2024-03-31-accounts

openj CEIITrAL (NICE REIAXING accessible aciiviiies resource ORGANISED wonderful rT Bullion Community Resource Centre Annual Report and Accounts 2023-2024 Company Registration No. 04046498 Charity Registration No. 1084105

COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 04046498 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1084105

Bullion Community Resource Centre Company Limited by Guarantee Unaudited Financial Statements 31 March 2024

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements

Year ended 31 March 2024

	Page
Trustees' annual report (incorporating the director's report)	1
Independent examiner's report to the trustees	8
Statement of financial activities (including income and
expenditure account)	9
Statement of financial position	10
Notes to the financial statements	11

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)

Year ended 31 March 2024

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Reference and Administrative details

Registered charity name Bullion Community Resource Centre Charity registration number 1084105 Company registration number 04046498 Principal office and registered Bullion Hall office South Approach Chester le Street Co Durham DH2 2DW The Trustees Jennifer Elliott Chairperson Derek Shingleton Retired at the AGM July 2023 Claire Galloway Retired at the AGM July 2023 Alexander Waites Vice Chair joined at the AGM July 2023 Brian Ebbatson Colin Reynolds Richard Taylor Cllr Karen Fantarrow Derby Joined at the AGM July 2023 Graham Smith Approved December 2023 Company Secretary Belinda Lowis Independent Examiner JFS Torbitt Chartered Certified Accountants 58 Durham Road Birtley Co Durham DH3 2QJ

Staff Team at 31st March 2024

Belinda Lowis Chief Officer Martin Gollan Community Development Worker Pat Lawton Events Coordinator Diane Masterton Finance Officer Liz Howe Café Care Coordinator Ruth Lowther Café Care Coordinator Louise Waller Café Care Coordinator Jennifer Pollard Café Care Coordinator (Left May 2023) Ian Taylor Senior Caretaker Sandro Rea Senior Caretaker (Left May 2023) Paul Dalkin Caretaker Reece Thompson Caretaker Barry Batey Caretaker (Left September 2023)

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Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued) Year ended 31 March 2024

Staff Team at 31[st] March 2024 (continued)

Rachael Purvis Café Care Coordinator (joined September 2023) Thomas Welsh Team Leader (joined August 2023) David Barrass Caretaker (joined November 2023)

Volunteers

Michelle Wharton Louise Dargue Claire Bevitt Lisa Dargue Barbara Downey Robin Downey Dan Smith Terry O'Donnell Sharon Lockie Martin Ferguson Anna Ray Sean Simpson Kieran Galleymore Sharon Gordon Amy Steatham Hazel Courdry Sheena Morgan Rebecca Beeby Tina Barrett Carole Dowd Paul Murchie John Anderson

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

On 15[th] March 2024 the Members and Trustees of the charity attended a Special General Meeting at which it was agreed to replace the Memorandum and Articles of Association last signed in 2020 with a new single document – a Memorandum of Association.

The new governing document is based on a foundation model which in essence means that the trustees are the only members of the charity and are themselves responsible for the appointment of new trustees.

Over the period July 2023 – March 2024 the charity held several consultation events with our members to explain the proposed changes. We noted that like many charities finding new trustees was not an easy task but made slightly more difficult by the fact that our former governing document bound us to recruiting trustees from our membership and that in our experience many of our members preferred to be pro-active volunteers rather than trustees.

Aside from this change there are no other significant changes to the document, the objects clause remains the same namely...

"... to promote any charitable purposes for the benefit of the communities in the local government area of County Durham and in particular the former local government district of Chester-le-Street and in particular the advancement of education, the protection of health and relief of poverty, distress and sickness. Provided that in carrying out these charitable purposes the charity will seek to challenge all forms of oppression and inequality and to give priority to working with people whose full participation in society is limited by economic, political, and social disadvantage…"

The dissolution clause also remains the same, namely that if the charity is wound down for any reason the remaining assets would be transferred to a like-minded charity with comparable charitable purposes.

Trustees

The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law and under the company's Articles are members of the Executive Committee.

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Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

At the AGM in 2023 we said goodbye to Claire Galloway and our Treasurer Derek Shingleton both have given good service to our organisation but a special thank you to Derek Shingleton who with his specialist skills in accounting has over the past 8 years seen the organisation through a difficult time. Also, at the AGM Alex Waites and Councillor Karen Fantarrow Derby joined the trustee board and later in the year we welcomed Graham Smith.

Internal Control and Risk Management

The Executive Committee recognises its duty to safeguard the charity's funds and assets against risk or abuse and thus regularly reviews policies and procedures that aim to protect the charity. These include risk assessments on our projects, on our day-to-day operations as well as regular reports and appropriate internal controls. This includes financial controls and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance against material misstatement or loss, Health and Safety policies, procedures and risk assessments for which staff are encouraged to contribute and shape, to test out and where required re-adjust as our learning and experience develops.

Strategic Report

The following sections for achievements and performance and financial review form the strategic report of the charity.

Achievements and Performance

Through the course of the year, we have maintained a thriving community centre with a wide range of activities and services available. Our weekly programme of activities includes.

Men's Cree, Ladies Cree, Ukulele, Sewing, Yoga (x2) , Zumba, and Pilates , Redeemer Church Coffee Mornings , Syrian Ladies IT course , Redeemed Christian Church of God, Guitar classes for young people, Guitar classes for adults, Seated Exercise with lunch, Keep Fit and Curling, Tai Chi, Two Parent and Toddler Groups, Three Youth Clubs ( Senior Youth Club, Junior Youth Club and a Quiet Night) , Senior Carpet Bowls, Stars Drama, Luncheon Club, Fibromyalgia self-help group, Tinnitus Support Group, Carers Drop-in (Dementia) , Judo, Men’s Shed, Man Health, Lets Connect, Art and Craft Group with Lunch, Art Group, Film Club , Two Drama Groups , Line Dancing, Driving Theory , Maths , English and IT classes by Durham Learn, Patchwork Quilters, Senior Curling, Curling, Tea Dance, Camera Club, BHI (British Horological Institute),Circuit Training, Chess Club, Family Learning, British Sign Language , French, Gardening and a Cookery Group.

In addition, we have delivered a range of seasonal and occasional activities from Film Premiers by our Lets Connect Project to Halloween Discos from several days of Breakfast with Santa to several weeks of school holiday activities supported with free meals, from Marty the magician celebrating our volunteers, to monthly coffee mornings led by our Let’s Connect Volunteers - who have to date raised over £1,000 for several local charities including the Alzheimer’s Society and Type 1 Kids.

We have also organised training courses for our volunteers and the wider Bullion Hall community including First Aid, Fire Marshal, Customer Service and Safeguarding.

As part of the One Youth Partnership, we secured funding for Youth Focus North East to deliver an in -person Level 2 in Youth Work course for partners across the Chester-le-Street area. This has been an invaluable starting point for paid workers and volunteers alike and we are looking forward to the Level 3 course later in the year.

During the colder months we have once again offered a Warm & Welcome Space to residents who may be looking to escape a cold home, receive a warm drink and on Thursdays a free bacon or chip

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Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

butty, the opportunity to get out of the house and to make new friends.

