The TOY Project
ANNUAL REPORT NOVEMBER 2020 - NOVEMBER 2021
NOVEMBER
We started this ‘new year’ by sending barrels of books and toys to Grenada in the Caribbean. We have been sending barrels there for years to support the school for children with disabilities, providing books and toys for their library.
We also received generous donations from Epoch Toys and Poundland who both donated new toys to go to families this Christmas.
We celebrated our 7th birthday on the 13th, we are so happy the charity is continuing to grow and look forward to what we achieve in our 8th year.
We gave toys to lots of families & organisations including The Woodbury Down Toy Library and Akwaaba Kids. Our School Partnership, funded by the TNL Community Fund, sent toys to local schools for vulnerable families.
Although it was lockdown, we still got ready to celebrate Christmas with our amazing window display & Christmas Cards designed by our Patron Jason Donovan that were sold to raise funds for the Charity.
DECEMBER
December saw lots of generous donations and lots of toys go out to families and organisations who needed them.
It started with Map Gift Shop's customers buying from our wishlist there. Halfords donated scooters that were given to Haywood Adventure Playground for children with additional needs. King Alfred School’s year 12 class also raised £500 and donated a sack full of toys for us to provide to children at Christmas.
The Sylvanian Families sets donated the month before were given to The Play Well Trust for the children they support, and sent to Norah’s North Pole with the postal costs covered by Ange and Jason Donovan.
On top of providing toys we also started free Lego Workshops and Lego Therapy sessions at a local community space, Hargrave Hall, to continue our work to ensure everyone has access to play.
DECEMBER
Our School Partnership, funded by TNL Community Fund, continued with toys going to Brookfield, Hargrave Park, The Bridge Schools and St Johns Primary School for families who had been referred to us.
Pakeman, Ambler and Rotherfield Primary also received toys for children and families who needed them for Christmas.
Although we had to close the shop again due to Government Restrictions, we stayed open for referrals and emergencies and in one day alone, gave presents to 43 families for their children this
Christmas.
The NHS was under great strain throughout 2020 and we were very happy to give Play In NHS toys on December 21st for the children that would be in Hospital over Christmas.
JANUARY
Government Restrictions continued which meant our shop had to remain closed for the month of January. However, we were open for referrals and donations on Thursdays 10-6. We provided toys to schools and families in need.
The generosity we saw was amazing and our customers saved lots of toys from landfill by bringing them to us and enjoying our Barbie window display while they were here!
Our support from the toy industry continued in January with 3style Scooters donating boxed toys to be given to families.
We also provided toys to the Andover Estate Food Bank for families there who were struggling financially.
FEBRUARY
February started our Amazon partnership with Amazon Smile and Treasure Truck UK. Encouraging everyone to donate new toys to us through shopping our wishlist! We are very grateful to everyone who shopped for us.
These toys went to help many different children including bereaved children, homeless families & more. Toys were provided to a boy with additional needs on their birthday after being referred by their school thanks to our School partnership Programme and to Amazon, as all these toys were provided through this partnership!
Following on from our previous work at Whittington Hospital and Pentonville Prison, to make the spaces more welcoming and enjoyable for children, this February we commissioned a mural at Haywood Adventure Playground for children with additional needs.
We have also continued to work with PediVan, who have been transporting toys for us. This is an eco-friendly way for us to get the toys to those who need them which matches with our sustainability goals! In this picture we are sending toys to the Whittington Hospital.
MARCH
We give toys year-round to people who need them, and in March toys were provided to a homeless family that had just arrived in the UK, a play kitchen was given to Stroud Green Primary School, and toys were sent to 'Their Voice', a charity which supports people who have survived Modern Slavery, and many others toys going to families and organisations who need them.
Through our School Partnership we provided Easter Hampers (which included Easter Eggs, Lego, Slime Kits and Aquabeads) to vulnerable families across five local schools.
In March we made a big announcement that we were taking on another venture and opening a second space dedicated to supporting children through play: ‘The Playroom’ ! In order to ensure that play is accessible for everyone, all of our playroom sessions will be completely free of charge and open to everyone, with dedicated time for LEGO Therapy.
Our local community is so important to us at The TOY Project for many reasons! This month a customer from our shop volunteered to drive to Enfield to give toys to a family with a son in chemo and their other children isolating to protect him. Thank you to all our volunteers!
APRIL
In April we set up The Playroom ready for the 1st of May!
