2025-07-31-accounts

BRAMBLES CHILDCARE CIO

Colne Road  Bluntisham  PE28 3NY Tel: [phone]

e-mail: [e-mail]

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR

01[ST] AUGUST 2024 TO 31[ST] JULY 2025

CHARITY NUMBER: 1175924

Written by: Emily Hender (Treasurer)

OFSTED EY560545 1 Charity Number: 1175924

BRAMBLES CHILDCARE CIO

Colne Road  Bluntisham  PE28 3NY Tel: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail]

Trustees who served during the year:

• S. Matthews (Chairperson)

• E. Hender (Treasurer)

• K. Howell (Secretary)

• T. Russell (Trustee and nominated Ofsted contact)

• R. Wass (General Member)

• K. Cook (General Member)

• A. Adams (General Member)

• M. Adams (General Member)

• J. Pallister (General Member)

• P. Pallister (General Member)

• C. West (General Member)

• T. Dowding (General Member)

• R. Fletcher (General Member)

• P. Sheppard (General Member)

Principle Address: Brambles Childcare Colne Road Bluntisham Cambridgeshire, PE28 3NY

Bankers: Lloyds TSB Bank Plc 99 High Street Huntingdon Cambridgeshire, PE29 5DU

Independent Examination: Mr C J Dyke of C J Dyke and Company The Old Police Station Priory Road St Ives Cambridgeshire, PE27 5BB

OFSTED EY560545 2 Charity Number: 1175924

BRAMBLES CHILDCARE CIO

Colne Road  Bluntisham  PE28 3NY Tel: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail]

Report of the trustees for the year ended 31 July 2025

The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report along with the income and expenditure account and statement of assets and liabilities of the charity for the year ended 31[st] July 2025.

The accounts have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis as permitted by Part VI of the Charities Act 1993, in accordance with the charity’s constitution and requirements of the statement of Recommended Practice 2005, “Accounting and Reporting by Charities”.

Objects and Policies:

Brambles Childcare is a registered charity, created in 2018 by the merger of two local children’s charities, one a playgroup and the other an afterschool club. As a charity we are run by a Committee of volunteer trustees who make decisions about the way in which we operate and also support and assist the staff in our day to day running. We are also guided by legislation that has been set up since the introduction of the Children’s Act 2004. We have regular Ofsted inspections to ensure that we meet the required National Standards which enables us to receive Nursery Education Funding. Brambles Childcare is based on the St Helen’s school site, but is an independent organisation constituted as a Charity Incorporated Organisation under the constitution, adopting the Pre-school Learning Alliance CIO constitution 2017. The constitution defines the charity’s objects as being:

“The Charity works for the public benefit having as its objects the development and education of children and young people in particular by:

1. promoting their care and safety.

2. promoting their education and promoting parental involvement.

3. promoting their health and wellbeing.

4. providing services to support them and their families and carers.

5. providing services to individuals holding membership of the CIO; and

6. furthering the aims of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.”

OFSTED EY560545 3 Charity Number: 1175924

BRAMBLES CHILDCARE CIO

Colne Road  Bluntisham  PE28 3NY Tel: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail]

Review of activities and achievements

The charity is based in Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire and is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance. The annual payment and receipt summary can be found in APPENDIX A.

The charity raises funds, in addition to those received from the Local Education Authority, from parents by way of fees, through a variety of fundraising initiatives coordinated by the fundraising team sub-committee.

During the year the charity received £280,860.37 from the Local Education Authority, parents of the children attending the setting and other local people and organisations. Payments of £244,528.64 were made during the year, resulting in a significant increase in the cash fund of £36,331.73.

The day-to-day activities within the charity help the children to work towards the Early Learning Goals (Playgroup) and the afterschool care through a range of activities covering a selection of topics.

Reserves Policy

Previous years’ committees highlighted the need for reserves to allow the charity to be managed efficiently and provide a buffer. This buffer proved to be a vital lifeline during the harsh Covid-19 years. Last year (2023-2024), the committee pledged to increase this buffer to £15,000 which they achieved.

