2022-03-31-accounts

Higher Blackley Community Organisation

Annual Trust Report September 2022

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. We are now entering a period when groups are once again attending but there have been some changes

• 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, Cheerleaders, the Band, the Parent and Toddler group, Kung Fu, and the Councillors Surgery have recommenced their activities but initially in a slightly reduced format. It is interesting to note that as time has progressed there has been more activity from each of them. The NHS Diabetic Eye screening was a useful addition to our list of groups and looks likely to continue.

• 2) Socialise continued to meet when able but fewer people have been attending; the numbers are picking up but slowly. The hope is that once we resume normal activity they will return to their previous levels of attendance.

• 3) Mulberry homes 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. However in January 2022 they went into receivership and we await with interest the new builders who will develop the site. We still need to have a ramped access to the main door. The changes to the building were agreed with Mulberry but we await the new builders to see whether they will accede to our demands. 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.

• 4) 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

• 5) We are due for yet another 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.

• 6) 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 was reduced because groups had been unable to meet but this report recognises that we made a small profit on the year. This was due to the reduced amount we paid in gas and electricity bills but what the future holds with threats of increased bills is uncertain. It is good to be coming out of the Covid crisis!

The NHS Diabetic Eye Screening has been a very useful addition to our portfolio and has helped to mitigate some of our losses. It is hoped that as groups come back more fully into the centre we will recoup some of the losses made in previous years. We have benefitted by a reduction in the use of gas and electricity when people were not using the building. What the future holds is not known. 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 2022 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

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