ON ANNUAL REPORT January- December 2024 •••+•++++••+ oThdowThs£ioup.01 ///////// //////// /////// //////
WAYS TO HELP THE GROUP RAISE FUNDS
You may just want to make a donation, if so you can use one of the following platforms to donate to the Group
Swindon Community Lottery
By buying a £1 ticket you could be in with a chance of winning £25,000 as well as supporting us as a charity. We get 50p from every ticket sold.
https://www.swindonlottery.co.uk/support/s - - - windon downs syndrome group
Give as you Live Online
Is a free and easy way to raise money for us, just by shopping online.
Once you've signed up, click 'shop & raise' to go to their website, then continue to shop as normal.
Recycle your print cartridges
You can raise money by recycling your printer cartridges using our dedicated envelopes. We receive £1 for every ink cartridge. Why not ask your friends and family to do this too.
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ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
The Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group consists of many families, all volunteering our time and experience as parents and carers to make life that bit more fun and ensure our family with Down’s syndrome have all the opportunities and support they need from birth to old age.
We started as a small group of parents who met for coffee and provided each other with support. As time passed, more parents connected with the group and in 2003 we became a charity in our own right.
The Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group support people with Down’s syndrome in Swindon and the surrounding area including Fairford, Malmesbury, Hungerford, Pewsey, Marlborough, Hullavington, Chippenham, Devizes, Calne, Ashton Keynes, Cirencester, Aldbourne, Bromham, Melksham and Cheltenham.
We are a volunteer led charity, meaning everyone has an active role in the Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group and gives up their time because of the love of the group.
We are very fortunate to be supported by our fantastic trustees and volunteers.
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04 | Message from the Chair
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05 | Our achievements
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10 | Fundraising
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20 | Thank yous
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21 | Governance
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22 | Future
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MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR
As chair of the Group, I am incredibly proud to look back on a year that has been marked by determination, a strong spirit of togetherness and a deep sense of community. Over the past 12 months, our charity has continued to grow, not just in numbers, but in strength, in confidence, and in the positive impact we’re making in the lives of children, adults, and families connected to Down’s syndrome.
This year, we’ve continued to see the positive impact of our core services, including our Speech and Language Therapy project and the WorkFit programme. Speech and Language Therapy remains a lifeline for many of our members, offering vital support that empowers communication and builds confidence. Our WorkFit programme has gone from strength to strength, with several of our members now thriving in paid employment at organisations such as Amazon, DoubleTree by Hilton, and Wincanton Logistics, among others. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see them enjoying their roles, growing in confidence, and experiencing the many personal and social benefits that meaningful employment brings. Being part of the workforce has had a positive impact on their overall wellbeing and sense of independence.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to our incredible volunteers, whose dedication, enthusiasm, and kindness continues to inspire us all. Whether they’re supporting events, lending a helping hand at the jumble sale, or working behind the scenes, their generosity of spirit and willingness to give their time makes a meaningful difference to our families and the wider community. Their contribution is truly the backbone of our organisation, and we simply couldn’t do what we do without them.
I’m also deeply grateful to my fellow Trustees. Their time, insight, and steadfast commitment are invaluable in shaping the direction of the charity. They each bring unique perspectives and skills, and together they help ensure that we operate with integrity, compassion, and a strong sense of shared purpose. I feel incredibly privileged to work alongside such a dedicated group of individuals who care so deeply about the future of our Group and those we support.
Looking ahead, I am excited about the opportunities to grow, to deepen our support, and to amplify the voices of those we represent. I remain passionate about our mission and more determined than ever to ensure that our members with Down’s syndrome, and their families, are empowered, celebrated, and supported every step of the way.
Thank you for being part of our journey.
Kim
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Our Achievements
There was a lot to celebrate in 2024 and here are just a few of our achievements
£22 913 was received by the Group through , fundraising in 2024 people now receive regular 171 information through our mailing list was raised through voluntary £1,407 membership donations
£20,815 12,200
received via donations
visits to our Facebook page
2,228
followers on Facebook
£4,776
sales through our online shop
online therapy sessions delivered 446 through Mable Therapy
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR
st
Happy 21
We kicked off the year in style with a party to celebrate our 21st birthday! A massive thank you to Steve Lennett, “Wired for Sound” for stepping in at 30 minutes notice with our disco and thank you to DoubleTree by Hilton Swindon for an incredible venue and buffet. It was great to see all our members having fun and celebrating together. Here’s the next 21 years!
