BOLTON UIYDER FIVES FORUM ANNUAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 519403 BOLTON UNDER FIVES FORUM OFFICERS AND ADVISORS Trustees Philip Riding Janet Halton Lynn Stokes Janet Southern Nicola Wareing Chairperson Lynn Stokes Secretary Lynn Stokes Treasllrer Peter Syddall Solicitor David Porter Fieldings Porter Silvcrwell House Silverwell Strcet Bolton BAnk¢rs Ba￿layS Bank PLC Leicester LE87 2BB Office The Childrens Centre Castle Hill Centre Castleton Street Tonge Moor Bolton BL2 2JW BOLTON UNDER FIVES FORUM REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024 On behalf of the Truste¢4 it is pleasing to report the activities of the Bolton Under Fives Forum. Structure, Governance 2nd Management v¢rnin Document Bolton Under Fiv¢s Forum is a Registered Charity, No 519403. govern¢d by a constitution adopted on 24 Septemb¢T 1987 as amended on 5 October 2004. cruitment and A ointm¢nt of Trustees Durfftng the financial p¢riod covered by these accounts there has been no recruitment of new Trusl¢es. The Executive Committee. who are th¢ Trustees for the purposes of charity law, are eleded to s¢rve f￿ a p¢riod of one year after which they must be re-elected at th¢ next Annual General Meeting. isational Structure At present the Executive Committee has six members drawn from the member org2ni5ations. The day to day responsibility for the provision of services rests with thc Project Worker who is responsible for ¢nsuring that th¢ charity delivers the services sp¢cifi¢d . Objectives gnd Aetivities The charity's object and principal adivity is to: a) advance the education and welfare of all children, including children with special ¢ducational needs and disabilities. Bolton Und¢r Fives Forum (BUFF), based at the Castle Hill Centr¢ has continued to support member groups and develop scrvices for children within the local community. At a local level daily stsy and play sessions provide a range of activities for parents, carers and childr¢n. Supporting training for early years practitii)n¢rs BUFF continues to work alongsid¢ Bolton Council, providing a comprehensiv¢ programme of tralning to all early years providers and schools as part of Bolton Council's servtce delivery for Early Years Foundation Stage Training. BUFF has continued lo work in partnership with Bolton CVS, our member groups and other voluntary Qrganisations to develop services for families and ehildren across Bolton providing representation on Bolton Together and Bolton CVS Voluntary Sector Forum. A¢hievements and Performance The main areas of charitable activity the provision of advice, inforniation and support to families and children across Bolton including those with additional needs. Access to good quality. affordable training for those working within the early years sector to develop early y¢ars provision within Bolton. The charity continues to work to the guidance of their Award for Bolton Mark Inclusion. ALxreditation is a mark of high quality for organisations working within communities who comply with all operating standards set by Bolton Council deeming the organisation safe, friendly and effective. BOLTON UNDER FIVES FORUM REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES {eontlnu¢d) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024 vice Infornialion and Su ort The charity acts as an umbrella organisation for the providers of early years servic¢s across Bolton. t Aid Trainin Th¢ charity Cowordinates a compr¢h¢nsive training programme to provide first aid training to those working in the early years sector. During 2023124 the programme Continued to grow in capacity to meet the demand. Paediatric and adult f￿st aid training sessions provided essential training to early years care providers and educat015. OUT Development Officer has co-ordinated 102 Lourses training 1367 l¢arn¢rs including 58 Paediatric First Aid, l O Emergency First Aid at WorL 20 First Aid at Work and 14 First Aid Awareness training courses. ortin arcnts carers and children Bas¢d in the Tonge Moor area of Bolton children are the heart of our service. Our daily stay and play sessions relieve social isolation for Children and their parents and carers by providing a range of activities to enhance a child's learning opportunities having a positive impact and providing better outcomes for those we support in our locsl community. erv¢s Poli The Executive Committee considers that, whilst the cu￿ent level of reserves stand at a relatively high level, the uncertainty about future income streams means that the charity must adopt a cautious policy to ¢nsure the continuation of its current a¢tiviti¢s. It￿ependent Examiner Mrs Kathryn Hodgkiss has been appointed as th¢ Independent Examiner for this year. She will be eligible for re-appointment subjc¢t lo mutual consent. Sl•lemenl of Trustees, Responsibilities i} The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper records which disclose with reasonable accuracy, at any tim¢, th¢ financial position of the Trust. 2) The T￿￿tee$ are also responsible for the safeguarding of ass¢ts of the Trust and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention of loss or other irregularities. 3) The Trustees are responsible for ensuring the efficienl. economical and effective management of the resources and expenditure of the Trust, including funds, capitsl ass¢ts and equipment. 4) The Trustees are responsible for preparing financial statements for each financial period, which show the current state of affairs of the I'rust and the surplus or deficit of the Trust for that period. L Stoke5 (Trustec) INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO ThE TRUSTEES OF BOLTON UNDER FIVES FORUM I report on the accounts of Bolton Under Five's Forum for the year ended 31 March 2024. onsibilities of PCC and exarniner Re5 ective res As 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 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 settion 145{5)(b) of the Act. Basis of inde endent examiner's re ort My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a revlew of the accountlng records kept bv the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seekin8 explanations from you as trustees concerning any 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 statement below. Inde endent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection wlth the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: l. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than 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 matter5 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. Name: Kathryn Hodgkiss FCA Relevant professional qualification or body: ICAEW Address: J F Balshaw & Co, 20 Old Kiln Lane, Heaton, Bolton. BLI 5PD Date: 24th February 2025 BOLTON UNDER FIVES FORUM STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES 31ST MARCH 2024 Rtttricted UArEstrlcled Funds Fundg 2024 2023 MOIYETARY ASSETS C&8h Bank Current Account COIF Deposit Account 48 69,531 10,476 48 69,531 10,476 62,980 9,990 £ 80,055 £ 80,055 £ 72.970 Accounting Policies The accounts are prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis and include all the financial matters relating to the Charity. The accounts were approved by the trustees on 30th January 2024 Signed Lynn Stokes Trustee BOLTON UNDER FIVES FORUM GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024 2024 2023 RECEIPTS Training fees collected Drop-ln Bank interest received 92,390 208 486 93,084 79.674 174 79,848 PAYMENTS Salaries Printing. stationery & postage Training consultants, fees Catering and Rooni Hire Telephone Independent examination Insurance Sundry expenses 29,173 237 54,725 127 378 300 615 444 85,999 28,137 210 50,395 110 322 600 550 519 80,843 Excess of Payments over Receipts 7,085 995 General Fund balance at l April 2023 72,970 73.965 General Fund balance at 31 Mareh 2024 80,055 72,970