Registered Charity Number: 1159745
Walkley Carnegie Library
Annual report and unaudited financial statements
for the year ended 31 March 2025

Walkley Carnegie Library
Contents
Page
Legal and administrative information
Trustees, annual report
Accountants, report
Receipts and payments account
Statement of assets and liabilities
Notes to the accounts
io-ii

Walkley Carnegie Library
Legal and administrative information
For the year ended 31 March 2025
Registered Charity Number
1159745
Trustees
Danica Summerlin
Tim Saunders
Anne Grange
Mark Crossland
Angela Davies
Renata Staples
Janet Firth
Chair
Treasurer
Secretary
Appointed 20 March 2025
Appointed 20 March 2025
Resigned Sept 2025
Principal Address
Walkley Library
403 South Road
S6 3TD
Bankers
Co-operative Bank
Business Direct
PO Box 250
Skelmersdale
WN86
Accountants
Seven Hills Accountants Limited
57 Burton Street
Sheffield
56 2HH

Walkley Carnegie Library
Trustees annual report
For the year ended 31 March 2025
The trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of the
charity for the year ending 31 March 2025.
Charitable objertives and activities
The objects of the charity as set out in the governing document are".
l} The advancement of education for the benefit of the public in the district of Walkley in the City of
Sheffield and the surrounding area by the provision of a community leading library and associated
services
2} to promote for the benefit of the public in the district of Walkley in the City of Sheffield and the
surrounding area without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or
other opinion by associating together the said residents and local authorities, voluntary and other
organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide faculties in the interest of
social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the
conditions of life for the residents.
WCL mission: to provide a dynamic space and innovative services for local residents to read, learn,
meet, make, play, create, develop, socialise, access services, support one another and much more.
The main activities undertaken in relation to those purposes:
Operating a volunteer managed public library for at least as many hours per week as was
provided previously by the local authority. Book loan is dependent on library membership
{free), and the building, activities and events are open to the public.
Providing events and activities suitable for a wide age range and to provide space to hire for
group activities orevents. Hires of the space are limited by the lack of level access to the space.
Displaying local community information including access to newspapers and the internet and
providing an information and enquiry service.
Providing training and mentoring where appropriate.
Providing the opportunity for people to contribute to the service by volunteering or making
donations of services or equipment. Suitable training to be provided to all volunteers including
trustees.
The trustees have given due consideration to the Charity Commission published guidance on the
Public Benefit requirement under the Charities Act 2011. The following services are available to the
public-
Providing and improving the library service and keeping a community building open.
Maintaining the building and surrounding grounds and contributing to the vibrancy of the high street
(South Road).
Delivering a range of activities for different age groups, particularly for pre-school and school age
children.
Providing volunteering opportunities and training.
Being involved with other local groups and events.
Providing a welcoming environment for all visitors.
Acting as a Welcome Hub, to provide a safe warm space for local people through the winter months.
Providing Duke of Edinburgh placements and projects at both school and higher education levels.
Working with other volunteer libraries to maintain the standard of se￿iCe across the city and to
create events celebrating libraries.