We had a Ball
In May some of the trustees and members of the group attended the wonderful Diamond charity Ball. Thank you to the Rotary Club of Swindon for their support throughout the year and what a wonderful way to celebrate their kindness. An excellent evening with 247 for their entertainment and a dancefloor that Oliver, Jane and Lane made full use of.
The group had a trip to see the Wizard of Oz at the Bristol Hippodrome.
The football team had a brilliant morning with Bristol City Robins Foundation celebrating World Down Syndrome Day on March 10th Some fantastic passing and goals from Swindon. The sportsmanship between the teams is amazing.
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Our younger members had a spooktacular time at out Halloween stay and play coffee morning
At Youth Club, we learnt about the Ask Danny charity and the work they do to make hospital visits easier
We had a great time at our Christmas parties! Thank you to the bar staff at the Coleview Community Centre, C.H Disco's for top tunes, Pizza 2 Night Gorse Hill for the pizzas, Razamatazz - Professional Entertainer who provided the entertainment (and snow!) for our younger members and Morrisons Devizes and M&S Mannington for their generous donations towards the food!
Congratulations to Jeremy and Sophie for their winning Christmas card designs
We had a fantastic time at the Pantomime....oh yes we did!
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SUPPORTING NEW PARENTS
We have an active community of almost 15 families, all who have children aged 0-7. We have been delighted to welcome some new families to the group this year, one even before their child was born! We support each other through the sleepless nights, potty training, selecting nursery and school settings and all the other major milestones. It’s lovely to see lifelong friendships already emerging, both for the children and their parents/carers.
We have a WhatsApp group with almost 40 members who regularly share advice, questions, ideas and fears and lots of support for each other. Photographs, links to websites, press announcements and recommended purchases are regularly posted in the chat.
The families are based in Wiltshire and surrounding areas. A coffee morning stay and play runs once a month on the 1st Saturday (except August and December) from 10am to 12pm. It gives the families chance to meet up in a soft play area in Royal Wootton Bassett. The hall is hired exclusively for the group and refreshments are supplied. The session attendance varies as our little ones are young and easily pick bugs up, but also have busy social lives! We usually have on average 6 families per session. The bouncy castle and ball pit are always popular with all the children including siblings. It gives the children a chance to have fun in a safe environment. By regular contact the families and the children become friends. It is always noisy, positive and full of smiles.
We’re still keen to explore the option of hosting a similar activity closer to Chippenham for the families who have far to travel. Please let us know if you have any suggestions for us to follow up.
For more information about support for new parents and the early years, contact newparent@swindondownsgroup.org.uk
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FUNDRAISING
A huge thank you to everyone who raised funds for us in 2024 - here’s just some of the highlights of our fundraising heroes!
Running For Speech Therapy
In May, Shannon Argue ran 3 half marathons in 4 weeks, raising over £1,000 for Speech and Language Therapy in recognition of her little sister Verity.
Shannon ran 3 half marathons (for the 3 copies of chromosome 21) for the Group. She ran the Great Birmingham Run on the 5th, Great Bristol Run on the 19th and Great Manchester Run on the 26th. We think this is amazing - thank you Shannon!
Martyn Coles also put on his running shoes for the Group by completing the London Marathon in an impressive 5hr, 32min and 48sec! Go Martyn!!
Thank you to our friends at Zurich
We are very grateful to the Zurich Community Trust for their ongoing generous support of the group including
- donating a number of hampers for our Summer and Christmas raffle - congratulations to all the winners! providing the ingredients and running a virtual cooking session for some delicious chocolate orange muffins hosting a summer party (indoors thanks to the British summer weather) with lots of fun games and activities
Oliver’s 21 challenges
Oliver took part in a number of 21 fitness challenges with support from Snap Fitness Cirencester and Halo Fitness Coach. He also used his creative skills to make lot of beautiful items to sell at craft fairs! What a star!
