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2022-03-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date From 01 04 2021 To 31 03 2022

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name The County Toy Library

Other names charity is known by

Registered charity number (if any) 1166245

Charity's principal address 4 Park Square

Kings Heath Northampton NN5 7LQ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Dates acted if not for Trustee name Office (if any) whole year Chair 1[Lorraine Elks ] Board Member 2[Laura Furr ] 3[Eve Bond ] Co-Secretary 4[Debra Scott ] Co-Secretary

Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

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Type of adviser Name Address Address
Bank HSBC 22 Abington Square, Northampton, NN1 2AN
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

N/A

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Constitution Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Elected at AGM Trustee selection methods (eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

Section C Objectives and activities

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Summary of the objects of the
charity set out in its governing
document		 The relief and education of children in the county of Northamptonshire
for the public benefit by:
(a) the provision of a not-for-profit lending library of educational, stimu-
lating and age appropriate toys and equipment for babies and chil-
dren;
(b) promoting within the county the use and benefit of toy libraries for
children, families and communities in such ways as the trustees
think fit.
Summary of the main activities
undertaken for the public bene-
fit in relation to these objects
(include within this section the
statutory declaration that trus-
tees have had regard to the
guidance issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit)		 A full report of the main activities are contained in section D.
Summary:
1. Continuation of key objectives of The County Toy Library for the
benefit of the local community.
2. Increasing awareness profile and ultimately membership of the
library.
3. Providing a wide range of high-quality toy and equipment and
disposing of old stock in the most environmentally friendly and
cost-effective manner possible.
4. Increasing funding to enable the provision of a better level of
service and to work towards becoming self-financing.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information) Covid Risk Assessment. You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, Continue to raise funds during the Covid 19 pandemic. about:  policy on grantmaking;  policy programme related investment;  contribution made by volunteers.

Section D Achievements and erformance p

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

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Section D Achievements and erformance p

The County Toy Library opened on Friday 7[th] May 2021 after being closed for one year and one month due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The County Toy Library Committee undertook the task to complete a Covid risk assessment for reopening, which was reviewed at our 6 weekly meetings. The manager and volunteer continued to secure donations during this time, selling them online to raise some funds for the Library.

The County Toy Library has had a successful year, increasing membership numbers as well as building community engagement. From March 2019 the Library was closed until Friday 7[th] May 2021. The County Toy Library has increased its membership by 78%. Further, membership from the Kings Heath area has increased by 120% and memberships in connection with additional needs has increased by 433%. Frequency of use has also increased during this period of time.

The County Toy Library Facebook page has increased its followers by 10%. Photos are regularly posted and parents/carers questions are answered . A volunteer published a video of the Library on Facebook in order to show parents/carers what toys/equipment the Library has to offer.

The County Toy Library had its fifth AGM on 29th September 2021. This gave The County Toy Library the opportunity to reflect on the work undertaken in the previous year. The County Toy Library had positive feedback from the parents/carers and professionals who attended. The Committee designated the meeting after last year’s AGM to talk through the feedback parents/carers had given the committee at the AGM.

The County Toy Library received grant funds in the sum of £1,440 in February 2022 to work alongside Re:Store Northampton. Re:store seeks to support vulnerable people within the Borough of Northampton, through practical means. The charity aims to offer people a hand-up rather than a hand out, and does this through equipping individuals and families with the skills required for independent living. These aims are in line with The County Library’s objectives, therefore working together on shared goals brings better outcomes for vulnerable families. This grant is funding 30 free memberships and £30 in monetary vouchers to families accessing Re:store. These families will be able to access a year’s free membership at The County Toy Library and then £30 credit to spend on toys/equipment during the membership period. When the first year has ended these families will be offered half price memberships for The County Toy Library for a second year. At the end of March 2022 three grant memberships had been utilised.

The Re: Store family worker visited The Library and met the team. This gave them the opportunity to have a look to see what the Toy Library has to offer the families they work with. As a result of the visit, Re:Store suggested that the Library could refer families to the food bank when required.

Northampton Partnership Home awarded The County Toy Library £286 in January 2021. This was allocated to 11 free memberships, plus £20 spend in the shop, for children with special educational needs. By the beginning of March 4 free memberships were left.

Barratt Homes donated £1000 to The County Toy Library. This was allocated to local families living on Kings Heath. This covered 14 Memberships and £30 spend in the shop. £500 was allocated for use for advertising flyers. The County Toy Library contacted local school to advertise this offer. By the beginning of March 2022, 8 free memberships were left.

The County Toy Library secured £500 from the Tesco ‘Bags for Life’ fund. This money has been spent on a much needed update to ‘party package’ toys.

