Cirencester portunityGroup CIRENCESTER OPPORTUNITY GROUP LIMITED Acom an Ilmlted b uarantee and not havin share ca REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 CHARITY NO. 1160184 COMPANY NO. 9210771
Cirencester Opportunity Group (lJmlted by Guarantee) CONTENTS Year ended 31 August 2024 Page Legal and Admlnlstrative Information Dlrectors, annual report , 4-12 Independent Examlner's report . 13 Statement of financlal activlues , 14 Balance sheet...,.. 15 Notes to the financlal statoments 16-22
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Limited by Guarantee) Legal and Administrative Information Year ended 31 August 2024 The Trnstee Board presents their report, together with the financial Statements, for the perlod from I September 2Q23 to 31 August 2024. Reference and admlnlstratlve detalls of the charltyr Its dlrectors and advlsors Cirencester Opportunlty Group Is a reglstered charlty, number 1160184 and Is a charitable company limlted by guarantee, number 9210771. The charlty number, company number, present Trustees (being directors of the charitable company) and advlsors are noted below.. Trustee Board The members of the Trustoè BDard (who are also the dlrectors of the charltable company) during thè perlod were as follows., Chalr: Kevin Traish lappointed October 2022, Chair from April 2023} Shahedur Rohman Ivlce Chalr from April 20231 Gaynor Hutton rfreasurer from Aprll 20231 Sylwia Duznlak (Co, Sec. from Aprll 20231 Peter Stone15tepped down as Chair April 2023 Jane Burr {Nominated Indivldual, SafeguardinBI Matt Hooper Andrew Cheesman IRe5igned October 20231 Sophie LanEer (Appointed April 20231 Russell Jones-walker Robert Bickerdlke Istepped down as Treasurer Aprll 20231 Vlce Chalr: Treasurer: Company Secretary: Trustees: Advlsor5'. Company reglstered number: 9210771 Charlty number,. 1160184 Bankers: HSBC, Klng Street, Stroud, GL5 3DS Reglstered Office: Beeches Road, Clrencester, GL7 IBW Independent Examlner: Mis5 Ruth Herbert FCCA, Wenn Townsend Atcountants Llmlted, Gosdltch House, 5 Gosdlteh Street, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 2AG
Cirencester Opportunity Group {Llmlted by Guarantee) DIRECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT Year ended 31 August 2024 Structure. governance and managemenl Cirencester Opportunlty Group ICOG), operattng as a speclallst early years and family support centre, Is a reglstered charlty and a company Ilmlted by guarantee, It Is governed by Articles of Association, whlch were approved and adopted on 17 October 1974 (upon regSstration as a charitable company}. COG became a Ilmlted company on 9 September 2014, when a new Charltles Commission registration was Issued. The articles of assoclatlon were amended to reflect thls change and were amended a8aln on 20 June 2019. We seek volunteers with new skills and experience and, inevitablyi we must replace volunteers who Can no longer work wlth us for various reasons, As such, the charlty has to 'lndutt" new Trustee Dlrectors on a reasonably regular basis. To provide a consistency and thoroughness of Introduction that wlll maximlse the new Trustee Dlrector contribution as quickly a5 posslble, we follow an Induction process which Is both simple and yet sufficiently flexible to take account of Indivldual's needs and avallabllity. The process Is outllned in the Information for New Trustees document updated annually, and Includes,. Attending at least one Board Meeting as an observer Completlng an application forrn, outllnlng the contrlbutlon that the potenual Trustee fee55 they wlll make to Clrencester Opportunlty Group, and compleL1ng a skllls and experience audlt. Provldlng twa written references Agreeing a wrltten Trustee Role Speclfication speclfic to their role on the Board Signlng the Trustee Code of Conduct detalling their commltment to the organSsatton, includlng comp5etion, wlthln 3 months Df appointrllent, of a Safe8uardins Children Level l course (usually on-llnel and the same for the Prevent Duty. . Upon appointment as a Trustee Director, the Chalrpèrson will Inform the Company Secretary and Centre Admlni5trator, who wlll ',] .inform Companles House and The Charity Commission of that appointment, and the new Trustee Dlrector wlll complete the Ofsted IEY2 on-line registration prO$s, When appointing key management, and when revlewlngthelr remuneration packages, external +.,1 benchmarklng is undertaken ogalnst dlrectly compatlble roles, wherever posslble, The Trustee Board is responsible for setknng and a8reelng the remuneration package ofthe CEO. The CEO revlews and recommends changes to the remuneration packages ofthelr team {see below), whlch must be agreed by theTrustee Board, We adhere to the Charlty Governance Code and belleve our maln principles and processe5 by which we govern adhere c105ely to the seven prlnciples of good governance Contained within the code, As we develop our Trustee Board and ways of working, we wlll check our progress against these principles and their underlylng directional guldance, Organlsatlonal stwcture and declslon makin8 process The Trustee Board delegates day-to-day management of the operations ofthe charlty to the Chief Executive Officer ICEOII Centre Manager and Designated Safeguarding Lead IDSLI, Catharine Fowler, who was appointed In September 2017. Followlng a re-organlsation of roles in 2018, the CEO has a Senlor Leadership Team ISLTI comprlslng of Sharon Pltts,. Pr&School Manager and DSL and Vl¢torla Chase,. Outreach Team Load and DSL. The wlder team comprises of two Speclal Educadonal Needs and Disabilities Co-ordlnators (SENDCosl, Jane Pil8rlm and