2025-03-31-accounts

In the Community, for the Community.

Burnhope Community

Centre

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ending 31st March 2025

Charity Incorporated Organisation Registration No: 1162463

Langley Avenue, Burnhope, Durham DH7 0AG

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In the Community, for the Community.

Centre report: April 2024 – March 2025

Groups & Activities:

Health, Fitness & Wellbeing

• Community Gym – Open at various times throughout the week for accessible fitness.

• Yoga for Chronic Pain – Gentle stretching and yoga designed for people living with chronic pain conditions.

• The Vitality Group – Follow-on wellbeing workshops and alternative therapies supporting participants with chronic pain. Regular attendance of 8–10, with additional occasional participants.

• Zumba – A fun and energetic exercise class suitable for all ages.

• Pilates – Inclusive sessions for all abilities, promoting core strength and flexibility.

• Keep Moving – A welcoming exercise class aimed at helping people begin or return to physical activity.

• Seated Chair Exercises – Gentle exercise designed especially for older adults.

• Mindfulness – Led by a trained mental-health volunteer, offering routines to support anxiety management, better sleep, and relaxation.

• Health Squad – Ran by the NHS, this makes primary health care accessible to those who have previously found it difficult.

Families, Children & Young People

• Burnhope Bairns – Term-time sessions for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their families.

• Family Martial Arts (Taekwondo) – A family-friendly class with Master Kim for ages 4+.

• Family Supper Club – A fun, hands-on cooking session where families try new foods and enjoy a healthy meal together.

• Kids Klub (Wednesdays & Thursdays) – School pick-up, games, crafts, and a healthy snack on arrival, followed by a hot meal.

In the Community, for the Community.

• Messy Play – A lively toddler group encouraging creative, sensory play.

• Youth Drop-In – Delivered in partnership with Derwentside Detached Youth Project.

• Inclusive Connections Durham – A monthly group for autistic children and their families, including seasonal celebration events.

Social, Creative & Community Groups

• Café Church (Monthly) – A relaxed, family-friendly space run by St John’s Church for exploring spiritual topics together.

• Monday Club – Bingo, quizzes, raffles, and friendly conversation over a cuppa.

• Walking Group – Weekly countryside walks followed by refreshments and company.

• Wellbeing Café – Light refreshments and creative activities supporting mental health awareness and self-care.

• Wednesday Lunchtime Social (Over 55s) – A welcoming lunch club offering a hot two-course meal and friendly company.

• Life After Loss – A drop-in safe space offering support for anyone coping with bereavement.

• Crafting Companions – A weekly creative meet-up for shared craft projects.

• Sewing Bee (Monthly) – A full-day sewing and crafting session.

• Burnhope Flower Club (Monthly) – Guided flower arranging with plenty of social time (and cake).

• Heritage Project – Permanent display trolley and corridor exhibitions showcasing Burnhope’s history and heritage.

• Charity Table-Top Sale – Organised by local volunteers to raise funds for community projects, including Burnhope Primary School and the Community Centre.

• Bingo – A much-loved weekly social event for residents.

• Lunch Club (Monthly) – A hot meal and relaxed social time, catered by The Garage Bar & Grill.

Sports, Skills & Self-Improvement

• ECQ Self-Defence – A friendly, accessible class teaching practical self-defence skills.

• Carpet Bowls (Fridays) – Gentle exercise combined with social connection; a consistently well-attended group.

Organisatons that use the Centre free of charge

• Burnhope Parish Council

• Burnhope Partnership

• Burnhope Gala Centenary 1926-2026 Planning Group

• St Johns Church – Strawberry Supper, Seasonal Fayres, Pie and Peas Suppers and for Café church

• The View Children’s Home

• Burnhope Miners Banner Group

• MacMillan Cancer Support

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In the Community, for the Community.

New Groups and Actvites for 2024/25:

Messy Play – Messy Play sessions offer babies and toddlers a fun, sensory-rich environment where they can explore textures, colours, and creative materials in a safe and stimulating way. These sessions are fully supported by our Activity Coordinator, who ensures activities are developmentally appropriate, inclusive, and designed to boost children’s confidence and social skills. Parents and carers also benefit from a friendly, welcoming space where they can connect with others.

