## **LS29 Special Needs Support Group** **Charity no. 1152732** **Trustees Annual Report and Accounts** **30[th] April 2025** **LS29 Special Needs Support Group** ## **Accounts for the year ended 30[th] April 2025** ## **LS29 Chairs Report May 2024-2025** ## **LS29 Special Needs Support Group Registered charity no: 1152732** This year has been a powerful reminder of what can happen when families come together with a shared purpose. As a parent-led organisation, everything we do in LS29 starts with lived experience - understanding the challenges, celebrating the wins and recognising the importance of belonging. I am incredibly proud of how our families, trustees and local supporters have continued to build a community where children and young people with additional needs can thrive, explore and simply enjoy being themselves. Whether it’s trying a new activity, gaining independence, or finding friendship and understanding, these moments are at the heart of our mission. Thank you to everyone who has contributed time, energy and kindness this year. Your support keeps the LS29 Group meaningful, joyful and firmly rooted in the needs of our families. I look forward to another year of creativity, connection and growth. Next year is our 20[th] year of existing. We are excited to be planning a festival of entertainment and family fun for members – old, new and prospective. ## **Chair’s Report** LS29 Group exists to help create inclusive, welcoming local communities for families who have children or young people with additional needs. We offer support, connection and opportunities for the whole family - and we do it in a way that is shaped entirely by the people we serve. We’re proud to be a group **run completely by volunteer parents** , with no paid staff. This means every activity, event and idea comes directly from the families involved, ensuring everything we provide is relevant, meaningful and responsive. It also means that every pound raised goes straight into subsidising activities and widening access for families. ## **Highlights of the Year** This year has been one of growth, energy and increasing confidence among our families. Some of the key achievements include: ## **Advocacy and community influence** Working with local statutory groups and Bradford Council, we now have a **Changing Places facility in Ilkley** making the town more inclusive for both visitors and locals **Regular activities that bring families together** We delivered a wide range of after-school, weekend and school-holiday activities. We aim to organise an activity at least every other weekend, and at least weekly during the school holidays. These can be inclusive sports, days out, trips to use local facilities and local activities **Residential weekends** We ran **two residential weekends** for children, young people and their families to build friendships within the group and positive experiences between siblings and parents with group support surrounding them **LS29 Special Needs Support Group** ## **Accounts for the year ended 30[th] April 2025** ## **Building strong partnerships** We continue to have shared and strong links with local groups including Moor Time, Exclusively Inclusive, Bradford Stronger Together, Summat Creative and Outside the Box Café. These partnerships are creating new opportunities and better access to inclusive activities for children and young people. ## **Supporting independence for older children** We have a separate programme for older children and teenagers, offering more independencebuilding events such as discos, cooking sessions, cinema trips and evenings out. **Supporting parents and carers** We have developed exclusive connection days and evenings for parents and carers - without their children. These give parents an opportunity to relax and build knowledge and friends in similar positions. The feedback from these has been extremely positive ## **Summary of LS29 AGM Feedback and Next Steps (2025)** ## **What’s Working Well** Feedback from members shows LS29 continues to provide a much-loved, inclusive community for families, children, and young people with additional needs. Highlights include: - **High-quality, varied activities** – from local events and day trips to holidays and private sessions such as swimming and play. - **Strong sense of belonging and inclusion** – members consistently describe LS29 as welcoming, supportive, and family-friendly. - **Effective organisation and communication** – particularly through the use of systems like BookWhen and consistent messaging from the Chair and volunteers. - **Positive wellbeing impact** – activities and breaks make a real difference for both children and parents/carers, helping to build friendships and resilience. - **Committed and supportive trustee group** – with many time-dependent roles behind the scenes especially the treasurer, fundraisers and secretary ## **Priorities and Member Requests** Families and carers would like to see LS29 continue to grow and diversify its offer. Common themes from feedback include: - **More activities for young people and adults (18+)** , including social evenings and outdoor adventures. - **Increased parent/carer wellbeing support** , such as stress management workshops and social meet-ups. - **Better access to information and signposting** , particularly around EHCPs, funding, post18 options, and personal assistants. - **Continuation and expansion of existing programmes** , such as youth zone sessions, short breaks, and inclusive group activities. - **Exploration of a permanent or dedicated space** for LS29 activities in the future. ## **Challenges Identified** - The group is **entirely volunteer-led** , and all committee members are parent/carers with limited spare time. - The **administrative and organisational workload** (bookings, communications, event coordination, reporting, and funding bids) is increasingly demanding. - **Fundraising and sustainability** require more time, structure, and expertise than volunteers can currently provide. - **Growing expectations** from members mean more support, variety, and communication are needed to meet demand. **LS29 Special Needs Support Group** ## **Accounts for the year ended 30[th] April 2025** ## **Next Steps and Recommendations** In response to the feedback, LS29 should focus on: 1. Continuing to offer a varied and inclusive programme of activities. 