Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date 1st January 2024 31st December 2024 From To Section A Reference and administration details Charity name Aughton Recreation Room Other names charity is known by Aughton Village Hall Registered charity number 1135888 Charity's principal address Aughton Recreation Room ~~— ——~~ Aughton Lancaster Postcode LA2 8LT Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Dates acted if not Name of person (or body) entitled Trustee name Office (if any) for whole year to appoint trustee (if any) 1 Colin Pooley Chair N/A 2 Ruth Keeler Vice-Chair To 12[th] March N/A 3 Claire Athis Schofield Secretary N/A 4 Christine Jarvis Bookings N/A 5 Jon Athis Schofield Treasurer N/A 6 Christopher Carr N/A 7 Hilary Carr N/A ~~ss~~ Section B Structure, governance and management Description of the charity’s trusts Constitution, dated 2009, amended 2015. Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Trust How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Elected annually Trustee selection methods (eg. appointed by, elected by) ~~oe~~
Section C Objectives and activities
The recreation room is run by the villagers for the adults and children in and around the parish of Aughton. Its objects are:
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
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primarily but not exclusively to advance the education and to protect the good health of the residents of the Aughton area of the Lune valley (hereinafter referred to as 'the beneficiaries') by whatever charitable means the committee think fit.
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to establish and manage a recreation room to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation for people who have need by reason of their youth, age, disability, social or economic circumstances with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said beneficiaries.
Aughton Recreation Room exists to improve the lives of the people who live in and around Aughton.
The Trustees of the Charity have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
The Trustees have acted throughout the year to:
- Maintain and protect the land, building and facilities owned by the Charity.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects.
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Keep the membership informed about the Charity and consult with the membership as to what the Charity’s priorities should be.
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Encourage and promote appropriate activities within Aughton Recreation Room to provide benefit for the membership.
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Raise funds in order to be able to meet both basic running costs and the costs of making ongoing improvements to land, building and facilities.
Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year
Administration:
During 2024 we finalised our comprehensive review of the annual administrative tasks required to keep ARR functioning effectively as a premises for external hire. We benefited from the voluntary service of six Trustees throughout the year, all with regular attendance at monthly meetings, making the ongoing administration of the Charity more efficient. We introduced a new stock-taking system for Bar stock, which has enabled us to reduce our ongoing stock spend. We also instituted a Gift Aid claim with HMRC.
Finances:
During 2024 we retained our ‘Receipts and Payments’ accounts methodology with all outgoings reported to the monthly Trustee meetings, alongside the bank and cash balances held and then at the year-end a summarised form of the receipts and payments collated by the Treasurer. This was a record-breaking year in terms of both receipts [£29,801.85] and payments [£28,124.17] reflecting the increased usage of the Hall and activity of the Committee. We will be putting our 2024 accounts before an Independent Examiner.
Bull Pen Ltd events:
We continued our collaboration with Young Farmers Club Leader, David Hartley, hosting a number of joint events, for example, a Pop-Up Restaurant Evening in March and a Pizza Evening in April. These events saw a wider clientele using the Hall. Additionally, David organised some ‘Chicken Shed’ Events, which were Disco and Bar evenings for Young Farmers, some from clubs other than the Vale Of Lune, generally on a Friday evening. Whilst, this was an interesting venture, as the year progressed, the Trustees had some misgivings about the focus of ARR becoming ‘events’ rather than ‘community’ and so we gradually moved away from this area of activity.
Family Occasions for Aughton and thereabouts:
We have really enjoyed hosting significant family occasions for our immediate and surrounding neighbours. The Trustees believe that maintaining the Hall as a fully-functioning venue for occasional hire to members and the local community is a core purpose of the Charity and doing so is carrying on in the tradition of those whose founded ARR. We are delighted to have been able to introduce a 50% discount for Aughton hirers, including St Saviour’s Church.