Life After Loss – Life After Loss provides a calm, compassionate drop-in space for anyone coping with bereavement and loss. Whether someone has experienced a recent loss or is still navigating long-term grief, the group offers understanding, peer support, and gentle conversation in a nonjudgemental setting. Participants are welcome to attend regularly or simply drop in when they feel they need connection, kindness, or someone to talk to.

Family Supper Club (Dec 2024 – March 2025) – From December 2024 to March 2025, the Community Centre worked in partnership with St Johns Church to deliver a Supper Club every week. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our volunteers, the sessions were exceptionally well attended, regularly attracting between 24 and 32 participants each week.

The warm, welcoming environment combined with nutritious meals, conversation, and practical support made a significant difference to many individuals during the winter months.

Warm Space – The popularity of the Wednesday Lunchtime Social for seniors, which formed part of this provision, has been especially striking. Demand has remained so strong that we have chosen to continue the lunch club using Community Centre funds, supported by our committed team of volunteers who help ensure older residents have access to hot food, friendship, and a regular social gathering.

Pantry - Our new Community Pantry has been a tremendous success, now supporting over 140 members from across Burnhope and the surrounding area. The pantry provides a dignified, affordable, and accessible way for families and individuals to access essential items, helping to reduce financial pressure while promoting wellbeing and independence.

Stocked with a wide range of items, including fresh and frozen produce from Fareshare, pantry staples, and hygiene products, it enables members to choose what they need in a respectful and supportive environment. By providing access to good-quality food and household essentials at a low cost, the pantry helps families stretch their budgets, reduces waste, and fosters a sense of community.

The pantry has quickly become a valued part of Burnhope Community Centre, offering not just practical support, but also an opportunity for connection, friendship, and mutual support among members. It demonstrates how small acts of support, delivered with care and respect, can have a meaningful impact on the lives of those who need it most.

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In the Community, for the Community.

Household support fund:

Concerned by the growing number of Centre users and volunteers affected by the cost-of-living crisis, we began distributing support through the Household Support Fund last year. Information about the fund was shared widely across our groups, and through the local primary school and childminders to ensure those most in need were aware of the help available.

Although originally started at the beginning of 2024 we’ve been fortunate to receive further funding and have continued to deliver from April 2024-March 2025. The needs we encountered continue to be diverse and often severe. Many local households are affected by long-term sickness, physical or mental health challenges, bereavement, relationship breakdowns, and sudden changes in circumstances. A significant number of residents have no savings or financial safety net, leaving them extremely vulnerable when essential household items break down. Some reported being trapped in exploitative rental-purchase schemes for basic appliances, paying far more than the items were worth. Others requested help to replace old goods with energy-saving alternatives such as slow cookers and air fryers, which would reduce running costs long term. Many families struggled with unexpectedly high utility bills, while food vouchers remained one of the most requested forms of support.

We are now delivering the fourth and final round of the Household Support Fund. What has become increasingly clear is that the level of need continues to rise sharply. With the rising cost of fuel and ongoing financial pressures, we have seen a significant surge in demand, particularly for food vouchers and fuel support , which have become essential lifelines for many households.

More people than ever before are coming forward, and many of those who previously managed without assistance now find themselves unable to cope with routine expenses. This rising demand highlights the continued vulnerability within our community and the vital importance of continued support for struggling families and individuals.

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In the Community, for the Community.

Events:

• Trip to Hall Hill Farm – Our trip to Hall Hill Farm was a wonderful success, with over 80 people attending. We provided packed lunches, ensuring everyone could enjoy a picnic together. The day was full of laughter, fun, and shared experiences. The farm was fully accessible and warmly received by all attendees. Many families, who would not normally have been able to afford such an outing, were able to enjoy a memorable day out together, creating lasting memories and strengthening community connections.

