Park Lane Stables RDA - Charities report - 22.2

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 09035744 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1161306

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 May 2023

for

Park Lane Stables RDA

Page

Report of the Trustees

1

to

5

Independent Examiner's Report

6

Statement of Financial Activities

7

Balance Sheet

8

Notes to the Financial Statements

9

to

14

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 May 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

Our Vision

Park Lane Stables RDA is a place of kindness, where horses help people and people help horses, and everyone leaves happier than when they arrived.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

We are an award-winning Riding for The Disabled Group based in Southwest London offering equine therapy: riding, carriage driving, hippotherapy and stable yard activities to hundreds of children and adults with physical, sensory and learning disabilities, plus those with mental health issues and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to improve their mental and physical wellbeing.

Horse riding, or indeed just being near horses, is proven to be highly therapeutic for a person's physical and mental wellbeing.

Park Lane Stables RDA, based in Teddington, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is a friendly and inclusive Riding for the Disabled Association group, offering local children and adults with a wide and complex range of physical, sensory and learning disabilities and mental health needs the opportunity to ride and care for horses and ponies in a safe and nurturing environment.

The Group's objectives uphold the RDA ethos, "It's what you CAN do that counts":

- To make a positive and tangible difference to disabled person's fitness, core strength, balance, confidence, communication skills, enjoyment and general well-being through being with and/or riding horses.

- To promote inclusivity and positively encourage participants to achieve success and maximise their potential within a safe and supportive environment - whether that is just learning to steer a pony unaided, or taking part in additional activities such as Pony Club, or competing at horse shows, sponsored rides and local or national competitions.

- To put the participant first and never stop challenging ourselves to improve the service and experience we offer through new pioneering initiatives and projects to meet the ever-changing needs and demands of our clients.

Significant activities

The horses and ponies at Park Lane are kind, honest and steady, and are carefully selected and trained to ensure they are suitable for RDA riders. All sessions are facilitated by qualified coaches and/or physiotherapists. With all Trustees, colleagues and volunteers being referenced and DBS-checked as appropriate. In the main it is our volunteers (who lead the ponies and/or sidewalk), make sure participants have all the support they need to achieve great things in a safe and nurturing environment.

Activities include:

- Horse riding RDA sessions for groups and individuals on Ham Common and surrounding parkland

- Carriage Driving

- Hippotherapy (until December 2022) led by specialist physiotherapists

- Equine therapy sessions (New on trial this year) with a qualified psychologist/counsellor

- Stable management and yard activities including Wellbeing sessions

- Tea with a Pony

- Pony visits to schools and care homes

- Pony Club activities including Summer Camp

- Participation in RDA competitions and activities

Review of the year

Park Lane Stables moved from its home in Teddington to its temporary new home at Manor Farm in Petersham TW10 on 1 June 2021.

Our temporary venue has allowed us to expand our provision and services - offering regular weekly activities to various SEN schools, charities and community groups. As a result, we were able to, once again, increase the number of participants accessing our services this year and significantly increase the number of sessions/ activities.

There were 1080 participants in 2022-23 (compared with 687 participants in 2021-22) - an increase of 57% - which we are delighted to have achieved.

.

We continued to broaden our participation criteria to include, not just those with disabilities, but also those 'in need' e.g. young carers, those with mental health issues, those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds etc.

In all, we ran 6065 sessions in 2023-23, compared with 4023 sessions in 2021-22 - an increase of 51%, demonstrating the breadth and scale of what the team is delivering. The executive and Trustees are extremely proud of this achievement.

We also saw an increase in carriage driving participation in 2022-23 with 208 participants and 349 sessions. This compares with 111 participants and 270 sessions in 2021-22 (an increase of 87% participation and 29% sessions). The Trustees were delighted that one of our carriage driving participants represented Park Lane Stables RDA at the Windsor Horse Show competition and another participant qualified for the RDA National Championships.

Achievements in 2022-23

- Over 500 friends and visitors came to our Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration event on 2 June 2022

- Founder and Managing Director, Natalie O'Rourke's book, Only Heroes and Horses, was published.

