Poyntzpass Community Playgroup
Annual Report Academic year ending June 2025
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Contents Charity Name and Number……………........................................................... 3 Address.................................................................................................................... 3 Achievements and Performance................................................................................ 3 Highlights...................................................................................................... 3 Challenges..................................................................................................... 4 Financial Review and Expenditure.............................................................................. 4 Structure, governance and management ................................................................... 5 Activities and Objectives ........................................................................................... 6 Declarations ............................................................................................................. 6
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Charity Name and Number
Poyntzpass Community Playgroup
Registered Charity NI: 101926
Registered Address
The Meeting Place,
16-18 Church Street,
Poyntzpass,
Newry,
Co Down,
BT35 6SW
The trustees of Poyntzpass Community Playgroup are pleased to submit their report and accounts for the period 1 July 2024 – 30[th] June 2025.
Achievements and Performance
Over the past year, there have been several changes within the Playgroup and Committee, with a new member joining the Playgroup and new committee members bringing fresh skills and motivation.
Highlights
This past year has been a very busy one for our playgroup, it has been a year of growth, joy, and strong community connections.
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One of the most exciting developments has been the transformation of our outdoor area. Thanks to the hard work and generous support of our current playgroup committee, we’ve made significant improvements that have really enhanced the children’s outdoor learning and play experiences.
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Another highlight has been the addition of our new mural at the entrance of the preschool. It has brought so much colour, joy, and life to our entryway, and really sets a warm and welcoming tone for families and visitors each day.
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We welcomed a visit from the PSNI, who spoke to the children about safety in a very friendly and child-centred way.
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A local dentist visited the preschool to teach the children about the importance of good oral health in a fun and engaging session.
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And one of our preschool parents, a very talented musician, visited and delivered an amazing music session, showcasing a variety of instruments and sounds. The children were absolutely captivated.
As part of last year’s Development Plan, one of our key goals was to build stronger links with the local community and really establish the preschool as an integrated part of Poyntzpass. We’ve done that:
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We attended both local primary schools' Christmas plays, which was a lovely opportunity for the children to connect with their future schools.
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In June, we held a Teddy Bears' Picnic with the Foundation Stage children from both primary schools — a wonderful day that helped build familiarity and friendships.
Challenges
The 2024/2025 intake was lower than expected (19) due to a low birth rate for the eligible children across Northern Ireland. This has impacted a number of Playgroup and Nursery settings. For the Playgroup this enabled stab to embed within the new setting with a lower intake than would be normal. However, this has since increased to 24 for 2025/2026 intake.
Financial Review and Expenditure
Full details attached in Financial Report. The charity has no debts and a reserve policy
stipulating reserves of £15,000. No funds are held as a custodian trustee. Reserves are held in order to allow for redundancy payments to stab of 3 months wages in the event of unforeseen closure of the playgroup, as well as any costs to convert the building back to original state. Amount of reserves held £15,000
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Structure, governance and management
The Governance of the Playgroup is detailed in the Constitution. The Charity is made up of a Management Committee of Parents or Guardians of the Children (Family members) and Associate members from which the Trustees are recruited. There are 3 permanent members of stab employed for 26/27 hours a week - the Playgroup Leader, Deputy Leader and Playgroup Assistant. The Charity also works within the wider network of Early Years. Trustees are elected to the post at the Annual General Meeting of the Playgroup. Policies and procedures adopted are reviewed regularly through management committee reviews, these are all available to the public on request.
| Trustee Name | Obice held and dates (if any) |
|---|---|
| Bríd Waddell Trustee |
Trustee July 2023 – Present Chairperson 01 May 2017 –30 June 2023 |
| Sorcha Byrne HR Obicer |
HR Obice September 2024-Present Vice-Chair: 01 July 2021 – 30 June 2023 |
| Kate Ervine | Secretary: 01 July 2021 – 25thSeptember 2025 |
There are no corporate trustees and no trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity.
Activities and Objectives
Poyntzpass Community Playgroup is a cross-community setting located in a mainly rural area. The Playgroup promotes play-based learning for preschool children aged 3 to 5
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years from Poyntzpass and the surrounding areas. We welcome all children and families regardless of age, gender, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnic identity, or political or religious belief. By working in partnership with statutory bodies, community groups, and local residents, we aim to advance early years education. Our core focus is to provide a balanced preschool curriculum through a variety of creative and play-based activities, placing the child at the centre of the learning experience.
Over the academic year 2024-20254, Poyntzpass Community Playgroup met the educational, care and social needs of 19 children. The main activities included delivery of a balanced preschool curriculum for the 19 children.
Declarations
The company has taken advantage of the small companies’ exemption in preparing the
report above. The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report (including directors’ report) above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
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Trustee Date
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