With the Cost-of-Living Crisis unabated we have continued to offer many of the vital support services that we referred to in last year’s annual report including the weekly Bread and Butter Thing, Free Sim cards/Data and Surplus Food both from Sainsburys Local and Fareshare. The Bread-and-Butter Thing has one of the largest memberships in County Durham with over 750 members who each week are invited to collect 3 bags of surplus food from the cabin for just £8.50. The bags always include fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, cereals, dairy, meat or vegetarian options. Fareshare deliver several pallets of fresh and frozen food each week, and that which the café cannot use is made available to our participants, preferably for a small donation which contributes to the costs of Fareshare membership. This year we have seen several individuals who “rely” on this food and will regularly collect several bags for free to help feed their families.

This year Bullion Hall made the decision to apply for Household Support Fund monies to support local residents who are especially hard hit – not just by the cost-of-living crisis but also by the benefits system that may for various reasons delay payments or for those on zero hour contracts where wages can be so low as to leave people struggling to heat their homes and feed the family.

In the past we were slightly reticent about the idea of giving away free money but in fact we have managed to keep this a discreet service that supports identified individuals in a range of ways. This has included purchase of school uniforms, mobile phones and a washing machine. Most usually the support takes the form of vouchers for the Bread-and-Butter Thing as well as Aldi Shopping Vouchers. For families with children, we have seen this to be especially critical during the school holidays.

In January we conducted our now customary annual survey of users and were delighted to receive 204 returns. The full report is set out later in this document but here I want to focus on the question – which three words best describe your experience of Bullion Hall. We asked this same question for the first-time last year, and we are so pleased (and relieved) to have received very similar responses. The words most often used were Friendly, Welcoming and Warm . Because this user perception is so important to us and all that we seek to do at Bullion Hall – we felt that it was important to repeat the word cloud again on the cover of our annual report.

One of our new questions in the survey this year was – “What would life be like if Bullion Hall had remained closed after the pandemic.” The responses are worth repeating here:

“I would probably be dead if it weren't for Men's Shed”.

“I would miss meeting friends and having a friendly chat”.

“Wouldn't get out and meet friends”.

“I'd miss meeting friends and learning from other people”.

“A lost opportunity to find a new activity and make new friends”.

“Stay in the house Nowhere to go”.

“More evenings in house”.

“Not being able to learn guitar at an affordable rate”.

“Very lonely, inactive, nothing to look forward to”.

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Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

“My life would be very depressing and lonely without coming to Bullion Hall”.

• “Upset, lonely. Nowhere to go”.

• “(I would) financially struggle (and become) socially isolated”.

“My mental health and wellbeing would be terrible”.

“I wouldn't be as healthy, fit or sociable. This is a fantastic facility”

” I would be less fit, more isolated, worse off financially”.

“Would miss Pilates, which is excellent - I work for children's services and signpost a lot of families to Bullion Hall. It would be a great miss for families in Chester-le-Street and surrounding areas”.

An important inclusion on the cover of this year’s annual report is “The Investors in Environment Bronze Award” which was in fact quite complex to achieve and whilst we may not progress to the next level, we remain deeply committed to doing everything we can as a community centre to minimize our carbon footprint.

In January we received an energy assessment of the building, the subsequent report includes important recommendations for next steps including more solar panels, an energy storage battery and air source heat pump but equally the report recognised the achievements to date and by way of energy costs – whilst expensive are in fact less than the benchmark of a good practice community centre.

Much of our work at Bullion Hall involves collaboration with others, from Bullion Lane school to social prescribers who have helped identify individuals who would most benefit from the Household Support Fund to our continued partnership through One Youth led by Pelton Youth and Community Centre and delivered at Bullion Hall by the Brockwell Centre we are indebted to them all.

We always say that at the heart of Bullion Hall is the Wait er While café and this has been especially true this year with Ruth and Rachael covering for the absence of Liz and Louise – a Big Thank You to them. That heart has been reinforced by the Let’s Connect Project which has helped maintain a real buzz around Bullion Hall and we will be sorry to see our project worker Pat leave us in May. Pat has done a sterling job in setting up the Let’s Connect Project and bringing on board key partners such as Workyticket.

We were of course relieved to see Liz return after some months away from the café and through her leadership are confident that whatever quality assurance assessment or food hygiene inspection, they may throw at us – we will pass once again without a hitch.

Our caretakers are absolutely critical to the day-to-day functioning of Bullion Hall, each staff member has a specialist trait that ensures the smooth running and maintenance of the building. We are as ever indebted to them all.

Visitors to Bullion Hall are always astounded by the level of activity that is maintained week to week – with over 600 regular participants this is in no small measure thanks to Martin who recruits and supports the tutors and participants alike and who continually promotes our work on Facebook. Our brand-new website, also created and managed by Martin can be found here - www.bullionhall.com.

We would also like to pay tribute to our volunteers at Bullion Hall – and especially Lisa Dargue – without whom Bullion Hall just wouldn’t be the same.

5

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

During the year we said goodbye to two of our caretakers Barry and Sandro and also Jennifer from the Wait er While café team. We welcomed David Barrass and Tom Welsh to the caretaking team and Rachael Purvis to the Care Café Coordinators team, whilst Louise Waller went on maternity leave and in November had a beautiful baby boy.

In January we were all very sad to learn that Walter Smith, who retired as Centre Manager in 2022, sadly passed away. For over two decades Walter was a dedicated member of our staff team and helped develop and shape Bullion Hall. As we write this, we are putting the finishing touches to “Walters Bench” that will be situated at the front of the building with a beautiful inscription that begins “Welcome My Friend”, which captures both Walter and our aspirations for the welcome that we want people to feel in coming to Bullion Hall.

Financial Review

Our grant funding can be divided into core funding that contributes to salary and running costs and Project Costs that supports the delivery of our various activities.

During the course of the year grants for core funding have included the National Lottery which funds the bulk of the salary for our Community Development Worker as well as underpins a great deal of our project costs. The lottery also manages a funding stream - Know your Neighbourhood Fund (KYNF) which derives from the DCMS (Dept for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport), this has contributed to the salary of our Lets Connect Development Worker and is matched by a second pot of KYNF managed by the County Durham Community Foundation which pays for the project costs.

The Sir James Knott Trust and Rothley Trust have continued to contribute to the salary costs of our Finance Officer and Virgin Money Foundation have continued to contribute to the salary costs of the Chief Officer.

Funding from County Durham Community Foundation and Awards for All have contributed to the salaries of our caretakers and funding through Chester-le-Street Area Action Partnership (AAP) and Locality have contributed to the salaries of our Café team.

We have received additional project funding through OPSIF (Older Peoples Social Isolation Fund) of the AAP and Public Health for the Crees. We have also received an array of small grants including Fun and Food that support school holiday activities, Neighbourhood Budget Monies that have contributed to the cost of items such as the new cooker and several further grants from the County Durham Community Foundation that underpin room hire costs, have supported activities with young people and of course the Household Support Fund.

Towards the end of the financial year, we received several new grants for core funding that are for 2024-2025 and in particular funding from Garfield Weston and the Ballinger Trust.

All of these funding streams are sought and secured through the diligence and stoicism of our Chief Officer Belinda. Bullion Hall would not survive without her skills and determination. She works tirelessly to ensure the sustainability of our organisation and we are indebted to her.

