Trustees’ Annual Report for the period: 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025 Charity name: Little Sparks Enfield Charity registration number: 1195845
Objectives and Activities
The objectives of Little Sparks Enfield are to provide therapeutic activities and events for children with terminal and life-threatening conditions and their families, working closely with the families, hospitals, community clinicians and schools.
Little Sparks Enfield provides fun events for the public, aimed at individual families and events open to wider groups. We offer our support for families through bereavement, be that a sibling or close family member and we help families deal with their child’s sickness and bereavement, helping to leave them with long lasting positive memories.
This year we were fully back to face-to-face activities. These included bereavement groups, parent groups, 1:1 play activities, Easter egg delivery, outings, Christmas party and Christmas present deliveries. Overall, we worked with over 65 children from 35 families.
When planning our activities for the year, the Trustees have considered the Charities Commission’s guidance on public benefit. We have considered the section of the public that our activities are aimed at and who may benefit from our activities. Little Sparks Enfield exists for the sole charitable purposes to enhance the experiences of the public and, whilst the activities would benefit a specific section of the local community, any member of the public is able to contact us for assistance.
Achievements and Performance
This year we have carried out the following charitable activities.
Bereavement Groups
Our bereavement work is vital for families throughout their grief journey. This is why the bereavement lead offers one-to-one work with children and young adults between the ages of 5-16, from the London Borough of Enfield, who have been bereaved of a sibling or a parent and have been referred to us. Groups for children and young adults are run during the school holidays which allows the bereaved children to share their experiences of their grief journey with their peers in a safe and nurturing environment. Activities may include crafts or physical activities.
It has been well documented that, without support, a bereavement of a close family member can lead to risk taking and crime related behaviours in children and young adults. Helping prevent this and mental health issues at later stages in life benefits wider society.
Our bereavement lead also offers one-to-one work with parents who have experienced a loss of their child, making sure they are emotionally supported within their grief journey. Parents also have access to our Bereaved Parents’ Group which allows them to talk with other parents who have lost a child. A child bereavement is a very lonely experience, and these groups can help to ease that loneliness.
This year our bereavement groups included a sports day activity which allowed for 20 bereaved siblings to have an opportunity to socialise and have a fun day out. We also asked the families what they would like and they asked for a go karting experience which was successful and 30 young adults attended.
We also ran three parent groups, giving them a safe place to feel comfortable and open to speak of their grief and share stories. These groups were accessed by 10 bereaved parents.
Play Sessions
Little Sparks works with children in Enfield who have complex medical conditions, or who are deemed as having a short life expectancy. Their access to activities can usually be very limited; something that other children may take for granted. Siblings of these children can also feel isolated. Little Sparks offers a safe place for them to talk, feel included and express themselves through play and craft activities, supported by specially trained volunteers.
We provide support for children and their families who have a life limiting, life threatening, or an endof-life condition. We co-work closely with hospitals, community clinicians, schools and other voluntary organisations, and host specialised events, tailor made for children and families to meet their individual needs. It is important to provide inclusive, fun events that can be accessed by children and their families, regardless of age or ability. The aim is always to provide therapeutic one-to-one play sessions, with the child, with or without siblings, to help them to understand their illness and allow them to express themselves through play to relieve anxiety.
Our specialist play sessions this year have provided play support within the family home. All play sessions have been focused to meet the individual needs of the child with aims and outcomes. The sessions are child-led, and all play is looked at from a holistic approach to enable positive outcomes. We use sensory play as part of our sessions and due to funding, we have been able to provide more specialist play sessions to support the needs of all children making a big difference. We have been able to purchase more accessible items, including switch toys, to enable choice and inclusivity. The purchase of specialist toys and an i-pad supports preparation, distraction and post procedural play to prepare for procedures such as blood tests, check-ups, surgery and to cope with medical procedures and treatments. The blood bear, doctors sets and dolls have been adapted to support children through role play allowing practise skills, to explore fears and feel in control leading to a safe space for questions and better understanding. This has allowed medical interventions to be less traumatic for children and their families with a positive outcome. We have also supported children with end-of-life memory work through our play sessions including planting, pottery making and family 3D hand moulds providing families with lifetime memories.
Memory Making
Any family from Enfield that has been bereaved of a close family member is invited to join us for our annual Memory Day. We bring together parents who have had a child die, to celebrate the child’s life through poems and singing, allowing time to reflect and remember every one of their children. We also held other memory making activities, supporting the family to make lasting positive memories through crafts or photos from one of out parties or outings.
At this year’s memory day from feedback from parents agreed that we provided a safe space to remember all Little Sparks Enfield’s children and families who have died. We purchased and released butterflies into a nature reserve alongside where our memory bench is placed and our families can visit
anytime. We also created some memories being creative with florist arranging and families took these away. Food and drink were provided along with poems being read by some parents. Will continue to get feedback and change according to needs and wants of families.
