## **Mencap Bedford Executive Committee – Chair’s AGM Report May 25** 

- We have had a settling in year for our committee with a new set of officers and new members. We have lots of aspirations and are doing our best to work through our list of changes and updates to policies, our web site and to bring our constitution up to date and fit for purpose.  Some of these are very complex and time consuming and a challenge as we are volunteer members with full time roles as professionals, parents and carers. 

- Sparkle Club: A new leadership team: Dona and Gemma before took over before Christmas and have been a huge success growing Tuesday Club so that on some weeks numbers at each day are similar. New equipment has been purchased and is being enjoyed and used weekly and old equipment has been given new life – especially the pool table! Donna and Gemma have joined the committee and I would like to offer our sincere and heartfelt thanks on behalf of the committee and all the Sparkle clients for all their time, expertise and efforts this year. Thank you! 

- Mencap Playscheme:  Thanks go too to Lauren and Nikki for another hard working and focussed year. This summer Ridgeway will host playscheme and a fantastic partnership has been created with Embrace to share facilities and bookings as we overlap schemes at Ridgeway.  After many years of support and leadership with Lauren Nikki is stepping down next year and we are looking to identify a new Deputy Leader. Nikki has given many years to the scheme going back to her school days and we thank her for her amazing service. Demand for places remains high and places will be allocated as fairly as possible again this year. Transport is no longer supplied after last year’s pilot did not seem to affect application numbers. Funding remains a serious on-going concern. 

- Smiley Club: After stopping during Covid we are still hoping to relaunch Smiley Club for secondary age clients and the search for a suitable venue continues. 

- Funding & members: We are continuing to explore funding streams to support new and existing activities and are actively seeking new members for our committee. 

Kerry O’Neill, Chair May 2025 



## **BEDFORD & DISTRICT SOCIETY FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES** 

Affiliated to The Royal Mencap Society 

Charity Commission No  218689 

## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024** 

|**INCOME**<br>Note<br>Minibus<br>1<br>Donations<br>2<br>Subscriptions<br>Gift Aid - tax refunds<br>In memory of deceased members<br>Weekly Bonanza: Income<br>660<br>less<br>:prizes paid out<br>(30)<br>Interest<br>Sparkle Club<br>3<br>Summer Playscheme<br>4<br>Smiley Club<br>5<br>**Total Income**<br>**EXPENDITURE**<br>Minibus:- running costs<br>1<br>Administration<br>Signpost Volunteers:- grants & expenses<br>Insurance/Affiliation<br>Miscellaneous<br>Grants for Holidays<br>Sparkle Club costs<br>3<br>Summer Playscheme costs<br>4<br>**Total Expenditure**<br>**NET**|**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|
||Unrestricted<br>Funds<br>Restricted<br>Funds<br>**Total Funds**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>12,124<br>-<br>12,124<br>1,050<br>-<br>1,050<br>313<br>-<br>313<br>250<br>-<br>250<br>50<br>-<br>50<br>-<br>-<br>630<br>-<br>630<br>1,018<br>168<br>1,186<br>-<br>5,641<br>5,641<br>-<br>57,566<br>57,566<br>-<br>1,311<br>1,311<br>**15,434**<br>**64,686**<br>**80,121**<br>-<br>-<br>523<br>523<br>350<br>350<br>858<br>858<br>39<br>39<br>-<br>-<br>8,390<br>8,390<br>57,377<br>57,377<br>**1,769**<br>**65,767**<br>**67,537**<br>**13,665**<br>**(1,081)**<br>**12,584**|Total Funds<br>**£**<br>802<br>22,782<br>423<br>151<br>53<br>715<br>462<br>1,381<br>53,260<br>1,424<br>**81,453**<br>1,884<br>34<br>400<br>802<br>81<br>200<br>3,128<br>62,643<br>**69,172**|
|||**12,281**|



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## **BEDFORD & DISTRICT SOCIETY FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES** 

Affiliated to The Royal Mencap Society 

Charity Commission No  218689 

## **BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30th SEPTEMBER 2024** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
2024 2023<br>Note £ £ £ £<br>CURRENT ASSETS<br>Scottish Widows 3 month notice a/c 10,957 10,784<br>CafBank Deposit Account 36,177 29,590<br>CafBank Current Account 10,545 5,455<br>Cash in hand 791 58<br>58,471 45,887<br>REPRESENTED BY:<br>Unrestricted Funds 6<br>Balance b/f 33,194<br>plus  : Excess of income over expenditure 13,665<br>46,859 33,194<br>Restricted Funds 7<br>  - balance brought forward 12,693<br>less  : Excess expenditure over income (1,081)<br>11,612 12,693<br>58,471 45,887<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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## **BEDFORD & DISTRICT SOCIETY FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Affiliated to The Royal Mencap Society Charity Commission No  218689<br>Notes to the Accounts<br>Note 2024 2023<br>£ £ £<br>1 MINIBUS<br>The net income for the minibus was: 123 (402)<br>However, the minibus was stolen during the year<br>and an insurance claim made to pay out for the<br>12,001<br>value of the minibus. The charity no longer owns<br>a minibus as at 30 Sept 2024<br>12,124<br>2 DONATIONS RECEIVED<br>Marlins Swimming Club 1,000<br>Other donations (2) 100<br>1,100 22,782<br>3 SPARKLE CLUB<br>Income<br>Cash 5,218<br>Banking 423<br>Total Income 5,641 1,381<br>Expenditure<br>Tuck shop purchases 953<br>Resources 612<br>Leader - salary 3,200<br>Rent 2,385<br>Miscellaneous 1,240<br>Total Expenditure 8,390 3,128<br>Excess of Expenditure over Income  (2,749) (1,747)<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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## **BEDFORD & DISTRICT SOCIETY FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES** 

