GREAT GRANSDEN READING ROOM
Martha Sophia Webb Charity, Number 1077994
Annual Report for the Year January to December 2023
Presented to the AGM 19 February 2024
This is the annual report of the trustees of the above-named charity for the calendar year 2023 which is also its financial year for the purpose of preparing final accounts. The Reading Room is located on Fox Street in Great Gransden, SG19 3AA.
1. Governance
1.1 The following individuals served as management trustees during this period:
| Anne Constantine | Elected |
|---|---|
| Claire Turner | Elected from 01.01.23 |
| Stephanie Beaumont | Elected from 20.02.23 |
| Vikki Murphy | Elected |
| Cathy Davis | Elected until 20.02.23 |
| Ann Girling | Nominated by the Gransdens Horticultural Society |
| Martin Davies | Nominated by the Gransdens Society |
| Ralph Goodchild | Nominated by Carry On Learning |
| Emily Glover | Nominated by the Gransdens Guides |
| Irene Cooper | Nominated by the Allotments Society until 20.02.23 |
| Fiona Coulson | Nominated by the Allotments Society from 20.02.23 |
| Peter King | Nominated by Great Gransden Parish Council until 20.02.23 |
| Cathy Davis | Nominated by Great Gransden Parish Council from 20.02.23 |
| Sarah Bray | Nominated by Barneys Club |
| Stephanie Beaumont | Co-opted until 20.02.23 |
| Elaine Boyd | Co-opted |
*Evergreens, Revellers and the Royal British Legion remain as nominating user groups but did not have a trustee during 2023.
1.2 The custodian trustee for the premises (Reading Room building and garden) is Great Gransden Parish Council.
1.3 The charity is governed by a Scheme that was adopted on 19 June 1953 and amended on 11 February 2020. This Scheme describes the purposes of the charity as “ physical and mental training and recreation and social, moral and intellectual development through the medium of reading and recreation rooms, library, lectures, classes, recreations and entertainments or otherwise as may be found expedient for the benefit of the Parish of Great Gransden and its immediate vicinity ”.
Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
1.4 The Management Committee (the trustees) met on 20 February 2023, after the AGM, on 27 July (Special Meeting) and on 3 October. Other matters were considered via email between meetings. The Events Group/Café Management Group met regularly to manage the café and plan for events.
Key matters and decisions at the meetings were:
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Reading Room maintenance
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Events including the Coronation
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Reading Room extension and improvement project and consultation
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Fire risk assessment
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Furniture and fundraising
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Fees
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Financial procedures
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Financial reports
2. Usage
2.1 The Reading Room was very busy during 2023. Barneys After School Club and Holiday Club operated for local families for 48 weeks. The Parish Council held its monthly meetings in the Reading Room. Other regular society/club users were: Gransden and District Horticultural Society Gransden Society Carry on Learning Gransden Guides Village Knitting Bee Adult Ballet East Anglia Model Railway Club Ladies Group
2.2 Occasional bluegrass concerts have been popular, attracting talented musicians from the US and Europe.
2.3 There were two fundraising events for the children’s chairs, a Welcome Event for new residents held jointly with the Parish Council, and a very busy Xmas Lights Celebration. The Coronation was celebrated in the Reading Room and surrounding area with an ‘off-street’ party alongside the Reading Room garden.
2.4 The café, which opened for 50 Fridays in 2023, continued to be very popular and café income was able to provide activities for children during school holidays. The weekly café continued to be a collection point for food donations to the NEED project.
2.5 There were 18 private lettings for parties, meetings and rehearsals.
3. Lettings
3.1 Lettings income was £9599, a 17% increase on 2022 and the first full year of lettings since COVID lockdowns. The café contributed a further £2765 for usage of the premises.
4. Financial Review
4.1 The charity’s financial position for the year is set out in the accompanying accounts. Turnover for 2023 totalled £26001. Reserves of £81,434 were held in a deposit account at the end of the financial year. These reserves are intended for investment in the Reading Room property as and when required for repair, maintenance or improvement of the facility. Sums held in the current account are for general operating expenses. The financial balance improved by just over £5000 compared to 2022.
4.2 A fundraising drive for new chairs for the children raised over £1400 and a further donation of £750 was given towards other Reading Room improvements.
