SHAKESPEARE WALK ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**APRIL 2022 - MARCH 2023**
**Registered Company Number: 07289310 (England & Wales) Registered Charity Number: 1156526**
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SHAKESPEARE WALK ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
## **THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
|**CONTENTS**||
|---|---|
||**Page**|
|Charity Information|**3**|
|Report to the Trustees|**4**|
|Independent Examiner's Report|**12**|
|Statement of Financial Activities|**14**|
|Balance Sheet|**15**|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|**16**|
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SHAKESPEARE WALK ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
## **THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **CHARITY INFORMATION**
Company Registration Number
07289310
Charity Registration Number 1156526
Management Committee Trustees Nitasha Kapoor Chair Mara Bodis-Wollner Treasurer Ariane Hanman Secretary Omarie Mears Trustee Chiara Farina Trustee Katherine Mengardon Trustee
REGISTERED OFFICE
2[nd] Floor, Northumberland House 303-306 High Holborn London WC1V 7JZ
ACCOUNTANTS
Gelfand Rennert and Feldman LLP 2[nd] Floor, Northumberland House 303-306 High Holborn London WC1V 7JZ
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## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES**
## **CHAIR REPORT**
_“I always know when I come to pick them up that they'll have eaten well and they’ll sleep well tonight.” - Parent, child 9 yr_
This year marks the first since I’ve been a trustee when we didn’t have a global pandemic to contend with, and I’m pleased to report that we have made excellent progress towards a more consistent, sustainable service that benefits our community. That said this year was not without its challenges - the cost-of-living crisis created acute financial and emotional hardship that tested our most vulnerable and not so vulnerable families. SWAPA’s services continue to be a lifeline for so many young people and families to help make ends meet and provide opportunities to thrive.
Our community of young people (YP) is growing and becoming more concrete with 588 children visiting the playground between April 22 and March 23, totalling 3,700 visits! The consistency of our service over the last three years has produced a higher retention of YP starting secondary school and we now have a core group of 12-15 year olds that visit on a regular basis, taking more ownership over the playground and helping out. For example, we continued to provide free hot lunches during school holidays, often involving our YP in the cooking and serving. Around 60% of our hot lunches are served to children eligible for Free School Meals. To develop their skills further, a small group of our YP applied and won funding from Hackney Council’s Youth Opportunities Fund to have weekly cooking sessions over the winter months, culminating in a trip to the Michelin starred restaurant BRAT in London Fields where they made flatbreads in a wood fired oven and mocktails behind their beautiful bar. We then sat for a set menu lunch including things many of our YP had never tried before (and never thought they would!). It was an afternoon to remember, and we wouldn’t be surprised if some of our YP now go on to be high end chefs. Special thanks to head chef Tomos Parry and the whole team at BRAT for being amazing hosts and going above and beyond to broaden our YP’s food horizons.
As always, the playground structures and site in general are in constant need of maintenance and repair. We developed a partnership with Community Payback teams to have weekly maintenance days and East London Business Alliance (Elba) facilitated a steady stream of corporate volunteer sessions to help with building repairs and improvements - including a new tango swing platform and removing the zipline and tower.
The trustees and senior staff have done an incredible job at securing funding that has helped with outreach and an increased presence in the community, for example:
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- We continue to be visited by our local SEN school, The Garden School, and now welcome children from Grasmere and schools from the New Wave Federation including Grazebrook primary schools as regular visitors. We also started a weekly Home Education drop-in session to help families with children who fall outside of mainstream education environments.
- SWAPA hosted a 6-week arts program with Hackney Young Voices, culminating in a billboard SWAPA children designed being up in Gillett Square in Dalston for the last two weeks of August. It was beautiful and our YP were super proud!
- We secured Discover Young Hackney funding over the summer holidays which meant we brought in specialist tutors in music production, art, sensory play and skateboarding to run 32 workshops across August, and attract the older 11-16 year olds to the playground. This was the first time SWAPA had such a structured offer alongside free play over the summer months.
- We hosted 4 community open days over the year including what is turning into an annual bonfire day celebration during which we hosted 281 visitors, despite some drizzly weather.
