Kilmood Playgroup
TRUSTEE’S ANNUAL REPORT FINANCIAL YEAR 1[ST] SEPTEMBER 2024 – 31[ST] AUGUST 2025 CHARITY COMMISSION NO: NIC 101397
Our Vision
At Kilmood Playgroup we ensure that Safeguarding reflects our Policy as well as current legislation and guidance. We aim to promote healthy lifestyles and priority is given to wellbeing of children, staff, and families.
We use teaching strategies based on children’s learning needs and provide a wide range of opportunities and resources to motivate, support, challenge and scaffold children’s learning and development.
All children are treated equally, and we value each child as an individual, and aim to help them develop self-confidence, resilience, and a sense of achievement.
Parents are valued as their child’s first educators and are viewed as active partners of the playgroup.
Principles
Being a committed provider of equal opportunities, we support the local community by providing access to our Group regardless of race, religion, disability, linguistic need, sexual orientations, gender or age. Kilmood Playgroup will ensure the setting is genuinely accessible to all children and families from all sections of the local communities .
Aims
Children to:
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Learn and develop through play
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Grow in self-confidence, experience success and thus develop a good self
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• image.
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Develop at their own rate through challenging, progressive play.
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Learn to play co-operatively and share with others.
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Communicate thoughts, ideas and feeling clearly to both adults and children.
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Deepen and lengthen concentration through their natural spontaneous
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• curiosity and interests.
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Choose and explore a wide range of materials which allow them to express themselves appropriately and creatively.
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Share in the wonder and excitement created by books, stories, songs, rhymes, music and the natural environment, construction, art, drama etc.
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Appreciate and practice social skills and learning to care for others.
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• Enjoy the satisfaction of work well done and share this with their parents/carers.
Values
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Young children are entitled to their childhood.
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All children are treated equally.
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As well as the primary needs, the need for acceptance, love, approval,
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encouragement and security are crucial to the development of the young child and to the promotion of a good self-image.
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Parents/carers are valued as their children’s first educators and are viewed as active partners of the playgroup staff.
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It is in the nature of the young child to be active. Purposeful and structured
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play is vital to all aspects of his/her development.
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The child’s past experiences, individual attributes and abilities should be
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recognised, accepted and built upon.
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
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Purpose:
Our Group is established to promote play based learning environments for all children aged 2 years 10 months to statutory school age (beneficiaries) of Kilmood and its surrounding environs in County Down (area of benefit) without distinction of age, gender, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnic identity, political or religious opinion, by associating the statutory authorities, community and voluntary organisations and the inhabitants in common effort to advance education and in particular:
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To advance the education of the beneficiaries by the provision of safe and satisfying play, with the right of parents/carers and other interested people in the community to take responsibility for and to become involved in the activities of the group; and to promote the preservation of health and wellbeing of the beneficiaries
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To encourage parents/carers and staff avail of training, to gain a wider knowledge of the development and social needs and behaviours of children so that they can tailor their care and educational programme according to the unique needs of every child
PUBLIC BENEFIT:
Direct benefits that flow for our ‘Purpose’ include:
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Preparation of each child for primary education
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Mastering the basic skills of expression, communication, problem solving, early mathematics, creativity, knowledge of the world around us, experimentation and exploration and physical development
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The ability to relate to other children and adults
These benefits are evidenced through:
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Interviews where there is a two-way sharing of information between staff and parents/carers, where staff observation and progress reports are used to inform parents/carers
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Parental questionnaires to gain the opinion of parents/carers
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
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STRUCTURE OF KILMOOD PLAYGROUP:
Management Committee:
During school year 2024/25, our management committee consisted of 12 members who were elected at our Annual General Meeting. Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer being honorary members.
Below is a list of our members for 2024/25:
- Chair Person:
o Rosemary Osborne
- Secretary:
o Alex Patterson
- Treasurer:
o Maxine Taylor
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Other elected members:
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Annje McKeag
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Lou-Ellen Maxwell
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Catherine Kerr
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Connor Minnis
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Emma Stewart
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Helen Robinson
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Anna Horton
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Lisa Pascal
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Helena Graham
Trustees Annual Report
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Page 4 of 14
Staff Members:
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Leader in Charge
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Anne Dempster
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Deputy Leader
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Tanya Dickson
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Assistant Leaders:
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Alison Gibson
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Lindsay Brown
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Julie Gibson
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Geneena McIlwaine
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Cathy Torbitt
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
Page 5 of 14
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
The Committee of Kilmood Playgroup greatly appreciates the seriousness of maintaining effective financial management to safeguard the smooth operational status of such a valued community playgroup. To support the management of the committee, two main policies are in place, which are paramount:
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i) Reserves Policy
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ii) Fundraising Policy
Reserves Policy
It states:
The management committee have set a reserves policy which requires:
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Reserves be maintained at a level of £22,000, which ensures that the core activity of Kilmood Playgroup could continue during a period of unforeseen difficulty
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A proportion of reserves be maintained in a readily realisable form
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The calculation of the required level of reserves is an integral part of the planning, budget and forecast cycle
It takes into account:
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Risks associated with each stream of income and expenditure being different from that budgeted
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Planned activity level
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Kilmood Playgroup’s commitments to beneficiaries
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
Page 6 of 14
Fundraising Policy:
Fundraising is an integral part of Kilmood playgroup. It supports the overall development of the setting and is an integral part of our financial planning. Fundraising allows us to keep our fees to a minimum and enables us to make our playgroup accessible to all children.
