Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From: September 1[st] 2023 Period start date To: August 31[st] 2024 Period end date
Charity name: Squirrels Preschool Delamere Park CIO
Charity registration number: 1201260
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To provide quality early years childcare and education using the Early Years Foundation framework to 2-5year olds in the local community, developing awareness of community, culture and environment. Children, parents and local community are benefciaries |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public beneft, in particular, the activities, projects or services identifed in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Teaching of EYFS by well qualifed staf, provision of excellent staf:child ratios, outdoor/indoor play/educational activities/experiences. Enhancing community links by involvement with elderly/local community through activities such as singing, concerts, gala/open days etc. Improving local environment by gardening, decorating, investing money fundraised to improve communalbuildings, |
| Statement confrming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public beneft |
Para 1.18 | The Trustees are aware of the Charity Commission guidelines on public beneft. Trustees receive no re-numeration and minimal expenses. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Policy ongrant making | Para1.38 | N/A |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | N/A |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | The Trustees are unpaid volunteers who run the preschool according to very strict EYFS and Local Authority standards & guidelines. Trustee Ofcers in collaboration with parents and local community/staf fundraise. Donation of prizes/cakes goods/toys, selling rafe tickets and attending events, organising Activities for Local community events eg. Jubilee/coronation/Gala days |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the diference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its benefciaries and any wider benefts to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | We have improved the early learning experience of all children who attend the pre-school through excellent educational practice, breadth of curricular and play activities. We have turned the fnances around, fundraised and involved the wider community. We have involved parents in achieving the charities aims and involved the young children in activities with the elderly and less fortunate. Through our charity we have improved the children’s understanding of the diversity of the wider community which they live in and their appreciation of the environmental issues we all face. All the aforementioned ultimately beneft society, as these children arethefuture. |
Additional information
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | The pre-school now has improved educational resources We have continued with improved fnancial management /sound accounting/business planning & budgeting /housekeeping and continue to strive to meet our objectives. Numbers have increased and we are optimistic that they will continue to do so. |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | The generosity of our members/parents in making voluntary donations has helped us meet fundraising targets this year and we will continue to raise money in this way. Parental/community donations were used to increase stafng ratios and employ two apprentices. Extra resources for Early Years curriculum development and skills such as Dance/football and Forrest school. A christmas fundraiser raised less than expected due to cost of living crisis |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
Financial Review
Review of the charity’s Para 1.21 We are in a sound financial financial position at position, with assets that will the end of the period ensure our viability as we go forward to the next academic year (2024-2025). The number of children attending has decreased thus our income is diminished. The rise in minimum wage has also
| adversely afected the preschools fnances. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | According to ‘Early Years Alliance’ guidelines, we must have a reserve of at least 3 – 6 months running costs in the event that child numbers should drop, or something un-toward happen beyond our control (eg.Covid 19). We have a responsibility not only to our parents/children, but also to the staf we employ to teach the children. Our reserves have helped us ensure that our staf are paid above the minimum wage and cover increases in pension, cost of living and energyincreases. |
| Amount of reserves held |
Para 1.22 | £30,000 |
| Reasons for holding zeroreserves |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Details of fund materiallyindefcit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Para1.23 |
Additional information
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | We are primarily funded through ‘fees’ charged to the parents/carers of the children who attend the pre-school. We receive private fees for un-funded children, and we receive funding from the local authority CWAC for government funded nursery/preschool places (15/30 hours per week). Parents and members make “voluntary donations” and we fundraise to buy some extra resources and make cosmetic improvements to our setting. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectivesincluding |
| any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
|---|---|---|
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | The main risk to the charity continues to be uncertainty surrounding the lease for our premises and associated legal costs. We are currently negotiating with the current Landlord. Increased stafng costs (rise in minimum working wage, pension contributions and holiday pay and government underfunding for Early Years places are a continuing concern |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | We are an Incorporated Charity 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 moretrustees |
Para 1.25 | Co-option/appointment by current trustees or members Some skills in admin/fnance are desirable 6 Trustees |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charityname | SquirrelsPre-School DelamereParkCIO |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses |
|
| Registered charity number |
1201260 |
Charity’s principal 59 Delamere Parkway West, address Delamere Park Cuddington Northwich Cheshire CW8 2UE
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
