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2023-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for Period 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023 Chalkdown Group Riding for the Disabled Association Registered Charity No 1174554

Reference and Administration Details

Charity Trustees : Pauline Roestenburg Chairman Emma Ginger Vice Chairman Angus Boucher Treasurer Anne Oliver Secretary Claire Bound Trustee Colin Burgess Trustee Kay Donovan Trustee Jenny Suthers Trustee Dr Karen Webb Trustee

Charity Accountancy Adviser : Mrs Tracey Darby AFA MIPA 1st 4 Accounts Limited First Floor Office, Diamond Works Maidstone Road, Nettlestead Kent ME18 5HP

Charity’s Registered Address : Maplehurst Barn, Frittenden Road, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0DL

Structure, Governance and Management

  1. Chalkdown RDA is part of RDA UK whose registered charity number is 244108. There are currently 438 RDA groups throughout the country in 17 different regions and 61 counties. Each Group has a Chairman and Board of Trustees which is supported by a County Chair, Regional Chair and ultimately National RDA UK Board of Trustees.

  2. All RDA groups are independent charities and Chalkdown RDA changed its charitable status on 7th September 2017 from Unincorporated to Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) thereby giving better legal protection for trustees and the Group. Charity number for the Chalkdown Group is 1174554.

  3. The charity is managed by the Committee of Trustees which has control of the Group’s property and funds. The Group’s Constitution requires a committee of at least 3 and no more than 11 trustees, including Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. No trustee may be a paid employee of the Group, but must be a member of the Group. In the year ended 31st March 2023 the Group had 9 trustees. Election of the trustees occurs at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to which nominations may be made by any member of the Committee. One third of the Committee must retire at each AGM with the longest in office retiring first. Retiring trustees are eligible for re-election. If a vacancy occurs, the Committee may appoint a replacement until the next AGM.

  4. Chalkdown RDA, being a member of the National RDA, receives insurance benefits from the collective RDA Member Insurance, underwritten by Hiscox as follows: Public Liability (£20m), Abuse Cover (£5m), Employers Liability (£10m), Personal Accident (£30k), Trustee Indemnity (£5m), Legal Expenses and Legal Helpline.

  5. In line with RDA National guidelines Chalkdown RDA has in place an up-to-date Child Protection Policy, Adult Protection Policy, Data Protection Policy, Health and Safety Policy, Safeguarding Policy and Risk Assessments which are reviewed at least annually. There are officers responsible for the compliance of the above and there must always be a Certified First Aid Officer present for all riding sessions.

Objectives and Activities

  1. The work of the Group focuses entirely on providing opportunities for physically and mentally disabled adults and children in the locality to ride to benefit their health and wellbeing. This is currently carried out every Thursday during term time at Duckhurst Farm Equestrian Centre, Staplehurst, where the Group rents the large indoor arena.

Achievements and Performance

  1. Currently the Group owns four of its own RDA ponies. One is at livery at Duckhurst Farm and is on a part loan agreement and three have been kept throughout the year at Whitegates on a sole usage livery agreement. However, notice was served by the proprietors on 24[th] February for the group to leave the site on 24[th] April 2023. Chalkdown’s plans to improve the

stable facilities at Whitegates were therefore abandoned as the proprietors were unable to agree a legal contract.

In urgently seeking alternative livery for the Chalkdown mares, Duckhurst Farm have kindly offered a dedicated area for the group upon which to build a stable unit and field shelter with use of own field. This is a very exciting development and it is hoped that with this ease of logistics the group will be able to expand its operation going forward.

  1. The Group continues to be run solely by volunteers. There are currently 50 volunteers who are all voting members in addition to the 9 Trustees. The Group now has two Group Coaches and two Coaches in final stages of RDA coach training.

  2. Participant levels have been steady throughout the year with a full capacity level of 24 riders. The groups riders have a broad spectrum of physical and mental disabilities and ages range from 3 years to 75 years.

In March 2023 the group was contacted by Snowfields Academy in Cranbrook. This is a new school providing education for secondary age students with autism and Chalkdown will be offering riding sessions for 12 children per week on an additional operating day starting in April 2023. This is a very exciting expansion project for the group.

Fundraising

  1. Chalkdown Group has a strong fundraising team of volunteers who help to maintain a healthy monthly cashflow with their event ideas and sale of goods. The Trustees would like to thank them all for their hard work and tenacity. A special mention must be made this year to an extraordinary fundraising event, Bike2Hike, which raised nearly £25,000 for the group over the summer 2022. The participants of this event and their generous donors have specified this sum should be spent on new stable units for Chalkdown, naming it “A Stable Roof”, thereby enabling the group to expand its riding sessions. The monies have been placed in a designated reserve.