- Our volunteers were awarded the prestigious Queens Award for Voluntary Service. Two of our volunteers were invited to Buckingham Palace to receive the award in May 2023.

- Natalie O'Rourke, was awarded an MBE for her work for the charity and the local community. The award was presented by HRH Prince William at Windsor Castle in December 2022.

- A record number of 15 participants qualified to represent Park Lane Stables at the RDA Regional Championships and 9 of them went on to the RDA 2023 National Championships, bringing home a bagful of rosettes for Countryside Challenge, Show Jumping, Carriage Driving and Dressage competitions.

- Park Lane Stables was selected as one of 18 London charities for the Jubilee Tree Planting Ceremony in March 2023.

- Natalie O'Rourke was in high demand for her engaging public speaking at several conferences and events across the UK to tell the story of Park Lane Stables, with themes such as inclusivity, diversity, and overcoming adversity, including: Pony Club UK Conference in Belfast, RDA Coaching Conference in Warwickshire, RAC Club in Epsom, the London International Horse Show at ExCel and the Racing Together Industry Day at Ascot to name a few, alongside our ambassadors Philippa and Louis.

- We visited the Chelsa Flower show, Ascot Champions Day, the London International Horse Show and Richard Hannon's racing yard to name a few.

- We attracted lots of high profile visitors to the stables too, including: Brentford FC players, Savills, McVities, Spillers, the Sunday Times, Equine America, and fact-finding dignitaries from China and South Korea.

Public benefit

In shaping the objectives for the year and planning the activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit, including the guidance on public benefit and fee charging.

Volunteers

All RDA Volunteers undergo a vigorous recruitment process which includes: two satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check (if aged 16 or over) and Green Card training before they start volunteering.

We received 205 enquiries from people who wanted to become a volunteer during 2022-23 and 106 of these progressed through the recruitment and training process to become fully-fledged volunteers.. We continue to need new volunteers in order to cope with the demand, so we hold regular recruitment drives, with an emphasis on ensuring there is a good fit - matching volunteer motivation with the needs of our wider community.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

Save Our Stables Campaign

In December 2020 the owner and landlord of the Park Lane premises in Teddington gave us written notice, stating that our lease was not going to be renewed as he wished to sell the property. If we could not raise the money to buy the property, then we would have to leave the premises on 31 May 2021, being the end date of our lease.

On New Year's Eve of December 2020, we launched our Save Our Stables (SOS) Campaign via Crowdfunder.com with the seemingly impossible target of needing to raise at least £1M in donations by 25 February 2021. Miraculously, by 18 February 2021 we had raised around half a million pounds, which was an unbelievable feat, but if we did not achieve the £1M target by the deadline of 25 February, our "All or Nothing" Campaign meant that all pledges had to be returned. Then, on 19 February 2021, BBC Breakfast ran a long feature introduced by Rob Brydon about the stables and the important work we do, pre and during the pandemic. A BBC film crew came to the stables to interview Natalie O'Rourke our founder and current Managing Director and a selection of our participants. In order to meet our horses and within thirty minutes we had melted the nation's hearts and the donations came flooding in from all over the world. We exceeded our £1M target whilst still on air, so the camera crew came back to the stables to celebrate the fantastic outcome.

We then experienced a period of uncertainty and somewhat of a rollercoaster ride with our appointed legal team and Trustees trying to negotiate the purchase of the Teddington property. It was not an easy process. We were hoping to have purchased the stables before our lease expired but this was not to be, so on 31 May 2021 we vacated Park Lane and moved to our new temporary location of Manor Farm in Ham. The Teddington stables and connected premises were finally purchased in December 2021.

The Trustees recognised that the premises required a significant degree of refurbishment before we could take occupation, which would require planning and public consultation.

In pursuit of our commitment to being a responsible developer of our community facility in Teddington, over the past year we dedicated significant efforts to engage with the local authority and wider stakeholders to ensure a transparent and inclusive approach for our planning application. We initiated the process with an outline planning application to the local authority and, at the same time, involved comprehensive consultations and discussions aimed at aligning our project with community needs and expectations. A series of meetings were held with various stakeholders, including residents, local businesses and community organisations allowing us to gather valuable feedback and insights. Following this phase, we diligently prepared and submitted our detailed application with an emphasis on seeking to meet the needs of our existing environment and addressing concerns raised during the consultation process.

