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2022-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period start date Period end date Period end date
Day Month Year Day Month Year
From 01 01 2022 To 31 12 2022

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1157590

Druitt Hall Community Association

Charity's principal address Druitt Hall

High Street Christchurch Postcode BH23 1AB

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1
2
3
4
5
6		 Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole
**year **		 Name of person (or body) entitled
to appoint trustee (ifany)
Christopher Guest Chair
Martin Vieyra Treasurer
Carolyn Guest
Katie Hawksworth
Annette
Hawksworth

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

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Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

Constitution

How the charity is constituted Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Trustee selection methods Appointed by Trustees (eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

The identification and allocation of funds reserved for specific purposes was continued in the accounts, reviewed at each meeting of Trustees. The Reserves Policy continues to be followed including the Charity Commission recommended contingency reserve.

A problem with the finalisation of the charges from the previous energy supplier continued into this year. It was established that the supplier’s opportunity to correct their accounting had time-lapsed.

CoronaVirus:

Government and health authority guidance on precautionary measures were followed throughout the year.

Statutory Policies were reviewed and updated as necessary (eg Fire Risk Assessment, Legionnaires Disease).

Annual ‘PAT’ testing and servicing of fire extinguishers was carried out.

The Friends of Druitt Gardens continued to use the former Markham Room area as a secure ‘wildlife education area’ and as a base for voluntary planting and maintenance works in Druitt Gardens.

Six trustee meetings were held, maintaining an emphasis on collective decision-making and responsibility.

In June 2021 the Landlord, Christchurch Town Council, had approved the proposed budget for replacement of the windows and commissioned a consultant surveyor to seek tenders for the work. For more than 12 months this decision put a ‘halt’ on the work to the windows and cladding that had been planned by Trustees, waiting for action by the Council. However, after mid-2022 funding for works to the windows was withdrawn. In response the Trustees reaffirmed to Council that they would continue to meet their repair and maintenance obligations and contracted with a company for the refurbishment and reglazing of the original windows, so allowing recladding work to also progress.

The Council contacted Trustees in October to report a change of mind on their part and that they were placing an order for replacement windows (at a cost of circa £70,000). No consultation or notice of the possible reversal of this funding proposal had been intimated to DHCA. Trustees had to respond that they were already in contract for refurbishment of the windows. The refurbishment works programme included, following consultation with hall users, a complete planned closure of the facility for January 2023 together with insulation and re-cladding of two further sides of the external walls.

Despite having approved an extension of the current lease to DHCA of the building 2057 and despite many enquiries from DHCA concerning progress on the matter, nothing was auctioned until November. After some pressure from one Councillor, Council officers prepared a lengthy set of questions and

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queries concerning DHCA’s performance, operations and obligations. At a meeting in November with officers Trustees were able to satisfactorily respond to all the points raised, including those shown to be entirely inapplicable. An undertaking to move the matter forward was given by officers including the commissioning the composition of a newly-worded lease (their insistence). No further progress had been reported on this by the Council at the end of 2022.

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Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

To benefit the residents of Christchurch (Dorset) and neighbouring areas, without distinction, by associating together the said residents, and voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to provide facilities for recreation, health and fitness, education, leisure time occupation, community meetings and activities, with the objective of improving quality of life and enhancing community activities.

In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise to manage the existing Druitt Hall, and to accumulate funds towards a replacement single-storey Community Hall on the footprint of the existing leased area as and when funds allow provided always that such building operations have no detrimental effect upon the status, condition and use of Druitt Gardens. (as stated in the constitution) Protects and enhances the existing building

The Trustees gave due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in formulating policy and in exercising their powers and duties. The Trustees continued to demonstrate there is a financially-sustainable demand for this facility, operating within the terms of the lease.

Proposed works to the windows, external walls and redecorations continued t be ‘on hold’ throughout the year pending Council action on funding of certain works (see above).

Runs the hall as a community centre

The regular testing of equipment, fire detection, CCTV and security installations, safety lighting etc continued. Consultation with hirers continued, both at formal meetings and informally on a week-to-week basis.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

Specific CO2 monitors were kept in service to demonstrate the adequacy of ventilation of the space (viral transmission precaution).

