2025-08-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1 September 2024 To 31 August 2025

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

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The purposes were to advance the education and development of children aged 1-11 for the public benefit by the provision of nursery pre-school, day-care facilities and out of school provision as set out in the Constitution. The principal purpose in establishing ESS was 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	The nursery provision closed to children on 28thJuly 2023 and to the two remaining staff on 8thSeptember 2023. Therefore there has been no charity activity during this reporting year. The main work of the trustees during this period was moving to close the charity taking account of our legal responsibilities and duties. Stakeholders were kept informed. There was a delay in doing this work because in October 2024, due to a significant personal/ family issue with a trustee, it was decided to postpone further

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		meetings until all 3 trustees could attend. This meant the next trustee meeting was June 2025. From then we managed to get the financial reports completed and scrutinised.
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.

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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	Not applicable as the provision was closed

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Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	FINANCIAL REPORT The period closed with a bank balance of £560.16 ( Aug 2024 £917.16) The money spent was on professional legal support. The remaining balance will be transferred to the Valley Federaton of Hope and Edale primary schools to be used on recepton children as agreed by all trustees.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	N/A
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	N/A

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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

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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 (ifany)
	Anita Critchlow	Chair of Trustees
	Sam Keating	Vice Chair of Trustees Treasurer
	CathySpingys	Secretary

– 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

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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
	22/06/2026
	22/06/2026

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