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← The Yeovil Opportunity Group

2021-03-31-accounts

Yeovil Opportunity Group Annual Review 2020/2021

Introduction

In early March 2020 we celebrated our 50[th] Anniversary.

I would firstly like to say thank you to everyone who is involved with the Yeovil Opportunity Group; fellow trustees, the YOG team, volunteers, students, our children, our families, professionals, former Board Members, our dedicated supporters, previous employees and new employees.

Also, thank you to those of you who kindly donated to YOG during 2020/21 and those of you who have also donated and are helping us in this financial year, 2021/22.

We had hoped to hold a social event this year, a chance to look back together; meet socially over some food and drinks and also formally say goodbye to Sue Shaw who retired after 34 years of service, but sadly this has not been possible due to COVID.

It was a really difficult decision for Sue to retire, but the dedication and support she has given to literally hundreds of children and families over the years has been a testimony to the kind, considerate and selfless person she is. I am absolutely certain that each and every family Sue has supported will have the fondest memories, appreciation and love for her. Sue’s personal integrity, vast range of achievements, dedication to the Group and its development, inspiration to the young staff who she took under her wing and staying steadfast through the “ups and downs” is massively appreciated by the Trustees and we cannot thank Sue enough for your long service to the Group. We look forward to celebrating with her properly in 2022.

Unfortunately, we are back to virtual meetings again, but we do hope to meet everyone again in 2022, when we will be celebrating a delayed 50[th] birthday, launching a year of fundraising and catching up, with friends past and new.

Report

In anticipation of an exciting year of fundraising, we held a private ceremony with some our parents and Ailsa our founder in early March 2020. Little did we know that in 3 weeks later we would be closed and at the beginning of a global pandemic.

Like everyone, we were taken by surprise and at first, with the complexity of the information coming from the Department of Education, and lack of guidance, we didn’t know which way to turn. A 5 hour wait on the phone to DFE and Public Health England in mid-March 2020 and we were still none the wiser as to whether we should stay open or not.

Not quite sure what we were doing, we steamed ahead, and with the Easter holidays looming, we put a plan in action. We were determined to re-open for our families and children who told us they desperately needed our support.

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We rearranged the way we worked, not coming in the front entrance to the hospital anymore, hand washing outside under a Gazebo, coming in through the back gate, masks, and the notorious “Bubbles”.

We held twice weekly on line sessions for our families who were feeling uncomfortable about coming back to YOG straight away, as well producing activity packs, hand delivered and customised to each one of our children. Twice weekly Zoom singing and storytelling was organised and we took small steps each day to gauge what worked and what didn’t.

For those children who came in everyday, we tried to keep life as normal as possible, with a memorable visit from the police during our “people who help us” theme” and great fun singing Bob the Builder at every possible opportunity. Between April and July 2020, we were welcoming between 5-8 children a day, opening 5 mornings a week for those who needed us.

It was a juggling act for the team, trying to manage the constant pressure of paperwork for funding and getting the Educational Health Care plans in to County to ensure children received school places. Many professionals stopped face to face visits – and some have never returned! All of the Somerset County Council staff worked from home and other NHS teams were recommissioned into supporting vaccine roll outs, testing and COVID support in the hospitals. For a whole year, we had hardly any visiting professionals.

Volunteers and students were not allowed to work at YOG during this period, adding more pressure to the already exhausted, however optimistic team. But it has been wonderful to be able to get back to some sort of normality since September 2021 with three staff reaching milestone 60th birthdays throughout lockdown.

In September 2020, we welcomed back 14 children, 6 who did not have a school place , or had opted to stay at YOG for another year. By Christmas 20/21 we had 16 children and by February 2021, 20 children.