Christmas & Easter
We make sure all the families have fun at Christmas time; we supply food, a present, games and meet and greets with Father Christmas, all free of charge to families who are not able go to a traditional grotto due to their condition. We also deliver presents to the doorsteps of families that are isolating. At Easter we doorstep deliver eggs that this year were donated by Tesco Enfield.
Christmas this year was celebrated with a large Grotto, Father Christmas, and a life sized, wheelchair accessible snowglobe. The event was held in a school sports hall and provided entertainment and food including candy floss and popcorn alongside Christmas activities and a family photographer. All children received a Christmas present and for some this is the only gift they would receive. Due to medical reasons and some families isolating due to treatments, some were unable to attend and presents were delivered. This year we purchased Easter Eggs which we delivered to all families we support.
Child’s Birthday
As with the Christmas Party, we organise birthday celebrations for the child and their siblings, to make positive memories. The child can choose where they like to go like for food or park or crazy golf, giving the child at the end of their life important time together with their siblings.
This year we took 8 children to places like Harvester, McDonald’s, Nandos and pottery. After the planning with children, parents and volunteers we were able to create memories with siblings and allow them to experience their favourite places they do not usually have access to due to treatments, time or funds.
Family Days
In addition this year, we attended a Dream Nights event at Colchester Zoo which was in the theme of World Book Day. The zoo was closed to the public so our isolated families could experience it and 20 children and their families attended. We were also able to provide the transport for this.
We attended Chessington World of Adventures in the summer, providing a coach and a wheelchair accessible mini-bis to transport the 93 children and adults who attended. For some this was their first time at a theme park and zoo.
Beneficial Purchases
We also purchased some large portable sensory toys from Spacecraft which has changed the way our play sessions are delivered and designed. Access to this wider range of fun toys means sessions can be tailor made to each child’s needs, giving opportunity from sensory input regardless of location.
Financial Review
This Annual Report is the fourth as a registered charity. There was a carried forward balance of £27,004. The Charity received funds by way of donations, fundraising and a grant. The donations came from regular monthly donations as well as corporate donations. The fundraising means were by third party activities from supporters and from platforms such as Easy Fundraising, Amazon Smile and Just Giving. There are costs associated with these platforms giving a total net fundraising revenue of £23,593.
Little Sparks used the income to carry out the previously mentioned charitable activities. Beneficial Purchases £1,323 Outings and birthdays £5,598 Christmas & Easter £4,185 Memory Work £631 Bereavement Work £2,365 Play Sessions £976
Reserves Policy
Little Sparks Enfield does not currently have a policy to maintain a reserves balance. This is because the money received is directly spent on charitable activities only. Any remaining unrestricted funds at the end of any financial year is to be carried forward to the next financial year to be used for charitable activity that year. The total funds carried forward to the next financial year totals £39,173
Structure, governance and management
Governing Document
Little Sparks Enfield is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation - Foundation registered on 20[th] September 2021 with a Constitution Governing Document.
Trustees
Every charity trustee must be a natural person, over the age of 16 with at least one trustee being over the age of 18. There must be at least three charity trustees, with no maximum number that may be appointed to the CIO. Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of one year by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
Administrative information
The name of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“the CIO”) is: Little Sparks Enfield and is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales number 1195845.
The Charity’s principal address is: Cedar House, St Michaels PCC, Gater Drive, Enfield, EN2 0JB
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity: Chair Lisa Goodridge From 12[th] July 2023 Vice Chair Senada Gjokaj From 12[th] July 2023 Secretary Stacey Easton From 12[th] July 2023 Names of Advisers Treasurer Yvonne Voegt From 20[th] September 2021
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Print Name: Yvonne Voegt Position: Treasurer Date: 01/09/2025
Litue Spark6 Chdrily CDmpany Nki 1195845 Annual &counts for the eriod Period end date PeriDd slartda P4)r-24 To Mw-25 Section A Statement of financial activities (including summary income and expenditure account) Re51tictéd UnreArf¢ted Income nd5 Endowrnent nd5 Prforye•r nd5 RecommeAded categorle5ty adlNIty Tolal thnd5 knco 24,2 3.654 24,502 3,654 13,512 1.140 28,156 28.156 16.652 Expenditure IlatsrvJ luTrJ9 15,079 15.079 7.C67 103 15,988 15.988 7.171 Net incoTh1(expen(UeI before Lix for the Teportiry period pry 12,168 12.168 9,481 Net incOn1(expenthtUeI after L7x before investnnt gain511105ses1 12,168 12.168 9.481 Net incorrl(expenthlurel Extraordinary itenB Transfers betEen funds Other recogni5ed gainsl{losses): 12,168 12,168 9,481 C'S Netmovementln funds 12,168 12,168 9,481 27,C4)4 39,173 27.W4 39.173 17,523 27.004 S¥ned by or two tTU5tees on behalf olal the ttustees svarluTe Print e Cmte of Ywnne Vo41