2025-03-31-accounts - Brighton Pebbles

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Brighton Pebbles Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025

Brighton Pebbles is registered charity number 1166802.

It is a charitable incorporated organisation, registered on 28[th] April 2016, having been operating as an unincorporated organisation since January 2008.

The main contact address for the charity is: 37 Graham Avenue, Portslade, Brighton, BN41 2WN

The management committee is made up of 6 trustees who are all parent/carers of children and young people with disabilities.

The trustees are:

Nicola Billington, Lisa Hinton, Anastasia Langford, Lorraine Roberts, Rhianydd Summersett and Marian Tipler

In the event of a trustee leaving post, a new trustee would be sought from the bank of parent carers who are involved in the charity, drawing on relevant expertise to meet the requirements necessary at the time.

The charity also employs a Finance Officer / Fundraiser to carry out all of the administrative and organisational duties needed to keep the charity running.

As the charity is involved in dealing with families, we have a safeguarding policy in place to ensure we follow appropriate guidelines and procedures. Staff and trustees have had safeguarding training and also have DBS checks carried out prior to taking their positions with the charity.

Charitable Objects

The object of the CIO is the promotion of social inclusion among families with disabled children and young people, who are socially excluded from society as a result of their disability or challenging behaviour, by providing recreational facilities and opportunities for disabled children, their parents and carers and their siblings.

Activities

In planning activities for the year, the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit was taken into consideration at trustee meetings. Activities are open to any family known to the charity who have a child or young person with disabilities.

Activities are arranged to support families with disabled children and young people living in the Brighton & Hove area.

Regular Activities

Our regular activities include:

A weekly after school family drop-in session every Friday. These sessions are supported by a small team of playworkers who help to engage the children to take part in activities. Parents and carers stay onsite and have opportunities to network with others, offering mutual peer support.
A weekly parent/carer pilates class offering a friendly session to meet up with others to improve both physical and mental health.
A parent/carer craft group offering a chance to meet with others to chat whilst working on your favourite craft project. These sessions usually happen monthly.
A monthly lunch meet up for parent/carers. Different venues are visited each time to make it easier for people to access across the geographical area.
We host a private Facebook group for parents and carers to share information, ideas and support.

Main achievements for the period

In addition to our regular activities, we also arrange various other events through the year.

Days out are a big part of what we offer at weekends and during school holidays as these times are when families report the most isolation.

The family day trips have varied in size but attracted an average of 24 people during this period. Our busiest trip this year was a boat trip from Brighton Marina, which was for a total of 93 people!

Within this year we have arranged the following trips:

3 trips on the Bluebell Railway
Sealife Centre
2 Bowling Sessions
5 visits to Sky High Trampoline Park
Knockhatch Adventure Park
2 visits to Washbrooks Farm
Boat trip from Brighton Marina
Jump In Inflatable Fun
Pantomime in Eastbourne
Christmas party
Footgolf
Drusillas Zoo Park
Amberley Museum
Out of Bounds Climbing Centre
Butterfly Farm
Open Top Bus Trip
Leonardslee Gardens
Ferring Country Centre
Globalls Crazy Golf
Ice Skating
Paradise Park

We have also started some trips specifically for young people aged 18-25 and their parents/carers. These have included 2 trips on the i360 followed by lunch.

For parents, we organised a Christmas lunch meet up. Some of the dads also went on a weekend away in Lisbon.

We hired the Kench Hill Centre in Kent for a week in August and were able to offer a holiday to 15 families (a combination of 3 nights, 4 nights, and whole week) A total of 57 people managed to get a break at this lovely place. We were able to fund carers to come along and help families, enabling them to actually have time to relax as a family, as well as spend quality time with siblings. We also brought a cook to cater for such a large group. During the stay we arranged trips to the Kent & East Sussex Railway, the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, The Rare Breeds Centre, Port Lympne Wildlife Park, Bodiam Castle & Leeds Castle, as well as swimming and trampolining, canoeing, cinema and a trip to Bedgebury Pinetum.

During the period covered by this report Brighton Pebbles has provided activities for 90 different families consisting of 144 adults and 168 children.

Financial Review

The charity has a Reserves Policy, recognising it is good practice to hold 3 months’ worth of operational costs in the event of the charity needing to wind down. Currently this is estimated at £3097 which is within the £5154 held as free reserves as of 31[st] March 2025

Most of the charity’s funding comes from other grant making charities, together with some fundraising activities through the year.

At the beginning of the period the charity was holding existing grants & donations from the following organisations and individuals: -

Noel Bennett Fund
Chalk Cliff Trust
Brighton & Hove Mencap
Skerrit’s Independent Financial Advisers
East Brighton Trust
Thomas Hunt
Funds transfer following the closure of Extratime Charity.

During the year we were fortunate to be granted funds from several national and local organisations.

Amaze PaCC Partner Fund
Brighton & Hove Mencap
Noel Bennet Fund
Chalk Cliff Trust
National Lottery Community Fund
John Lewis Partnership
Sussex Community Foundation
David Hunt Foundation
Brighton & Hove Council Fairness Fund
We received a donation of goods for our drop in session refreshments from the local Asda Community Fund.

We have also received donations from private individuals and from fundraising activities carried out by our members throughout the year.

We are extremely grateful for all of these funders who have supported us and enabled us to continue to support our families.

Brighton Pebbles aims to reduce social isolation for its families by offering activities for families to take part in within a safe and supportive environment. We feel that we have achieved this during the period detailed in this report.