- We are working with the music charity Free Youth Orchestra to bring exciting opportunities to experiment with sound making to the SWAPA community.
Needless to say there is a palpable momentum growing at SWAPA! This has been made possible by having a strong staff team and a growing board of trustees that can step back from the day to day running of the playground and focus on fundraising and outreach.
The start of this year introduced Sarah Wilson as our Senior Playworker and in January we made another great step forward in welcoming one of our long standing playworkers, Tilly Hawthorne into the newly created Deputy Senior Playworker role. Thank you to SWAPA’s long-standing and beloved playworkers Jake, Joel, George and Ebony-Marie for being the friendly faces year on year our kids have come to know and trust and we welcome our new playworkers Mark, Darlene and Tom to the team.
Finally, looking ahead to the coming year sees a mammoth challenge for the playground - our beautiful wooden perimeter fence is 45 years old and badly in need of replacement. We ran two “Playground Jam” fundraisers at the Baths in Hackney Wick with musicians Caribou, Floating Points and Four Tet donating their time to the cause, and in February we submitted an application to The Arts Council to co-design a ‘PlayFence’ - a playable structure that is simultaneously a boundary - with children and several high-profile artists. We hope that this innovative, ground-breaking way of working will produce a design that will be irresistible to funders. Many thanks to The Mayor of Hackney, Lucy McMenemy (Head of Culture) and Cllr Caroline Woodley (Head
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of Children and Families) for their letters of support and Stephen White and Hayley Birch for their ongoing support at Young Hackney.
We welcome local parents and community members to join our What’s App channel (07988 571 232) to keep up with news and volunteer opportunities. If you would like to join as a trustee please email trustees@swapa.org.uk for more information.
Nitasha Kapoor Chairperson, SWAPA trustees Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground
The trustees are pleased to present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023, which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
## **Legal Status**
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground moved to use our charitable company Limited by Guarantee status as from July 2014, Shakespeare Walk Adventure, Company number 07289310 and charity number 1156526. We continue to use our alias SWAPA.
## **Charity**
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground Association was established by a constitution on 2 December 1995 and is registered in England & Wales as a charity on 20 April 1976. Registered charity number Charity Registration Number 1156526. Company Registered Number 07289310
## **Aims**
Our aim is to provide safe and stimulating open access play opportunities for young people, primarily through the site at Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground. Through our activities, we contribute to the development of individual young people’s social, emotional and physical development, and provide benefits to the local community, for example, increased community cohesion and reduced antisocial behaviour. The Trustees have paid due regard to Charity Commission guidance on public benefits in deciding what activities SWAPA should undertake.
## **Objectives**
The objectives of the charity are to provide facilities for recreation and other leisure time occupation for children resident in Stoke Newington, and to promote their physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing to help improve their quality of life through play.
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This is achieved through the day-to-day experience provided by SWAP, and also through specific projects, such as trips to the seaside, bike repairs workshops etc
## **Hackney Play Association**
This is an umbrella organisation for adventure playgrounds and play providers in Hackney. HPA also has a newsletter, which has information useful to our charity, such as fundraising ideas, training for our staff and the opportunity to advertise our open days and our AGM. We have also looked to recruit staff through HPA processes and have shared resources and asked for support for certain things, for instance negotiations with LB Hackney over the terms of the lease for the site.
## **How our activities deliver public benefits**
The key activity of the playground is to offer an accessible and safe space for children to play. The opening hours are 3.30pm – 6:30pm on Wednesday to Friday and 12pm – 5pm on Saturday. Holiday opening hours are 12 – 5pm weekdays, with a free hot lunch served in addition to existing play activities.
## **Main objectives for the year**
Our strategies for achieving stated objectives, with details of significant activities that will contribute to this:
- We aim to develop greater professionalism in terms of staffing structures and processes, on site accountability and support to staff.
- We aim to raise the general level of income to cover increasing costs and more on site staff input.
- We intend to serve more of the local community, by using the attractiveness of the new facilities to draw in parents and children who may not have had material contact with the playground before.