Affiliated to The Royal Mencap Society 

Charity Commission No  218689 

## **Notes to the Accounts** 


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Note 2024 2023<br>£ £ £<br>4 SUMMER PLAYSCHEME<br>Income<br>Grants: Bedford Borough & Central Beds Councils 19,860 19,860<br>Grants: Harpur Trust 5,000<br>Raised by Bedford Mencap:<br>Personal gifts 794 285<br>Interest 0 100<br>Parental payments 31,913 33,015<br>Total Income 57,566 53,260<br>Expenditure<br>Staff salaries + N.I. + Tax 46,533 47,983<br>Transport 1,050 3,877<br>Volunteers' expenses 51 374<br>Admin costs 636 636<br>Toys and equipment 2,074 265<br>Entertainment 2,850 1,970<br>Rent & Registration fee 2,960 5,044<br>Training costs 835 424<br>Miscellaneous 388 2,070<br>Total Expenditure 57,377 62,643<br>Excess of Income over Expenditure  189 (9,383)<br>5 SMILEY CLUB<br>Smiley Club has closed down since 2023. We previously held sponsorship money earmarked for Smiley Club, using<br>our Just Giving page. However since closing, Smiley Club has paid it's remaining assets to this charity. Bedford<br>Mencap has agreed to hold these funds until a new club, replacing  Smiley Club, is established.<br>Sponsorship money previosuly held 1,424<br>Remaining assets transferred to Bedford Mencap 1,311<br>2,735<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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## **BEDFORD & DISTRICT SOCIETY FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES** 

Affiliated to The Royal Mencap Society 

Charity Commission No  218689 

## **Notes to the Accounts** 

|**Note**<br>6<br>7|UNRESTRICTED FUNDS<br>**Accumulated Fund (Unrestricted Fund)**<br>Balance brought forward<br>_plus_: excess of income over expenditure<br>RESTRICTED FUNDS<br>**Jim Nickson Holiday Fund**<br>Balance brought forward<br>_plus_: interest<br>_less_: grants made<br>**Summer Playscheme**<br>Balance brought forward<br>_plus_: excess of income over expenditure<br>**Sparkle Club**<br>Balance brought forward<br>_less_: excess of expenditure over income<br>**Held for Smiley Club**<br>Balance brought forward<br>_plus_: closing funds transferred|**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**<br> **£**<br>33,194<br>13,665<br>**46,859**<br>8,180<br>168<br>0<br>8,348<br>549<br>189<br>738<br>2,540<br>(2,749)<br>(209)<br>1,424<br>1,311<br>2,735<br>**11,612**|**£**<br>**33,194**<br>8,180<br>549<br>2,540<br>1,424<br>**12,693**|



## **Reserves Policy** 

The Executive Committee has established a policy whereby the Unrestricted Funds not committed or held in a Designated Fund should be maintained at a level of between 6 to 9 months of annual expenditure so that the activities of the Society would be able to continue should there be  a significant drop in funding. For the current year-end, the Unrestricted monies held far exceed this requirement, caused by a few completely unexpected events over the past two years: 

- 1) The receipt of £11,000 from the disbursement of the Dorothy Boyd Trust; 

- 2) The receipt of £11,682 following the closure of the North Beds Toy Library, and; 

- 3) The receipt of £12,001 as payout of an insurance claim following the theft of the charity's minibus which was written off by the insurance company 

The Committee will carefully consider ways in which these monies can best be used for the benefit of People with Learning Disabilities in the Bedford area. 

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REPORTOFTHE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER TOTHE TRUSTEES OF
BEDFORD & DISTRICTSOCIEfY FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
Regl3tered charlty: 218689
I reportto the tru8tees on my examination ofthe accounts of the above ¢h8rty for the year ended
September 2024.
Responsibllttle8 and ba818 of report
As the ch8rlty trustees. you 8re responsibleforthe pr8P8ration of the accounts Sn 8ccordance wfth the
Charities Act 2011.
I report In respect of my examination of the Tru3Vs accounts carried out under section 145 of the
Charities Act and in carrying out my examination. I have followed allthe applicable dir8Ctions given by
the Charity Commission under Section 14515llbl ofthe Act.
Independent exam5ner's statement
I have completed my 8xamination.
I confirm that no m8teri81 matters h8ve come to my attention in connection with the examination which
give me cause to believe that in any rn8terial respectr.
the accountlng records Y￿re not kept in accordance wlth sectlon 130 of the Act; or
th8 account8 did not accord with the accounting r8cord8" or
the accounts did not comply with the appli¢8bLe requirements concerningthe form and content
of accounts set out in the Charitles IAccounts and Reportsl Regulatlons 2008 otherthan any
requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter consideied as
partof an independent 8X8minatlon.
I have no concern8 and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to
which attention should be drawn in thi8 report in order to enable 8 proper understanding of the
8ccounts to be reached.
Roger Gad8den
29 Gr88t Portway
Great Denham MK40 4GA
Date.. IqWTI)￿ 2025