## **ANNUAL REPORT** 

## Objectives and Activities 

This is the first annual re **p** ort following registration with the Ch **a** rity Commission in May 2022. The constit **u** tional objective of Busy Bees Preschoo **l** (at Southwick Methodist Church) is to a **d** vance preschool education for young c **h** ildren (aged 2- 4) who live in the local ar **e** a, by providing an Ofsted registered E **Y** FS setting, operating within the com **m** unity of the Southwick Methodist Chu **r** ch.  This service will be provided in accord **a** nce with Christian principles and be in **c** lusive of children and families of a **n** y faith, or without a faith. 

The preschool is register **e** d by Ofsted and with the Departmen **t** of Education, for ‘free entitlement’ funding for eligible two, three and four-year- **o** ld children, and with the Early Childhood **S** ervice of West Sussex County Council. 

The preschool aims to pr **o** vide a safe, secure, happy and stimula **t** ing environment for pre-school children, **w** here they will be helped and encourag **e** d to develop and learn through a varie **t** y, and appropriate range, of play and l **e** arning activities, by caring, prof **e** ssional, trained adults with the involv **e** ment of all families within our comm **u** nity who are interested in and suppor **t** our aims. 

Meetings of the trustee committee take place three times a yea **r** , chaired by the minister of Southwick Me **t** hodist Church. This provides the oppo **r** tunity for management and financial reporting and forecasting, the setting **o** f objectives and planning. The constitu **t** ion prescribes for church, staff and p **a** rent representation on the co **m** mittee. As described above the truste **e** s give careful consideration to the publi **c** benefit guidance provided by the Cha **r** ity Commission. 

## Achievements and Perfor **m** ance 

The autumn term 2022 st **a** rted with low child numbers, we under **s** tand in common with other settings in the area. This was at a time of significant **c** ost of living challenges in the UK econ **o** my. It is considered that this disproportionately affected parents of the y **o** ung families that form the client base of the preschool. This applied signif **i** cant financial pressure during the year, including a much lower level of privat **e** fee income. Moreover, the year conti **n** ued to present challenges to staff after **t** he period of covid lockdowns and rest **r** ictions. 

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The Busy Bees website w **e** nt live in September 2022 at busybees **s** outhwick.co.uk. This provided increased **m** arketing and profile, particularly to pa **r** ents searching for local settings using in **t** ernet platforms. Enquiries were receiv **e** d via the contact form on the webs **i** te. Other advertising eg. the banner o **u** tside the church premises and word of mouth continued to remain further important communication channels. 

Four stay and play session **s** were arranged during the year. Thes **e** are an opportunity for children and parents to experience activities tog **e** ther and meet other parents, children and practitioners. 

The manager of the setti **n** g, a qualified early years teacher had **w** ork published in **a a** a national academic public tion, the Early Years Educator. The J nuary 2023 journal contained ‘implem **e** ntation for change of practice – helico **p** ter stories’ a two page dissertation. 

## Financial Review 

Please see the accompanying accounts and reserves policy below. **T** he annual accounts are subject to independent examination. As described above this year was challenging financially with an annual deficit of £10,990 and **a** s a result reserves reduced to £26, **8** 66. Reserves to earn interest are placed with the Epworth Fund managed at the Methodist Central Finance Board **o** ffices in London. This is provided for chari **t** able organisations that are not part of the Methodist Church but affiliated to t **h** e church. 

The trustees believe that Busy Bees is a going concern based on **t** he present finances. Busy Bees does **n** ot own or hold any freehold property, **u** sing the premises of Southwick M **e** thodist Church under a standard form of agreement. 

## Reserves Policy 

Reserves are unrestricte **d** funds which are available to spend on **t** he charity’s purpose. Reserves provide a buffer against uneven and unpredict **a** ble income and/or expenditure. 

There are inherent financial risks within the early years sector and Busy Bees activities which have bee **n** considered by the treasurer and trustees. 

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Taking the above into acc **o** unt the reserves policy of Busy Bees i **s** presently an amount equivalent to at le **a** st three months gross payroll (ie. including HMRC national insurance/tax pa **y** over and pension scheme contributions **)** . Based on our current accounts this equ **a** ls £23,336. Reserves at the end of August 2023 were £26,866. 

## Structure, Governance an **d** Management 

The charity is a Charitabl **e** Incorporated Organisation (CIO). Th **e** governing document is a ‘Foundation’ constitution whose only voting members are the charity trustees. The constitutio **n** was last amended on 12 May 2022 wh **e** n Busy Bees Preschool (at Southwick **M** ethodist Church) registered with the **C** harity Commission. 

The constitution describe **s** in detail the functions and duties of trustees, and for their eligibility, number, appointment, retirement and removal. T **h** ere are: 

- not less than two n **o** r more than four appointed trustees ( **p** arent representatives), 

- three ex-officio tr **u** stees; the minister of Southwick Met **h** odist Church and chair, the setti **n** g manager and the treasurer, 

- not less than two n **o** r more than three trustees nominated by Southwick Methodist Church. 

