## **Growing and Learning Together** ## **Trustees’ Annual Report** ## **For the period 01/01/2023 to 31/12/2023** **Charity Name:** Little Jesters Pre School ## **Registered Charity Number:** 1161375 **Charities principle address:** Faldingworth School, High Street, Faldingworth, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 3SF |**Trustee Name**|**Office (if any)**| |---|---| |Emma Carberry|Chair| |Michelle Foster|Treasurer| |Katy Senyszyn - Resigned 4-02-2023|| |June Griffiths|| |Jackie Roson - Resigned 4-02-2023|| |Rachael Bryden|| |Nadia Powell|Secretary| |Elizabeth Everton|| |Alex Lawrence|| |Emma Sawyer|| |Chloe Flatman – appointed 4-02-2023|| ## **Type of governing document:** Constitution **How the charity is constituted:** Charity Incorporated Organisation **Trustee selection methods:** Appointed by committee **Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document:** The charity works for the public benefit, having as its objects the development and education of children and young people in particular by: (1) Promoting their care and safety; - (2) Promoting their education and promoting parental involvement; - (3) Promoting their health and wellbeing; - (4) Providing services to support them and their families and carers; - (5) Providing services to individuals holding membership of the CIO ## **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects:** As a preschool, we achieve our objectives on a daily basis, primarily by providing a safe, welcoming, stimulating and engaging provision for the children of the local communities, following educational guidelines (EYFS) to further the children’s development, education, health and wellbeing. We have a good relationship with parents and carers, providing them with opportunities to participate in their child’s education via open mornings and events; our open-door policy ensures parents are welcome to visit the setting and contact staff as required. We work closely with parents and carers to involve them in the running of the setting and to keep them informed of their children’s progress and development, as well as promoting local services and information which would be of benefit to families. We offer training and professional development to staff and volunteers through a variety of courses, benefitting the entire preschool community. In setting our objectives, planning and activities our committee has given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. ## **Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year:** This year so far, we have maintained our numbers however we will be losing a large number of children to school in July which will mean that our numbers will be greatly reduced for the Autumn term September to December 23. Although we carried out an advertising campaign, we did not receive any applications meaning that we will have to look at the viability of the setting and how we take this forward for that term and the future. The trustees looked into the viability of the group, how to move it forward and keep it open for the community. It was decided that we would make every effort to keep the group open, which meant using some of the groups own reserves and reducing the opening hours accordingly. This was a success; we have slowly increased our numbers and are financially on a better footing thus ensuring that we can still offer local families access to good quality childcare and education for their preschool-age children. We continue to have a strong and involved committee, who have supported the setting during the year with fundraising events and the general running of the setting. Our committee is a mix of long-standing and newer members, which ensures a blend of fresh new ideas to complement tried and tested practices Our fundraising has been successful again this year which has enabled the group to renew some of the older resources. ## **Financial Review and Brief statement of the charities policy on reserves:** During the year, our income has decreased from £61,075 to £47,779 on the previous year; expenditure also decreased from £58,747 to £54,051. As a result, the cash held by the charity at the year-end 2023 decreased to £18,885. Little Jesters is dependent upon Early Years Funding from local government, as well as some private fees from parents, to be able to sustain its activities. Our fundraising activities are also an important source of income for us, enabling us to continue improving our setting. Our viability is dependent upon the number of children attending our setting – low numbers could mean having to implement either a reduction in our opening hours, or a full closure. To avoid closure in case of funding difficulties, Little Jesters’ committee agrees to maintain financial reserves to ensure that main operations can continue for a period of 3 months. The main concerns of the board are to ensure: - Staff can continue working with the children within the setting, while the committee would promote the preschool to attempt to increase the numbers of children on roll at the setting. - We remain mindful of the regular increases in the living wage and our obligations to staff, with regard to pension payments as well as redundancy payments, should the setting be forced to close. We are currently able to secure sufficient funding each month, but it has been calculated that if difficulties were to arise, reserves of £14,000 would be needed to continue operations for at least 3 months. The reserve should be built up from unrestricted income. The levels of reserves are monitored each year by the Little Jesters Pre School committee. We have had to actually implement this plan this year due to the reduction of numbers, children moving into school. This plan so far has been successful. **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** Signature __________J.Griffiths __ Full Name___June Griffiths ________ Position _____Trustee_& Contact _________________________ Date ___27/8/24__ Little Je*rs Pr&SchcM)I Int￿me & Ex￿dIt￿re ReFKNt For year end￿1 31112r23 2023 2022 Income Fees LCC Funding Fundraisin9 9138.19 37140.87 1499.88 10756.36 48802.70 1515.67 Total Income 47778.94 61074.73 Expendi￿re Wages Ofsted Meals etc Admin General Insurance Rent 47975.36 43.10 1188.59 1644.79 1502.74 562.57 1133.74 49478.64 35.00 539.53 471.84 6353.60 501.70 1366.43 Totsl Expenditure 54050.89 58746.74 Surplus for year Surplus brought fow4rd Surplus carrted foTWdrd -6271.95 25086.65 18814.70 2327.99 22758.66 25086.65 Surplus fvnded by Baftk Account Pety Cash balance Prepayments & accruals 189J8.56 36.14 -1SO.CKI 25177.20 59.45 -150.00 18884.70 25086.65 We have examined the I￿kS and records of the atrJ)ve organisation and u)nfirrn that the above account is a true and fa￿ tecord of the transactions undertaken by the organisation in the period. CASSELLS LIMITED 0110512024 High Street Faklirwxth Market Rasen Lllt Jri 07S7254094S 7￿n4 We have completed the requested check of the accounls of Utilo Jest•fi nnd confirm that the works have raised no concerns. We have enclosed the finalised income and expendlluro account for your re￿$. I hale requested that HMRC regard the corporatlon tam return Ds dormant and subject to them being notified against th15, they wlll not rvqulr• returns to be filed. Yours Sincerely P A Yarnell Rellsiernd In Er*and & Walescomparry Thkn476ThVAT