FOREST BEARS PLAYGROUP

Registered charity 1029569 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Semi rural community setting; providing education, development and learning for pre-school children aged 2 to 5 years, in a safe and stimulating environment.

Objects

TO ENHANCE THE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION OF CHILDREN UNDER STATUTORY SCHOOL AGE BY ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND AND PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH COMMUNITY

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · Get email alerts

Latest income

£139k

Latest spending

£127k

Registered

1993

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity had a net positive surplus of £12,773.80 for the year, although this was down by £10,000 compared to the previous year. The Treasurer notes that financial health is very dependent on the number of children attending, as expenditure considerably outweighed the increase in income. Reserves are held specifically for closure costs and years with fewer children.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: Reserves are held in regard of closure costs of the Preschool and for years when there may be fewer children. (held: £128k)

“Reserves are held in regard of closure costs of the Preschool and for years when there may be fewer children.” — page 8

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor

“The outlook remains positive for our finances, although this is very dependent on the number of children.” — page 7

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Wendy Garforth, wife of Chairman Neville Taylor, employed as Manager.

“During the year the wife of the Chairman Mrs Wendy Garforth was employed by the charity as the manager her salary amounted to £26669.00” — page 8

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Christine L Cunningham FCCA. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

In its annual return the charity told the Commission it is also regulated by: Ofsted (Office For Standards In Education). This is the charity’s own declaration; it is not a rating and has not been verified by the Commission or by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Trustees · trustee networks

Ian Garforthchair · trustee of 1 other charity
Katie Jane Fell
LESLEY IRENE ROBERTS
Neville Peter John Taylor
Rebecca Manning

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Hampshire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/08/2025	£139k	£127k
31/08/2024	£128k	£105k
31/08/2023	£89k	£79k
31/08/2022	£85k	£74k
31/08/2021	£63k	£64k

Common questions

Is FOREST BEARS PLAYGROUP financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity had a net positive surplus of £12,773.80 for the year, although this was down by £10,000 compared to the previous year. The Treasurer notes that financial health is very dependent on the number of children attending, as expenditure considerably outweighed the increase in income. Reserves are held specifically for closure costs and years with fewer children. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Christine L Cunningham FCCA.

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
SPORT, AMENITIES, RECREATION IN KESGRAVE	1	£8k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THREE BEARS PLAYGROUP.

THREE BEARS PLAYGROUP income £184k
WOODFORD PRE SCHOOL PLAYGROUP income £104k
WOODBOROUGH PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP income £141k
TEDDY BEAR NURSERY (WESTFIELD) income £157k
LITTLE BEARS DAY CARE income £474k
3-2-5 PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP income £142k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
FOREST BEARS PLAYGROUP	£139k	—	above	—	noted
THREE BEARS PLAYGROUP FY2025	£184k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
WOODFORD PRE SCHOOL PLAYGROUP FY2025	£104k	—	above	188.9%	no doubt
WOODBOROUGH PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP FY2025	£141k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
TEDDY BEAR NURSERY (WESTFIELD) FY2025	£157k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
LITTLE BEARS DAY CARE FY2025	£474k	—	above	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.