## DEVIZES & DISTRICT LINK ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Held at the Wyvern Club at 8:00pm on May 29[th] , 2025 ## **Present** Peter Evans (Chair) Norman Minty (Treasurer) Val Elmes (Secretary) Chas Stonestreet, David Hows, Barbara Glover, Peter Martin, Sheila Martin, Dec McSweeney, Ann Sainsbury, Les Salter, Ali Gee, Jane Merritt, Mary Rennie, Roger Short, Andy Potts, David Bell **Apologies:** Lewis Cowen, Martin Houghton, Jean Altree, Margaret Dobie, Jacqueline Courtnage, Bernadete Cuss **2** . Minutes of last AGM. These were adopted. Proposed by DH Seconded by LS **3** . Matters arising: none ## **4** . **Chairman’s Report:** Verbatim report follows: Good evening to you all and welcome to this year’s AGM The year has been a challenging one as demand has increased and recruiting new drivers has become more difficult, but we have had a small increase in driver numbers. A special lunch was organized by Peter and Sheila Martin which proved to be a great success for all who attended, and I thank them both for their time and efforts in setting it up. I hope it is something they may repeat next year. My thanks go to Ian Hopkins the Devizes Town Mayor for his donation to Link from his Mayors appeal also the Wyvern club for their donation to Link We welcomed Bernadette Cuss to the position of coordinator together with Ann Sainsbury, which relieves some of the load with the ever-increasing demand. Thank you both for your hard work. I must mention George Royle, who after many years of driving for Link retired only a few weeks ago. Sadly, George died peacefully in his sleep earlier this week. His work for us was an achievement that we will always remember. We are going forward with a new telephone number and a solid financial position which will be outlined by our treasurer. PE then quoted some driving statistics expanded in the treasurer’s report below. ## **5** . **Treasurer’s Report** Verbatim report follows: For the first time during my tenure as Treasurer copies of prepared account are available for viewing on your tables. They will be submitted to the Charity Commission after this meeting, and I am pleased to inform you that the accounts are in a very healthy state. The opening balance for 2024/25 was £36139. This includes money in the NatWest General account, the Petty Cash and the investments held in the Hampshire Trust Bank. During the period there were various donations amounting to £2110 have been received during the year. You will see a list of those on the printout I have supplied for you. This has meant there was a very healthy balance of £40489. at the close of the financial year 2024-25. During the year, Volunteer drivers have completed 1044 journeys covering some 47280 miles, an increase of 6.5K miles on the previous year. Devizes Link personnel have giving approximately 3500 voluntary hours of their time, another increase of approximately 500 hrs. As I have done each year, I will ask again that we all try to encourage anyone we know, especially those who can drive, and who may be able to spare a few hours, to consider joining our team of Volunteer Drivers. Recruiting drivers has proved to be a difficult area and if anyone has any bright ideas please bring those ideas up with the Committee. I would like to take the opportunity to thank our dedicated Coordinators Ann Sainsbury, Bernadette Cuss & Vera Oram for everything they do for us. They do a wonderful job of matching up those who need our services to the volunteers who can take on the tasks. We have changed our telephone system from land line to mobile phone during the year, and it has gone reasonably well. The land line is still capturing a few people who have not heard about the change and that will continue for a couple of more months to ensure we do not miss those in need of our services. JS Weeks & Co, very generously scrutinise the Charities Accounts free of charge, and our thanks must go out to them for their generosity. I do have my digital copy of the account with me, and you are welcome to come and ask any questions you might have. I will attempt to answer those questions and if I do not have the answer to hand, I will investigate and get the answer to you. Thank you for your attention, and I would request your approval of the accounts and my report. Acceptance of the accounts was proposed by PM seconded by RS They were unanimously accepted by a show of hands ## **6. Election of New Committee:** - Lewis Cowen continues as Hon. President. - Peter Evans continues as Chairman - Re-elected committee members were as follows: Norman Minty – Treasurer Val Elmes - Secretary Barbara Glover - Driver Recruitment Roger Short, Peter Martin The committee was proposed by SM, seconded by AS and voted in unanimously by a show of hands ## 7. **Any Other Business:** SM: Could the driving statistics mentioned be publicised on radio /facebook etc PE will be doing some promoting of Link and will include them. PM: he will arrange another drivers’ lunch this year as it was well received last year. PM: he has had his link badge accepted for priority parking at some venues. NM: will send out details of the current procedures at various hospitals. DM: There are still some issues with the old Link phone number. It is found on google and even on our ID cards. NM has investigated some public platforms that hold our phone number and got them changed where possible. Some sites are out of our control. AS: Thanked all the drivers and said they were wonderful. ## **8. 100 Club May Draw** 1. £20 3 Bernadette Cuss 2. £15 53 Lesley Polack 3. £10 65 Maurice Orchard ## **9. date of Next meeting** - Monday June 9th The meeting was closed at 8:25 pm DEVIZES AND DISTRICT LINK ## ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 **1** ## **DEVIZES AND DISTRICT LINK** **Accountants' Report for the year ended 31 March 2025** In accordance with instructions given to us we have prepared, without carrying out an audit, the accounts on pages 2 and 3 from the accounting records of Devizes and District Link and from the information and explanations supplied to us. **THE ALANBROOKES GROUP LTD T/A JS WEEKS** & **CO** ## **CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS** 10 Market Place Devizes Wiltshire SN10 1HT Dated:- 2 ## **DEVIZES AND DISTRICT LINK** ## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** |**General Account**
**Income**
Contributions
Fund Raising
Donations
Interest Received (Elizabeth Pickering Trust)
**Less:- Overhead Expenditure**
Co-ordinators Fees
Insurance
Fundraising
Postage,Stationery and Advertising
Telephone
Volunteers Expenses:-Motor and Travelling
**Surplus of Income over Expenditure/(Expenditure overIncome)**|**2025**
£
£
30,182
959
2,110
1,353
34,604
4,900
408
740
85
395
23,726
30,254
4,350|**2024**
£
22,667
1,035
15,799
416| |---|---|---| |||39,917
4,900
360
695
1,140
17,778| |||24,873| |||15,044| ## **Note:-** The funds of the Elizabeth Pickering Trust are now incorporated into the Devizes and District Link. 3 ## **DEVIZES AND DISTRICT LINK** ## **BALANCE SHEET** ## **AS AT 31 MARCH 2025** **2025 2024** £ £ **Current Assets** |NatWest - General Account
Hampshire Trust - 90 Day Notice Account
Hampshire Trust-1 Year Bond
Cashin Hand
Total Assets
**Represented By:**
**Capital Account**
Opening Balance at1 April 2024
General:- (Deficit)/Surplus of Income over Expenditure
Balance as at 31 March 2025|10,667
2,250
27,486
86
40,489
36,139
4,350
40,489|7,662
2,238
26,145
94
36,139| |---|---|---| |||21,095
15,044
36,139|