At any one time it is fair to say we are managing at least 10 sources of grant funding which is wonderful but equally comes with a lot of different monitoring returns. Those new to the voluntary sector are often surprised by the fact that there is this constant process and indeed uncertainty in making funding applications, most especially for projects that are going well and yet have no future certainty in relation to continuity. We foresee that the coming years will continue to be this constant struggle for sustainability in the same way as they have been for the last 30 years.

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Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

Of course, we continue to aspire to that long held challenge that we can generate sufficient income to be independent of grant funding unfortunately we remain at a 50:50 split between grant funding and income generation and so at this time the prospect remains largely an aspiration and a challenge.

Investment Policy and Reserves

Company Law requires the Executive Committee to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and its incoming and expended resources. In preparing those financial statements, the Executive Committee seeks to follow best practice and;

• Consistently apply suitable accounting policies and procedures;

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and

• Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the company will continue on that basis.

The Executive Committee is responsible for maintaining proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Executive Committee is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. In accordance with company law, as the company's directors, we certify that:

• So far as we are aware there is no relevant information of which the company's independent examiners are unaware; and

• As the directors of the company, we have taken all the steps that we ought to have taken in order

to make ourselves aware of any relevant independent examination information and to establish that the company's independent examiners are aware of that information.

Clause 59 of the Financial Regulations, which were updated and agreed by the Executive Committee in December 2023, states that:

“It is the policy of Bullion Community Resource Centre to maintain a general reserve, ideally enough to cover up to six months running costs and winding up costs including statutory redundancy requirements.”

The trustees regularly assess and update the liabilities should the charity be forced into closure. In such a situation, as at 31[st] March 2024:

(a) Restricted Monies, identified as such, would be returned to their original source - in most cases funding from charitable trusts.

• (b) Unrestricted Monies would provide Reserves for:

• (i) Staff redundancy costs estimated at £45,000; and,

(ii) A further £15,000 is estimated as being required for the early winding up of contracts.

Accordingly, as at 31[st] March 2024, the charity has earmarked £60,000 of Unrestricted Monies as the minimum Reserves required to close the charity should that be necessary.

It is recognised that this provision requires further consideration, and this work is underway.

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Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

Independent Examination

For the year ended 31st March 2024, the company was entitled to exemption from the requirement to have an audit under the provisions of Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006. Furthermore, there are no members or indeed current funders who have required the company to obtain an audit of the accounts for the year in question. The trustees have elected to have the accounts independently examined believing it to be a more prudent use of resources.

Independent Examiners

JFS Torbitt were appointed as the charity's independent examiners during the year and express their willingness to continue as such, subject to the approval of members in general meeting.

The report of the directors has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities issued in March 2006, and with the special provisions of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Small company provisions

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption.

The trustees' annual report and the strategic report were approved on 31[st] May 2024 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by:

J Elliott Trustee

8

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Bullion Community Resource Centre

Year ended 31 March 2024

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Bullion Community Resource Centre ('the charity') for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2. the financial statements do not accord with those records; or

3. the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or

4. the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

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.

Jane Freeman FCCA Independent Examiner 58 Durham Road Birtley Co Durham DH3 2QJ

13[th] June 2024

9

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Statement of Financial Activities (including income and expenditure account)

Year ended 31 March 2024

Year ended 31 March 2024
			2024		2023
		Unrestricted	Restricted
		funds	funds	Total funds	Total funds
	Note	£	£	£	£
Incoming Resources
Grants and Contracts	5	–	282,720	282,720	208,920
Other trading activities	6	136,725	–	136,725	111,731
Investment income	7	3,321	–	3,321	1,366
		─────────	─────────	─────────	─────────
Total income		140,046	282,720	422,766	322,017
		═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════
Expenditure
Expenditure on raising funds:
Costs of raising donations and
contracts and delivering
charitable activities	8	100,400	241,193	341,593	317,607
Expenditure - Governance	9	1,110	–	1,110	1,210
		─────────	─────────	─────────	─────────
Total expenditure		101,510	241,193	342,703	318,817
		═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════
Transfers between funds		(1,030)	1,030	–	–
		─────────	─────────	─────────	─────────
Net income and net movement in	funds	37,506	42,557	80,063	3,200
		═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward		110,091	323,952	434,043	430,843
		─────────	─────────	─────────	─────────
Total funds carried forward		147,597	366,509	514,106	434,043
		═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 12 to 22 form part of these financial statements.

10

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Statement of Financial Position

31 March 2024

Bullion Community Resource Centre Company Limited by Guarantee Statement of Financial Position 31 March 2024
		2024	2023
	Note	£	£
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets	14	240,223	257,426
Current assets
Stocks	15	1,317	1,170
Debtors	16	11,019	9,002
Cash at bank and in hand		264,671	172,143
		─────────	─────────
		277,007	182,315
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year	17	(3,124)	(5,698)
		─────────	─────────
Net current assets		273,883	176,617
		─────────	─────────
Total assets less current liabilities		514,106	434,043
		─────────	─────────
Net assets		514,106	434,043
		═════════	═════════
Funds of the charity
Restricted funds		366,509	323,952
Unrestricted funds		147,597	110,091
		─────────	─────────
Total charity funds	19	514,106 ═════════	434,043 ═════════

For the year ending 31 March 2024 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors' responsibilities:

• The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476;

• The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.

These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 31[st] May 2024, and are signed on behalf of the board by:

J Elliott Trustee

The notes on pages 12 to 22 form part of these financial statements.

11

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements

31 March 2024

1. General information

The charity is a public benefit entity and a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales and a registered charity in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is Bullion Hall, South Approach, Chester le Street, Co Durham, DH2 2DW.

2. Statement of compliance

These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland', the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Companies Act 2006.

3. Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity.

Going concern

There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue.

Disclosure exemptions

The entity satisfies the criteria of being a qualifying entity as defined in FRS 102. As such, advantage has been taken of the following disclosure exemptions available under paragraph 1.12 of FRS102:

(a) No cash flow statement has been presented for the company.

(b) Disclosures in respect of financial instruments have not been presented.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future project or commitment.

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds.

12

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

3. Accounting policies (continued)

Incoming resources

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

• income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably.

• legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established.

• income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers.

• income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted.

Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates:

• expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, noncharitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods.

• expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities.

• other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.

All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis.

Tangible assets

Tangible assets are initially recorded at cost, and subsequently stated at cost less any accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Any tangible assets carried at revalued amounts are recorded at the fair value at the date of revaluation less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.

13

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

3. Accounting policies (continued)

Tangible assets (continued)

An increase in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of a revaluation, is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, unless it reverses a charge for impairment that has previously been recognised as expenditure within the statement of financial activities. A decrease in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of revaluation, is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, except to which it offsets any previous revaluation gain, in which case the loss is shown within other recognised gains and losses on the statement of financial activities.

Depreciation

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost or valuation of an asset, less its residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows:

Long leasehold property - 4% straight line Fixtures and fittings - 10% straight line

Impairment of fixed assets

A review for indicators of impairment is carried out at each reporting date, with the recoverable amount being estimated where such indicators exist. Where the carrying value exceeds the recoverable amount, the asset is impaired accordingly. Prior impairments are also reviewed for possible reversal at each reporting date.

