## **ALEXANDRA HOUSE**
## **(Royal United Services Short Stay Residence for Service Children)**
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
Charity Registration number 202922 Covering the Accounting Year 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 Address 20 Crownhill Fort Road Crownhill Plymouth PL6 5BX Governing Document Administered by a Charitable Trust (the “green book” – revised 2001). Object To relieve and assist children of Service personnel who are temporarily unable to care for them due, for example, to sudden illness, matrimonial problems or other domestic emergency, and to reduce the likelihood of such emergencies in the future for families who may be vulnerable due, for example to illness, social isolation or disability. In recent times this object has been broadened to include full time and sessional day care provision for children aged up to five years of age. Trustees Commodore P Waterhouse ADC Royal Navy (until 7 Mar 24) Mr A Older (from 30 Nov 23) Mr R Davey Miss H Bruty Miss H Burns Mr A Jones (from 30 Nov 23) Appointment of Trustees The Objects, Rules, Government and General Information of the Charity (last reprinted 2012) state that there shall not be more than six trustees. The trustees shall initially be invited, by the President, to serve for a period of five years. They may be invited to serve for a further period of five years. The appointment shall be ratified at the next Annual General Meeting. Trustee Induction and Training New trustees undergo an orientation day to brief them on their legal obligations under charity law, the trustee decision-making processes, the business plan and recent financial performance of the charity. During induction day they meet key employees and other trustees. Trustees are encouraged to attend appropriate external training events where these will facilitate the undertaking of their role.
AlexTAR 2024
Bankers CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue West Malling Kent ME19 4TA Independent Examiner Peter Nicholls MBE MAAT 5 Nursery Road Havant Hants PO9 3BG
## **The Activities of the Charity**
The charity provided flexible childcare for approximately 160 children up to the age of 5 during 23/24. There were 113 on the roll at Apr 24. The charity continued to offer Ofsted registered childcare to Service and civilian families and offered ongoing support for parents and carers. The charity continued to work alongside other agencies ensuring that a child’s needs are primary and individual to each child.
Alexandra House continued to raise the awareness of its support available to families within the local community and to a wider audience across the city.
The charity continued to liaise with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Welfare to maintain the Service Level Agreement and worked in close partnership with the LEA and Ofsted.
Staff members were encouraged to maintain high levels of training to continue to improve practice.
The Ofsted report of Apr 23 awarded Alexandra House good assessments in all areas.
## **Financial Review**
The overall value of the fund fell by £341.3K to £122.7K but this was purely down to the administrative transfer of the leasehold property to the CIO. The movements in the fund can be summarised as follows:
- Operating gain - £23.9K
- Unrealised loss in the value of the investment - £0.6K.
- Write down of the value of the property - £7.3K.
- Transfer of property to CIO £357.4K.
The fund had £130.3K in bank and investment assets, with just £12.5K required to meet liabilities to various creditors.
## **Investment Selection Policy**
Reserves are held in an M&G charity fund primarily for generation of income rather than for growth. The trustees are aware of the vagaries of the stock market, which led to a fall in value this year, but seek to get the benefits of dividend rates which, until recently, far exceeded the amount paid by deposit accounts.
AlexTAR 2024
## **Reserves Policy**
The Trustees have considered the level of reserves they aspire to hold for the charity’s needs. This is held in the investment which was valued at £29.9K The trustees aim to ensure that the charity will be able to continue to fulfil its charitable objectives even when there is a temporary shortfall in income e.g., adverse demographics in the area, or unexpected expenditure. Reserves are generated by parental paid fees, as opposed to Government funding, which may only be utilised in accordance with Ofsted regulations.
## **Risk Assessment**
The Trustees actively review the major risks that the charity faces on a regular basis. In particular those relating to safety and security of staff and children and the financial status of the fund and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate any exposure to the major risks. Other risks centre on the change in numbers of children in the area and competition from other preschool facilities, some government funded, in the area. Low level welfare statistics are recorded and procedures are in place to record health and safety, safeguarding and risk factors.
