This annual report has been prepared using Trustees' annual report template (SORP FRS 102)
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/562574/TAR_new.pdf
ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2022-2023
Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 6 April 2022 to 5 April 2023
Charity name: Wenlo Riding for the Disabled Association Incorporating Carriage Driving
Charity registration number: 1191961
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To promote the objects of the Riding for the Disabled Associaton incorporatng Carriage Driving A UK Company Limited by Guarantee No 5010395 A Charity Registered in England & Wales (No 244108) and Scotland (No SC039473) by providing disabled people with the opportunity to ride and/or carriage drive to beneft their health and wellbeing in the Leicestershire/Notnghamshire area |
| 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 |
Our main actvites are to ofer adults and children with disabilites an opportunity to ride, carriage drive and look afer horses to aid their physical, mental and emotonal wellbeing. We aim to teach new skills and promote independence by encouraging partcipants to take charge of their horses in a secure environment. As well as riding and carriage driving lessons and equine assisted therapy, we give our partcipants the opportunity to ride in the countryside, to take part in compettons including those organised by RDA UK, and to enjoy the sensory experience of being around horses at their own pace, and we work to develop supportve relatonships with carers and families. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | In planning our actvites we keep in mind the Charity Commission's guidance on public beneft at our trustee meetngs. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | N/A |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | N/A |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | We are an entrely voluntary-run organisaton - our coaches and even the horses are volunteers, and some of our partcipants also volunteer with us. We are grateful for the many hours of dedicated work from all our volunteers who do everything from caring for our horses to assistng in riding/driving/therapy sessions and fundraising. |
Achievements and Performance
SORP reference Summary of the main Para 1.20 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. Chair’s Report to AGM 28 November 2022 As you are aware we have come out of the other side of a couple of extremely stressful, worrying and unprecedented years. We faced many uncertainties along the way and our future as a group and charity was by no means secure. However, through the sheer determination, loyalty and hard work of Coaches, Volunteers, Participants and families we have survived. It must also be recognised that through the generosity of the above people, along with local businesses, organisations and our community that we were able not only to survive the pandemic when so many charities were unable to but that we could strive, grow and improve into the future. Offering more activities, improving facilities and equipment. 2022 has brought many events to Wenlo both on and off the yard. We have, at last, been able to go back out amongst our fellow RDA groups and compete. This has been hugely motivational for our participants, volunteers and their supporting families. We have also held several fundraising events such as a Fundraising Ball and stalls at community fetes which open our group up to wider publicity and helps us to ‘spread the word’ amongst both our local communities and further afield. We also welcomed the President of RDA, HRH The Princess Royal, in October which was beyond doubt an amazing and memorable occasion for all involved and for Wenlo RDA as a charity and group. HRH presented long service awards to some of our volunteers and to several of our wonderful Ponies. Many of our participants and volunteers were able, along with the Trustees, to speak with HRH who took much interest in them as individuals as well as learning about Wenlo as a group and charity. She also enjoyed a wonderful Carriage driving display and Riding display as well as cutting the ribbon and formally opening our new track. This occasion will go down in Wenlo history and will be remembered for many years to come by both Wenlo RDA and guests. What an honour.
Nationals remains firmly in the minds of volunteers, participants and families. The buzz still seems to ring around the yard even after 4 months. Not only did Wenlo RDA achieve the most amazing results from our equally amazing competitors at both qualifiers in May and Nationals in July, but we have continued with more outstanding results in our Virtuals. A very big ‘WELL DONE’ to all our participants who have worked so hard and achieved so much through 2022 in competition and to their supporting families who provide such encouragement, time, dedication and commitment to allow our participants to train and compete. We are so proud of the many rosettes, trophies and individual awards. Thank you to all our Coaches for their hard work before and during competitions, and to our amazing volunteers who give up more time than we can ever expect of them during the competition periods throughout 2022.
We keep our ethos that we are a group for everyone, whatever their disability and ability and we will always take pride of the achievements of every single participant, in whatever activity and session at Wenlo RDA. We strive to make a difference to all our riders and carriage drivers as well as our therapy participants. We remain constantly proud of everyone who comes to us.
Riding and Carriage Driving remain busy with waiting lists for sessions. We are also preparing over the winter period to launch our Tea with a Pony sessions. Again, we already have a huge amount of interest and waiting lists are starting to form.
We have welcomed students from Rawlins Academy special needs department back to Wenlo RDA on Tuesday mornings throughout term time. The group is divided into two groups of four for riding and Therapy through Horses sessions.
Fundraising has seen us awarded several grants this year and other grant applications are awaiting a decision. St James Church, Normanton on Soar and Longcliffe Golf Club will be handing over the funds raised throughout 2022 for Wenlo RDA in December. Loughborough ladies’ Inner Wheel and Bagforce Aggregates have made us their charity of the year for 2023.