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We love the Crown Inn
One of our most loyal supporters, the Crown Inn Stratton continued their generosity in 2024 with donations from their raffles, quizzes and the sale of our colourful socks!
A big thank you to all the staff and customers!
Thank you to Arval UK
Each year Arval choose a local charity to support and in 2024, they chose us. We were astonished to receive such a huge amount from Arval….. £5,000.
One of our Trustees (Michael) and his son Myles met with representatives from Arval to collect the donation. We are extremely grateful to Arval for choosing us as one of their beneficiaries.
Let them eat Cake!
A huge thank you to everyone at Kandu Arts for Sustainable Development who organised the Kandu Cake Sale to raise £112.25 for us!
A special thanks to Lorni for her wonderful brownies and inspiration for the cake sale.
Pride
A very big thank you to all those who helped out and supported us at Swindon Pride. A great event with an amazing £508 raised for the group.
Congratulations to Andre Klein who won a VIP day out at Swindon Town FC. Thank you to everyone who entered the raffle to win!
Rotary Club of Swindon North & Thamesdown
The Rotary Club of Swindon North and Thamesdown have been extremely generous to us in 2024 sharing the proceeds from their annual Swimathon.
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SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPY
We continue to offer regular Speech and Language Therapy to our members. They are split into two groups:- Age 3 to 18 and Age 18+. The younger group is offered weekly sessions and follows the school year. The older group has fortnightly sessions throughout the year. In total these session cost us about £40,000 a year. Trustees and members work hard to raise money to pay for them.
All our therapy sessions are delivered via the online Mable Therapy provider. Each pupil is assigned to a therapist who develops an individual plan based on the pupil’s needs and ability. Members can choose times for their appointments to fit around other commitments.
The younger group
We have eleven members in our younger group. Sessions are twenty minutes long and are based around learning games to ensure maximum participation. Once a target is attained, a new plan and targets is set.
We hope to commence Face to Face sessions again in the future if a suitable therapist can be secured.
The older group
Mable provide on-line sessions to our older group in a similar manner to the younger group. We have ten members in this group. Each session is designed around a task and is very visual and entertaining to ensure participation and motivation. Each session is twenty minutes long.
Mable provides weekly session reports and homework tasks that can be accessed at the click of a button. Long term targets are set and parents/guardians can see progress made to date.
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The 21st March 2024 was another hugely successful day for us. We loved seeing all you sock pictures, even from some furry friends!
We were invited to sell socks at Nationwide Building Society, the Amazon fulfilment centre and later in the year, at Swindon Dunelm.
A huge thank you to everyone who bought our socks and all companies that sold them on our behalf including
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DoubleTree by Hilton Bath
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Fairfield College
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Cobbs Farm Shop
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Holmes & Hills Solicitors
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Crowdys Hill School
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Market Hair Lambourn
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The Crown Inn, Stratton
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A FABULOUS YEAR FOR WORKFIT
Amazon, Swindon
Fabulous news for the Amazon team. Both Louis and Kerry have now been offered a permanent associate contract of 2 paid four-hour shifts per week. Both have worked extremely hard to achieve appropriate performance levels so a huge WELL DONE to Louis and Kerry.
Independence is a fundamental aspect of human dignity and personal growth, and it holds particular significance for individuals with Down’s syndrome. Promoting independence can enhance their quality of life, foster self-esteem, and empower them to navigate the world with confidence. Here are several reasons why working independently is essential for people with Down’s syndrome.
Our WorkFit Officer Roy Perrett and Saffy attended the Double Tree by Hilton for the Green Leaders event. Saffy told everyone about her role in the Hilton in Bath. An excellent presentation.
Toby at Porton Garden Aquatics Centre, Amesbury
September was an important month for Luke as he celebrates 2 important milestones. Firstly, Luke celebrated his 8-year work anniversary with Wiltshire Police, having a paid role, working as an Administrator in the Crime and Communication Centre in Devizes. Luke’s duties see him supporting front-line colleagues in the force operations communication team. He is now wearing the Wiltshire Police staff uniform. Not only does Luke look incredibly smart he also feels and looks like part of his team. Well done, Luke, just brilliant. September also saw Luke’s 30th birthday, so a VERY Happy Birthday Luke, keep doing what you’re doing, you are such an inspiration to everyone.
