– Chairpersons report AGM Buttercups Preschool 2021
It has been another challenging but interesting year with changes and obstacles at every corner. It has also been one of the most successful years Buttercups has ever known with great attendance rates that we can be proud of.
As you have heard from our leader Sue, the staff have really made the best of the year and have achieved so much with the children to encourage their individual development.
We have also managed to hold some fundraising events against the odds, in particular the refreshments provided alongside sports day which was such a lovely event and well supported by parents too. The children had a ball which was the main aim. We are planning on a parent and child event one early evening in September for children and their parents to meet the staff and the committee. Please do look out for this.
The success we have enjoyed this year has been down to the hard work of the staff who have all put in extra time every day unpaid to make the children’s and parent’s experience the best possible. I wanted to take the opportunity to thank them formally for all their hard work and to properly recognise the sacrifices they have made each day throughout covid and particularly through the lockdown when they continued to provide care for children of essential workers and those in need. It was daunting for them and there were a great many hoops to jump through making an already difficult and draining job even harder. They all had circumstances in their private lives that required them to think very carefully about being able to continue to work in the setting through that period and they genuinely had to choose in some cases between your children and their own family.
Thank you to each of them for choosing Buttercups. You all deserve a medal!
With regards to staff there have been some changes as our wonderful apprentice Charlotte has moved on to pastures new and we have welcomed Christine, Mum to Jesse and well known and loved childminder to the children of West Winch! We were very sad to lose Charlotte who was a natural with children but Christine has stepped in and is doing a wonderful job bringing a calm and professional approach with her. In addition we have recently learned that Zoe will also be moving on to a new role as a nursery manager. As deputy Zoe has done a great job bringing fun and enthusiasm into the forefront and she has worked hard throughout the year to engage with the parents and wider public too which has really helped us to gain interest in our wonderful preschool.
We wish Charlotte and Zoe all the best and welcome Christine.
The latest staff changes have also meant that we have offered a new apprentice a role from September. Alicia has been working in residential care and is well qualified and experienced in that respect. With a drive to expand her knowledge and experience Alicia wanted to gain a role in early education and we are looking forward to welcoming her in the new term.
We will need to consider a deputy role in the new term and we plan to employ a part time member of staff too if possible.
All of the above does have to be balanced carefully with affordability.
As you will see from our finance report whilst we have made profit this year it will be consumed with high staff costs in the autumn term compared to the hours sold as younger children often attend for shorter hours and less days when they start. We always encourage parents to consider taking up as many hours as possible for their child as children who come more regularly and for longer settle more quickly and their personal development benefits greatly.
Please do check on your eligibility for 15 or 30 hours childcare by checking GOV.UK. Whilst funding rates are low the more children we have attending for longer the more likely we are to be sustainable for the long term.
The preschool itself would also not be able to run if it were not for our wonderful committee who give their precious and limited time. We are in need of new members and Linda who used to be our chairperson has been completing most of the treasurer’s role unofficially after our previous one left quite suddenly. Linda will be leaving us from end of term to enjoy her retirement to the full. It is completely understood that parents are all very busy, I myself have 3 children of school age and a demanding full time job, but I have thoroughly enjoyed my role despite the difficulty I have faced to make time for the preschool. A few of us on the committee no longer have any children at the setting and we would like to move on with our little ones to a new role in their schools or clubs. It may seem daunting but if there are more of us the tasks can be spread out and there will be less for the individuals to do. It is a great way of learning new skills, and meeting new people including other parents. It will certainly give you something interesting to put on your CV! Please if you can make time for a few hours per month do consider joining our committee. We are specifically looking for a new chairperson and new treasurer as soon as possible so if you have relevant skills or you would like to learn some new one’s I urge you to step up and give something to the community.
Lastly, I think it is important to congratulate the children who have shown unprecedented resilience in a tough and rapidly changing world over the last year. They have been told not to hug, not too touch and had many freedoms removed or have never even had the chance to experience certain freedoms in some cases! Well done to all of your children who have continued to bring joy and laughter into a somewhat gloomy world!
Thank you very much for attending tonight and for supporting us. Have a wonderful break for the holidays and we will see you in September.
Buttercups Pre-school
(registered Charity No: 1169880)
Receipts and Payments account for the year ended 31 August 2021
Income
NCC - funding SEN funding Fees and snacks Donations and fundraising proceeds Other income
Expenditure
Wages Rent and rates Activity and material costs Other costs Staff training Uniforms Bookkeeping services Insurance Advertising and marketing IT costs Donations and fund raising proceeds applied
Deficit for the year
| Cash movements: Current account Fundraising account Reserve account |
£ 14,698 2,753 13,130 Balance brought forward |
|---|---|
| 30,581 |
£ 48,570 0 15,468 157 1,454 65,648 43,768 7,454 2,114 1,234 0 232 936 909 264 423 0 57,334 8,314
| Balance | |
|---|---|
| Defct for | carried |
| the year | forward |
| £ | £ |
| 6,567 | 21,265 |
| 793 | 3,546 |
| 954 | 14,083 |
| 8,314 | 38,895 |
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Buttercups Pre-school (Registered Charity No: 1169880)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 August 2021.
Responsibilities and basis of this report
As the charity trustees of the Trust, 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 Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed 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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: .....Neil Harries.............................................
J N H Harries, ACA
Address: 23 Common Lane, North Runcton, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE33 0RD
Date: ...09 October 2022