This annual report has been prepared using Trustees' annual report template (SORP FRS 102) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/upl oads/attachment_data/file/562574/TAR_new.pdf **ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2024-2025** ## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025** **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 Association incorporating 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 benefit their
health and wellbeing in the
Leicestershire/Nottinghamshire 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 activities are to offer adults and
children with disabilities an opportunity to ride,
carriage drive and look after horses to aid their
physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. We
aim to teach new skills and promote
independence by encouraging participants 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 participants the opportunity to ride in
the countryside, to take part in competitions
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 supportive relationships 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 activities we keep in mind the
Charity Commission's guidance on public
benefit at our trustee meetings.| ## **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 entirely voluntary-run organisation -
our coaches and even the horses are
volunteers, and some of our participants 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 assisting 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 9 December 2024 _Firstly, before I get fully into the Chairs report for this year, Maria my wonderful co-chair sends her apologies for not being present tonight. Most of you will know Maria is currently going through treatment for cancer. She wants to thank you all for the support she has received as it means so much. Maria, we can’t wait to see you back on the yard when you are feeling up to it, and we continue to send our love and support to you. As 2024 comes to a close we look back on the highs and lows of Wenlo RDA. As always, what to some may look like a team, we all know is family and this year we lost some very important members of our family, and I would like to take a moment to reflect on how much joy they brought to our lives. To Denby, a pony of a lifetime, we all miss his greying chestnut face around the yard and his kindness to all who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him. He taught so many to ride, took participants to competitions bringing back many rosettes and even won RDA pony of the year. To Bob, a pony who turned his hoof to RDA in his later years and took every bit of it in his stride. He was a wonderful lesson horse but also an incredible competition pony leading to a long list of successes in showing and dressage. We miss them both along with our other horse friends we have lost this year. They will all live on in our hearts. We also lost a very special person this year, for those who knew her Kate was the kindest and most welcoming person you could ever meet. Many of you will know it was a long battle for Kate, but she never let anything slow her down, she was a shining light on the yard and she never let that_ _light dim. She brought joy and laughter to this world with her love of life and horses, especially her lovely boy Bear. There aren’t enough words to capture how wonderful Kate was and she is missed every day. I ask now for us to take a moment together to remember those we have lost in a minute’s silence. Thank you._ _As with every year we would like to say a massive thank you to all our incredible volunteers, you are the cogs that keep Wenlo running and it couldn’t happen without you. Every pony lead, poo picked up and feed made day in and day out in the wind, rain, snow and sun is appreciated by the whole Wenlo team. We did say goodbye to a small number of volunteers this year who we thank for all their hours they gave to Wenlo and thank you to all our volunteers who stepped up to make the transition as smooth as possible after they left._ _A huge thank you to Dawn, our fabulous head coach who continues to make dreams come true with her coaching and guidance. We really couldn’t do it without you and all your hours you give to Wenlo, in the arena, on the yard and doing paper work, which we all know is your favourite bit!