- We wish to engage more young people in the community by getting them involved in genuine and meaningful consultation, and through participation in decision-making.
- We have been developing enterprising ideas, one being hiring out our site (when not in use by the children) for corporate team days – this has proved very popular for businesses, and provides much needed help with tidying and site maintenance. We also have hired it for children’s parties – both bringing in much needed revenue.
## **Statement for readers**
The extent of involvement from users from a variety of backgrounds has been encouraging. The participation of parents continues to be valuable and supportive to the play setting and activities.
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## **Policies**
Improved communication now exists between SWAPA’s employees and its management committee. In addition, there is ongoing feedback and consultation from users and the rest of the community, accompanied by a solid process of monitoring.
SWAPA welcomes the wider community at its Open Days, and it takes every possible opportunity to engage in networking with other stakeholders, including local residents associations, local youth clubs and the police.
SWAPA takes a hands-on approach to trainees and volunteers, by training them on site.
SWAPA prides itself in meeting deadlines, whatever the nature of the task or project.
There has also been an expansion in the range of services offered to the community, for example the site has been made available out of working hours for external meetings, training, and social events.
## **Principal funding sources**
## **LB Hackney**
LB Hackney is our main funder, awarding us £59,000 pa to cover staff salaries and the running costs of the organisation.
## **Users**
The children and parents have participated in fundraising events, including our open community days.
## **Local Businesses**
SWAPA have had a positive relationship with local businesses that have helped provide funds for events and support with raffle prizes.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
Governing Document:
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground was established under a Memorandum of Association, incorporated on 18 June 2010 and registered as a charity on 3 April
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2014. The governing document which established the objects and power of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association.
## **Recruitment of Trustees**
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held every 12 to 18 months – it is just prior to this that we advertise for trustees. The invitation to become a trustee is included on our official notice of the AGM, which is sent as a public notice to social media, displayed as a poster in the local community, and handed out to users, parents and door to door.
Users themselves carry this out, as well as staff and the management committee. When talking ordinarily about the site to colleagues and friends, we often invite people to visit the site and encourage them to get more involved.
## **Induction**
New members of the management committee are given an information pack to enable them to better understand how to contribute to the running of the playground.
We have a question-and-answer session and invite nominations for the roles of secretary and treasurer. Where possible HPA are there to assist this process, and we offer training via HPA and other recognised organisations/training providers to staff and new members.
## **Statement confirming major risks**
Risks include:
- Increases in core costs (staff sickness and supply cover, maternity leave)
- Lack of trained staff pool
- Changes in Hackney Council’s funding policy; especially in the current financial climate
- Any legal action against SWAPA by a user, for example because of injuries sustained whilst using the site
## **The management of these risks includes**
- Working with a planned budget, with staff and a management committee that are acutely aware of the funding issues;
- The reinforcing and reviewing of policies and good practices with staff and users;
- The provision of training, which is made available for all participants in all areas.
- Outsourcing specialist Human Resource and Health & Safety support and advice.
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- Increasing our insurance to protect our users, staff and management committee.
## **Reserve Policy**
The trustees review their reserve policy periodically and aim to retain an adequate sum to ensure the continuity of its activities. This is to ensure that in the event of a significant drop in funding, the charity will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
## **Plans for the future of SWAPA**
This includes:
- Access to all outdoor play, focusing on inclusion (access for all with mobility and visual impairments).
- Extending the use of the site to community groups and other groups with an interest in play.
- Extending the membership of the management committee to include more parents/community members and seek advice in specialist areas where necessary.
- Continuing to acknowledge the importance of the “Every Child Matters” objectives, and encouraging healthy lifestyles through good diet and physical play.
- Continuing to seek to expand its variety of activities whilst remaining accountable, responsible and sustainable.
## **Balance sheet**
Details of the major items on the balance sheet can be found in the notes to the accounts.
The fluctuations in debtors and creditors year on year are purely the results of timing of receipts and payment around the year end.
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## **Accountants**
The Management Committee will not seek out other options for accountants at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.
