Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1st January 2025 To 31st December 2025
Charity name: Exeter Equine Care Trust
Charity registration number: 1188994
Objectives and Activities
Exeter Equine Care Trust was established as a charity for the following purpose:-
Activities during the period:-
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To promote humane behaviour towards animals by providing appropriate care, protection, treatment and security for horses which are in need of care and attention as a result of their owners being unable to care for them, or rehome them by providing a home for as long as needed where the horse’s retirement, behavioural or health needs will be managed, and where possible, they will be rehomed safely elsewhere. To educate the public in matters pertaining to equine welfare and the prevention of cruelty and suffering. |
| 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 |
Trustees focussed in 2025 on fund-raising to support horses and increasing the community engagement activity programme. Trustees focused energy on events and online engagement with supporters and donors, increasing the social media profile and raising awareness of the various ways supporters can donate cash or time. Three grants were secured towards the end of the year; a. An educational grant of £881 from Devon County Council under their “Places to Go-Things to Do”fund |
| for materials in our sessions with the community b. Exeter City Council also awarded the charity a £1,000 grant to continue to provide volunteering opportunities to the community, and help fund the site maintenance and equipment the volunteers use. c. A grant of £14,477 was awarded by the National Lottery Community Fund towards creating a new Outdoor Safe Space for volunteers and the public to engage safely with horses. Our supporters generously raised the necessary match funding of £1,450 required for these projects. |
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|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | Trustees have complied with our duty to have due regard to the commission's public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
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SORP reference |
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| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | Not applicable |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | Not applicable |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | Trustees would like to thank the daily contribution from volunteers at Hilltop without whom we would not be able to provide the level of equine welfare our retired horses deserve, offer well-being placements, nor engage regularly with community groups. |
| Other | Not applicable |
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 | Trustees, Volunteers and Supporters were tireless in their efforts in 2025. Working with the riding school located on site the charity was able to interact with the public at events to promote equine welfare, as well as run an inclusive volunteer programme which provides opportunities for personal wellbeing, good health and learning through interaction with the horses, as well as plan for the future. |
|---|---|---|
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Not applicable |
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Not applicable |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable | |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Total receipts on unrestricted funds were £7,249 from fund-raising and donations in 2025, plus £16,358 in grants. Payments of £5,251 were made to third parties in 2024, in addition to volunteer time and donated goods. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The Trustees have an agreed aim to establish unrestricted reserves of £6k being sufficient to support 4 horses extra-ordinary needs for a year. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | Designated reserves for projects of £17,383 plus £6,902 of general reserves as at 31st December 2025 Total £24.286 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | Not applicable |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | Not applicable |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | Not applicable |
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 | Not applicable |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | Not applicable |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable | |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
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|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | We are are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission on 9 April 2020, registration number 118894 |
| 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 nominated and elected according to the adopted constitution. During the period there were no changes to the initially appointed Trustees. Meetings are chaired by appointment amongst attending Trustees at each meeting. |
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 | Not applicable |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | Not applicable |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | Not applicable |
| Other | Not applicable | |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Exeter Equine Care Trust |
|---|---|
Other name the charity uses |
|
Registered charity number |
1188994 |
Charity’s principal address |
Hilltop Riding School Pennsylvania Road Exeter EX4 5BN |
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 (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janet Portbury | |||
| Sonia Lowe | |||
| Claire Green | |||
| Kate Hoskins | 1st-9th Jan25 | ||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name Not applicable
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year | |
|---|---|---|
| Not applicable | ||
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity |
NONE |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
Not applicable |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
Not applicable |
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
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| Not applicable | |||
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | |||
| Not applicable | |||
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Not applicable
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name(s) | Katherine Hoskins |
Sonia Lowe |
| Position | Treasurer | Trustee |
| Date | 30/3/26 | 30/3/26 |
| Exeter Equine Care Trust | Exeter Equine Care Trust | Exeter Equine Care Trust | Exeter Equine Care Trust | Exeter Equine Care Trust | 1188994 | 1188994 | 1188994 | CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the period from |
1/1/25 | To | 31/12/25 | ||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
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| Donations | - 2,574- |
- 1,453- |
- -- |
- 4,027- |
- 3,449- |
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| Fundraising proceeds | - 1,769- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 1,769- |
- 1,630- |
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| Grants | - -- |
- 16,358- |
- -- |
- 16,358- |
- -- |
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| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | - 4,343- |
- 17,811- |
- -- |
- 22,154- |
- 5,079- |
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| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
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| Sub total Total receipts A3 Payments |
- -- |
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- -- |
- -- |
- -- |
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| - 4,343- |
- 17,811- |
- -- |
- 22,154- |
- 5,079- |
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| Administration and Fundraising (website, |
- 893- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 893- |
- 385- |
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| ) Equine supplies (bedding, feed, worming, |
- 3,431- |
- -- |
- -- |
- 3,431- |
- 1,232- |
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| f ) |
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see | |||||||||||||||||||||
| table). | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sub total | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
| **Total receipts ** | - | 4,343- | - | 17,811- | - | -- | - | 22,154- | - | 5,079- | |||||||||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Administration and Fundraising (website, | - | 893- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 893- | - | 385- | |||||||||||
| ) Equine supplies (bedding, feed, worming, |
- | 3,431- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 3,431- | - | 1,232- |
| A3 Payments | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administration and Fundraising (website, | - | 893- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 893- | - | 385- | ||||
| ) Equine supplies (bedding, feed, worming, |
- | 3,431- | - | -- | - | -- | - | 3,431- | - | 1,232- | ||||
| f ) |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
26/04/2026
1
| Projects funded by Grants | - | -- | - | 927- | - | -- | - | 927- | - | -- | |||||||||||
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| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
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| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | 4,324- | - | 927- | - | -- | - | 5,251- | - | 1,617- |
| A4 Asset and investment | ||||||||||||||||||||
| purchases, (see table) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
| **Total payments ** | - | 4,324- | - | 927- | - | -- | - | 5,251- | - | 1,617- | ||||||||||
| **Net of receipts/(payments) ** | - | 19- | - | 16,884- | - | -- | - | 16,903- | - | 3,462- | ||||||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | - | 6,883- | - | 500- | - | -- | - | 7,383- | - | 3,921- | ||||||||||
| **Cash funds this year end ** | - | 6,902- | - | 17,384- | - | -- | - | 24,286- | - | 7,383- |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Restricted funds | Restricted funds | Endowment | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | Details | funds | funds | ||||||||||||||
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||||||||||||
| B1 | Cash | funds | Bank and Cash | - | 6,883- | - | 500- | - | -- | ||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
| Total cash funds | - | 6,883- | - | 500- | - | -- |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
26/04/2026
2
| B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
(agree balances with receipts and payments account (s)) Details |
(agree balances with receipts and payments account (s)) Details |
Agreement Error | Agreement Error | Agreement Error | Agreement Error | OK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| Not applicable | - -- |
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| Not applicable | - -- |
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CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
26/04/2026
3
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
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| Fund to which | Amount due | When due | ||||||||
| Details | liability relates | (optional) | (optional) | |||||||
| Not applicable | - | -- | ||||||||
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| Signature | Name | Date of approval | ||||||||
| Kate Hoskins | (Treasurer) | 29/3/26 | ||||||||
| Sonia Lowe (Trustee) | 29/3/26 |
CCXX R4 accounts (SS)
26/04/2026
4