Ben Jayne, both of whom are also part of the early intervention team alongslde Rachel Malins, Evle Downes-Hall, who works as an Apprentice Early Year5 practiOner, Claire Ellls and Sophie Pitman; all of whom support the Famlly Outreach Team to deliver family services through CQG'S early Intervention programme. Hannah Luffingham works within the Outreach Famlly Support early InterVenOn team, led by Victorla Chase, Supporting these roles are Stephanie Smyth, Charlty Fundra15er ISLT member),. Paul Robertson, as Centre Admlnlstrator and Sharon Smlth, Pre-school Cook, Durlng 2023124, in order to facilitste as many Trustees a5 Possible being able to attend full board Meeng5, the Board decided to continue the pollcy of hybrid meetin85. With more member5 of the Board than prevlously belng In full-time employment, It was felt this approach would support declslon-maklng to continue wlth mlnlmal Impact. Durlng this year, while trustees attend meetings In person where posslble, having the option to attend vla reams ha5 been notably helpful in supporting attendance and efficiency in deci5ion-makin8,
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Limited by Guarantee) DIRECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT {continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 Objectives and activ1e5 We have referred to the Charlty Commission's guidance on publlc benefit when revlewins our objectives and actlvltles and In planning for the future. Durlng thls year, the Trustee Board consolldated personnel chanEes In key roles that were actioned at the AGM in April 2023, The Chalr set prlorlties for work on the strateglc dlrecuon of the Charity, which continue5 With the support of the Senior Leadership Team, The new Company Secretary worked closely with the Centre Ad mlnlstrator to ènsure meetings, reporting and managing Board paperwork were completed effectively, Good progress was made In streamllnlng trustee roles so that everybody was able to contribute within their time con5tralnts and worklng lives to the beneflt of the Board and Charity as a whole, and one new trustee began the onboardin8 proces5. Plans to revlew the aims and objectives of the charlty are ongolng and wlll feed Into the new strateglc plan, Thls year's activlties and Service delivery reflected COG'S vlslon and m15slon statements, carrylng Dut the charrf(y'5 eth05 of respondlng to need In the CDmmunlty, through Its support of young chlldren and families living with signlficant challenges, SEND and other additional needs. Vlslon Statement: CreatFng Posltive Beginning5for Young Children L7nd Famllle5 Mlsslon: Cirencester Opportunlty Group provldes o worm, welcomlng andsafe envlronmentfor allfumilies. We work In partnership with f(7mllles and other ogencles to promote Incluslve core and early yeors education to all Ghlldren, delivering both speclollst leornlng through pluy t7ndfumlly support by responding to the changing needs of our locol community. Within thi5 framework, our objectives are: To meet the evolvlng needs ofyoung chlklren and famllles In our local comnwnlty: Recognlze. respect and sUPPOrt the rlghts and early chlldhood development of all childreni parkncularly those wlth SEND and addltional needs Iwhether through physiological condition or envlron mentl, and the a5plrations of thelr famllles for them, through dried and approprlate pro8ramme of early Intervention5, for chlldren and thelr carers, dependlnE on need and requlrements. strive for wider inclusion for children in their early years and share best practice and speciallst knowl@dge wlthln our community. Foster a sense of belonglng where learnlng can thrlve, helplng every chlld to build confidence and reslllence throughout thei r early years, wlth an understanding that support and care ft)r, and empowering& children's immedlate carers wlll also benetit children themselves, Support the wellbelng of our service users and staff team through tralnln& continuous Improvement and following our ethos of care, Ensure a best tran51tion for every chlld to thelr next 5ta8e of Ilfe and education, through understanding thelr unlque learnlng styles, sta8es of development and 5UPPOrt requlred movlngforward. Our core values provlde a focus for both operauonal and strategic plannin8'. Inclusivity 15 at the heart of all we do. we respect, value and focus on the need5 of the Indlvidual, celebratlng unlque qualities whlle providlng the rlght support to enable chlldren Ilvlng wlth SEND/addltlonal needs to thrive. We work In partnershlp with parents, carers and other professlonals to ensure positive beginnin85 for every child and thelr famlly. W'e encourage ongoing development of our team, children and families In a ¢arln& enrlchlng and stimulating envlronment. We create enabling envlronments to support chlldren's learning and to empower familles to make strong, safo and effecilve cholces to help them succeed. Our Centre at Beeches Road in Clrencester Is owned by the charlty following a donation of the land by Gloucestershire County Councll In 1982. Risk Management - The Board of Trustees, risk management process Identlfles key events or Incidents that could affect the charity's ablllty to achleve Its alms. This process results in a record of the m05t significant intemal and external risl(s facin8 the charity, the po551ble impact or Consequence of each risk and the requlred a¢tion to mldgate It. The Board of Trustèes seeks reasonable agsurance that th&so risks have been adequately managed, and that approprlate procedures and controls are In place to Identify, manage and mitigate the key risks a5 far as posslble.
