## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
Charity number 1166047
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2023
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Group's logo
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Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2023
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|2 to 4|
|Examiner's report|5|
|Receipts and payments account|6|
|Statement of assets and liabilities|7|
|Notes to the accounts|8 to 9|
## **Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
1
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Trustees' report for the year ended 31 August 2023
## **Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors**
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: **Name Position Dates**
**Name Position Dates** Malcolm James Chair Elizabeth Whyte Secretary Caroline Remmers Treasurer Amanda Jackson Appointed 5 June 2023 Malcolm Gardner Appointed 5 June 2023 Andrew Holloway Appointed 5 June 2023 **Charity number** 1166047 Registered in England and Wales
**Registered and principal address Bankers** Sowood Community Centre National Westminster Bank Plc Stainland Road 1 Waterhouse Street Sowood Halifax Halifax HX1 1JA HX4 9HY
## **Independent examiner**
Katy Sargeant ACA **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO** Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Association formed on 14 March 2016 and is governed by a constitution as amended on the 7 February 2020.
## **Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees**
The trustees of the charity are appointed by the members at the AGM.
2
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2023
## **Objectives and activities**
## **The charity's objects**
The charity is established for the public benefit:
To further or benefit the residents of Calderdale, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.
To develop and educate 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; and
- 6) furthering the aims of the pre-school learning alliance.
## **The charity's main activities**
We provide affordable and good quality childcare and early years education.
We look after the running and up-keep of Sowood Community Centre and promote it’s use by other local groups in the community.
## **Public benefit statement**
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular the advancement of education.
## **Achievements and performance**
We continue to offer quality care and education to children aged 2-4, supporting families and offering additional sessions where required using the EYPP funding.
We have continued to recruit new children and families in to our setting. Another local setting has unfortunately closed so having our preschool local allowed families to still access childcare in their local community.
We have had and still have a high percentage of children with SEN (special educational needs) in our care and our setting allows children to access a good, inclusive early education. We have positive links with outside agencies, including ASD teams, portage and speech and language team.
We also have close links with our local school, which the majority of our children attend once leaving preschool.
The community centre is used 5 out of 7 days on a regular weekly basis, providing a base for exercising, puppy classes, WI meetings, and ad hoc hiring for the local community.
We have managed to increase our income this year, and as a result have achieved a positive net receipts position this year.
## **Financial review**
The net receipts for the year were £20,353, including net receipts of £425 on unrestricted funds and net receipts of £19,928 on restricted funds after transfers.
The trustees have reassessed the charity’s ability to continue for at least 12 months from the date that the accounts are approved and conclude that no material uncertainties exist that cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to meet its liabilities as they fall due.
3
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2023
## **Reserves policy**
The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £37,344.
The policy states that a contingency fund or reserve should be held to cover any eventualities that could arise within the setting. The appropriate level was set at 3-6 months running costs.
This is made up of four elements:
Annual wages costs
Annual rent costs
General contingency to cover any emergency situations that arise.
Build up reserves to cover a new project
The level of reserves as a minimum must be reviewed annually to ensure that it is at a level that is appropriate to current needs.
Should the setting's income stream (funded and fees) or expenditure (wages, rent, running costs, resources) exceed or fall well below the budgeted levels, then the reserves required will need to be re-established based on the cash flow requirements.
A build up reserves process will occur as our expected income v expenditure delivers a surplus to which we can add these funds. The committee will then decide long term under business planning the best use of these reserves to benefit the setting.
Approved by the board of trustees on 11/2/2024
M G James (Trustee)
4
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 August 2023, which are set out on pages 6 to 9.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the CIO you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the CIO's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Katy Sargeant ACA
21/2/2024
## **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
5
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 August 2023
|Notes
2023
Unrestricted
funds
£
**Receipts**
Grants and donations
(2)
254
Pre-school fees
13,134
Fundraising
523
Milk funding
192
Hall hire
11,715
Other income
40
**Total receipts**
25,858
**Payments**
Salaries
10,179
Payroll fees
394
Resources and supplies
1,552
Printing, stationery and advertising
382
Professional fees and subscriptions
755
Utilities
7,293
Repairs and maintenance
249
Telephone and internet
690
Caretaking
-
Insurance
889
Food and beverages
1,601
Community centre consumables
155
Milk
198
Staff training
119
Fundraising costs
9
Other expenditure
349
Independent examination
600
Computer costs
19
Grant repayment
-
**Total payments**
25,433
**Net movement in funds**
425
**Fund balances brought forward**
36,919
**Fund balances carried forward**
(3)
37,344|2023
Restricted
funds
£
72,747
-
-
-
-
-
72,747
51,397
-
580
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
82
-
-
-
-
760
52,819
19,928
2,725
22,653|2023
Total
funds
£
73,001
13,134
523
192
11,715
40
98,605
61,576
394
2,132
382
755
7,293
249
690
-
889
1,601
155
198
201
9
349
600
19
760
78,252
20,353
39,644
59,997|2022
Total
funds
£
49,264
12,237
1,478
149
14,068
-
77,196
73,227
488
1,959
1,126
995
10,151
189
372
1,272
863
2,042
867
172
1,022
47
340
480
249
-
95,861
(18,665)
58,309
39,644|
|---|---|---|---|
6
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association Statement of assets and liabilities
|as at 31 August 2023
2023
Unrestricted
£
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank
37,309
Cash in hand
35
**Total cash funds**
37,344
(0)
**Debtors and prepayments**
Debtors
Prepayments
HMRC debtor
**Assets retained for the charity's own use**
Printers
Laptops
Various play equipment and furniture
**Liabilities**
Creditors
Accruals - Independent examination
Deferred income - Autumn funding received in advance|2023
Restricted
£
22,653
-
22,653|2023
Total
£
59,962
35
59,997
(0)
2023
£
718
722
590
2,030
2023
£
1,186
960
17,887
20,033|2022
Total
£
39,519
125
39,644
(0)|
|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 11/2/2024
M G James (Trustee)
7
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Notes to the accounts
for the year ended 31 August 2023
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Basis of accounting**
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.
