## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 06/04/2023 Period start date T0 05/04/2024 Period end date** **Charity name: Candles – North Essex Down Syndrome Support Group** **Charity registration number: 1198215** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|**To Provide the relief of the needs of**
**children with down syndrome and their**
**families living in Colchester and the**
**surrounding areas, by provision of**
**facilities, services and opportunities that**
**will maximise their participation in**
**society, and any other charitable**
**purposes connected with Down**
**Syndrome.**| |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|**Swimming, Tennis, Soft Play, Dance,**
**Cooking, Multi-sports, Sensory Activities,**
**Biking, Football.**| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|**Yes, all trustees have had regard to the**
**guidance.**| ## **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|**Achievements include seeing the**
**children gaining more and more**
**confidence this year and really coming**
**out of their shells. Making really great**
**friendships with other children just like**
**them and also their siblings too. Giving**
**them equal opportunities to thrive in like**
**every typical child and join in out of**
**school activities where the whole family**
**is included and make it really special.**
**Parents have been given respite and**
**support whenever they need it, and they**
**can enjoy seeing their children having**
**fun where it is suitable and safe for**
**them. Parents relationships continue to**
**flourish and there really are ‘family’**
**friendships forming, where they would**
**otherwise feel alone. We are so excited**
**that our Name is around the Colchester**
**area more now so we get hospital**
**referrals and health visitors calling us**
**with information on new parents who**
**need support, etc. So this is a really**
**amazing achievement where we can**
**make a difference to people’s lives.**| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|**There has been nothing that has been**
**against our objectives only that**
**sometimes where we cannot find the**
**right services for our children due to**
**availability at the time, or weather, so**
**there can be a delay in getting some**
**activities we want booked in.**| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|**Our fundraising this year has been a**
**good start, as we are finding it**
**increasingly difficult each year to get**
**funding as we do not provide any**
**services to gain income due to the**
**nature of our charity. We are a small**
**charity that organise activities for the**
**children and families, we do not set out**
**to make money from anything we do.**| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|**See Accounts below**| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|**We have reserves from donations**
**received for which we are organising**
**sessions. We like to ensure we always**
**have enough in reserves for the next**
**year so we can plan our yearly activities.**
**We continuously use our reserves for**
**upcoming events, we do not pay any**
**employees – all the funds go to the**
**activities and expenses to pay for those**
**activities.**| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|**£6000**| |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**| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||**CIO**| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|**CIO Document**| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|**CIO- Foundation**| |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|**All Trustees agree on any changes that**
**are made or arise**| ## **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|| |---|---|---| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|**Affiliated with the Down Syndrome**
**Association and insurances are held**
**with them**| |Other||| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Candles Down Syndrome Support Group| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|Candles| |Registered charity number|1198215| |Charity’s principal address|40 Rowhedge Road, Colchester, Essex, CO28EL| ||| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (if any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Charlotte Larcom|||Yes| ||Bethany
Bedingfield|||Yes| ||Kerrie Chadwick|||Yes| ||Helen Mendel
Gonzales|||| ||Clare Ranson|||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ## – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets None held in this capacity Name and objects of the None charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for None safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of Name Address adviser Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details **None** ## **Other optional information** ## **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)** Charlotte Larcom **Position (eg Secretary,** Chairperson **Chair, etc) Date** 03/02/2025 Candles Down Syndrome Support Group ## Financial Accounts 06/04/2023 – 05/04/2024 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Candles - Annual Accounts April 2023 - April 2024
Holiday
Income
Donations from Council/Government 3,970.00
Donations from Local Businesses - Donations 2,230.00
Family bookings - Donations 2,484.90
Donations for 2024 - Trading 3,009.44
11,694.34
Expenses
Admin - Hall Hire - 838.00
Admin - Expenses - 1,661.91
Admin - Session payments - 9,153.00
Calvert holiday costs - 940.00
- 12,592.91
Total Loss (Cash in Bank) - 898.57
Cashflow
Cash in Bank before charity formed pre March '22 3,572.79
Profit from April 2022-23 7,195.16
This loss - 898.57
Total cash in Bank at April 24 9,869.38
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