CIO 1185114
Trustees’ annual report and accounts for the 12 months ended 31 December 2024.
The Trustees have pleasure in presenting The Treasure Basket Association’s report together with the financial statements for the 12-month period ended 31 December 2024.
About The Treasure Basket Association
We are a small West Sussex charity providing relief and protection of the mental health of children, in particular but not exclusively for those with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, through the provision of therapeutic services and materials and the coaching and mentoring of supporting families.
Increasingly, restricted funding of schools and other educational organisations are not sufficient to support therapy for children and families as a preventative measure before they reach crisis point. In addition many families are, sadly, not picked up by or meet the requirements for government backed services. This is where we come in - if we can reach out to these children and families before they develop detrimental coping strategies then there is a better likelihood that the support has a greater impact.
Trauma, deprivation and adverse childhood experiences causes multiple complexities for children, young people and families. The barriers that some families face can make it feel impossible to increase their skills, employment opportunities, income and accommodation standards. This can produce an outcome of childhood of poverty with effects that can become detrimental to a child’s emotional well-being and their own life patterns. In such situations there is clearly a need for the intervention of an organisation that provides play therapy with a holistic approach, focusing on meeting the short and long term needs. We offer qualified, registered and supervised professionals who have the experience, knowledge and understanding to work with - and heal - young minds. The result is that during the therapeutic process the family grows in confidence as they have new tools to manage the conflict and make the necessary changes.
Our name, The Treasure Basket Association, was inspired by Elinor Goldschmied whose work has had a profound influence on theory and practice within early childhood education. A “Treasure Basket”, originally designed for sitting babies to explore, is full of real objects which are sensoryenriching, which assist the promotion of mental, emotional and physical development.
The Treasure Basket Association uses play and creative arts and advocates the importance of these for good mental health in children, young people, and adults. Regular exploration promotes the development of creativity, imagination, self-confidence, intrinsic values, self-efficacy as well as physical, social, cognitive and emotional well-being. The freedom of non-directive play is an opportunity to raise self-awareness and alter behaviour constructively.
Operating from a base in Goring-By-Sea, West Sussex, the Treasure Basket Association was founded in 2016 and became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2019. Our founder member Felicia had worked previously as a professional play therapist and continues to play a key and fundamental role in the charity.
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The Treasure Basket Association provides support through:
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Increasing access to Play Therapy sessions in designated areas of deprivation by supporting funding in schools.
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Securing preventative initiatives by facilitating one-to-one Play Therapy sessions for children experiencing emotional distress.
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Providing families’ access to therapeutic play materials and mentoring and coaching support.
Review of the year 2024
In 2024 we were not able to secure any grant nor fundraising income. We completed outstanding works for which we were holding restricted funds at the beginning of the year. We were also committed to rebuilding the website in 2024 but were not able to raise funds to cover the cost of the redesign. We continue to maintain a bank account and commit to necessary overheads such as licencing and insurance.
Financial performance
Financial summary for 2024
For 2024 the charity recorded a deficit of £2,314, compared to a deficit of £1,356 in the previous year. No grants were received nor income from community fundraising. The project for which grant funds were carried over from 2023 was completed during the year.
Basis of accounting
In accordance with guidance relating to CIOs, we have opted to prepare our accounts on a receipts and payments basis as our gross income is less than £250,000. Under this method, transactions are recorded in the charity’s books only when cash or bank funds are received or expended. Accordingly debtors and creditors are not recognised in the financial statements and the charity’s Balance Sheet is represented by cumulative surplus reserves and bank and cash balances only.
Audit of accounts
Where an audit is not required under the Charities Act or by its governing document an independent examination is required if the CIO’s gross income is more than £25,000 in the financial year. In accordance with this guidance, the Trustees have elected for the charity’s books for 2024 not to be audited nor independently examined as the gross income for the year is less than £25,000. The Trustees have elected to review this requirement on a year-by-year basis.
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Financial summary for 2024
The Treasure Basket Association Charity No. 1185114 Financial Statements for the year to 31/12/2024
| Summary INCOME Donations & Legacies (inc Gift Aid) Grants Community Fundraising Interest received TOTAL INCOME EXPENDITURE Therapist's Professional Fees Other Professional Fees Therapeutic Resources Treasure Basket items Other Direct Project Expenses Fundraising costs Website and Social Media Training Insurance Bank Charges Travel & Subsistence Office General Expenses Sundries TOTAL EXPENDITURE Surplus/(Deficit) Movement in funds Bank Account at 1 January Net Surplus/Deficit for the period Bank Account at 31 December Represented by Restricted funds (see report) Unrestricted funds (charity reserves c/f) |
2024 2023 £ £ - 301 - 4,831 - 3,035 - 2 - 8,169 720 4,970 - 2,605 - 670 - 66 - 70 - 310 1,505 154 - 360 - 218 60 73 29 114 - 35 - 120 - 2,314 9,525 2,314 - 1,356 - 3,054 4,410 2,314 - 1,356 - 740 3,054 2,354 2,354 1,614 - 700 740 3,054 |
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Utilisation of Restricted Funds in 2024
We are very grateful to all those who have provided grants and donations in previous years, which enabled us to fulfil our aims.
Reserves policy
We regularly and stringently monitor and account for Restricted and General (unrestricted) funds in our financial and reporting processes. The two types of fund can be defined as follows:
Restricted Funds - are where all the funds raised for a particular cause must be used in accordance with the requests of the funder. Examples include grants or donations given for specific projects. The Treasure Basket allocates expenditure on these “projects” in a way that provides transparency to the grantor or donor, who at any time has an opportunity to examine the transactions. Where Restricted Funds are unspent at a reporting date we identify and highlight the unspent portion for future action.
General Funds - are those that a charity has received which are not held for any specific purpose. They can be spent as deemed fit in accordance with the charity’s terms of reference, and can include where a charity has received funds through general donations, or fundraising. General funds are used to cover overheads and to support growth, and in exceptional situations can be used to support extended support in Restricted Funds projects.
Our policy for reserves is that the general fund should be sufficient to allow us to work with the children we support until they can be safely discharged – whilst retaining adequate resources to
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maintain and grow the charity. The balance of these two aims is a continual challenge, which include sometimes taking calculated risks of using our reserves to meet the needs until the grants materialise, always knowing that our community fundraising events and donations will replenish funds in due course.
Movements in reserves during 2024, with comparatives, are as follows:
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