• Informaton Exchange Evenings - This new initiative provides a valuable opportunity for the community to come together and engage with the Centre. Attendees hear directly from staff and trustees about current activities, upcoming plans, funding opportunities, successes, and our vision for the future. Equally important, these evenings give community members a platform to share their own ideas, successes, or concerns, helping shape the Centre’s future development. The sessions foster open communication, strengthen community ties, and ensure that the Centre continues to meet the needs and aspirations of those it serves.

• Autumn and Christmas Fairs - Our Autumn and Christmas Fairs were a huge success, drawing the community together for afternoons of fun, creativity, and festive cheer. Local businesses came out in force to support the Centre, helping us deliver engaging activities including raffles, craft stalls, and a pumpkin patch where families could pick their own pumpkins. Children especially loved the hot chocolate station, and a special visit from Santa added extra magic to the celebrations.

• Bringing the Arts to Burnhope – Our “Bringing the Arts to Burnhope” program, delivered by Highlights Theatre, offered an action-packed schedule of three outstanding events that delighted the whole community. Penguins – an alternative festive experience to the traditional pantomime, this interactive event featured a giant inflatable igloo that captivated children and families alike. The playful and immersive performance was a huge hit with all attendees. George Egg – celebrity chef George Egg cooked using unconventional equipment, providing a fun and entertaining evening for adults full of creativity, humor, and culinary surprises. Finally, The Lovely Assistant – This talented band, signed by the same label as Sam Fender, delivered an intimate acoustic performance, enchanting audiences with their beautifully crafted music. These events not only brought high quality arts and culture to Burnhope but also created shared experiences that strengthened community engagement and offered memorable entertainment for all ages.

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In the Community, for the Community.

vites: School Holiday Act

Burnhope Community Centre had an action-packed Summer in 2024, providing six weeks of exciting holiday activities that were enjoyed by children and families across the community. Thanks to support from local businesses, Tesco and fundraising during our Easter fair, all sessions were free of charge and included a delicious meal, generously prepared by our amazing volunteers and the team from St John’s Church, who continue to support us with food preparation since February 2022. Every session featured a two-course meal and snacks, ensuring children were well fed and ready for fun.

This summer we ran twice-weekly Summer Club sessions, each based around a weekly theme such as “Emergency Services” or “Family Fun.” Activities were creatively tailored to match the theme, giving children a wide variety of experiences.

Highlights included:

• Water Day with a water slide to cool off in the summer sun

• A visit from the Fire Engine , meeting the local heroes in person

• Inflatables, obstacle courses, bubble shows, and scavenger hunts

• BBQ and disco , giving families the chance to relax and dance together

• Trips out , including a fun day at the beach and a visit to Hall Hill Farm

Sporting activities were a big hit too. Children enjoyed a cricket carousel day with Burnhope Cricket Club, trying out cricket skills and games, alongside other active challenges. Seasonal favourites like Easter egg hunts, Halloween discos, and pumpkin picking also continued to delight children and families alike.

The success of the Summer Programme wouldn’t have been possible without the tireless support of our volunteers, who helped run activities, supervise children, and support food preparation. Together, we created a safe, fun, and memorable summer for all, giving children the chance to learn, play, and explore in a welcoming, community-focused environment.

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In the Community, for the Community.

Future Plans:

• Wednesday Lunchtme Social – We plan to continue our Wednesday lunchtime social sessions and will be seeking further funding to support this vital community service. These sessions play an important role for many of our centre users, providing companionship, reducing isolation, and helping people build meaningful friendships. For some attendees, this weekly gathering is one of their main opportunities for social interaction and support. By sustaining and developing the lunchtime social, we can continue offering a warm, welcoming space where people feel connected, valued, and part of the community.

• Burnhope Pantry Expansion – The Burnhope Pantry is currently housed in our meeting room, which restricts how we can operate and limits the experience for those who rely on it. We are seeking funding to expand the Pantry into its own dedicated building, positioned alongside the community centre. A separate purpose-built space would allow the Pantry to remain fully set up, creating a more welcoming and dignified “shop-style” environment. The new layout would include permanent shelving, dedicated fridges and freezers, and a small food preparation area. This will significantly improve organisation, increase storage capacity, and allow us to offer a wider range of fresh, chilled, and frozen items. A dedicated entrance and clear layout will make access simpler and more straightforward for residents, helping to reduce stigma and ensuring people can receive support with comfort and confidence. This expansion will strengthen our ability to respond to the ongoing cost-of-living pressures and meet the growing needs of our community.

