Charity No: 1177973
Trustees Annual Report & Financial Statements
- _Year 3:_ 1 April 2020 31 March 2021
## **Letter from Founders (also Trustees)**
## **Trustees** _3[rd]_ **Annual Report**
Year ending 31 March 2021
_Dear supporters of RockStone & Pebbles (RSP) and children’s right to play,_
_It has been an eventful year, although not in the way we had imagined. Our intention this year was to dedicate our resources to the creation of play spaces for vulnerable children in countries outside of the UK by travelling there and implementing play projects directly. The Covid 19 restrictions led to plans changing. For RSP founders, the plan to dedicate a year volunteering for RSP remained, although focused on different activities, and from Spain, supported by our other trustees based in the UK._
_Collaboration remains our core way of working and we continue to learn and adapt our approach. We spent considerable time this year on an exciting new partnership with charity On Call Africa (OCA) that started during lockdown and continues to date. The Partnership Collaboration Framework we created enabled both organisations to explore opportunities, and commit how we could strengthen each other and support one another’s aims. It has been an excellent example of how RSP, our associates, and partners working together can create synergy and amplify our impact, 1+1 = 3._
_We also spent time developing other frameworks and reporting structures to build a strong and sustainable organisation.We held regular, monthly trustee meetings to ensure that our organisation was being effectively governed and that our activities were in line with our strategy, mission and vision._
_A sincere thank you and sad goodbye to our trustee, Mary Ann Ephgrave, who left us this year for health related reasons. Yet at the grand age of 83 years she continues to be a valuable mentor, a key supporter of RSP, and a champion of children's right of play. As a learning organisation we continue to reflect, adapt, experiment and find new ways to address challenges and grow. The ongoing challenges related to being a volunteer run organisation with a high reliance on the founders remain, and this year we will focus on developing a three-year strategy that can help us address some of these challenges moving forward._
_The burning question of how can we best help vulnerable children access their fundamental right to play drives us to find new solutions and ways of working to achieve this. Covid-19 and the last year of lockdown helped highlight many things, including the highly negative consequences children can suffer as a result of play deprivation. This year doctors, psychologists and other groups working with children in the UK have been strongly advocating on children’s right to play and recent commitments by the government indicate that their voices are finally starting to be heard._
_We hope that this Annual Report motivates our readers to take action, in any way they can, to ensure that every child has the space and time to play._
_Many thanks for your interest and support, Meera & Juliette_
Rock Stone & Pebbles (RSP) Charity No: 1177973
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## **RSP Vision, Mission & Values**
**Mission: Vision:**
Enhance and create A sustainable future created spaces that facilitate learning, innovation, through play, collaboration and collaboration, and positively impact the lives shared learnings of vulnerable children through enabling their right to play
## **Why Play**
At RSP, we aim to enable children access their fundamental right to play
Children are amongst the most vulnerable people in the world and for too many their futures are threatened or limited by violence, child labour, early marriage, lack of food, shelter, health, education, and/or inequality.
## _**Play Matters because…**_
## _**Play builds resilience and improves wellbeing**_
**Values:**
_Our values inspire and guide the way we operate and interact with others_
## **Collaboration:**
We believe that lasting change can only come through collaborative working and shared learnings.
## **Transparency:**
We share information openly and honestly; we learn from our mistakes and reflect on our learnings.
## **Innovation:**
We encourage creative, experimental efforts and explore local solutions that can be co-created resourcefully, by thinking outside the box.
## **Diversity:**
We honour and embrace people’s fundamental right to be different and unique.
## **Respect:**
We strive to treat people with consideration & care.
_“There’s no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way it treats its children”_
_-Nelson Mandela_
Play improves children’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional wellbeing. It makes children feel happy and empowers them to rise to challenges.
## _**Play creates positive change**_
Play sparks learning, creativity and innovation
## _**Play is children’s right**_
Play is children’s language and a human right unique to them.
Children’s Right to Play is a Human Right Article31 UNCRC ( _United Nations Convention_ Article31UNCRC _on the Rights of the Child_ ) enshrines children’s right to play as their human right. Every country in the world, except one (USA), has signed and ratifed this treaty recognising the importance of play in children’s lives.
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## **RSP Strategy**
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Connect
Share Learn Collaborate
Create
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At RSP, our strategy focuses on …
## _**Being a learning organisation**_
Continually learn, adapt and share learnings to acquire, create and transfer knowledge and skills, and build capacity internally and externally
## _**Building Organisational Sustainability**_
Building a **strong organisation** for us means always considering our organisational longevity and the wider impacts of our activities.