The County Toy Library collected donations of unused/surplus toys and items donated by the public/members. These items (if of no use in the Library) were sold by the Toy Library, generating funds of £2,826, which is 15% higher than in March 2019.

The County Toy Library signed up to Amazon Smile, which gives The County Toy Library payment of a small percentage of those funds spent on Amazon Smile by it’s supporters. £55 has been raise this year.

The County Toy Library have raised £240.50 from the Northampton lottery.

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Section D Achievements and erformance p

The County Toy Library were successful in applying for the Arnold Clark grant. Our service received £1000. This was used to purchase new toys and equipment. The reason for this is that over time toys/equipment need replacing due to wear and tear. In other cases it might be that there is a high demand for a toy/equipment therefore The County Toy Library would buy another one so that a child does not have to wait to borrow that item.

The County Toy Library supported the Afghanistan refugees by providing toys for them when they were located to hotels in Northampton.

The County Toy Library attended the Northants Parent/Carer Forum AGM in November 2021. This was to promote our service to parents/carers of children with additional needs.

When The Toy Library reopened after Covid it was decided that a half price membership would be offered. This was a huge success and it was agreed this would continue. This was due to the grow in membership plus the current financial climate.

The County Toy Library policies were reviewed during the year and updated where needed. This includes: Safeguarding, Health and safety, volunteering, DBS, complaints, lone working, data protection, equal opportunity and equality and diversity. The risk assessments which have been updated are: health, safety and lone working and fire.

The yearly fire alarm was inspected in August 2020 and PAT was completed during this year. The County Toy Library completed its fifth Annual return for the Charity Commission in January this year. This included filing our accounts and Annual report. The County Toy Library signed up to a new Talk Talk contract which was cheaper per month and increased broadband speed. Our website has been kept up to date. During this year The County Toy Library have continue to look for a new database software. This is an area The County Toy Library are working on, as currently there has not been a software which is workable and affordable.

Section E Financial review None Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves Details of any funds materially None in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

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You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

Section F Other optional information

The Chair would like to say a huge thank you to The County Toy Library manager, dedicated volunteers and trustees. All this amazing work would not be possible without your hard work and dedication. It is really very much appreciated!

Thank you.

Section G Declaration

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

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Full name(s)[Lorraine Elks ]

Position (eg Secretary, Chair Chair, etc)

Date 14.8.22

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Charity Name No (if any) The County Toy Library 1166245

Receipts and payments accounts

For the period Period start date from 01.04.21

Period end date 31.03.22

To

Section A Receipts and payments

Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total funds funds funds funds

----- Start of picture text -----
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Activities for generating funds 8,983 4,226 - 13,209
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
8,983 4,226 - 13,209
Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Total receipts 8,983 4,226 - 13,209
A3 Payments
Insurance 791 - - 791
Wages 4,340 - - 4,340
Costs of charitable activities 3,610 2,304 - 5,914
Water and Sewerage 180 - - 180
Telephone 503 - - 503
Light and heating 581 - - 581
Costs of generating voluntary income - - -
Printing, postage, stationery and computer
supplies - - -
- - -
Sub total [ 10,005 ] 2,304 - 12,309
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - -
Total payments 10,005 2,304 - 12,309
Net of receipts/(payments) - 1,022 1,922 - 900
A5 Transfers between funds - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 15,429 - - 15,429
Cash funds this year end 14,407 1,922 - 16,329
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Unrestricted Restricted
Categories Details funds funds
B1 Cash funds Cash in bank Total cash funds to nearest £
13,248
-
13,248		 to nearest £
3,081
-
-
3,081
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))		 Agreement Error Agreement Error
Unrestricted Restricted
funds funds
B2 Other monetary assets Details to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-		 to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
B3 Investment assets Details Fund to which
asset belongs		 Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
B4 Assets retained for the Details
Inventory		 40,000
Fund to which
asset belongs		 Cost (optional)
-
charity’s own use -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which Amount due
B5 Liabilities Details liability relates -
-
-
-
-
(optional)
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees		 Signature Print Name
L Elks
D Scott		 Lorraine Elks
Deborah Scott

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CC16a
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Last year

to the nearest £

7,836 - - - - - - - 7,836

7,836

778 130 925 142 489 414 - - - 2,878

2,878 4,958 - 10,471 15,429

Endowment funds

to nearest £

-

OK

Endowment funds to nearest £

-

Current value (optional)

-

Current value (optional)

When due (optional)

----- Start of picture text -----
Date of
approval
21.9.22
21.9.22
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