For the purposes of impairment testing, when it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, an estimate is made of the recoverable amount of the cash- generating unit to which the asset belongs. The cash-generating unit is the smallest identifiable group of assets that includes the asset and generates cash inflows that largely independent of the cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets.

For impairment testing of goodwill, the goodwill acquired in a business combination is, from the acquisition date, allocated to each of the cash-generating units that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the combination, irrespective of whether other assets or liabilities of the charity are assigned to those units.

Stocks

Stocks are measured at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost includes all costs of purchase, costs of conversion and other costs incurred in bringing the stock to its present location and condition.

4. Limited by guarantee

Bullion Community Resource Centre is a company limited by guarantee and accordingly does not have a share capital.

Every member of the company undertakes to contribute such amount as may be required not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charitable company in the event of its being wound up while he or she is a member, or within one year after he or she ceases to be a member.

14

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

5. Grants and contracts

Grants and contracts
	Restricted	Total Funds	Total Funds
	Funds	2024	2023
	£	£	£
Donations
Virgin Money Foundation	10,000	10,000	23,000
Greggs Trust	–	–	10,000
One Youth	1,000	1,000	16,057
National Lottery Community Fund	59,450	59,450	42,000
DCC Public Health	6,000	6,000	6,000
Groundwork (Kickstart)	–	–	9,722
CDCF	–	–	5,000
DCC Cree Plus	–	–	2,000
Sir James Knott	4,000	4,000	4,000
OPSIF	–	–	15,950
CDCF Community Safety	–	–	7,200
Awards for All	20,000	20,000	10,000
Sainsburys	–	–	500
CDCF - Poverty Hurts	–	–	10,000
CDCF - Organisational Sustainability	10,000	10,000	10,000
CDCF – Warm/Welcome Spaces	3,000	3,000	1,000
Rothley Trust	1,000	1,000	1,800
DCC Section 106	6,894	6,894	32,387
Ballinger Trust	20,000	20,000	–
CDCF - Let's Connect & Environmental	5,500	5,500	–
CDCF - PCN Community Investment Fund	10,000	10,000	–
Locality/Guardian Cost of Living Grant Programme	10,000	10,000	–
Know Your Neighbourhood - Lottery	29,737	29,737	–
Know Your Neighbourhood - CDCF	14,430	14,430	–
CDCF - Household Support Fund	11,500	11,500	–
Garfield Weston Foundation	15,000	15,000	–
DCC Fun N Food	4,600	4,600	–
DCC Youth Work Training	19,760	19,760	–
AAP	15,000	15,000	–
Small grants – Neighbourhood Budget	5,849	5,849	2,304
	─────────	─────────	─────────
	282,720	282,720	208,920
	═════════	═════════	═════════

The 2023 total of £208,920 relates wholly to Restricted Funds

Key: DCC – Durham County Council CDCF – County Durham Community Foundation AAP – Area Action Partnership OPSIF – Older Peoples Social Isolation Fund NB – Neighbourhood Budget

15

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

6. Other trading activities

Other trading activities
	Unrestricted	Total Funds	Unrestricted	Total Funds
	Funds	2024	Funds	2023
	£	£	£	£
Bullion Hall - Room hire	58,658	58,658	50,198	50,198
Cafe income	38,573	38,573	33,931	33,931
Contract - Durham County Council	27,122	27,122	25,789	25,789
Other	12,372	12,372	1,813	1,813
	─────────	─────────	─────────	─────────
	136,725	136,725	111,731	111,731
	═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════

	Other	12,372 ───────── 136,725 ═════════	12,372 ───────── 136,725 ═════════	1,813 ───────── 111,731 ═════════	1,813 ───────── 111,731 ═════════
7.	Investment income
		UnrestrictedTotal Funds		Unrestricted	Total Funds
		Funds	2024	Funds	2023
		£	£	£	£
	Bank interest receivable	3,321	3,321	1,366	1,366
		═══════	═══════	═══════	═══════
8.	Costs of raising donations and contracts and delivering charitable			activities

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total Funds
	Funds	Funds	2024
	£	£	£
Project payments	–	48,259	48,259
Wages and salaries	41,891	156,399	198,290
Pension costs	7,621	–	7,621
Other employee benefits	5,929	–	5,929
Water	1,016	–	1,016
Light & heat	10,452	5,000	15,452
Repairs & maintenance	11,891	–	11,891
Insurance	1,383	–	1,383
Legal and professional fees	2,515	–	2,515
Telephone	1,779	–	1,779
Printing, postage and stationery	594	–	594
Depreciation	–	26,911	26,911
Bank charges	202	–	202
Kitchen expenses	10,486	4,624	15,110
Subscriptions	1,350	–	1,350
Cleaning	3,291	–	3,291
	─────────	─────────	─────────
	100,400	241,193	341,593
	═════════	═════════	═════════

16

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

8. Costs of raising donations and contracts and delivering charitable activities (continued)

			Unrestricted	Restricted	Total Funds
			Funds	Funds	2023
			£	£	£
	Project payments		–	42,274	42,274
	Wages and salaries		45,706	140,283	185,989
	Pension costs		5,241	–	5,241
	Other employee benefits		6,130	213	6,343
	Water		756	–	756
	Light & heat		12,080	5,300	17,380
	Repairs & maintenance		10,243	–	10,243
	Insurance		2,071	–	2,071
	Legal and professional fees		1,688	–	1,688
	Telephone		2,405	–	2,405
	Printing, postage and stationery		451	–	451
	Depreciation		–	26,353	26,353
	Bank charges		545	–	545
	Kitchen expenses		9,151	1,500	10,651
	Subscriptions		1,418	–	1,418
	Cleaning		2,716	–	2,716
	Sundries		1,083	–	1,083
			─────────	─────────	─────────
			101,684	215,923	317,607
			═════════	═════════	═════════
9.	Governance
		Unrestricted	Total Funds	Unrestricted	Total Funds
		Funds	2024	Funds	2023
		£	£	£	£
	Support costs	1,100	1,100	1,210	1,210
		═══════	═══════	═══════	═══════
10.	Net income
	Net income is stated after charging/(crediting):
				2024	2023
				£	£
	Depreciation of tangible fixed assets			26,911	26,353
	Fees payable for the independent examination of the financial
	statements			1,100	1,210
				════════	════════

17

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

11. Staff costs

The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows:

	2024	2023
	£	£
Wages and salaries	198,290	185,989
Employer contributions to pension plans	7,621	5,241
Other employee benefits	5,929	6,343
	─────────	─────────
	211,840 ═════════	197,573 ═════════

The average head count of employees during the year was 12 (2023: 12). The average number of full-time equivalent employees during the year is analysed as follows:

Charitable Activities

2024	2023
No	No
12	10

No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2023: Nil).

12. Trustee remuneration and expenses

No remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees.

13. Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets
	Long
	leasehold	Fixtures and
	property	fittings	Total
	£	£	£
Cost
At 1 April 2023	574,435	83,983	658,418
Additions	6,894	2,814	9,708
	─────────	────────	─────────
At 31 March 2024	581,329	86,797	668,126
	═════════	════════	═════════
Depreciation
At 1 April 2023	347,395	53,597	400,992
Charge for the year	23,253	3,658	26,911
	─────────	────────	─────────
At 31 March 2024	370,648	57,255	427,903
	═════════	════════	═════════
Carrying amount
At 31 March 2024	210,681	29,542	240,223
	═════════	════════	═════════
At 31 March 2023	227,040	30,386	257,426
	═════════	════════	═════════

18

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

14. Stocks

14.	Stocks
		2024	2023
		£	£
	Raw materials and consumables	1,317	1,170
		═══════	═══════
15.	Debtors
		2024	2023
		£	£
	Trade debtors	8,654	6,197
	Prepayments and accrued income	2,365	2,805
		────────	───────
		11,019	9,002
		════════	═══════
16.	Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
		2024	2023
		£	£
	Accruals and deferred income	1,095	4,884
	Other creditors	2,029	814
		───────	───────
		3,124	5,698
		═══════	═══════

17. Pensions and other post retirement benefits

Defined contribution plans

The amount recognised in income or expenditure as an expense in relation to defined contribution plans was £7,621 (2023: £5,241).

18. Analysis of charitable funds

Unrestricted funds

Unrestricted funds
		At				At
	1	April 2023	Income	Expenditure	Transfers	31 March 2024
		£	£	£		£
General funds		110,091	140,046	(101,510)	(1,030)	147,597
		═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════
		At				At
	1 April 2022		Income	Expenditure	Transfers	31 March 2023
		£	£		£	£
General funds		100,264	113,097	(102,894)	(376)	110,091
		═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════

19

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

18. Analysis of charitable funds (continued)

Restricted funds
	At				At
	1 April 2023	Income Expenditure		Transfers31	March 2024
	£	£	£	£	£
Renovation Amortisation	257,426	–	(26,911)	9,708	240,223
Tudor Trust	52	–	(52)	–	–
Greggs Trust	4,167	–	(4,167)	–	–
Virgin Money Foundation	19,167	10,000	(21,667)	–	7,500
One Youth	2,655	1,000	(1,290)	–	2,365
DCC Cree Plus	310	–	(310)	–	–
Sir James Knott	2,333	4,000	(4,333)	–	2,000
OPSIF	3,330	–	(3,490)	160	–
CDCF Community Safety	5,345	–	(5,345)	–	–
Awards for All	5,000	20,000	(5,000)	–	20,000
CDCF - Poverty Hurts	9,167	–	(9,167)	–	–
CDCF - Organisational
Sustainability	8,333	10,000	(11,666)	–	6,667
Rothley Trust	667	1,000	(667)	–	1,000
OPSIF2	6,000		(6,000)	–	–
Ballinger Trust	–	20,000	–	–	20,000
DCC Section 106	–	6,894	–	(6,894)	–
CDCF - Lets Connect &
Environmental	–	5,500	(2,855)	(214)	2,431
CDCF - Welcome Spaces	–	3,000	(3,000)	–	–
CDCF - PCN Community
Investment Fund	–	10,000	(10,870)	870	–
CDCF- Household Support	–	11,500	(11,500)	–	–
National Lottery Community Fund	–	59,450	(53,380)	–	6,070
Locality/Guardian Cost of Living
Grant Programme	–	10,000	(4,167)	–	5,833
Know Your Neighbourhood 1	–	29,737	(15,258)	–	14,479
Know Your Neighbourhood 2	–	14,430	(14,373)	–	57
Garfield Weston Foundation	–	15,000			15,000
DCC - Fun N Food	–	4,600	(4,600)	–	–
DCC - Youth Work Training	–	19,760	(11,876)	–	7,884
DCC Cree	–	6,000	(6,000)	–	–
AAP	–	15,000	–	–	15,000
Small Grants – Neighbourhood
Budget	–	5,849	(3,249)	(2,600)	–
	────────	────────	────────	────────	────────
	323,952	282,720	(241,193)	1,030	366,509
	═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════

Key:

DCC – Durham County Council CDCF – County Durham Community Foundation AAP – Area Action Partnership OPSIF – Older Peoples Social Isolation Fund NB – Neighbourhood Budget

20

Bullion Community Resource Centre

Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Year ended 31 March 2024

Restricted funds (continued)

Restricted funds(continued)
	At				At
	1 April 2022	Income Expenditure		Transfers 31	March 2023
	£	£	£	£	£
Renovation Amortisation	250,017	–	(26,353)	33,762	257,426
Tudor Trust	988	–	(939)	–	52
Sir John Priestman	3,361	–	(3,361)	–	–
Greggs Trust	4,167	10,000	(10,000)	–	4,167
Virgin Money Foundation	13,500	23,000	(17,333)	–	19,167
DCC - AAP - Covid 19	1,945	–	(1,945)	–	–
National Lottery Community Fund	13,784	42,000	(55,784)	–	–
CDCF NHS Connector Grant	23,998	–	(23,998)	–	–
DCC AAP	12,480	–	(12,480)	–	–
One Youth	6,339	16,057	(19,741)	–	2,655
DCC Cree	–	6,000	(6,000)	–	–
DCC Cree Plus	–	2,000	(1,690)	–	310
Groundwork NE	–	9,722	(9,722)	–	–
CDCF	–	5,000	(5,000)	–	–
Sir James Knott	–	4,000	(1,667)	–	2,333
OPSIF	–	9,950	(6,620)	–	3,330
CDCF Community Safety	–	7,200	(1,855)	–	5,345
Awards for All	–	10,000	(5,000)	–	5,000
Sainsburys	–	500	(500)	–	–
Durham Community Action	–	300	(300)	–	–
CDCF - Poverty Hurts	–	10,000	(833)	–	9,167
CDCF - Organisational
Sustainability	–	10,000	(1,667)	–	8,333
CDCF - Warm Spaces	–	1,000	(1,000)	–	–
Rothley Trust	–	1,800	(1,133)		667
DCC- NB	–	2,004	(1,005)	(999)	–
OPSIF2	–	6,000	–	–	6,000
DCC Section 106	–	32,387	–	(32,387)	–
	────────	────────	────────	────────	────────
	330,579	208,920	(215,923)	376	323,952
	═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════	═════════

19. Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total Funds
	Funds	Funds	2024
	£	£	£
Tangible fixed assets	–	240,223	240,223
Current assets	150,721	126,286	277,007
Creditors less than 1 year	(3,124)	–	(3,124)
	─────────	─────────	─────────
Net assets	147,597 ═════════	366,509 ═════════	514,106 ═════════

21

19. Analysis of net assets between funds (continued)

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total Funds
	Funds	Funds	2023
	£	£	£
Tangible fixed assets	–	257,426	257,426
Current assets	115,790	66,525	182,315
Creditors less than 1 year	(5,698)	–	(5,698)
	─────────	─────────	─────────
Net assets	110,092	323,951	434,043
	═════════	═════════	═════════

Bullion Hall Annual Survey 2024

1. Introduction

The annual survey was distributed during January and February 2024. Paper copies of the survey were given out to all groups that meet regularly at Bullion Hall. One group that only meets every two months was emailed a link to the survey and asked to complete it online. The survey received 204 responses, a 37% increase on 2023’s survey.

Most of the questions in the annual survey were the same as the previous year to enable some comparison to be made, although the higher number of returns this year means direct comparisons cannot always be made.