POLICIES Page 4 l COMMITMENT
## **RSP Strategy**
## _**Collaboration**_
Collaboration sits at the core of our vision and drives the way we work because _we believe that openly sharing - innovation, expertise, resources, time and experiences - is the catalyst to lasting and positive change._
- Build genuinely collaborative partnerships that create synergy and further the aims of both RSP and the partner organisations
- Engage deeply with our volunteers - understand their skills and needs and provide value adding volunteering opportunities
- Develop, co-create and share resources freely to help and strengthen wider civil society groups and organisations
- Promote and share 3[rd] party research and resources that could add value to others
1+1 = 3 _Increasing our impact_
## _**Connect &**_
## _**Collaborate**_
_**…organisations to organisations**_
_We facilitate collaborations between organisations that can grow and learn from one another_
_**…people & organisations** We assess the needs and skills of the people and organisations in our network supporting and connecting them to add value to one another_
## _**…people to people**_
_We connect the people in our network to share skills and learn from one another_
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## **What we do**
## Our activities are carried out for the purpose of enabling children’s right to play
Activities that make Charitable Activities RSP stronger and that help us achieve build Organisational our mission - defined Sustainability through our ToC :
This year we developed our ToC - Theory of Change which helped us to hone and clearly define our:
- **Mission** - the change we are trying to make
- **Objectives** - what we need to focus on to make that change
- **Activities** - identify activities that will help us meet our objectives and support our mission
Thank you to our partner _OnCall Africa (OCA)_ for mentoring us on the development of this framework
## **Theory of Change**
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Mission
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Vulnerable and excluded children can access and enjoy their right to play and have more time, opportunities and spaces to play
Improved and increased play opportunities and spaces for children that suit their needs and requirements
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Increased Increased civil Stronger
frameworks
awareness society capacity
and structures
& engagement to facilitate
on the benefits children’s supported through
legislation and
and right to play right to play
national policies
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What activities RSP does and will carry out:
Develop partnerships with organisations Support and initiate that work with children to increase p ~~lay~~ play projects programmes, and a deeper focus on play, within their organisations Strengthen orgs by Find opportunities Change mindsets to influence change, providing governance & by promoting, on a policy level. We operational charity developing and expertise, and/or play will initially do this sharing resources resources and expertise. through our partners and research that Strengthen people by leveraging their facilitate children’s existing influence with through value adding right to play collaborations local councils and governments Sustainability - Collaboration - Learning
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## **Meeting Year 3 Objectives set**
**Year 3 Objectives** _(April 2020 - March 2021)_ **:**
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Year 3 objectives were set at the start of last year, shared with you in our last Annual Report, and adapted and flexed during the year.
## **Summary of Year 3 Achievements:**
Year 3 objectives set were focused on the the areas identified in the box below. Targets set within the objectives were in some cases overachieved and in other cases underachieved; however, all objectives were met, except the launch of our website, which is delayed to this year.
& Enabling children’s right to play _creating and_ Collaborative partnerships _sharing resources_ Strengthening RSP _freely and widely_
- Built collaborative partnerships with other charities that helped enable children’s right to play, and strengthened both our partners and ourselves
## Developed & shared resources freely:
- Articles to help non profit organisations build capacity Video to facilitate children’s right to play
- Researched and shared third party resources to facilitate children’s right to play and strengthen non-profits
- Learnt more about play - attending conferences, volunteering, learning & networking
- Strengthened RSP - learning and growing
_Read more about our achievements below!_
## **Setting Year 4 - next year - Objectives**
## **Year 4 Objectives** _(April 2021 - March 2022):_
Last year we honed our strategy guided by our Theory of Change (ToC), developed in Year 3, which informs the objectives set in Year 4:
1. Promote a learning exchange on right to play between partners, supporters and collaborators
2. Work with our partners to develop evidence-based and accessible IEC resources on the benefits and right to play, and share them freely
3. Facilitate skills sharing amongst partners on charity capacity building, operations and governance
4. Launch RSP website - _target not met last year_
- 5 Develop a three year strategy for RSP to implement in years 2022-2025 (RSP years 5-7)
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Build a Enable Build
stronger Children’s Collaborative
organisation Right to PLAY Partnerships
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Create
& Share
Free
Resources
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## _**COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS**_
## **Collaboration creates synergy**
## **Collaborative partnerships are one of RSP’s unique strengths**
1 + 1 = 3
## **Why & How this is a unique RSP strength:**
-
- Collaborative partnerships help RSP achieve higher impact
- We aim to partner with organisations that are able to positively impact the lives of vulnerable children by enabling their right to play. RSP is able to able to add value to such organisations because…
- …the RSP team of trustees and volunteers have a high level of charity and professional expertise and experience - specifically around governance, operations and financial management, This is often sought after by charitable organisations looking to fulfil their statutory obligations and increase efficiency
- …we are supported by a rich, diverse network, including our partners, with valuable knowledge and expertise on play and innovative play solutions
- Collaboration is easier in principle that in practice, but due to our belief in its value we persist at it and continually improve in this area
## **Partnership Collaboration Framework:**
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Synergetic
How RSP benefts benefts How Partner benefts
Enabling Children’s
Right to Play:
Increasing / Improving play spaces
Increasing awareness & engagement on
benefts of and right to play
Infuencing change on a wider level
Learning more
about PLAY
Stronger RSP through
skills / knowledge &
expertise shared by partner Stronger
operations and/or
Governance through RSP
provided capacity building
Children they work with are
positively impacted throughincreased focus of playin organisation
Financial stability
& income diversity
through subsidisedto partner
service fee charges
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## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**1. RSP - MAD Partnership**_ - Ongoing
UK charity founded in 2001 to support young people affected by HIV/AIDS . MADaboutART uses art to aid healing and as the platform to ignite imagination, have fun and achieve social change. They have also used art as an advocacy tool through their national and international programmes and exhibitions.
Working in **South Africa**
## **MADaboutART (MAD)**
## **Our Partnership story:**
Our journey with MAD started over 6 years ago, before RSP was even born! RSP co-founder and trustee, Juliette, started preparing their Annual Accounts in 2015; RSP subsequently took over this task, and additionally supported MAD across other areas, this continues to date.
Juliette had the good fortune to visit MAD in South Africa in 2015. She carried out an assessment of their organisation at that point, through participating in some programmes, discussions with staff and trustees, and recording observations over a number of days. The assessment was documented and presented to MAD to aid the strategy work they were carrying out at the time and it was gratefully received by them.
MAD continue to inspire us with their programmes and the activities they carry out. We look forward to our ongoing relationship and the new exciting projects we are planning to better enable children’s right to play.