This year’s committee pledged to increase this further, and agreed the strategy of having a buffer to cover 3 months wages/pension/HMRC tax payments. With the additional wage increase offered to staff in April 2025, this would now require a buffer of £60,000. The committee were able to make significant progress on this target and the reserve sat at £40,531.56 by the end of the year.

Investment Policy

The trustees have the power to invest in such assets as they see fit. Currently our reserves are currently all held as cash.

Risk Management

The trustees actively review the major risks which the charity faces and believe that maintaining our reserves in excess of the levels stated above over a period of time, along with maintenance of careful controls over the administering of funds, will provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions.

OFSTED EY560545 4 Charity Number: 1175924

BRAMBLES CHILDCARE CIO

Colne Road  Bluntisham  PE28 3NY Tel: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail]

Trustees:

The trustees in office during the year and at the date of this report are set out in page 2.

New trustees are nominated and elected by members and serve for a period of one year, with re-election being permissible for a maximum of six consecutive years.

Each trustee has taken responsibility for certain activities during the year.

Statement of trustee responsibilities:

Charity Law requires the trustee to prepare receipts and payments accounts and statement of assets and liabilities that are consistent in their presentations.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the end of year statements comply with the Charities Act 1993. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets for the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Chairman

Date

OFSTED EY560545 5 Charity Number: 1175924

BRAMBLES CHILDCARE CIO

Colne Road  Bluntisham  PE28 3NY

Tel: [phone]

e-mail: [e-mail] APPENDIX A.

Receipts and payments account Year ended 31st July 2025

Receipts and payments account Year ended 31st July 2025 Receipts Operating activities to further charity's objectives FEES LEA vouchers FURLOUGH GRANT Operating activities to generate funds Fundraising activities Investment income receipts Interest on bank accounts Sub-total Other receipts (not counting as gross income) Total Receipts Payments Payments for generating funds Fundraising costs Charitable payments i) Charitable activities Wages Misc Rent/accommodation cost Classroom materials/snacks Cleaning Insurance, registration and licence fees Staff training costs Utility bills Uniform costs ii) Support costs Phone, postage & stationery Total Payments Net Receipts/(Payments)	2024 AUG - 2025 JULY £ 97,184.98 180,073.10 2,037.74 275.55 1,289.00 280,860.37 (5,172.64) (210,252.98) (2,788.40) (16,969.82) (5,508.65) (1,175.36) (2,356.01) (255.18) (3,854.90) (723.09) (5,816.89) (244,528,64) 36,331.73	PREVIOUS YEAR 2023 AUG – 2024 JULY £ 88,814.10 169,005.52 7,292.23 157.06
		0.00
		265,268.91
		(11,678.75) (186,148.55) (2,896.50) (16,889.70) (6,041.74) (2,048.88) (1,890.75) (779.00) (3,393.19) (361.90) (1,506.32)
		(233,635.28)
		31,633.63

OFSTED EY560545 6 Charity Number: 1175924

BRAMBLES CHILDCARE CIO

Colne Road  Bluntisham  PE28 3NY Tel: [phone]

e-mail: [e-mail]

OFSTED EY560545 7 Charity Number: 1175924

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent ExamineVs Report Report to the trustees Brambles Child¢are On accounts for the year ended 31 July 2025 Charity no lif any) 1175924 Sot out on pages I report to the trustees on my examinalion of the accounts of the above charily (Ihe Trust") for the year ended 3110712025. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan￿ 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 all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)(b} of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examinerfs ststement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect- the accounting records were not kept in accordance wilh section 130 of the Charities Ad; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements conceming the form and content of accounts set out in Ihe Charities (A¢¢ounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the arxounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter onsidered as part of an independent examination. I have no ¢oncems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do nol apply. Signed: Date: 2910512026 Name: Chris Dyke Relevant professional qualification(s) or body Ilf any): FCA Insts'tute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Address". The Old Police Station Priory Road. St Ives Cambs PE27 5BB IER Oct 2018