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Llmlted by Guarantee) DIRECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 Achievements and perfomian COG'S annual Summer playscheme ran in the August torrenilal downpours and then improved weather leading onto 8 heatwave. Th15 was considered and responded to by staff, provlding activities in the shaded area and continuous acce5S to cold drinks. In wet weather the activities moved inside the playroom and famllles enjoyed using COG'S soft play space for an allotted time. At the end of each sesslon, every chlld could take home a plcturÈ/readlng book, a new colouring book and crayons (all donated throughout the year to COGI along with thelr craft creation. Feedback collected revealed that the provlslon Is a valuable resource to local famlllesi particularly the outduor Space and actlvStles provlded, and chance for parent5/carer5 to talk to other adults. A free packed lunch Included In each session was overwhelmln8ly appreclated - tough financlal posltions ¢lted, as well as value of social experlence. When asked how important Playscheme wa5 of all the summer activlties provided In the town, 100% of respondents stated thet it was Important, Some quotes from attendee5; The staff are excellent and very frlendly. The volunteers were all lovely. Just a big thank you to everyone, especially the effort that is put Into gettlng to know the children I feel so Incredlbly lucky to have such a wonderful, understandlng place to bring my son. Over the last 18 months, it ICOGI has been my safe space with W,..,., there's always a smiling face and an understanding ear to listen. We feel ver¥ lucky to be part ofthe COG family. A member of the family Support team completed their probationary perlod successfully during the early part of the year, as did two new staff members who work wlthin the early Interventlon team, supportlng children's development and a150 runnlng early Interventlon toddler groups. We continue to work on being able to replace another member of staff who left us last year. Polnts to hlghllght thls year Include.. COG'5 rowin arden COG children have done a wonderful job of growlng thelr very own vegetables, such as runner bean51 They really enjoy plantin& looking after and picking the veg too and glvlng It to our Cook Sharon to cook for their lunch! Men's Shed Ma Local wood craft group Men's Shed made some very special fairy doors for COG'S woodland areal The children at COG enjoyed explorlng each ono, wlth their beautlf ul colours and unique deslgns. Men's Shed also fixed up and palnted several picnlc bènches for us too. Pum klns alore - Tesco Community Champion, Melanie 5criven5, took the time to vlslt us at COG to show COG families, staff and volunteers a beautiful Collection of colourful pumpkinsl COG famllles also made cheese muffins together, to go with the pumpkln soup that COG Cook Sharon made them for their lunch. House of Lords vlslt- COG Centre Manager, Catharine Fowler, and Charity Fundralser, Stephanle Smyth, were honoured to attend the We5tmin5ter launch of the Manifesto for Early Years Incluslon by Dlngley's Promlse at The House of Lords, In November 2023, to learn more about thelr recommendations to Improve the sector. All attendees shared Dlngley'5 vlslon and commltment to Incluslon for children with special educational needs and disabillties, Tho htful Li I cu5tomers- COG was touched to be chosen as beneflclarles of Nelghbourly and Lldl's 'Festive Toy DonaOn Scheme,. Klnd and generous Lldl customers selected and donated toys for COG chlldren to help make Chrlstmas extra speclall Fesdval buntln COG was delighted to be Invlted to be part of the fabulous Phoenlx Fe5tFval. We were asked to decorate some bunting to be dlsplayed at the festival and the children enjoyed taking part In th15 5peclal craft activlty. The bunting was on display all weekend In the Abbey Grounds, so famllles could vlslt and see thelr artwork, tlonal Earl Years SEND Forum- COG Contre Manager, Cotharlne FDwler, now sits on the EY SEND Forum, along with other leaders of early years settings and charities, The Early Years Speclal Educational Needs and Disabilities IEYSENDI Forum is a national coalition of Early Years Speclallst provlders dedlcated to supporttng children aged 0-5 with SEND through lobbylng for change and sharlng best practlce.
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Llmlted by Guarantee) DIREcfoR'S ANNUAL REPORT (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 St James's Place heroes - Volunteer5 from St James's Place have supported us so much thls year by helplng us to transform areas of COG, both inslde and outsldel They have palntèd several Indoor spaces for us, Including our confidenttal Meeng room and our soft playroom, making them briBhter and li8hter. They have a150 palnted the children'5 undercover play area and all of thelr wooden play structures, to l(eep them protected from the element5 all year round l Our large car park ha5 also been tr?n5ft)rmed by SJP volunteers tool Small charitie5 week 2024 - We took part In Small Charlues week 2024, to reach out and ask the local communlty to Show thelr LOVE for Small charldes Ilke COG by.. L- Llstenlng to and loarnlng about what small chari11es In thelr nelghbourhood do, O = Organlslng something and 8etting involved with local small charlties, V= Volunteerin8 to support small charlues with their dme, volce, and money. E= En8agln8 Wlth and doing a blt more to make thelr community better. Refreshed Ted- Thls yearwe Introduced our new refreshed Teddy logo to our local community, The wonderful team at Hamltton-Brown Creative A£enry htt www.hamllton-brown.com klndly donated thelr expertfjse to help us glve our Ted a Ilttle make over. The feedback we have received so far about our newTeddy logo has been very positive and we feel very fortunate to have been chosen by Hamilton-Brown Creative Agency to be beneficiaries of their expertise. Ted logo- 501h birthday verslon 2023 Ted1080 1973 Ted logo refresh 2024 Clrencester QpporturtyGroup ecial visitor - A very 5peclal visitor attended the first week of COG'S Summer Playscheme thi5 year, we were'deli8hted to welcome our new MP for South Cotswolds, Dr Roz Savage, who came to see the wonder1 work and fun actlvlties provld- ed for young chlldren and famllles In Clrencester by COG durlng the Summer holidays. Dr Savage was welcomed by Chair of Trustees, Kevin Traish, and Centre Manager, Catharine Fowler. The world of he Romans- We also welcomed spe¢lal vlsltors from Chedworth Roman Vllla to our Summer Playscheme thls year. who came dressed in authentic Roman costumes and shared lots of exciting activities Wlth COG families. co onse to the ¢ost-of-Ilvln Crlsls: We have continued to support famllles with surplus food and also in practical W2yS, Using our addltional fundlng from tho Gloucestershire Communlty Foundation's Poverty Hurts Campaign. To look into ways to further support families, we also met with the project manager of Feeding Gloucestershire tD discuss oncerns that Early Years chlldren miss out and those with Special Educational Needs and Dlsabilitie5 are also not Catered for below the age of flve, by the Government's HAF scheme. We also dlscussed the promotlon of Healthy Start vouchers wlth ellglble famllles and COG'S commitment to working closely wlth families to encourage them to make good use of these vouchers. We also attended the Cotswold Food Network Strategic Event, to meet wlth and disCU55 where the gap5 are in the area's food prov151on for famllles In need, with partner organlsadons In the Cotswolds. Our team have continued to volunteer their time twlce a week on a collection rota, so that we can collect surplus food from Aldl Ivla Neighbourlyl and from Te5co Ivla Faresharel twlce a week, to keep our Sharlng Shed well stocked wlth addlt1onal food Items, including tins, pacl(ets, toiletries and fresh food item5 too. Our wonderful working relationship with the Thoma5 Frank'5 Foundation ha5 a150 benefltted COG famllle5 th15 year, a5 we took dellvery of a large quantfty of frult and veg dlrect f rom Worcester Produce. This donation enable5 US to bag up wonderful selectlon of fresh and colourful frult and veg for all of our famllies requiring additional sUPPOrt to access fresh food and It wa5 extremely rewarding for our team, to be able to help the famllles In th15 practical way. sres
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Limited by Guarantee) DIRECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 We have also ¢o-ordinated the collectic*n of good quallty coats, clothlng, waterproofs, wellles and sho&s for COG chlldren and we dlsplayed them alongslde our Sharlng Shed, for COG familles to ac$5 and make use of. This was e5peclally important durlng extremely hot or cold time5 of the year when access to weather approprlate clothlng Is more Important than ever, Cookln Dnabud et sessions - This year we offered a serie5 of cookln8 5esslon5 to parents, and we asked them to let us know what they would Ilke to cook. One of the early discussions we had wlth parents, helped us to Identify that buylng pizzas was a costly treat and somethlng that they cannot do, so havlng a go at maklng our own plzzas together, became a winning Idea I We costed out the ingredients with the parents and demonstrated the cooklng, whllst they each created thelr own pizza. We also used this as an opportunity to talk about healthy topplng choices and havlng slde salads wlth the pizza, uslng nexpensive lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes, Tralnln ortunitie5 - This year all members of COG'S Early Intervention team attended a 2 day Paedlatrlc Flrst Ald tralnlng course with Observed and wrltten examlnatlons. Members of the Early Interventfon team also attended the Parents, Relationships Matter Gloucestershire Conference 2024 and gained a great deal from the 'How to engage dad5 in parental conflict work, session. This training was particularly useful, as we now have more dads engaging with our Early IntervenOn Outreach team, due to them bèlnE the maln care glver to thelr chlld, accesslng support from u5 through our Learnlng Together PEEP gmup and our Inspire group, specifically for parents. Several member5 gf staff have embarked on training this year, which not only adds value to their own continulng profe5slonal development. COG Is currently supporting an Apprentice, who Ealned thelr Level 2 quallficat1on wlth distinction, and also a staff member completinE their Level 6 Early Years Initial Teacher Training. These qualifications are invaluable in our delivery of play-ba5ed learnlng techniques a5 well a5 under5tandin8 chlld development, particularly around respondlng to the needs of chlldren who may have experlenced trauma In their Ilves, or other addltional needs, whlch lead to developmental delays in the three prlme area of learning, and whase first 1001 day5 have been negatively impacted.
