Stepping Stones Pre-school Nursery Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 August 2023 The trustees present theirAnnual Report for Stepping Stones Pre-school Nursery (also called Stepping Stones Playgroupl. Stepping Stones operate5 a pre-school nursery in North Belfast. It normally operates from St Gerard's Community Centre, 722 Antrim Road, Belfast, but for the year ended 31 August 2023 (and subsequent year) it has operated from the adjacent Park Lodge PS site, whilst building work is carried out close to the Community Centre. The Nursery cater5 annually for 24 local children of pre-primary school age, reduced in the year ended 31 August 2023 to 22 to reflect the space restrictions of the temporary Space being used. The Nursery, stated benefits are: the advoncement of education.. enhanced positive early learning experiences for children in the "area of benefit", which develops both their learning and social skills,. improvement in healthy living in the orea through ongoing health and hygiene initiatives in the Ploygroup,. empowerment ofparents to participate in the Ploygroup which provides them with experience that they cun use in other areas of community development. The public element of the benefits have been stated as: provided to the children (from the- oreo of benefit ) attending the Ploygroup, and their fvmilies. As the Playgroup Serves different children/families over time, the wider local community benefitsfrom having a local pre-school educational resource uvailoble to them. As parents are empowered through their participation in the Playgroups, monogement committee, the locol community benefitsfrom those parents using these skills/experiences in otherfields/organisations. The Trustees are confident that the stated/intended public benefit has continued during the year ended 31 August 2023.. all available places (22 in this casel were filled, with the Management Committee overseeing the Nursery through periodic management meeting5 and ongoing communication. During the year the Nursery generated a modest surplus of £326 (the previou5 year a deficit of £2,631): additional financial support received during the year was used to tackle the financial implications of the temporary move (additional costs directly due to the move, further additional staffing costs and the reduction in income arising from the restriction on our capacity from 24 to 22 children for the yearl. Otherwise, the Management Committee continued to tightly control Costs, contributing to the current year's modest surplus. These accounts, prepared using the accruals 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: David McKee (Chairperson) Edwina Weiniger1Secretaryl Peter Mcclean (Treasurer) Ursula Quinn Maeve Smith
Staff are encouraged to continue their development with appropriate training, supported by the Nursery. The new financial/school year, starting on 01 September 2023 saw the Nursery achieve full local attendance once again lincreased from 22 to 23 to reflett a move to 3 larger temporary space in Park Lodge PSI. The Management Committee have continued to monitor cost control, and engage with our long term tenant about a likely return date to our permanent space. Based on the how the year is developing, the Management Committee is confident that the 23124 year will once again see the Nursery generate a modest surplus Peter Mcclean, Treasurer, 14 March 2024