## **Public Benefit Statement**
This fund provides public benefit by advancement of the education of pre-school children. The Trustees confirm that they have paid due regard to the Charity Commission of England and Wales’s guidance on public benefit in exercising their powers or duties.
## **Declaration**
I declare in my capacity of charity trustee, that
- The trustees have approved the report above; and
- Have authorised me to sign it on their behalf.
## Signed on Original
Adam, Older Chair of Trustees
27 June 2024
AlexTAR 2024
## **ALEXANDRA HOUSE**
## **Royal United Service Short Stay Residence for Service Children**
## **Registered Charity No: 202922**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **31-Mar-24**
|Notes
_Fixed Assets_
Leasehold Interest
2
Investment
3
_Current Assets_
Debtors
8
Bank Account
Total Current Assets
_Less Liabilities_
Creditors (due within one year)
9
Net Current Assets
**Total Assets**
The Funds of the Charity
Endowment Funds
2
Unrestricted Funds
Approved
on behalf of all of the Trustees|-
£
29,858
£
4,901
£
100,420
£
105,321
£
(12,518)
£
Signed on O|_364,677_
_£_
_30,413_
_£_
29,858
£
_395,090_
_£_
_2,418_
_£_
_80,001_
_£_
_82,419_
_£_
_(13,512)_
_£_
92,803
£
_68,908_
_£_
**122,661**
**£**
**_463,998_**
**_£_**
-
£
_364,677_
_£_
122,661
£
_99,321_
_£_
122,661
£
_463,998_
_£_
_31-Mar-23_
riginal|_364,677_
_£_
_30,413_
_£_
29,858
£
_395,090_
_£_
_2,418_
_£_
_80,001_
_£_
_82,419_
_£_
_(13,512)_
_£_
92,803
£
_68,908_
_£_
**122,661**
**£**
**_463,998_**
**_£_**
-
£
_364,677_
_£_
122,661
£
_99,321_
_£_
122,661
£
_463,998_
_£_
_31-Mar-23_
riginal|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**_463,998_**
**_£_**|
||||_364,677_
_£_
_99,321_
_£_|
||||_463,998_
_£_|
|||||
## Signed on Original
Adam Older Trustee (Chair) 27 June 2024
1
Alex House Mar24BSNDZ - CopyBALANCE SHEET
## **ALEXANDRA HOUSE**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **For 12 months ended 31 March 2024**
|**Income**
Notes
Unrestricted Funds
Donations
6,949
£
Charitable Activites
392,728
£
Other Activities
719
£
Investment Income
4,352
£
Total Income
4
404,748
£
**Expenditure**
Charitable Activities
380,852
£
Other Costs
2
-
£
Total Expenditure
5
380,852
£
Net Income (Expenditure)
23,895
£
Loss on Investments
556
-£
Leasehold Property to CIO
Total Funds brought forward
99,321
£
Total Funds carried forward
**122,661**
**£**|**Income**
Notes
Unrestricted Funds
Donations
6,949
£
Charitable Activites
392,728
£
Other Activities
719
£
Investment Income
4,352
£
Total Income
4
404,748
£
**Expenditure**
Charitable Activities
380,852
£
Other Costs
2
-
£
Total Expenditure
5
380,852
£
Net Income (Expenditure)
23,895
£
Loss on Investments
556
-£
Leasehold Property to CIO
Total Funds brought forward
99,321
£
Total Funds carried forward
**122,661**
**£**|Endowment Fund
-
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
7,294
£
7,294
£
7,294
-£
-
£
357,383
-£
364,677
£
**-**
**£**|Totals
6,949
£
392,728
£
719
£
4,352
£
404,748
£
380,852
£
7,294
£
388,146
£
16,601
£
556
-£
357,383
-£
463,998
£
**122,661**
**£**|_Year_
_31-Mar-23_
_Totals_
_188_
_£_
_370,708_
_£_
_1,124_
_£_
_2,060_
_£_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||404,748
£
380,852
£
-
£|||_374,079_
_£_
_386,064_
_£_
_7,294_
_£_|
||380,852
£
23,895
£
556
-£
99,321
£|||_393,358_
_£_
_19,279_
_-£_
_1,980_
_-£_
-
£
_485,256_
_£_|
||**122,661**
**£**|||_463,998_
_£_|
## **Notes to the Accounts**
## **Note 1 - Accounting policies**
The financial statements are prepared under the historic cost convention (as modified by the revaluation of fixed asset investments) and in accordance with applicable accounting standards: Charities Statement of Recommended Practice 2019 and the provisions of the Charities Acts. Significant policies adopted are:
## Income:
a. Donations are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the fund becomes entitled to the donation or grant and it is reasonably certain that it will be received.
