Federation of Westminster Special Schools Charity Fund Charlty No: 1173810 ANNUAL REPORT 2024 - 25
ANOTHER YEAR- WE NEED MORE TRUSTEES! ER ITIV REPORT This report covers the activity of the Federation of Westminster Special Schools Charity Fund for the Financial Year 2024 -2025. Much of the "theme. of the year had been around the difficulty in recruiting Trnstees and continuing to operate. However it is helpful to know that very shortly after the period covered by this report, we were able to recruit two new Trustees. Several of our TTUStees prior to the Charity being established have enjoyed a long association with the Federation oFWestminsteT Special Schools and know the schools well. We have seen the tremendous work and dedication of Federation staff helping children & young people to learn and develop in order to fulfil their educational and developmental potential. Both staff and the children &young people have provided the inspiration for the Charity Fund to be established and rewtered with the Charity CommissAOn. The Charitys airn is to raise funds for a range of projects to improve the facilities at the two special schools. We support both schools to meet the needs of this vulnerable group of children and young people by ensurin8 that the best possible educational opportLmities are provided. This is our seventh Annual Report and although Covid restrictions have long been lifted it is clear that many of the fund giving groups are still experiencing considerable delays in replenishing their own reserves to give out in response to funding bids and a great many have ceased operating. Several quote °supply chain" delays preventing them from fully functioning. This has meant that the hid4 we have made for the provision of a new minibus for College Park has been extremely protracted and a decision is still awaited. Sadly we do not expect to be successful as that charity seen to become inactive. As previously reported, the approach we used in our first year contacting many businesses with local connections or specialist donating bodies has not proved to be an effective way of raising the amount of funds needed. Having said that we have developed some good community links who continue to raise funds for us and the Trustees value these. When new Trustees are appointed we will urgently review our priorities and set out a cl&ir set of objectives for the coming y&ar.
As mentioned in the first paragraph although this report covers the period up until April 2025> we are pleased to report that we have been able to recrnit two Trustees, June and Paul just after the period covered by this report. Although appreciating this was just after April 2025 we felt that this information will help to put a less than overall positive into a somewhat more positive context. I would like to thank Trustees and volunteers for their continued efforts and to add a particular word of thanks to Yvonne our clerk and to Michal for Tholding on. during our period of uncertainty. We agreed a little time ago to rotate the chairing of the Trustee meetings. This has worked well but we would be looking to appoint a Pernnent chair once more trustees are in place. David Dyer - Trustee 16 October 2025 Trustees, Report Objectives and Activities The CharAty exists to raise funds that can be used to enhance the learning of children and young people by improving the facilities at the Federation of Westminster Special Schools (°FWSS"). The FWSS is made up of two schools: College Park and the Queen Elizabeth Il Jubilee School ("QEII"). College Park caters just under 200 children and young people with autism, while QEII caters for 85 children and young people with severe or profound and multiple needs. The money raised by the Fund ts intended to: Help towards increasing or improving the range of activities on offer at the FWSS. Help provide or improve facllities, such as or play equipment, improving play facilities and replacing minibuses. Help pupils take part in the extended opportunities by giving them the support they need. Support parents to engage with the work of the schools and support their child's education. The Charity does not (and does not intend to) finance any statutory or core activities undertaken by the schools. Trustees have regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on pubIic benefit.
Achievements and Perforniance This has been the Charity's seventh fiY active y&ir and we have built on the work undertaken initially where the Trustees dedicated time to establish administrative and financial structures. In addition to producing operating documents, policies, procedures, the Charity had focused on: identsfying and budgeting for a suitsble Project, establishing a fundraising programme and creating publicity material. Funding Projects - some successesl The two minibuses for QEII have been ordered from GM Coachworks have at last been delivered and are being enjoyed by the children and young people. Fundraising Programme In our earty days, Trustees had established a fundraising plan to identify, log and approach potential donors. Organi&itions approached for funding include charity trusts, charity foundations, 8rant-making bodies, local shops, businesses and parents. During the first year some 2¢)0 fimding appeal letters were sent and donations were received from local shops and parents. In our second y&ar we targeted a smaller number of more specific and specialist funding organisations and followed up others which expressed an interest in our first year. In our third year we monitored a far smaller group of organisations and looking for rdevant opportunities. Trustees are conscious that it may take several months to receive a reply from potential donors and competition from other charities has also made it difficult in a climate of reduced avai]able funding. Many organisations prefer to fund national charities making it even more difficult for local charities. Publicity & MaTketing The Trustees have created a dedicated webpage on the FWSS website, as well as a Facebook page. The Charity has also established a newsletter to raise its profile via the web, social media and through the FWSS newsletter in order to reach out to staff, parents and the wider public. Financial Review & Reserves This first full year of the Charity had been used to establish income streams. We have successfully ndraised to enable our first project to be completed - the play spaces at QEII. The Charity has established policies to evaluate Projects. ensuring value for money and has sufficient funds to continue its current activities for the forthcoming year. The
