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2025-11-30-accounts

SHIFFORD CARRIAGE DRIVING GROUP RDA

CHARITY NUMBER 1208637

TRUSTEES REPORT FOR FIRST FINANCIAL PERIOD

12TH JUNE 2024 TO 30 TH NOVEMBER 2025

Since registration as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 12[th] June 2024 the group has made considerable progress towards becoming established at its new driving venue in Charney Bassett. At that venue we are kindly hosted by the Godfrey family.

During the summer of 2024 the venue was assessed by the Riding for Disabled Association as being suitable for RDA Carriage Driving Activities. The two existing ponies were also assessed as suitable for use at the venue.

The group meets to provide pleasure drives to participants on village roads and off road tracks at the venue, on Wednesday mornings from April to October inclusive, weather dependant

Partcipants

We were able to begin carriage driving with our 5 regular participants in August 2024. Between that date and the end of October 2025 we have delivered 131 individual participant sessions. We have a waiting list for the 2026 driving season.

Volunteers

We started the year with 2 coaches, 2 trainee coaches and 4 other volunteers. During the course of the year we were able to recruit 3 more volunteers. However, by the end of the year the 2 trainee coaches stepped back for personal reasons. We are actively looking to recruit more volunteers.

Coaches

In June 2025, one of our new volunteers qualified as a coach. We now have 3 carriage driving coaches

Equines

The group owned pony moved to new accommodation in May 2024. She is transported to the driving venue on driving days. In January 2025 group funds were used to purchase a mobile field shelter and store for her paddock. She was selected as the RDA Equine of the Year for 2025 and in July 2025 volunteers attended the RDA National Championships at Hartpury to collect her award.

The 2 other equines used by the group are owned by our Chair and are loaned to the group on driving days. Group funds are used to pay for their shoeing expenses. The elder of these equines had to take a break from driving in the late spring of 2025 due to lameness. It is hoped that he will be fit to resume driving in the 2026 season. The younger of these

equines passed his RDA assessment in June 2025 and now pulls the 4 wheeled carriage. Therefore, the group now has 3 qualified driving ponies.

Fundraising

In September 2025 our Chair and the younger of her equines (who is a ride and drive) completed the Abingdon RDA Sponsored Ride at Blenheim accompanied by another volunteer on her horse. Together they raised over £1300 for the group. Volunteers have commenced giving talks to local interest and community groups and which are also producing donations

Other

In March 2025 the CEO and the Finance Director of RDA UK visited the group. They met with participants and volunteers and enjoyed a carriage drive. A meeting was then held with group trustees to discuss a historic legacy received by the group and in respect of which it was unclear as to whether the intended beneficiary should be the Shifford Group or RDA UK. The matter was resolved by the group making a donation from those legacy funds to RDA UK. RDA UK agreed that the donation would be applied towards the development of a carriage driving coaching pathway and practical carriage driving training for the benefit of the association generally.

Forward plans for 2026

Abingdon RDA has kindly agreed to allow the group to use its indoor arena over the winter of 2025/26 for the purpose of familiarising and training the ponies to work with carriages in a ménage and in an indoor environment. It is hoped that this will ultimately lead to the group being able to provide additional activities to participants in the form of driving obstacles, cones and dressage tests.

The group is also working towards being able to extend activities to long distance driving on the private roads of a local farming estate and to hold an annual picnic drive.

The trustees are grateful to all of our wonderful volunteers for their time and effort in helping to develop the group.

The trustees who served for this financial year are:-

Mrs D Godfrey

Mrs A Hook

Mrs C Jessop

This trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees at the first AGM held on 17[th] February 2026

D Godfrey 17[th] February 2026

.................................................... .......................................

Mrs D Godfrey Chair. Dated

Shifford Carriage Driving Group No
Riding for the Disabled
Receipts and payments
For the period
from
01-Jun-24
To
30-Nov-25
1074303
accounts
CC16a
2022

Section A Receipts and payments

A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £
Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £
Restricte
d funds
to the
nearest £
Restricte
d funds
to the
nearest £
Endowm
ent funds
to the
nearest £
Endowm
ent funds
to the
nearest £
Total funds
to the nearest £
Total funds
to the nearest £
Last year
to the
nearest £
- - - - -
Grant Coach Training 165 - 165 -
RDA Funds - - - - -
Donations Participants 1,055 - - 1,055 1,191
Donations other 475 - - 475 827
Fundraising 1,388 - - 1,388 -
Miscellaneous Income 462 - - 462 456
Reinvested Dividends 2,464 - - 2,464 1,418
- - - - -
Subtotal(Gross income for AR) 6,009 - - 6,009 3,892
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
Sale of Investments 20,500 6,000
- -
Sub total 20,500 6,000
Total receipts
A3 Payments
9,892

Field Rent/ Livery
4,500 - - 4,500 900
PonyHire 2,600 2,600 -
Feed Merchant 36 - - 36 491
Hay/Bedding 367 - - 367 1,461
Farrier 995 - - 995 1,188
Vet/Dentist 56 - - 56 595
Transport Ponies 293 293 89
Coach Training 165 165 -
RDA Fees 923 923 639
Insurance Trailer 112 - - 112 168
Insurance Pony 665 665 459
Fundraising costs - - - -
Miscellaneous 1,489 1,489 1,038
**Sub total ** 12,201 - - 12,201 7,028
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)

Reinvestment of earnings
2,464 1,418

Purchase of Assets
5,500
Transfer to National Office 10,000
Accruals - 761
**Sub total ** 17,964 657
Total payments 30,165 - - 30,165 7,685
Net of receipts/(payments) - 3,656 - - - 3,656 2,207
A5 Transfers between funds - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 6,211 - - 6,211 2,207
Cash funds this year end 2,555 - - 2,555 4,414

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
B2 Other monetary assets
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B3 Investment assets
B1 Cash funds
Details
Barclays Current Account
Cash in hand
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and
payments account(s))
Details
Details
Barclays Current Account
Cash in hand
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and
payments account(s))
Details
Unrestric
ted funds
to nearest £
Unrestric
ted funds
to nearest £
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
Endowme
nt funds
to nearest £
2,251 - -
304 - -
- - -
2,555 - -
OK
Endowme
nt funds
to nearest £
- - -
Details Fund to
which asset
Cost (optional) Current
value
Investment Fund Units - 33,367
Property Fund - 31,622
Details Fund to
which
Amount due
(optional)
When due
(optional)
-
Signature Print Name
Catherine Jessop
Date of
approval
Catherine Jessop 17-Feb-26