We hired our mural painter and our sign painter, and are so pleased with their work! We announced the sessions that would be running, including Lego and Arts & Crafts and received many of our sponsorships, which made all of this possible!
And we were able to reopen our shop! We worked hard throughout April to set it up and are happy to see our community again, shopping used and supporting the work we do.
A member of our community chose to have her friends donate toys to us for her birthday! We love that children are growing up understanding the importance of donating, recycling and sharing!
MAY
In May... The Playroom opened! It was a huge success and everyone really enjoyed their sessions. It was amazing to see how play benefits everyone, especially following the impacts of the pandemic.
We also announced the Half Term plans for The Playroom, sessions throughout the day Tuesday-Saturday including Lego and Sylvanian workshops.
The Selfridges toy team came to visit our shop after we met them at the last Toy Fair. We had an exciting meeting with them, planning ways in which we can work together and discussing our shared interest in shopping sustainably. It is great to see how our reach has grown over the years and explore new ways we can continue to grow.
May also saw us receive lots of party bag orders, which have been a great success! They are eco-friendly party favours for people of all ages and are great promotion for the message of the charity. Part of our mission is to save toys from landfill so it exciting to see how many families are opting for the sustainable options we provide.
JUNE
The Playroom continued to be a huge success with our half term activities
Adult & After-school Lego workshops were also announced! Play is so important for everyone and we are happy we can provide these opportunities free of charge.
Our School Partnership continued with toys going to Duncombe Primary School.
The Playroom also hosted Lego Therapy for children with social & communication needs from a local school.
Representing and supporting everyone in our community is at the heart of what we do. We celebrated PRIDE Month this June, creating a window display & providing requested puzzles and games to LGBTIQ Outside.
Due to COVID Restrictions, we were unable to continue sending our Knitted Bunnies to India, so we got creative. We set up a display of our fabulous handknitted bunnies and sending all money raised from their sales to ‘The Toy Bank’ who provide toys to children all over India.
JULY
The Playroom received more sponsorship and more positive feedback from our community in July. Baby Singing and Adult Lego have been loved by all ages.
Our trustees strategised this month, planning ahead for the next three years. We are all excited to see the charity continue to grow, help families all over the world and reduce, reuse & recycle!
The school holidays also started at the end of July which meant that our ‘Summer of Calm’ playscheme as part of Islington’s Holiday Activities and Food Scheme also started at The Playroom. The school holidays can be a difficult time for families who rely on Free School Meals so we are very happy to be able to provide food and enriching sessions to children across Islington.
Our 'Summer of Calm' included a range of activities from Lego to Storytelling with world famous children’s author Ifeoma Onyefulu.
AUGUST
Our ‘Summer of Calm’ Playscheme continued throughout the month of August at The Playroom with great success. Not all children can cope with large groups of people, loud noises or rushing around so ‘Summer of Calm’ was designed to be peaceful and accessible for as well as providing nutritional food.
This month at The Playroom also included Lego sessions and meetings to set up new projects so the benefits of play are accessible to everyone, regardless of age.
We sent barrels to Grenada after a long break due to two lockdowns. Since the last time we had sent barrels, the school we work with had been able to open their library to the public thanks to all the books we had received and shipped. We sent more books and toys to continue supporting them.
SEPTEMBER
The month of September at The Playroom was sponsored by Playtime PR and saw us add in new sessions such as yoga, chess, bookmaking and our first Scrabble tournament! The Playroom is for everyone and we plan our sessions to make sure everyone can enjoy it.
On top of this, our 50+ Lego Lunches with Age UK began and allowed older people the opportunity to explore the world of Lego and socialise after the pandemic had left many in that age group isolated.
Attic Self Storage partnered with us and ran a collection service for those who wished to donate toys to us for the whole month. This was great support for us and for everyone who wanted to save toys from landfill.
Playtime PR also brought us to the Christmas Show at the Business Design Centre London as their charity partner where we were able to build new partnerships and raise awareness of the work we do with big names in our industry.
OCTOBER
Preach Gaming generously donated £7,000 and lots of toys to us following a fundraising event they hosted on our behalf and our community supported us again with two young girls hosting a bake sale to fundraise for us!
Toys were sent over to the Royal Free Hospital, as well as many other places, as part of our long standing relationship with them.
We have worked with the Royal Free Hospital since we started in 2013, as we have, and will continue to do, with many local hospitals.
In addition to all of this, we launched our Selfridges pop-up in October!
As part of Selfridges’ ‘Project Earth’ and Resellfridges initiatives, we set up a concession on the fourth floor, within their toy department, selling used toys and accepting toy donations.
It is amazing to see how the charity has expanded throughout the year; opening
a space dedicated to providing play, setting up a sustainable toy shopping option in Selfridges and continuing to provide toys to children and families who need them all over the world. We have been able to reach more people this year thanks to sponsorship and support and are excited for this all to continue.
| The Toy Project |
The Toy Project |
The Toy Project |
The Toy Project |
CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the period from |
15th November 2020 |
To | |||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
| Islington Borough | - 23,813- - 1,374- - 1,000- - 6,133- - 7,000- - 4,500- - 4,000- - 29,449- - 101,590- |
- -- |
- 23,813- - 1,374- - 1,000- - 6,133- - 7,000- - 4,500- - 4,000- - 29,449- - 101,590- |
- -- |
|
| Arrow Valves | |||||
| Alder Investments | |||||
| Monat | |||||
| Smoo Productions | |||||
| EPOCH | |||||
| Gibson | |||||
| Other donations | - -- |
- -- |
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| Shop sales | - -- |
- -- |
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| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
- 178,859- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 178,859- |
- -- |
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
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| - -- - -- |
- -- - -- |
- -- |
- -- - -- |
||
| - -- |
- -- |
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| Sub total Total receipts A3 Payments |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
| - 178,859- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 178,859- |
- -- |
|
| Rent (shop and playroom) | - 40,665- - 6,022- - 3,362- - -- - -- - 1,677- - 34,581- - 77,536- |
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- 40,665- - 6,022- - 3,362- - -- - -- - 1,677- - 34,581- - 77,536- |
- -- |
|
| Storage | |||||
| Playroom refurb | |||||
| Legal fees | - -- |
- -- |
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| Rates | |||||
| Utilities | |||||
| Other expenses | |||||
| Wages | |||||
| **Sub total ** | - 163,842- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 163,842- |
- -- |
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
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| - -- - -- |
- -- - -- |
- -- |
- -- - -- |
- -- |
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| - -- |
- -- |
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| Sub total Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end **Cash funds this year end ** |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
| - 163,842- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 163,842- |
- -- |
|
| - 15,018- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 15,018- |
- -- |
|
| - -- - 31,161- - 46,181- |
- -- - -- - -- |
- -- |
- -- - 31,161- |
- -- |
|
| - -- |
- -- |
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| - -- |
- -- |
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| A4 Asset and investment | ||||||||||||||||||||
| purchases, (see table) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| **Total payments ** | - | 163,842- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 163,842- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| **Net of receipts/(payments) ** | - | 15,018- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 15,018- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | - | 31,161- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 31,161- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| **Cash funds this year end ** | - | 46,181- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
13/08/2022
1
| Categories B1 Cash funds |
Details | Details | Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - -- |
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| Bank account | £46,180.78 | - -- |
- -- |
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| - -- |
- -- |
- -- |
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| B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Details Details Details Signature signed copy on file signed copy on file |
- 46,181- |
- -- |
- -- |
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| OK | |||||||
| Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Fund to which Amount due - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Print Name FRANCES HOWAT JANE GARFIELD |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| Current value (optional) |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| - -- |
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| Current value (optional) |
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| - -- |
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| When due | |||||||
| Date of approval |
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| FRANCES HOWAT | |||||||
| JANE GARFIELD |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
13/08/2022
2
I CHARITY COMMISSION . J FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of 1HE PE£)fv On accounts for the year ended MON)6 M'BIIL t021 Charity no {if any) 1164 Z£2 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {'the Trusf,) for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report As the charitys trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Acy,) I report in respect of my examinats'on of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all tho applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the Act. Independent tThe charity's gross income exceeded £250.000 and l am qualified to examinerfs statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of linsert name of applicable listed tL)dy]]. Delete l ] if not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have ome to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disdosed below ') whith gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in cOrdanCe with sects'on 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records", or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements conceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regu5ations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examinats'on to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the words in the brackets rf they do not apply. Signed: Date: IER Oct 2018
Give here brief details of , any items that the examiner wishes to disclose_ IER Oct 2018
Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): *cLtsJS a.fr(. Cjfo Address: ok/bls £0)( Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concem (see CC32, Independent examinakn'on of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). IER Oct 2018