Financial Review

  1. The income for this financial year has increased to £64,408, up from £38,917 in the previous year. This has clearly been a record year for the group, due to the Bike2Hike fundraising campaign which raised £24,352. Running costs, however, have raised dramatically due to Whitegates livery charges over the last 12 months of £4220. Pony costs have also increased by nearly £2,500 this year, due in part to the expense of bringing on a new young horse and to the steep increase in horse supply and service costs. Although the group showed a healthy profit of £22,822, the Bike2Hike designated fund will not be used for general running costs. Year End cash reserves stood at a record £55,752 with gross assets of £51,301. The Trustees are currently considering investing a small percentage of the cash reserves in a fixed rate account with better interest rates. The £24,352 from Bike2Hike was allocated separately in the balance sheet and will be drawn down as relevant expenses for the new stables are incurred.

Rider donations have improved in the last 12 months but persistent rider cancellations are still a problem for the group both financially and for volunteer and pony planning. The Trustees are currently reviewing a new booking and payment structure for the coming year. There is currently a waiting list of riders which the group would like to reduce with better management of rider cancellations and non-attendance.

  1. It is the policy of the Trustees to aim to keep a financial reserve equal to at least one year’s normal operating costs which currently runs at approximately £35,000. Our accounting is run on a Sage System which produces a detailed breakdown and yearly comparison. The Trustees have also prepared a budget forecast which will be included in the monthly reporting system. This was the first year a budget had been produced and it was based on the previous three years of income and expenditure. Overall, many of the categories were reasonably accurate, the main exception being the under budgeting of Bike2Hike and the fundraising income and expenditure.

  2. Because income this year has exceeded £25,000 the accounts have been checked by an independent examiner for submission to the Charity Commission. Mrs Tracey Darby AFA, MIPA of 1st 4 Accounts Limited has carried this out and a signed copy of her Report is attached and will be submitted to the Charity Commission with our Annual Return and Report.

  3. The Trustees consider that the charity is in a sound financial position and are confident that the charity will be able to meet its commitments in the future. The trustees would also like to take this opportunity to thank all its volunteers and supporters for their continued loyalty to the group as it builds on the successful results of previous years.

Signed on behalf of the Committee of Trustees Pauline Roestenburg Chair

1[st] May 2023

thalkdo¥m RDA eceSpts & Payments Accourt lorthe Year EndlnB 31 Marth 2023 Recelpts Sales Donations Alders Les50nslDonatlons Fund Raisin8 General Bike to Hike Social Evertts Mlsc Collectlon nns Equipment Sales Glft Ald Insurano aaim Grants Bank Interest 2167 14687 5029 1310 13013 3284 10117 24352 978 304 291 2LKI 1853 932 35 184 552 39S 1155 147 38917 P•ym•nts Rent Los5 on Sale of Pony (Charlie & Fenellal RDA Expenses Pony Costs School Hire Fund Raising Purchases for re￿Ie Tralning Projects Soclal Events Marketing Insuran Mi5¢ Admin Equipment Hlre & Malntenance Professlonal Fee5 Trustee Expenses Volunteer Exper￿eS 4220 760 13526 1613S 1650 3831 1658 665 1320 1525 3827 1075 IS12 3268 833 252 311 2C(I 28103 41586 ProfftlLoss 22822 10814 0*105113

Chalkdown RDA ststement of Assets & Liabililie5 as at 31 March 2023 Cash Funds 55752 Asset5 51301 107053

Independent examinerfs report to the tnthes of thalkd(nwn Group Rldlry forthe Dlsabled A550ciation I report to the charty trustees on my examination of the accounts ofthe Assodation for the year ended 31 March 2023. Responslbililies and basis of reptht As the trustees of the Charlty you are resp(￿sible forthe preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charitie5 Act 20111'the Act). I report in respect of my examlnatlon of ihe thaiiWs accounts carried out under secilon 145 of the 2011 Att and in carrying Lxrt my examinatlon I have fouowed all the applicable DireLtion5 given by the Charltv Commlsslon under section 145ISllbl of the Act. Inde￿wIeTrt examlnérfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no materlal matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination glvln8 me cause to belleve that In any matertal respect: l. Ac£ountin8 recttds were not kept in respect of the Chartty as requlred by sertlon 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not aco)rd w6th those rettrd5. I have no concerns and have cvme across no other matters in connedlon wlth the examlnatlon to whlch attention should be drawn In thls report In orderto enable a proper under51andln8 of the accounts to be reathed. Slgned............. Name.......... Member of......l.F4T.,TKj1.....o......K.*4...(V-..i.A r4 QQ4XkJ.. i.AF)T.S............... Date.......