No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
## **Taxation**
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
8
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 31 August 2023
|**2 Grants and donations**
Calderdale Council
Department for Education (DfE)
Other donations
**3 Restricted funds**
Apprentice Payment
EEF funding
EYPP & Deprivation
Inclusion Funding
Lloyds Bank plc
Disability Access Funding|Balance b/f
£
1,453
-
665
-
607
-
2,725|2023
Unrestricted
funds
£
-
-
254
254
Incoming
£
1,500
54,692
5,917
9,810
-
828
72,747|2023
Restricted
funds
£
71,247
1,500
-
72,747
Outgoing
£
-
38,481
4,536
9,347
-
455
52,819|2023
Total
funds
£
71,247
1,500
254
73,001
Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|2022
Total
funds
£
47,713
1,500
51
49,264
Balance c/f
£
2,953
16,211
2,046
463
607
373
22,653|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## **Fund name**
## **Purpose of restriction**
Apprentice Payment Towards apprenticeship training and assessment. EEF funding For the supply of free early years provision for 2 to 4 year olds. EYPP & Deprivation To provide hot meals, extra sessions and resources to help learning and development of children from low income families.
Inclusion Funding To provide one to one support and resources for children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). Lloyds Bank plc To create a sensory garden. Disability Access Funding To support a child with special needs.
## **4 Related party transactions**
## **Trustee expenses**
No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.
## **Trustee remuneration and benefits**
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
9
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
Charity number 1166047
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2023
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Group's logo
**----- End of picture text -----**
Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2023
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|2 to 4|
|Examiner's report|5|
|Receipts and payments account|6|
|Statement of assets and liabilities|7|
|Notes to the accounts|8 to 9|
## **Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
1
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Trustees' report for the year ended 31 August 2023
## **Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors**
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: **Name Position Dates**
**Name Position Dates** Malcolm James Chair Elizabeth Whyte Secretary Caroline Remmers Treasurer Amanda Jackson Appointed 5 June 2023 Malcolm Gardner Appointed 5 June 2023 Andrew Holloway Appointed 5 June 2023 **Charity number** 1166047 Registered in England and Wales
**Registered and principal address Bankers** Sowood Community Centre National Westminster Bank Plc Stainland Road 1 Waterhouse Street Sowood Halifax Halifax HX1 1JA HX4 9HY
## **Independent examiner**
Katy Sargeant ACA **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO** Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Association formed on 14 March 2016 and is governed by a constitution as amended on the 7 February 2020.
## **Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees**
The trustees of the charity are appointed by the members at the AGM.
2
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2023
## **Objectives and activities**
## **The charity's objects**
The charity is established for the public benefit:
To further or benefit the residents of Calderdale, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.
To develop and educate 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; and
- 6) furthering the aims of the pre-school learning alliance.
## **The charity's main activities**
We provide affordable and good quality childcare and early years education.
We look after the running and up-keep of Sowood Community Centre and promote it’s use by other local groups in the community.
## **Public benefit statement**
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular the advancement of education.
## **Achievements and performance**
We continue to offer quality care and education to children aged 2-4, supporting families and offering additional sessions where required using the EYPP funding.
We have continued to recruit new children and families in to our setting. Another local setting has unfortunately closed so having our preschool local allowed families to still access childcare in their local community.
We have had and still have a high percentage of children with SEN (special educational needs) in our care and our setting allows children to access a good, inclusive early education. We have positive links with outside agencies, including ASD teams, portage and speech and language team.
We also have close links with our local school, which the majority of our children attend once leaving preschool.
The community centre is used 5 out of 7 days on a regular weekly basis, providing a base for exercising, puppy classes, WI meetings, and ad hoc hiring for the local community.
We have managed to increase our income this year, and as a result have achieved a positive net receipts position this year.
## **Financial review**
The net receipts for the year were £20,353, including net receipts of £425 on unrestricted funds and net receipts of £19,928 on restricted funds after transfers.
The trustees have reassessed the charity’s ability to continue for at least 12 months from the date that the accounts are approved and conclude that no material uncertainties exist that cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to meet its liabilities as they fall due.