Approved by the trustees on
And signed on its behalf by
………………………………………. ……………………………………….. Nitasha Napoor Mara Bodis-Wollner Chair Treasurer
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## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground**
I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2023, which are set out on pages 14 to 18.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject the audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
- Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act
- To follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act
- To state whether particular matters have come to my attention
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not prove 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 next statement.
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:
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- To keep accounting records in accordance with the section 386 of the Companies Act 2006 and
- To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have not been met or
- (2) To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of accounts to be reached
- (3) After further examination, I concluded that the charity made the necessary steps to avoid significant changes in the funds and the services and managed the risk well.
Gelfand Rennert and Feldman LLP 2[nd] Floor Northumberland House 303-306 High Holborn London, WC1V 7JZ
…………………………………….
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## **Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground Association STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES for the year ended 31 March 2023**
|**Notes**
**INCOMING RESOURCES**
**_Charitable activities_**
LB Hackney Specialist grant
ELBA
Bookings - Garden School
Coop
Skate Ramp
Furlough
**_Voluntary Income_**
Donations/Fundraising
Rates Refund
**Total incoming resources**
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
Charitable activities
3
Fundraising activities
3
Governance costs
3
Other Expenses - Staff expenses
3
**Total resources expended**
**NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING) RESOURCES**
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
**Total funds brought forward**
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
60,548
**60,548**
1,230
**1,230**
59,318
11,503|**Restricted**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
67,135
67,135
1,780
1,780
8,908
8,908
-
-
-
-
-
60,548
**77,823**
**138,371**
120,287
120,287
-
1,230
-
-
**120,287**
**121,517**
(42,464)
16,854
8,506
20,009
**(33,958)**
**36,863**|**Total**
**2022**
**£**
79,509
1,230
21,750
-
-
3,264
14,343
-|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**120,096**|
||||112,102
-
2,841
2,832|
||||**117,774**|
||||2,322
17,687|
||**70,821**||**20,009**|
All activities relate to continuing operations.
The notes on page 16 form part of these financial statements
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## **Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground Association**
|Notes
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
5
Cash at bank
**CREDITORS**
Amounts falling due within one year
6
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT**
**LIABILITIES**
**NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
7
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
**TOTAL FUNDS**
**Balance Sheet**
**for the year ended 31 March 2023**|**31-Mar-23**
-
24,064
28,049
52,113
(15,250)
36,863
36,863
36,863
(33,958)
70,821
36,863|**31-Mar-22**
-
3,030
17,429|
|---|---|---|
|||20,459
(450)|
|||20,009|
|||20,009|
|||20,009|
|||8,506
11,503|
|||20,009|
The notes on page 16 form part of these financial statements
For the financial year in question the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. No members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records for the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
(a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
(b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 14th October 2023 and signed on their behalf by:
...............................................................................
## **Nitasha Kapoor (Chair)**
...............................................................................
## **Mara Bodis-Wollner (Treasurer)**
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SHAKESPEARE WALK ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground
Notes to the financial statenpnts
for the sear ended 31 March 21123
1. Ac¢ounting poli¢ies
Basis of accounting
The flnanclal slalemenls ha¥* been prepared under the hlslorkal cost COentIOn and In
aCCordce with Accounting and Reporting by Chariligs.. Slalem ent of Recommended Practice
appliCate lo charities prepariig Iheir accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting
Standard aFvllcablo In thé UK aTh1 Rèpublc of Iroland (FRS102)(offècllvè 1 January 2015)
(Charities SORP (FRS102)) Financial Reporting SlarKlard applicable in the UK and Republic of
Ireland (FRS102) and to the Com panies Act 2006.
Shakespeare Walk A(fverture Playground is an incorporated charty dom iciled and registered in
England, whlch conslltules a publlc benefit enltty as defin&J by FRS102. Assets Ilabllttles aro
inilialty reassigned al cost or Irans&lion Val unless olhenmise slated in the relevant accounting
policy mles.
Re¢onciliation with Previous Generallypzcepted Accounting Practice
In preparing the accounts, the Trustees have considered whether in apptying the accounting
policies required by FRS102 and Charities SORP FRS102 the reinslalemenl of com ralPIe
Ilom s was r8quired. Al th8 dal8 of Iran51ion thé Tru51885 consider that m slalom onl Is roquir8d.