This inclusive approach not only ensures we followed regulatory requirements but also reflects the collective aspirations and concerns of the local community. We remain committed to fostering this collaborative approach as we move forward. We were delighted to receive planning permission on 23 June 2023. At the time of writing, the Trustees hope to be able to return to Teddington in late 2023 or early 2024, subject to costing and the actual build itself.

Our temporary new home at Manor Farm in Ham is still within the London Borough of Richmond, so not too far for our participants to travel to. The facilities at Manor Farm are fantastic, so it has given us a perfect base to continue our work whilst the purchase and refurbishment of the Teddington property is ongoing.

Our Trustees

We have changed materially over the last few years - going from a very small charity which, on occasion, struggled to survive financially, to one of the most well-known and in-demand charities in the south of England with our range of services. As a result, the corporate requirements of the Charity and Trustees increased significantly. Changes needed to take place in order to reflect the level of expertise that was now required to take the charity forward.

The Trustees and executive have focused on developing our expertise in law, marketing, fundraising and communication. We meet at least six times a year as a group to ensure we optimise the services we provide. We held our second AGM on 29 March 2023 at Teddington Rugby Club.

We said farewell to three Trustees: Rachel Maund on 20/12/23; Ruth Kelly at the AGM on 29/3/23; and Kath Dillon on 10/5/23. We would like to place on record our thanks to all three for their service and commitment to Park Lane Stables, and especially to Kath Dillon who had served the charity for many years.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing documents, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006, incorporated in May 2014.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

09035744 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1161306

Registered office

Petersham Road

Richmond

TW10 7AH

Trustees

NJ Rodford

appointed 11.08.21

RM Kelly

appointed 25.08.21

resigned 29.03.22

JP Prayag

appointed 11.08.21

PM Baines

appointed 11.08.21

K Dillon

appointed 01.11.15

resigned 10.05.23

J E Mawer

appointed 01.03.14

R Maud

appointed 25.08.21

resigned 20.12.22

Independent Examiner

Brewers Chartered Accountants

Bourne House

Queen Street

Gomshall

Surrey

GU5 9LY

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 18 October 2023 and signed on its behalf by:

N Rodford - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Park Lane Stables RDA ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 May 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4.

the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

A M Skilton

Brewers Chartered Accountants

Bourne House

Queen Street

Gomshall

Surrey

GU5 9LY

18 October 2023

31.5.23

31.5.22

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

322,554

-

322,554

231,211

Charitable activities

Charitable

39,307

-

39,307

29,350

Other trading activities

2

24,547

-

24,547

20,403

Investment income

3

1,929

-

1,929

130

Total

388,337

-

388,337

281,094

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Charitable

408,318

13,694

422,012

377,029

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(19,981

)

(13,694

)

(33,675

)

(95,935

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

240,818

1,433,576

1,674,394

1,770,329

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

220,837

1,419,882

1,640,719

1,674,394

31.5.23

31.5.22

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

FIXED ASSETS

Tangible assets

8

91,402

1,201,867

1,293,269

1,239,377

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

9

2,465

-

2,465

2,645

Cash at bank and in hand

165,501

218,015

383,516

448,663

167,966

218,015

385,981

451,308

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

10

(38,531

)

-

(38,531

)

(16,291

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

129,435

218,015

347,450

435,017

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

220,837

1,419,882

1,640,719

1,674,394

NET ASSETS

220,837

1,419,882

1,640,719

1,674,394

FUNDS

11

Unrestricted funds

220,837

240,818

Restricted funds

1,419,882

1,433,576

TOTAL FUNDS

1,640,719

1,674,394

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 May 2023.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 May 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 18 October 2023 and were signed on its behalf by:

N Rodford - Trustee

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Freehold property

-

NIL

Short leasehold

-

Period of lease

Plant and machinery

-

20% on cost

Computer equipment

-

25% on cost

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Hire purchase and leasing commitments

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

2.	OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

31.5.23

31.5.22

£

£

Fundraising events

16,808

16,803

Sponsorships

7,739

3,600

24,547

20,403

3.	INVESTMENT INCOME

31.5.23

31.5.22

£

£

Deposit account interest

1,929

130

4.	NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):

31.5.23

31.5.22

£

£

Auditors' remuneration 2021

-

3,600

Depreciation - owned assets

28,144

11,162

Other operating leases

56,708

59,350

Independent examination

2,640

2,400

5.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 May 2023 nor for the year ended 31 May 2022.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 May 2023 nor for the year ended 31 May 2022.