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In October we held a successful WorkFit information evening at the Stratton Churchway Bowls Club. Families attended the evening where Roy Perrett, our WorkFit Liaison Officer was able to answer questions and discuss the importance of the workplace for our members.
For many individuals with Down’s syndrome, working independently opens doors to meaningful employment. Employers increasingly value diverse perspectives, and individuals who demonstrate independence and initiative can thrive in various roles, contributing positively to their teams. We are proud of each and everyone who has become part of a workplace.
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KEEPING FIT AND ACTIVE
Padel Tennis
Not many things will get our young people out of bed early on a Saturday morning in the middle of winter (and the rest of the year). However, Padel Tennis bucks that trend. All of the members who attend bring an energy which reflects the enjoyment they get from the sessions. Massive credit to coach Alan who knows how to bring the best out of them. Each week new skills are introduced and practiced in a way that our young people can cope with. It is no surprise that everyone has shown improvement during the year. Thanks also to Luke and everyone at Padel4All for being so supportive.
If you would like to give Padel tennis a try please contact tennis@swindondownsgroup.org.uk.
Cricket
Members of the Group continued to attend the “Super 1’s” hubs, run by Wiltshire County Cricket, in both Swindon and Chippenham. These are a combination of skills activities, aimed at improving batting, bowling and throwing, followed by a chance for everyone to take turns batting while everyone else fields. During the Summer months the sessions take place outside, taking advantage of the British summer weather 🙂 . Although the weather caused the mini-festival arranged in August to be cancelled, it was perfect for WCC's Showcase Game in July. Super 1's players held a skills session before the game against Glamorgan before creating the Guard of Honour as the players took to the pitch.
In October, WCC held their Grassroots Cricket Awards. The Swindon Hub was named 'Hub of the Year' and our member Laura, who attends at Chippenham, was awarded 'Super 1's Participant of 2024'!
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Football
Another exciting and successful year for the Swindon DSActive Football Team. The team enjoyed a visit to Bristol City and hosted Bristol at the Nigel Eady Training Centre. Over the past year, the DSActive football team has seen progress in their skills. The players have demonstrated great levels of skill and sportsmanship. Their positive attitude and passion for the game have made them a source of pride to the Swindon coaches and parents.
The support system within the team, involving coaches and families, has been crucial to the team's success and well-being. As the team looks to the future, the focus remains on developing players' abilities, promoting the benefits of inclusive sport, and inspiring others to take part.
With continued support and dedication, the DSActive football team is set to achieve even greater success in the year to come.
If you would like to join our great team then please contact football@swindondownsgroup.org.uk
~~——~~ Swimming ~~Ee~~
Our fortnightly swimming sessions at Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool have continued to run this year. The Pool unfortunately had to pass on inevitable price increases, but we were indebted to the Rotary Club of Swindon North and Thamesdown who chose us as the main recipient for their annual charity Swimathon. The generosity of everyone participating and supporting has allowed us to fund the sessions, including a number during the summer holidays. Vicky Hunt has continued to coach our swimmers both as a group and also with tailored help to individuals.
There are currently spaces available for any members wishing to give it a try. The pool is a brilliant, and safe, environment for learning to swim.
Contact swimming@ swindondownsgroup.org.uk for more information about the sessions.
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Tennis
The weekly sessions at Delta Tennis Centre continue to be attended by a small number of regular players. The familiarity of having Livio coaching each week continues to be a benefit and all players have progressed during the year.
The Group has also had more representation at LTA Learning Disability competitions this year with Robert also competing alongside regulars Lane and Alex, who again fended off all opposition at the Newport event doubles.
This activity is subsidised by the Group so it would be great to see a few more members at the sessions.
You can find out more information about the sessions by emailing tennis@swindondownsgroup.org.uk.
