Trustees’ Annual Report
Charity name: Cariad Children’s Project Registered charity number: 1209981
Charity contact address: 4 Grove Road, Pontardawe, Wales, SA8 4HH Website / email: www.cariadchildrensproject.org Reporting period: 24[th] September 2024 – 24[th] September 2025
Governing document: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Foundation Model Constitution, adopted on
Principal ofice/operational area: Pontardawe, Neath Port Talbot (serving families in the surrounding communities of the Swansea Valley and wider South Wales, as resources permit)
1. Reference and administrative details
Trustees during the period:
-
Elspeth Lowe, Chair
-
Elspeth Lowe, Project Coordinator and Trustee
-
Sharon Davies, Secretary
-Melanie Davies , Trustee
-Lisa Davies, Trustee
-Michelle James-Ellison, Trustee (all appointed in 2025)
Key volunteers and advisors:
-
Lead volunteers: Lynne Lloyd – Financial Support
-
Bankers: Virgin Money
2. Structure, governance and management
Legal status and governance. The charity is governed by its Constitution and is managed by a board of trustees who meet regularly and have approved key governance policies (conflicts of interest, safeguarding, data protection, volunteer management, and financial controls). New trustees receive an induction by providing them with a copy of the Constitution and in future years will include ongoing training.
Risk management. The trustees maintain a risk register covering safeguarding, volunteer and beneficiary safety, financial controls (including cash handling and procurement), data protection, and reputational risk. Controls include DBS checks for relevant roles, spending thresholds and incident reporting procedures.
3. Charitable purposes and public benefit
Objects. The charity exists to relieve need and support the welfare, education and development of children and families, primarily in and around Pontardawe, by providing newborn essentials and educational supplies.
Public beneft statement. The trustees confirm they have had regard to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance. Activities described below directly advance the relief of those in need (Charities Act 2011, s.3(1)(j)) and the advancement of education (s.3(1)(b)). Benefits are provided without undue restriction and are targeted on the basis of need.
4. Objectives and activities
Strategic aim (year one). Establish the Cariad Children’s Project and deliver two core programmes:
-
Newborn Essentials – assembling and distributing care packs for newborn babies (e.g., nappies, wipes, clothing, toiletries, muslins, blankets).
-
Education Support – term-time packs of age-appropriate stationery, exercise books, pencil cases, learning resources, and seasonal top-ups.
-
Setting up a resource hub in the village of Pontardawae
How activities deliver public beneft. The packs reduce immediate financial pressure on families and support children’s readiness to learn. Distribution works through health visitors, midwives, schools and recognised community referrers to ensure resources reach families in need.
Volunteers. The project is volunteer-led. Volunteers assist with procurement, packing sessions, referrals, deliveries, and fundraising. Induction, role descriptions and safeguarding briefings are provided.
5. Achievements and performance (first year)
-
Start-up and setup: Registered bank account; adopted financial controls; created referral pathway with local partners.
-
Families Supported in our First Year 40 families have been helped from April 2024 when the charity first became operational. This help include care packs distributed to families in need referrers (health visitors, midwives) and educational support and educational support providing school-age packs distributed ahead of the new term. Contents aligned with local school lists; included SEND-friendly options where requested.
-
Partnerships: Collaboration with schools, health visitors, education coordinators, foodbanks, social services, St John’s Ambulance, Salvation Army.
-
Safeguarding & quality: No reportable incidents. Feedback from referrers indicates improved school readiness, reduced short-term hardship for families.
Challenges and learning. Demand exceeded projections in early months; supply chain constraints for certain items (e.g., nappies). We will be introducing bulk-buy arrangements and reserve threshold for core items as the charity moves forward.
6. Financial review (summary)
Figures to be completed from the Receipts & Payments statement.
-
Total receipts: £12896.39 (donations and grants £10976.72; fundraising £624.41; in-kind donations (non-cash) with estimated value £1000 disclosed but not included in R&P totals).
-
Total payments: £1004.08 (project delivery items £824.88; insurance £179.20.
-
Year-end cash at bank and in hand: £11892.33
Reserves policy. The trustees aim to hold unrestricted free reserves equivalent to 2–3 months core operating costs (currently assessed at £3000, to ensure continuity of essential provision
Going concern. The trustees consider the charity to be a going concern for the foreseeable future based on donations received and low fixed costs.
7. Fundraising statement
The charity complies with the Code of Fundraising Practice. We do not use professional fundraisers or commercial participators. No complaints were received. Communications are opt-in and privacy notices are available on request.
8. Grant-making and related parties
No grants were issued to individuals outside of standard packs. No related-party transactions took place in the year.
9. Plans for future periods (year two)
-
Consolidate Newborn Essentials with minimum stock levels and referral SLAs.
-
Expand Education Support to a year-round model (starter kits, exam packs).
-
Pilot family drop-in advice afternoons with partner organisations.
-
Develop regular-giving and local corporate partners ; pursue suitable UK and international funders aligned with child welfare and education poverty relief.
-
Formalise impact tracking (unique beneficiary counts, demographics, outcomes via referrer survey).
-
Set up community hub.
10. Statement of trustees’ responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and, where required, the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and the charity’s governing document. They are responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
11. Approval
Approved by the trustees on [date] and signed on their behalf by:
Signature: Elspeth Lowe________ Name: Elspeth Lowe Role: Chair
Receipts and Payments Accounts (for small charities)
Use this section if preparing on a Receipts & Payments basis. Replace placeholders with actual figures.
Statement of Receipts and Payments for the year ended [date]
| Receipts | Unrestricted (£) | Restricted (£) | Total (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 1376.72 | 1376.72 | ||
| (individual) | ||||
| Grants | 9600 | 9600 | ||
| (foundations/ot | ||||
| her) | ||||
| Community | 624.41 | 624.41 | ||
| fundraising | ||||
| events | ||||
| Gift Aid | 1295.26 Cash Back | 1295.26 | ||
| reclaimed | ||||
| Bank interest | ||||
| Total receipts | 12896.39 | 12896.39 | ||
| Payments | Unrestricted (£) | Restricted (£) | Total (£) | |
| Newborn | 745.97 | 745.97 | ||
| essentials | ||||
| (nappies, | ||||
| toiletries, | ||||
| clothing) | ||||
| Educational | 60.11 | 60.11 | ||
| supplies | ||||
| (stationery, | ||||
| books, kits) | ||||
| Packaging and | 198 | 198 | ||
| consumables | ||||
| Storage/ |
Payments Unrestricted (£) Restricted (£) transport (including mileage) Insurance and safeguarding checks Volunteer expenses Governance (bank fees, accountancy/IE , filings) Total payments 1004.08 1004.08
Total (£)
Cash funds at end of year |11892.33
Notes:
-
The charity received non-cash donations of goods estimated at £2000(not included in the above totals).
-
2, Trustees received no remuneration.
-
Accounting policies: Receipts & Payments basis; no fixed assets capitalised; stock of donated goods expensed when distributed.