5. Premises
6.1 The plan to complete the outside painting was defeated by the weather and has been rescheduled for Spring 2024.
- 6.2 An inspection of fire extinguishers and blankets was carried out in the autumn.
6.3 The decision was taken to carry out a full repair of the slate roof on the old building after yet another displaced tile which led to a wasp infestation. This requires Listed Building consent and Building Control approval so has been deferred until 2024 when these have been obtained.
6.4 The old curtains have been replaced with blinds. Several broken panes of green glass were replaced.
6.3 The Committee held a public consultation in early spring on plans to extend and improve the Reading Room. Formal responses were 94% in favour of the proposals and provided very valuable feedback on the detail, much of which was incorporated into amended designs. A full report of the consultation was presented to the Parish Council and Reading Room trustees. With the agreement of the Custodian Trustee (the Parish Council) a pre-app submission was commissioned. It is expected that this will be submitted in early 2024.
6.5 The FCC Recycling Community Fund awarded the Reading Room a grant of £35,166 for refurbishment of the toilets and the installation of LED lighting. This work will be undertaken in 2024.
7. Training
New volunteers at the Reading Room Café undertook food hygiene training.
8. Thank you
Thank you to all Members of the Committee in 2023 for their time spent and work on this much valued village facility. A particular thank you to Elaine Boyd and Sarah Bray who are standing down at the AGM in February 2024. Thank you to the Parish Council for its support, to all volunteers for their help with activities, and all users for bringing life to the Reading Room during the year.
DECLARATION
The trustees declare that they have approved this Annual Report .
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Full name Margaret Anne Constantine Position Chair Date 19 February 2024
Great Gransden Reading Room
Reg. Charity No 1077994
Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023
| Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
Great Gransden Reading Room Reg. Charity No 1077994 Accounts - Year Ending 31 December 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 £'s 100,812.06 1,468.17 (1,296.66) 100,983.57 548.20 1,296.66 1,844.86 102,828.43 18,826.52 81,069.30 52.10 364.97 (315.60) 2,831.14 102,828.43 |
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| Income | Expenditure | Balance Sheet | ||||||||
| Room Hire Bookings Café Fund Raising Garden Teas and Lights Donations Bowls Club Electricity Contributions to PAT Testing Equipment Hire Café Income Grants Other sub-total Interest Deposit a/c Total Income Excess of Exp over Income Total |
£'s 9,599.13 2,765.00 517.82 2,161.13 0.00 0.00 0.00 10,592.94 0.00 0.00 25,636.02 364.79 26,000.81 26,000.81 |
Caretaker Expenses Repairs and Maintenance Electricity Equipment Insurance Licences & Memberships Oil Administrative Rates Refuse Collection Testing Water Café Running Costs Project sub-total Bank charges Total Expense Excess of Inc over Exp Total |
£'s 0.00 2,991.14 1,730.40 1,906.70 509.02 281.99 1,211.05 32.49 160.09 297.52 0.00 1,014.17 10,357.50 488.00 20,980.07 0.00 20,980.07 5,020.74 26,000.81 |
General Fund Brought Forward Surplus / (shortfall) in current year Movement between funds Restricted Café Fund Brought Forward Café Profits in current year Current Account Deposit Account Cash in Hand Café stock Outstanding Creditors Outstanding Debtors Balance at 31 December |
2023 £'s 100,983.57 5,020.74 (235.44) 105,768.87 1,844.86 235.44 2,080.30 107,849.17 20,889.01 81,434.09 52.10 364.97 69.75 5,039.25 107,849.17 |
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| Independent Examiner's Statement I have examined the above Income & Expenditure Accounts for the year ended 31 Dec 2023 and confirm that it is in accordance with the books and records supplied to me by the Treasurer. Signed D. Jefferson Date 26/10/2024 |
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees Charity Name Great Gransden Reading Room On accounts for the year 31/12/2023 Charity no 1077994 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1-2. I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 12/ 2013 . Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.
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.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
| Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: |
D. Jefferson | 26/10/2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Dawn Jefferson | ||
| ICAEW | ||
| 2 bakers court great Gransden |
Oct 2018
1
IER
SG19 3PF
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
n/a
Oct 2018
2
IER