LIGHTHOUSE CRESSEX 2022 ANNUAL REPORT
By David Lidiard, Oct 2022
Lighthouse Cressex delivers a fun week-long summer holiday programme for children of primary school age run by local churches working together with our local community. Although we don’t have a specific catchment area, we expect to draw children from our local areas of Booker and Cressex. We have been running annually since 2010 and use Cressex Community School as our base. In 2022 we welcomed around 160 children on average aged between 5 and 10+ supported by approximately 140 volunteers of whom around half were teenagers. We also held Little Lighthouse for children under 5 and their carers attracting over 120 visits. Included in the 160 children were 15 children with special needs most of whom were able to be fully engaged with their age groups with some additional considerations and assistance ably provided by our volunteers. A few children needed a special environment with one to one support where we were able to provide it.
After the Covid years of 2020 and 2021 where Lighthouse was run online and then at 2 of our local church buildings we were once again able to be back in Cressex school. Although our numbers were down a little from pre-Covid years this was in line with all of the other Lighthouses being run and children’s activities in general, so we were very pleased to get the level of child attendance and helpers that we saw. We are very grateful to Cressex School for allowing us to use their fantastic facilities for Lighthouse and being able to work with the excellent staff.
A new endeavour this year was to provide a special event for our young ‘red shirts’ aka teenagers on 2 evenings of the Lighthouse week at the local church across the road (CSK). Here the young people were able to relax from their day time responsibilities of caring for the younger children and have fun games, a café followed by an opportunity to discuss some of the deeper questions and challenges that life throws at us. Although this started small we hope that this will be a great opportunity for our red shirts to get to know one another, have a fun time and make that transition from child into adult.
This year our theme was illustrated by life in a circus and the atrium and main stage were decked out in circus decoration by our talented props team. We had a clown car that fell apart and tight rope walking, on a bench. The highlight of the circus theme was on Wednesday when a circus performer came in for a day with all of his props and led workshops of 30 children at a time allowing them to try out a number of circus skills, the safe ones! It was a very busy day but the children had a fantastic time. As always our mainstage where everyone is gathered is a lively time full of singing, dancing, games, teaching and drama. After the children separate into their groups for sessions of sports, drama, craft and learning together. The older children (9-11) will have specialized workshops to suit their age group. At the end of the week the trustees were able to provide every child with a book to keep and as a reminder of the week.
The trustees are very grateful to our sponsors. Lighthouse is run on a voluntary basis and no charge is made for the week despite the number of drinks, biscuits and cakes consumed. Lighthouse relies on contributions from parents and a small number of key donors including a grant from Buckinghamshire Council and from a number of the local churches and individuals. Lighthouse Cressex formally acknowledges the Buckinghamshire Council grant of £1,500 awarded by High Wycombe Town Committee to support this Summer Holiday Programme. Most of all we are indebted to our volunteers who provide time, expertise and energy to make Lighthouse Cressex happen often taking holiday or unpaid leave to volunteer during the week. Despite being exhausted at the end of the Lighthouse week it gives the trustees and volunteers great pleasure to receive
thanks from the children and parents who in themselves struggle to find activities for their children during the summer school holidays.
TRUSTEES
Jacqui Griggs Sharon Windsor Clare Lamb Catri Plummer Rev Steve Whitmore Alan Molyneux David Lidiard
Named Trustee Posts:
Treasurer – Jacqui Griggs Secretary – Catri Plummer Chair – David Lidiard
Treasurer’s Report:
Lighthouse Cressex Financial Report 2022
For year ended 30th September 2022
Summary
This year’s Lighthouse was back in its familiar format held at Cressex Community School. Care needs to be taken when comparing accounts from previous years – pre-Covid 2019 held at Cressex School; 2020 on-line only; 2021 held at two church venues; 2022 held at Cressex School with reduced numbers.
Our surplus for the week was £48. However, included in the income are two amounts that relate to 2021. A late community grant from Buckinghamshire Council of £1500 and an additional contribution from CSK Church of £695. These were received after the 2021 accounts were closed.