Funding was a major issue as we tried to juggle Early Years funding to support children who were turning 5. We were still not allowed to welcome back volunteers which left us short of the extra hands on support we really needed. However, after a series of sometimes difficult negotiations with Somerset County Council, we were able to secure some additional funding at the school’s rate, for the children we took in where specialist school places were not available. It would be an understatement to say there were some very fun, lively and noisy sessions at YOG – day in day out.

As numbers the Covid rose in January 2021, and with self-isolations for families and staff, the roller coaster journey started again. The team were wobbly and with no recognition for the need for testing in nurseries, the team and families became nervous and many struggled with their mental health.

With no testing on the horizon. We wrote to our local MP, Marcus Fysh and the then Minister for Children, Vicky Ford MP to try and get support for SEND prioritisation, so we could stay open – sadly nothing happened.

Then, out of the blue, one of our families offered to fund some tests, when the prices were still sky high. It was a big financial commitment, but one we are eternally grateful for. As health workers started to be vaccinated, we also finally managed to get our first jabs in April 2021, in recognition of needing to stay open.

Our major concern from not being able to stay open if we were not vaccinated was safeguarding, and how we could help families who were really struggling in isolation.

The rules around clinically vulnerable children seemed to change daily and although parents wanted their children to attend, we faced an insurance battle relating to risk.

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We were able to overcome this with the fabulous support of the paediatricians and especially our very own Trustee, Gabriela Fillon, who was able to help us cut through the red tape with our own version of a nondisclaimers for Parents which was vital for us to stay open.

By February 2021, parents and to be brutally honest all of the team, were increasingly beginning to bend under the strain. Inadequate accommodation, working from home, home schooling, all contributing to, in some cases a perfect storm. But the YOG team were always there during the school days as well as access to the YOG mobile 7 days a week.

We also kept our mini bus running, sadly Rob our previous driver was taken seriously ill and had to leave YOG, but is now thankfully on the mend. Barry, our retired driver stepped in as recruiting was difficult. It seemed every business in the country was looking to recruit drivers, but we were lucky to find Colin, who was an immediate hit was both the children and the staff, going above and beyond to help out.

Our mains sources of charity funding which cover the 1:1 support for our children stopped during COVID and had a major impact on our income. Like so many other local charities we rely on the income from a number of major events in the area; the generosity of fundraisers and private donations.

We were unable to raise extra funding we require to stop the Group from using some of its reserves, however with the receipt of schools funding for 3 of the 6 children who were retained, meant we were able to employ an additional experienced SEND support keyworker for a year.

In the meantime, I would like to thank the following organisations for supporting YOG during 2020/21:

Organisations

Individuals

Whilst we were lucky enough to receive some donations in 2020/21 the lack of funds has hit us hard in 2021/22.

In the past few months however, we are so grateful to the following organisations for their donations:

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Looking Ahead, Small Steps

At the end of the last academic year, we won the award for the work experience provider award for working with students, again highlighting the care, dedication and support we give to our students who choose to begin their learning journey with us, becoming SEND professionals.

It has also been a sad year with the passing of some of our volunteers and professionals who have been a major part of the YOG journey over 50 years, including Joan Raikes, Betty Harris and John Woodhouse. We would like to thank all of their family and friends who have made personal donations to YOG and you have all been in our thoughts.

18 months ago the Trustees updated their vision as a Centre of Excellence for children for birth to 5. I say updating our Vision, in reality the irony is we are going back to the original model of YOG as a multidisciplinary unit which was so incredibly successful. A holistic approach to supporting SEND children and families, giving them all the resilience to succeed at every part of their journey ahead.

There is so much evidence to support the earliest intervention possible for not only children, but families as well. COVID stopped us moving forward, but over the past 6 months we have started to put in place some changes which will take us forward in achieving our vision.

We have recruited Charlotte White, a highly qualified and experienced teacher from Fairmead, but also trained in Early Years, to join us as Head of SEND and Childcare Manager.