2. Expanding opportunities for young people and adults with additional needs. 3. Strengthening peer support and information-sharing for parents and carers. 4. Developing a clearer approach to communication, signposting, and wellbeing support. 5. Sustaining and growing LS29 through stronger fundraising and partnership working. ## **Capacity and Sustainability** It is clear that the current volunteer structure limits LS29’s ability to meet the growing needs of members and manage increasing administrative and fundraising demands. ## **To ensure the group can continue to thrive, provide consistent support, and plan for the future, LS29 should explore additional administrative and project support.** ## A key recommendation is to **consider recruiting a paid Project Assistant** to: - Coordinate activities and communications, - Support funding applications and reporting, - Strengthen partnerships, and - Reduce the workload on volunteer committee members. This additional capacity would help secure LS29’s long-term sustainability and ensure the group remains a trusted, inclusive support network for families of all abilities. Local support for LS29 Group has been consistent and we want to express our thanks to the following donors and fundraising events. Without their help the group would not be as successful: Ilkley and District Round Table, Bracken Golf Club, Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary, ABCD grant, Co-op Community Fund, Tesco, Talking Newspaper, Eshton Group, Mercer UK, Ilkley Soroptimists, LS29 Fundraisers, Audrey Beesley, Marione Horsley Please see the LS29 accounts below. With grateful thanks to our long-standing, committed and efficient treasurer Diane Fielding. Karen Goodman-Picken Chair LS29 **Date** : 15/1/26 **LS29 Special Needs Support Group** **Accounts for the year ended 30[th] April 2025** ## **Independent Examiners Statement** ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The charity's 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: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and - to 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 matter has come to my attention: 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: - to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed Date 11/2/26 J Kendall ACA Ltd **LS29 Special Needs Support Group** ## **Accounts for the year ended 30[th] April 2025** ## **Statement of Financial Activities For the Year ended 30[th] April 2025** |**Receipts**
**Grants and Donations**
Donations
Members contributions for outings/events
Other Income
**Payments**
**LS29 Support Group**
Family outings,events and trips
General office/admin expenses
Net Income/(Expenditure) for the year
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward|**2025**
**2024**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Total**| |---|---| ||23,695
20,875
44,570
29,527
3,950
33,477
20,004
20,004
17,775
17,775
21
21| ||43,720
20,875
64,595
47,302
3,950
51,252| ||54,353
15,944
70,297
29,584
10,508
40,092
80
80
80
80| ||54,433
15,944
70,377
29,664
10,508
40,172| ||(10,712)
4,931
(5,781)
17,638
(6,558)
11,080
32,034
8,569
40,603
14,396
15,127
29,523| ||21,322
13,500
34,822
32,034
8,569
40,603| **LS29 Special Needs Support Group** ## **Accounts for the year ended 30[th] April 2025** ## **Balance Sheet** ## **As at 30[th] April 2025** ||**2025**|**2024**| |---|---|---| ||**£**|**£**| |**Current Assets**||| |Cash at bank and in hand|35,062|40,763| |Current Assets|35,062|40,763| |Current Liabilities|(240)|(160)| ||34,822|40,603| |**Funds of the Charity**||| |Unrestricted|34,822|32,034| |Restricted|-|8,569| ||34,822|40,603| Signed 11[th] February 2026 Karen Goodman-Picken Chair LS29 **LS29 Special Needs Support Group** ## **Accounts for the year ended 30[th] April 2025** ## **1 Accounting Policies** ## **Charity status** The charity is a charity limited by guarantee and consequently does not have share capital. ## **Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates** The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated. ## **Statement of compliance** 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) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. ## **Basis of preparation** LS29 Special Needs Support Group meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognized at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes. ## **Going concern** The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity. ## _**Grants receivable.**_ Grants are recognized when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognized as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released. ## **Fund structure** Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees' discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity. Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. All donations and grants for LS29 Time are considered to be restricted for the use within LS29 Time. ## **2. Independent Examination Fee** The fee for independent examination of the accounts was £80 (2024: £80).