Canolfan Cymuned Llanwddyn Llanwddyn Community Centre Chairs/Trustees report for April 2021 to March 2022
The Llanwddyn Community Centre Management Committee, have been a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) since 7[th] April 2014 (Registered Charity Number 1156546)
I write this report at a time when the past two years will leave a long lasting memory of sadness, struggles, but unity and community strength along with it. The way Llanwddyn pulled together during these times, helping each other when they could was remarkable. COVID 19 is still with us, countrywide, yet it has possibly become a part of life. With everything almost back to normal, we have to carry on and continue to make the community centre a bright safe space for all who use it. We have our current COVID Risk assessment, in place as safety is paramount to all of us.
I was so pleased to see the community centre opening up again throughout the past year and with the financial support we received from Powys County Council, it enabled us to continue to pay the centres overheads. The recent economic crisis has effected the centre with our energy bills rising along with everyone else’s. It also highlighted how our overheads have increased in general with suppliers advising of the cost increases. For example: we have undergone an upgrade to the fire alarm system, replacing the panel and many of the Fire exit lights. The little red emergency boxes are due to be replaced soon and the cost is more than previously quoted due to increases in materials nationwide..
All compulsory annual checks and testing on the safety aspects of the building, such as fire alarms, legionella testing, electricity usage, insurances, licences, general maintenance and so on continues to rise. But we will continue to be frugal and get through this next year, in the hope that the economy will recover and settle down again.
The centre is fully open again and available for private hire, our affiliated clubs are all running again and this includes new Yoga classes to be run by Hannah on Monday nights and Saturday mornings from late April 2022. Bowls nights continue on Tuesdays, Line Dancing on Wednesday and the Sports club for all ages on Thursdays. All of these clubs are run by volunteers for the community to enjoy. So why not give them a try. The club fee is minimal and affordable. I would like to express my sincere thanks to these clubs for there efforts over the years.
Our Committee members Ian Owens, David Jones continue to run our monthly ‘Social Nights’, which are popular and a good source of income for the centre. Indeed, if 50 people came each month to the social night, had a couple of drinks each, it could bring in an income of around £3,000 for the centre. This instantly shows, by coming to these nights it gives a huge boost on our income. Thank you for supporting them and may many continue to do so.
We are able to run fundraising events once more, which always bring a boost of income into the centre and with the Community and visitors support at such events is another step towards remaining open for business.
Affiliated members Llanwddyn Events had to postpone the folk festival again in 2021 due to COVID, but they are pleased to let us know it’s firmly on the map for 2022 . The Events team have confirmed there are just 40 tickets left to sell. The events team have lots planned for the year of 2022 /2023, many in joint effort with the community centre. Such as an Art Exhibition and Curry and Quiz Night. Please do support them if you can. Even if you don’t think it’s something you would enjoy, give it a try, you may be surprised
I cannot stress enough that the centre does not run on its own. All of the efforts to keep the centre open for all to use continues to take a lot of effort, dedication, and volunteering time. It is greatly appreciated by the Trustees that the affiliated members of the centre are there, and sometimes the very active backbone of the centre. Thank you to everyone.
Our village post office continues to offer services on a Monday and Thursday morning. Provided by Audrey Jones for many years. In fact Audrey will be celebrating 30 years as postmaster soon and on behalf of the community centre (and I’m sure all of Llanwddyn), I would like to thank her very much for the dedicated service she has provided.
The annual Half Marathon sadly was unable to run again in 2021 and at the time of writing this, the future of the Marathon for 2022 is still unsure. The income we receive from the Marathon, goes a long way to paying our overheads at the centre.
Happily, we were able to run the Autumn Fair in 2021 and I’m thrilled to say that the income raised was over £4,000 from the fair itself and our grand draw. We have to give special thanks to Dave Proctor for selling most of the draw tickets. It makes a huge difference. It will run again in 2022. Please come along and support it if you can.
The Community Centre continues to offer a base for many charities for fundraising. Sadly we have seen very few hiring the centre during 2020/2021. This re-confirms our findings from 2019/2021 where regular charities found it increasingly difficult to get people to sign up with possibly the need to rethink theirs and our approach to fundraising. Encouragingly we have now seen a slight uprise in bookings and hope this continues in the future for everyone.
Income from private hire is always encouraged and a great help financially. Part of our refurbishment and plan for the future is to increase this area of the community centres business. We will be targeting more weekend use, for weddings, parties, exhibitions and so on and during thew summer months, organise more events throughout the week during the day.
