2022-03-31-accounts

Charity Number 1175033

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

CONTENTS	Page
Legal and Administrative	1-3
Trustees Report	4-8
Notes to the Accounts	9
Income and Expenditure	10
Statement of assets	11

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

Trustees Natalie Burns Pauline Edge Carole Burns Freddy Carpen-Jukes Mary Angela Heatherington Lynn Robinson Jane Alison Owens Chairperson Natalie Burns Vice Chairperson Pauline Edge Secretary Jane Alison Owens Treasurer Carole Burns Charity number 1175033 Registered address 7 Montgomery Close Whiston Prescot L35 3[RD] Activity Address Woodhouse Stables School Lane Rainhill L35 6NW

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

TRUSTEES REPORT

The Trustees present their report with the financial statements of the Charity for the period ending 31 March 2022.

Chairpersons’ introduction

It is with great pleasure that I introduce the annual report which sets out, for all our volunteers, supporters, and members of the general public our achievements and growth in the past 12 months.

With an insight into our future and development.

Introduction

East Liverpool RDA was founded in 2017 by Natalie Burns a keen horse rider and competitor in the industry who earlier this year became Chairperson. Natalie has developed this Charity with significant personal investment and that of her mother, Carole. Natalie set up Charity at 27 years old wanting to have equine assisted therapy in Liverpool, the City where she grew up and to meet a personal goal, to open a registered charity.

The Charity has been built up initially with use of the family’s own equines, thus enabling the ride sessions to get underway and for the Charity to reach its participants.

The Charity was initially set up as part of a wider commercial stables within the area, however the Charity needed to relocate. The move meant that the Charity had to build stables and further purchase equines that now belong to the Charity to enhance the income to maintain and run the Charity in a purposeful facility.

The achievements of this Charity have been phenomenal; in the past 6 years the obstacles and pressures we have overcome have made us a resilient and dedicated group of volunteers and a community asset.

East Liverpool RDA continues to grow and reach individuals in the community that would not ordinarily have access to this sport or may think it is out of reach. IT’S WHAT YOU CAN DO THAT COUNTS.

East Liverpool Riding for the Disabled is a Merseyside based Charity that works within the local community to provide horse riding and therapy sessions for children and adults with disabilities across our area. This Charity is a truly voluntary organisation. We are led by volunteers and funded by kind-hearted people who make donations, provide funding and grants.

East Liverpool RDA brings together individuals, carers and families from all different backgrounds and allows them escape the struggles and hardships they have to face in daily life. Our sessions give our riders and participants social and interactive skills but most importantly it brings enjoyment and fulfilment to their lives. Sessions give carers and families the chance to take respite of the demands their role of caring for a person living with disability can bring.

We are self-contained within a sole use property adapted to our needs.

Aims and Purpose

To provide the opportunity for disabled children and adults to benefit from the positive experience of horse riding, contact, care and stable management. Our priority is to improve the lives, promote wellbeing and enhance the health of those in our area who would most benefit from what we are able to offer.

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

Objectives and Activities

Sessions are provided for participants from across Merseyside. The therapeutic benefits of being around horses, to not only ride but also to be in contact with horses is tremendous. The benefits of horse riding are immense enjoyment, mental fitness, and stimulation in the open outside fresh air.

There are significantly more physical benefits in terms of enhancing balance, developing core strength, coordination, reflex acceleration, etc., the emotional experience of bonding with the horse or pony and often immeasurable improvements in terms of patience, self-discipline, self-confidence and self-esteem and self-worth.

We are set up in an area of significant deprivation within Merseyside and reach participants with a huge range of disabilities; physical, mental, emotional, and learning. We engage those of all ages and abilities from a variety of backgrounds. We utilise an inclusivity programme that we established to ensure that participants can access our service without prejudice. As such this programme enables sessions to be subsidised, should they face a barrier. This ensures the community benefit derived from our service.

Adults and children (who may spend a lot of their time struggling) can learn to ride and for those with problems with mobility the horse or pony enables them to be an equal in speed, grace and agility in the arena.

Whatever the activity our participants engage in, that be riding, care tasks, quiet corner, or contact sessions, the feedback is captured by questionnaires and by engaging in conversation with carers and parents. The feedback to date reflects our efforts to expand and is showing that we are a valued and welcomed asset to the community.

We aim to enhance self-belief, self-worth and confidence. Being around horses provides a multi-sensory experience, simply stroking horses, hearing and using motor skills to partake in activity or care tasks is hugely beneficial and rewarding to our participants.

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

Volunteers

We would like to thank our group of extremely dedicated volunteers, without who, we would not be able to operate as we do.

Our volunteers have stood by the beliefs and upheld the Charity through very difficult times showing dedication as we restarted sessions following lockdown due to Covid19 pandemic.

Your dedication and commitment to the Charity is admirable and the Board wishes to thank you all for your effort and commitment when the Charity really needed the support.

The Board are committed to ensuring the recruitment of volunteers from a diverse area within our community and a group of volunteers on the Board that reflects the needs of the participants.

The Board are focused on ensuring that the volunteers and trustees are adequately trained and constantly reviewing the practise and need to adapt as required to current changes.

The training programme for volunteers is established and updated regularly in conjunction with volunteer feedback and participant views. Volunteers have access to all procedures and policies and access to dedicated trustees for Safeguarding.

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

Structure, Governance and Management

East Liverpool RDA was established in 2017 registered with the Charities Commission of England and Wales and we adopted the Articles of Management recommended by RDA National Office at our inaugural meeting on 1st July.

We immediately took the necessary steps to register at Charities Commission our Registered Charity no. is: 1175033.

