2025-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1.4.24 Period start date To 31.3.25 Period end date

Charity name: Activity Station

Charity registration number:1165502

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The objects of Activity Station CIO are to support the needs of children, young people and adults with additional needs, their families and carers in the LBRUT and the surrounding boroughs in particular, but not exclusively, by all or any of the following means – 1. Providing activities and social events for people with additional needs , their families and carers. 2. Collaborating with other service providers and the public services to facilitate and deliver activities and social events. 3. Working to increase the choice of events available to and promoting social inclusion of people with additional needs and their families and carers.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	We ensure service providers/facilitators make reasonable adjustments to their services so people with additional needs can access them in the same way as other people (panto, sensory screening, music concerts in music venues and all our activities). We enable them to choose what activities they would like to undertake. We promote healthy eating and a choice which also promotes financial budgeting. We offer wellbeing, social, health and fitness activities and encourage them to participate in a safe and stimulating environment.

We work in partnership with other agencies and providers to improve our service for vulnerable people. The objectives, activities, achievements and performance for the past year addressed throughout this trustee annual report clearly sets out the activities which AS undertakes for the public benefit. The trustees, in setting our aims, objectives and planning our activities have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission general guidance on public benefit.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	All AS volunteers are inducted and trained before they start. They are expected to read and understand all aspects of the AS policies i.e. safeguarding, health and safety guidance and risk policies. They contribute signifcantly to the success of AS by ofering additonal support and encouragement. With the help of our volunteers it gives families and carers respite. The volunteers know when to support and when to allow the people with additonal needs to do a task on their own which encourages independence and confdence to grow. They support with access & registraton on arrival of atendees and work with our service providers to ensure actvites are well prepared, inclusive to everyone, & also help with support encouraging our users to take part and have fun.
Other

Achievements and Performance

SORP reference

Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	As our service users are more confident in meeting in person since Covid we increased the number of outings and activities with less on zoom. We have noticed a larger number of newcomers. AS often have sold out events and keep a waiting lists. Qualitative information has shown a positive request for certain activities such as music and cookery which is very popular, keeping the recipes nutritious and healthy. We also run classes to offer fitness and wellbeing. From completed AS evaluation forms, our service has been described by users, parents and carers as excellent and includes very positive comments and feedback. We have had many people write to us with positive comments and give us positive responses from conversation analysis. We have service users attending that have been referred to us by other parents and carers, local organisations and care homes accessing our service. Existing partners and organisations (which includes, Mencap Richmond and Hammersmith, Crofters Club, RUILS, SEN family support group Richmond and SEN group Chiswick social work & disabled teams, Skylarks, Richmond CVS, RHLT, Achieving For Children, Elysium Healthcare and SeeAbility carehomes) promote our activities and have recommended us to new organisations and parents/carers increasing our network. Due to increasing the number of activities, more service users attending and maintaining the 2 different age groups has also meant an increase with the support. We are pleased to continue to offer free online activities, although the demand has reduced from the previous year, we continue to offer free live events throughout the year which has made our activities more accessible with an increase of service users from other boroughs. We have been able to continue to offer our service to Ukrainian families in the borough. Fundraising After receiving our Queens Award for voluntary services in the borough demonstrates what has been achieved due to the support of our funders and volunteers over the last 10 years. Going forward this will help when applying for more funding. Plans for the future Increase the number of free events at key calendar dates during the year.

Evaluate user and carer views of our service and identify unmet needs. Increase current programme of days out and the possibility of more respite for families and carers. Apply for further grants from eg The Lottery Fund

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	In this financial year we continue to charge a small fee for some activities. We have been fortunate that we have had cash in the bank to fund the activities throughout this year. We will be applying for grants from organisations such as Barnes Fund, the Richmond Voluntary Fund, Global’s Make Some Noise and the Lottery. Our overheads have increased in this financial year due to provision of more activities
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	We continue to implement our reserve policy. Our activities and social events programme is flexible and can be tailored to run any number of activities at any given time out of an annual ‘rolling’ planned programme. In the event of uncertainty of future income we can reduce the number of activities and also remove activities which are more expensive to run and introduce new less expensive ones. As a small charity that does not have fixed assets or overheads such as staffing costs, the amount put aside in reserves is considered to be low risk. We seek to maintain a reserves policy of approximately 50% of the total expenditure used. Currently £10000 has been agreed by the trustees to be put aside for reserves. This will allow for at least 6 months to develop new sources of income or to reduce the number of actvites we run accordingly.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including Para 1.47 any fundraising) Investment policy and objectives including any Para 1.46 social investment policy adopted

A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:		Activity Station’s governing document is a ‘Foundation model constitution’ whose only voting members are the charity trustees
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Activity Station is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Appointed by charity trustees

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction Para 1.51 and training of trustees The charity’s organisational structure and any wider Para 1.51 network with which the charity works Relationship with any related Para 1.51 parties Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Activity Station
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	116502
Charity’s principal address	30 Lowther Road SW13 9ND

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Christine Chittick	Chair/Financial Manager	30.01.16	Activity Station
	Sam Hurst	Founder	30.01.16 Resigned Jan 2019
	Heidi Mansfield		21.04.16
	Hester Larkin		24.02.17
	Coral Allen		11.05.17
	HumphreyHawksley		21.02.20
	Claire Eaves	Founder	30.01.16
	Botagoz Shantemirova		01.11.24

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Claire Eaves

Position (eg Secretary, Founder Chair, etc)

Date 8.1.26

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANQ AND V4AiES Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For th• Pl￿0d froffl To 0110412a24 311U3.QD2S Section A Receipts and payments Unr•strfci•d funds th• É tothD rwrestE R•stritted fund$ Endovffli•nl fund3 Totsl lund• L¥t ￿ar ioth ¥aMI £ trthk th• r￿￿1£ A1 Rècel 110 71 1,175 P£YJu.IieS'evepis G."3nl Ba￿e5 Trusi Gfgrtl LQl'.ery Fvno 1S.0 tot0 ross irKomo AR) 1•.710 18.710 A2 A88•t Ot) Isèè iablel. n¥estsn•nt •a Total r•¢￿'Pl8 19,710 A3Pa 6,313 8,3DZ 7,J58 Sub total IB.514 16.514 14,61$ A4 Asset and investmgnt ur¢hase8 table Sub total 18,514 11.J14 14.615 Net of re¢eIpt￿{payrn￿ts1 AS Transfern bgtwMn lunds A6 Ca•h funds lost year en Caih funds thls year end 196 13,38 1J,J69 CCXX R1 accounts ISSI 1410412025

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Un￿strICted lunds Restricted funds to fteares¢t Endowrnent funds to nearv5t e Caiogone8 Details 81 Ca$h funds 27.658 1,157 Tot•1 ¢o$h lunds 28.B15 UnTestrlcied lunds tr n••rMt £ R¢sidctod funds Ireglt Endowment lunds Fund to as%•t ￿on Currtni val onal Oet4ilg 83 Inv68tmont asaois FtsDd io whlrh )¥￿% bBlon ewt lowlDnll Dnal 84 Assets retained for th• charity's own us• Fund to whkh Arn•urbt d¢* onal Wh•n du• BS Llabllltlej Sined by one or trustees on hall ol all Ihe Irusiees Print Name Dale ol r0¥81 Signgtwe 'Hrtijl￿¢< C14 irnc 1319 Izt CCXX R2 acwjnts ISSI 1410412025