Removing these figures from our 2022 accounts would result in a deficit of £2,147. However we are expecting a donation from CSK Church of £2,000 towards the 2022 costs will be received in due course and therefore this would reduce the deficit to £147. Not far off break even.
Income - £9,044
Church donations –We received continued support from CSK, Kings Church, New Life Christian Fellowship, Our Lady of Grace and Oakridge Baptist Church. Total received from churches £1,645.
Grant Funding – We were awarded £1,500 per year community funding from Buckinghamshire Council for 2021 and 2022.
Individual supporter donations – again we have been so blessed by individuals who have supported us (and continue to support us) so generously with a total of £1,212
Donations through the week (including online)
Donations through the week were a combination of cash (£145); card (through a card machine kindly lent to us by CSK church) (£221); bank transfer (£480); and online (now Invest My Community) (£927). In all totaling £1,773.
Shop
The shop ran again this year with income of £733 (£218 through the card machine) and after deducting costs made a surplus of £214
Gift Aid
£679 includes £513 claimed from 2021 donations plus £166 claimed by
InvestMyCommunity on our behalf for 2022 online donations.
- Expenditure £8,996
Site Costs (£2,443)
Staging and AV Equipment costs of £1,618. Equipment hire was reduced to a minimum (compared to 2019 costs of £2,151). There were some problems with delivery and functioning of equipment and we have been given a credit for next year of £114.
Main stage set up £498
Other site costs £327
School Hire (£1,650)
School hire costs of £1,650 (held at 2019 rates). We have been informed these costs will be increased for 2023.
First Aid (£550)
Back down to one first aider compared to two required in 2021.
Insurance (£298)
Admin Costs (£1277)
These costs include the admin fee charged by LHCentral of £3.50 per head for each child and volunteer (315 @ £3.50 = £1,102) plus DBS costs £5/head (29 @ £5.00 = £145.00)
(Volunteers enrolled 149/children enrolled 166)
(Charges in 2021 were £2.50 per volunteer/child and £3 per DBS)
Stationery costs of £30
Bank Charges (£63)
A new cost for us. HSBC now charge charities for their banking services. £5 fee per month for managing the account plus activity charges of 40p per cheque/40p per £100 cash. Charges started December 2021.
Activities (£1020)
Include costs for circus skills workshop of £649. Craft £256. Age groups £115.
Shop costs (£519)
T shirts/badges (£300)
This cost was kept to a minimum by using stock from previous years.
Refreshments (£455)
Covers the BBQ and refreshments during the week. Less than previous years due to a minimal charge for the BBQ.
Charitable Donations
Trustees have agreed to make a donation of £500 to WYFC. This will show in next year’s accounts.
Gifts to children (£420)
We were able to give books for all age groups to take home.
Reserves - £8,741
Our reserves have not moved significantly from 2021. We consider these to be adequate as we look ahead to Lighthouse 2023 and will be sufficient to cover any costs that are incurred before next year’s LH week.
So another very blessed Lighthouse year from a financial point of view. All thanks to God for His abundant provision in supplying all that we need for His Kingdom works.
Jacqui Griggs
Treasurer and Trustee
Lighthouse Cressex
10th November 2022
LIGHTHOUSE CRESSEX
CIO NUMBER 1183476
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST OCTOBER 2021-30TH SEPTEMBER 2022
| RECEIPTS Donations (Churches, Grants, Supporters) Donations (during the week) Donations (online) Gift aid tax refund Shop sales Total PAYMENTS Site Set Up/Stage/AV School Hire Other costs First Aid Insurance Admin Bank charges Activities Shop Helpers T-shirts/lanyards/badges Refreshments Charitable donations Gifts for LH children/families Misc Total Income less expenditure for current year Balance bought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to following year BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30TH SEPTEMBER 2022 Current Assets: Cash in hand at bank less unpresented cheques Total |
5857 846 927 679 734 £9,044 |
|---|---|
| 2443 1650 550 298 1277 63 1020 519 300 455 420 £8,996 |
|
| £48 £8,693 £8,741 |
|
| £9,427 £686 £8,741 |