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2023-03-31-accounts

Friends of Greenhill Library

Registered Charity Number 1158656 Greenhill Library, Hemper Lane Sheffield S8 7FE Telephone:0114 2377657

email: admin@greenhill-library.org www.greenhill-library.org

ANNUAL REPORT TO THE 2023 AGM

This report covers activities from October 2022 to September 2023 and the finances for the year ending 31[st] March 2023.

Foreword

What a fantastic year this has been for Friends of Greenhill Library, one of change, growth and celebration across both of our locations in Greenhill and Lowedges. The library continues to recruit new volunteers and find new ways to meet the needs and wants of local residents. Our Greenhill buildings utilities have been modernised and the space in the children’s section was extended just in time to celebrate our 60[th] Anniversary. Whilst we still face some challenges, the library’s future feels secure and in good hands – our volunteer celebration event in July was testament to that. Next year marks our 10[th] anniversary as a community run library, a brilliant milestone to look forward to and what should be a proud achievement for all those who have and continue to be involved in Friends of Greenhill Library. Well done.

Main Achievements During the Year.

A) Library Service.

Following much hard work from our library assistants, session leaders and our operational lead Ann Hartley we have returned to our pre-pandemic opening hours of 26 hours per week. We continue to welcome around 3000 visitors each month and total book loans continue to grow. Interestingly yellow sticker book loans, those not on the wider library catalogue, now make up 61% of our book issues. Additionally, this year has seen our highest number of yellow sticker book issues compared to the previous five years, 14608 book issues this year up from 10586 last year.

Our sub-branch library, Lowedges, which shares a space with the Terminus Initiative in the Meeting Place continues to go from strength to strength. As was our aim, the recruitment of more volunteers means there is a reduced dependence on

Catherine Samengo-Turner, our Events and Engagement Coordinator in order to offer a library service. In turn, this has meant Catherine has more time to engage the local community and find new ways to connect them to the library such as regular class visits to the library from Lowedges Academy.

Lowedges library is open 12.5 hours per week. Engagement in the library continues to grow through increased footfall and library membership. Book issues continue to grow and book ‘give aways’ remain a proven means of engaging local people in the library.

Our Summer Reading Challenge for children run at Greenhill Library in 2023 was a success. Co-ordinated by Clive Opie and in addition managed by a range of volunteers a total of 166 children (102 girls, 64 boys) registered and, at time of going to press, 43% had completed the challenge. The total registering was up on 2022 figures although still down on the 2019 registration figures of 186 but obviously a continuing improvement pattern.. Encouragingly, the Lowedges library registered 15 children (9 girls, 6 boys) with a 20% completion rate, another continuing improvement pattern.

We continue to expand our selection of books both through donations and the purchase of new titles. We remain grateful for the £1,500 book grant from Sheffield City Council in this regard. Books we cannot add to our catalogue ensure our ever popular book shop remains well stocked. We continue to sell books, including those not fit for use, to a range of online buyers and platforms including Ziffit, Revival Books and We Buy Any Books. This ensures books get the best possible chance of being used or recycled. We really appreciate peoples donations as the above outlets collectively provide us with steady income.

This last year saw the return of our user survey with the results published in April 2023. The outcome was overwhelmingly positive with a significant number of comments on how fantastic our volunteers are and what a fantastic community asset the library is. Other comments on how we can improve have been taken forwards.

B) Community Outreach & New Activities.

Our strategic objective is to grow outreach into our community and new activities. These would be to fulfil our mission “to work with local residents, groups and organisations to promote other educational, cultural, recreational and social activities that respond to their needs and contribute to community cohesion and development”.

Our activities are now back to business as usual with some new additions. Special thanks to Chris Brown who helps organise or oversee many activities at Greenhill Library. Our offer over the last year has included:

Greenhill

● Our monthly film program for both adults and children continues to be popular with many showings enjoying a full house

Lowedges

Communications

Our 8-page printed newsletter continues to be distributed every 4 months alongside a digital newsletter sent out monthly to 500 recipients with a fantastic 70% ‘open rate’ making it our most definitive communications outlet. Well done to those involved in putting this together.

We continue to maintain a significant presence on Facebook; Greenhill now has 1,609 followers and Lowedges has 233 follwers (up from 132 last year).

Work continues on a Lowedges specific website which we hope will go live by the autumn. At Christmas we also completed our first leaflet drop specifically for Lowedges which led to new people coming to the library and numerous children attending to claim their free book!

C) Organisation & People.

Our strategic objective is to maintain a workforce of volunteers with the skills, capacity and motivation to operate the library to the same standard as those operated professionally, and to provide a high-quality offering of community events.

At present we have 166 members , of whom 135 are registered as volunteers, 1 is an employee, Catherine Samengo-Turner, who is funded via a grant from the National Lottery, and 30 are Friends contributing at least £20 p.a. Since the pandemic a number of volunteers have not returned to the library for a variety of reasons but we can still contact them to volunteer in the library should the need arise. Around 75 volunteers, plus Catherine, regularly volunteer.