3
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2023
## **Reserves policy**
The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £37,344.
The policy states that a contingency fund or reserve should be held to cover any eventualities that could arise within the setting. The appropriate level was set at 3-6 months running costs.
This is made up of four elements:
Annual wages costs
Annual rent costs
General contingency to cover any emergency situations that arise.
Build up reserves to cover a new project
The level of reserves as a minimum must be reviewed annually to ensure that it is at a level that is appropriate to current needs.
Should the setting's income stream (funded and fees) or expenditure (wages, rent, running costs, resources) exceed or fall well below the budgeted levels, then the reserves required will need to be re-established based on the cash flow requirements.
A build up reserves process will occur as our expected income v expenditure delivers a surplus to which we can add these funds. The committee will then decide long term under business planning the best use of these reserves to benefit the setting.
Approved by the board of trustees on 11/2/2024
M G James (Trustee)
4
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 August 2023, which are set out on pages 6 to 9.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the CIO you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the CIO's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Katy Sargeant ACA
21/2/2024
## **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
5
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 August 2023
|Notes
2023
Unrestricted
funds
£
**Receipts**
Grants and donations
(2)
254
Pre-school fees
13,134
Fundraising
523
Milk funding
192
Hall hire
11,715
Other income
40
**Total receipts**
25,858
**Payments**
Salaries
10,179
Payroll fees
394
Resources and supplies
1,552
Printing, stationery and advertising
382
Professional fees and subscriptions
755
Utilities
7,293
Repairs and maintenance
249
Telephone and internet
690
Caretaking
-
Insurance
889
Food and beverages
1,601
Community centre consumables
155
Milk
198
Staff training
119
Fundraising costs
9
Other expenditure
349
Independent examination
600
Computer costs
19
Grant repayment
-
**Total payments**
25,433
**Net movement in funds**
425
**Fund balances brought forward**
36,919
**Fund balances carried forward**
(3)
37,344|2023
Restricted
funds
£
72,747
-
-
-
-
-
72,747
51,397
-
580
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
82
-
-
-
-
760
52,819
19,928
2,725
22,653|2023
Total
funds
£
73,001
13,134
523
192
11,715
40
98,605
61,576
394
2,132
382
755
7,293
249
690
-
889
1,601
155
198
201
9
349
600
19
760
78,252
20,353
39,644
59,997|2022
Total
funds
£
49,264
12,237
1,478
149
14,068
-
77,196
73,227
488
1,959
1,126
995
10,151
189
372
1,272
863
2,042
867
172
1,022
47
340
480
249
-
95,861
(18,665)
58,309
39,644|
|---|---|---|---|
6
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association Statement of assets and liabilities
|as at 31 August 2023
2023
Unrestricted
£
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank
37,309
Cash in hand
35
**Total cash funds**
37,344
(0)
**Debtors and prepayments**
Debtors
Prepayments
HMRC debtor
**Assets retained for the charity's own use**
Printers
Laptops
Various play equipment and furniture
**Liabilities**
Creditors
Accruals - Independent examination
Deferred income - Autumn funding received in advance|2023
Restricted
£
22,653
-
22,653|2023
Total
£
59,962
35
59,997
(0)
2023
£
718
722
590
2,030
2023
£
1,186
960
17,887
20,033|2022
Total
£
39,519
125
39,644
(0)|
|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 11/2/2024
M G James (Trustee)
7
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Notes to the accounts
for the year ended 31 August 2023
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Basis of accounting**
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.
No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
## **Taxation**
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
8
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 31 August 2023
|**2 Grants and donations**
Calderdale Council
Department for Education (DfE)
Other donations
**3 Restricted funds**
Apprentice Payment
EEF funding
EYPP & Deprivation
Inclusion Funding
Lloyds Bank plc
Disability Access Funding|Balance b/f
£
1,453
-
665
-
607
-
2,725|2023
Unrestricted
funds
£
-
-
254
254
Incoming
£
1,500
54,692
5,917
9,810
-
828
72,747|2023
Restricted
funds
£
71,247
1,500
-
72,747
Outgoing
£
-
38,481
4,536
9,347
-
455
52,819|2023
Total
funds
£
71,247
1,500
254
73,001
Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|2022
Total
funds
£
47,713
1,500
51
49,264
Balance c/f
£
2,953
16,211
2,046
463
607
373
22,653|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## **Fund name**
## **Purpose of restriction**
Apprentice Payment Towards apprenticeship training and assessment. EEF funding For the supply of free early years provision for 2 to 4 year olds. EYPP & Deprivation To provide hot meals, extra sessions and resources to help learning and development of children from low income families.
Inclusion Funding To provide one to one support and resources for children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). Lloyds Bank plc To create a sensory garden. Disability Access Funding To support a child with special needs.
## **4 Related party transactions**
## **Trustee expenses**
No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.
## **Trustee remuneration and benefits**
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
9
## Sowood Pre-School and Community Association
## Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Sowood Pre-School and
## Community Association
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 August 2023, which are set out on pages 6 to 9.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the CIO you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the CIO's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: …………………………………… Name: Katy Sargeant ACA
21/2/2024
## **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
1