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Limited by Guarantee) DIRECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 Flnanclal Review Durlng the year, Clrencester Opportunlty Group declared an overall deficlt of £6,061.71 compared to last ye3r'5 deflclt of £20,444 Our re5eNes at 3118/2024 were: Restrlcted reserves £52,786 Deslgnated reserves £40,000 Unrestricted reserves £83,335 Value of fixed aet5 Ibulldlngsl £108,303 Income anal 2024 Income Analysls 130,195, 18,. $0% roo Income Urtrestrictett Incoiii Restricted Income Income totalled £263,537 whlch reflected an Increase of 14% from the prevlous year. Fee Income at £lQ6,939 showed an increase of £17,340119%1 from the prevlous year. Restrlcted grants and donations totalled £130,195 which was up 15Yo from last yearfs figure of £113,182 and accounted for almost exattly half of the total income, In line wlth the 49% It made up last year. Unrestricted Income amotjnted to £26,403, similar to last year's £28,294
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Limited byGuarantee) DIRECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 ndlture anal is: Expenditure Analysis 2023-2024 200.DOO.00 18D.DOO.00 160,000.OD 140,000.OD 120,000.00 100,000.00 80,000,00 60,000.00 40.000.00 20,000.00 0.00 S&Nic@ d8llvery Nui'sory, lunch & forestBcl)ool AdmlM,tund raiuing & offioe DÉprécl&tion & Governonce Total expenditure acros5 the year of £269,599 showed an increase of only 7% which, 8iven in particular the increase in electricFiy and minlmum wage costs,15 a credit to the management team. Dellverlng servlces Ist2fflng costs,. outsourced Muslc Therapy: other play athvltles, lunchiime meals) at £183,612 or 68% of total expenditure is spent directly on delivering activities and in line with the 2023 figure of 70% of total expenditure Nursery materials and equipment,. hvt lunch time meals,, running the building and our Forest School reflect a further £41,478 Dr 15% of the total spend (compared to 14% of total spend last year The total admlnlstratlon,. fundralslng and offlce costs of £39,757 represent5 15% of total expendlture. Th15 Includes comple0Th of the wÈbslte repdeslgn and regular accounting and HR procedure costs Depreclatlon and Governance costs Ilncludlng Inspectfjon feel make up the remainlng £4,752 or 2% of the charltws total costs. No-fru5tee recelved any expense5. ReseNes Pollcy The Trustees have set a reserves pullcy whl¢h re4ulres that the reserves be maintzined at a level whlch ensures that COG'S core activities could continue during a period of unforeseen difficulty and that these reseeS are m8int2ined in a readily realisable form.. The calculation of the required level of reserves Is an Sntegral part of COG'5 plannlngj budgeting and forecasting cycle, It takes into account the rlsks assoclated with unexpected varlattons in the stream of Ineome and expendlture, glven planned activlty levels and COG'S future commltments, The Trustees assess the reserves pollcy on an annual ba51s, They monltor and d15CU55 levels of readily rea115able re5erve5 and COG'5 future commltments, The maln risks to both Income and expendlture plus the requlrement5 for worklng capltal and adequate cash flow are assessed. The trustees use thls Information to ensure an adequate level of readily reali5able reserves is maintained. In October 2024 the reserves policy wa5 revlewed and based on this risk analysis, a Free Cash Reserve tar8et of between 2 to 3 months of future annual expendlture1£44,643 and £66,964) was confirmed. At 3118124, the Free cash reserves were £67.818 Including the designated reserves as detailed - The Trustee5 have set aslde £40,000 as Designated reserves, this is made up of: £35,000 to be rlng fenced as a Staff redundancy liability provision should the charity be forced to close during the upcoming year, £5,000 to undertake a comprehenslve revlew of premlses securlty- to facllltate an enhanced working environment for staff by upda11ng access controls and Ilghtlng, io
Cirencester Opportunity Group {Limited byGuarantee) DIRECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT {continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 Plans for future periods We will contlnue to build on our Strategic vlsion, whlch we plan to revlew and fomiallse In a wrltten strateglc plan. & Evaluate and work to maximise our current assets to opilmlse and expand, where posslble, the dlrecdon of the ¢harlty to meet the Deeds of current and new service user5 including the launch of a new webslte, which has been delayed but hoplng '. to launch late 2024. <> Continually review and evaluate our early Interventlon provlslon of play-based learnlng to ensure sustalnablllty and vlabllltv i-, il,, In the face of condnued and growlng concern5 around recrultment, retention and funding in the early years sector; partlcularly ensurlng we contlnue to meet the needs of chlldren with SEND and other additional need5, Including chlldren experlenclng dlsadvantage which affects thelr development. Q Rocrult an addllonal momber of staff. to joln our specialist team, to enable us to offer support to more local families. To also consider further expanding our team by providing additional Apprenticeshlp opportunities, thereby sharing the expertise of our experienced staff with the next 8eneration of Early Years profelOnals. ts Continually review and evaluate early intervention family support provision to ensure we understand and respond to the changing needs of our local community, particularly during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the national economic and political picture,. the known and unforeseen impacts they bring. Focus on the needs of parents/carers who are hard to reachl engage with, to support their confidence in attending groups with thelr children and thelr followlng transltlon to early InteNention sessions. Q Continue to focu5 On, review and extend staff wellbeing protocols to ensure physical safety and emDtiDnal support for staff member5 55 In place, and we wlll continue to try to attract funding to support this outcome, Continue to identify and evaluate funding opportunities to improve office space, facillties and infrastructure for st2ff to accommodate a team that has grown in number over the past decade, and out6rown space available-this is very difficult to achieve through f undralslng alone but could be part