We have also taken a leap of faith and contracted Angela Graham, Speech & Language therapist one morning a week to work directly with our children on an individual basis, including the family and keyworker for each child. Just having Angela on board for a few weeks has not only had a significant and positive impact on the progress of our children, but also on the confidence of our families, staff, volunteers and students.

With the reduction in social care support for families and the rise in safeguarding concerns, we will continue to raise funds to provide family support services and hope to expand our services to parents “outside” of YOG.

Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. Our role is to keep asking those “challenging and hard to answer” questions and we will continue to lobby to improve the support to our families and generations of SEND children to come.

Finally, congratulations to the team at YOG. The Early Years foundation stage has been revamped and went live in September 2021, with major changes in the way Ofsted inspections operate. With everything else going on, the team managed to stay focused on the changes and for the past 18 months have attended training course after training course, many in their own time.

To be honest no-one imagined we would get an Ofsted inspection so soon after the new framework was introduced, but we did. The call came in October, two inspectors arrived the next day and the team valiantly rose to the challenge, courageously trying to hide their nerves.

It was an incredibly detailed inspection and I was proud to be at the Inspectors feedback session. It was so positive, and had the team in tears, myself included. But happy tears, with a large dollop of relief thrown in for good measure. The inspectors made a point of saying how they had spoken to every single parent and how all of our YOG team was held in such high regard by all of the parents, in particular praising the level of support and just “being there” whenever they needed some help.

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We were legally sworn to secrecy in terms of the contents until Mid November, but the report is now out and available on the Ofsted website.

2021/22 will be a challenging year for YOG, but we are committed to keep making a difference and determined to still be leading the way for another 50 years.

Jane Lock

Chair Yeovil Opportunity Group

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Charity Number: 304693

Yeovil Opportunity Group

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Yeovil Opportunity Group

Index to the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021

Reference and Administrative information
Report of the Independent Examiner
Statement of Financial Activities
Balance Sheet
Notes to the financial statements		 Page
1
2
3
4
5 - 8

Yeovil Opportunity Group

Charity Number
Trustees
Business Manager
Correspondence
address:
Web site
Telephone
Bankers
Independent
examiner:		 304693
Chairman:
Mrs J Lock
Treasurer:
Mr S. Rowbottom
Trustees
Dr G Fillon
Mrs R Goodfellow
Mrs J Lewis
Mrs W. Vincent
Ms K Duller
The Balidon Centre
Summerlands Hospital
Preston Road
Yeovil
Somerset
BA20 2BX
www.yog.org.uk
01935 384157
Lloyds Plc
9 High Street
Yeovil
Somerset
BA20 1RN
PS Wellspring FCCA
42 St.Andrews Avenue
Weymouth
Dorset
DT3 5JS

-1-

Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees of Yeovil Opportunity Group

I report on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2021, which are set out on pages 8 to 15.

Your attention is drawn to the fact that the Charity has prepared the Financial Statements in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has since been withdrawn.

We understand that this has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.

Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an Audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Having satisfied myself that the Charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

Basis of Independent Examiner's Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 a consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concerning 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 next statement.

Independent Examiner's Statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

have not been met; or

Paul S Wellspring FCCA

42 St.Andrews Avenue Weymouth Dorset DT3 5JS

Date: 23 January 2022

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Yeovil Opportunity Group

Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses) for the year ended 31 March 2021

Note
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies
3
Incoming resources from activities
4
Income from Investments
5
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
6
Charitable activities
7
Total expenditure
Net income/(expenditure) before transfers
Transfer between funds
15
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
15
Note
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies
3
Incoming resources from activities
4
Income from Investments
5
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
6
Charitable activities
7
Total expenditure
Net income/(expenditure) before transfers
Transfer between funds
15
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
15		 Unrestricted
funds
£
10,643
75,255
18
85,916
216
89,180
89,396
(3,480)
-
95,967
92,487
37,966
63,269
36
101,271
630
97,815
98,445
2,826
-
2,826
93,141
95,967		 Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
1,481
1,481
(1,481)
-
6,855
5,374
-
-
-
-
-
1,217
1,217
(1,217)
-
(1,217)
8,072
6,855		 Total
Funds
2021
£
10,643
75,255
18
85,916
216
90,661
90,877
(4,961)
-
102,822
97,861
2020
£
37,966
63,269
36
101,271
630
99,032
99,662
1,609
-
1,609
101,213
102,822

All of the Charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods.

