2025-08-31-accounts - Sowood Pre-School And Community Association

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Sowood Pre-School and Community Association Charity number 1166047

Annual Report and Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 August 2025

Sowood Pre-School and Community Association

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2025

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

Sowood Pre-School and Community Association

Trustees' report for the year ended 31 August 2025

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

Malcolm James Chair Elizabeth Whyte Secretary Frank Greaves Treasurer Amanda Jackson Malcolm Gardner

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.

Sowood Pre-School and Community Association

Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2025

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 provide high-quality care and education for children aged 2–4, supporting families and offering additional sessions where needed through EYPP funding.

Our setting has welcomed new children and families throughout the year, and we currently support a high proportion of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). We pride ourselves on providing an inclusive environment where every child can access a strong early education. We maintain positive working relationships with external agencies, including the ASD team, Portage, and Speech and Language services, ensuring that children receive the support they need.

We also have close links with our local primary school, which most of our children move on to after leaving preschool, helping to ensure a smooth transition.

The community centre continues to be a vibrant hub, used regularly five out of seven days each week. Activities include dog training sessions, WI meetings, and ad hoc community events, providing a valuable resource for residents.

Financial review

The net receipts for the year were £6,071, including net receipts of £9,116 on unrestricted funds and net payments of £3,045 on restricted funds.

Sowood Pre-School and Community Association

Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2025

Reserves policy

The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £73,930.

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.

Based on the 2024/2025 expenditure, this would equate to between £35k and £52k. The trustees are aware the reserves are currently over the target range, but for the coming financial year, they are being used to support ongoing operations. In addition, any excess reserves are being held to be able to run/purchase the Centre, should the opportunity arise in the future.

Trustees will continue to keep the policy under review to ensure that it is at a level that is appropriate to current needs.

Approved by the board of trustees on 23/2/26

Frank Greaves (Trustee)

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 2025, 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

25/2/26

West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO

Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW

Sowood Pre-School and Community Association

Receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 August 2025

Notes 2025 Unrestricted funds £ Receipts Grants and donations (2) 309 Pre-school fees 9,158 Fundraising 456 Milk funding 267 Hall hire 10,475 Interest income 1,144 Other income 161 Total receipts 21,970 Payments Salaries 1,981 Payroll fees 379 Resources and supplies 1,151 Printing, stationery and advertising 261 Professional fees and subscriptions 631 Utilities 1,358 Repairs and maintenance 1,228 Telephone and internet 555 Insurance 1,276 Food and beverages 910 Community centre consumables 299 Milk 240 Staff training 214 Fundraising costs 127 Other expenditure 242 Independent examination 989 Computer costs 1,013 Grant repayment - Total payments 12,854 Net receipts / (payments) 9,116 Fund balances brought forward 64,814 Fund balances carried forward (3) 73,930	2025 Restricted funds £ 88,244 - - - - - - 88,244 80,316 - 1,450 - - 9,257 - - - - - - 266 - - - - - 91,289 (3,045) 25,807 22,762	2025 Total funds £ 88,553 9,158 456 267 10,475 1,144 161 110,214 82,297 379 2,601 261 631 10,615 1,228 555 1,276 910 299 240 480 127 242 989 1,013 - 104,143 6,071 90,621 96,692	2024 Total funds £ 96,583 17,663 664 183 11,324 - 471 126,888 71,798 257 3,357 1,096 345 8,744 310 994 1,252 2,781 288 237 2,941 72 456 960 97 279 96,264 30,624 59,997 90,621

Sowood Pre-School and Community Association Statement of assets and liabilities

as at 31 August 2025 2025 Unrestricted £ Cash funds Cash at bank 73,860 Cash in hand 70 Total cash funds 73,930 Debtors and prepayments Debtors Prepayments Assets retained for the charity's own use Printers Laptops Various play equipment and furniture Liabilities Creditors Accruals Other creditors	2025 Restricted £ 22,762 - 22,762	2025 Total £ 96,622 70 96,692 2025 £ 357 1,047 1,404 2025 £ 580 1,062 298 1,940	2024 Total £ 90,130 491 90,621

The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 23/2/26

Frank Greaves (Trustee)

Sowood Pre-School and Community Association

Notes to the accounts

for the year ended 31 August 2025

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 relates.

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.

Sowood Pre-School and Community Association

Notes to the accounts continued

for the year ended 31 August 2025

2 Grants and donations Calderdale Council Department for Education Other donations 3 Restricted funds Early Education Funding EYPP & Deprivation Inclusion Funding Apprentice Payment	Balance b/f £ 20,390 1,619 845 2,953 25,807	2025 Unrestricted funds £ - - 309 309 Incoming £ 75,905 11,014 1,325 - 88,244	2025 Restricted funds £ 88,244 - - 88,244 Outgoing £ 76,356 10,390 1,590 2,953 91,289	2025 Total funds £ 88,244 - 309 88,553 Transfers £ - - - - -	2024 Total funds £ 93,404 2,400 779 96,583 Balance c/f £ 19,939 2,243 580 - 22,762

Fund name Purpose of restriction

Early Education 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). Apprentice Payment Towards apprenticeship training and assessment.

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.