## **DARNICK BABY AND TODDLER GROUP** ## **Minutes for ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING** **Held on Wednesday 24[th] JUNE at 10am at Darnick Village Hall** ## **1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES** Olivia opened the mee/ng and apologized to a2endees for Lauren’s absence. ## **2. CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT – LAUREN WEIR** This was distributed by Olivia (in Lauren’s absence) and no par/cular comment was made: Summer 2025 was quiet, with very good sunny weather and some children moving on to ELC 3 places. However we held a fun summer party, and from September the numbers rose to average about 8 children each week – and some/mes as many as 15. Events this year included: 2[nd] October 2025 we /died the toy cupboard, replacing ba2eries, re-labelling, and throwing out anything broken or used up, and sending another bag of duplicate toys to charity. 29[th] October 2025 Halloween party, well a2ended and kids loved it. Prizes for best costume for kids and for adults. 17[th] December 2025. Christmas party, including a visit from Santa. We invested in some inflatable decora/ons which we can store for many Christmas par/es to come. The event was very successful with 17 toddlers and 2 babies a2ending, with a suggested dona/on of £5-8 per child to help cover the costs of the Santa giX. We also had a game of pass the parcel which the toddlers par/cipated well in. 7[th] January to 28[th] January 2026. Darnick hall was closed for insula/on installa/on so we booked Newstead village hall for 4 weeks. 11[th] February – Valen/ne theme, encouraged children and adults to wear red, red food (berries, grapes and biscuits) and craXs for making cards 25[th] March - Book Time with Melanie from Usborne Books Melanie came and set up a book stall with plenty of books for looking at and also for purchase. 1[st] April - Easter Party. We all went out for an Easter egg trail around Darnick in lovely sunny weather, looking for laminated egg signs that Ellen had prepared and put up that morning. AXerwards we went back to the hall where the Easter bunny had leX some chocolate eggs for everyone who had found eggs on the trail. Lots of fun in the spring sunshine. 29[th] April – Book Time with Melanie Melanie returned with more books for reading and for sale. All in all this has been a great year, with lots of old friends and new faces. Huge thanks to everyone who helped out with fundraising and general managing of the weekly sessions, and making each session great fun! ## **3. TREASURER’S REPORT – OLIVIA HAMILTON** This was distributed by Olivia and no par/cular comment was made: We began the 2025-2026 year in August with just over £2,700 in the bank account. With low a2endance, and fixed costs for hall rental and insurance, we decided to increase the fee from £2 to £3 per child and £1 per adult. Over the year, a2endance numbers picked up again and we s/ll have a rela/vely healthy balance of just over £2,500 as of June 2026. contribu/on to our overall funding alongside a2endance fees. First was the annual Welly Waddle held on 19 November 2025 which raised approximately £100. Exact numbers were hard to iden/fy as welly waddle funds came in mixed with regular a2endance fees and the wreath payments. On 5[th] November 2025 we brought in Class Fundraising kits for children to do pain/ngs to be printed onto Christmas presents, with 20% of sales going to the group. We raised £60.86 for the group. On 7[th] December 2025 we held a new wreath-making session for adults. Led by a local florist from Earlston, we kept numbers to 12 as the hall is quite small. With /ckets at £35 each, we raised £102.81 for the group aXer expenses. In January 2025 Greta held a children’s ceilidh at Melrose Parish Church, and raised an amazing £200 for the group. Finally in May 2026 I nego/ated a £50 reduc/on in our insurance costs since we have no payroll and operate en/rely with volunteers. Expenditure this year has been typical on hall fees, insurance, weekly snacks, toy and craX replacements, and resources for par/es. I have no/ced that other playgroups in the Borders seem to have lower weekly fees, and some charge per family rather than per adult/child, and this might explain some of the lower rates of a2endance some weeks. I would welcome any ideas on whether our fees are set at the right level for the toys and facili/es we provide, and if we should consider a family rate. We could at least lower the cost for babies to a more reasonable £1. Huge thanks to everyone for their amazing generosity with /me and energy and money for fundraising, and for coming along regularly and keeping the group going! ## **COST COMPARISONS** Caddonfoot £1.50 per family Tweedbank £2.50 per family – also held on a Wednesday morning ## **WEEKLY INCOME** Darnick £3 per child £1 per adult, average about 6 children per week so £24 per week income ## **OUTGOINGS** Hall costs £24 per week Snack costs £3 per week (if charged at all) Party supplies, craXs, Christmas giXs etc £500 Insurance £197.27 per year, which is about £5 per session ## **FUNDRAISING INCOME** Welly waddle £100 Class Fundraising for Christmas craXs £60 Wreath making £100 Ceilidh £200 TOTAL £460 ## **4. REVIEW OF DARNICK MOTHER AND TODDLER GROUP CONSTITUTION** The cons/tu/on was distributed by Olivia and no par/cular comment was made. ## **5. REFLECTIONS ON PAST YEAR** The group was pleased with increased a2endance and pointed out that it was a great resource for young children to learn to play, share, and interact within a group, and for parents to chat and support each other. par/cular was very popular. We discussed the a2endance fee and the desire not to exclude anyone who might feel unable to a2end due to costs. Olivia asked everyone to clarify to anyone they know that a2endance and fees can always be discussed with her privately, and as a charity we would never want to turn away anyone who wishes to a2end but pay a smaller (or zero) fee. (Olivia has since updated the Whatapp group descrip/on to men/on “suggested fee” and the Facebook page includes that the first session is free.) The group also noted the quality and variety of the toys we provide, and the excep/onal par/es we hold throughout the year for regular a2endees. Jess Dennison suggested a fundraising lunch in the autumn which she would kindly cater. This sugges/on was enthusias/cally accepted! ## **6. POSITIONS AVAILABLE** Olivia noted that she will probably only be able to con/nue in her current role for another year, so other parents or carers with younger children may wish to consider joining the commi2ee. **7.** There being no further business, the mee/ng was adjourned.