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MAD - ‘Rainbow of Hope’ Programme
- Children sharing their HIV experience through ART
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## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**1. RSP - MAD Partnership**_ - New!
**What was Achieved through this partnership:**
## Enabling Children’s Right to Play
MAD have positively impacted thousands of children’s lives over the years. Through various art projects and the use of techniques such as Hero Booking and Body Mapping they provide psycho-social support and a safe place for children to play, heal, learn and express themselves. Their centre in Knysna, South Africa, is open daily, and runs regular art and play activities. It now houses over 5,000 pieces of HIV themed art created by children , that are used for advocacy and education.
_MAD Art Gallery_
Through our partnership:
- MAD are stronger and able to bring lasting positive change for more vulnerable children through art and play
- MAD recognised that they had been under reporting the value of play and together we are exploring how they can advocate for and champion children’s right to play more centrally in their organisation
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Strengthen Activities that Strengthen
ourselves strengthen both partners our partner
- RSP to meet their aims - MAD
Strengthened RSP Built Partner Capacity
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Thank you to our partner MAD for helping RSP in these areas:
RSP strengthened MAD in these areas:
- Preparation of Annual Accounts
- Learning more about play - programmes, activities and the benefits of play through art
- Input on Trustees Annual Report - transforming it ‘from a dry old read to a living testament…’
- Financially - partnership fees income - for the preparation of their Annual Accounts
- Governance & Operations - through consultations in different areas
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## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**2. RSP - OCA Partnership**_ - New!
## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**2. RSP - OCA Partnership**_ - New!
**What was Achieved through this partnership:**
Registered as a Scottish charity in 2010, providing health services to remote communities in Zambia. OCA run and support medical clinics in this area, they also train local community health workers in country, and are supported by volunteer doctors from the UK.
Working in **Zambia**
## **On Call Africa (OCA)**
## **Our Partnership story:**
OCA reached out to us in March 2020 seeking charity finance expertise to develop robust financial systems and structures to support their rapidly growing organisation.
RSP committed to provide financial management expertise at a highly subsidised monthly fee _providing_ OCA would also commit to bringing play more centrally to their organisational activities.
A detailed partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was created and through our mutual activities we have strengthened each other. RSP built organisational capacity in OCA and strategically helped them to bring an increased focus on play in their organisation.
It has been greatly value adding and engaging to partner with OCA, we have developed a strong relationship over the year which continues to date, and we hope will continue into the future for many years to come.
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OCA reaching remote
communities in Zambia
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## Enabling Children’s Right to Play
- As a direct result of our Collaborative Partnership Framework, OCA are:
- Bringing play more centrally into their activities Developing for improving health outcomes Free Resources
- Designing play activities to incorporate into All resources their health education programmes developed will be shared freely with
- • Carrying out studies and literary reviews on RSP the value of play through commissioning UCL Masters students
- Looking for ways to advocate on the right to play and infuence change at policy level by leveraging their existing relationship with the Ministry of Health in Zambia
## Built Partner Capacity
## Strengthened RSP
Thank you to our partner OCA for helping RSP in these areas:
RSP strengthened OCA by:
- Helping them fnd ways to use play to achieve their outcomes
- Learning more about Play from OCA play focused activities
- _Building organisational capacity:_
- Increasing our play resources
- Scoping and implementing a new fnance system in OCA
- Developing our Theory of Change
- Providing expertise on Volunteer Management strategies
- Interviewing, recruiting and training a new Finance Manager
- Increasing OCA trustee board capacity by delivering a presentation on Financial Management responsibilities
- Year 2 Annual Report input
- Financially - partnership fees income - for capacity building expertise provided by RSP
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## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**3. RSP - MiChi Partnership**_ - New!
MiChi **Partnering with**
The MiChi team is an India based donor / implementing group of people who set up in 2020 tor the purpose of finding ways to help vulnerable children illegally employed in MICA mining in the Jharkhand region of Eastern India.
CRY is a charity that has been helping and protecting the rights of children in India since 1979. They are partnering with **MiChi** on this project.
Working in **India**
## **MiChi Project**
## **Our Partnership story:**
Our journey with the MiChi team was borne from a long standing relationship with one of its founding members, Rajesh Patel, with whom we have worked on previous charitable projects (see RSP Annual Report 2) and who has now become a champion of children’s right to play. The MiChi team reached out to RSP for charity specific expertise during the early development of this project in January 2021, which is still in its conception stage.
In this short period we have met a number of times, facilitated the incorporation of play as central to the project, and explored ways we can support each other through a collaborative partnership. It’s been greatly inspiring to meet the passionate and diverse people and partners involved in this project and we are excited to join forces and make a positive difference in the lives of the children affected by MICA mining.
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source: peacewoman.org
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source: news.trust.org
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## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**3. RSP - MiChi Partnership**_ - New!
## **What was Achieved through this partnership:**
## MiChi
## Enabling Children’s Right to Play
Co-Creating Free Resources
Through our partnership:
- Play is now central to this project - All resources
- _‘Now play is water to the project._ developed will be _It has seeped into every aspect of our work’_ shared freely
- Commitment to co-create open resources and IEC materials on the benefits and right to play and find other ways to increase awareness and engagement, to better enable children’s right to play
- RSP are exploring ways to collaborate with MiChi partners, like _CRY India,_ to better enable children’s right to play.
