 1,752 - 1,187 1,019 3,591 10 594 329 273 2,616 153 922 843 - 200 - 107,115 (23,049) 198 (22,851) 52,085 29,234 |
Total Funds 2021 £ 1,320 3,260 2,885 84,066 1,933 - 1,236 - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94,700 | |||||
| 74,377 11,369 7,570 1,680 65 2,172 35 1,223 1,019 4,266 14 594 334 273 3,306 153 922 843 600 1,025 720 |
|||||
| 112,560 | |||||
| (17,860) - |
|||||
| (17,860) 61,944 |
|||||
| 44,084 |
All incoming resources and outgoing resources derive from continuing activities.
The annexed notes form part of these financial statements
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DANIEL'S DEN
(Registered charitable incorporated organisation no. 1147172)
BALANCE SHEET As at 31 August 2022
| Notes CURRENT ASSETS Debtors Cash at bank and in hand CREDITORS: amounts falling due within one year 2 NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES NET ASSETS FUNDS Restricted funds 7 General fund (unrestricted) 7 TOTAL FUNDS |
2022 £ £ - 58,875 58,875 (2,013) 56,862 56,862 56,862 £ 46,350 10,512 56,862 **£ ** |
2022 £ £ - 58,875 58,875 (2,013) 56,862 56,862 56,862 £ 46,350 10,512 56,862 **£ ** |
£ - 45,688 |
2021 £ 44,084 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45,688 (1,604) |
||||
| 56,862 | 44,084 | |||
| 56,862 **£ ** |
44,084 _£ _ |
|||
| 46,350 10,512 |
29,234 14,850 |
|||
| 56,862 **£ ** |
44,084 _£ _ |
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP FRS 102, edition October 2019, effective 01 January 2019), and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
They were approved, and authorised for issue, by the Trustees on 19 April 2023 and signed on their behalf by:-
Keith Brown Trustee
The annexed notes form part of these financial statements
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DANIEL'S DEN (Registered charity no. 1147172)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 31 August 2022
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of preparation of financial statements
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (SORP FRS 102) (edition October 2019, effective January 2019), and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
Income and expenditure have been analysed on a 'natural basis, taking advantage of sections 4.6 and 4.22-4.26 of the SORP.
The effect of events relating to the year ended 31 August 2022 which occurred before the date of approval of the financial statements by the Trustees has been included in the financial statements to the extent required to show a true and fair view of the state of affairs at 31 August 2022 and the results for the year ended on that date.
The financial statements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair' view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair view'. This departure has involved following SORP 2015 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 (SORP 2005) which has since been withdrawn.
Going concern
The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
Key judgements that the charity has made which have a significant effect on the accounts include estimating income and expenditure for the next 12 months.
Statement of Cash Flows
The Company has taken advantage of the exemption conferred by Section 1 of FRS102 in relation to the Statement of Cash Flows.
Income
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Grants which have a restriction as to timing are recognised over the period for which they are given.
The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in the accounts.
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DANIEL'S DEN (Registered charity no. 1147172)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 31 August 2022
Fund accounting
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objects of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. Statutory grants which are given as contributions towards the Charity's core services are treated as unrestricted.
Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
All the expenditure of the charity is in the furtherance of its charitable activities and includes the costs of delivering services undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.
Irrecoverable VAT is included in expenditure as part of the gross cost of items. Where VAT is recoverable, expenditure is shown net of this VAT.
Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
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DANIEL'S DEN (Registered charity no. 1147172)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 31 August 2022
| 2. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Corporation tax Pensions payable Accruals Other creditors Custodian funds held 3. STAFF COSTS AND NUMBERS Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds 2022 2022 £ £ Gross pay 26,047 60,904 Employer NI 1,606 - Employer pension 3,501 - TOTAL STAFF COSTS 31,154 £ 60,904 **£ ** |
2022 £ 367 (64) 1,464 140 106 2,013 £ Total Funds 2022 £ 86,951 1,606 3,501 92,058 **£ ** |
2021 £ - 458 720 320 106 |
|---|---|---|
| 1,604 _£ _ |
||
| Total Funds 2021 £ 70,606 138 3,633 |
||
| 74,377 _£ _ |
The average weekly number of staff in the year (headcount) was 7 (2021 - 8). Remuneration to key management personnel, including employer pensions, amounted to £29,700 (2021 - £25,920).
