|**Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for the period**|**Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for the period**| |---|---| |**1st January 2023 to 31st December 2024**|| |**Contents**|**Page**| |**Legal and Administrative Information**|**2**| |**Trustees’ Annual Report**|| |**Objectives and Activities**|**3**| |**Achievements and performance**|| |**Statement of Financial Activities**|**14**| |**Independent Examiner’s Report**|**13**| ## **Hetton Buddies** Trustees Report for the year ended 31 December 2024. The Trustees presents its report and independently examined financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. ## **Reference and Administrative Information** **Charity Name: Hetton Buddies** **Charity registration number: 1202647** ## **Registered Office and operational address:** c/o ELCAP, The Access Point, Brickgarth, Easington Lane, Tyne & Wear, DH5 0LE ## **Trustees:** Claire Burt Ann Hartley Appointed Chair 3007/24 Kym Robertson Secretary Lisa Matias-Ruiz Treasurer Resigned 30/07/24 Samantha Welch Chair Resigned 30/07/24 Jade Abbott Appointed: 30/07/24 ## **Advisors:** Independent Examiner: Shaun Newton, c/o ELCAP, The Access Point, Brickgarth, Easington Lane, DH5 0LE Bankers: Nat West, 12 Market Place, Durham, DH1 3NG 2 **Hetton Buddies Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for year ended 31[st] December 2024** ## **1. Objectives and Activities** ## **1.1. Overview** Hetton Buddies is a local charity dedicated to the support of SEN children and their parents and carers. - **1.2.** Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document 1. To relieve the needs of Children and Young People with learning difficulties and disabilities and their parents, carers and siblings by providing opportunities for play and recreation in the interests of social welfare in a safe and secure environment and by providing support and practical advice to parents and carers. 2. The promotion of social inclusion among parents and carers of children with learning difficulties and disabilities who are socially excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of their child’s condition by providing advice, guidance and general support and recreational opportunities in the interests of social welfare with objective of improving their conditions of life. - **1.3.** 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 Throughout the year in question Hetton Buddies usually held two weekly sessions aimed at children and Young People with SEN and other disabilities. Buddies Toddlers on a Monday morning and the Hetton Buddies sessions on a Friday evening during term time. During the school holidays some of the sessions were either replaced with a trip out or an event. There was only the two weeks of the Christmas Holidays where there were no Buddies sessions this was to give the trustees and volunteers a time of respite with their families and to also allow our members to visit friends and families in the holidays across the festive period which was not usually possible. Average attendances are 15 at the Toddlers and 35 at the Friday sessions. The Toddler session offers sensory play in addition to the usual soft play and outdoor play but in a safe and secure environment which provides a form of assurance to the parents and carers that their child is both in a safe environment which includes both the physical and also the social environment. The Friday sessions offer indoor and outdoor activities aimed at children of school age with a variety of activities on offer at any one time. - **1.4.** Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. Trustees take the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit into account when planning all of its activities. ## **2. Achievements and Performance** - **2.1.** 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. Hetton Buddies continued to grow during the year in question and ended the year with a satisfactory level of reserves in order to provide financial security in planning for the current year. 3 **Hetton Buddies Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for year ended 31[st] December 2024** Our Trustee with fundraising responsibilities worked hard during the year and this generated 86% of our income for the year in question and without these grants we would have struggled to provide the services and activities that we did. This level of fundraising has also brought us into new, working relationships with a number of local and regional funders who fully support our work and mission. Numbers of attendees was maintained during the year and both groups continue to operate at a maximum level. The benefits we have seen not only apply to those with SEN and other disabilities but also to their parents and carers who find peer support from within the group, which has included them seeking a diagnosis and the resulting benefit claims associated with supporting those with additional needs. The members themselves have developed socially and emotionally as they are now able to mix and socialise within a group setting which for many was unheard of before they joined our group. ## **3. Financial Review** - **3.1.** Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period. Hetton Buddies saw an income of £28.2k (2023: £25.8k) with expenditure of £24.6k (2023: £22.8k) leaving a surplus of £3.6k (2023: £2.9k) and a year end balance to carry forward of £12k (2023: £8.45k). This is a pleasing year end result for the charity. - **3.2.** Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held Hetton Buddies has a policy of holding a minimum of 6 months worth of unrestricted income which for the year in question would be £5.1k based on an income of £10.15k. As the unrestricted income at the year end was £6.4k this minimum amount was in place. - **3.3.** Details of fund materially in deficit Not applicable/ - **3.4.** Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern There is no uncertainty of the charity ability of being a going concern. ## **4. Structure, Governance and Management** - **4.1.** Description of charity’s trusts: Hetton Buddies is registered as a CIO using the Foundation model of governance. The charity registration number is: 1202647. - **4.2.** 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 Trustees are elected at the AGM held on an annual basis. 4 **Hetton Buddies Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for year ended 31[st] December 2024** ## **Declarations** **The company has taken advantage of the small companies’ exemption in preparing the report above.** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report (including directors’ report) above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees/directors:** Signature Name Claire Burt Position Trustee Date 30/07/25 5 **Hetton Buddies Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for year ended 31[st] December 2024** ## **Independent Examiner’s Report** I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024 set out on pages 12 to 16. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is required. Having satisfied that the charity is not subject to an audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, D19 - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act), and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of independent examiner’s statement** My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent examiner's statement** In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements - to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of Sections 395 and 395 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland ( FRS 102 ) ( effective 1 January 2015 ) have not been met or:- 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Shaun Newton c/o ELCAP The Access Point Brickgarth Easington Lane DH5 0LE 6 **Hetton Buddies Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for year ended 31[st] December 2024** DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 ## **Hetton Buddies** ## **Total Receipts & Payments Account for the year ended 31/12/24** |**Receipts**
Sessional fees
Donations
Grants|Unrestricte
d
Restricted
Total| |---|---| ||2,613.99
-
2,613.99
354.25
-
354.25
675.00 24,610.26 25,285.26| |**Total receipts**
**Payments**
Sessional costs
Rent
Event costs
Insurance
Set up costs
Equipment|**3,643.24 24,610.26 28,253.50**
1,838.44
1,645.00
3,483.44
-
3,675.00
3,675.00
551.00 11,190.46 11,741.46
-
130.80
130.80
-
80.00
80.00
835.30
4,672.23
5,507.53| |**Total payments**|**3,224.74 21,393.49 24,618.23**| |**Net receipts / (payments)**
Transfer
Balance brought forward|**418.50**
**3,216.77**
**3,635.27**
(214.75)
214.75
0.00
6,956.87
1,502.63
8,459.50| |**Balance carried forward**|**7,160.62**
**4,934.15 12,094.77**| ## **Approval of the accounts** Name Kym Robertson Shaun Newton Role: Treasurer Independent Examiner Signature: K. Robertson S. Newton Date: 24/03/25 24/03/25 7 **Hetton Buddies Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for year ended 31[st] December 2024**