- b. Incoming resources from fund raising are reported gross in the SOFA
- c. Intangible income is not included in the accounts.
- d. The fund receives no unpaid volunteer help, other than work experience students. Staff members may occasionally work without pay when trialling new schemes.
Expenditure and Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the fund to the expenditure.
Assets -Tangible assets are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £500. They are valued at cost or a reasonable value on receipt. The fund does not have a policy of revaluation. Depreciation is annual at 50% in the first year then 25% over the next two years.
2
## **Note 2 - Tangible Fixed Assets - Leasehold Interests - Endowment Fund**
The permanent endowment fund represents the receipt of monies from the Nuffield Trust (£442,674) and specific donations from other sources.. This fund was established in 1999 and was for the singular purpose of relocating Alexandra House to purpose built premises. Depreciation has been charged on the property and it has been written off over the remaining 49 years of its lease. However, in this year the lease was transfered to Alexandra House Childcare Centre CIO.
|Alexandra House - Building||£|364,677.00
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Depreciation||£|(7,294.00)
||||
|Transfer to CIO||£|(357,383.00)||||
|||£|-||||
|**Note 3 - Investments**|||||||
|M & G Securities Charifund Income||£|30,413
|at|31 Mar 23||
|Loss of Market Value||-£|556||||
|||£|29,858|at|31 Mar 24||
|**Note 4 - Income**|||||||
|||12 mths to 31 Mar 24|||_Previous Year_||
|_Donations and Grants_|||||||
|Donations|£|5,991
||_£_|_188_
||
|PTFA Events|£|457
||_£_|_-_
||
|Apprentice Grant|£|500||_£_|_-_
||
|||£|6,949
||_£_|_188_
|
|_Charitable Activities_|||||||
|Local Authority Funding|£|263,352
||_£_|_258,041_
||
|Additional Local Authority Funding|£|8,072
||_£_|_2,400_
||
|Parental Contributions|£|121,304||_£_|_110,267_
||
|||£|392,728
||_£_|_370,708_
|
|_Other Trading Activities_|||||||
|Fundraising|£|719
||_£_|_292_
||
|Training Provided|£|-||_£_|_832_
||
|||£|719
||_£_|_1,124_
|
|Dividends|£|1,763
||_£_|_1,312_
||
|Bank Interest|£|2,588||_£_|_748_
||
|||£|4,352||_£_|_2,060_
|
|Total Income||£|404,748||_£_|_374,079_
|
3
## **Note 5 - Expenditure**
|**Note 5 - Expenditure**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|_Charitable Activities_
Operating Costs
Wages & National Insurance
Pension Contributions
Agency Cover
Cleaning
Maintenance
Gas & Electricity
Rent - Ground
Rates
Water
Refuse
Food
Nursery Resources
Uniform
First Aid Supplies
PTFA
Miscellaneous Expenses
Insurance (incl Trustees)
Governance Costs
Independent Examination
Professional Fees
Support Costs
Salaries & Wages
Support Staff Pensions
Staff Training
Staff Wellbeing
Computing
Telephone
Office Consumables
Advertising
Recruitment
Licences & Subscriptions
Registration Fees
Equipment/Furniture
Meetings
Travel Expenses
Gifts
Bank & Card Charges
_Other Costs_
Leasehold Property
Total Expenditure|254,626
£
12,368
£
522
£
2,367
£
6,410
£
3,583
£
350
£
4,915
£
1,150
£
2,056
£
3,562
£
3,358
£
488
£
64
£
27
£
150
£
5,029
£
675
£
5,575
£
57,407
£
882
£
581
£
879
£
1,207
£
3,095
£
2,565
£
42
£
383
£
159
£
3,156
£
2,338
£
34
£
569
£
224
£