The setting has implemented a fundraising policy to ensure committee members and staff have the appropriate authority to exercise powers and carry out certain actions for which they are personally accountable when they are dealing with fundraising. It is the responsibility of the management team and delegated staff to ensure that fundraising is in line with policies and procedures and promotes the aims and values of the setting.
The management team is accountable for all funds raised and for ensuring that the setting can respond appropriately to any additional funding requirements.
The management team will ensure that:
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At all times the setting will adhere to the Charity Commission guidelines on collection of monies in the setting
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Through the committee the setting will organise a number of fundraising events throughout the year and apply to other sources of funding, eg; Getting Ready to Learn etc
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The setting will encourage all the parents/carers, staff and local community to support us in our fundraising efforts
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
Page 7 of 14
FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES
| 2023/24 (inc 50th Anniversary) |
2024/25 | % change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Fundraising Receipts | £26,302 | £12,129 | -54% |
| Net Fundraising | £14,549 | £11,144 | -23% |
While our gross fundraising receipts saw a natural adjustment following last year’s major milestone (50[th] Anniversary), our net fundraising remains incredibly strong, demonstrating excellent cost management and community engagement.
KEY POINTS:
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Anniversary Context: The high gross income in 2023/24 was driven by our 50th-anniversary celebrations. As expected, those large-scale events also carried significantly higher associated costs.
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Operational Efficiency: Despite a 54% decrease in gross receipts, our net receipts only saw a 23% decrease. This indicates that our core events this year (Santa’s Cottage, Easter Trail, and the Obstacle Course) were highly cost-effective.
We have successfully maintained a high level of net support for the playgroup’s essential running costs while operating on a more streamlined event budget
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
Page 8 of 14
Snapshot of Net Fundraising Events 2024/25 (ie income less costs)
Our Year of Fundraising:
This school year has been a whirlwind of successful fundraising events. Thanks to the incredible energy of our children and the generosity of our community, we have hit some truly remarkable milestones. Here’s a look back at what we achieved together.
Santa’s Cottage Weekend: A Festive Success : We are thrilled to announce that our much-loved community event raised a staggering £4,276. This two-day spectacular was filled with holiday magic. Families journeyed to Kilmood’s cosy cottage to visit Santa and his elves, before heading back to the playgroup for a variety of festive activities. The highlight of the event was a surprise visit from Mrs. Claus, which added an extra touch of wonder for our little ones and their families
Tesco Bag Pack: A few days before Christmas, our kids and parents had fun engaging with the shoppers in Tesco’s Newtownards raising an amazing £1,715
Easter Trail at Florida Manor: In the beautiful grounds of Florida Manor, we hosted an exciting Easter hunt that brought smiles and giggles to families across the community. Participants followed winding pathways in search of hidden Easter bunnies, navigating the scenic landscape before reaching the finish line to claim their well-earned chocolate treats. It was a wonderful day of outdoor fun that successfully raised £1,214.
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
Page 9 of 14
Sponsored Obstacle Course: Our little athletes truly went the extra mile this year. Through their incredible efforts, the children raised a brilliant £1,609. It was a joy to watch them climbing, rolling, and jumping through our custom obstacle course. They had a fantastic time testing their skills, all while raising vital funds to support the daily running costs of our playgroup. We are so proud of their energy and the generosity of everyone who sponsored them.
Other smaller fundraising activities:
Children’s Fayre: £694
School Photographs: £282
Tractor Run: Late receipt from last yr £100
Misc Receipt: £100
Pre-loved Uniforms: £55
Easy Fundraising: £37
Cash for Clobber Bin: Families and neighbours continued to support our Cash for Clobber initiative from spring cleaning their wardrobes. A consistent source of funds, raising £1,062.
Overall, this has been an incredibly successful fundraising year!
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
Page 10 of 14
GRANT APPLICATIONS:
All grants applied and received in 2024/25 were treated as ‘restricted’ income ie funds that can only be utilised for the purpose for which the grants were applied/intended for.
It is confirmed that funds were used for their intended purpose.
Restricted Funds – totalled an incredible £14,580 compared to a much lower figure of £2,267 in previous year.
