Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 30 September 2024
www.opendofe.org Registered Charity No. 1169592 Charitable Incorporated Organisation No. CE008073
Open DofE Centres in West Sussex
Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 30 September 2024
Table of Contents
| Public Benefit Declaration | 2 |
|---|---|
| Report of the Trustees: | |
| Chair’s Report | 2 |
| Treasurer’s Report | 3 |
| Achievements & Performance | 3 |
| List of Leaders & Volunteers | 4 |
| Receipts and Payments account for the year ended 30 September 2024 | 5 |
| Statement of assets and liabilities at 30 September 2024 | 6 |
| Notes to the Accounts | 7 |
| Trust Information | 8 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Open DofE Centres in | 9 |
| West Sussex (the CIO) |
Open DofE Centres in West Sussex Annual Report for the year ended 30 September 2024
Public Benefit Declaration
The Trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
Our Charity’s aim is to provide open access for the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in West Sussex.
We pride ourselves in supporting all the young people to ensure they complete their full Award, to provide them with the experience and life skills their participation gives them individually.
The following reports describe how the charity meets its aim.
Some silver participants on a navigation day in the South Downs in January
Report of the Trustees
Chair’s Report
The last 12 months have been another successful year for the charity.
Personnel wise, I am sorry to see the retirement of Mike and Dorothy Harrod after many years of service to the charity. Mike was also instrumental in setting the website up and get the accounting procedures in place when the charity was set up in 2016. Thank you both for the support you have provided and enjoy your well earnt retirement.
It has continued to be a busy 12 months, for all levels of the Award. More detail about the activities is noted in the achievements and performance section below.
All volunteer leaders have again given many hours to support the training, organisation and supervision of the expeditions, along with facilitating discussions and ideas for the other activities the young people do to complete their full award. Thank you everyone for such an amazing contribution.
The enquiries for new participants to do their award has been high for the coming year. This is partly due to the limited opportunities being offered to participate to do their the award, especially bronze from the local schools. We have and continue to be pleased to support some young people who are home schooled.
All trustee meetings have continued to be held virtually, very much for convenience and sustainability, rather than necessity now, as the trustees live a number of miles from each other.
Our focus for the coming year, will be to develop our current leaders, especially those newer to the charity, along with encouraging new volunteers to with us in the coming years. This will all assist in supporting the award for the young people in Horsham and the surrounding areas.
Cathy Childs Chair
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Treasurer’s Report
The Accounting Period for the Charity’s seventh year of operation is 1st October 2023 – 30th September 2024 and I am pleased to report that it has been another good year.
In general, the Charity has seen a very slight decrease in new participants from the previous year, but we are very happy with our numbers.
All activities are running well and there has only been a very slight increase in our overall running costs mainly due to Reigate Grammer School who kindly loaned us minibuses free of charge for two of our expeditions. Transport continues to be a major challenge due to the lack of local minibuses available for hire. The Charity is still in a very strong position going forwards and it is looking to use some of its funds to purchase some new equipment for the 2025 expedition season, which will be mainly tents.
Dave Hatton Trustee and Treasurer
A gold team on their final expedition enjoying a glorious sunset.
Achievements & Performance
2024 was again a year great year of enrolments with a very pleasing completion rate, congratulations all!
The overall completion rate was 102% (73 enrolments and 75 achievers), a wonderful achievement by the young people from Horsham. The actual numbers were very slightly lower than the previous accounting period, though no concerns. Some fluctuations from year to year do occur with the timing of the start of the new academic year and the end of the charity’s financial year happening a month apart.
Our enrolments during the 12 months
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Our completions during the 12 months
We are always pleased to see our participants returning to undertake their Gold Award once they attain the minimum age requirement of 16.
Once again a lot of volunteering hours were devoted to the community, supporting activities like Parkrun and many youth groups, including the scout and guide movement. The Physical Section continued to see a mix of team and individual sports, including some less common ones like hip hop & real tennis.
Science based skills were in evidence at Silver level, with several participants devoting time to “green” projects.
At all levels, our expedition training had a local base (Surrey/Sussex) as well as outdoor days devoted to skills training , i.e. campcraft, expedition kit and rucksacks. Bronze expeditions were once again on the South Downs and the downland of the Surrey/Sussex borders. Silver expeditions were in the New Forest and White Peak of Derbyshire. Our Gold expeditions were in the Brecon Beacons (practice) and back to the Lake District (assessment). As ever, weather conditions continue to vary greatly requiring the young people to be adaptable and well prepared for any conditions.
The Gold residential continued to provide a variety of activities, though most were activity based weeks.
Overall some fabulous achievements by the young people from Horsham and the surrounding areas.
As a centre, we were also rewarded with Keith Ediss, one of our regular leaders, attaining his Lowland Expedition Leader Level 3.
List of Leaders & Volunteers
The following individuals, either regularly or occasionally, have contributed to the successful delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh Award for young people in West Sussex during the period.
