2021-03-31-accounts

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Friends of Highgate Library Charitable Foundation

Report of the Trustees for the year 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021

The trustees present their annual report and income and expenditure statement for the year from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 and confirm they comply with the Charities Act 2011. The AGM for the year 2020/21 was held on 18 October 2021 virtually online as permitted by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020.

Reference and Administrative Information

Charity Name : Friends of Highgate Library Charitable Foundation Charity Registration Number : 1161601

Trustees: Sarah Harrison Linda Lefevre (Chair) Agnes Stewart Sarah Carrier Michele Cohen Patrick Lefevre Margot Kafno Fabian Watkinson Virginia Kerridge (Secretary) Paul Harris (Treasurer)

Structure, governance and management

Governing document

Friends of Highgate Library Charitable Foundation (“FOHLCF”) is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charity Commission in May 2015 under charity number 1161601. It is governed by a constitution filed with the Commission.

Organisational structure

The charity trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The trustees give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits. The trustees meet together as a body four times a year and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to the running of Highgate Library and the running of Highgate Library Civic and Cultural Centre (“HLCCC”).

The charity works in partnership with the London Borough of Camden (“Camden”) Library Services to run Highgate Library. Details of the partnership are set out in a Memorandum of Understanding dated 1 June 2015. To assist in the smooth running of Highgate Library the trustees have delegated responsibility to a management group who meet regularly with officers and staff from Camden in a Highgate Library Management Group (“HLMG”).

Recruitment and appointment of trustees

The existing trustees are responsible for the recruitment of new trustees. No new trustees were appointed during this year but Toby Faber accepted the charity’s invitation to become President.

Objectives and activities

The objects of the charity are set out in the charity’s constitution as follows:

To advance the education of the public in Highgate by providing, or assisting in the provision of, a public library and associated services, including but not limited to, information and study facilities, educational programmes, courses, classes and lectures.
To provide or assist in the provision of facilities at the Highgate Library and the Highgate Library Civic and Cultural Centre for meetings, classes, lectures and recreation or other leisure time occupation for those individuals living and or working in the London Borough of Camden and the surrounding area in the interests of social welfare and with the objective of improving the conditions of life of the said individuals.
Such charitable purposes for the public benefit as are exclusively charitable according to the laws of England and Wales as the trustees may from time to time determine.

All the activities of the charity are carried out by volunteers. All our trustees and volunteers give of their time freely. All volunteers working in Highgate Library are DBS checked. FOHLCF operates the hiring of the Hall entirely with volunteers. The Hall is a much needed community space in the area following the demolition of Highgate Newtown Community Centre.

Activities and achievements

The charity carries out core activities in pursuance of its charitable aims. The trustees consider that these activities, summarised in this report, provide benefit to the community surrounding Highgate Library which includes Highgate Newtown, Dartmouth Park and Highgate.

HIGHGATE LIBRARY

Compliance with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding and development of Highgate Library are monitored by the quarterly meetings of a committee comprising Moira Ugoji Head of Libraries, Nick Durant, Linda Lefevre, Sarah Harrison and Thanos Morphitis. The Library and Library volunteers are managed by Highgate Library Management Group “HLMG”. The group members are Sarah Harrison (Chair/FOHLCF), Paul Harris (FOHLCF), Reg Herring (FOHLCF), Michele Cohen (FOHLCF) and Nick Durant (LB Camden Library Team Leader).

Highgate Library was closed from mid-March 2020 in line with the national guidelines for the pandemic. The Library staff were re-deployed with Camden Council. To keep in touch

with volunteers and library staff Paul Harris and Reg Herring circulated a fortnightly blog with news, local information, reviews and videos.

In August 2020 the FOHLCF members of the HLMG with the agreement of Camden Libraries organized a “mini” library service. Operating from the front doors of the building, this service enabled library users to borrow books as well as returning those borrowed items no longer wanted. Covid safety precautions were instituted with all items being quarantined and cleaned before available for re-borrowing.

In the Autumn the Library re-opened its doors for a limited service, enabling adults to browse and select their own books. Since then the service offered has been gradually extended to include access for children and use of the public PCs. Many of the Library’s services remained suspended throughout the year, including all children’s activities, daily newspapers and the provision of study and reading spaces for adults and young people. Full Covid safety precautions have been in force since the partial re-opening with all users asked to wear masks, use the hand sanitisers and maintain social distance.

Recruitment, training and management of Highgate Library Volunteers

During the year 2020/21 there were 39 volunteers registered on the rota on the Three Rings application. Sadly the number of active volunteers significantly reduced during the pandemic, and it has not been possible to recruit or train new volunteers during this period. Increasing the volunteer numbers will be a priority for 2021/22.