The funds breakdown for 2020 is shown in note 15

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Yeovil Opportunity Group

(Registration number: 304693)

Balance Sheet

As at 31 March 2020

Note
Fixed Assets
Tangible fixed assets
9
Current Assets
Debtors
10
Cash at bank and in hand
Current liabilities
Amounts falling due within one year
11
Net current assets
Net assets
Represented by:
Funds:
Restricted funds
15
Unrestricted funds, including Designated funds
15
Total funds		 £
£
15,067
1,058
82,757
83,815
(1,021)
82,794
97,861
5,374
92,487
97,861
2021		 £
£
20,154
873
84,887
85,760
(3,092)
82,668
102,822
6,855
95,967
102,822
2020

The financial statements on pages 8 - 14 were approved by the Trustees, and authorised for issue on 7 December 2021 and signed on their behalf by:

Simon Rowbottom Trustee

-4-

Yeovil Opportunity Group

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

1 Accounting policies

General information and basis of accounting

Reconciliation with previous Generally Accepted Accounting Practice

Cash flow statement

The charity has taken advantage of exemptions available to it and therefore has not prepared a cash flow report.

Income recognition

Expenditure

Raising funds - These are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, the management of investments and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.

Charitable activities - Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the Charity in delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

-5-

Yeovil Opportunity Group

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Tangible fixed assets

Fixed assets are recorded at cost plus any incidental expenses of acquisition. Where fixed assets are donated, they are stated at their estimated market value on acquisition.

Depreciation is provided on fixed assets based on the estimated useful life of the asset and their anticipated residual value, as follows:

Asset Depreciation Leasehold property improvements 10 years straight line Mini bus 25% reducing balance Computer equipment 25% reducing balance Furniture, equipment & toys 15% reducing balance

Debtors

Prepayments are valued at the amount paid in advance for goods and services provided to the charity.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.

Creditors

Trade creditors are stated at the original invoiced amounts.

Fund accounting policy

2 Taxation

3
Donations and legacies
Donations
Leonardo's
Yeovil Round Table
Sherbourne Castle Country Fair
Sherborne Classic car show
Yeovil Beer Festival
Lloyds Bank Foundation
Lord Admiral pub
Hidden Needs trust
Beehive
Somerset Community
Various individuals and organisations,
being below £1,000 each		 Unrestricted
funds
300
4,500
1,400
1,500
2,943
10,643		 Restricted
funds
-
-		 2021
£
-
-
300
-
-
-
-
4,500
1,400
1,500
2,943
10,643		 2020
£
17,998
5,000
2,500
3,500
1,067
2,500
1,011
-
-
-
4,390
37,966

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Yeovil Opportunity Group

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

4
Incoming resources from activities
Income from fund raising activities
Session & transport fees (Parents)
Session fees, including HNF (SCC)
SCC - retained children fees
Covid support grant
5
Income from Investments
Bank deposit interest
6
Raising funds
Cost of generating income
7
Charitable activities
Provision of playgroup facilities
Session expenses and refreshments
Wages & National insurance costs (Inc pension)
Music therapist
Insurance
Rent
Staff training
Staff travel costs
Repairs and renewals
Depreciation
Mini bus running costs
Mini bus Depreciation
Governance costs
Office costs
Advertising & Promotional costs
Professional fees
Sundry expenses
Trustees expenses		 Unrestricted
funds
£
34
1,152
62,119
10,950
1,000
75,255
18
216
174
76,041
-
563
955
248
458
22
3,606
2,614
-
3,609
-
840
50
-
89,180		 Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
311
1,170
-
-
-
-
1,481		 2021
£
34
1,152
62,119
10,950
1,000
75,255
18
216
174
76,041
-
563
955
248
458
22
3,917
2,614
1,170
3,609
-
840
50
-
90,661		 2020
£
569
6,752
55,948
-
-
63,269
36
630
643
78,828
3,480
550
955
1,721
392
437
4,747
1,718
793
2,175
144
432
2,017
-
99,032