60
£
12 mths to|12 mths to|_262,602_
_£_
_11,137_
_£_
_2,552_
_£_
_2,727_
_£_
_11,767_
_£_
_3,684_
_£_
_350_
_£_
_5,120_
_£_
_1,329_
_£_
_1,804_
_£_
_3,609_
_£_
_3,060_
_£_
_702_
_£_
_100_
_£_
_-_
_£_
_150_
_£_
_3,786_
_£_
_650_
_£_
_9,072_
_£_
_46,283_
_£_
_1,001_
_£_
_386_
_£_
_699_
_£_
_2,113_
_£_
_2,637_
_£_
_2,738_
_£_
_30_
_£_
_419_
_£_
_277_
_£_
_2,489_
_£_
_2,365_
_£_
_82_
_£_
_76_
_£_
_195_
_£_
_72_
_£_
380,852
£
_386,064_
_£_
7,294
£
_7,294_
_£_
388,146
£
_393,358_
_£_
31 Mar 24
_Previous Year_||
|||||_393,358_
_£_|
4
## **Note 6 - Paid Employees**
a. The Charity has paid employees, average numbers were 22. All are employed directly on the charity's objectives. None was paid in excess of £60,000 in this year or last. b. Staff wage costs were £312,032 (Previous year £308,885)
- c. Employer's National Insurance Costs were £13,592 (Previous year - £13,270)
## **Note 7 - Trustee and Other Related Parties**
a No expenses or emoluments have been paid to the Trustees b. An established employee was invited to join the board as a Trustee as this strengthened the Board. This Trustee takes no part in decision making where there are conflicts of interest, actual or perceived.
c. There were no amounts due to or from the Trustees
## **Note 8 - Debtors and Prepayments**
|Outstanding Parental Fees
Insurance Prepaid
Nursery Management System
Focus Telepone Credit (Estimated)
**- Creditors and Accruals**
HMRC - PAYE & NICs
Pensions
SEN Funding Prepaid
Peake GB (Nappies)
Clarity Copiers
Electricity
Gas
Water
Classic Fire (Fire Equipment)
Nursery Items
Staff Event
Cleaning
Office
Window Cleaner
Website
PNIE
Nash - Solicitor
Best Accountants|2,322
£
1,570
£
894
£
115
£|
|---|---|
||4,901
£|
||6,000
£
1,068
£
1,323
£
81
£
48
£
240
£
500
£
306
£
383
£
923
£
128
£
504
£
32
£
45
£
65
£
675
£
45
£
153
£|
||12,518
£|
## **Note 9 - Creditors and Accruals**
## **Note 10 - Declarations**
- a. The Trustees have not changed the year end date nor the length of the fund's financial year. b. All the fund's operations are continuing operations and no operations were discontinued. c. The fund has no marketable intangible assets.
- d. There were no interfund loans outstanding at the balance sheet date.
- e. None of the fund's functional assets has been revalued during the year and the fund does not have a policy of revaluation of these assets.
f. The fund has no material fixed assets which have not been capitalised and included in the Balance Sheet.
5
**Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Alexandra House (Royal United Service Short Stay Residence for Service Children) (Registered Charity No 202922)**
I report on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
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. The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a licensed member of the Association of Accounting Technicians.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination; I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention 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 the accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than in 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 on Original
P A Nicholls MBE MAAT 5 Nursery Road Havant Hants PO9 3BG
27 June 2024
AlexTAR 2024IE