## **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
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**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