Ecton Village Hall Trustee Report 2025-2026
Firstly, I would like to thank all of our volunteers, supporters and the many villagers who attend and support events throughout the year. The continued enthusiasm, commitment and community spirit shown by so many people is what enables the Village Hall to thrive. I would particularly like to acknowledge the dedication of our Committee members, who give their time and expertise throughout the year to manage the Hall, organise events, oversee maintenance and ensure the Hall remains financially sustainable. Their commitment, alongside the support of our wider volunteer team, is greatly appreciated.
The Hall remains an important focal point for village life, bringing people together and providing opportunities for socialising, friendship and community involvement.
The last year has been another busy and successful one for Ecton Village Hall. We hosted a wide range of events including two popular Quiz Nights, the Annual BBQ, a Volunteers' Thank You Event, a Tabletop Sale, Christmas Brunch and Burns Night. All of these events were well supported and received excellent feedback from attendees. It is encouraging to see such strong community participation and continued support for village activities.
We also continued to offer our monthly Lunch Club throughout the winter months. Once again, this proved extremely popular, providing a valuable opportunity for residents to meet, enjoy good food and maintain social connections during the colder months.
Hall bookings have remained strong throughout the year, we had ten regular hirers ranging from children’s groups to Pilates, wellness, dance and art classes. This ongoing demand demonstrates the importance of the Hall as a valued community asset and contributes significantly to the financial sustainability of the facility.
During the year, a number of maintenance and improvement projects were completed. These included internal redecoration works and the purchase of a new stereo system, helping to ensure that the Hall remains welcoming, functional and fit for purpose for all users.
Ecton Brew , our monthly community coffee morning, has continued to grow in both size and popularity. The event regularly attracts villagers, visitors and
walking groups, providing an informal and friendly environment where people can meet, chat and strengthen community connections. It has become an important and much-valued part of village life.
Treasurer's Report
The accounts were prepared, independently reviewed and signed off by the accountant.
This year has seen a further increase in income and, despite rising operating costs and expenditure, the Hall has achieved an increased surplus. This strong financial position reflects both prudent financial management and the continued support of hall users, event attendees and volunteers.
Other Matters
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The Ecton Brew and EGOs have successfully passed their food hygiene inspection and retained its Level 5 Food Hygiene Rating.
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A Hall Spring Clean took place in January, supported by volunteers who gave their time to help maintain the high standards of the building and grounds.
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We continue to review opportunities to improve facilities and ensure the Hall remains a welcoming venue for current and future generations.
Plans for 2026
Looking ahead, the Committee has identified a number of priorities for the coming year:
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Kitchen refurbishment and upgrade.
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Internal and external redecoration of the Hall.
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General maintenance works, including replacement/repair of the fire door.
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Continued development of community events and activities to encourage wider participation and engagement.
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Exploring opportunities to further improve the Hall's facilities and longterm sustainability.
In conclusion, the Village Hall continues to go from strength to strength. This would not be possible without the dedication of our trustees, volunteers, event organisers, hall users and the wider village community. Thank you all for your ongoing support, and we look forward to another successful year ahead.
On behalf of the committee, thank you for helping make Ecton Village Hall such a valued part of our community.
Gerrard O'Donnell 5 Blacksmiths Yard Ecton NN60QD Date 3 Au8USt 2026 Reclplent Name Charity 1078962 To whomever tt may concem. Charities with Gr055 Income below £25,000 requlre external scrutiny of their accourts if required by the charitvs goveming document. To this end I have vIewed the Income and Expend6ttJre Account forthe year ended 28 February 2026 and the correspondin8 Bank statements and Balance Sheet. The accounts have been prepared well and fvlly reconclled to the statemerrts and schedules. The charlty has no 8oln8 concern issues for the next flnandal year having a reported a surplu5 of £9,717 an improvement on 2025.
Ecton Village Hall - Charity No. 1078962 Receipts & Payments Account for Year Ended 28 February 2026 2025 2026 RoGeipt8 18370.63 Hire of Hall (See Schedule 1) 13097.73 Fund Raising (See Schedule 2) 38.83 Donations (See Schedule 3) 12590.92 Sundries (See Schedule 4) 21680.28 11488.32 155.30 10591.89 44098.11 43915.79 Payments 2248.57 Electricity 421.00 Water 1666.67 Rent 368.89 Insurance 548.18 Licences 2340.13 Maint, Repairs & Equip (Sched 5) 4141.01 Cleaning (Sched 8) 2422.67 Hall Inventory (See Schedule 6) 10385.84 Event Exp (See Schedule 7) 616.85 BT Intemet 200.00 Advertising 9198.12 Sundries (See Schedule 9) 1809.84 784.00 1000.00 402.49 829.70 4328.35 2279.73 3761.04 9561.62 780.92 8661.19 55.93 198.88 £9542.18 Sur £9716.91 Sur Iu8