## Built Partner Capacity
## Strengthened RSP
Thank you to our partner MiChi for helping RSP in these areas:
RSP strengthened MiChi through:
- Providing critical feedback on project proposals
- Exploring ways to use play to positively impact vulnerable children’s lives
- Helping the MiChi team defne their roles, responsibilities and project aims
- Connecting us to your partner organisations for RSP to explore collaborative opportunities with
- Extensive inputs on project design - using play as the medium to achieve project aims and also to break entry into the hostile project zone at the needs assessment stage.
- Committing to provide reciprocal capacity building resources to RSP in Year 4
- Training on charity tools and structures - MEL and data (monitoring, evaluation, learning) considerations, ToC, consortium structures with charity partners, etc.
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## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS**_
## **What our Partners say:**
‘We have seen significant improvements in our organisational capacity as a result of the partnership with RSP.
Through their guidance, support and expertise we have been able to establish new systems, functions, policies and procedures while going through a period of rapid growth.
When we sought out a partnership with RSP we did so in the knowledge that our existing finance systems and procedures were not adequate for an organisation that had grown its income to £119,000. We now feel confident that we have strong financial systems and procedures that match our growing income, which we project to be over £1million in this financial year’
_- OnCallAfrica (OCA)_
‘MADaboutART benefitted once again this year from RSP’s expertise in the areas of finance and reporting. Together we’ve had a huge range of constructive debate and critique on a whole bunch of things from the trustee recruitment, to grant proposals and my personal favourite the Trustees Annual Report which I really feel that we have transformed together from quite a dry old read to a living testament of what we do at MADAboutART.
I think that without a doubt MadAboutArt is stronger and more capable as a result of the input and expertise we have received from RockStone & Pebbles and that ultimately benefits the children that we serve.’
## _- MADaboutART (MAD)_
## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS**_
## **What our Partners say:**
‘You have been amazing mentors to the MiChi team and the compass that has guided our journey.
You brought in the idea of play and right to play as an important ingredient of design. And you backed the suggestion with researched inputs.
Now play is ‘water’ to the project. It has seeped into every aspect of our work.
Looking forward to making a difference with you: To the lives of our children lost to Mica mining. To strengthening the Right to Play advocacy space. To building new collaborations’.
- _Gratitude and best wishes from the MiChi team_
‘The partnership with RSP has helped to bring the use of play into our planned list of approaches/tools for achieving improved health outcomes.
We are at the beginning of our journey to understand how play could help to enhance our objectives of improving health outcomes in rural communities, and excited to take this forward through pilot programmes over the next few years’.
- OnCallAfrica (OCA)
‘Through the partnership with RSP we are looking for opportunities to engage the Community Health Unit, and different units within MoH, to advocate for the use of play within programmes, and for the right to play for children.
On Call Africa has begun to engage with the Ministry of Health at national level, and is working with the Community Health Unit specifically to develop and run pilot projects that will aim to influence policies and practices at national level.’
- _OnCallAfrica (OCA)_
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## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**DEVELOPING & SHARING RESOURCES**_
## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**4. Developed & Shared Free Resources**_
Resources produced by RSP:
Our vision is to build a sustainable future through collaboration and shared learnings. That is why…
## We are a learning organisation
Focused on working collaboratively
Building new skills and knowledge
## And sharing what we know through
Creating free resources that can help others
& promoting useful third party resources
By using our existing expertise and also through adapting bespoke resources created through in-depth collaborations with our charity partners.
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Setting up a Risk Register in Small Charities
1
Written by Meera Patel
- RSP Trustee
May 2020
How to Make a Snakes & Ladder Board Game
Using Recycled Materials 2
Produced & edited by Meera Patel
April 2020
Article
- Part 2
Video
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## Resources co-created with RSP Associates:
Our key volunteers - RSP Associates - freely shared their time and expertise, using a co-creative approach with RSP, to produce:
e f . o ati t w n
Effective Communication in the Charity Sector **3** _Written by Michael Hill_ - Voice Coach, singer & freelance broadcaster April 2020, July 2020 Environmental Sustainability in the Charity Sector **4** _Written by Trishna Patel_ - Buyer at Brand Addition bringing sustainable supply chain solutions June 2020
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June 2020
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## _**5. Researched & Shared useful 3[rd] party resources**_
- Advocating on the benefits and right to play for children and increasing awareness on the negative impacts of play deprivation
- Calling on governments to fulfil their obligations to Article31 UNCRC and apply the guidelines and recommendations provided in General Comment 17 to put into action what has been committed on paper
- Strengthening civil society organisations and people to be more effective, efficient and better enable children’s right to play
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## _**ENABLING CHILDREN’S RIGHT TO PLAY**_
## **Year 3 Achievements**
## Our overriding mission is to help vulnerable and excluded children access their right to play because we believe play is critical for children’s development & wellbeing.
_Everything we do is directed towards this aim._
_Play is a Right_ - Children have always played, it is their language and their way of learning about and making sense of their world.
Often referred to as _‘the children’s forgotten right’_ - this right is enshrined in Article 31 of _The United Nations Conventions of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) ._
_Play creates positive Change_ - Play sparks learning, creativity & innovation - the power of play can help generate new, innovative and sustainable solutions to the emerging challenges of the future.
_Play for Wellbeing_ - Play empowers children to rise to challenges and find hope. It makes children feel happy and improves their cognitive, physical, social and emotional wellbeing.
## _**What can happen when children don’t play?**_
- _Negative mental health impacts_ - children become frustrated and
- unhappy , which can lead to aggressive , violent and antisocial behaviour
- _Less physically healthy -_ higher risk of obesity / health issues
- _Decrease in cognitive and motor skills_ - harder for children to learn
- _Under developed social skills_ - children tend to be more shy, socially
- awkward , and less able to deal with different social situations
- _Reduced creativity & innovation_ - children lose the opportunity to
- create new ideas and innovate
## _**6. Growing our Play Expertise and Network**_
## **Organisations we connect with - partners & others**
We shared how we do this with our partners in the sections above.