The community centres running costs and revenue each year continue to need careful consideration and review on regular bases. Treasurer Janet Roberts, continues to keep a check on this on a voluntary basis and we thank her for continuing to do so. Its not an easy task.
We are hoping to be successful with the refurbishment of the canteen and Kitchen, disabled toilets and then further cosmetic work, down the corridors, new curtains, stage gear and fingers crossed in the future WIFI installation. Most of this will be obtained by fundraising and grant seeking, This work is tireless and we could not achieve success with the continued efforts given by Ruth Powell and Janet Robert. We remain optimistic that in another 12 to 18 months you will see great improvements again. Once more we are grateful for their dedication. Thank you!
Many volunteers from around the village continue to support us with their time, to carry out such things as painting, decorating and general maintenance. Recently we received a donation of many plants for the front boarders which transformed the area. Thank you to everyone involved, I look forward to the summer when we can see your efforts bloom..
Powys CC still maintain the school will be sold off, although there is little action on this from them. Along with this they still have an obligation to separating the water services between the school and the centre. We continue to chase this.
During the past year we were slowly able to hand the caretakers duties over to Greg Anderson. Still very much on a part time basis, he is already proving to be a real asset to the centre and already often does more than we pay him for. Until such time things are running to merit a full time paid caretaker, Ruth and Ken Powell continue to volunteer time as joint caretakers with Greg. Thank you very much to them for doing this.
On a personal note as Chair for the community centre, I am seeing a brighter future for Llanwddyn and believe the future for the community centre is good. I remain proud to have been elected to be Chairman during 2020/2021 and with the help of the rest of the committee, I continue to be committed to the centre.
I end my report again thanking all the Trustees and officers – for all the work undertaken during the financial year 2020/2021. Thank you so much to Secretary Ruth Powell and Treasurer Janet for continuing to carry the burden of running the Centre in the past year and to all members of the Committee for their input and time..
Finally huge thanks to the residents and visitors to Llanwddyn, who continue to support us in many different ways. Without the community, there would be no centre and hope you will all continue to do so more than ever before. We have lots of plans and we will need your continued support to make them happen. If we don’t use it, we will certainly lose it, its as simple as that.
A Community Centre like the one we have here in Llanwddyn, is very special and vital to our community. It requires the dedication and support of many, which I believe remains.
Long may we continue to grow as a centre.
Thank you/Diolch yn Fawr
BRYAN ELLIS – Chairman
04.07.2022
thmydd Commun Centre ALcauTrt 2021- 202Z ststementoiincomeand EX ndltwe istA 12021- 31st MaKh 2022 TOTALopenlni Balan. a5 ètApIII ISL ZDZI eques Cofflfflunity Centre FndS OpeninE lafice £936 00 £54.846.5 £50,2411.50 Income £0. Autumn Fayie £0. £0. careta8 El@(tncity £0. £0. Gas £0. £0 £0. Newsletiei £0. PDWV5 & Llanwddyn CC Powys Lotto Renavati( £50. SnoDker Sportsclub o. Income 2021120ZZ 2021122 Centre Opening balance and all iniome5 202112022 Renovation Opening Balance and incomes Ex £54,896.59 £50,241.50 £000 Autumn Fa E4,503 00 £000 Bowls £450.00 £432.00 EO.00 Electricity E52.21 £193.25 £000 Gas £770 00 £165 00 Line Dangn8 Maintenance £000 £8?6 00 New51ener £000 Powys & LlanwddyTh CC RErt(Natio £138.00 248.5 5nuoker £0.00 5 urt5 Club £9.00 2021122Totsl Ex Ènditure Less unpiesetsted ttrques E788A6 £132.00 21122 ExpEndlturEie55 UnprEsented E7h56A6 20ZO/21 Centreo Bal& IncLe55 Ex 2020121 GW Openln8 Bal & In¢ Less EXP mlnus unpented (heque £47MO.13 É49.993.th) TOTAL FUND5 IN BANK A5ATMARCH 315T. 2021 Inkstatement004I2Q21 THE EP4TRE £Y7A33.13 TAL FUND BEL E47040.13 É49.993.th) 5199D31 IncE in Ren44tH)n BudytaftBrltrhEnwlll bE- Signed. tfkLth&lCAAIRMANI Date 04. 07.202Z