In addition, respondents were asked what difference it would have made if Bullion Hall had closed during or shortly after the pandemic. A specific question was also asked about the use of Bullion Hall’s new website, launched in November 2023.

2. Who comes to Bullion Hall and what do they do?

The survey was distributed among 46 groups and activities that regularly take place at Bullion Hall, most of them weekly. The largest number of responses received from a single activity was 33 from the Bread-and-Butter Thing, which enables households to order and collect every Thursday, 3 bags of groceries made up of food that would otherwise go to waste.

The second highest number of responses, (26 returns) was from the Parent and Toddler Group, which meets every Tuesday and Thursday morning during term time. The average response rate across all groups and activities was seven.

----- Start of picture text -----
How much time do you spend at
Bullion Hall each week?
6%
5%
2 hours
3 to 5 hours
27%
6 to 8 hours
more than 8 hours
62%
----- End of picture text -----

Two hours is the duration of almost all regular activities at Bullion Hall. 62% spending two hours per week is 4% less than the percentage recorded in the 2023 survey. However, there is a more substantial increase in the percentage spending 6 hours or more, from 3% recorded in 2023 to 11%. The survey also asked about attendance at ‘one off’ events such as children and adult disco’s or Christmas events. The largest response (78%) was for the Christmas Fair, followed by discos (32%) and Breakfast with Santa (30%).

3. How long have you been coming to Bullion Hall?

Comparing responses to this question with our last survey, we have a lower percentage of newcomers who have been attending activities for less than 12 months. However, we have a percentage increase among those who have been coming for one to two years (30% compared to 23% in the 2023 survey). Figures for the remaining three categories are relatively stable.

This question has only been asked in this and last year’s survey, making it difficult to draw many conclusions from these results, except that the first two years appear to be the most fluid in terms of whether someone continues to take part in activities or moves on.

----- Start of picture text -----
How long have you been coming to Bullion Hall?
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
17%
30%
less than 12 months
13% 1 to 2 years
3 to 5 years
6 to 10 years
more than 10 years
10%
30%
----- End of picture text -----

4. How many activities do individuals take part in?

Not surprisingly perhaps we find that our registered volunteers most actively participate in the most activities at Bullion Hall, on average engaged in six per week. These include participation and volunteering in group activities, training courses and services, including the Bread-and-Butter Thing. In addition, those who are part of Let’s Connect, a project specifically for adults with learning difficulties also have a higher-than-average participation rate, with some volunteering as well as attending other activities as a member and/or service-user of the Wait er While Cafe.

5. Benefits from taking part in activities at Bullion Hall.

The main benefits of taking part in activities at Bullion Hall are the same as identified in last year’s survey. However, the order has changed, with ‘ having fun’ edging ahead of ‘ making new friends’ and ‘ gets me out of the house’ overtaking ‘ feel happier’ . In each case there has been a percentage increase, between 4% and 11%, from last year but this may be due to the increased number of returns. What is important to note here, however, is that there is a consistent pattern as to the main benefits gained from participating in activities at Bullion Hall.

The benefit of low cost or free food is rated 5% higher than last year’s survey. Again, this could simply be because of the higher return rate but could also be due to the additional stress household budgets are experiencing during the prolonged cost of living crisis. About the benefits gained from coming to Bullion Hall respondents themselves highlighted the, “ help with the cost of living. Totally vital for us ”.

Along with being able to regularly offer free/ low-cost food through FareShare and The Bread-andButter Thing, Bullion Hall has continued to offer free sim cards, supplied by Good Thing Foundation’s National Databank initiative, to address digital exclusion. Working with other partners, Bullion Hall has also been able to offer household cleaning and personal hygiene packs as well as signposting to other services. However, not all these support measures were available throughout the whole of the year covered by the survey.

6. Describe Bullion Hall in 3 words.

The survey asked respondents to describe Bullion Hall in three words. In 2023’s survey Bullion Hall was most frequently described as friendly, welcoming, and clean. Friendly and welcoming were once again the most frequent words used along with fun, warm and clean. The word cloud illustrates the replies

.

7. Travelling to Bullion Hall

As part of our Investors in the Environment award it is important to monitor the number of car journeys made to Bullion Hall and whether we can influence participants in any way to walk, use public transport or car share.

A majority, (60%), continue to travel to Bullion Hall in their own car, while 14% get a lift from a friend. Last year’s survey found 58% drove and 16% got a lift. In terms of actual numbers those taking a lift are slightly higher (27) than those last year (23) but there is a more substantial numeric increase for private drivers, 118 compared to 83 last year.

----- Start of picture text -----
How do you usually travel to Bullion Hall?
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Drive (own car) Car (lift from friend) Bus Bicycle Walk
----- End of picture text -----

This year’s survey found 18% walk to the centre, a lower percentage than reported in the 2023 survey (20%) but numerically a slight increase, (35 walkers, an extra 6 over last year’s figure). Durham County Council’s Physical Activity Strategy 2023 – 28[1] states that women and men born in Co. Durham ‘can expect to live in good health for 4 years less that the England average”. The strategy notes that 34% of 5- to 15-year-olds in the most disadvantaged areas are physically inactive, with less than 20 minutes activity per day and for 55- to 74-year-olds the figure is 38%.

For both health and environmental reasons, we want to encourage an increase in people getting to Bullion Hall by foot, or by a combination of public transport and walking. However, it is worth noting that while at Bullion Hall, 52% of respondents are taking part in at least one hour of physical activity per week -this includes exercise classes such as Pilates, Zumba, Lets Dance, Tai Chi and Yoga as well as gentle exercise including Seated Exercise, Indoor Curling and Sequence Dancing.

8. This year, what do you expect the most important issues for you and your family to be?

A new question introduced in this year’s survey asked, ‘this year what do you expect to be the most important issues for you and your family”. Perhaps unsurprisingly, concerns about access to public services, the cost of living, rising prices and the impact on individuals physical and mental health all featured in the responses.

"Low/Stressful financing, cost of living. Mental health."

“Food expenses and fuel poverty. Cost of living is excessive”.

“Increased fuel and food costs”

“Keeping healthy and sane”.

“Health and happiness”.

“Fun adventures that are at a level parents can afford, keeps children active, healthy, safe environment”.

“Self-development, mental health important issues - your courses offer something positive”.

“Health and Health Services as a personal/family issue. Getting a competent Government!”. “Adapting living with mother-in-law who has dementia”.

“Significant financial issues”

1 https://www.durham.gov.uk/media/42499/Draft-Moving-Together-Strategy-for-CountyDurham/pdf/MovingTogetherInCountyDurhamStrategy.pdf?m=638237111489500000

One respondent powerfully illustrated the value of community activities and of remaining active and engaged.

“Speaking for the group, as opposed to personally, we have a comparatively senior membership. We have helped each other through illness and in some cases, the loss of a spouse. Hopefully there will be no further issues of that type this year, but community groups are vital to helping people resume and re-focus their lives after adversity, even if it is only in a small way”.

9. What would life be like if Bullion Hall had closed in 2020?

Another new question that we asked in this year’s survey was about the impact on participants had Bullion Hall been forced to close around the time of the pandemic. In asking this question, there is no suggestion that the centre is actually at risk of closure.