Perform 4 Dreams (P4D) Dance Group
There are 12 members in P4D dance group which exists as part of Bobbi’s Academy of Dance (B.A.D).They meet on Fridays at 5.30pm at Wilkes Academy in Swindon. Their teacher Bobbi has challenged them throughout 2024 with new routines and dance steps. As usual, they performed at the BAD Annual Show in October, and at the 2024 Awards Evening, where Keira Embling won this year’s P4D dance award. In August some of the group joined BAD’s dance team in Paris and performed at Disneyland Paris! They showcased 2 dances: ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ and ‘Together’ from High School Musical. They performed confidently as a team and received a great reception from the audience.
Bobbi has also started a class for preschool and infant aged children who have Down’s syndrome. They meet on Saturdays at 11am and would very much welcome new members.
Here are some of the things the P4D members say about dancing with Bobbi:
Elliot says ‘It makes me happy. I like dancing, the songs and my friends. Lane says ‘I like to take it seriously. I love doing exhibitions and having a good laugh with my friends’
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For Evie, coming to dancing is the highlight of her week, and Krystal agrees that it finishes the week on a high note! Kerry loves learning the new routines and is proud of the medal she receives at the Awards night each year. Travis likes seeing his friends and performing his dance moves on stage, especially at Disney. Hattie says ‘Bobbi inspires you to learn to dance. Disney made me feel confident and famous.’
So, if you, or someone you know, wants to be inspired to dance do get in touch: info@swindondownsgroup.org.uk
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YOUTH CLUB
We meet every other Monday evening at 18:30 at Toothill Farmhouse facility in Swindon. It is open to all members aged 13 and over. We would love to see new faces. There are around ten regular participants, and we have had as many as fifteen. We have a break in August due to summer holidays etc.
Our young people use the two hours to dance, chat and be sociable with their friends. We have a break for about 30 minutes, have a sit down, drink and snack. If any member has a birthday coming up, we sing happy birthday and often have a cake.
A zoom session is started to allow members who can’t get to the venue to join in.
Activities include:- board games, disco, table football to name a few. One of the popular activities is a quiz, usually on a topic chosen by the participants. Subjects include:Summer, Winter, Harry Potter, Super Heroes, Nature and Halloween.
In the warmer months we went outside to make use of the adjacent green space and played games.
Our final session of 2024 was in December. We wore Christmas hats and Jumpers and sang the Twelve Days of Christmas.
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IT’S ALL THANKS TO YOU, OUR SUPPORTERS
We are so grateful to everyone who has supported us over the past year
We owe a huge thank you to every single person, group or business that has helped us support our young people with Down’s Syndrome. In particular we’d like to thank the following supporters:
Our Patrons Cliff Puffett Julie Thomas
Trustees (2024)
Kim West John Stow Sam Harding Joanna Messenger Michael Billinge-Jones Victoria McGuire Cherylin Hempleman Claire North
Our fundraisers, donors, supporters & volunteers including
Alan Amazon Arval UK Ashton Keynes Shop Bobbi’s Academy of Dance Brookfield School Cailey Whitcher Charities Trust Clare Stow Cobbs Farm Shop Coles Scaffolding Crowdys Hill School DoubleTree by Hilton Bath & Swindon Dunelm Fairfield College
Fora Coffee Great Western Hospital Halo Fitness Coach Holmes & Hills Solicitors Justin Tomlinson Marina Billinge-Jones Market Hair Lambourn Martyn Coles Mrs Rizvana Sheik National Lottery Nationwide Building Society Oliver Messenger Padel4All Rae-Marie's Wellbeing Therapies Ronald Allen May Rotary Club of Swindon Roy Perrett Shahi P Shahimalla Shannon Argue Sherry Baffour Simply Gym Swindon East Snap Fitness Cirencester Swindon Town Football Club Thamesdown Hydro Pool The Crown Inn, Stratton The Mead Family The Openwork Foundation Toddler Zone VW Group Zurich Community Trust
And everyone who has bought socks, played the Swindon Community Lottery, donated to/attended our jumble sales and much more!
