Potton Hall for All - Registered Charity No: 1158751
Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2023.
The Charity was registered on 2[nd] October 2014 as a CIO and this is our report for the 12 month period ended 31[st] December 2023. The Trustees confirm that this complies with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 and our Constitution.
Our Aims
Our aim is to build and run a self financing multi-functional community Hall for the people of Potton and surrounding villages.
Our Objectives
To identify sources of funding which will enable us to build the hall and to work with other local bodies, both statutory and voluntary to leverage this.
Review of Activities and Achievements
During 2023 we have been working with Potton Town Council, our partner in providing the community building for the people of Potton, and our chosen building contractor, Watson and Cox, to design a hall which can be built for the funds available.
In August Watson and Cox submitted a design which meets our requirements and can be built for the £1.7Million which we have promised to the project. On this basis we were able to show Central Bedfordshire Council that we have an affordable design and they have agreed that the Section 106 money which has been allocated to the project can be released.
Potton Town Council have also received borrowing approval from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to take a loan through the Public Works Loan Board.
Other funders have made good on their pledges.
The rest of the year has been spent going through the designs to ensure that the design is complete and satisfactory to reduce the risk of overspend once building commences. We expect to be in a position to sign the contract early in 2024 and starting building in the first quarter of the year.
We have run a number of successful events which enhance community engagement in the project and raise funds towards it. These included an Easter Bunny Trail, a Quiz night and a Murder Mystery Night run with Potton Playhouse and Potton Scout Group. We also provided teas at the Community Orchard Apple Day and participated in the Coronation Celebrations, Seasonal Markets and Christmas Lights Switch on organised by Potton Town Council.
The Friends of Potton Hall for All group has been active in these events.
Further funding applications are being prepared to pay for parts of the build and to enhance it after completion.
We are working closely with Potton Town Council and Central Bedfordshire Council who are offering support for the project.
The Trustees
We have 5 Trustees who are very active in the local community, one of whom is nominated by Potton Town Council. They are supported by a number of smaller support committees. The Trustees have taken the commission’s public benefit guidance into account when making any decision to which it is relevant.