We also connect with other organisations that have expertise and experience in the area of play for the purposes of research, learning, accessing and sharing resources, and exploring opportunities for collaboration.
## **Activities carried out with other organisations:**
Attending 8 week National Play Conference (online)
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•
•
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- Learning about the value and practice of play
- • Connecting to people and organisations in **June-July 2020**
- the play sector across the world
Attending IPA’s 21st Play Conference in Jaipur (online)
Learning how to make a Mural using bio-construction techniques:
We volunteered for 2 weeks Connecting with: in Spain on a project aimed at improving public spaces. Learning from Okambuva and the wonderful artist, Kim Barcena, _We are planning a future project_ who was using traditional mural _together to improve play_ restoration techniques from _opportunities & spaces for_ Mexico. We made this: _vulnerable children in Spain_
Research also indicates that play deprivation can:
- _Negatively impact brain growth_ - gradual loss of electrical activity in the
- brain will stunt growth
- _Affect later generations_ - epigenetical studies show that the effects on
- one generation can ‘echo’ through subsequent generations.
## _“[Play] is increasingly being denied or curtailed by the actions of adults and society, resulting in reports of unhappy children from around the globe”_ - _IPA (International Play Association)_
_Psychiatrist Stuart Brown links play deprivation to ‘major emotional dysregulation - increased prevalence of depression, a tendency to become inflexible in thought, diminished impulse control, less self-regulation, poor management of aggression, and fragility and shallowness of enduring interpersonal relationships’._
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Rafalafena Park, Castellon de la Plana, SpainPage 23
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## _**BUILDING A STRONGER ORGANISATION**_
## **Year 3 Achievements**
## _**7. Strengthened RSP**_
At RSP, we want to build a strong organisation that is sustainable in the long term. We do this by focusing on:
Strengthening our Governance, Operations & Communications:
- Strong trustee board managing a legally compliant organisation
- Clear, defined strategies to guide us to achieve our aims
- Frameworks, policies and procedures to direct us
- Financial stability and independence (no donor dependency)
- Clear and useful communications - knowledge sharing
- Committed people - trustees, volunteers, mentors, partners
Developing sustainable Programmes to meet our charitable aims:
- Facilitate learning and sharing - supported by robust MEL (monitoring, evaluation & learning) systems
- Create / share free resources through collaboration
Being environmentally conscious in everything we do by:
- Exploring and implementing environmentally conscious play solutions , e.g. using _Appropriate Paper Technology (APT)_
- Recycling , re-using and repairing whenever possible
- Being resource conscious and using less where possible
Strengthening governance - set and documented new policies , held monthly trustee meetings , created and delivered meaningful management reporting .
Developing strategy and frameworks - created our Theory of Change framework and next year we will focus on building a three year strategy. We also designed and implemented a Collaboration Partnership Framework and created a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) template to support this; and worked on our Risk Management framework.
Increasing Financial Sustainability - further developed our Fundraising Strategy to include diverse income streams and grew our reserves, thus facilitating organisational sustainability and the ability to plan on a longer term basis.
Improving Communications - created a draft Communications Strategy and increased learnings in this area through free resources on Effective Communication in the Charity sector, developed by RSP Associate, Michael Hill.
Exploring environmental sustainability - carried out extensive research and co-developed a framework and free resource with RSP Associate, Trishna Patel, to help small organisations like ours take the first steps on their environmental sustainability journey. We also explored environmentally friendly materials and techniques that could be adapted to play.
Growing RSP supporter base - built our network in the play and charity sectors, as well as new partnerships , donors and volunteers , and grew our overall supporter base, including more than doubling our social media followers
Learning about play - _we did a lot of this which is described across different sections of this report_
_“We are investing in the effectiveness and future sustainability of our organisation and strengthening it to allow us to fulfil our mission over time and better enable us to have a lasting positive impact on the lives of the people and communities that we work with. To do this we put our learning into action and implement a continuous improvement strategy” - RSP_
Learning how to build a stronger organisation - RSP trustees attended 3 online courses on charity resilience,GDPR and being a good trustee, run by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and Small Charities Coalition.
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LinkedIn
18
regular
donors > 100 social
media posts
made in
Facebook
Year 3
9 Instagram
RSP
Twitter
Associates
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## **Year 3 Key Challenges & Learnings**
## **Organisational Management Challenges & Learnings**
## **Programmes**
**Partners** - we learnt that partnering with organisations that work with / have access to vulnerable children, and not only play focused organisations, provides RSP an opportunity to help such organisations bring play more centrally into their programmes and activities.
**Partnerships** - last year we noted that we need to engage in partnerships that are mutually supportive and meet the aims of both organisations. We developed our Partnership Collaborative Framework and facilitated its implementation. The challenge is to continue finding genuinely collaborative partnerships in the future.
**Strengthening small charities** - the RSP Theory of Change (ToC) developed this year has helped us hone our mission and aims. We recognised that strengthening small charities is not an aim in itself for us but a means to achieving the overall aim of enabling children’s right to play.
**Resources** - we are moving on from developing and sharing highly time intensive co-created resources that are aimed at strengthening small charities, to exploring ways that this can be done more independently and focusing more on I (information), E (education), C (communications) resources on the benefits of and right to play.
