Trustees Report for Financial Accounts for Year Ending 31103/2024 Anahilt Playgroup, 29A West Wind Terrace, Anahilt, Hillsborough 8T26 6BS NIC 104666 Charity Registration Date 01103/2016 Anahilt Playgroup's purposes and how it is administered are included in its Constitution which was originally adopted on 08/0611999 and most rentlY updated/adopted by its members at an Annual General Meeting on 03/1112015. Anahilt Playgroup is a voluntary organisation managed by a group of parents elected annually (The Management Committeenrustees) and who meet on a regular basis throughout the year to discuss issues concerning the group. At an AGM held in October 2022 the following were elected as Trustees for the 2022123 academic year and all remained in place up to October 2023; Chris Kernaghan (Chair ), Louise Cahoon ( Treasurer ), Leanne Spencer I Secretary ), Stuart McAllister, Vicky McGuinness, James McKnight, Emma Bready and Emma Kelly. At the most recent AGM in October 2023 the following were elected as Trustees for the 2023124 academic year with all remaining in place as at the 31st March 2024: Chris Kernaghan ( Chair ), Louise Cahoon { Treasurer ), Jamie McKnight, Ciaran McKinstry, Shannon Lynn, Aaron Jamison and Richard McLoughlin. In November 2023 our Playgroup Leader, Jill Hyndman, tendered her resignation to take up a new challenge elsewhere. Jill was replaced by Dara Grahm and we would like to wish both of them every success in the future. The Playgroups main purpose is to promote play based learning environments for all children in their pre-school year in Anahilt and surrounding areas without distinction of age, gender, maritsl status, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnic identity, political or religious opinion by associating the statutory authorities, community and voluntary organisations and the inhabitants in a common effort to advance education and in particular a) to advance the education of the children by the provision of safe and satisfying group play with the right of parents/carers to take responsibility for and to become involved in the activities of the group and b) to support the values and principles of the Early Years organisation. Our Public Benefit statement is as documented on the Charity Commissions register and has remained unchanged since our application was accepted in 03/2016. The Committee members/Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commissions public benefit for this Financial Year Ending 31/0312024. We currently have permission to have a maximurn of 26 children attend Playgroup on a daily basis. For the academic year ending 0612023 we had 24 full time Preschool children
whose places were funded by the Education Authority and 5 part time Pre-Preschool children who are self-funded by their parents. In the academic year commencing 0912023, whilst the overall maximum number of 26 remained the same, the breakdown changed to 18 full time Preschool children and 5 part time Pre-Preschool children. As at 31/0312024 the number of Preschool children had increased to 19 and the number of Pre-Preschool children had increased to 9. All these children were provided with a variety of challenging age appropriate play based activities and other experiences in a stimulating environment. The focus is to allow children to leam at their own pace. be able to cope with uncertainty and to learn through trial and error. All planned artivities were designed to address the 6 areas of the curriculum as follows; a) The Arts b) Language Development c) Early Mathematical Experiences dl Personal, Social and Emotional Development e) Physical Development and Movement and f) The World Around Us. Some of our main activities/achievements this year designed to address the above and to further our purposes for the public benefit would include the following. -A varied weekly plan for age-appropriate play-based activities for all children to address the 6 areas of the curriculum. -Trips to the local Primary School at Halloween and Christmas and visits from the Primary School Principal and Primary I teacher throughout the year to develop relationships with staff and introduce themselves to the children to ease their transition to primary school at the end of the year. -Encourage parents to become involved/share in their children's learning by taking on role5 within the Management Committee, participating in fundraising events and by accompanying their children to special events/outing5 arranged throughout the year. -opportunities for parents/carers to attend activities along with their children including a Stay and Play morning and a Big Bedtime Read evening event. -ReEular formal parent/teacher feedback sessions throughout the year. -staff making themselves available when children arrive/leave for parents to talk about any specific issues/concerns either party may have. -A variety of fundraising events which can involve the children, parents/carers, staff, committee members and members of the local community. -visits to/from external businesses including a local Adventure Playground, Yoga and of course ' Santa '
-A number of successful grant applications to a) Getting Ready to Leam- The Big Bedtlme Read and bl The LCCC Hardship Grant Throughout the year we regularly review and adhere to the full range of Policies we have in place including Safe Guarding, Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, Anti-Bullying, Intimate Care and many more. Our last Social Services inspection was in October 2023. An extremely positive report was received with no comments or concerns highlighted. Our most recent E.T.l. Inspection took place in November 2014 and concluded that 'the quality of education provided by Anahilt Playgroup is very good. The playgroup is meeting very effectively the educational and pastoral needs of the children and has demonstrated its capacity for sustained self-improvemenv. All of the parents who responded to the confidential questionnaire were 'wholly positive about all aspetts of the life and work of the playgroup. They praised the child-centred. caring and friendly approach of the staff and the learning experiences provided for their children.. The above would show that we have satisfied all our purposes as set out in our Public Benefit Statement. A review of the Financial Accounts for year ending 31/0312024 would show an Income of £62,273 and an Expenditure of £79,574. The rnain source of income is from fees { both frorn the Education Authority and parents ) and accounted for c £54.680/ 87.81% of total income. The remaining income was generated from our own Fundraising events c£3,815/ 6.13%, a good year in terms of successful grant applications from a) GRTL £200.00 and b) LCCC Hardship Fund £2,000 ( Total £2,200/3.53) and misceuaneous contributions from parents/other sources £ 1,578/2.53% The main cost associated with running Playgroup is Salary/HMRC/Pension related and accounted for £58,575173.61% of total expenditure. General operating expenses accounted for the remaining £20.999/ 26.39%. It should be noted that the amounts/percentages in respect of both Income/Expenditure are somewhat distorted this year as they include 8rant funds that were received in the previou5 financial year but spent during this financial year. As at 31/0312024 we had a balance of £28,365 available in our Bank accounts. There are no funds that are 'materially in deficit '
Staff employed by the Playgroup do receive Private Benefit5 in the form of a) training and development opportunities, both internal and external, which could be transferrable to another setting and bl the payment of a monthly wage. Both of these private benefits are deemed necessary and incidental. Chris Kernaghan ( Chairperson ) Louise Cahoon ( Treasurer ) Dara Graham ( Leader ) Report dated: th 26 April 2024