8 Staff costs

No employee received emoluments a rate in excess of £60,000 during the year (2020 - None).

The average number of part time employees for the year was 5 (2020 - 6)

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Yeovil Opportunity Group

Notes to the financial statements

for the year ended 31 March 2021

9
Tangible Fixed Assets
Leasehold
Improvements
Mini Bus
£
£
Cost
As at 1 April 2020
15,502
31,687
Additions
-
-
Disposals
-
-
As at 31 March 2021
15,502
31,687
Depreciation
As at 1 April 2020
12,489
29,307
Charge for the year
920
595
Disposals
-
-
As at 31 March 2021
13,409
29,902
Net book values
As at 31 March 2021
2,093
1,785
As at 31 March 2020
3,013
2,380
10
Debtors - due within one year
Prepayments
11
Creditors and accruals
Creditors
PAYE		 Furniture,
Equip & Toys
£
41,013
-
-
41,013
27,893
3,162
-
31,055
9,958
13,120		 Computers
£
5,969
-
-
5,969
4,328
410
-
4,738
1,231
1,641		 Total
2021
£
94,171
-
-
94,171
74,017
5,087
-
79,104
15,067
20,154
2021
£
1,058
2021
£
582
439
1,021		 Total
2020
£
92,636
1,535
-
94,171
68,477
5,540
-
74,017
20,154
24,159
2020
£
873
2020
£
2719
373
3,092

12 Related parties

Controlling entity

The charity is controlled by the Trustees.

No Trustee, or any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year. (2017 £nil).

No expenses were paid to any trustee during the year.

13
Reconciliation of movement in funds
Unrestricted
funds
£
Opening funds at 1 April 2020
95,967
Operating surplus/(deficit)
(3,480)
Closing funds at 31 March 2020
92,487
14
Analysis of net assets between funds
Unrestricted
funds
Fixed Assets
12,494
Current assets
81,014
Current liabilities
(1,021)
92,487		 13
Reconciliation of movement in funds
Unrestricted
funds
£
Opening funds at 1 April 2020
95,967
Operating surplus/(deficit)
(3,480)
Closing funds at 31 March 2020
92,487
14
Analysis of net assets between funds
Unrestricted
funds
Fixed Assets
12,494
Current assets
81,014
Current liabilities
(1,021)
92,487		 Restricted
funds
£
6,855		 Total
Funds
£
102,822
(3,480) (1,481) (4,961)
5,374
Restricted
funds		 97,861
Total
Funds
12,494
81,014
(1,021)
92,487		 2,573
2,801
-
5,374		 15,067
83,815
(1,021)
97,861

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Yeovil Opportunity Group

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

15
Summary of funds
Restricted funds
Outdoor play equipment
Time together
Kitchen equipment
Sensory room
Sunshine Mini Bus
Unrestricted /designated funds
Designated
General
Total funds		 Opening
funds
£
949
426
200
600
4,680
6,855
39,063
56,904
95,967
102,822		 Incoming
resources
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
85,916
85,916
85,916		 Resources
expended
£
(67)
(64)
(30)
(150)
(1,170)
(1,481)
-
(89,396)
(89,396)
(90,877)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,804
(1,804)
-
-		 Closing
funds
£
882
362
170
450
3,510
5,374
40,867
51,620
92,487
97,861

Restricted Funds

-9-