## **Operations**
**Management Capacity constraints** - continue to be an ongoing challenge. The two founders (also trustees) predominantly manage the organisation and raise funds for it. There is valued support from volunteers, however capacity constraints remain. Recruiting a paid administration / management position in the longer term remains a consideration for us. We will focus time this year to build a longer term strategy that addresses this key challenge.
## **Governance**
**Governance work** - we made good progress in this area thanks to the committed efforts of our trustee, _Anna Petruccelli._ We still aim to increase our board size and commitment once our longer term strategy is in place. We will be developing a trustee recruitment strategy and continue building our risk register to use it as a reporting and accountability framework for monitoring gaps and strengthening the trustee board.
## **Communications**
**Social media** - these communications take up time resources to prepare and share, and it is difficult to assess how useful they are. We will develop our Communications Strategy this year to help us carry out these activities more effectively.
**Website** - we delayed the launch of the website this year to ensure that it is in line with the three year strategy we are developing this year. The time resources already spent and additionally required on the website design are high, however, we have come a long way and are planning dedicated time this year to meet this objective.
## **Year 3 Key Challenges & Learnings**
## **Challenges and Learnings on enabling children’s right to play**
Lack of understanding on what the _right to play_ means **-** Article31 UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) enshrines the right to play as children’s human right. It is worth noting that there is both a lack of general awareness that this is a right and that all rights listed in the UNCRC are _interconnected_ and need to be seen as a whole, no right supersedes another.
At RSP, we believe that play is especially critical to children’s wellbeing, development and future prospects. It is their language. Play can facilitate - joy, creativity, innovation, improved mental and physical health, improved cognitive and motor skills, increased brain activity, better social skills, and more.
Misperceptions of play - a key barrier for vulnerable children to access their right to play is that play is often seen as a luxury or a wasteful activity. The value and benefits of play are not well understood / properly appreciated.
Lack of play spaces - public play spaces in many parts of the world are shrinking. Institutional structures and beliefs exacerbate the problem, e.g. lack of learning through play / play spaces in schools, or similarly lack of use of play in hospitals or health centres for improved health outcomes.
Other barriers to play - children whose childhoods have been stolen by violence, child labour, early marriage, and through other violations of their rights, often have neither the time nor opportunity to play
Lack of reporting on the value of play - organisations that work with children often incorporate play in their programmes but do not always recognise, measure or report on the positive impacts of play on children. Play is thus under-reported and under-valued.
Lack of resources for play - those that work with children and are passionate about enabling their right to play do not have sufficient resources and/or tools to do so meaningfully.
_Our Theory of Change (ToC) helped us identify these challenges and assess how to best address them:_
- Improve and increase play opportunities and spaces for children
- Increase awareness & engagement on the benefts and right to play
- Increase civil society capacity to facilitate children’s right to play
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## **Year 3 Financial Review**
## **RSP Financial Position as at 31.3.2021**
Year 3 total income received by RSP was £8,542 (Year 2: £5,563) and total costs amounted to £461 (Year 2: £680), resulting in a net income of £8,081 (Year 2: £4,833).
Costs of charitable activities were very low despite a high level of charitable activities carried out because the professional services provided by RSP in carrying out its charitable purposes were provided at low / no cost. Contributions by volunteers also helped RSP maintain a higher net income; these contributions are not represented in the accounts as they cannot be reliably measured on a financial basis; they are instead reflected in the Trustee’s Annual Report and the Notes to the Accounts.
## **RSP Principal sources of funds:**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
This year - Year 3 : All years - Years 1-3 :
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Standing
Orders 23%
Fundraising Income, 1%
Organisations, 76%
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Standing
Orders 22%
Organisations,
39%
Fundraising
Income, 11%
One-off donations, 1%
Major
Donors, 27%
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **RSP Reserves Policy & Position**
As at 31st March 2021, we hold a reserves balance of £21,090 (Year 2: £13,009). Reserves are held to be used in the future in furtherance of our stated purposes. Our policy, for the first three years of operations, as we build our organisational foundations and strategy, is to build up our reserves and maintain low costs. This year (Year 4) we will be developing a 3 year strategy to commence next year and we will re-assess our reserves policy and needs in Year 5. We expect operational costs to remain low until the new strategy commences and at this stage we have sufficient reserves to continue operations and do not need to state a minimal reserves balance.
## **RSP Going Concern**
The Accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis and the kindness of our volunteers and financial supporters provides ability and stability for RSP to continue operations with confidence.
## **Year 3 RSP Supporters Review**
## **RSP Supporters**
Our supporters are very important to us - they add value to and support RSP in various ways, they help us learn, grow and become stronger. **63%**
The backbone of our strategy rests on our _of our Supporters_ collaboration strategy. We are always looking for **work in the** win-win ways of working with our supporters in a **charity sector** synergetic way that benefits us all.
Collaboration sits at the heart of how we work and is a key RSP strength.