of a new capital project. Conslder a capltal project to Increase space available to meet needs of 5ervlce users, through expanding current projects andlor launching new projects to meet communlty need. Q Actively seek out and say 'yes' to opportunlties to get involved in national research and tralnlng to extend and enhance our specialist knowledge In order to reach our goa15, a5 well a5 take up opportunides to be involved In communlty project5 throughout our town, to enhance cultural and creative experiences for service users who may not otherwlse have such chances. Thls will also enable COG to create more partnershlp workln8 opportunitr'es wlth other community groups and organlsations, to benefit staff, volunteers and beneficlarle5. ¢ Continue to build a robust and effective Board of Trustees through a pro8ramme of recruitment, including an analysls of skills needed to provlde beneficlal area5 of expertlse, O Continue to enhance the capabilities of the Board of Trustees through opportunities to meet key staff members forfocus5ed dlscusslons; undorstandlng challenges and ways they Can bè met. offer traininB opportunldes for trustees whenever p055ible and work to improve and continually enhance our trustee Induction package. O Work toward5 building 4 group of patrons to support the charlty, wlth the vlew to them supporhng the work of COG through soclal medla, publlclty and advocacy of our worl(, as well as building a strong team of Advisors to the Board. li
Cirencester Opportunity Group {Llmlted by Guarantee) DIRECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 Statement of directors, responsibilities The Charlty Trustees (who are also the Director5 of Cirencester Opportunity Group Llmited for the purposes of company lawl are ': responsible for preparing the Trustee5' annual report and ftnanci31 statements In accordance with applicable law and Unlted Klngdom Accounting Standards Iunlted Klngdom Generally Accepted Accountin8 Practlcel Company Law require5 the Trustees to prepare financlal statements for each financial year which 8lve a true and falr vlew of the state of the affalrs of the Charltable Company as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and appllcatlon of resources, Including income and expenditure, for the financial year. In preparlng those financlal statements, the directors should, follow best practlce and: select sultable accounttng policies and then apply them conslstently: observe the methods and principle5 in the appllcable Charlties SORP: make Judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent: Statè whether applicable UK accounting standard5 have beèn followed, subject to any material departures dls¢losed and explained in the financlal statements; prepare the finan¢lal statements on the going concern basis unless it is inapproprlate to presume that the Charlty will conti n . In buslness. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accountlng records that disclose with reasonable accuracy, at any Me, the financial p051tion of the Charlty and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companles Act 200 They are a150 responsible for safeguarding the asset5 of the Charity and the group and hence. taklng reasonable steps for the preventlon and detection of fraud and other Irregularlties. The Trustees aro responsible for the maintenance and Integrlty of the corpornte and financial information included on the Charitable Company's web51te. Leglslation In the Unltèd Klngdom governing the preparation and dlssemination of ftnanclal ststements may dlffer f rom leglslation in other jurisdlctiolls. Prlnt name: Gaynor Hutton Date., 15th May 2025 12
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Limited by Guarantee) Independent Examinerfs Report Year ended 31 August 2024 Independent Examlner's Report to the Trustees of Cirence5ter OpportunSty Group Llmlted I report to the Charlty Trustees on my examination ofthe accounts of the company for the year ended 31 August 2024 whlch are sèt out on pages 14 to 22, Responslbllltles and basls of report the Charity Trustees of the company land a150 It5 dlrectors for the purpDses of company lawl you are responslble for the preparotion of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 20061'the 2006 Act'l, Slnce the Charlty'5 con5011dated gr055 Income exceeded £250,000 your examlner must be a member of a body115ted In section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that l am qualified to undertake the examination because l am a member of Char- tered Instftute of Certified Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies. Independent examlner's statement I have completed my examlnation. I confirm that no matters have come to my attentlon In connectltsn wlth the examination giving me cause to believe that In any material respect: accounting records were not kept in respect ofthe company as required by section 386 ofthe 2006 Act; or the accounts do not accord wlth those records,, Dr the accounts do not comply wlth the accounttng requirements of sectlDn 396 of the 2006 Act other than anv re ulrement that the accounts give a 'true and falr vlÈw' whlch Is not a matter consldered as part Df an ependent examination,. or the accounts have not been prepared In accordance with the methods and prlnclple5 of the Statemont of Recommended Practice for accounting and reportlng by charlties applicable to charities preparing their accounts in ac¢ordan¢e with the Financial Reportin8 Standard applicable in the UK and Republ1¢ of Ireland IFRS 1021, I have no concèrns and have come across no Other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in thls report In order to enable a proper understandlng of the accouDts to be reached, Miss Ruth Herbert FCCA Slgned: Date: /,"/ '202 5- Wenn Townsend Accountants Limited Gosdltrh House Gosdltch Street Clrencester GL7 2AG 13