In its recently published 2024 Road Ahead report, NCVO, a charity which seeks to advocate on behalf of voluntary and community organisations in England stated that ‘the current tough economic climate for charities will continue through 2024. Both high inflation and interest rates will present challenges for organisations already juggling increasing operating costs and record demand for services” .

For a significant number, the closure of Bullion Hall would mean the loss of social contact and the opportunity to meet and make new friends. The likely outcomes are increased loneliness, boredom, and depression with one comment pointing to the most extreme possible outcome,

“I would probably be dead if it weren't for Men's Shed”.

“I would miss meeting friends and having a friendly chat”.

“Wouldn't get out and meet friends”.

“I'd miss meeting friends and learning from other people”.

“A lost opportunity to find a new activity and make new friends”.

“Stay in the house Nowhere to go”.

“More evenings in house”.

“Not being able to learn guitar at an affordable rate”.

“Very lonely, inactive, nothing to look forward to”.

“My life would be very depressing and lonely without coming to Bullion Hall”.

“Upset, lonely. Nowhere to go”.

“(I would) financially struggle (and become) socially isolated”.

“My mental health and wellbeing would be terrible”.

“I wouldn't be as healthy, fit or sociable. This is a fantastic facility”.

” I would be less fit, more isolated, worse off financially”.

“Would miss Pilates, which is excellent - I work for children's services and signpost a lot of families to Bullion Hall. It would be a great miss for families in Chester-le-Street and surrounding areas”.

10. How do you find out what’s on at Bullion Hall?

As with previous surveys the most popular way to find out what is on at Bullion Hall is word of mouth with 57% of respondents choosing this option, along with the other options available. However, for 58% of those who selected Word of Mouth, this is their sole source of information about activities. 21% of respondents make use of two sources and only 14% use 3 or more sources. The challenge therefore becomes to ensure that sufficient time and resource is given to each channel of information so that as much information as possible is provided to ensure every approach is equally effective. This includes how to make sure individuals are telling their friends about Bullion Hall.

After Word of Mouth, the next most popular option is Bullion Hall’s Facebook page (34%) followed by 20% who use the internal noticeboards and 14% who use the external noticeboard. A small number of respondents chose ‘Other’. Their answers included “from my mental health nurse’, “social prescriber and doctors” and “friends”.

Echoing the 2023 survey Bullion Hall’s website comes after these preferred options (if we add together the noticeboard results). However, the website has seen an increase in use, from 8% recorded in the 2023 survey (a figure consistent with earlier surveys), to 20% for this year’s survey.

Bullion Hall launched a new website in November 2023 and part of the reason for the increase in visits could be due to our active promotion during this period. During the period from 29 November to 31 March the website received 657 unique visitors and 2,646 page views with 66% of visitors clicking on 2 or more pages. After the homepage, the page most visitor navigate to is the What’s On page.

The new website is intended to offer a better visitor experience and provide greater opportunity and flexibility in promoting activities at Bullion Hall. Early comments captured by the survey suggest at least some of these aims are being met.

“Website clear and useful information”.

“Easy to use”.

“Easy to use. No problem finding information”.

However, others were less satisfied; “Still finding my way around”, “Unclear about activities” and “ Satisfactor y”.

The survey also asked how well do we keep you up to date with what’s on, choosing from a scale where 1 is poor and 10 is excellent.

----- Start of picture text -----
How well do we keep you up to date
with what's on?
2% 4%
18% 5%
1
7%
2
3
4
9%
5
16% 6
7
8
11%
9
10
15%
13%
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11. Thinking about everything at Bullion Hall, from facilities to opening hours to activities, how could we make Bullion Hall better for you?

This question drew a variety of responses. Positive words including, excellent, good, fine, happy, great, or nothing, as in ‘ nothing – its great’ appear in 52% of answers.

Among the eighty responses, there were thirteen requests for ‘more’ things, including two asking for more information on Facebook and more “i nfo about where I need to go? What room do I need to be in? ” Another asked for “ clearer notice boards ”.

Seven respondents asked for more activities including craft, art, gym facilities, dancing, yoga and more generally more for retired people and more for young people aged 10 to 30 years old. Other requests for more included one for more parking spaces and one for more transport which if available “I would use more activities”.

Two respondents separately raised questions about the toddlers’ group and about volunteers in the group being more clearly identified and assurance about whether volunteers are DBS checked. Another respondent asked for “rules and regulations about conduct in group ”. Bullion Hall already has a Code of Conduct, which is included in the groups attendance folder, along with information about first aid, safeguarding and emergency procedures.

One respondent commented on the positioning of taps in the ladies’ toilets, and another suggested a hoist be fitted in the disabled toilet, along with other toilets aids such as an arm rest. Comments about the foyer included one for a “ better dining area, rather than a walk-through area next to toilets ”, while two asked for improved smoking facilities with ashtrays on site.

12. Do you use any other community venues?

The survey reports that 59% of users of Bullion Hall do not attend activities at any other community venue. While this is broadly in line with earlier survey results, the percentage of those visiting other venues has increased by 6% when compared to last year’s survey. This may in part be due to this year’s larger return.

Community venues in Chester le Street town centre that people attend include the Masonic Hall, Auckland Community Centre, Newcastle Bank, Cornerstones, Refuse Café, and the Parish Centre. Examples given of what people are doing include dance, exercise, and keep fit, crafts and social activities such lunch clubs and having tea and coffee.

There is, a notable increase in those attending activities at the Refuse Café and Parish Centre. Importantly both venues offer low cost/free meals as well as providing a Warm Space/ Welcome Hub in response to the cost-of-living crisis. Among the other venues that people visit are those in Pelton, Pelton Fell, Fencehouses, Ouston and Sacriston. Examples further afield include Lanchester, Washington, Rainton Meadows, Sherburn, Birtley and Springwell.

13. What gender are you?

The survey finds the percentage of female and male participants remains broadly consistent with annual surveys dating back to 2019, showing that slightly under a third of participants are male, two thirds female.

14. Age of participants

The age of people regularly using Bullion Hall continues to have a bias toward older people with 68% of respondents aged 55 and over. This, however, is 14% lower than the percentage recorded for this age group in the 2023 survey. Where this year’s survey finds an increase is in respondents in the 25 to 54 age groups, from a mere 14% in 2023’s survey, doubling to 28% in 2024.

It is worth noting that an even younger age group, those aged 8 to 16 are becoming more of a feature at Bullion Hall with the Wednesday and Friday’s youth clubs (soon to be joined by a regular Monday youth club session and a Wednesday after school club). However, this age group is almost entirely absent from the survey. A challenge for this year will be to meaningfully capture the views and experiences of this age group to better inform our offer.

----- Start of picture text -----
How old are you?
Do you consider yourself to have a disability?
1% 1%
9%
23% of respondents consider themselves to have disability, a percentage close to the 25% reported 0 to 18
in the 2021 Census as living in the Chester West and Central Ward, who have a disability as 30% 8% 19 to 24
defined by the Equality Act 2010. The Equality Act defines a disability as having a ‘substantial’ and
‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities’ . We have often observed 25 to 34
however that participants that we might have described as having a disability will often describe 35 to 44
themselves as not having a disability. 12% 45 to 54
55 to 64
65 to 74
15% 75 and over
24%
----- End of picture text -----

Do you consider yourself to have a disabilty?