Trustees Michael Corbishley Chris Brown Lyndon Henard

Chair Vice-Chair Secretary

Dawn Davis Treasurer Ann Hartley Operations Manager Lynne Raven Volunteer Coordinator Wendy Crookes, Janet Crowther, Kirsty Atkin, Laurence Coates

Ex-Trustees: Richard Brown

Unfortunately, Michael Corbishley will be stepping down as Chair of the board due to a change in his employment that will limit his ability to fulfill this role effectively. This will take place following our 2023 AGM.

Trustees are elected, usually for a period of 3 years, by the membership of the Friends of Greenhill Library. They meet monthly and review FROGL’s policies and procedures on a regular basis.

Volunteers can access the minutes, policies and procedures on the Three Rings website. Members and library users may also consult them in the library on request. Additionally, Lyndon Henard has recently organized the collation of handover documents for key roles in the library to shore up our succession planning, these are also available on Three Rings.

D) Finance for the year ending 31/3/2023.

Our strategic objective is to maintain financial sustainability with multiple diverse funding streams.

Receipts in 2022-23 were £76,625 (2021-22 £62,501) and Payments £143,484 (2021-22 £40,410) giving a deficit on the year of £66,860 (2021-22 surplus £22,091). We are grateful to Sheffield City Council for their annual grant as well as for the support of their libraries staff. Fundraising and earned income have increased to £22,231 from £10,283 the previous year, close to pre-pandemic levels. Last year's deficit is entirely due to the cost of the new building developments.

Reserves Policy. On 31/3/23 we carried forward funds of £158,968, of which most were unrestricted reserves. The trustees’ policy is designate as Reserves an unrestricted sum equal to 5 years gap between expected unrestricted receipts and payments (i.e. circa £27,000) but also to designate funds for significant matters. The fund for major repairs is now £28,500. £16,925 is designated to fund community events over the years. During the year some reserves were invested in interest-bearing accounts with the Charity Bank and the Hampshire Trust Bank.

E) Building.

Our strategic objective is to have a fit for purpose and developing building.

As always, we continue to be indebted to Rob Goodrum, buildings manager, and his team of handypersons and to Linda Stevenson and team of cleaners for their constant attention to maintenance, painting, cleaning and health and safety in the library. There are many volunteers who operate ‘behind the scenes’ but are integral to the successful running of our library. Thank you for your ongoing commitment and hard work.

Following the board agreement in April 2022 to revise our building development

plans, Burnell Briercliffe oversaw the tender process and our chosen contractor Sandersons commenced work in January 2023 and completed the works in April. The works included new toilets and kitchen facilities alongside an extension to the children’s library area and a new storage room. These have been welcome additions with the new area in the children’s library proving particularly popular (especially given the addition of new bean bag chairs). Thanks to the building works planning group (Kirsty Atkin, Wendy Crookes, Ann Hartley and Rob Goodrum) for their input on this work and for everyone’s patience as the works were completed. The building works were completed under budget which was an additional bonus!

The previous plans for lettable offices and a community room remain on hold but we still intend to modernise the main office space in the near future.

Greenhill and Lowedges Library both joined the wider Sheffield ‘welcoming space’ network providing a warm space during the colder months again demonstrating how we meet a myriad of needs in the local community.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Michael Corbishley (Chair of Trustees) Date: Sept. 2023

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trusteesl members of ChaLilv .NGffle Friends of Greenhill Library On accounts for the year ended 31 Marth 2023 Charity no (if any) 1158656 Set out on pages (remember io indith the page nUM￿rS of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the ab)ve charity (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 31 March 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report As the ¢hariVs trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of th8 a¢¢ounts in accordance with the requirements of the Chanties Act 2011 (°the A(￿). I report in resped of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicab￿ Directions given by the Charity CommissK)n under section 14515){b) of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I Confi￿ that no material matters have examinerfs statement come to my attention in connection with the examination £eÉkeF sd968￿ which gives me cause to believe that in. any material resped". the accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Charities Act. or the accounts did not accord with the a¢￿UntIng records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements conceming the fonn and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulats'ons 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no COn￿mS and have come across no other matters in connection wtth the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please t8 the words in the ts rf Ihey do not apply. Slgned: Date: Name: Matthew Howe Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Chartered A￿untant (ICAEW) Address: 212a Bocking Lane. Greenhill IER Oct 2018

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Charity INdmè Friends of Greenhill Library On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 Charity no (if any) 1158656 Set out on pages (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of th8 accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trust.) for the year ended 31 March 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (°the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the Act. Independent I have ¢omp18ted my examinalion. I confimi that no material matters have examinerfs statement come to my attention in connection with the examination dis619￿￿. which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respe¢t.' the accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of Ihe Charities Act-, or the accounts did not accord with the a￿OUntIng records" or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements Con￿rning 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. I have no concems and 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. Please d t8 th8 words in the ts if they do not apply. Slgned: Date: Name: Matthew Howe Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Chartered Accountant {ICAEW) Address: 212a Bocking Lane, Greenhill IER Oct 2018

Sheffield S8 7BP Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs lo highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018