Walkley Carnegie Library
Trustees annual report
For the year ended 31 March 2025
Structure, governance and management
Walkley Carnegie Library (WCLI is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation that operates a wholly
volunteer led library. The organisation became a registered charity on 31 December 2014, registered
charity number 1159745. The library is governed by a constitution last amended on 31 December
2014, available on request. A board of appointed trustees run the organisation, delegating the day-to-
day running of the library to a team of volunteers.
The membership consists of trustees and volunteers. All these members have voting rights, and the
AGM welcomes library users and observers.
The 2024 AGM confirmed Danica Summerlin as a new trustee and chair of the trustees group. The
resignation of two trustees in the last year was flagged as a risk, and the library continues to actively
search for new trustees. We were reminded of the impact WCL has on the local community with one
attendee commenting "as a library user and a recent retiree, the library has been a lifeline this year."
The Counter Services Committee (CSC) continues to play a key role in the operation of the library and
has undertaken important work around improving volunteer co-ordination and communication. CSC
meetings provide a valuable link between counter volunteers and trustee decision making.
Achievements and performance
We are hugely proud of what our volunteer team has achieved over the last year. Volunteer numbers
and capacity have increased with five new volunteers and eight students following the Duke of
Edinburgh Award. One of our former bronze DofE students came back to do her Gold award,
organising a STEM club for 8-11-year-olds which is fully attended and has plans to do a second in the
next financial year. We are keen to support young people to volunteer and gain valuable life and social
skills- currently we have eleven young people amongst our overall volunteer group.
We welcomed two new trustees in March 2025 - Tim Saunders and Renata Staples and they will be
formally ratified at the November AGM
We continue to maintain generous opening- 23 hours a week.
th
th
We celebrated our 10 birthday on Saturday 16 November and participated in a city-wide birthday
celebration of volunteer libraries. A commendable milestone achieved by so many volunteer run
libraries.
In the last 12 months, the library has run regular baby time sessions and paper pastime events for
children as well as treasure hunt activities for the younger library users and their families. We also
play host to regular music sessions for preschool children (Small Voices, Big Noises). We participated
in last year's summer reading challenge and will be doing so again this year. We have also welcomed
ad hoc groups, including primary school children visits. We hope to be able to extend this to other
local groups and schools in the future.
We operated as a Welcoming Place over winter. We are also welcoming a higher number of people
using the library as a work hotspot as an alternative to incurring working from home costs.
We installed a Sum-up card reader to enable easy donations and payments

Walkley Carnegie Library
Trustees annual report
For the year ended 31 March 2025
Achievements and performance (continued)
An updated version of Koha, our library catalogue was successfully installed in April 2024
We continue to host and participate community events. Highlights this year included a "Camareros"
event as part of the Walkley Heritage Open Week with children and parents visiting us for a relaxing
read on beanbags in the park. We also continue to champion local authors and hosted a book reading
by author Jo Garber in October. The event raised money for the Sepsis Trust. It was also productive to
work with Walkley Feral Writers, which is a partnership we would like to continue
We continue to purchase library material that will appeal to our diverse community. We monitor the
major book prizes- always buying the full shortlist for the women's prize. Booker prize and crime novel
of the year. We monitor books that are trending, orwhether a book is going to have a resurgence le.g.
BBC/Netflix new series/major film) and also the most popular authors in our loans. We also have a
suggestions option on the library user's accounts where they can suggest a book for purchase - this is
the first place we check when deciding on purchases.
Trustees continue to attend Voluntary Library in Sheffield IVLIS) meetings as a source of information
and support in the overall landscape of voluntary libraries. We also receive support from Sheffield City
Council's Libraries, Archives and Information team. Sheffield City Council remain our core funder, with
a grant agreement for 2025/26 in place.
Challenges
Over this period, the library has faced two major challenges. Firstly. issues arising from working in a
historic building which has many maintenance challenges and requires major renovations (for
example installing a level entrance facility} to enable us to maximise its use and income potential.
Secondly. and linked to this, the lack of a lease agreement with Sheffield City Council, without which
we are not in a position to seek funding to address the urgent access issues with the building. Both
challenges were reported on last year. The trustees are continuing to negotiate with the Council over
both issues.
Volunteer recruitment continues to be challenging. While we have a strong cohort of counter
volunteers, we have struggled to attract volunteers to support wider functions, including admin,
events, marketing and organisational support. There is a limit to what our countervolunteers and our
trustees can take on in addition to their core duties. We have offered a wide range of events and
activities this year but could do more with more volunteers focussed on this area. We would like to
develop our website further and to make it more dynamic as a shop window for our services and
activities. We continue to look for volunteers especially with the digital skills and time to help us move
forward.
The trustees continue to actively seek more trustees amidst a growing concern that pressure on
current trustees {all of whom have full time commitments outside the library) is unsustainable. This
is a problem common to many volunteer libraries and other charities. We are delighted that two
talented trustees have joined us during this period. The trustees continue to discuss ways to increase
uptake e.g. liaising with Voluntary Action Sheffield {VAS) and mentions in local
school/church/community newsletters.