----- Start of picture text -----
23%
77%
Yes No
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15. Employment Status

The 2023 survey recorded a drop in the percentage of retired people taking part in activities at Bullion Hall, from 71% to 65%. This trend has continued in the current survey which reports 58% of respondents are retired.

This again might be due to an increase in the number of surveys returned by more working age people rather than an actual numeric decrease. Compared to last year’s survey more people who are employed full time or are unemployed have returned the survey.

----- Start of picture text -----
What is your employment
15%
Employed full time
8%
Employed part time
Self employed
3%
Unemployed
59% At college or university
Retired
12%
3%
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16. Who else lives in your household?

The 2024 survey finds a higher percentage of households with two adults along with a slight increase in households with 3 or more adults. This may reflect the increase in people of working age attending activities at Bullion Hall and completing the survey.

Only 27% of households have children, the majority with one child. Among the households with children 10 were households with an adult in full time employment, 5 in part time work and 5 unemployed. Consistently we have found that around a third of our participants live alone, in this year’s survey that figure was slightly lower at 27% although this may be a reflection on the changing composition of respondents to the survey.

----- Start of picture text -----
How many adults in your household?
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
10%
28%
one adult
two adults
3 or more adults
62%
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
How many children
19%
one child
two children
52%
three or more children
29%
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17. Postcode maps

The following maps display the postcodes of those who completed the annual survey and gives some indication of the reach of Bullion Hall. The first map gives a regional overview, the second a more detailed view of Gateshead and Co. Durham and finally a view of the local area surrounding Bullion Hall.

Regional Map of Postcodes

Sub-regional Map of Postcodes

Local Area Map of Postcodes

18. Other comments

“I travel to Bullion to hold meetings in a central location for what was conceived as a professional networking group but is in fact a gathering of like-minded friends. Bullion seems to be a thriving community hub, which contrasts to some (but not all) of the venues closer to my home which are struggling with lack of funding, volunteers, and attendees. I would like to pass on my thanks to the team at Bullion for your efforts in keeping this facility open over the last few, rather difficult, years. Best wishes for the future!”

Survey of people who are occasional users of Bullion Hall or followers on Facebook.

1. Introduction

In February we posted on Bullion Hall’s Facebook page a short survey, specifically for people who follow Bullion Hall’s Facebook page but either have never or only occasionally access Bullion Hall. The survey was live from 21 February to 8 March and received 57 responses, 49% of whom had not visited Bullion Hall in the previous 12 months. Among those who had visited in the last 12 months, 40% were weekly visitors while another 40% had visited only once or twice.

The survey included a multiple-choice question asking what stops you from taking part in activities at Bullion Hall.

----- Start of picture text -----
What stops you from regularly taking part in activities at Bullion
Hall
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
16%
Doesn't offer activities I would like to do
26%
Times activities are held
Cost of activities
Customer service
No one to go with
Other people at Bullion Hall
Lack of childcare
4% 23%
Dark nights
3% Caring responsibilities
Health problems
7% No time
Nothing
1% 3%
3% 1%
1%
12%
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The survey also asked from a list of activities currently on offer at Bullion Hall, which would ‘you or your family consider attending’. The Bread-and-Butter Thing, although strictly speaking not an activity, was the most popular choice at 31%, followed by Pilates (25%), school holiday activities (22%) and yoga (20%).

The most popular means to find out what’s on at Bullion Hall is the community centre’s Facebook page for 45% (a result shaped no doubt by the survey being promoted through Bullion Hall’s Facebook page). After that it was Bullion Hall’s website (24%) and then word of mouth (16%).

In response to a second question asking if information about Bullion Hall is useful, 88% replied yes. A number of suggestions were offered of what activities would encourage people to come to Bullion Hall more often, some of which were very specific.

----- Start of picture text -----
Have you used the following to find out
what's on at Bullion Hall?
3%
17% 24%
Bullion Hall website
Bullion Hall Facebook page
6% Bi-monthly email newsletter
Bullion Hall noticeboards
What's on timetable
2%
Word of mouth
3% None of the options
45%
----- End of picture text -----

2. Do you use any other community venues?

69% replied no. Among the venues that 31% attended these include Pelton Community Centre, Brockwell Centre, Cornerstones and Chester le Street Community Centre to take part in keep fit and exercise classes, art groups and bingo.

3. How important do our Facebook followers/occasional users think Bullion Hall is to the Community

Finally, the survey asked respondents to rate how important they thought Bullion Hall is to the community and also what could be done to make the community around Bullion Hall better?

4. Proposals for making the local community around Bullion Hall better included:

“Out-reach groups. Litter picking etc.”

“Better regulated parking”

“I have an autistic son I think some sort of SEN group or sensory room would be amazing as the closest to me is Great Lumley”.

“Have a summer fayre”.

“Bingo”

5. Demographics

When considering the demographic profile of this survey, age of occasional users is lower, peaking in the working age bands, ages 35 to 68 and contrasting to the age profile in the annual surveys of regular users, with its steady increase to the 75 and over age group.

This doubtless reflects the medium used to distribute the survey (Facebook) along with the lack of spare time available for working-age households to join activities at community centres. While nonetheless recognising the positive benefits that a resource like Bullion Hall can have for the community.

----- Start of picture text -----
How old are you?
2%
10%
12%
18 or under
19 to 34
35 to 50
51 to 68
69 to 85
41% 35%
Much like the Annual Survey, most respondents (85%) are women, almost the same percentage
(87%) given by aggregated demographic data collected by Facebook of the Bullion Hall’s Facebook
page followers.
21% of respondents are in full time employment and 31% in part time employment. This compares
with percentages for Chester West and Central Ward of 34% in full time employment and 12% in
part time employment [[2]] . 24% of respondents to the ‘non-user’/Facebook followers survey are retired.
Employment Status
21%
26% Employed full time
Employed part time
Self employed
Unemployed
2% Receiving disability benefits
In education part time
10% Retired
31%
7%
3%
----- End of picture text -----

Much like the Annual Survey, most respondents (85%) are women, almost the same percentage (87%) given by aggregated demographic data collected by Facebook of the Bullion Hall’s Facebook page followers.

21% of respondents are in full time employment and 31% in part time employment. This compares with percentages for Chester West and Central Ward of 34% in full time employment and 12% in part time employment[[2]] . 24% of respondents to the ‘non-user’/Facebook followers survey are retired.

2 https://www.durhaminsight.info/economy-theme/#/viewreport/c02dfcbebef4491f872d1cc9dcb2f1ec/E05009046

6. Occasional users survey postcode map

In contrast to the postcode maps for the main annual survey, occasional users as a whole live closer to Bullion Hall

fflQNEY FOUNDATION BALLINGER CHARIT AIII.F. TIiUST locality SIR JAMF.S KNO'I'I" 'riius'i' hester-le-street & Dlslrlct Area Action Partnershlp Durham County Council Better for everyone County Durham Community Foundation The Rothley Trust Sainsburys Garfield Weston . COMMUNITY FUND FOUNDATION Bullion Community Resource Centre is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England and Wales. Company No. 4046498 Registered Charity No. 1084105. Registered Office: Bullion Hall, South Approach. Chester le Street. Co. Durham. DH2 2DW