Chairman's Report 2025
So, another year and milestone passes as we as a board of Trustees move forward, despite the financial pressures we struggle with and maintaining an active and engaged group of Trustees. We have had our ups and downs this past year, particularly in the key area of the Trustee Board and it’s membership. Despite strenuous efforts to retain the services of a number of Trustees to maintain a healthy and quorate group, we were unable to resist the resignations of two of our number. Chris and Tim had been supporting the charity for a considerable number of years and were amongst some of the longest serving of our Trustees. The crushing news that they were having to withdraw from their respective roles on the board left a considerable gap in our expertise and a worrying low number of existing Trustees.
I have written to both Tim and Chris and thanked them for their individual and unique contributions they have made over the years but wanted to mark their departure and the personal sadness I felt when they confirmed their decisions to resign from the Trustee Board of LRAC.
But, such is in the nature of the progress of the charity that we have been able to find a replacement for at least one of the vacant positions of Trustee. We should soon confirm the appointment of Simon onto the bard and I am sure that Simon is more than capable in filling one of those vacant positions and look forward to working with him to ensure that LRAC continues into the future to provide it’s unique role within Louth and the surrounding counties that we serve in the Greater Lincolnshire area.
As usual our Centre Manager, Sarah, has provided the stability and energy to keep LRAC moving forward whilst maintaining it’s core strengths in supporting and developing the facilities and services at the centre, for the benefit of all who might need our facilities. I am pleased and proud to note that despite the external financial pressures placed on the charity, Sarah who takes her financial stewardship of the charities income and expenditure as a personal challenge , was able to ensure this year that our income exceeded our expenditure. we are extremely grateful to Sarah for all the hard work this took to achieve.
We have also had some bad news over the last year as our Groundsman Stuart struggled with some potentially serious health issues. As he went through all the health tests and procedures our thoughts and the best wishes of trustees were with Stuart. It is with some relief, not only to Stuart, but for all of us that after all his worrying symptoms I can now report that Stuart hs been able to return to work. Sarah, I know will continue to support Stuart during his return to normal duties and a full recovery and we all wish him well for the future.
As I mentioned at the last AGM, we needed to review how we function and operate as a charity in order to maximise the potential of the charity’s assets. Following our meeting in the New Year I am pleased and grateful that Bonny our Vice Chair has taken up that challenge, and we are now part way through her proposals to revitalise and change how we function and operate more effectively in the years ahead.
My thanks and gratitude go to all the trustees who have continued to support the charity throughout the year. I appreciate the time and effort that all LRAC Trustees give freely to help make sure that LRAC delivers on its ambitions and in maintaining the facilities and services which are provided on site for the benefit of those who are less able and sometimes unable to access appropriate services in the community. Our partners in this endeavour and use the site, to make a valuable contribution in providing the services and opportunities on this wonderful site and are a vital component in supporting and enabling disadvantaged individuals and groups to enjoy and maintain healthier, productive and more rewarding lives.
All the Trustees at LRAC make a vital and often unseen contribution to ensuring that the facilities and services on this site continue into the future.
Finally, in concluding my thanks to Trustees I must also give a special thank you to our Treasurer Matt. An often-unsung hero on the board, we are more than lucky to have Matt in this, for many, the least exciting role on the board. Long may he continue to crunch the numbers, check the figures and keep the finances of the Charity in order.
Lincolnshire Rural Activltles Centre Year ended 3113125 3110312025 3V0312024 Income Grants Interest 106342.02 36729.0) 5605.81 94315.38 9797.CX) 5472.79 Total Incom• 148676.83 109585.17 Wages Telephone Heat & light Cleanlng PPS Repalrs Mlsc 69531.10 1931.07 16154.16 lo15.25 596.89 22149.86 19486.93 65678.45 1688.69 13451.37 3184.41 1941.70 32962.57 8393.74 Total •xpondlturn 140755.26 1273Q).93 Surplu5 for the y•ar 7921.57 -17715.76 brought forward reserves 261487.55 279203.31 Reserves carrled forward 269409.12 261487.S5 Funded by Lloyds Cambrfd8eshlr• Vlrgln Hampshlre Cash 103648.29 86508.40 O.LX) 79252.43 68735.60 82782.98 32270.51 77698.46 Total funds 269409.12 261487,55 Examlned & Approved by P A Yamell BA{Hons) FCCA Cassells Llrnlted 2010612025
Easrfield Low Church Road Middle Rasen Market Rasen Lincs LN8 3r Lincolnshire Rural Activities Centre Kenwick Hill Louth LNI18NR 07572540945 err ssell cc ntants. o.uk 1816125 Dear Sarah Independent Examination 2025 As requested, we have completed the examination of the accounts of the centre for the year ended 31 /3125. Our testing and confirmations were carried out as per nonnal practices and found no areas of concern. A copy of the accounts is enclosed, and your records can be collected from the office. Yours sincerely P A Yarn¢ll Registered in England & Wales Company number 4769063 VAT number 801404778