6.	STAFF COSTS

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

31.5.23

31.5.22

Staff

-

9

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

7.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

fund

funds

funds

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

231,211

-

231,211

Charitable activities

Charitable

29,350

-

29,350

Other trading activities

20,403

-

20,403

Investment income

130

-

130

Total

281,094

-

281,094

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Charitable

363,858

13,171

377,029

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(82,764

)

(13,171

)

(95,935

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

323,582

1,446,747

1,770,329

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

240,818

1,433,576

1,674,394

8.	TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Freehold

Short

Plant and

Computer

property

leasehold

machinery

equipment

Totals

£

£

£

£

£

COST

At 1 June 2022

1,201,867

15,000

55,714

700

1,273,281

Additions

-

-

82,036

-

82,036

At 31 May 2023

1,201,867

15,000

137,750

700

1,355,317

DEPRECIATION

At 1 June 2022

-

15,000

18,729

175

33,904

Charge for year

-

-

28,144

-

28,144

At 31 May 2023

-

15,000

46,873

175

62,048

NET BOOK VALUE

At 31 May 2023

1,201,867

-

90,877

525

1,293,269

At 31 May 2022

1,201,867

-

36,985

525

1,239,377

The freehold property stables and connected premises at Teddington were purchased in December 2021.

9.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.5.23

31.5.22

£

£

Other debtors

-

180

Prepayments and accrued income

2,465

-

Prepayments

-

2,465

2,465

2,645

10.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.5.23

31.5.22

£

£

Trade creditors

1,332

2,007

Social security and other taxes

23,001

2,266

Other creditors

2,541

361

Accrued expenses

11,657

11,657

38,531

16,291

11.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

movement

At

At 1.6.22

in funds

31.5.23

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

240,818

(19,981

)

220,837

Restricted funds

RDA re horses

750

(750

)

-

Property account

1,432,826

(12,944

)

1,419,882

1,433,576

(13,694

)

1,419,882

TOTAL FUNDS

1,674,394

(33,675

)

1,640,719

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

388,337

(408,318

)

(19,981

)

Restricted funds

RDA re horses

-

(750

)

(750

)

Property account

-

(12,944

)

(12,944

)

-

(13,694

)

(13,694

)

TOTAL FUNDS

388,337

(422,012

)

(33,675

)

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

movement

At

At 1.6.21

in funds

31.5.22

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

323,582

(82,764

)

240,818

Restricted funds

RDA re horses

750

-

750

Property account

1,445,997

(13,171

)

1,432,826

1,446,747

(13,171

)

1,433,576

TOTAL FUNDS

1,770,329

(95,935

)

1,674,394

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

281,094

(363,858

)

(82,764

)

Restricted funds

Property account

-

(13,171

)

(13,171

)

TOTAL FUNDS

281,094

(377,029

)

(95,935

)

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

Net

movement

At

At 1.6.21

in funds

31.5.23

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

323,582

(102,745

)

220,837

Restricted funds

RDA re horses

750

(750

)

-

Property account

1,445,997

(26,115

)

1,419,882

1,446,747

(26,865

)

1,419,882

TOTAL FUNDS

1,770,329

(129,610

)

1,640,719

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

669,431

(772,176

)

(102,745

)

Restricted funds

RDA re horses

-

(750

)

(750

)

Property account

-

(26,115

)

(26,115

)

-

(26,865

)

(26,865

)

TOTAL FUNDS

669,431

(799,041

)

(129,610

)

12.	RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

The charity made payments in the year to 31 May 2023 to various parties related to the trustees amounting to £4,341 (2022: £10,523) for services rendered.