We can only continue as a charity with grants, donations sponsorship and fundraising events. Thank you to the Organisations, businesses and individuals both at Wenlo RDA and in our communities who have supported us through their kind and generous donations, grants and funding as well as working on site to build our track. Eurobale continue to support us with haylage which is amazing.
Volunteers are the backbone of our group. As always, a huge thank you to all the Trustees, Coaches and Volunteers who continue to give us their valuable time, hard work and commitment to ensure that our group and charity stays strong, carries on with the valuable work we do and safeguards us into the future to continue and grow. It is wonderful to see how many of our participants and their families have become volunteers, going that extra mile to not only attend their individual sessions but to contribute to the group in other areas. We have welcomed many new volunteers to the group over 2022 as well as student groups from Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham's Sutton Bonington campus. We continue to welcome students on work experience and those doing Duke of Edinburgh awards. It is lovely to see how many young volunteers we have based within the group too. They are the future of RDA.
Our Horses and Ponies remain the heartbeat of the group. It is our wonderful, dedicated and hardworking equines who truly make the difference to the lives of our participants in each session or activity. George became one of the family in April after several years of fundraising and searching. I watch with interest as he starts to do his RDA work. We continue to provide the best animal welfare as deserved by our amazing Equines.
The Track is now very near to completion. The sand area has been laid and the last requirements such as a small area of bark, planting an area of meadow, trees, shrubs and arches should, hopefully, see a well-loved and well used Track in its full glory by the summer of 2023.
Sharon Garner
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Cash funds held at end of period totalled £26,685 Of which £7,974 unrestricted funds £18,711 restricted funds |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Aim to hold 3-6 months' operating costs in reserve in line with Charity Commission general guidance for groups1 |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | Unrestricted: £7,974 Restricted: £18,711 Restricted reserves at end of accounting period are held for: completion of specified projects or are funds restricted by the donor for use to support certain activities e.g. Equine Assisted Therapy or Tea with a Pony. |
| 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 |
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 |
Direct donations, fundraising events organised by our charity volunteers, donations from other fundraising groups, grants. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | Some restricted and designated funds including money set aside for emergency expenditure for Wenlo RDA's horse is kept in an HSBC Business Saver account. |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | Wenlo RDA maintains a regularly updated Risk Register and this can be provided on request. |
1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charities-and-reserves-cc19/charities-andreserves#explaining-reserves-in-the-annual-report
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document | Para 1.25 | Constitution (RDA UK Standard Constitution for Unincorporated Group for charity number 1073408; RDA UK Standard Constitution for CIO Group for charity number 1191961) |
| How is the charity constituted? |
Para 1.25 | Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) |
| 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 elected at the AGM which is usually held in December. One third of the Trustees are required to retire at each AGM but may be re-elected. Trustees are required to declare any conflict of interest/personal interest. |
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 |
New trustees are given RDA_UK's Trustee_ Welcome Pack Trustees participate in relevant training and courses organised by RDA UK including Safeguarding and Governance training. |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | Wenlo RDA is a member group of RDA UK (charity number 244108), in the North Midlands region |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | N/A |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Wenlo Riding for the Disabled Association Incorporating Carriage Driving |
|---|---|
| Other name the charityuses | Wenlo RDA |
| Registered charitynumber | 1191961 |
| Charity’s principal address | Bowleys Barn Farm Stanford Lane Normanton on Soar LOUGHBOROUGH LE12 5ER |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHARON GARNER | CHAIR | N/A | N/A |
| JANE CORRALL | SECRETARY (untl 28/11/22) |
Untl 28 November 2022 | N/A |
| CLAIRE MADEN | TREASURER | N/A | N/A |
| MARIA HOLDAWAY | SECRETARY (from 28/11/22) |
N/A | N/A |
| DAVID JOHNSTONE | Elected as Trustee at AGM on 28 November 2022 |
N/A | |
| CLARE BUTLER | Untl 18 March 2023 | N/A | |
| Note: SOPHIE BELL was appointed as a Trustee on 26 June 2023, afer the period covered by this annual report. |
Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved: N/A
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity: 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
N/A
Other optional information
Declarations
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustee's Report above.