Trustee name | Ofce (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Lawton | Trustee | |||
| Anne(Pixie) Spencer |
Trustee | |||
| Jeannine Kolodziejski |
Trustee | |||
| Anna Pickering | Trustee | |||
| Sylvia Henderson |
Trustee | |||
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) SarahMLawton AM ncer Spe Anne Mary Spencer Full name(s) Sarah Mary Lawton Position (eg Trustee Trustee Secretary, Chair, Chair Treasurer etc) Date 24[th] March 2025
| Outgoings | September | October | November | December | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CWAC |
£ 320.00 |
||||||||||||
| Wages/HolidayPay | £ 4,115.94 | £ 3,115.77 | £ 3,645.51 | £ 3,371.04 | £ 3,459.47 | £ 3,501.69 | £ 3,366.67 | £ 3,374.01 | £ 3,714.22 | £ 3,869.71 | £ 4,134.09 | £ 2,933.07 | £ 42,601.19 |
| Telecoms | £ 39.50 | £ 39.50 | £ 39.50 | £ 39.50 | £ 39.50 | £ 39.50 | £ 39.50 | £ 43.19 | £ 43.19 | £ 43.19 | £ 43.19 | £ 43.19 | £ 492.45 |
| Gas | £ - | £ - | £ 124.40 | £ - | £ - | £ 505.56 | £ 247.22 | £ 212.11 | £ 95.04 | £ 39.49 | £ 71.62 | £ 26.92 | £ 1,322.36 |
| Insurance | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 900.05 | £ - | £ - | £ 900.05 |
| HMRC Tax & NI | £ 258.83 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 175.23 | £ - | £ - | £ 188.91 | £ - | £ - | £ 204.81 | £ 827.78 |
| Accountant | £ 105.00 | £ - | £ 60.00 | £ 60.00 | £ 30.00 | £ - | £ 30.00 | £ 30.00 | £ 30.00 | £ - | £ 60.00 | £ 30.00 | £ 435.00 |
| Educational Resources/unicef |
£ 8.00 | £ 262.83 | £ 274.59 | £ 48.44 | £ 254.39 | £ 197.33 | £ 172.28 | £ 95.70 | £ 261.25 | £ 202.45 | £ 532.36 | £ 34.98 | £ 2,344.60 |
| DPML | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 2.00 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 2.00 | |
| DBS | £ 48.00 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 48.00 |
| Food/cleaning | £ - | £ 270.52 | £ 35.49 | £ 290.68 | £ - | £ 309.15 | £ 238.14 | £ - | £ 53.59 | £ 222.55 | £ 424.55 | £ 26.44 | £ 1,871.11 |
| Training | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 42.00 | £ 95.00 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 137.00 |
| Ofsted reg. | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 35.00 | £ - | £ 35.00 |
| Website/apple | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 2.99 | £ 2.99 | £ 2.99 | £ 2.99 | £ 5.98 | £ 2.99 | £ 250.87 | £ 271.80 |
| Maintenance/Refurb | £ 388.00 | £ 47.29 | £ - | £ - | £ 120.00 | £ 27.32 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 120.00 | £ 561.34 | £ - | £ 1,263.95 |
| Trustee/Staf Expense | £ - | £ - | £ 112.00 | £ - | £ 54.82 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 166.82 |
| Other resources/Faml | y£ - | £ 91.75 | £ 32.64 | £ 69.60 | £ 172.08 | £ 95.60 | £ 94.80 | £ 94.80 | £ 69.60 | £ 69.60 | £ 69.60 | £ - | £ 860.07 |
| Noodlenow Staf devp | t £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 150.00 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 69.60 | £ 219.60 | |
| EarlyYears Associatio | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 6.50 | £ - | £ - | £ 9.95 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 16.45 |
| NEST Pension | £ 94.83 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 310.54 | £ - | £ 315.53 | £ 163.49 | £ 177.17 | £ 177.17 | £ 192.64 | £ 1,431.37 |
| Microsoft | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 59.99 | £ - | £ 59.99 |
| staf & childrengifts/b | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 60.00 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 10.00 | £ - | £ 70.00 |
| Advertising | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 168.00 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 168.00 |
| Fundraisingexpenses | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - |
| Solicitor/lease | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 69.84 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 180.00 | £ 1,200.00 | £ - | £ 1,449.84 |
| Extra curricular/dance | £ 228.00 | £ 216.00 | £ 432.00 | £ 105.00 | £ 190.00 | £ 327.00 | £ 210.00 | £ 266.00 | £ 333.00 | £ 210.00 | £ 371.00 | £ 2,888.00 | |
| Pettycash | £ - | £ 100.00 | £ - | £ 180.00 | £ 280.00 | ||||||||
| £ 5,286.10 | £ 4,043.66 | £ 4,756.13 | £ 4,044.26 | £ 4,576.76 | £ 5,561.75 | £ 4,443.60 | £ 4,707.28 | £ 5,277.28 | £ 6,040.19 | £ 7,932.90 | £ 3,812.52 | £ 60,162.43 | |
| Income | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - |
| CWAC | £ 6,315.71 | £ - | £ - | £ 3,923.19 | £ 6,887.50 | £ - | £ 4,779.02 | £ 10,871.28 | £ - | £ 3,356.82 | £ - | £ - | £ 36,133.52 |
| Fees | £ 270.00 | £ 1,903.60 | £ 2,718.60 | £ - | £ 2,577.40 | £ 270.80 | £ 2,044.50 | £ 142.60 | £ 1,455.30 | £ 784.00 | £ 3,227.46 | £ - | £ 15,394.26 |
| voluntaryDonations | £ 393.77 | £ 568.23 | £ 914.13 | £ - | £ 783.88 | £ 437.10 | £ 914.63 | £ 580.60 | £ 599.70 | £ 395.90 | £ 1,636.25 | £ 7,224.19 | |
| Totalpeople Apprenti | c £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 500.00 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 500.00 |
| Government Grant | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - |
| Furlough | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - |
| Fundraising/rafe/cak | e £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ - |
| Refunds/CIO assets | £ 60.00 | £ 1,693.84 | £ - | £ - | £ - | £ 39.90 | £ - | £ - | £ 179.98 | £ 4.99 | £ - | £ - | £ 1,978.71 |
| £ 7,039.48 | £ 4,165.67 | £ 3,632.73 | £ 3,923.19 | £10,248.78 | £ 747.80 | £ 8,238.15 | £ 11,594.48 | £ 2,234.98 | £ 4,541.71 | £ 4,863.71 | £ - | £ 61,230.68 |
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees/ members of On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages Responsibilities and basis of report |
Charity Name Squirrels Preschool Delamere Park CIO |
Charity Name Squirrels Preschool Delamere Park CIO |
Charity Name Squirrels Preschool Delamere Park CIO |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 August 2024 | Charity no (if any) |
2734440 | |
| 1 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) |
|||
| I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 08 / 2024. As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). |
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
-
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
-
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:[Simon Baile][y] Date: 23[rd] May 2025 Name: Simon Bailey Relevant professional Association of Accounting Technicians qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: Tick and Tally Limited, 10 Whitley Drive Northwich, Cheshire CW8 1RJ
1
Oct 2018
IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
2
Oct 2018
IER