Stepping Stones Pre-school Nursery
Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 August 2018
The trustees present their Annual Report for Stepping Stones Pre-school Nursery (also called Stepping
Stones Playgroupl.
Stepping Stones operates a pre-school nursery in North Belfast- it operates from St Gerard's
Community Centre, 722 Antrim Road. Belfast. It caters annually for 24 local children of pre-primary
school age. The Nursery, stated benefits are:
the odvoncement of educotion.. enhanced positive eurly learning experiencesfor children in
the "orea of benefit". which develops both their let7rning and socit71 skills,. improvement in
healthy living in the areo through ongoing heolth ond hygiene Initiatives in the PIoygroup,-
empowerment of porents to participate in the Playgroup which pmvAdes them with experience
that they can use in other areu5 of community development.
The public element of the benefits have been stated as:
pmvided to the children Lfrom the" orea of benefit") ottending the Playgroup, t7nd thelr
fomilies. As the Ploygroup serves different children/fomilies over time, the wider locol
community benefitsfrom having o locolpre-school educational resource available to them. As
parents are empowered through their participation in the Ploygroups, monagement
committee. the local community benefitsfrom those pJrentS Using these skills/experiences in
otherfields/orgonisatlons.
The Trustees are confident that the statedlintended public benefit has continued during the year
ended 31 August 2018.. all 24 places were filled, with the Management Committee overseeing the
Nursery through periodic management meetings. During the year the Nursery generated a modest
surplus of £60 (previous year £1,378), contributing towards its ongoing financial stability- these
account51 prepared using the accrua15 basis, have been filed with the Charity Commission for Northern
Ireland. In addition to income from Government funding for pre-school places the Management
Committee undertook a number of fundraising activities during the year, the proceeds of which were
used to buy new equipment for the Nursery.
The Trustees during the year were as follows..
Catherine Beatty Ichairpersonl
Kelly Hurson (Secretary)
Peter Mcclean (Treasurer)
Ursula Quinn
Edwina Weiniger
Eamonn Witson
Staff are encouraged to continue their development with appropriate training. supported by the
Nursery.
The period after the year ended 31 August 2018 saw the Nursery achleve full local attendance once
again.
Peter Mcclean, Treasurer, 27 June 2018