The volunteers are listed in alphabetical order.
| Linda Batchelor | David Hatton |
|---|---|
| Paul Brooks | David Munn |
| Cathy Childs | Charlotte Nichols (CJ) |
| Keith Ediss | Michelle Pope |
| Oliver Foord | Martin Tomlinson |
| Barry Goodchild | Oli Tullett |
| Kate Hall | Richard Ward |
| Dorothy Harrod | Alice Slade |
| Mike Harrod |
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Open DofE Centres in West Sussex (Charity No 1169592) Receipts and Payments account for the year ended 30 September 2024
| Income Note Expeditions 10 Grants and Donations 2 Direct Charitable Expenditure Equipment Repair / recurring costs Expeditions 10 Fees and Insurance 9 Training 8 Other expenditure Bank Charges/Fees Support Costs 3 Fees & Interest Registrations Registrations Transport and Fuel Asset purchases Camping and Navigation Equipment Total expenditure Net Surplus/(Deficit) for the year Cash and bank balances brought forward Cash and bank balances carried forward |
2023-24 2023-24 2022-23 2022-23 Unrestricted Funds Total Unrestricted Funds Total £ £ £ £ 9,525 9,525 11,165 11,165 602 602 149 149 158 158 72 72 4,044 4,044 4,507 4,507 14,329 14,329 15,893 15,893 0.00 0.00 20 20 5,092 5,092 3,771 3,771 1,583 1,583 1,318 1,318 2,027 2,027 3,021 3,021 110 110 100 100 2,620 2,620 3,407 3,407 |
|---|---|
| 11,432 11,432 11,637 11,637 |
|
| 161 161 187 187 391 391 425 425 |
|
| 552 552 612 612 |
|
| 1,220 1,220 940 940 |
|
| 13,204 13,204 13,189 13,189 |
|
| 1,125 1,125 2,704 2,704 16,532 16,532 13,828 13,828 |
|
| 17,657 17,657 16,532 16,532 |
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Open DofE Centres in West Sussex (Charity No 1169592) Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 30 September 2024
| 30/9/2024 | 30/9/2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash and bank balances | £ | £ | |
| Cash in hand | 39 | 59 | |
| Santander Current a/c | 1,468 | 917 | |
| Santander Business Savings a/c | 16,030 | 14,572 | |
| Paypal | 120 | 984 | |
| 17,657 | 16,532 | ||
| Represented by funds: | |||
| Unrestricted funds | 17,657 | 16,532 | |
| Restricted funds | |||
| Other assets and liabilities | |||
| Equipment | 11 | 11,843 | 12,153 |
| Computer equipment | 11 | 400 | 1,467 |
| 12,243 | 13,620 |
David Hatton Treasurer and Trustee 14 January 2025
Catherine Childs Chair of the Trustees 14 January 2025
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Notes to the accounts
| 1 | Accounting policies | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| These accounts are prepared on a | receipts and payments basis. | ||||
| 2 | Grants and Donations | 30/09/2024 | 30/9/2023 | ||
| Grants - unrestricted | £ | 602 |
£ | 149 |
|
| Total | £ | 602 |
£ | 149 |
|
| 3 | Support Costs | ||||
| Post, printing, stationery & phon | £ | 10 |
£ | 7 |
|
| Website development and maint | £ | 84 |
£ | 168 |
|
| Award events | £ | 297 |
£ | 250 |
|
| Total | £ | 391 |
£ | 425 |
4 Trustees' Remuneration, Expenses and Benefits
No trustee or person connected to them received any remuneration or benefits during the year
5 Risk Management
The trustees have carried out a Risk Assessment audit of all the major risks relating to the operation of the Charity and its conduct of DofE training and expeditions. They actively review this regularly, and are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate their exposure to major risks.
6 Reserves Policy
The General Fund represents unrestricted funds arising from past operations, and unrestricted grants or donations. The aim is to keep at least one year’s running costs in reserves.
7 Outstanding Guarantees and secured Debts
The trustees confirm, in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012, that at the year end the CIO did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on assets of the CIO.
8 Training Costs
Leader training was for minibus driving permits
- 9 Fees and Insurance
There was a slight increase this year mainly due to an increase in our insurance.
10 Expeditions
In our endeavour to keep our costs as low as possible, by better budgeting, our income was lower than last year, but there was an increase in our costs due to the increase in cost of accommodation.
11 Equipment
- The value is based on a 12.5% depreciation of existing equpment plus the value of new items purchased in last 12 mont The value of the 4 laptops is now negligable and we are looking to off-load them in the coming months
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Trust information
Trustees
| Trustee Name | Office(if any) | Appointed | Retired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine Childs | Chair | 11/10/2016 | |
| Ollie Foord | 29/6/2021 | ||
| BarryGoodchild | 28/9/2018 | ||
| Kate Hall | 11/10/2016 | ||
| David Hatton | Treasurer from 1/11/2022 |
26/4/2022 | |
| Martin Tomlinson MBE | 11/10/2016 |
Trustees are recruited from persons who are familiar with the aims and policies of the Charity, and the aims of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and have appropriate skills, knowledge, and experience to undertake specific roles.
Correspondence addresses: Chair: Catherine Childs, 124 Fairfield Drive, Dorking, Surrey RH4 1JJ Treasurer: David Hatton, 34 Hill Mead, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 2PU
Bankers:
Santander plc, Bridle Road, Bootle, Merseyside L30 4GB
Independent Examiner:
Michael Merritt MA FCA, 87 Worcester Road, Chichester, PO19 5EB
Constitution: Constitution dated 11[th] October 2016
Charity Registration No: 1169592 Charitable Incorporated Organisation No. CE008073 Web site: www.opendofe.org
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Independent Examiner’s report to the Trustees of the Open D of E Centres in West Sussex (“the CIO”)
I report to the Charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 30 September 2024.
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 carried out under section 145 of the Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all 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:
-
Accounting records were not kept as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
The accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters to which your attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: M W Merritt Date: 15 April 2025
Name: M W Merritt Relevant professional qualification: FCA Address: 87 Worcester Road, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 5EB
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