## Reference and Administr **a** tive Details 

Charity Name – Busy Bees Pre School (at Southwick Methodist C **h** urch) 

Registered Charity Numb **e** r – 1198933 

Address – Southwick Met **h** odist Church, Manor Hall Road, South **w** ick, West Sussex, BN42 4NA 

Names of Managing Trust **e** es – Frank Okai-Sam (Chair), Heather McKay (Nominated Trustee and **S** ecretary), Lorna Rayner (Setting Manager), Stephen Smith (Treasurer), Emily **B** erry (Nominated Trustee), Claire Robi **n** son, Sarah McDonnell and Lucy Bran **(** Parent Representative Trustees). 

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Busy Bees Annual Report 2022- **2** 023 



2021
10.547.60
6.260.IXI
6.918.54
81.310.Th)
565.27
i.(DJ.
1.5Th).IX)
20
3.341.20
5.042.50
9.462.S7
71.223.50
Private fees
Tax free thildcare fee5
IIISCC funding- 2 year old
WSCC fundin8- 3 and 4year old
HMRC Government fudoueh workerslSSP stheme
Ezrly Years Professional DEveh)prnent Prograrnrne IEYPOPI
Government Education & Sknlb FundingA8enry
i£hester University bursary
Fundraising
Other incomeldonations
Interest- Epworth Cash Hu5 Fund for Charities
43.03
105.62
108,Z50.06
467.54
1.053.91
)A91.22
89.721.14
5.877.76
4,266.63
53.70
831.78
11,370.40
452.92
3.336.61
Salaries
76.295.58
5.117.95
3.223.59
PAYE
NEST pension stheme COfrtributt(￿s
stsff untForm
Other staff expense5
Southwick Methodist thurth premises
Insurance
Equipment. re50vrte5 and mateTia15
Garden
632.29
I2.C(￿.00
4S2.64
2,407.85
86.83
50.CWJ
270.00
518.12
254.33
272A6
so.
473.89
724.18
278.45
190.42
Trainin8
PhotO￿Op￿ng
Computing and offKe expense5
Mobile phone
Other expenses
I17￿27￿8
lo1.5￿04
Balanre Sheet as at 3tst
26,442.08
25.357.90
Current A¢courrt
Methodist Centrdl Finan￿ Board
Epworth Cash PSUS Fund for CharTkne5
4.619.77
40,411.81
45￿81.58
51.799.98
liabilit
VISCC autumn terrn funding received in advan
113.942.951
37,857.03
118.165.371
26￿6&21
Represented trr.
Balaft￿ at 1st September 2022
Current Account
Methodistcentral finan￿ Board knnt
35,116.73
25.252.28
60,369.01
26.442.08
25.357.90
51.m.98
113,134.161
47.23435
WSCCautwnn terni fvndin8 rec￿ed in a(fr¥an
113.942.951
37A57.03
19.377.821
37.8S7.03
Defiut of Expenditufefor year
110.990.821
I6￿66.21
I have examined the accounts and 5UPPOrting stateme
are correct.
n Young FCCA IRetiredl Independent Exzrniner

2021
10.547.60
6.260.IXI
6.918.54
81.310.Th)
565.27
i.(DJ.
1.5Th).IX)
20
3.341.20
5.042.50
9.462.S7
71.223.50
Private fees
Tax free thildcare fee5
IIISCC funding- 2 year old
WSCC fundin8- 3 and 4year old
HMRC Government fudoueh workerslSSP stheme
Ezrly Years Professional DEveh)prnent Prograrnrne IEYPOPI
Government Education & Sknlb FundingA8enry
i£hester University bursary
Fundraising
Other incomeldonations
Interest- Epworth Cash Hu5 Fund for Charities
43.03
105.62
108,Z50.06
467.54
1.053.91
)A91.22
89.721.14
5.877.76
4,266.63
53.70
831.78
11,370.40
452.92
3.336.61
Salaries
76.295.58
5.117.95
3.223.59
PAYE
NEST pension stheme COfrtributt(￿s
stsff untForm
Other staff expense5
Southwick Methodist thurth premises
Insurance
Equipment. re50vrte5 and mateTia15
Garden
632.29
I2.C(￿.00
4S2.64
2,407.85
86.83
50.CWJ
270.00
518.12
254.33
272A6
so.
473.89
724.18
278.45
190.42
Trainin8
PhotO￿Op￿ng
Computing and offKe expense5
Mobile phone
Other expenses
I17￿27￿8
lo1.5￿04
Balanre Sheet as at 3tst
26,442.08
25.357.90
Current A¢courrt
Methodist Centrdl Finan￿ Board
Epworth Cash PSUS Fund for CharTkne5
4.619.77
40,411.81
45￿81.58
51.799.98
liabilit
VISCC autumn terrn funding received in advan
113.942.951
37,857.03
118.165.371
26￿6&21
Represented trr.
Balaft￿ at 1st September 2022
Current Account
Methodistcentral finan￿ Board knnt
35,116.73
25.252.28
60,369.01
26.442.08
25.357.90
51.m.98
113,134.161
47.23435
WSCCautwnn terni fvndin8 rec￿ed in a(fr¥an
113.942.951
37A57.03
19.377.821
37.8S7.03
Defiut of Expenditufefor year
110.990.821
I6￿66.21
I have examined the accounts and 5UPPOrting stateme
are correct.
n Young FCCA IRetiredl Independent Exzrniner