As soon as the Library reopened the “Three Rings” application became again the basic method of communication with volunteers, both organising the rota and keeping volunteers up to date with developments concerning the Library. With the number of visits greatly reduced, the volunteers used the time to organise a complete stock check of the library books and a thorough clean of all shelving, toys and equipment.

The Management Group have been working on an improved version of the Volunteer Handbook, and also submitting plans and funding applications to convert the Library office into rooms: a smaller office and a new meeting room. This meeting room will enable Highgate Library to develop as a community hub.

Improvements in Highgate Library

All the additional activities including Singing Stories, Rhyme Time for under threes, and Chess Club which have been suspended during the whole of the year are planned to resume in September 2021, though relocated to the larger Hall space with its better ventilation.

The two projects for which FOHLCF obtained CIL funding from Camden in 2020 unfortunately had to be put on hold during the year from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. Planning continued behind the scenes and it is now planned to launch the Toy Library project in September 2021. The Saturday morning Computer Club remains at the planning stage.

FOHL Memorial Garden

This has continued to be maintained by Library volunteers throughout the pandemic.

HIGHGATE LIBRARY CIVIC AND CULTURAL CENTRE Due to the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic and government regulations LB Camden closed the Hall on 17 March 2020 and on 23 April 2020 ordered that no trustees or volunteers were permitt8d to enter the Hall or let it out for any use. These restrictions on the use of the Hall were in effect throughout the whole of the year from April 2020 to 31 March 2021. As a conseqLJence the charity did not receive income from Hall lettings. Camden suspended collecting the service charge during the year but the charity continued to pay standing charges including insurance. The charity had renewed an insurance policy wtth Zurich covering public liability and property contents on 18 February 2020. Because of the pandemic Zurich offered a 3 month free extension of the policy. Negotiations for a new kncence to FOHLCF were effectively suspended whilst LB Camden forbade access to the Hall. FINANCE REPORT The impact of the pandemic resulted in the closure of HLCCC and loss of all rental income for the period. The impact of the Covid 19 pandemic resulted in the closure of HLCCG and the loss of all rental income for the period from March 2020 to end March 2021. CIL funding for the Toy Library and Computer Club was ring fenced and remained as a cash balance in the charity's bank account. Outgoings continued. Refunds of £600 were made for Hall bookings which could not be fulfilled due to lockdown. This Annual Report of the Trustees for the year from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 is approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by.. Linda Lefevre (Chair)

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Section B Statement of assets and liabilitles at the end of the period CatsgortgB UnreitrtGted Rutrtct•d knnds Iuds Drta415 trj n•w••t£ tOlr&t£ to near£ 81 Ca$h funds Cash at 8ank 44,$21 T47ts1 ¢8sh lunds H821 lagrp• baTrEes th recelpt• and p•yn)B%ts arxount(s)) O ox OK Endowm•nt fund$ to noar88t£ Unrestrtcted fund8 ReBtricts funds no•r8st£ Detsil Fwit4whl¢h Ccatlwonall urrenl v4lu• Detall8 Fu0¢ to whlch Bt b•lo ¢urronl valu Detsl Costlopthnall B4 Assets r•talnod for the charlty's ¢)wn use Funtt to whlch relat•s Amountduo tkonal Whtsn dts• onol Detsils B5 Liabilities Slgnod by ono ortrm tru$tsÈt tsn bohaff of 811 tho trust8 Slgna Pdnt Nam• Dat• of roval Paul Vlrglnla K•rrldge 2010112022 2010112022 CCXX R2 arLounts ISSI 22101rd022

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 Friends of Highgate Library Charitable Foundation On accounts for the year ended 31" March 2021 Charity no lif any) 1161601 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (llhe Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report As the charrty's trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (°the Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trusfs accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Chartty Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the ArA. Independent The tharity's gross income is below £50.000 and l am qualified to undertake examinerfs statement the examination by being a qualified member of The Institute of Chartered Accountsnts. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below "} whith gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charrties Act., or the attounts did not aw?rd wrth the accounting records: or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements conmIng the fom and content of accounts set out in the Chartties {Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ttrue and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no COnmS 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 delete the words in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Date: 2110112022 Name: Bemadette O'Brien Relevant professional qualifition{s) or body Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants IER Oct 2018

(if any}: Address: 10 Stomiont Road Highgate London N64NL Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern {s& CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts". directions and guidan for examiners). Give here brief detsils of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018