• Sensory Statons – We plan to introduce mobile sensory stations that can be used across all of our events, as well as during Kids Club and our toddler sessions. These stations will be designed on a movable trolley, allowing them to be easily transported and set up anywhere within the centre. Each trolley will contain a range of sensory resources such as weighted blankets, ear defenders, fidget toys, and other calming or stimulating sensory items. These additions will help us create a more supportive and inclusive environment for children and families who may experience sensory sensitivities, anxiety, or additional needs. By providing accessible sensory tools at every session, we aim to remove barriers to participation, ensure all children feel welcome and comfortable, and enhance the overall quality of our activities. This initiative will help us deliver events that are genuinely inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of our community.

• Panto – We’re planning to host a community pantomime at the centre to provide families with an affordable, high-quality festive experience. Many households in the village are unable to afford traditional pantomime trips, especially during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. To address this, we aim to bring a travelling pantomime company to the centre and subsidise ticket prices so that the event is accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances. Alongside the performance, we hope to offer low-cost snacks and refreshments to keep the experience enjoyable without placing additional financial strain on families. Our goal is to create a memorable, inclusive family event that brings the community together, spreads joy and ensures that all children can enjoy the magic of a pantomime close to home.

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In the Community, for the Community.

Partnerships:

• Burnhope Partnership – Burnhope Community Centre continues to work closely with Burnhope Partnership by offering bid writing support and working closely with the Partnership members.

• Lanchester Partnership – Warm Space

• Churches Together and St. John’s Church

• The Garage Bar and Grille – providing our lunch club meals.

• Inclusive Connections Durham

• Burnhope Primary School

Our approach to room-hire:

In June 2022 the Trustees agreed that the Community Centre will no longer charge room hire to groups that are operating under the governance of the Community Centre and are part of our service provision. This new way of working was well received by the groups that use the Centre and for some groups they lowered the group subs which helps local people during the cost-of-living crisis. It also means that groups can raise funds for trips, equipment and seasonal get togethers. This has proved very popular with groups using the Centre.

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In the Community, for the Community.

Trustees:

Our current trustees are:

• Alan Gibson BEM, Trustee – appointed 27 January 2016

• Heather Galloway, Trustee – appointed 11 November 2020

• Ian Galloway, Treasurer – appointed 28 April 2022

• Helen Prow, Trustee – appointed 28 April 2022

• Lisa Bryson: Burnhope Primary School, ex officio Trustee – appointed 10 August 2022

• Marc Cliff, Trustee – appointed 22 November 2023

• Douglas Oliver, Trustee – appointed 4 June 2025

We haven’t appointed a new Chair but appoint a different one of our Trustees as Chair for each Trustee meeting, which is working extremely well. We undertook a skills audit as a group of trustees which showed we had a balance of abilities. We are looking out for one or two new trustees to supplement our current board

Staf and HR:

In March 2025 our staff consisted of:

• Centre Coordinator

• Wellbeing Coordinator

• Centre Assistant

• Cleaner

• Activities Coordinator

• Youth Worker

Since our last report, we have appointed a new Centre manager with extensive experience working with charities. Sara Kitchener joined the centre in May 2024. Sara has made a remarkable impact on Burnhope Community Centre. She has brought fresh energy and direction the Centre, transforming it into a more vibrant and inclusive hub for residents. Her hands-on approach and commitment to listening to community needs have led to new activities, improved services, and stronger partnerships with local organisations and various charities. Under her leadership, the centre has become a welcoming space for all ages, offering everything from social groups and wellbeing sessions to practical support for families. Her positive influence is evident in the growing number of visitors, the renewed sense of community spirit, and the pride local people feel in having a centre that truly reflects their needs and aspirations.