At the end of 2022 the groups using the faciity included:

The hall again participated in the ‘Christchurch Living Advent Calendar’ programme, providing the venue free of charge for this charity fund-raiser.

Operation of the hall continued to require careful and proper management to facilitate hirers’ activities, minimising health and safety risks to anyone in the building.

The defibrillator and cabinet continued to be maintained available for public use. The equipment is registered with ‘The Circuit’, a British Heart

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Foundation initiative in liaison with the ambulance service, requiring us to diligently log use and maintenance.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

As noted above, time given by volunteers continues to make a crucial contribution to the maintenance and improvement of this facility.

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

The Trustees are aware of the need to encourage participation by more volunteers and the need for additional skills in (eg) grant-funding. It is planned to fund and out-source more of the maintenance / improvement works in future, as the amount of this work becomes smaller over time. Along with many other local organisations, it has proved difficult to obtain additional volunteers although, it must be remembered, the various usergroups are almost entirely themselves volunteer-run.

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Section D Achievements and performance

Retention of most existing users and the gaining of additional hirers was Summary of the main achieved. New and frequent enquiries about hiring continued. achievements of the charity Over the year the use of the hall amounted to an average of 35 hours per during the year week. Additional income was generated by a hire agreement with Christchurch BID for the use of the meeting room on a shared (with DHCA Trustees) basis. This was initially objected to by Council officers (November 2022) but has been shown to be complementary to DHCA’s charitable status. A volunteer continued to carry out the monthly safety / maintenance checks (smoke alarms etc) and to maintain a proper log of these checks. Some small funds continued to be generated by participation in the BH Lottery.

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Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the

charity’s policy on reserves

It remains the charity's policy to hold in reserve as a minimum, an amount equivalent to 6 months' operating costs (£10,800 was in hand at end of 2022). Charity Commission guidance is to hold a reserve equivalent to between 4 and nine months’ of operating costs.

The amount of £100 (donated) was reserved in a fund for possible installation of a PA system, £19 in respect of defibrillator supplies.

A total of £38,000 was held for funding the window refurbishment works, installation of secondary glazing and for insulating, recladding and decoration of the remaining two external walls (other walls having been treated earlier). The amount of £1,796 was held for roof maintenance and £240 for sundry liabilities.

While the provision of a replacement community hall remains a long-term aim of the constitution but other, more immediate, improvements to the existing are the foremost aims. In the current financial climate it is not possible to start a fund for this and Trustees are mindful of the enormous embodied CO2 that a new building would generate versus the very small saving in emitted CO2 that would be achieved. Figures on this aspect have been provided to Council along with an impact-assessment of the damage to the gardens that would also result from a new construction project on this site.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

None

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

In general, aside from rare small donations, the sole income from which to meet operating costs remains the hire income. However this year DHCA, being a business rates payer, was a beneficiary of the Covid-19 Business Grant Funding Scheme. Having very low general overhead costs, especially personnel costs, meant that these funds could be largely devoted to the above-mentioned improvement works. The works planned were largely a combination of improvement works and repair works (being renewal of some 70 years of ‘wear and tear’, of which period the Association has occupied only 9 years. In commissioning, managing and supervising these works, the overhead costs (supervisors, surveyors etc) will be virtually zero as the Trustees have the in-house and voluntary expertise to deal with it. The Council have been quick to point to the Association’s repairing responsibilities but extremely reluctant to all them authority over them.

When the extended lease is actually in place the Trustees will be able to apply for grant funding otherwise unavailable owing to the shortness of the remaining term of the lease. The council have been made aware of this. At the current year-end, 18 months have been allowed to pass by the Landlord without a new lease being so much as drafted, although the Landlord insists that a completely new wording is needed. The proposal for a reversionary lease has been dismissed out of hand. To their credit, the Landlord has resolved to meet the legal and surveyor’s costs that flow from all this.