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GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
Charity name: Swindon Down‘s Syndrome Group Charity number: 1158449 Principal office: 34 Periwinkle Close, Swindon, SN2 2QH
Governing document
Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group is constituted as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission. It is governed by a constitution last updated in 2018.
Charitable objects:
The objects of the CIO are to relieve the charitable needs of people with Down’s syndrome, and their families, helpers and carers in particular but not exclusively by the provision of support and information and speech and language therapy so that they are able to attain their full potential and to undertake any other charitable activities in connection with the relief of Down’s syndrome in the SN postcode and the surrounding area. (Area of Benefit)
Recruitment and appointment of trustees
The existing trustees are responsible for the recruitment of new trustees. In appointing new trustees we seek people who are part of our local community. Potential trustees are invited to trustees’ meetings or to meet with the chairperson to learn more about the charity’s aims and objectives. If all trustees agree they are proposed as new trustees. New trustees are required to complete a DBS check and given a three month trial. This process allows due consideration of the person’s eligibility, personal competence, specialist knowledge and skills.
Public benefit
The trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. The trustees consider that they have acted in the public benefit.
Conflicts of Interest
Surrounding area to be defined as – “post code areas associated to Fairford, Malmesbury, Hungerford, Pewsey, Marlborough, Hullavington, Chippenham, Devizes, Calne, Ashton Keynes, Cirencester, Aldbourne, Bromham, Melksham and Cheltenham.”
Activities:
We are a parent-led charity supporting people with Down’s syndrome, their families, carers and all those with an interest in Down’s syndrome in Swindon and the surrounding area. We are an independent charity, affiliated to the national Down’s Syndrome Association.
Organisation structure
The charity trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The trustees give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits.
The trustees meet together as a body monthly and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to running the charity. The charity can have a maximum of 10 trustees.
| Trustee Name | Office | Dates acted if not |
|---|---|---|
| (if any) | for whole year | |
| Kim West | Chair | |
| Mike Billinge-Jones | Vice Chair | |
| Sam Harding | Treasurer | |
| Joanna Messenger | Secretary | |
| John Stow | Vice Treasurer | |
| Cherylin Hempleman | ||
| Victoria McGuire | ||
| Claire North | May 2024 - Present |
The Trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on Conflicts of Interest and the Trustees only act in the best interests of the Charity. The Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group have strong systems in place to identify conflicts of interest and we ask each Trustee to declare any conflicts at the beginning of every meeting.
Financial review and reserves policy
At 31 December 2024 the charity held total funds of £102,455 of which £93,586 are restricted and £8,869 are unrestricted. Unrestricted funds include designated funds of £5,000 for Speech. Free reserves are £3,869. The charity has minimal overheads as it is run by volunteers and so does not need to build up free reserves. The main commitment and the charity’s highest cost is paying for Speech therapy, which will cost approx £40,000 for 2025. Therefore any excess free reserves are designated to the Speech fund. The restricted funds comprise:
Speech
| Speech | |
|---|---|
| Donations and grants to provide speech therapy | £65,236 |
| Salamander | |
| Donations and grants to fund the fire course | £3,620 |
| WorkFit | |
| Donations and grants to support adults into work | £2,815 |
| Other smaller funds | £21,915 |
| Total restricted funds | £93,586 |
Approved by the trustees and signed on its behalf by:
Kim West, Chairperson
Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group
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THE FUTURE
As we move into 2025, it is clear that we must not lose focus on those things which have made the Group successful in the past. Therefore, in the coming year we need to continue ensuring we can be here for you all. We want to continue offering all the support and activities that have enhanced the experience of so many members. To be able to achieve this, and more, our request to you all is unchanged. We need more of our members to give up a small amount of time to make more things happen. Offering just an hour of your time at one of our events, selling some of our merchandise or even sharing one of our fundraising messages can be so beneficial and goes a huge way to helping us continue to do what we do. The priorities of the Group for 2025 are listed below. Nothing on the list can take place if there are no funds to pay for it. So, if you feel that any activity is too low in the list, or you have ideas for something new, we would love you to be involved in setting anything up and fundraising for it.