|**Engagement Level of supporters:**|**Engagement Level of supporters:**|**Supporter numbers**|**Supporter numbers**|**Supporter numbers**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||2021
_Yr.3_|2020
_Yr.2_|2019
_Yr.1_|
|**1**|Highest engaged supporters
_E.g. Champions/ Advocates_|**6**|6|3|
|**2**|
Very highly engaged supporters
_E.g. Committed volunteers_|**14**|13|11|
|**3**|
Regular engaged supporters
_E.g. Ongoing time/financial commitment to RSP_|**35**|40|15|
|**4**|
Engaged supporters
_Regular engagement, no commitments_|**16**|12|15|
|**5**|
Supporters with some engagement
_Some ad hoc engagement_|**67**|56|68|
|**6**|
Social media supporters
_Low Level engagement_|**208**|60||
|
**TOTAL Number of RSP Supporters**||**346**|**187**|**112**|
|_Year 1 reported supporters were 125 as they included some potential supporters_|||||
_“One of the fantastic things about RSP is that it sees the value in different perspectives working together to promote the power of play. What new ideas can an artist, an accountant and an author create together? Often, these jobs exist quite separately from each other, but play crosses boundaries, brings people together and stimulates new ideas. Working with RSP, I've enjoyed experiencing the connection to play that associates from diverse backgrounds share. This inspired me as I wrote a series of articles for RSP, exploring how my own knowledge and ideas could contribute to RSP's valuable mission.”_
## _- Michael Hill, RSP Associate_
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## **RSP Charitable Purposes for Public Benefit**
## **RSP Charitable Purposes**
Our charitable objects are as summarised below:
## (i) The prevention or relief of poverty anywhere in the world
At RSP we do this by trying to positively impact the lives of vulnerable children by helping them access their right to play.
(ii) To promote the effciency and effectiveness of other initiatives working towards objectives similar to (i) above
We adopt a deeply collaborative approach to partner with organisations and initiatives where we can find synergy and enable each other to better meet each others aims. Our _Partnership Collaboration Framework_ enables RSP to provide capacity building expertise to our partners _and_ at the same time meet object (i) through identifying and maximising other opportunities together.
## **RSP Public Benefit Statement**
RSP purposes satisfy the public benefit requirements, in line with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. There has been no harm or private benefits arising from carrying out these purposes.
RSP provided public benefit this year by:
(I) Positively impacting the lives of vulnerable and excluded children across the world by facilitating increased and improved access to their right to play. We did this by directly carrying out activities and also by planning and facilitating play enhancing activities with our partner organisations and committing them through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that detailed partner activities that would contribute towards each others aims.
(ii) Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of non profit organisations and initiatives by providing capacity building expertise in the areas of charity governance and operations. This facilitated increased compliance and improved reporting to the public and strengthened the organisations we work with to better enable them to meet their aims and positively impact the lives of the vulnerable children / groups that they work with.
The collaborative approach we adopt is also aimed at adding value to civil society in general, as well as those working specifically to positively impact the lives of vulnerable children. We developed and freely shared resources this year for public benefit purposes.
These achievements are evidenced throughout this report and through feedback provided by different stakeholders.
## **Structure, Governance & Management**
## **Governing document**
The charity was established and set up as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 16 April 2018. It is governed by its constitution which sets out the objectives and powers of this CIO.
## **Recruitment & Appointment of new trustees**
The constitution stipulates a minimum of 2 trustees, there is no maximum number of trustees that must be appointed. Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. Trustees will be recruited on the basis of the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
## **Management**
The founders, who are also the trustees, manage the operations and activities of the charity. They are supported by a network of associates who voluntarily contribute their time and skills to the charity’s projects.
## **Risk Management**
The trustees carry out their duty to identify and review the risks the charity is exposed to and ensure appropriate mitigation plans are in place to provide assurance on the charity’s compliance and continuance.
## **Reference & Administrative Details**
Charity Name: RockStone & Pebbles (RSP)
Charity Registration Number: 1177973
Charity Registration Date: 16 April 2018
Registered Offce: 8 Cyclamen Road, Kent BR8 8HJ Bankers: Metro Bank, Orpington BR5 3RP
Trustees **-** during the year and up to the date of this report:
Juliette Liebi, Meera Patel, Anna Petruccelli Resigned Trustee - Mary Ann Ephgrave , 30 November 2020
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## **Trustees’ Statement of Responsibility**
The trustees of RockStone & Pebbles (RSP) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the Annual Accounts in accordance with applicable law - Charities SORP (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011 – which give a true and fair view of the charity’s activities.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees must:
- Select and consistently apply suitable accounting
- policies
- Observe the methods and principles in the
- Charities SORP (FRS102)
- Make reasonable and prudent judgements
- and estimates
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern
- basis unless inappropriate to presume the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records and for safeguarding the assets of the charity by maintaining robust internal controls to mitigate the risk of fraud, error and other irregularities.
The trustees accept and carry out these responsibilities.
## **Approval of Trustees Annual Report**
The Trustees’ Annual Report has been approved and signed by all trustees of the charity, RockStone & Pebbles, on 26 July 2021:
Juliette Liebi
Meera Patel
Anna Petruccelli
_Co-founder & trustee_
_Co-founder & trustee_
_Joined as trustee in February 2020_
**----- Start of picture text -----**
#PlayMatters
“The creation of something new is not accomplished
by the intellect but by the play instinct.”
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“Play is the answer to the question,
‘How does anything new come about?’ ”
“It is paradoxical that many
educators and parents still
dif f erentiate between a time
for learning and a time for
play without seeing the vital
connection between them.”
“Play sharpens our talent for
empathy & collaboration…it’s
the antidote to social isolation”
“Whoever wants to
understand much
must play much.”
“Play is the
highest form of
research”
- Albert Einstein
**----- End of picture text -----**
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## **RSP FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Year 3**
**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (SOFA)** _For the year ended 31 March 2021_
|**_Three Year Summary:_**|_2021_|_2020_|_2019_|
|---|---|---|---|
|Total Income|8,542|5,563|8,170|
|Total Expenditure|-481|-680|-45|
|
**Net Income**|**8,081**|**4,883**|**8,125**|
|Page 34||||
## **RSP FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Year 3**
**BALANCE SHEET** _As at 31 March 2021_
|**_Three Year Summary:_**|_2021_|_2020_|_2019_|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Total Available Charity Funds**|**21,090**|**13,009**|**8,125**|
|Page 35||||
## **RSP FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Year 3**
## **RSP FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Year 3**
## **2. Accounting Policies** (cont...)
## **Notes / Disclosures to the Accounts:**
## **1. Contributions by Volunteers**
## **2. Accounting Policies**
## a) Statutory information
RockStone & Pebbles is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Further details are given in the ‘Reference & Administrative Details’ section.