Board of Trustees regularly reviews the Charitys reserve levds in the light of its planned activities. The reserves provisÉon for revenue costs has been set at a level to cover the Charitvs ordinary operating costs foT a period of six months. ID addition to this requirement, there should be further reserves available to cover actual capital commitments and to cover fimds that have been donated for speafic projects. The Charitys principal Source of funding comes from donations and grants. The Charity applies for grants from various bodies and companies who wish to support the aims of the Charity. It also receives donations from parents with children attending the FWSS, from friends of the FedeTation, and from the general public. The principal risk affecting the Charity would be the inability to raise sufficient funds to fulfil its charitable duties and to nd the projects that it wishes to complete. To mitigate this, fundraising continues on a professional basis, and applications for grants are made whenever practicable. Structure, Governance and Management The FWSS Charity Fund is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered on 13 July 2017. The Fund is governed by the terms of its Constitution, which established its objects and powers. Although linked to the Federation of Westminster Special Schools, the Charity is an independent organisation with its own Board of Trustees who are the only votlng members. Trustees are recruited with reference to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration and management of the Charity. Trustees who are members of the FWSS Governing Board must at all times keep FWSS and Charity business separate. There are also independent tnteeS who provide scrutiny and oversight. No FWSS parent or member of staff may become a Trustee although the inclusion of a parent is being reviewed. The full Board of Trustees met three times from AprAI 2024 to April 2025 inclusive. All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the Fund. Any expenses reclaimed from the Fund are set out in appropriate notes to the accounts. The Board of Trustees has reviewed previously adopted policies and procedures rdating to: Finance and Reserves Charity Governan (code for small charities) Operating Procedures Conflict of Interest
Policy statements covering the following linked to FWSS Policies
Equal Opportunities Policy. (Known as the 'Single Equalities Plan and Policy,) Child Protection and Safeguarding Health and Safety Whistleblowing The Trustees review the aims, objectives and activities of the Fund each year. This report looks at what the Charity has achieved and the outcomes of its work for the 12 months in the yeaT ending 31" March 2025. AdministTatxve Details The FWSS Charity Fund is a registered charity (No iiT3810). The correspondence address is: College Park School. Garway Road. London W2 4PH. The Charity webpage can be found at: htt .westmin Trustees serving at the date this report was approved were.. Michal Chudy David Dyer Aslam Merchant June Simson (joined Summer 25) Paul Riches tioined Summer z5) Yvonne Jarman served as Clerk to the Board of Trustees. Carole Melson has acted as "associate" members offering a wealth of advice. Declaration Tlie trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees, Report above. ed on behalf of the Charity Trustees: Trustee Date: 16 October 2025
CHARITYCOMMISSION For ENGLAND AND WALES Receipts and Payments Accounts Chairty Names: Federation of Westmlnster Speclal Schoots Charlty Fund 1173810 Chalrty Number: For the perlod (Start Date) End Ot Year OIAprll 2024 To ( End Date) 31 March 2025 202*25 OpenlngBalance £ 19,419.38 Section A Recelpts and Payments Donatsd Funds £ Restrlcted Funds £ Unre5trlcted Funds £ Total Income£ Al Recelpts BACS Donation Admln Funds£ 0.00 6.00 114.00 120.00 Interest In Account 38.34 0.00 0.00 38.34 38.34 Sub Total A2 Assets and Investments Sales. ect Total Recelpts Ilncludlng openlngbalance) 0.00 6.00 0.00 152.34 158.34 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.00 0.00 152.34 158.34 Total Payments Allocated Funds £ Restrlcted Funds £ Unrestrlcted Funds £ A3 Payments Charity Insurance Account Fee Admin Funds£ 0.00 325.28 325.28 60.00 60.00 Payment to Clerk 450.00 450.00 Total Payments 0.00 835.28 0.00 0.00 835.28 Incom¢for Year 0.00 6.00 0.00 152.34 158.34 Brought Forward from 2023124 9158.92 6501.66 22076.64 19419.38 Cash Fundsthlsyear end 0.00 8329.64 6501.66 22228.98 18742.44 Total Funds In Account ITotsl Donatlons- Total Payments £ 18,742.44
Sectlon B Statementof Assets and Liabilities atthe end of Period l Moirth Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Endowment Funds £ Bl Cash Fund Details 0.00 Totatcash Funds. agree balances with receipts and payments 0.00 0.00 0.00 Unrestrlcted Funds £ B2 Other Monetry assets Restrlcted Funds £ Endowment Funds £ Details 0.00 Totsi 0.00 0.00 0.00 Fund to which Cost asset belongs (optional) Curientvalue (Optional) 83 Investment assets Details Total 0.00 0.00 0.00 Fund towhlch asset belongs Cost (optional) B4Assels retalned torthe charitys own Detsils Currentvalue {optional) Totsi 0.00 0.00 0.00 Fund towhich Amount due liabiiiw relatss (Optional) When due (optional) 34 Liebiiltles Details Total 0.00 0.00 o.oo Signed by one ortwo trustees on behalf of alltlLtStees Signature PrintName Date of approval DA6'10 Q.ircQ 1>