Incon
All inccffl ing resources are irKluded in the Slalemenl of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the
charity is legalty entitled lo the income and the amount can be qnITrIed with reasonable
accuracy. Income Is reco(mlsed when11 Is due under terms of fundlnq atyeemenls.
Expenthture
All expendilLre 15 accounted for on an accrua15 basis as a labilty is ¢u9d. ExpondilLTe irKlud8S
any VAT tha caTnoI be recovered and is reported as part of the expenditure lo which it relates.
Expendture Is alh)cated between.,
Expenditure irKurred (Iredty in the fLlfilment of the charitys objectives (charitable
expendre).
Expondtturo In¢urr•d dtoclty In tho effort lo ralso voluntary ¢ortrlbullons (costs of
furnlraisinq)
Taxation
The ch&ily is exem pl from cory)oralion l& on ils charitable acliifjties.
Fund kcounting
Unreslricled funds C be used in accordarre with the charitable objeclwes al the discretion of
tho Trust80s.
Reslricled funds can onty be used for partular reslricled purposes within the objects of the
charlly. Restrlcllons arlse Wh speclfled by the donor or wn funds are ralsed for partlcular
reslricled PLwposes.
Cash-now Statènwnt
The Trustees have taken advanl•Je of the exempti in FRS 102 from incluthng a cash flow
siaem in the thala1 statements on the oulS that the charity is small.
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SHAKESPEARE WALK ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground
Notesto the fInCla st&emrtS
for the ended 31 Mwch 2
Golry Concern
The TNslees hav8 a reasonablo wxpoctation that the charty 11 c¢Jttinuo in operational existe@ for the
foreseeable fijknre and is well placed lo manage its Iminess risks successfuly desFite the current uncertan
cnomic ouuook The charty has SIlficant rese and accudindy the Trustees continue to lOpt the gi
ccncarn basis.
2. Legal Status
The comparry is limit1 by guarantee, not hamng a share eaFital, and is also a registered charity,. ti is not liaAe to
CpOration lay. In the event of the charity Ixng wound up, the liability in respect of guarantee is limf(ed to £1
per mombar of tha limi1 liability ccffipary.
3. Expenditure
Charitable
aCtI7tieS
Fund'ing
activities
)¥'nanee
costs
Total
Total 2023
Salaries l EN
Oth &affino Cots
Play Aclwities l Materials etc
Promises Cc6ts
Operational Costs
Trustee Exwses
LC(wn1¢Y Fees
HR Ccnsuf(amcy
Other - Saff expSeS
8&047
86,047
85,843
732
2424
19,459
12356
2,424
19,459
12,356
10,
13,30)
381
1,501
913
1,9
2,832
1,TJO
1,230
120,287
1,2&1 121,517 117,774
4. Twstees
No Trustee reCd ramunoraticn in the year, diract indir&lly, from tha charty. e)qxnsas wera reimbjrsed to
tha Trustaas durina the Year.
5. Debtors
2023
2022
Trada DdOr5
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SHAKESPEARE WALK ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
Shakespeare Walk Adventure Playground
Notes to lh8 financial statentS
for the year ended 31 March 2023
6. Creditors
23
2022
Accruals
Trade CredrtS
PAYE
Deffed income ILBH}
15,2S)
7. Restricted Funds
Balance
at01
April
2022
Amount
Arnount
Balance at
received in èxpended In Transfers 31 March
year
year
2023
ELBA
LB Hackney
C(K)p
1.780
67,135
11,7801
167,1351
18021
802
802
8. Capital Comitments
The charty had £NIL c8Pital c(mmttments at 31 arch 2023 12022- £3,000>.
9. Contingent LiabilitiBS
h Ihe cpinion of the Trustees jhe we no c(nb'noent liabilil'es at 31 Vorch 2(Y2312r22- £nill.
la Related Party TransaCtn$
There were no relat patytransactons durinq thefin8ncial year.
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