Cirencester Opportunity Group {Limited by Guarantee) Statement of Financial Activities and Income and Expenditure Account Year ended 31 August 2024 Statement of flnan¢lal actlvltEes Income and endowments Donations Eamed from charltable activlties Eamed from otheravie5 Investment and Dther income Total 14625 106939 5856 130195 144820 106939 5856 5922 263537 132350 89600 5913 3213 231076 5922 133342 130195 Ex enditure Cost of ralslng fund5 Expendlture on charitable activitie5 Other expenditure 11807 119127 1632 137033 13439 254420 12915 238605 Total 130934 138665 269599 251520 Net In¢ome/Expendlture 2408 -8470 -6062 -20444 Transfer between fund5 Net movement In fund5 2408 -8470 -6062 -20444 Total funds brought forward 80927 400CKJ 61256 182183 202627 Total funds carrled forward 83335 40000 52786 176121 182183 The statement of financlal activities Include all galns and losses recognised in the year. All income and expendlture derive from contlnulng activities. The notes on pages 15 to 22 form part of these financial statements 14
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Llmlted by Guarantee) Balance Sheet Year ended 31 August 2024 Note Unrestrlcted funds Restricted funds Totsl 2024 Total 2023 Flxed Assets 108303 108303 110856 Current Assets Debtors Cash at bank and In hand 18089 137643 155732 150773 Total Current Assets 126392 137643 264035 261629 Creditors Ifalllng withln one yearl io 3057 84857 87914 79446 Total Assets less ¢urrent11gblllttes 123335 52786 176121 182183 Flnanced by: Unrestricted funds 83335 83335 80927 Dèslgnated funds Restrlcted fund5 40(0 40000 40000 52876 52786 61256 Net Assets 123335 52786 176121 182183 Funds 123335 52736 176121 182183 In approvlng these financlal statement5 as dlrectcrs of the Company we hereby confirm.. The Compan is entitled to the exemption from audit under Section 477lcl ofthe Companles Act 2006 from the year ended 3118/2024. T e Trustees have not required the Charitable Company to obtaln an audit of its financial sLatement for the year ended 311812024 in accordance with section 476 ofthe Companies Act 2006. That we acknowledge our responslbllities for.. ensurlng that the Company keeps accounting records which comply with secdon 386 and 387 of the Companles Act 2006 and preparlng financlal statements whlch Bive a true and falr vlew of the state of affalrs of the Company as at the end of the financlal year, and of Its profit or loss for the year then ended In accordance wlth the rerluirements of section 394 and 395, and whlch otherwlse comply with the provi51ons of the Companles Act 2006 relatrng to financial statements so far 85 applicable to the Charltable Company, These a¢¢ount5 have been prepared in accordance wlth the provlsions appllcable to companies subject to the small companles, regime and In accordance with FR5102 and the Charlties SORP IFRS1021, The notes on the following p3ges form part of these accounts. bl These financlal ststements were approved and authorised for Issue by the Trustees on their behalf by,. and signed on 6. Hutton Dated: 15th May 2025 Slgned: 15
Cirencester Opportunity Group {Limlted by Guaranteel Notes to the Financial Statements Year ended 31 August 2024 Accountlns Pollcies The princlpal accounting pollcies adopted, Judgements and key sources of eSMaOn uncertalnty In the preparation of the flnanclal statements are as follows Basls of Preparatlon The fbnancial statement5 have been prepared in accordince with Accounting and Reportlng by Charitles: Statement of Recommended Practice appllcable to charlties preparlng thelr accounts In accordance wlth the Financlal Reporting Standard appllcable In the UK and Republlc of Ireland IFRS 1021, the Charlties Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Practlce, Cotswold Counselling meets the defi'nition of 3 public benefit entity under FRS 102, A55ets and Ilabilities are initially reco8nised at hlstorScal Cost or transaction value unless otherwlse stated In the relevant accounting policy notes. The Charity has applled Update Bulletln 2 a5 publlshed on 5th October 2018 and does not include a cash flow statement on thè grounds that It Is applying FRS 102 Sectlon IA. Fixed assets Depreciatlon Is provlded at rates calculate to wrlte off the ctsst less resldual value of each asset over Its expected useful Ilfe as follows: Land and Buildings 2% reducing balan Fixtures and Equipment 2 reducing balance Fund accounting Unre5trlcted ndS comprlse those funds which the trustees are free to use in accordance with the charitable objectives. Re- stricted funds are funds which have been given for parknculér purp05e5 and projects. Income All Incoming resources are Included in the statement of flnancial activltles when the charlty15 entitled to the Income and the amount can be quantlfied wlth reasonable accuracy. The following speclfic policies are applied to particular categories income,, Fee income is included In full In the Statement of Financlal Artivitie5 when receivable. The value of 5ervlces prcvided by volunteers has not been Included in these accounts. Investment Income Is included when receivable. Incoming resources for generang funds are accounted for when earned. Expendlture and Irrecoverable VAT Expenditure is recogni5ed once there Is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it Is probable that Settlement wlll be requlred and the amount of the obligation can be measured rellably. Irrecoverable VAT Is charged as a cost agalnst the actlvlty for which the expendlture was incurred. Debtors Trade and other debtors are recognlsed at the Settlement amount due after any trade dlscount 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 liquld investments wlth a shrjrt maturity of less than three months from the date of acqulsldon or openlng of the deposlt or slmllar account actlvlty, 16
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Limited by Guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 Credltors and provlslons Credltors and provlslons are recognised where the charlty has a present obllgation resulting from a past event that wlll probably result In the transfer of fund5 to a third party and the amount due to settle the obllgation can be measured or estlmated reliably. Credltors and provlslons are normally recognlsed at their settlement amount after allowlng for any trade discounts due. Flnan¢lal Instruments The trust only has financial assets and Ilabllltles of a kind that qualify as a baslc flnancial Instruments. Baslc flnancial In5twment5 are inltially recognlsed a5 a tran5achon value and subsequently measured at thelr settlement va5ue with the exceptlon of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortlsed cost using the effective interest method. l) Pensions sIn September 2017, employees are automatically enrolled Into a defined contribution pension scheme operated by The People's Pension. Employees can subsequently opt out. Employees joining the scheme, contract dlrectly with the pension company. The charity made a matchlng contrlbution of 3% of qualifying Èarnings to thls penslon scheme and acts as an agent in collecting and paying over employee contrlbutlons. The contrlbutions made for the accounting period treated as an expense and were £496412023 = £51261 21 Legal status of the charlty The charity is a company Ilmlted by Euarantee and has no share capital. In the event of the charity belng wound up, the Ilabllity in respect of the guarantee is limited to £10 per member of the Charlty. The charity is registered and Incorporated In England and Wale5 and it's reglstered address Is ,' Beeches Road; Cirencester: Glos; GL7 IBW 3) Financlal performance of the charlty The statement of Flnanclal Activitie5 States the flnancial porformance of the charity. 17