A quote from one of our members who managed to attend some of our trips during the year:-

“Over the years, Pebbles has been a lifeline for my family. We have been on trips and outings that we would never have tried on our own, and it feels like my son has a family around him, even though our ‘real’ family is miles away. Pebbles parents are always there for support and advice, and also to have fun with. Our lives would be much more lonely and much less fun without Pebbles”

Independent Examiner’s report on the accounts

Report to the trustees of Brighton Pebbles CIO Registered Charity number 1166802

1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025

The accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and independent examiner

As the charity’s trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. You consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, to follow the procedures specified in the General Directions of the Charity Commissioners (under section 145 (5)(b) of the Act) and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is give as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters laid out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner’s Report

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
(a) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act: and
(b) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have not been met; or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Kate Chapman Resource Centre 6 Tilbury Place Brighton BN2 0GY Date: 16[th] July 2025

Brighton Pebbles CIO Accounts for the period 1° April 2024 to 31" March 2025 Registered charity Charty correspondent 1166802 MRS SALLY HOWELL 37 GRAHAM AVENUE PORTSLADE BRIGHTON These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis from information and explanations supplied by the charity. Kate Chapman Resource Centre 6 filbury Place Brighton BN2 OGY Date: 28th May 2025 These accounts have been approved by the Trustees of the charity. Signed by one or two Tristees on behalf of all the Trustees Date If Page l of4

Brighton Pebbles {CK> Nth1166802J Statementof Flnanclal A¢d¥lties from 1st Aprfl 2024 to 3tst Marth 2025 2025 Donation5. 8r•ttts8thd leleS Incomefrom tharltable activit$ 7.947 13.824 9.087 7.125 Total Receipts 30,754 770 38.624 11.4102 11.539 22,941 Expenditure 0ndllble 25279 Totsl Payments 24,296 10.189 34,485 25279 5,935 31.214 Net recÈlpts IpaymentsllDrtrpeF Transferstteen funds tantrof lund51stApr112024 58 1682) 42 IJ3 1&2731 21.781 7,915 Balan of lunds at 31st Marth 2025 14.038 IiM2 25,920 8262 13.519 21.781 page2of4

Brighton Pebbles (CIO No.1166802J Rffeipts and Payments from 1st Awil 2024 to 31rt Marth 2025 Receipts 2025 1024 E?5t Brighton Trt Amaze Natlonal Lotterycmnunity Fund Brilhton & Ho¥efJty CO01 FaIrr Flmd Ch31k CIWfTrL M38ic little Grants Menop Brh1o and Noel Benneit Fvhd John LeS Partnership Sussex Comrwnity David Hunt F•Jndation Danation from Extr3tirneliransfer(funds at tlosurel Donations andBrftau¥ 750 750 250 2.7 933 933 7218 7218 627 627 ernberontr1t) fot Kaich Hill 2024 Members. cofttrthtions.. actiVitstsanLldays4x¢ Member5. contthtttsns: parent and&bliw acteS Member5, conK)n5.. Fridaydropi Fundrai51Ag artN1t$ 4.734 393 820 524 654 1455 393 820 524 235 1050 618 3.730 618 1730 Bank interest 32 32 T¢)tal Receipts 30,754 7.870 38.624 11.402 22.941 2025 Frid3yDropin.' sala Fr%day Drowin: otheT Gener31 allivttte5andday5 tyjt Parents, and tibliny, ath4bes Cer 18sactMtFES Kench Hfll 2Q24 Staff and volvmeeyew Admin salèries Admin CL5 lirKtTayth Bank tharyes 70 iJ73 2526 1.616 1613 1825 207 4539 2,210 197 L642 l642 179 5%2 1.516 3.158 220 ias01 oi 10,281 10.281 2&3 19 933 63 IU8 2.519 In 925 61 872 61 Fundrai51llE expw 346 Total Payments io. 34,485 25.279 5,935 31,214 Net receipts Ipaymentslforthe pe1 Transfe betwenfvn¢ts 8alarrfe dfundsat isr Awl 2024 113191 16821 8262 fw7 {4273J 13.519 2L781 22,139 7.915 Balan of funds * 31st Marth 2025 14,038 25J20 8262 13,519 Pa8e3of4

Brighton Pebbles (CIO No.1166802) Assets and Llabilities at 31st Marth 2025 Communlty aCCnt Deposit (savings) accotsnt Cottsge Industries account Cash in hand 24,159 1,021 Totsl assets 25.920 NoTrmonetary Assets none known Liabilitles ni>ne known Funds held * 31st March 2025 Balante remaining at Date funds 31st March Z025 received Feb-25 Jun-24 Dec-24 Restricted funds Brighton and Hove City Counol. Faimw Fund Chalk Cliff Trltst 2024 David Hunt Foundation Fltssimons ActivtLV Fund Hinton Activtty FLbnd John Lewis Partnershlp Mencap 8righton and Hove 2025 Noel Bennett Fund Sussex Community Foundation ftestrirted fund5 held at 3tst March 2025 1,321 3.715 713 1,776 232 i.soo 636 3.257 14,038 Jul-24 JaTr-25 Dec-24 Aug-24 Unrestricted fund5 Designatedfund5 Kench Hill Imembers contributio) Lotal Givtng (skeIts fundrai5ingl Diana Billin8ton Me Marian Open House & Auction Neil's birthday fundraiser Free reserve5 Unrestrirted lund5 held at 3tst March 2025 5.034 1.136 13 477 5.154 11,882 NB some additiOfLS may vary by +l- £1 dueto rourLdtnE Page4of4