Annual Report Beddau and Tynant Community Library September 2021- August 2022
This was the year, eighteen months after the first Covid lockdown when the Library was able to get more back to ‘normal’ than any previous period. We reopened to our users on 13[th] September, having offered a ‘click and collect’ service during much of the past year. That service has proved popular with some of our readers, so we have continued to operate it and to undertake some home deliveries to our less mobile regular clients. It is pleasing to see from our borrowing figures that Library usage is slowly but surely returning to prepandemic levels.
We returned to opening with changed hours from pre-pandemic times; Monday 1500-1645; Wednesday 1000-11.45; and Saturday 10-11.45, as well as continuing the ‘click and collect’ service. We continue to source new books to keep our stock up to date, and we have extended our opening hours to include Fridays.
From the beginning of September, we had some limited hire from the local WI, and the Reading Group as well as our own Monday Club. Several of these groups have successfully grown whilst being based in the Library and have actually become too big for the premises. Beddau Belles WI, as well as the Tai Chi and Armchair Exercise Group, have had to move to the large hall in the Welfare to accommodate new members. We think this is a brilliant success for groups which started with us. We’re looking forward to more groups emerging in the Community wanting to use our facilities to begin their activities.
We were pleased to welcome back the PACT meetings which restarted in October and have been generally well attended; and the Library was also the venue for meetings to discuss holding events in the village into the Autumn and Winter.
These events meetings followed on from a successful Tynant and Beddau Community Fair which was held in the village on September 5[th] at which the Library and the Monday Club had a stall and were able to attract interest from many new people.
The Monday club continues to go from strength to strength with a full programme of activities and events planned well in advance. We also have a monthly creative writing class and an evening reading group. For the younger members of the community, we took part in the Gadgeteers Summer Reading Challenge and ran free craft sessions for young people in the school holidays. The four sessions run in the summer break were particularly well received and we are grateful to Anne Callow who represents the Community Council on the Library Committee for all her hard work in putting these on.
We really value our links with local schools and were delighted when Gwaunmiskin Primary asked if they could bring every class to the Library during March and April this year. They took part in story telling sessions and browsed the books and facilities. As the new Curriculum for Wales continues to be rolled out, we are looking forward to supporting all local schools in any way we can.
Our Christmas event 2021 was the largest we’ve had. Working in partnership with Llantrisant Community Council and Litter-Free Beddau and Tynant, we had the usual Carols around the Christmas Tree and lights switch on with the addition of craft stalls, children’s rides and activities, and a Santa’s Grotto. Despite it being a very damp evening, it was really well supported by our community.
We also worked in partnership with the Community Council over hosting a book of condolence following the death of the Queen; and to commemorate a local person, Suzanne Goodall MBE who was living in the village when she founded the children’s hospice Ty Hafan. This would have been her 100[th] year. The Monday Club also planted a tree of remembrance in the gardens next door dedicated to all those in the village who are gone but not forgotten. There is a book available for signing in the Library for anyone who would like to commemorate a loved one.
We successfully obtained a grant from Newydd Housing Association and Encon Construction Ltd who are building in the village. We were able to purchase a new projector which was supplied and fitted by Extrascope IT Services who continue to help us with all things IT related. We have also been able to offer our users free access to Find My Past.
The Fire Alarm was replaced following a routine maintenance visit which identified issues with the control panel.
It remains the aim of the Trustees to continue to run the Library for the benefit of as many members of the local community as we can. As well as being a place to discover the fascinating world of books, and to meet with friends and have a taster of new skills and experiences, we are a vital local access point for online services and printing. This is a testament from a local woman who used our facilities just before the pandemic was declared over
‘At the library, you can do an online search; fill in a vital online form; download paper forms and information from important websites; print out; photocopy; and scan documents. All these activities can change your life; perhaps, in one or two instances - save it. Informed and experienced librarians and helpers can guide you through a maze of difficulties and make life-changing suggestions.
The library, for me, has meant the difference between receiving a Conditional Offer on an NHS job - and a Firm Offer on the same job; during a global pandemic. That, alone, is priceless’.
As always we are hugely indebted to our hard working Trustees and loyal volunteers, without who we simply couldn’t function. We also remain grateful to Llantrisant Community Council for all their support and for the Annual Grant we receive from them which ensures we can provide a service, whatever the circumstances.
Julie Barton Chair of Trustees January 2023
Inde endent Examinerfs Re ort Beddau & T nant Communi Libra Chari Number 1157769 For the eriod endin 31" Au ust 2022 Res n8ibllrti88 of tru8tee8 and exaniner The charity's trustees are reswsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity'8 trueas wueed an drt this yr for furKlir¥J and statutory purrmes. It is my rnsponsibilrty to.. examine the ac£ounts under sedion 145 of the Chariti88 Ad, to follow the Pr[dur•S laid down in the general Direth'ons givon by the Charity Commission (under Se£( 145(5Xb) of the Chaiities Act. and to 3tate whether particular mattern haw to my attention. a818 of inde ndent examin My examination has bean wied oirt in xcordance with general diredions given by the Charity Commission. TM examination induded a revie4V of the accounting rerdS kept by the charity and a comparison of the XontS prvdented with those recnrd8. It 8180 induded consideration of any unusual items or disdosures in the accounts, and seekiNJ explanats'ons from the trustees conceming any 8u( matters. Inde rf8 8tateffrrt In connedion with my examination, M mattor cl concwn has to my attention and in my opinlon the accounts.. glve a true and fair ryeW of the sLqte of the Charfty's affars as at 31 August 2022 8nd of its incoming resources and applicati$ of resour, for the year then ended hava been prop8rfy prepared in a(£ordance wtth unit Kingdom Generally Aceeptsd Accounting Pr8¢tsce. and have been prepa1 in aCrdance with the requiremerrt8 of the Chaiiiies Act 2011. Signed............................................. q.A q.b Iri5 I Ccri efKw, Ll..I Ccoun Relevant ProfeSonal Qualifulion or 8.. ... ................................................................... niClo/)5
Beddau & Tynant ConThinlty Ubrnry Charlty Number 1157769 Income & Expendlture Account For the year endlng 31st Au8USt 2022 2022 Gr•nts Don•tlons Fundrnlslng Room Hlre Glft Ald Incl11 M•t¢h Fundlr¥ 8,165 1,657 727 11,343 Gis & Elertrb¢lty Water In5urarK• Book Purch•s•s T•lephone ststlonery & Post•g• Fundr•lsln8 Ewènts IT ExperltUre Dedl¢•ted Gr•nt ExperKlltur• Dues & Subscrlptlons Repairs & Renew•ls, Bulldl Profe5$1on•l F¢es 756 136 1,433 760 131 139 2.351 T¢tsl Exp•ndlturn Inwm• over E¥pendltur• Openlnl 8•l•rKe, B•nk Net Incom1 Resourees forthe Ye•r 7,886 3.457 38.747 42,204