2024-08-31-accounts - Edale Stepping Stones Nursery And Childcare Centre

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1 September 2023 To 31 August 2024

Charity name: Edale Stepping Stones Nursery and Childcare Centre (subsequently referred to as ESS)

Charity Address: The Old Winery, Grindsbrook Booth, Edale, S33 7ZA

Charity registration number: 1190027

OFSTED registration number : 2600983

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To advance the education and development of children aged 1-11 for the public benefit by the provision of a nursery pre-school, daycare facilities and out of school provision as set out in the Constitution. The principal purpose in establishing ESS is to provide a much needed safe and high quality childcare and early learning opportunity for young children in Edale and the surrounding area who would benefit from these opportunities. To fulfil its purpose, ESS has to be both affordable and accessible. The activities of the Trustees are guided by a series of governance documents covering such areas as meetings, decision making, trustee appointment, conflict of interest etc.
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	As highlighted in the 2022-2023 report due to difficulty recruiting staff, including management the difficult decision was made to close the nursery provision. This was initially temporary while other options were investigated by the trustees. This included approaching other local nurseries and the local primary school. Despite these contacts there were no positive leads to follow and therefore the trustees decided nursery provision in Edale was not viable.


	Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The Trustees have had due regard for all guidance from the Charity Commission with regard to all our work to date and will continue to have regard for the guidance as we continue our work.

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	The main work of the trustees during this period was closing the nursery provision taking account of our legal responsibilities and duties. Stakeholders were kept informed. Two remaining members of staff were made redundant and we sought specialist legal advice on this matter. All professional, educational and local authority contacts were informed. All refunds and debts were paid and the lease for the building was terminated, with some decorating required. Resources were offered to the local primary school whose teachers were grateful and came and took a lot. Any resources not wanted by the local school was either sold or given to a charity shop or taken to the school jumble sale to raise funds for the school. Along with redundancies there was a staffing matter that needed resolving prior to closing the charity down. 17thMay 2024 two trustees (one was the treasurer) resigned. Shortly after one further trustee resigned, leaving 3 remaining trustees.After reviewing the ESS decision making, resolutions and voting document the Board of Trustees is quorum at 3 trustees as this is more than 2 and more than a third of the total number of trustees as stated in the document. Due to the treasurer resigning and subsequent inadequate handover of financial documents the remaining trustees had no access to the charity accounts. This took time to resolve. In addition the trustees were managing a subject access request requiring support from a Data specialist legal team. This process was concluded August 2024

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	FINANCIAL REPORT The trustees are pleased to present the charity’s Receipts and Payment Account for the year to 31 August 2024. The period closed with a bank balance of £ 917 (2023 £7665) of unrestricted reserves. The Charity nursery provision was closed in July 2023, therefore there was no income generated. Expenditure included fnal payroll and redundancies and included HR legal advice. Along with fnal premises payments and some refunds to parents.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	N/A as nursery has closed
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	N/A
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	N/A
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	N/A
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	As the nursery provision has closed, the charity is in the process of closing

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	"Foundation " Model Constitution dated 19/06/2020.
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) whose only voting members are the Trustees. The management of ESS is overseen by a Board of Trustees made up of six volunteers as detailed later.
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	There is no formal recruitment policy, prospective trustees being identified based on their areas of expertise. The trustees follow relevant governance policies covering such areas as role of trustees, conflict of interest, safeguarding, correct use of funds, terms of reference for meetings and decision making, contracts of staff employment etc. The policies are reviewed as required. Each trustee has a set term of office and any new trustee is provided with the necessary policy documents following a period as an observer. Specific roles include Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary.

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Edale Stepping Stones Nursery and Childcare Centre
Other name the charity uses	N/a
Registered charity number	1190027
Charity’s principal address	The Old Winery, Grindsbrook Booth, Edale, S33 7ZA

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Anita Critchlow	Chair of Trustees
Sam Keating	Vice Chair of Trustees and Treasurer	Treasurer from 19th May2024
Liam Gilligan	Treasurer	Resigned 17thMay 2024
Jane Acty	Secretary	Resigned 19thMay 2024
Cathy Spingys	Secretary	Secretary from 19th May
Nigel Lawford		Resigned 17thMay 2024

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name N/a

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year
N/a

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

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Not applicable

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	Anita Critchlow	Sam Keating

	Anita Critchlow	Samuel Michael Keating

	Chair of Trustees	Vice Chair of Trustees
	11/04/2026
	11/04/2026

Edale Stepping Stones Nursery and Childcare Centre

Fees Direct
Fees-LA
Donatons-organisatons
Donatons-
individ
Grants
Refunds	1085	379.98							Total	1464.98
Expenditure
Stafng	398.28	274	486.66	542.16	729.4	64.19	395.96			2890.65
Premises	59.55	357.31	1772.46							2189.32
Fee refund	451	62	71.75	165	264	363	99	2	32.5	1510.25
Professional	938.4	35								973.4
amazon no inv
Resources

Edale Stepping Stones Nursery and Childcare Centre

Food/clean 101.06			101.06
	Sept 23-Aug 24	Total	7664.68
Sept 2023 to Aug 24
Income
Bank balance 1/9/2023 £7116.86 plus income £1464.98 = £8581.84
Minus expenditure £ 7664.68
Bank balance 31/08/24 = £917.16