In October 2024 Cathryn Parton joined our team as the new Activities Co-Ordinator. She has brought a fresh wave of enthusiasm and creativity to the heart of the village. Since joining the team, she has developed a range of engaging programmes tailored to children and families, helping to make the centre a welcoming hub for all ages. Her ability to connect with young people, support parents, and design meaningful activities has encouraged more families to get involved and strengthened community bonds. With her warm approach and commitment to providing inclusive, fun opportunities, she is already making a lasting, positive impact in Burnhope Community Centre.

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In the Community, for the Community.

Treasurer Report

Income:

Grant-funding for our projects remained strong and is our main source of income (£134,424), growing in total by 34% from the previous year.

A significant proportion of this funding was from the Co Durham Community Foundation Household support fund which enabled us to make a massive difference to hundreds of people in the community struggling with the cost of living crisis. We received and distributed two grants (1: £33,200, 2: £33,000) as well as a small additional grant that was approved for a specific need not covered in the terms of the Household Support Fund but recognised as a genuine need (£780). We also repaid the unspent portion of the 2023-24 grant (£3,381). A small proportion of these grants were to help cover the very extensive staff time costs and centre overhead (1: £2,200, 2: £1,980). Whilst these grants have been incredibly helpful for our community, our experience was that this did not cover the very large amount of volunteer and staff time that is required to wisely administer these grants for the community.

Looking at our grant income, apart from the Household Support Fund that we received to give to the community, our fundraising for projects and core costs remained strong (£75,005). This includes the proportion of the Household Support Fund for core costs and admin (£4,180). In total this is a modest 2% increase from the previous year.

We were hugely grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for our Health and Abundance grant (£24,359). The Health and Abundance Project aims to improve wellbeing, confidence, and life opportunities for local residents by providing accessible activities focused on physical health, mental wellbeing, employability, and creative expression. Through workshops, support sessions, and community-led events, the project will help people build skills, reduce isolation, and create a stronger, more connected community.

A generous grant from Reaching Communities from the Platten Family Fund (£9,713) supported our mental health and wellbeing work, helping to fund our Wellbeing Coordinator and many of our wellbeing activities. Durham Community Action supported our Smoking Cessation Project (£5,329).

County Durham Community Foundation Warm Spaces grant (£6,000) and a Durham County Council grant (£1,165) enabled us to expand our provision for families suffering from fuel and food poverty through our Family Supper Club and Wednesday lunchtime social. The Asda Foundation (£400) helped us to buy a new commercial grade dishwasher.

Grants from the Barbour Foundation (£1,000), Langley Wind Farm (£2,000), Fun and Food (£731) and Tesco Groundwork Foundation (£1,125) enabled us to buy new equipment for our Bairns Toddler group and our Kids Club and helped fund our hugely creative school holiday activities in both Easter and Summer holidays.

The Sir James Knott Trust (£9,000), the Tyne and Wear Community Foundation (£4,995), and Langley Wind Farm (£552) all made a wonderful contribution to our core costs and helped us to employ our Centre Coordinator, Centre Assistant, Activities Coordinator and Cleaner. We also were able to allocate some to our office and admin costs like broadband and telephone, and to our highly successful monthly lunch club that serves over 40 hot meals to older residents.

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In the Community, for the Community.

Our two local County Councillors (£2,134) and the AAP Neighbourhood Fund (£2,322) gave us funding for some new lightweight tables, which have been a great help to our groups and staff. Because of the number and variety of activities held in the Centre setting and re-setting the room is something that is happening constantly through the day.

For everyone who supported us, we are incredibly grateful.

Our other income is from Room Hire (£1,929), donations from some of our activities including the Pantry (£18,856), bank interest (£685), Feed-in Tariff (£210), refund of electricity bill (£6,507) and some other income, mostly unsolicited donations (£1,280).

Expenditure:

Our main expenditure is on staffing (£65,167). During the year we continued to employ our Centre Coordinator, Cleaner, Centre Assistant, Activities Coordinator and Wellbeing Coordinator, all of whom worked extremely hard.

Costs of running the Centre were well controlled (£27,253). This includes phone and broadband (£499), office, admin and finance (£1,755), maintenance (£2,425), insurance (£2,967), utilities and licences (£4,592), equipment purchases (£10,923), bins, sanitary and cleaning (£1,223).