Accounts are submitted annually to the Charities Commission.

East Liverpool RDA Group is a Member Group of the Riding for the Disabled Association. The

National is registered as a Charitable Company Limited (no:5010395) by Guarantee governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association and registered charity number 244108.

The Charity is constituted and run by the Trustees, although matters will generally be settled by consensus, they are the only members to have voting rights. Additional Full Members (with voting rights) need to be proposed and seconded by existing members and approved by the Committee at a scheduled meeting. In pursuing a desirable expansion of voting membership it must be borne in mind that a quorum at a General Meeting requires 35% of members to attend.

Although various responsibilities are delegated to individual members of the Committee, every effort will be made to keep the Committee informed of any significant developments. The Secretary will maintain a list of voting members and details of the allocation of specific responsibilities.

Meetings will be held at least four times a year with a minimum of four weeks’ notice and an agenda circulated no fewer than ten days beforehand. The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer should feel empowered (in consultation with each other) to take any necessary decisions between scheduled meetings.

The Group operates independently of any single Equestrian Centre or Riding School.

The Charity’s board of trustees is developed in a way that allows a clear line of communication depending on role and concern. Each trustee is appointed to ensure that each role within the Charity was fairly represented. As such we appointed trustees into the following roles: we have 2 safeguarding officers. These roles are given in addition to each board member’s role. The aim of this allocated role is set out in a role specification given to each member, this is to ensure clear communication, order, and best practise. All trustees have access to policies, procedures and legal advice as required.

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

The legal responsibility for the direction and administration of the Charity rests with the elected Trustees. The Trustees are required to submit themselves for re-election at the Annual General Meeting which is held in September in accordance with the Charity’s Constitution.

Achievements and Performance

We presently cater for participants with a wide range of physical and mental disabilities such as autism and cerebral palsy, participants with deafness, heart-hand syndromes, learning disabilities, developmental delay, Down’s syndrome, Pradar-Willi syndrome, hydrocephalus, Microcephaly, Kawasaki disease, spina bifida, as well as several others. This year we have seen a significant increase in participants with Mental Health problems and those struggling the long-term effects of the pandemic C19. The demand for sessions has increased significantly for us this year, we can foresee an increase in demand due to changes globally and pressures of the current pandemic. As a result we have added a further 2 therapy days to enable us to cater for more participants.

With the exception of East Liverpool RDA, there are very few opportunities in the areas we serve for adults and children with disabilities to learn to ride within a supportive, RDA-approved environment, taught by RDA qualified coaches.

Previously volunteers have provided our riders with the opportunity for unique success in Regional and National competitions in previous years but unfortunately this year C19 meant this was unable to happen; usually an amazing experience that will only be more amazing when we are able to attend again when restrictions allow.

This year has seen a huge development for our Charity in the purchase of a horse and an additional pony to facilitate riders being given taken off our waiting list.

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

Policy on Reserves

The Charity’s policy on reserves is to generate and maintain a balance which is sufficient: a) to preserve the financial viability of the Charity in the event that unforeseen and/or unavoidable circumstance precipitate a short-term fall in its income; b) to enable the Charity, in the interests of meeting its objectives, to undertake from time to time the setting up of new and innovative projects on a pilot basis to demonstrate the viability and potential benefits of such activities as a precursor to securing the external funding necessary to maintain such projects on an on-going basis. For these purposes the Charity will endeavour to generate and maintain reserves which are at least 50% of its annual turnover.

The results for the year and the Charity’s financial position at the end of the year are shown in the attached financial statements. The Trustees are satisfied with the overall position and can confirm the Charity has the resources to fully discharge its obligations.

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

Financial Review

The total income for this financial year is £70,931 (2021: £56,862) and the main source of income was from fundraising, grants, donations and sponsorship of our equines.

The remainder of income came from sponsorship of ponies and individual donations.

Expenditure this year is a reflection of costs incurred in a second year in moving to our new facility. However, for a significant period we were subject to the Government closure followed by a very slow re-opening of our facility to participants as a direct result of Covid-19 pandemic.

Throughout lockdown every effort was made to minimise expense and maximise income in order to ensure the longevity of the Charity.

The Trustees wish to thank our participants first for their continued support through sponsorship and donations at a time we recognise was hard for many. Secondly, the Trustees wish to thank the Funders for their continued support through a challenging time.

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

Income and Expenditure		2022		2021
		£		£
Income
Donations	1,191		7,220
Fundraising/Grants	55,379		42,375
Riding Sessions	9,580		5,742
Horse Sponsorship	1,592		1,525
Other horse related activities	3,189		-
Total Income		70,931			56,862
Expenditure
Rent and Utilities	13,090		12,225
Clothing/uniform/hats	97		123
Charity Expansion	4,500		7,028
Equipment	6,614		2,245
Feed/Bedding	10,143		10,167
Farrier/vets/dentist/physio/equine hygiene	4,796		4,103
Tack	448		12
Telephone/technology/website/computers	1,247		114
Vehicle Maintenance	-		4,706
Volunteer expenses	268		254
Yard & Field Maintenance	2,503		5,284
Training	26		90
Centre awareness/fundraising activities	218		-
Equipment for other horse related activities	1,999		-
Husbandry	2,416		-
Hay & Forage	3,680		-
Muck trailer/waste removal	1,500		-
Office/membership/insurance/DBS checks	1,318		820
Staff salaries	2,545		-
Wagon refurbishment	401		-
Worming programme	429		-
			-
Total Expenditure		58,238			47,170
Surplus		12,693			9,691

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention

EAST LIVERPOOL RIDING FOR THE DISABLED

in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: