OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2024-10-31-accounts

Dunton Green Education in Full Foundation

Registered Charity no: 1195704

ANNUAL REPORT 2024

c/o Dunton Green Primary School, London Road, Dunton Green, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 2UP.

Introduction

This is a report on the charitable and financial activity of the registered charity Dunton Green Education in Full Foundation (EiF) from 1[st] November 2023 until 31[st] October 2024.

EiF is now settling into a routine programme of activities each year. However, as for any organisation, there have been challenges as well as achievements in this financial year. We have said goodbye to one valued trustee and welcomed two new enthusiastic members of the Board. We are grateful for the support of a loyal donor, and from the Parish Council in donating all the money received at their annual Firework Display to EiF. We hope you will enjoy learning how the Foundation is progressing and welcome all your support in future.

Contents

Achievements

  1. Regular activities

  2. Fulfilling Charitable Purposes

  3. 3-year Review

  4. Website

  5. Raising Awareness

Challenges

  1. Trustee Board

  2. DBS checks

  3. Dunton Green Primary School

  4. Risks

Finance

  1. Fundraising

  2. Reserves

  3. Accounts

Plans for 2024-2025

Achievements

1. Regular Activities

The Trustee Board has met 5 times this year. They are grateful to Dunton Green School for allowing them free use of the staff room for these meetings and when this has not been possible, they have met at the Dunton Green Pavilion where the Parish Council allow them the community rate for use of the small meeting room.

At their meetings the trustees have checked income and expenditure and have reviewed and updated policies and procedures for the organisation.

Of note in these reviews are the following:

2. Fulfilling the Charitable Purpose

The charitable purpose for EiF as set out in its constitution is “To advance education for the public benefit among economically disadvantaged pupils attending Dunton Green Primary School through the provision of grants of financial assistance to fund such items and services as the trustees shall determine with the aim of enabling their participation in the full range of educational opportunities offered by the School.”

In the financial year 1st November 2023 until 31st October 2024, EiF has received and approved 14 applications for grants totalling £532.00. Half the applicants have had more than one application made to EiF and many live in difficult family circumstances. The majority of the applications were to fund extra curricula activities organised by the School who have reported the following outcomes:

“Most of these children are either vulnerable, have low self- esteem or lack in confidence. These clubs enabled them to strengthen these emotions and experience things they would otherwise be unable to.

The year 6 trips enabled the student to draw from the experiences to help with their topic on WW1. The swimming lessons enabled the student to become more confident in the water. The drama club enabled the 2 students to become more confident and increased their low selfesteem. The football club enabled the students to work as part of a team and build their footballing skills. One of the boys took part in a football tournament for the school. The drama students performed to their parents at the end of term.”

The trustees have been encouraged by the continued use of the Foundation this year. There have been approximately the same number of applications and funding provided as last year. In practice the applications are often submitted several at a time which can be challenging in assessing and responding promptly.

3. 3-Year Review

It is 3 years since EiF became a registered charity and the Trustee Board committed itself to carry out a review of the charity after this time. A questionnaire was sent to 10 people including

staff of Dunton Green Primary School who have involvement with EiF, the Parent Teacher Association, Parish Council and past Trustees. The questionnaire invited feedback on the value of EiF, its operation, publicity and any other comments people wished to make.

An adapted questionnaire seeking the same information was given to 5 parents whose children had received grants from EiF.

The response was a little disappointing as School staff delegated responding to one person, and no former trustees responded. 2 parents completed the questionnaire. It would have been useful to have had a larger and broader audience response and how to ensure this should be considered in future evaluations.

From the responses that were received, it seems that the funding provided by EiF is greatly valued by staff and parents and makes a real difference to individual children and their families by reducing difference for the children and enabling them to participate in opportunities they cannot afford. This results in a benefit to both the social interaction and learning of the children.

Operation of EiF is viewed as efficient and effective.

There is a general view that the promotion of EiF could be wider both amongst parents of children at the School and the local community to encourage more uptake of grants, volunteers for the charity and financial support.

The School would like EiF to consider providing funding for specific class activities. This will be discussed by the Trustee Board in the context of the charitable purpose of EiF as recorded in section 2 above.

4. Website

A working group of 3 trustees was established this year to plan and set up a website for the charity. The group has agreed:

Further investigations are in process to identify the best way for EiF to take donations on the website before it is actually set up.