The Report was approved at the AGM on 27 November 2023 and a copy signed on behalf of the charity's Trustees.
| Signature(s) | S Garner |
|---|---|
| Full name(s) | SHARON GARNER |
| Position (e.g. Chair, Secretary etc) |
CHAIR |
| Date | 27 November 2023 |
Accounts
INCOME
To the nearest £
| Unrestricted | Restricted | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DONATIONS | 3,498 | 3,261 | 6,759 |
| FUNDRAISING | 4,202 | 4,202 | |
| GRANTS | 17,520 | 17,520 | |
| RDA COMPETITION ACTIVITIES | 1,171 | 1,171 | |
| INTEREST | 53 | 53 | |
| TOTAL RECEIPTS | 7,753 | 21,952 | 29,705 |
EXPENDITURE
To the nearest £
| Unrestricted | Restricted | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BANK CHARGES | 94 | 94 | |
| EQUINE | 4,226 | 7,500 | 11,726 |
| PROJECTS | 260 | 1,292 | 1,552 |
| MEMBERSHIP/INSURANCE/SUBSCRIPTIONS | 2,536 | 2,536 | |
| RDA COMPETITION & RELATED ACTIVITIES | 2,400 | 970 | 3,370 |
| TRAVEL & TRAINING | 842 | 1,760 | 2,602 |
| EQUIPMENT/MAINTENANCE | 3,392 | 128 | 3,520 |
| STATIONERY/ADMIN/CONSUMABLES | 2,536 | 2,536 | |
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE | 16,286 | 11,650 | 27,936 |
| RESERVES AT FINANCIAL YEAR END | |||
| To the nearest £1 | |||
| RESTRICTED | 18,711 | ||
| UNRESTRICTED | 7,974 | ||
| TOTAL | 26,685 |
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS:
Income: Grants received this financial year include £10,000 to establish a suitable space to enable Tea with a Pony and other sessions; £2000 for a new reception area; £5000 to establish provision of Equine Assisted Therapy including accredited training. Income from RDA Competition Activities represents charges made to cover entry fees and horse transport.
Expenditure: Equine includes the purchase of one horse (George), and related costs such as vetting and transport. Expenditure on RDA Competition & Related Activities includes entry fees, horse transport, transport and subsistence for volunteers, and equipment needed solely for competition use. Travel & Training includes accredited training for volunteers to provide Equine Assisted Therapy and accredited First Aid training.
Restricted funds: Funds from grants/donations which must only be spent on the purposes specified by the grant-making body or donor.
WENLO RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION INCORPORATING CARRIAGE DRIVING
CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1191961
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENT ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD FROM 6 APRIL 2022 TO 5 APRIL 2023
Receipts and payments
INCOME
To the nearest £
| Unrestricted | Restricted | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DONATIONS | 3,498 | 3,261 | 6,759 |
| FUNDRAISING | 4,202 | 4,202 | |
| GRANTS | 17,520 | 17,520 | |
| RDA COMPETITION ACTIVITIES | 1,171 | 1,171 | |
| INTEREST | 53 | 53 | |
| TOTAL RECEIPTS | 7,753 | 21,952 | 29,705 |
EXPENDITURE
To the nearest £
| Unrestricted | Restricted | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BANK CHARGES | 94 | 94 | |
| EQUINE | 4,226 | 7,500 | 11,726 |
| PROJECTS | 260 | 1,292 | 1,552 |
| MEMBERSHIP/INSURANCE/SUBSCRIPTIONS | 2,536 | 2,536 | |
| RDA COMPETITION & RELATED ACTIVITIES | 2,400 | 970 | 3,370 |
| TRAVEL & TRAINING | 842 | 1,760 | 2,602 |
| EQUIPMENT/MAINTENANCE | 3,392 | 128 | 3,520 |
| STATIONERY/ADMIN/CONSUMABLES | 2,536 | 2,536 | |
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE | 16,286 | 11,650 | 27,936 |
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
RESERVES AT FINANCIAL YEAR END
To the nearest £1
| RESTRICTED | 18,711 |
|---|---|
| UNRESTRICTED | 7,974 |
| TOTAL | 26,685 |
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS:
Income: Grants received this financial year include £10,000 to establish a suitable space to enable Tea with a Pony and other sessions; £2000 for a new reception area; £5000 to establish provision of Equine Assisted Therapy including accredited training. Income from RDA Competition Activities represents charges made to cover entry fees and horse transport.
Expenditure: Equine includes the purchase of one horse (George), and related costs such as vetting and transport. Expenditure on RDA Competition & Related Activities includes entry fees, horse transport, transport and subsistence for volunteers, and equipment needed solely for competition use. Travel & Training includes accredited training for volunteers to provide Equine Assisted Therapy and accredited First Aid training.
Restricted funds: Funds from grants/donations which must only be spent on the purposes specified by the grant-making body or donor.
Signed on behalf of the charity's Trustees:
| Signature | S Garner (approved at AGM) |
|---|---|
| Full name(s) | SHARON GARNER |
| Position (e.g. Chair, Secretary etc) |
CHAIR |
| Date of approval: | 27 NOVEMBER |
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