Friends of Bungay Community Library Annual Report of the Trustees July 2022
The last twelve months have once again brought many challenges and the library has had to work very flexibly to maintain support for the local community. In the last two months things seem to be returning to a more consistently open way of working and it is great to see so many people using the library and its services again.
As always we are enormously grateful to Amanda, Maxine and the rest of the staff team for their hard work in creating the welcoming and vibrant environment which so many members of the Bungay community value. Last year we heard that Bungay was the 11[th] busiest library in Suffolk. Considering that there are 44 libraries across the County and that Bungay is one of the smallest, this gives further evidence of what a great job the staff are doing and how much local people appreciate them.
Due to the ongoing Covid restrictions Friends were not always able to be in the library as often as we would have hoped and there were certainly fewer opportunities for us to organise activities. However, we have remained committed to doing everything we can to support the staff and to continue to help to improve the environment of the library.
In summary, below are the main ways in which the Friends have supported the Library over the last twelve months.
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The 2021 children’s Summer Reading Challenge was a great success with The Friends providing volunteer cover throughout the summer holidays. This year’s Challenge promises to be equally popular and Friends are already signed up to provide cover in the mornings throughout the summer period.
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With financial help from The Lions, we have supported Maxine’s work with five local schools. Book boxes, library cards and storytelling sessions have encouraged children to explore and enjoy reading.
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We have provided funding for a number of ‘extras’ including daily newspapers, craft materials for children’s activities, equipment for Scrabble and Cribbage clubs and purchased more jigsaws for the ever popular jigsaw table.
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We have provided practical support for events such as the Afternoon Tea for local visitors as well as residents of St Mary’s House residential care home. We were proud to be part of Suffolk Day (also celebrating 10 years of Suffolk Libraries). We also enjoyed providing support and refreshments for Bungay Open Gardens and are grateful for their donation to the Library. We are always very grateful to our fantastic team of cake bakers!
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We have been grateful to have received financial support for specific projects from the following people: East Suffolk Communities Fund, our District Councillor (Judy Cloke), and East Suffolk Greenprint Forum.
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Luke Wright very generously dedicated an evening performance at the Fisher Theatre to raise funds for both the library and the theatre. We are enormously grateful for his support of the library in this way.
We continue to explore two major projects which we believe will make a significant difference to the library environment.
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Firstly, we are working with a landscape gardener to develop plans to ‘refresh’ our courtyard garden. We have been very grateful to our loyal team of garden volunteers for their hard work over the last years but some plants and elements of the garden have got to a point where they need attention. We hope to restore the garden space as an area where we promote nature and create a calm and restorative environment, for all visitors.
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Secondly, the entrance foyer to the library needs urgent attention. We are continuing to work hard to secure funding to replace the foyer with a more accessible and useful space which reflects the high quality of the rest of the library building.
This report could not end without remembering two of our longest serving Trustees who passed away during the year. We were so very sad to say farewell to Carol Matthews and Chris Davey. Both Carol and Chris were loyal supporters of the library and offered practical help in many ways. They are sadly missed.
As I said last year, the future holds many new opportunities and challenges for Bungay Library and Suffolk Libraries more widely. We do need to be able to draw on the support of the wider Friends group to respond to those situations and opportunities as they arise. If you are already a Friend and feel you would like to be more involved please do contact Amanda or me at the library for a conversation.
Christine Douglas
Chair of Trustees of the Friends of Bungay Community Library June 2022
REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: CE000346 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1151649
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND
UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2021
FOR
FRIENDS OF BUNGAY COMMUNITY LIBRARY
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF FRIENDS OF BUNGAY COMMUNITY LIBRARY CHARITY NUMBER 1151649
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2021
We report on the accounts of the Friends of Bungay Community Library for the year to 30 September 2021, which are set out on pages 2 and 3.
Respective responsibilities of Friends and examiner
The Charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is our responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act
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to follow the procedure laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention
Basis of independent examiner's report
Our examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with our examination, no matter has come to our attention which gives us reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a "true and fair" view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
We 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.
J van Dijk FMAAT van Dijk Accountants 11 Trinity Street Bungay Suffolk NR35 1EH
Date: 14 April 2022
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FRIENDS OF BUNGAY COMMUNITY LIBRARY CHARITY NUMBER 1151649
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2021
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2021 2020
£ £
UNRESTRICTED FUND
RECEIPTS
Sales 3,109 3,802
Fundraising 1,909 630
Misc 5 716
Interest 10 53
Grants 605 500
Donations 530 -
TOTAL RECEIPTS 6,168 5,700
PAYMENTS
Purchases 1,289 1,856
Repairs and renewals 608 2,043
Event costs 87 599
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Commission paid
Staff - -
Post and stationery 109 300
Donations - -
Accountancy 180 180
General expenses 261 439
TOTAL PAYMENTS 2,535 5,416
RECEIPTS LESS PAYMENTS 3,633 284
Bank balance and cash in hand at 1 October 2020 20,074 19,789
Bank balance and cash in hand at 30 September 2021 23,707 20,074
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FRIENDS OF BUNGAY COMMUNITY LIBRARY CHARITY NUMBER 1151649
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2021
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2021 2020
£ £
MONETARY ASSETS
Lloyds Treasurers Account 13,528 10,062
Savings Account 10,000 10,000
Cash in hand 179 12
23,707 20,074
Creditor at 30 September 2021 180 180
23,527 19,894
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The financial statements were approved by the trustees and signed on its behalf by:
Chairperson - C Douglas
Date:
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