5. Raising Awareness

The Trustees were very encouraged by an invitation from the Parish Council to assist at their community Firework Display and to collect donations from the public for Education in Full. We would like to thank the Parish Council very much for their donation of almost £800 from this event.

The Trustees also welcomed the invitation from the DG Team, that is the School Parent Teacher Association, to have a presence at the School Summer Fair where we distributed information, spoke to those attending and ran a small game which raised a small amount of money.

In November 2023 and May 2024 we submitted articles about EiF to the Parish Council magazine that is distributed to all households in the village. In particular we publicised the need for new trustees including a Treasurer following the resignation of John Milne at the end of the last financial year.

6. Trustees

The Trustee Board updated the trustee recruitment procedures and documents in preparation for recruiting the first trustees since the initial board members were appointed for the charity in 2021.

We were delighted to have Rebecca Meaton volunteer as a trustee and she was confirmed as a Board member at the meeting in May 2024. Rebecca is a resident of Dunton Green, has one child still at the Primary School and another now at senior school. Professionally she works in recruitment. We welcome her knowledge, experience and commitment to the EiF Board.

Our Secretary since the organisation was established, Annie Fitchett, has chosen not to stand again since her term of office finished in August 2024. We are sorry to lose Annie’s knowledge and enthusiasm. We thank her for all she has done for EiF and wish her well in the future.

We were very pleased that Rebecca Meaton, has offered to replace Annie as Secretary and was appointed by the Board as Secretary in August 2024.

Challenges

1. Trustee Board

For most of this financial year, the Trustee Board has been without an appointed Treasurer and the Chair, Judy Collins has overseen the regular management of finances for grant application payments and donations. Despite speaking to a number of suitable candidates, the trustees

researching, communicating with friends, colleagues in other organisations and family about the need for a new treasurer, finding one has not been easy.

Following the article in the Spring edition of the Parish Council publicising the specific need for a treasurer we were very pleased to hear from Amar Makhija, a local resident, who has considerable experience of working in finance and now teaches mathematics at a local school. Amar has gone through the EiF selection process and was accepted on to the Board at the meeting in August. He has had an induction to the EiF systems and will be fully operational once he is set up on an EiF bank account which he is exploring on behalf of the Board.

2. DBS Checks

It is the policy of the EiF Trustee Board that all trustees should have an enhanced DBS check due to the nature of information about the children and families for whom grant applications are made. When the first trustees had their DBS checks processed this was done through Sevenoaks District Council who were registered to offer this service to local community organisations. Unfortunately, in the Spring of 2024 Sevenoaks Council could no longer offer this service. After discussion on whether there would be a conflict of interest, the EiF Board agreed to ask Dunton Green Primary School whether they would be able to process DBS checks for the trustees and the Headmistress agreed. We are grateful to the School for taking on this extra administration on our behalf and are pleased that both our new trustees, Rebecca and Amar have received acceptable checks through the School.

3. Dunton Green Primary School

Since September 2023 Dunton Green Primary school has become part of a federation of 3 schools, The Compass Federation, with an executive head, Ben Hulme, as well as the local headmistress, Daisy Holliday. During the school year, 23 – 24, Daisy was on maternity leave with Lucy Baker-Clarke covering her role during that time. Throughout this time Justine Hennesey, Family Liaison Officer/Wellbeing and Special Educational Needs Support Officer for the School has been the person that EiF routinely communicates with about grant applications.

While the School have always been excellent in responding to communication to any requests for information and support for EiF, such as dealing with DBS checks, there have been no face to face meetings with School teaching staff. It is hoped this may be possible during the coming school year to learn more about the plans, demographics and challenges for the School.