Grants consisted of the following:
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Grant - DOH SPPG - Fair Play Inclusion Young Children Disabilities £6,450 – covering staff salaries
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Grant - DOH SPPG – Wellbeing - £1,000 – training sessions for parents, leaders; mindfulness for our children
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Grant - EA - Getting Ready to Learn - £900 - to provide children with home lending resources
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Grant - EA - Outdoor learning - £2,000 – Activity Circuit, hopscotch, nursery roadway painted on our outdoor play area providing so much fun for children on their scooters, trikes etc
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Grant - EA - PSEISF (child heading towards statutory assessment) £6,000 – covering salaries and other costs such as visitors; Mini Music, Mini Groovers, Makaton online courses for staff; useful play equipment
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Grant - EA Readiness for Commencement of Grad. Resp F/W - £280
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Grant - TESCO (staff salary) - £200
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
Page 11 of 14
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS – RECEIPTS & REVENUE GROWTH
Overall receipts for this school year reached £112,778, representing a 5% increase (£5,471) over the previous year (£107,307). While fundraising naturally dipped following our 50th-anniversary milestone, growth in grants and charitable trading more than offset the difference.
Main Aspects in table below:
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 | Variance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grants | £2,267 | £14,580 | + £12,313 |
| Fundraising Events | £26,302 | £12,129 | - £14,173 |
| Charitable Trading | £76,490 | £82,939 | + £6,449 |
| Other Activities | £1,072 | £2,343 | + £1,271 |
Key Performance Drivers
Exceptional Grant Success: The most significant growth area was in Grants, which surged from £2,267 to £14,580. This is a direct result of the staff's incredible dedication to identifying and applying for several new funding opportunities this year.
Fundraising: As noted, fundraising receipts decreased by approximately £14k. This was expected, as the previous year included the high-volume, high-cost activities surrounding our 50th-anniversary celebrations.
Growth in Charitable Trading: Charitable trading grew by 8%, reaching £82,939. A major driver here was the £6k increase in afternoon enrolment fees, which rose to £15,214 (up from £9,212). This 65% jump in afternoon fees suggests a strong recovery in enrolment numbers following the low birth rate period associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Income Streams (NICSS Scheme): We saw a positive shift of £1,271 in "Other Charitable Activities." This was bolstered by the introduction of the NICSS scheme, which generated a new income stream of £773 specifically to cover the administrative time required to manage the program.
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
Page 12 of 14
FINANCIALANALYSIS – EXPENDITURE & EFFICIENCY
Accumulated expenditure for this year totalled £104,785, representing a 2% reduction compared to last year’s spend of £106,828. This decrease is particularly pleasing given the rising costs in the current economic climate and our increased activity in grant-funded projects.
Main Aspects in Table:
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 | Variance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fundraising Costs | £11,753 | £985 | -£10,000 |
| Direct Charity Activity | £90,671 | £83,708 | -£6,963 |
| Grant Related Spend | £2,267 | £16,830 | + £14,563 |
Key Expenditure Insights
Fundraising Efficiency : As expected, we saw a £10,000 reduction in fundraising costs. This is directly attributable to the conclusion of the 50thanniversary celebrations, which required a much higher initial outlay compared to this year’s streamlined, community-focused events.
Direct Charitable Activity: Spending on our core mission (direct charitable activities) saw a healthy reduction from £90,671 to £83,708. This suggests a disciplined approach to operational costs while maintaining the high standard of care and play for our children.
Grant Expenditure & Timing (PSEISF): Grant spend increased significantly to £16,830, aligning with our successful grant applications.The "Timing" Variance: While we spent £16,830 against £14,580 in grant income, this "overspend" of £2,250 is purely due to timing.
Explanation: We carried out the work as instructed by the PSEISF; however, the final £2,250 instalment was not received before the financial year-end. This receipt has been confirmed and is expected early in the next financial year
As of 31st August 25, there were no outstanding debts owed by Kilmood to any other suppliers/providers of service.
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
YEAR: 2024/25
Page 13 of 14
CONCLUSION:
In summary, this school year has been one of remarkable resilience and strategic growth for our playgroup. We have successfully navigated this period by focusing on operational efficiency and diversifying our income. By balancing a "whirlwind" of heart-warming community events from Santa’s Cottage to the Easter Trail with a highly successful push for grant funding, we have achieved a 5% increase in total receipts while simultaneously reducing our overall expenditure by 2%. This disciplined financial management has resulted in a healthy year-end surplus of £7,993, ensuring that we remain on a stable footing to continue providing a magical and supportive environment for our children. We extend our deepest gratitude to our dedicated staff, whose hard work in securing grants was instrumental this year, and to our wonderful families, whose generosity remains the heartbeat of our community
Signed by: M Taylor
Maxine Taylor, Treasurer of Kilmood Playgroup, MIATI Dated: 31.03.26
OFFICIAL ADDRESS:
Kilmood Playgroup
24 Kilmood Church Road
Kilmood, Comber
Co Down BT23 6SA
YEAR: 2024/25
Kilmood Playgroup
Trustees Annual Report
Page 14 of 14