1. WorkFit
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Speech and language therapy for under 18's and adults
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New parent support
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Keeping active including Football, Tennis, Padel Tennis and Swimming
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Youth Club
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Dance
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Primary support
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School Resource Packs
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Support for schools
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Christmas parties
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Family events and trips
We remain committed to providing the support needed by all our members but can't do it all alone. We want you to be more involved. We want to hear your thoughts; we want you to be a part of what we do and help us shape the future of the Group. If you’d like to find out more drop us an email to info@swindondownsgroup.org.uk
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www.swindondownsgroup.org.uk/shop
#LotsOfSocks
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Our eBay clothes shop is now open !
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The Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group is a parent-led charity supporting people with Down’s syndrome and their families in Swindon and the surrounding area.
We are here to help people with Down’s syndrome to have the same opportunities as everyone else and raise awareness of Down’s syndrome in the local community.
REGISTERED CHARITY
Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group is a UK registered charity. Registered Office 34 Periwinkle Close Swindon SN2 2QH.
Charity number: 1158449
Copyright ©2024 Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group
| Charity Name | No (if any) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swindon Downs Syndrome Group | 1158449 | |||
| Receipts and payments accounts For the period from Period start date To Period end date 01.01.24 31.12.24 |
CC16a |
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 3 583 1 526 105 1 407 6 621 |
Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 3 583 1 526 105 1 407 6 621 |
Designated funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ 17 232 2 893 21 387 820 855 43 187 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ 17 232 2 893 21 387 820 855 43 187 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ 20 815 2 893 22 913 820 960 1 407 49 807 - 49 807 |
Total funds to the nearest £ 20 815 2 893 22 913 820 960 1 407 49 807 - 49 807 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Donations |
3 583 | - | 17 232 | - | 20 815 | 42 421 | |||
| Outings/Parties/Sports | - | 2 893 | - | 2 893 | 3 550 | ||||
| Fundraising | 1 526 | - | 21 387 | - | 22 913 | 36 822 | |||
| Speech Therapy | - | 820 | - | 820 | 4 070 | ||||
Interest |
105 | - | 855 | - | 960 | 690 | |||
| Membership | 1 407 | - | - | 1 407 | 1 212 | ||||
| Sub total | 6 621 | - | 43 187 | - | 49 807 | 88 765 | |||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, etc. Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - |
- | ||||
| 6 621 170 6 603 6 773 |
43 187 14 204 9 109 155 14 720 - 783 10 468 49 439 |
||||||||
| - | 43 187 | - | 49 807 | 88 765 | |||||
| Outings/Parties/Sports/Clubs | 14 204 | 14 204 | 8 153 | ||||||
| Fundraising | 170 | 9 109 | 9 279 | 11 893 | |||||
| Newsletter/Postage | 155 | 155 | - | ||||||
| Speech Therapy | 14 720 | 14 720 | 36 816 | ||||||
Training |
- | - | 1 094 | ||||||
| Miscellaneous | 6 603 | 783 | 7 386 | 6 753 | |||||
| WorkFit | 10 468 | 10 468 | 9 358 | ||||||
| Website | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | 6 773 | - | 49 439 | - | 56 212 | 74 067 | |||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, etc. Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 6 773 - 153 4 022 3 869 |
49 439 - 6 252 |
||||||||
| - | 49 439 | - | 56 212 | 74 067 | |||||
| - | - 6 252 | - | - 6 405 | 14 698 | |||||
| - | **- ** | - | - | - | |||||
| 5 000 | 99 838 | - | 108 860 | 94 162 | |||||
| 5 000 | 93 586 | - | 102 455 | 108 860 | |||||
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | |||||||||
| Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets |
Details Santander CAF Teachers Building Society Paypal (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Total cash funds Details |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ 12 371 47 227 33 989 93 586 OK Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Cost (optional) - |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||||
| 8 869 | 12 371 | - | |||||||
| 47 227 | - | ||||||||
| - | 33 989 | - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| 8 869 | 93 586 | - | |||||||
| OK | |||||||||
| Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
||||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| Fund to which asset belongs |
Current value (optional) |
||||||||
| - | - |
Fund to which Current value ~~——~~ Details asset belongs ~~Se~~ Cost (optional) (optional) B4 Assets retained for the - - charity’s own use - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~see~~ Fund to which Amount due When due Details ~~liability relates (optional) (optional)~~ B5 Liabilities - - - - - ~~——~~ Signed by one or two trustees on Signature Print Name Date of behalf of all the trustees approval Kim West 20/4/2025
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group On accounts for the year 31[st] December 2024 Charity no 1158449 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 and 2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/12/2024.