## b) Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP FRS 102), and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared to give a ‘true and fair’ view.
## c) Public beneft entity
The charity is a public benefit entity. The ‘RSP Public Benefit Statement’ in the previous section demonstrates how RSP meets the definition of a public benefit entity.
## d) Going concern
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
## e) Income
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably.
## f) Donations of gifts, services and facilities
In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), volunteer time is not recognised in the Financial Statements as the value cannot be reliably measured. Refer to the Notes to the Accounts and the Trustees Annual Report for information on volunteer contributions.
## g.) Staf f costs There have been no paid staff during this financial year.
## h.) Fund accounting
Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria will charged to the relevant fund it applies to. There have been no restricted funds received or spent during this period.
Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the general charitable purposes. All funds received to date have been unrestricted funds. Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes. There have been no designated funds allocated during the period.
## i.) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under:
- Costs of raising funds relate to the costs incurred by the charity in inducing third parties to make voluntary contributions to it, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraising purpose.
- Charitable activities includes the running costs undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and direct costs of charitable activities undertaken.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
## j.) Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition.
## k.) Support cost allocations
Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However, the cost of overall direction and administration of each activity, such as overhead costs of the central function is attributed to each activity. The support costs have been fully allocated to the charitable activities undertaken as no costs / activities carried out were related to fundraising.
## l.) Tangible fxed assets
Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £500. No tangible fxed assets were purchase during this period.
## m.) Debtors
Debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due.
## n.) Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation
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## _**Special Thanks & Acknowledgements**_
_To our wonderful donors who provide RSP with the ability and stability to carry out our work._
_To our inspiring partners for their engagement to include play more centrally into their organisations & commitment to activities that enhance the aims of RSP_
_To our dedicated RSP Associates who kindly volunteer their expertise / time freely to RSP._
_To the other generous organisations and people who contribute time / expertise / services freely to RSP_
_And to all those working to positively impact children’s lives through enabling their right to play._
## _**RSP Associates**_
_- a special thanks from RSP for your help in these areas:_
**Niketa Fazal** - creating all the paintings in this booklet for RSP, and providing training to RSP trustee on design principles and software
**Dalia Abu Yassien** - co-developing RSP Safeguarding policies and procedures, and supporting RSP social media activities
**Trishna Patel** - inputting on RSP strategy , co-creating RSP free resource focused on _sustainability_ , and project managing the RSP website development
**Michael Hill** - co-creating 2 RSP free resources focused on _Effective Communication in the charity sector_
**Daniel Thorndyke** - delivering financial management expertise to our partners, _On Call Africa_ and _MADaboutART_
**Cathy-Mae Karelse** - sharing expertise on mindfulness and wellbeing
**SarahThorndyke** - Proof-reading, editing and feedback on RSP resources and Trustees Annual Reports
**Jemma Tarnas** - exploring opportunities with us and committing to providing financial management expertise to our partner this year
**Sue Wicks** - mentoring RSP founders on RSP strategy for the last 3 years
_For contributing your time & expertise, thank you also to:_
_Ben Margetts - CEO at our partner organisation, OCA, for planning activities and committing resources towards RSP aims_
_Thank you for providing website hosting and development services freely to RSP_
_Malcolm Spence - Trustee at OCA for facilitating the partnership with RSP and also mentoring us on our Theory of Change (ToC) and inputs on our strategy_
www.powerweave.com
_Pete Moody - for supporting RSP on volunteer management frameworks and strategies_
India based company providing IT solutions
_Louise Alexander - for sharing finance system expertise during the systems scoping phase with our partner OCA_
_Rajesh Patel - for facilitating valuable collaborations for RSP and for advocating on children’s right to play_
_Jake Grout-Smith - for discussions with RSP trustee and inputting on our Theory of Change (ToC)_
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Dalia
Niketa
Trishna
Individually
a
drop…
together
an Ocean Daniel
Cathy-Mae
Sue
Michael
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Sarah
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Jemma
**----- End of picture text -----**
Page 38
## All paintings created and sponsored by Niketa Fazal
_**How to support RSP:**_
**Donate** - small regular donations of £3-5/month especially make a difference in helping us build organisational sustainability and to plan in the longer term.
_Bank A/C Name: RockStone & Pebbles Sort Code: 23-05-80 Account Number: 29219257_
**Raise income for us without spending a penny!** Register with EasyFundraising - select us as your preferred charity and carry on your online shopping as usual
**Contact details:** rockstonetrust@gmail.com Or through our social media pages: LinkedIn / Instagram _@rockstoneandpebbles_ Twitter _@rockstoneandp_
_*We are no longer on Facebook_
_**Our website is currently in development_
**Volunteer** - contribute your time, expertise and unique talents to RSP. Be it a few hours / few days a month, the regular commitment makes a huge difference.
**Be a play champion** - promote the benefits and right to play within your networks, and share related resources with and from RSP
**Connect us** - we look for ways to connect with people and / or organisations to build collaborative partnerships and relationships that can meet the aims of everyone
**Spread the word** - share information about our work and activities with your networks, and follow us on our social media pages.
_The cost of this booklet has been sponsored by the trustees and not by the charity_