## Higher Blackley Community Organisation 

## Annual Trust Report January 2021 

## **Introduction** 

This charity was formed in October 2015, taking over the assets and liabilities of a previous charity, the Higher Blackley Community Association. It added two new trustees. We continue as the only provider of space for charities in Blackley and have developed fresh means of outreach to the community in the past years. 

## **Aims and Organisation** 

The aims of the Organisation are: 

- 1) To provide, principally for the inhabitants of Blackley, facilities for social welfare, recreation and leisure and education to improve the life of the inhabitants. 

- 2) To establish and maintain a Community Centre to further the above aim 

We are governed by a constitution which was accepted by the Charity Commission in 2015. 

## **Review of the Year** 

This has been another unusual year. The centre has been closed or partially closed for much of the time because of the Covid-19 pandemic 

- 1) Many groups have not been able to meet, or have only met for a part of the year because of the pandemic. It is clear that the Line dancing, Primary School dancing group, the Zumba dance group, Cheerleaders and baby Ballet and the Band have or will resume but there is no indication about the Parent and Toddler group and the Councillors surgery. It is likely that Kung Fu will recommence but Slimming world and Belly dancing will not 

- 2) The NHS Diabetic Eye screening has been a useful addition to our list of groups. 

- 3) Socialise continued to meet when able but fewer people were attending. The hope is that once lock down is finally ended they will return to their previous levels of attendance. 

- 4) Mulberry homes have made a start on the development of the site comprising the old Youth Club, the British Legion and the old library, together with the adjoining land. We await with interest the development of the ramped access to the main door and the changes to the Building. The development is to build 26 semidetached houses on the site half of which are for social renting, but it is not clear to us how these will be allocated or who will collect the rent. 

- 5) W have been told that the capital receipt from Great Places (who employ Mulberry homes) has been promised by Manchester City Council to be spent on improving the Community Centre to ensure the longevity of the building 



- 6) We are due for a year of disruption because of the development next door. It is hoped that this will not interrupt our services much but we are not sure of that. 

- **7)** We look forward to a returning balance this coming year but it may not be a full year so the trustees may have to consider raising the rents to maintain a balance between outgoings and incomings. 

## **Income and Expenditure trends** 

One of the mainstays of income has always been the rent paid by the various groups who use the building. Because of the pandemic this has reduced because groups have been unable to meet. This year has been the first complete year when we have been affected by the Covid pandemic. 

The NHS Diabetic Eye Screening has helped to mitigate some of our loss, but we still lost over £11,000 on a year by year calculation. It is hoped that as groups come back into the centre we will recoup some of the losses, although it is certain that all will not be recovered. We have benefitted by a reduction in the use of gas and electricity when people were not using the building. Without the grant from the City Council we would be in deficit funding. 

## **Basis of preparation and legal framework** 

The Charities Annual Report and the accounts to 31 March 2020 have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011. 

Full name of Charity:   Higher Blackley Community Organisation 

Registered Charity Number: 1162134 

Date of Registration: October 2015 

Main Communication address: Higher Blackley Community Centre, Victoria Avenue, Higher Blackley, Manchester.M9 0RA 

The Charity Trustees for the past year have been: Esther Dolan, Roger Green, Shelley Lanchbury, Brian Lynn, Harry Lyons, Barbara Sidebotham, Janice White and Stephen White, Jackie Betney and Brian Nuttall. 

The preparation of the accounts has been the responsibility of Harry Lyons. 

**Public Benefit** 



We confirm that the Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission guidance on Public Benefit. 

## **Risk Management** 

Major risks have been identified by the General Manager and reported to the Trustees meeting which is ultimately responsible. 

## **Reserves Policy** 

Again, our reserves have decreased in the past year and we have only about 6 months in hand. It would be good to increase this amount towards the 12 months which we aim to have in hand. We have a few months of the pandemic still to go and will have to deal with some improvements when the building is finally separated from the old Youth Club. 

Signed 

Position 



HIGHER BLACKLEY COMMt)p ITY ORGANISATIOPI
YEAR END ACCOIINTS 2021k2021
INCOME..
APRIL 2OJ)
MAY 2020
JUNE 2020
JULY 20?0
AUGUST 20_YJ
SEPTEMBER 2020
ocroBER 2020
NOVEMBER 2020
DECEMBER 2020
JANUARY 2021
FEBRUARY 2021
MARCH 2021
7rt17.94
758.98
7180.(K)
474.19
825O.(K)
765_(M)
TOTAL IYCOME FOR THE YEAR
3267&11
EXPENDITURE:
APRIL 2020
MAY 2020
JUNE 2020
JULY 2020
AUGUST 2020
SEYfEMBER 2020
(KTOBER 2020
NOVEMBER 2020
DECEMBER 2020
JANUARY 2021
FEBRUARY 2021
MARCH 2021
2941.08
3629.03
2861.0
5277.90
4(X>4.21
3223.03
3877.89
3614.56
3675.57
3960.92
TOTAL EXPEI¥DrruRE FOR THE YEAR
4381•
11133.94
BANK sfATEMEYT31" MARCH 2￿•
362J•.94
UNBANKED CHEQUES
CASH HELD LW pErrY CASH ACCOUNT
ifj•
BAf4K sfATEMENT 31" MARCH 2021
24S96JZ
ExAmI￿R's NAME: C•ucilh)rSHULEY LLNCHBIIRY
SIGNATURE:.
DATE:

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8gg
JX 8 ¢>8: 8 g8-
ScttS5< J.

PE￿ C￿ll ACCOUPtrs ￿2￿1411
INCOME
Awil 2020
May )020
Jvne 2020
J￿V2020
Au8vs¢ 2020
SEOernkn2020
(khknr 2020
NovembeT2O20
Ik¢Thber2020
J•nuary 2021
Febnw 2021
M*Tch 2021
TOTAL INCOME
469.83
EXPEP4iifrL
Awil 2020
May 2020
June 2020
July 2020
Au8usi 2020
Septetthr 2020
(ktolKT 2020
Nov¢mEer 2(120
Dxcmber ￿20
JaJJufiry 2021
Few 2021
M*rb 2021
iio.
3120
3TrJ20
TOTALCASH IN HAND
I￿.63

Declaratlons
I confjrni that I have prcpayed th¢ accounts frnm the r¢¢ords of the Orgwiisatioll and
that they include all t.unds under the control of the Organisation.
Si8nature of T￿asurer
Name: Harold Lyons
Address.. 9 Northbrook Avenue, Crumpsall. Manchest¢r, M8 4WB
Pre5eDtation to the Annual General Meethig
l ¢onfArm that the accounts were p￿sented to the AGM on .
and were approved.
Signature of Chair.
Namc: Roger Gr¢en
Address.. 105 Heaton Pth Road, Higher Blackley, Manchester M9
Independent Exlmlners Report to the Trnstees
This report is on ihe Organisalions Accounisfor Ihe yearending................
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention which
a) Gives reasonable cause to believe that in any n￿terIal requirements of the
record keeping is incoTrecl.
bl To which atlcntion should bc drawn so that a ptopcr undcrstanding of thc
accounts be rreached.
Signaturc of Examin¢r'.
Dat¢..
Relevant profe￿lOnal qualification or body QzUkid&g(
Name.. Shelley Lanchbury
Address., Apt 308, 73 Liverpool Road, Manchester, M3 4AQ