Community Activities:
The very small size of Aughton means that it was impossible to generate sufficient take-up to make fortnightly opening of the Bar viable. However, we are really pleased to have been able to establish Tuesday morning Exercise Classes, offering both Circuit Training and Pilates within the village. We also assisted the Parish Council to consult on and respond to the Neighbourhood Plan so that Aughton had a co-ordinated voice within that process. We were pleased with the turnout for our Autumn Volunteer Day and thrilled that so many from the village attended our pre-Christmas gathering, which was a lovely opportunity to share the good-will of the season with neighbours.
Fund raising:
The hard work continued this year in terms of promoting event hire, running the Bar at events and completing Grant applications, all of which are very important to our activity-based fund-raising. The results are clear from the record-breaking level of receipts.
Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the ARR aims to keep a reserve of at least £10,000 kept in an interest charity’s policy on reserves bearing but instant access account, so that this sum is available in the event that any emergency repairs to the fabric of the building are required.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
N/A
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
- the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
See separate financial statement.
Please note that ARR does not have an Expenses Policy – Trustees do not claim expenses in connection with their voluntary role.
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how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
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investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information
Vale Of Lune Young Farmers Club [Charity No 1070317]:
We have continued in 2024 to develop our relationship with our local Young Farmers, who use the Hall as the base for their Monday ‘Inside’ Meetings and Winter Debate/Quiz meetings. There was a turnover in VOLYFC ‘Top Table’ towards the end of the year, and we have ensured that we maintained contact with newly elected officers so that we can retain co-operative and friendly relations with those people [who are still relatively young themselves!] who give so much time and effort to providing club activities to local young people.
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
Colin Pooley | Claire Athis Schofield |
|---|---|---|
| Colin Pooley | Claire Athis Schofield | |
Chair |
Secretary | |
| 31stMay 2024 | ||
| 31stMay 2024 |
| : | | | |
Aughton Recreation Room Finances _1.1.24~ 31.12.24
Bank Accounts 31.12.2023: Saving Acc. -£6 299.40, Current Acc. - £10 075.08 Cash held at 31.12.2023: £497.10 31.12.2024: Saving Acc. - £13,308.62, Current Acc. £4,175.09
Total, £16 374.48
Total, £17,483.71
Cash held at 31.12.24: £705
Receipt and Payment Breakdown
Receipts Payments Hire: £3,911.25 Utilities: £1,042.43 Bar: £18,134.23 Maintenance,Repair: £15,289.50 Donations: £623.35 Bar Stock,Fixtures: £8,756.61 Grants: £6,485.00 Upkeep Sundries: £124.33 Interest: £233.54 Fixtures& Fittings: £387.98 Other: £414.48 Licences,Insurance: £1,442.49 Total:£29,801.85 Fees: £137.57 Other: £943.36 Total: £28,124.27
Receipts of £29,801.85 plus £207.90 cash in hand surplus from 31.12.23= £30,009.75 minus Payments of £28,124.27 give a surplus for the 2024 year accounts of: £1,885.48
Jon Athis Schofield
Treasurer
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@(/ CIMA
Practising Certificate Holder
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ACCOU NTANTS
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Unit 12 Guest House Farm
Runshaw lane Euxton PR7 6HD Tel: 01772 285607 Email: info@brjfaccountants.com
Dear Sir/Madam,
Please see the independent examiner's report for AUGHTON RECREATION ROOM undertaken by BRJF Accountants.
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of AUGHTON RECREATION ROOM
| report (Benjamyn Fish) on behalf of BRJF Accountants to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the AUGHTON RECREATION ROOM (the Trust) for the year ended 31st December 2024
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
| 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 | have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
| have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records.
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.
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Signed: Benjamyn Fish
Chartered institute Of Management Accountants. Practicing Member. Unit 12 Guest House Farm, Runshaw Lane. Euxton. PR7 6HD
Date: 15/07/2025
BRJF Accountants Ltd. Company No. 12584205
Registered Office: Unit 12 Guest House Farm, Runshaw Lane. Euxton. PR7 6HD www.brjfaccountants.com