2025-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] April 2024 Period start date To 31[st] March 2025 Period end date

Charity name: Chalgrove and Watlington First Steps Family Hub

Charity registration number: 1179759

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To enhance the development and education of families with children primarily under statutory school age in Watlington, Chalgrove and surrounding villages.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	The Hub is open each morning for sessions planned for 0 -5 years and their parents and carers. In addition it runs more specialist sessions including school readiness, mental health and wellbeing, baby massage and music. The staff are able to signpost parents and carers to additional specialist services as needed and have regular contact with health and educational professionals who visit the hub regularly.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	All trustees have been provided with the charity commission documentation both in hard copy and online and have signed a Trustee and Committee code of conduct document

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	Our 3 paid staff are supported by a volunteer at each session. All are DBS checked and have completed safeguarding training. Our trustees and committee

members are also volunteers providing a lot of support time, enthusiasm, and professional knowledge to help the staff with the work programme as well as attending meetings regularly. Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20		We aim to provide a support service for children, parents, grandparents, and other carers in South Oxfordshire operating from two bases – one in Chalgrove and one in Watlington. These are both alongside nursery and primary schools and linking closely with staff there. We provide activity sessions preparing babies and young children to be ready for nursery and school as well as support and advice for the adults caring for them. These services are preventive and responsive to local needs providing social contact to prevent loneliness and isolation and poor mental health. The services are a lifeline particularly for young families new to the area and we have many new houses being built. It is hoped that these connections will remove or reduce some of the burden on social care and family support services as families establish links in their communities. This year has seen a significant increase in those moving to new housing requiring more support in a new area. We have continued with the social media connections which were established when we were unable to open in person and this has reached families in more remote locations who may find attendance more difficult at times. We are confident that our two centres have achieved their objective this year and have been delighted to see such high attendance with very positive feedback from those attending. Smaller groups have been able to support those more anxious about meeting others as well as large groups with a musician who provides enjoyment for all in a large hall attached to the playroom. We have close links with the parish councils. Local District and County Councillors have provided not only continued support to our committee as well as visiting us but have been able access finance from their councillor grants which has helped enormously. We have remained financially

stable and as numbers have increased so have our voluntary contributions. We can continue to provide the service successfully due to excellent staff, a very positive and reliable group of volunteers as well as regular support from Health Visitors and Head Teachers from the schools and nurseries.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	The charity is meeting the objectives set out in its constitution and this is evidenced by attendance figures, verbal and written feedback from attendees and nursery and primary school head teachers.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	Fundraising and donations have continued to match our financial requirements.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	We have a deposit account with our bank and we have been able to increase funds with interest successfully.
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	The charity has reduced its reserves a little this year but still maintains a healthy balance sheet with a lot of voluntary donations from the community.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	Our reserves are maintained to ensure the stability of the organisation and the employment of staff. We have accepted grants when offered for various items and the support of the parish councils and closely monitor, at our regular meetings, our sustainability as well as our regular outgoings.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£38279
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	We are increasingly concerned about our financial sustainability longer term as our staff numbers are higher and fewer volunteers are available for trustee, committee and voluntary roles. We are currently applying for a number of grants with support from our local government councillors but hoping that the government strategy for Early Years Hubs for family support will be expanded and will be able to support our services.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Parish Councils annual donations, District and County Council Councillor grants, occasional donations from local businesses, voluntary tradesman support for maintenance tasks, fundraising activities by villagers or from fetes and festivals. We receive regular donations each week from our services users which is recommended but voluntary and access is open to all.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	As our charity has become more established and recognised for the work we do we hope that any financial risks have lessened as more people have experienced the care and support provided enabling us to request increased donations if required to maintain services. Currently we are very fortunate with our two premises, but should this change and require large rent payments it would present a greater

financial risk to our organisation. We have also increased the pay rates and numbers of hours worked by staff to manage our increased demand and ensure safety for all our users. Our outgoings are therefore slightly higher than in previous years. We do need increased staff management time and fundraising skills to continue as grants are less available and cannot be relied up on to achieve sufficient income. We have a number of tasks and responsibilities being undertaken by older retired trustees and committee which is not sustainable without an injection of employed management staff. Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	CIO Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Trustees are appointed by a resolution passed at a meeting of the charity trustees.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	New trustees meet initially with Chair of Trustees and then with committee members and trustees. They all sign a code of conduct when they are elected and this is explained fully to them.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The charity works collaboratively with local councillors, education staff, local health services and other early years services.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	Professional relationships particularly working with statutory child care situations and our local councils and schools as described above.
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	First Steps Family Hubs
Other name the charity uses	Chalgrove and Watlington First Steps Family Hubs
Registered charity number	1179759
Charity’s principal address	Chalgrove and Watlington First Steps Family Hub High Street Chalgrove Oxfordshire OX44 7ST

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Heather Topping	Chair		Trustees as stated here
	Amanda Bruce	Secretary
	Linda Simmie
	Valerie Kearney
	Neil Topping

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity

Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Full name(s)

Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc)

Date

FIRST STEPS FAMILY HU8 INCOME & E<PENofruRE ACCOUNT- 12 MONTHSTO MAKH 2025 6Mto September October Decernl)•r J•nuary February March 4103 915 197 6368 6674 Budget 12M to March 12Mto M•r¢h INCOME EXPÉNDITURE 19979 11785 3267 3832 3159 2111 2949 SURPLUSIIDEFICITI CASH @ BAMK bll CASH @ SANK clf 29111 32220 -2352 -3635 4360 -2773 4563 -1616 .9132 .13540 47415 39733 37381 33746 381( 35333 38Z80 47415 39733 37381 33746 381C 35333 39896 382 29148 33875 INCOME Watlln8ton P C Chalgro¥e P C Stadhampton P C Interest S•55bn Donatlons Othtr Donatlons Othtr Incom• Glft Ald 65 65CiI 82 299 78 309 945 1427 1021 26 920 173 655 1185 2651 2670 53 920 116 228 49 3450 240 950 4103 915 197 6368 6674 36 19979 18680 EXPENDITURE S•larlos. Tralnlns S•sslon R•sources Prem15es Expen5e5 A(lrnln Empenses Donattons Telephone IT E￿endItUr+ 2395 24 203 194 2166 78 347 1740 2510 li 2451 18 901 21875 120 2210 21900 175 246 177 160 2850 35CKI 470 i￿) 160 1122 366 1290 439 J49 2474 11785 3267 3832 3159 2111 2949 29111 32220 BANK BALANCE Current Deposlt 13428 26305 39733 10993 26388 37381 72BI 26465 33746 11555 26551 38106 87(K) 26633 35333 13192 2671M 39896 11497 26782 38279