_ _Thank you to all those who have made efforts to raise money for Wenlo this year, with a special thank you to Stephen on his incredible run and Lindsay and Liam for all their hard work running stalls at local markets. These efforts help keep our funds in the green and we appreciate it so much._ _All our participants have had another wonderful year, achieving individual goals both on and off the horse. We continue to be busy with new participants joining Wenlo and many returning for their regular sessions. We are proud of everyone of them no matter where they are on their RDA journey._ _Our competition team has had another incredible year with many rosettes from Dressage Anywhere, RDA Nationals, Para championships and RDA virtuals. Congratulations to you all, for flying the flag of Wenlo so well, we couldn’t be more proud. We also wish to congratulate everyone who participated in the 3 days of fun, in everything from hobby horse showing to endurance. Thank you to those who made those 3 days such a success!_ _Our Carriage Driving has had another year full of improvements from all both at home and at competitions, thanks to our fabulous driving team and special thanks to Chris and Penny for their continuing hard work to keep carriage driving an exciting addition to Wenlo._ _This year Tea with a Pony has had the pleasure of more visits from care homes and continues to be a success. A special thank you to Jenny for running some fantastic days, which have been filled with so much joy, we hope to continue this success into next year._ _Lastly a thank you to our most important members of our team, our horses and ponies, without their hard work none of this would be possible. They are the beating heart of Wenlo so we thank each and every one of them._ _So, with that we draw a curtain on 2024, we look forward to 2025 with you all and wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!_ _Sophie Bell_ ## **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
£27,379
Of which £8,291 unrestricted funds
£19,088 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: £8,291
Restricted: £19,088
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(if any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||**SHARON GARNER**|**CHAIR**|**To 27 July 2024**|**N/A**| ||**CLAIRE MADEN**|**TREASURER**|**N/A**|**N/A**| ||**MARIA HOLDAWAY**|**SECRETARY/CO-CHAIR **|**Co-Chair from 27 July 2024**|**N/A**| ||**DAVID JOHNSTONE**||**N/A**|**N/A**| ||**SOPHIE BELL**|**CO-CHAIR**|**Co-Chair from 27 July 2024**|**N/A**| ||**AMY FOULKES**
**WILLIAMS**||**From 13 January 2025**|**N/A**| 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 15 December 2025 and a copy signed on behalf of the charity's Trustees.** |**Signature(s)**|| |---|---| |**Full name(s)**|Maria Ann Holdaway| |**Position (e.g. Chair,**
**Secretary etc)**|Chair| ||| |**Date**|15 December 2025| # **WENLO RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION INCORPORATING CARRIAGE DRIVING** **CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1191961** **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENT ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD FROM 6 APRIL 2024 TO 5 APRIL 2024** ## **Receipts and payments** ## **INCOME** To the nearest £ ||Unrestricted|Restricted|**TOTAL**| |---|---|---|---| |DONATIONS|3,491|260|**3,751**| |FUNDRAISING|1,618|601|**2,219**| |GRANTS|0|0|**0**| |RDA COMPETITION ACTIVITIES|2868|0|**2,868**| |INTEREST|369|0|**369**| |**TOTAL RECEIPTS**|8,346|861|**9,207**| ## **EXPENDITURE** To the nearest £ ||Unrestricted|Restricted|
**TOTAL**| |---|---|---|---| |BANK CHARGES|62||62| |EQUINE|60||60| |PROJECTS|965|1,171|
2,136| |MEMBERSHIP/INSURANCE/SUBSCRIPTIONS|2,620||2,620| |RDA COMPETITION & RELATED ACTIVITIES|6,656||6,656| |TRAVEL & TRAINING|15||15| |EQUIPMENT/MAINTENANCE|857|223|
1,080| |STATIONERY/ADMIN/CONSUMABLES|366||366| |**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**|**11,601**|**1,394**|
**12,995**| ## **Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** ## **RESERVES AT FINANCIAL YEAR END** |To the nearest £1|| |---|---| |RESTRICTED|8,291| |UNRESTRICTED|19,088| |**TOTAL**|**27,379**| ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS:** **Income:** Income from RDA Competition Activities represents charges made to cover entry fees and horse transport. **Expenditure:** Expenditure on RDA Competition & Related Activities includes entry fees, horse transport, transport and subsistence for volunteers, and equipment needed solely for competition use. **Restricted funds:** Funds from grants/donations which must only be spent on the purposes specified by the grant-making body or donor. **The accounts were approved at the AGM on 15 December 2025 and a copy signed on behalf of the charity's Trustees.** ## **Signed on behalf of the charity's Trustees:** |**Signature**|M A Holdaway| |---|---| |**Full name(s)**|Maria Ann Holdaway| |**Position (e.g. Chair,**
**Secretary etc)**|Chair| ||| |**Date of approval:**|15 December 2025|