4. Risks

The Trustee Board has reviewed and assessed potential risks to the organisation in the coming year. Below are the risks the Board considered most likely and how they will deal with them:

Risk Management
Loss of trustees The Board will increase publicity in Dunton Green about its
activities and the need for trustees. They will invite anyone they
identify as a likely candidate to apply to be a trustee.
Conflicts of interest
for trustees		 The Board will continue to invite trustees to declare any conflict of
interest at each of their Board meetings.
When conflicts of interest arise in assessing grant applications,
trustees will not make such an assessment. However, it is
necessary to have enough other trustees to make a balanced
assessment. The Board will therefore continue to seek more
trustees for the Board with an optimum membership of 6 people.
Poor knowledge of
laws for fundraising
and other activities		 Trustees will refer to the latest guidance on fundraising in the ‘Code
of Fundraising Practice’ produced by the Fundraising Regulator for
the UK.
Trustees will register individually with the Charity Commission and
access the latest information and guidance for trustees. Should a
trustee need training on a particular issue relevant to their role, a
suitable course or programme will be identified by the Board and
EiF will fund the trustee to attend.
An increase in
demand for grants		 In planning the budget and assessing the need for reserves,
Trustees have allowed a sum of money within the reserves to cover
any unexpected increase in demand for grants this coming year.
Trustees are planning to continue raising awareness of the charity
and its need for funds in the coming year
Poor publicity or
reputation		 The Trustee Board will continue to follow good practice and will
review its policies, procedures and operation in the light of current
legislation.
Board members will aim to be as open as possible in responding to
any questions or complaints about the way EiF operates always
respecting the confidentiality of the children and their families who
apply for our grants.

Finance

This year the Chair has overseen the day to day management of finances after guidance from the previous Treasurer. The current accounts have been reviewed and agreed by the new Treasurer.

Following the successful application by the previous Treasurer to the Tax Office (HMRC) for EiF to be registered to receive Gift Aid and Gift Aid on Small Donations (GASD), the first Gift Aid payment was received in this financial year. We are grateful to our existing donors who have

agreed and completed a form for EiF to claim Gift Aid on their donations.

1. Fundraising

Funds were raised this year through individual donations, payment for a game at the School Summer Fair, and public donations at the Parish Council Fireworks display.

A bank card reader was purchased in order to take payments and donations at events.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to our loyal donors, Dunton Green Parish Council for agreeing that donations made at their fireworks event be given to EiF, almost £800.00, and to the DG Team (Parent Teacher Association) for letting us have a stall at their Fair that raised £25.00p.

The Trustees decided there was no need to raise further funds this year as the charity held sufficient funds to manage the level of applications. However, it is likely that, following 2 recent applications for larger grants than usual, it will be necessary to plan a fundraising event in 2025 and the Board will budget and plan accordingly.

2. Reserves

The reason for a Reserves Policy is to ensure that EiF fulfils its charitable purposes to make grants for children at Dunton Green School and has sufficient funds in the accounts for this and any other unforeseen circumstances. For the coming financial year, 1st November 2024 until 31st October 2025, the Trustees have allocated £2,000.00 to reserves.

3. Accounts

Income received financial year 1[st] November 2023 until 31[st] October 2024:

Fundraising: £ 25.00 Donations: £ 100.00 Gift Aid received for 22-23 £ 276.50 Small gifts: £ 777.90 (Firework Display)

Expenditure

Grants paid: £ 436.00 Expenses: £ 34.00p Restricted funds: £ 0.00

Summary

Summary
Starting charitable funds £8297.31
Income £1179.40
Expenditure £ 470.00
Balance at year end £ 9006.71

Plans for 2024 to 2025

The Trustee Board for Dunton Green Education in Full Foundation is aware that as the charity goes into its fourth year operations can become routine it would be easy to let standards slip. Therefore, we will continue to review our policies and procedures and to develop the charity to meet the demand on its grants by:

Signed: ................................................ Role: ........................................ Date: .....................
Name: .......................................................................
Signed: ................................................ Role: ........................................ Date: .....................
Name: .......................................................................

Statement of Assets and LiabilitSes nrislricled Furwjs Res￿cted Funds Endo￿nent Funds Cash Funds Santander 8Ltsiness Account 9006.71 UnT¢Stricted Funds estnct Funds <wrn8nl Funds Other monetary assets un tow assal bdcrys urrent Iopb'onall ue Cost loplK)nall Assets retained for the charlties own use lo liabilily r8latos Unrestricted Unrestricted mount lopticA)all ue en ue Ioplimall Ll•bllSt•s: Grants reed & Yet to be Involced Grant5 Invoiced & Yel to be Paid 120.LXI un to Ic asset bek)ngs urrenl Ioplionall Cost loptionall Slgnature Print Name Date Signed by one or two of the trustees on behalf of all the trustees