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
.
Signed: Date: 22 April 2025 ~~|~~ Name: James Gare ~~Pe~~ Relevant professional FCA qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: Monahans, Hermes House, Fire Fly Avenue, Swindon, SN2 2GA
October 2018
IER
3
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
October 2018
IER
4
| Charity Name | No (if any) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swindon Downs Syndrome Group | 1158449 | |||
| Receipts and payments accounts For the period from Period start date To Period end date 01.01.24 31.12.24 |
CC16a |
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 3 583 1 526 105 1 407 6 621 |
Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 3 583 1 526 105 1 407 6 621 |
Designated funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ 17 232 2 893 21 387 820 855 43 187 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ 17 232 2 893 21 387 820 855 43 187 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ 20 815 2 893 22 913 820 960 1 407 49 807 - 49 807 |
Total funds to the nearest £ 20 815 2 893 22 913 820 960 1 407 49 807 - 49 807 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Donations |
3 583 | - | 17 232 | - | 20 815 | 42 421 | |||
| Outings/Parties/Sports | - | 2 893 | - | 2 893 | 3 550 | ||||
| Fundraising | 1 526 | - | 21 387 | - | 22 913 | 36 822 | |||
| Speech Therapy | - | 820 | - | 820 | 4 070 | ||||
Interest |
105 | - | 855 | - | 960 | 690 | |||
| Membership | 1 407 | - | - | 1 407 | 1 212 | ||||
| Sub total | 6 621 | - | 43 187 | - | 49 807 | 88 765 | |||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, etc. Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - |
- | ||||
| 6 621 170 6 603 6 773 |
43 187 14 204 9 109 155 14 720 - 783 10 468 49 439 |
||||||||
| - | 43 187 | - | 49 807 | 88 765 | |||||
| Outings/Parties/Sports/Clubs | 14 204 | 14 204 | 8 153 | ||||||
| Fundraising | 170 | 9 109 | 9 279 | 11 893 | |||||
| Newsletter/Postage | 155 | 155 | - | ||||||
| Speech Therapy | 14 720 | 14 720 | 36 816 | ||||||
Training |
- | - | 1 094 | ||||||
| Miscellaneous | 6 603 | 783 | 7 386 | 6 753 | |||||
| WorkFit | 10 468 | 10 468 | 9 358 | ||||||
| Website | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | 6 773 | - | 49 439 | - | 56 212 | 74 067 | |||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, etc. Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 6 773 - 153 4 022 3 869 |
49 439 - 6 252 |
||||||||
| - | 49 439 | - | 56 212 | 74 067 | |||||
| - | - 6 252 | - | - 6 405 | 14 698 | |||||
| - | **- ** | - | - | - | |||||
| 5 000 | 99 838 | - | 108 860 | 94 162 | |||||
| 5 000 | 93 586 | - | 102 455 | 108 860 | |||||
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | |||||||||
| Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets |
Details Santander CAF Teachers Building Society Paypal (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Total cash funds Details |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ 12 371 47 227 33 989 93 586 OK Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Cost (optional) - |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||||
| 8 869 | 12 371 | - | |||||||
| 47 227 | - | ||||||||
| - | 33 989 | - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| 8 869 | 93 586 | - | |||||||
| OK | |||||||||
| Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
||||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| Fund to which asset belongs |
Current value (optional) |
||||||||
| - | - |
Fund to which Current value ~~——~~ Details asset belongs ~~Se~~ Cost (optional) (optional) B4 Assets retained for the - - charity’s own use - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~see~~ Fund to which Amount due When due Details ~~liability relates (optional) (optional)~~ B5 Liabilities - - - - - ~~——~~ Signed by one or two trustees on Signature Print Name Date of behalf of all the trustees approval Kim West 20/4/2025