No employees received remuneration in excess of £60,000 (2021 - the same).
4. OTHER STAFF COSTS
| Sessional worker payments Volunteer expenses Staff/volunteer training Recruitment Costs TOTAL OTHER STAFF COSTS |
Unrestricted Funds 2022 £ 1,044 580 10 - 1,634 **£ ** |
Restricted Funds 2022 £ 2,788 251 935 - 3,974 **£ ** |
Total Funds 2022 £ 3,832 831 945 - 5,608 **£ ** |
Total Funds 2021 £ 6,699 599 3,521 550 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11,369 _£ _ |
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DANIEL'S DEN (Registered charity no. 1147172)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 31 August 2022
5. TRUSTEES
During 2021, the trustees reviewed the previous constitution and in the process, it was found that this precluded a trustee being paid. The CEO, Joanna Gordon, had been appointed a trustee in error and had been paid a salary (£25,920 in 2021 and £20,926 in 2020). Immediately this situation was discovered, Joanna Gordon tendered her resignation as a Trustee. The board considered whether this was a reportable serious incident and concluded that it did not fit this category and hence did not report this to the Charity Commission.
No other Trustees received remuneration in the year (2021 - the same). No other Trustees were paid for reimbursed expenses (2021 - the same).
6. CORPORATION TAX
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
7. STATEMENT OF FUNDS
| Adjusted Brought Forward £ 2022 Restricted funds: KickStart - Impactful Go - Comic Relief - Brent - NCIL - National Park City - Wembley Central Big Local - Reaching Communities 24,718 Robert Southall 614 Wembley Park Community Fund 3,902 Total restricted funds 29,234 Unrestricted fund 14,850 Total funds 44,084 **£ ** |
Incoming Resources £ 6,342 392 9,997 700 726 86,720 - - 104,877 36,678 141,555 **£ ** |
Resources Transfers & Expended Gains / Losses £ £ (6,086) - (392) - (4,047) - (365) - (288) - (73,979) - (614) - (1,990) - (87,761) - (41,016) - (128,777) £ Nil £ |
Carried Forward £ 256 - 5,950 335 438 37,459 - 1,912 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46,350 10,512 |
|||
| 56,862 **£ ** |
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DANIEL'S DEN (Registered charity no. 1147172)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 31 August 2022
| Statement of funds: Continued - 2021 Restricted funds: Comic Relief 84 NL Community Fund 9,950 Reaching Communities 41,079 Robert Southall 972 Wembley Park Community Fund - Total restricted funds 52,085 Unrestricted fund 9,859 Total funds 61,944 _£ _ |
1,567 - 73,726 2,333 6,440 84,066 10,634 94,700 _£ _ |
(1,849) (9,950) (90,087) (2,691) (2,538) (107,115) (5,445) (112,560) £ |
198 - - - - 198 (198) Nil £ |
- - 24,718 614 3,902 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29,234 14,850 |
||||
| 44,084 _£ _ |
8. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS
| 2022 Current assets Creditors due within one year 2021 Current assets Creditors due within one year |
General Funds 2022 £ 12,525 (2,013) 10,512 £ 16,454 (1,604) 14,850 _£ _ |
Restricted Funds 2022 £ 46,350 - 46,350 £ 29,234 - 29,234 _£ _ |
Total Funds 2022 £ 58,875 (2,013) 56,862 £ 45,688 (1,604) 44,084 _£ _ |
Total Funds 2021 £ 45,688 (1,604) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44,084 _£ _ |
||||
9. OTHER LEGAL INFORMATION
Daniel's Den is a charitable incorporated organisation registered in England with registration number 1147172. Its registered office address is 38 Berkhamsted Avenue, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 6DT. The accounts are presented in GBP rounded to £1.
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