The delay in implementing decisions made at Full Council in June 2021 have caused directly consequential delays and costs to a range of planned maintenance, repair and improvement works. The refurbishment of the windows to allow controlled ventilation will contribute to a healthy environment in the hall when re-opened to the public in February 2023.

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Section F Other optional information

Our aims for the coming year are:

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) Christopher Roy Guest Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair Trustee etc) Date 06/9/2023

Carolyn Jane Guest

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Druitt Hall Community Association 1157590 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 1/1/2022 31/12/2022

Section A Receipts and payments

A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £		 Restricted
funds
to the nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £		 Total funds
to the nearest £		 Last year
to the nearest £
Donation
Hire of Hall
Electricity - Transfer from U3A
Fundraising Events
BH Coastal Lottery
General
Covid-19 Grants		 121
24,572
67
-
49
-		 -
-
-
-
-
2,667
-		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 121
24,572
67
-
49
-
2,667
-		 129
7,036
14
65
66
16,335
-
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 24,809 2,667 - 27,476 23,645

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

Druitt Hall Community Association - Accounts 2019 - 1

18/01/2023

----- Start of picture text -----
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see
table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 24,809 2,667 - 27,476 23,645
A3 Payments
Repairs & Maintenance 2,282 3,406 - 5,687 1,249
Cleaning & Consumables 2,799 - - 2,799 1,506
Telephone, Internet & Postage 403 - - 403 363
Water & Sewerage 313 - - 313 135
Insurance & Safety 615 - - 615 546
PRS_PPL Licence 320 - - 320
Electricity 3,613 - - 3,613 1,569
Admin & Stationery 6,056 - - 6,056 2,326
Improvements 80 - 80 588
General 306 - - 306 291
Rent Rebate & Key Deposit Return - - - - 70
Covid-19 Consumables 140 - 140 337
FODG/WEA - - 134
Defibrillator - 217
Furniture - 3,714
Business Rates 319 - - 319 102
Sub total 17,167 3,486 - 20,652 13,147
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CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

Druitt Hall Community Association - Accounts 2019 - 2

18/01/2023

----- Start of picture text -----
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total payments 17,167 3,486 - 20,652 13,147
Net of receipts/(payments) 7,642 - 819 - 6,824 10,498
A5 Transfers between funds - 8,000 8,000 - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 4,931 43,736 - 48,667 23,967
Cash funds this year end 4,573 50,917 - 55,491 34,465
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CCXX R3 accounts (SS)

Druitt Hall Community Association - Accounts 2019 - 3

18/01/2023

----- Start of picture text -----
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Categories Details funds funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash funds Cash at Bank 4,573 - -
Cash at Bank - Emergency Operating
- 10,800 -
Reserve
Cash at Bank - Planned Expenditure
PA System 100
Defibrillator
- 19
Repair Windows
16,000
Reclad & Insulate Side & Rear Walls
14,000
Paint Windows & Cladding
3,000
Secondary Glazing
5,000
Covid-19 Fund
Remove Moss from Roof
1,796
Liabilities - Late Power Bills, Key Deposits - 240 -
Total cash funds 4,573 50,917 -
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s)) OK OK OK
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CCXX R4 accounts (SS)

Druitt Hall Community Association - Accounts 2019 - 4

18/01/2023

B2 Other monetary assets

B3 Investment assets

B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
funds funds funds
Details to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
- -
- -
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
Fund to which Current value
Cost (optional)
Details asset belongs (optional)
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Fund to which Current value
Cost (optional)
Details asset belongs (optional)
- -
- -
- -
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CCXX R5 accounts (SS)

Druitt Hall Community Association - Accounts 2019 - 5

18/01/2023

B5 Liabilities

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees

----- Start of picture text -----
Fund to which Amount due When due
Details liability relates (optional) (optional)
Electricity Current 1,000
Key deposits Restricted 240
Date of
Signature Print Name
approval
Christopher Roy Guest 22/09/2022
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CCXX R6 accounts (SS)

Druitt Hall Community Association - Accounts 2019 - 6

18/01/2023