Cirencester Opportunity Group {Limited by Guarantee) Note5 to the Financial Statements (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 4) Income: Al- Donatlons & Grants Barnwood Trust Gloucestershire Funders- lulla and Hans Rauslng Trust Chlldren In Need Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds 11520 20097 Total 2024 11520 Total 2023 122LN) 20097 21717 11207 St James Place CSR Volunteering St James Place Foundation Glnbal Make Some Noise Peter Lang Chlldren's Trust 170 170 210 10000 iooc 11263 40000 44932 44932 Soclety Holy Chlld Jesus. Arnold Clark LIDL Local Communlty Fund Clrencester Town Councll B&Q NeSghbourly Soroptimist5 Dorothy Mlnnis Active Impact ocwc Smiths Clrencester Charity Gloucestershire County Council KD Wlnstone Charltsble Trust Glos Funders One Glos NFU Mutual Tesco Community Grant Kemble Church Cotswold Prlmrose Trust E-Qualltas Active Impact OCWC Poverty Hurts GCF Pied Piper Appeal Tltch Tetley (Photographer) Cirencester Ladles Skittles Clren Vlcars & Churchwardens Masonic Charltable Foundation 5000 4167 iooo iooo 500 500 3000 500 3000 500 550 693 550 550 693 280 3875 3875 5000 5000 7900 7900 15800 537 iiio 600 925 925 3065 7000 3065 7000 1984 2484 4890 1984 2484 4890 525 312 312 368 368 950 950 Various donations & grants 7825 7825 12464 Total 14625 130195 144820 132350 18
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Limited by Guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 A2 Eamed from charltable activiknes Unrestrl¢ted Funds Restrlcted Funds Total 2024 Total 2023 GCC Nurseryfees Parent fees Total 100207 100207 6732 106939 85589 4011 6732 106939 A3 Earned from other activitles Unrestrlrted Funds R@strlcted Funds Total 2024 Total 2023 Fund raising activities Buildin8 hire Interest Income 2106 3750 2106 3750 1813 4100 4962 4962 Z657 Mlscellanoous 960 960 556 Total 11778 11778 9126 S} Expendlture: ExpendSture on ¢harltable activitie5 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total 2024 Total 2023 Dellvery of services Nursery equipment and hot meals Forest School and garden Bulldlng o erations Offlce & admlnlsiratlon reclatlon Governance* & Independent examination Total 51246 18303 1970 132366 2807 183612 21110 1970 176365 8078 2438 16538 38125 2552 2200 130934 1860 1632 18398 39757 2552 2200 23489 36744 2690 1716 251520 1386GS 269599 Trustees received no remuneration and were not relmbursed for any of their expense5 In the period. 6) Pa5d Employees: Average number of 'full tlme equlvalenv employees in the year: 2024 2023 Fundralslng Administration Charitable Activltles Governance 19
Cirencester Opportunity Group {Llmlted by Guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 7) Movements in Funds., enin Incomin Ou Transfar Resources sources Of Fund5 31 2024 Unrestrlcted Funds 80927 133342 130934 83335 Deslgnated Funds 40000 40000 Reslrlcted Fund5 Actlve Impact OCWC Waterplay 693 181 512 Arnold Clark Soroptimist Dorothy Minnis GCC Global DCMS Glos. Funders Julia and Hans Rau5ing Trust St James Place Foundauon Cirencester Town Council iooo 550 iooo 550 iioo 5493 16748 5493 20097 20097 16748 90 ioooo 3424 6666 3000 3000 B8mwood Trust Peter Lang Chlldren's Trust Glos Funders-one G105 Cotswold Prlmrose Trust 11520 11520 12148 10892 10500 44932 51932 3500 15800 79CiI 3065 15800 3065 79 EQualltas 70 2432 4568 Lidl Local Comrnunity Fund Tesco Community Grant Smiths Cirencester Charity Active Impart OCWC Summer Gloucestershlre County Councll Glos Communlty Foundation Poverty Hurt5 Pled Plper Appeal Nelghbourly Sprin8 fund KD Winstone Trust 500 555 925 1480 280 280 1984 1984 3875 2875 iooo 2484 2484 4890 4890 500 500 5000 5000 Total Restrlrted 61256 130195 138665 52786 Total Funds 182183 263537 269599 176121 Deslgnated ReseNes: The Trustees have continued to review areas of the CharStWs operations and aligned wlth IYS strategic analysis,. Centre Devel- opment Plan and Risk Reglster, have declded to Idèntify the followlng areas of operations that should be defined as °Designated Reserves. £35,000 to be ring fenced as 2 Staff redundancy liability provision as at 3V812024 close, should the charlty be forced to £5,000 to undertake an IT infrastructure review and subsequently dellver a more secure. rellable and ergonomlcally effective working environment 20
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Llmlted by Guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 81 Tanglble Flxed Assets: Land & Bulldln Flxtures & F'ttin et¢. Cost At 1st Sept 2023 Additlons In Year Dlsposals 129405 12110 141515 At 31°Au8USt 2024 129405 12110 141515 De reclation Balance brought fonNard 20412 10247 30659 Charge forthe YÈar Dlsposals 2180 373 2553 At 31" August 2023 22592 10620 33313 Net BoDkValue At 31" August 2024 106813 1490 108303 At 315tAugust 2023 108993 1863 110856 9) Taxatlon: As a charity, Cirencester Opportunity Group Llmltedls exempt from tax on income and gains falllng wlthln the Sethon 478 qf the Corporation Tax Act 2010 to the extent these are applled to Its charitable objections. 10) Credltors.. 2024 2023 Income In advance 84857 75990 Accruals 3057 3456 Total 87914 79446 11) Capital Commitments Thè company hacl no known capital commltments at the balance sheet date, 21
Cirencester Opportunity Group (Llmlted by Guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) Year ended 31 August 2024 13) Government Grants: The followlng income was re¢elved from government bodles durlng the year. 2024 2023 Gloucester County Councll 3875 Clrencester Town Councll 3000 471 22