Walkley Carnegie Library
Trustees annual report
For the year ended 31 March 2025
Future plans
The current political, economic and environmental uncertainty continues to necessitate libraries
taking a more active role in supporting the local community. We are mindful that we need to ensure
that the library has a sustainable future. It is vital that we obtain a lease, which will allow us to source
further funding and develop a more robust business plan to ensure the library continues to flourish.
In particular, the lack of required access continues to cause issues for library users.
We continue the conversation with relevant stakeholders at the council regarding the lease and the
current condition of the building. There is still a disjoint between the risks the trustees are willing to
take on as tenants of the building and the responsibilities of the council as the owner of the library.
Discussions are ongoing as to how to proceed. In the medium-term, the building remains the
responsibility of the council, and we continue to work with SCC Facilities to identify and address major
issues with the building.
Our key future priority (subject to lease agreement) remains seeking funding to undertake a building
project to provide an accessible entrance and toilet. This in turn should allow for an increased
programme of events and hiring, thus allowing the library to continue to be asset to the community
as a whole.
Financial review
We continue to receive grant funding from Sheffield City Council designed to cover the main costs of
running the building and maintaining a library service. As in previous years, room hire has proved to
be a valuable source of income, although there is room to increase this once the building is more
accessible.
We have also received a numberof donations in the form of books and/or services during the last year
for which we are very grateful.
Reserves policy
Uncertainties relating to the proposed refurbishment of the building and diminishing grant
contributions from Sheffield City Council mean that the Trustees wish to maintain reserves equivalent
to at least three years running costs. The reserves target is £45,000. This would provide time for
alternative means of providing an ongoing library service to be explored.
Free reserves at 31 March 2025 were £47,694, meaning that the trust holds reserves broadly in line
with this policy.

Walkley Carnegie Library
Trustees annual report
For the year ended 31 March 2025
The trustees declare that they have approved the report above on 22 November 2025
Signed on their behalf by:
D Summerlin
Trustee

Chartered Accountants, report to the trustees of Walkley Carnegie Library on the preparation of the
unaudited accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025
In order to assist you to fulfil your duties under the Charities Act 2011. we have prepared for your
approval the accounts of Walkley Carnegie Library for the year ended 31 March 2025 as set out on
pages 8 to 11 from the accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.
As a practising member firm of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales {ICAEW},
we are subject to its ethical and other professional requirements which are detailed at
http://www.icaew.com/en/membership/regulations-standards-and-guidance.
This report is made solely to the Trustees of Walkley Carnegie Library, in accordance with the terms
of our engagement letter dated 23 February 2023. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare
for your approval the accounts of Walkley Carnegie Library and state those matters that we have
agreed to the Trustees of Walkley Carnegie Library. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not
accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than Walkley Carnegie Library and its Trustees for
our work or for this report.
It is your duty to ensure that Walkley Carnegie Library has kept adequate accounting records and to
prepare accounts that give a true and fair view of the financial position of Walkley Carnegie Library.
We have not been instructed to carry out an independent examination or a review of the accounts of
Walkley Carnegie Library. For this reason. we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the
accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore,
express any opinion on these accounts.
H,11. A.-
Signed:
Seven Hills Accountants Limited
Chartered Accountants
57 Burton Street
Sheffield
S6 2HH
10 Dec 2025
Date:

Walkley Carnegie Library
Receipts & payments account
Forthe year ended 31 March 2025
Unrestrirted
fund
Restricted
funds
Total
2025
Unrestricted
fund
Restricted
funds
Total
2024
Note5
Receipts
Grants and donations
()ther fundraising
Room Hire
Library fees, fines & SCC events
376
1.436
920
15,959
16,335
1,436
920
759
1,212
638
1,370
15,959
17,171
638
1,370
66
759
66
Total receipts
2,732
16,718
19,450
3,220
16,025
19,245
Payments
Purchase of books
Event costs
Insurance
Cleaning Materials
Accountancy
IT Software and Consumables
Light, Power, Heating
Telephone & Internet
Miscellaneous Expenses
Printing & Stationery
Rates
Water Rates
Library fees and fines payable
Waste Disposal
Furniture and equipment
Bank charges
385
181
1,828
30
660
160
648
2.213
211
660
176
648
230
7,628
720
604
202
2,196
547
1.403
395
148
2.428
400
2.828
579
212
517
223
8,383
720
1,130
472
2,066
528
579
212
517
223
8,383
720
1.150
472
2,066
528
16
230
7.628
720
470
151
2,196
547
1,403
395
65
134
51
20
366
366
89
83
89
Total payments
1,085
16,901
17,986
2,537
15,596
18,133
Net receiptsl{payment5)
1,647
1183)
683
429
1,112
Transfers between funds
(181)
181
Net movement in funds
1,466
683
429
1.112
Cash funds brought forward
46,228
38,351
84,579
45,545
37,922
83,467
Cash funds carried forward
47.694
38.349
86.043
46,228
38.351
84,579

Walkley Carnegie Library
Statement of assets and liabilities
As at 31 March 2025
2025
2024
Cash assets
Bank
Cash
85,959
84
84,269
310
86.043
84.579
2025
2024
Debtors
Purchase of books - prepayment
117
117
2025
2024
Liabilities
Accountancy feel Independent examination fee
Outstanding SCC fines
495
480
463
495
943
Approved by the trustees on 22 November 2025 and signed on their behalf by-
D Summerlin
Trustee

Walkley Carnegie Library
Notes to the accounts
Forthe year ended 31 March 2025
Receipts & payments accounts
Receipts and payments accounts are statements that summarise the movement of cash into and out of the charity during the
financial year.
In this context "cash" includes cash equivalents, for example. bank accounts where cash can be readily withdrawn to pay for
debts as they become due.
Grants & donations
Unrestricted Restrirted
fund
funds
Total Unrestricted Restricted
2025
fund
funds
Total
2024
Sheffield City Council - Associate Library Grant
Sheffield City Council - Book grant
General Donations
14,959
1.000
14,959
1.000
376
14,959
1,000
14,959
1,000
1,212
376
1,212
376
15.959
16.335
1,212
15,959
17,171
Restricted funds
Funds
blfwd Receipts
Funds
c/fvid
Payments Transfer5
Sheffield City Council - Associate Library Grant
Sheffield City Council - Book grant
Sheffield City Council - Capital work
Dementia Project
Fees and fines on behalf of SCC
24.957
2.200
10.000
731
463
14.959
1.000
114,3971
11,ioii
25,519
2,099
10,000
731
759
11,4031
181
38,351
16,718
16,901
181
38,349
Sheffield City Council: Associate Library Grant- Funding towards the running of the library and associated activity that
benefits library users.
Sheffield City Council: Book grant- Funding to contribute towards the purchase of book stock5
Sheffield City Council: Capital work- Funding awarded as a contribLrtion towards future capital improvements.
Dementia Project- Funding to contribute towards a specific dementia project.
K Bentley Memorial Fund - Donations in memory of a long-time library user from her friends and family. To be spent on Blue
Sticker Books
Prior year comporlson
Funds
b/fvd Receipts
Funds
c/fvd
Payments
Transfers
SheffNeld City CouncAI- Associote Librory Gront
Sheffield City Council- Book grant
Sheffield City Council- Capital work
Dementio Projert
K Bentley Memoriol Fund
Fees andfines on behalf ofSCC
25,194
1.500
iO,(K30
731
100
397
14,959
(15,196)
(300)
24,957
2,200
10,000
731
fioo)
66
463
37,922
16,025
(15,596
38,351
io

Walkley Carnegie Library
Notes to the accounts (continued)
Forthe year ended 31 March 2025
Trustees, remuneration, expenses and beneffts
The charity trustees were not paid or received any other benefits from employment in the year12024- £nill neither were
they reimbursed expenses during the year {2024: £nill- No other charity trustee received payment for professional or other
services supplied to the charity12024: £nil).
Related party tran50rtions
There were no related party transactions in the year.
li