Jesmond Community Forum Annual Report & Minutes of Annual General Meeting Held at Jesmond Library on 9 September 2025
Present: Marjorie Dodds, Kay Plumley, Janet Wilson, David Houpt, Nils Clemmetsen, Richard Taylor, Lucien Clarke, Fiona Clarke, Paul Balmont, Peter Breakey, Debbie Loughran, Chris Clarke, Dave Cross, Pat Hughes
1. Welcome
The chair, Dave Cross, thanked everyone for coming this evening and introduced other Trustees Chris Clarke (Treasurer), Marjorie Dodds, David Houpt and Pat Hughes.
2. Treasurer’s Report
Copies of the Financial Statement for the year ended 31 December 2024 were circulated and had been approved by Trustees earlier in the year.
3. Appointment of Trustees
Our Secretary, Felicity Mendelson and Tanya Pretswell both stood down as Trustees. Our thanks to both for their commitment. In accordance with the terms of the Constitution Trustees who reach the end of their term are permitted to stand again and Pat Hughes, who has reached the end of her term, agreed to stand again. Dave Cross proposed and Fiona Clarke seconded Pat and there were no objections. The current Trustees therefore are: Dave Cross, Chris Clarke, Marjorie Dodds, David Houpt and Pat Hughes.
Thanks were recorded to Pat for taking the minutes at recent meetings. The position of Secretary remains open and members were asked to let Dave or Chris know of anyone who would be interested in joining as a Trustee. The main attributes would be to attend meetings when possible and to offer their advice as the Forum considers its decisions.
4. Chair’s Report
The Chair reviewed the Forum’s activities over the past year. The main event was the successful Community Festival in May which included 80 events which were mostly well attended by the local community. Hopefully this will take place again next year. We held another photographic competition and the winners’ pictures were featured in the Jesmond 2025 Calendar. The Forum had also been crucial in the dissemination of activities by member groups through the regular ‘Jesmond Matters’ emailings. Our last AGM featured presentations from the community to talk about volunteering, recruitment and retention. Our thanks to Matthew Brindley from Volunteering Matters, Ray Hayes, Friends of Jesmond Old Cemetery and Barbara Trevitt, Jesmond Library.
5. Any Other Business
None.
6. Next Open Meeting Tuesday 11 November 2025
Dave Cross introduced our guest speaker, Paul Balmont, to talk about The Ouse Burn Way which is a project to improve water quality, well-being and the wildlife corridor along the river which runs through Jesmond Dene. Those present found it a fascinating talk, and many discovered new information about this area particularly where the river disappears underground and its other tributaries. It was agreed details of this project should be widely shared as there will be member organisations who may be able to volunteer or contribute as appropriate.
This website gives further details: www.theouseburnway.co.uk
PMH110.9.2025
Jesmond Community Forum CIO
(Registered Charity Number 1155999)
Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024
Since its establishment in 2004 Jesmond Community Forum has used calendar years as its financial year, with its annual accounts covering periods from January 1[st] to December 31[st] . Recently the government has taken steps to require companies, individuals and partnerships to align their financial years to tax years, ie ending on 31 March or 4 April. At present there is a dispensation in place for the present year, applying to all companies, and in addition it appears that the reform will not apply to organisations (such as Jesmond Community Forum CIO) which do not pay tax.
Accordingly the trustees of the Forum have considered that the Jesmond Community Forum CIO is not currently required to align its year end with the Government year, under the Basic Period Reform, and has elected NOT to adopt the provisions for transition allowed in 2024.
Jesmond Community Forum CIO
Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2024, compared with the year ended 31 December 2023
General Activities
| Income | Total Funds 2023 | Total Funds 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Sale of 2023 Calendars | £185.00 | |
| Sale of 2024 Calendars | £645.00 | £105.00 |
| Sale of 2025 Calendars | £900.00 | |
| Other Income | £10.00 | £0.00 |
| Total Income, General Activities | £840.00 | £1,005.00 |
| Expenditure | Total Funds 2023 | Total Funds 2024 |
| Printing and production of Calendars, including photo competition prizes |
£866.00 | £830.98 |
| Forum Website | £146.00 | £148.00 |
| Room Hire | £165.00 | £90.00 |
| Other Expenditure | £10.00 | £0.00 |
| Total Expenditure, General Activities | £1,187.00 | £1,068.98 |
| Net Income (Deficit), General Activities | (£347.00) | (£63.98) |
| Jesmond Community Festival | ||
| Income | Total Funds 2023 | Total Funds 2024 |
| Grants and Donations, 2023 Festival | £1,945.00 | |
| Grants and Donations, 2024 Festival | £500.00 | £1,529.00 |
| Grants and Donations, 2025 Festival | £250.00 | |
| Total Income, Festivals | £2,445.00 | £1,779.00 |
| Expenditure | Total Funds 2023 | Total Funds 2024 |
| Publicity, including Programmes, Posters and Website |
£2,241.00 | £2,248.00 |
| Other Event Expenditure | £47.00 | £65.00 |
| Total Expenditure, Festivals | £2,288.00 | £2,313.00 |
| Net Income (Deficit), Festivals | £157.00 | (£534.00) |
| Summary of Income and Expenditure | ||
| Total Funds 2023 | Total Funds 2024 | |
| General Activities, Net Income (Deficit) | (£347.00) | (£63.98) |
| Community Festivals, Net Income | £157.00 | (£534.00) |
| Total Net Income (Deficit) | (£190.00) | (£597.98) |
Jesmond Community Forum CIO
Balance Sheet, as at 31 December 2024, compared with 31 December 2023
Jesmond Community Forum has no Fixed Assets and all its Current Assets are all lodged in its bank accounts. At 31 December 2022 it held two current accounts, with Lloyds and Barclays, but during 2023 the Lloyds account was closed, and the total balance transferred to Barclays.
| Current Assets | 31/12/2023 | 31/12/2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash at Bank | £4,786.41 | £4.188.43 |
| Represented by | 2023 | 2024 |
| Balance brought forward from the previous year |
£4,976.41 | £4,786.41 |
| Net income (deficit) for the year |
(£190.00) | (£597.98) |
| Total Funds at the end of the year |
£4,786.41 | £4,188.43 |
(Signed) Christopher Clarke (Treasurer).................................
Independently examined by Geoffrey Carter…………………
28 January 2025