We catered extensively for groups through the week with hot meals and snacks (£2,868)

As set out above, we gave away a large number of small grants from the household fund to support those struggling with the cost of living crisis (£69,586).

We have many activities and projects running through the week that we funded (£19,336). These include our Pantry (£3,340), all our exercise and health activities (£6,160), wellbeing (£1,061), toddlers, kids and youth (£3,382), lunch club (£3,621) as well as many other events and activities.

Year End:

Our total income for the year was £163,891 and our expenditure £181,900.

We ended the year with three months expenditure designated as reserves, as recommended by the Charity Commission (£19,000), some Unrestricted funds (£14,032), and Restricted funds, given by our funders for specific projects and activities that are continuing into the next financial year (£20,191). Our balance at the end of the year was therefore £53,223. Whilst healthy from a cash-flow perspective this only covers our costs into next year for a limited period and our fund raising will need to continue strongly for us to be successful.

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In the Community, for the Community.

Accounts from 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025:

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In the Community, for the Community. Independent Examiner's Report In the Con)munity, for the Community. Independent Examillerts Report to the Burnhope Comtnuntycentre Ichaniy no 11624631 I report on the ac¢ounts of the Charityfortheyearended 31st Marth 2025which are set Dn pa8e$ 13 to 14. ibilrtie5Ltru5te253nd ejornlner The charity's tru5teEsarE responsible forthe preparation of the attOunt5 The charity'strustees consider that an audit Is not required for this year under 5e¢tion 144121 of the Charities Att ?Dll and that an Independentetsminition ￿ needed. It is my ￿pOnsIbIlitY to.. examinethe accounts (under sethon 145 of thtr 2011Actl.' follow the procedure5 laid down inthe General Dlretdons8rn bythecharity Commissioners lundersethoft 14515llbl Df the 2011Actl,' and stste whether pamcular mattets hawe tometa rnyattention a5L50f I￿e denrEYam1￿4s$taIÈmert My examinadon was carried out In accoidance with the General DirettOns￿vÈrn tythe Charity Commissioners. An examirthon includE5 a review olihe accountrng records kept bythe tharityand comparison of the accounts presented with ihosÈ rEcprds It a150 includes consideratron of any unusual Items Drd15(lo5ures In the accounts. and seeking explanatrons Icom yov astrusteesconcemiDgaw such mattets. The procedures undertaken do not provide allthe evidence th3lwOuld be wuired In an audit, and consequently nooplnion i$8r¢en as 10 whetherihe account5 present a'true and faifview. and the report is limrted to those mattets set Out in the ststement below. Inde ndeffl EyamlressMement In connechon with mymination. Do rnatterhas cometo my attention whkh £￿e$ me tsustrto believe that in aty material respett". thearcountyng record5 were nor kept in accordancewiih setoon 130 Dfthe Chèritses ACE,. or the accounts did not attord with the ¥¢countrng records. or theaffjounts did not comply with the applicable ￿Qu1￿ments￿On(ernlngthefQrtn and contentof aCCOuntsset Out in the Charitres laciounts and reports) Regulajon 2008 otherthin iny requiremeDt thai theacc0untS8￿e è'true and fairf view which 15 not a matterconsldered as part of a IndependentexBminadon. I have come atrots no other trnatte￿ In connecrion with the examlnadon towhich attenbon should be drawn In t Is report in or er 10 enable a proper under5tandingof theaccounts to be reached B I Strau8h3n and Co Chartered ActOuntsnt5 Epworth H¢u5e 7 Lucy Street che￿er le street County Durham DH3 3UP Date

In the Community, for the Community. Thanks to our funders: Barbour . COMMUNITY FUND OU N bAI'ION BALLINGER NvrthumiK.dand' Aclk)n kn•rsh* County Durham Community Foundation karbon homes IuA&Ioop NHS County Durham and Darlington Community Foundation NHS Foundation Trust SIR JAMLS KS()T-r'rRUST TESCO Durham County Council Oorffl space 16