VYNER PARK CHARITY – TRUSTEE REPORT
Registered Charity: 1163835
Vyner Park Swarland Morpeth Northumberland
Introduction
The Charity was registered on 5 October 2015 and has as its sole trustee Newton on the Moor and Swarland Parish Council.
The Charity’s objects are the support or promotion of any charitable purpose, including the provision of recreational facilities and activities for the benefit of the community of Swarland and surrounding area in the county of Northumberland, however, the main focus of the Charity is the management and development of the recreational facilities, other land, amenities and fixed assets within Vyner Park, Swarland.
The Facilities
Vyner Park is a recreation facility centrally located opposite the Village Square in Swarland. It was refurbished and a new pavilion built around the millennium with the help of substantial grants from Sports Council England. Improvements were also made in 2021 to the external facilities, with much of the work was carried out by community volunteers.
The Park facilities include a football pitch, artificial bowling green, two tennis courts and a multiuse games area (MUGA). There is also an outdoor gym. The Pavilion has full changing facilities which can be used for teams and matches by arrangement. The MUGA and tennis courts have floodlights. The facilities are currently free to use although a donation is requested towards the upkeep of the facilities, particularly for regular users or groups. There is not a formal booking system at the moment.
Parishioners and visitors are welcome to use the paths around the Park and dogs are welcomed in most areas. A popular enclosed dog run area is available at the entrance to the Park. Dog owners are asked to keep their pets on leads whilst in the main Park area and clean-up after their animals. Dog poo bins are provided.
Management Committee
The Charity has an appointed management committee which oversees its day to day running. The management committee comprises 3 members of the Parish Council and up to 5 members of the local community.
The following served on the management committee during the year:
S Woolfrey (Chair), Parish Council member
A Cowan
B Fergie (Treasurer)
A Ferguson
A Hastie
M Whiteley, Parish Council member (talking over from K. Howard Row who resigned mid year)
J Richardson
R Simpson, Parish Council member
In addition, L Simpson is secretary to the committee.
Review of the Year
The aim of the Charity is to manage and develop the Vyner Park recreational facilities for the Parish. The users are many and varied and range from the local football team to regular bowls, tennis and walking netball groups on the sporting side complimented by the more casual dog walkers and fresh air seekers. The children’s play park is also well used and Nelson’s at the Park ( a not for profit café) continues to be a success, attracting people from outside the area, as well as locally from within the Parish.
The Trustee and the committee are very grateful to the many individuals (volunteers) who continue to help run the Park, particularly those who undertake regular maintenance such as cutting the grass and those that also help out with larger ad-hoc projects, such as the installation of a play digger in the play park. These people save the Charity a lot of money and allow the Committee to concentrate on improving the facilities.
Work and Improvements carried out in the year included:
A survey of the plants in Vyner Park and mapping of the various habitats in the park was carried out by the Northumberland Wildlife Trust ~~i~~ n June commissioned by SNAC (Swarland and Newton action on Climate Change).
The annual play park inspection was carried out and just a few minor points were raised. A new zipwire has been installed. A grant of some native species hedging has been given which will be used for a Peace Garden memorial area in the gravelled area next to the tennis courts.
New MUGA lights have been installed and some remedial work has been done to the boards around the MUGA. It is hoped to replace the boards to the MUGA which is expected to cost about £2000. The pavilion showers had been rewired to current electrical standards.
Work has been carried out to tidy and thin the shrubs on the north area of the bowling green, and is to be done in the play area. The pallet storage area was tidied and volunteers cut back shrubs to make way for the bonfire. A new container was purchased for storage.
Unfortunately footpath repairs were not progressing as had been hoped in the park. Long term improvements are needed which will require grant funding. A local resident had volunteered to help by investigating grant availability and obtaining quotes.
The Directorship of Nelson’s changed on 1st October but the popular café continues as before, and the new team helped with the Bonfire Night event.
Each year groups of dedicated volunteers run a Village Show and Bonfire on behalf of the Community. The Bonfire event is a major fundraiser for the Charity. The 2024 Show was a great success attracting an increasing number of visitors with profits shared with November. local charitable good causes. The annual Bonfire Night went ahead on 1[st] Attendance was down on previous years nevertheless, the surplus made was around £2k.
Financially, with receipts of £48,130 and expenditure of £36,349 the Charity made a surplus of £11,781 in the year. The main sources of income were our annual grant from the Parish Council and Swarland Show. The success of the Show deserves special mention as it ~~n~~ ot only provides an amazing community event enjoyed by all, but it also made donations totalling £850 to five local charitable community groups.
Tidying and thinning of shrubs on the north side of the bowling green was completed, with similar work planned for the play area. The pallet storage area was tidied, and shrubs were cut back to prepare for the bonfire. A new container was purchased for additional storage.
The Charity has been running for just over 10 years now, but ~~t~~ he pavilion and recreational facilities are over 20 years old and meeting their maintenance demands is expected to be a significant focus of the Charity over the coming years.
VYNER PARK CHARITY
(Regd Charity No. 1163835)
Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| Receipts Parish Council Grants Nelson's (Swarland) Ltd Other Grants Swarland Show Events Donations & Bookings Other Total Receipts Payments Maintenance Utilities Swarland Show Events Sundry Total Payments Excess of receipts over payments Bank balance 31st March 2024 Add: Excess of receipts over payments Bank balance 31st March 2025 |
£ 6,576 10,850 - 17,800 2,629 3,880 6,395 48,130 10,374 9,637 16,020 36 282 36,349 11,781 32,144 11,781 43,925 |
|---|---|
Ladies and Gentlemen, I have completed the internal audit of the charity's accounts and can inform you that the accounts show a true and fairview of the charity's financial position as at 31°, March 2025.1 can also assure the charitythat it has sound financial systems and reporting in place. I have completed and signed the AGAR form accordingly. Minor matters. not material to the accounts, were discussed with the Treasurer Yours faithfully Jo n AAinsworth
Annual Internal Audit Report 2024125 PAQrf L¥kA¢if y Durlng the financial year ended 31 March 2025, this authority's internal auditor acting independenlly and on the basis of an assessment of risk, carried out a selective assessment of compliance with the relevant procedures and contro15 in operation and obtained appropriate eMden¢e from the authority. The inlemal audit for 2024125 has been carried out in accordance with this authority's needs and planned coverage. On the basis of the findings in the areas examined, the internal audit conclusions aTe summarised in this table. Set out below are the objectives of internal control and atongsicle are the inlemal audit conclusions on whether, in all significant respects, the control objective5 were being achieved throughout the financial year to a standard adequate to meet the needs of this authority. Internal control objective Not covered"" Appropriate accounting records have been property kept throughout the financial year. B. This authorty compliEd with its financial regulations, payments were sup[Mirtl by invol, all expendrture was approved and VAT was appropriately accounted ft)r. C. This authonty assessed the sIgn¢ant risks to athieving its obje¢lives and reviewed the adequacy Df arrangements to manage these. D. The precept or Tates qUirement resulted from an adequate bLtdgetary process., progress against the budget wa$ regularty moritored," 8nd reserves were appropriate. E. Expected income was fully reTrived, based on correct prices, property recorded and protnptty banked,. and VAT was apprOpatelY accounted for. F. Petty cash payments were properfy supported by receipts. all petty cash expentjiture was approved and VAT appropriate accounted for. G. Salaries to employs 8nd allowances to mernbers were paid in accordance with this authoritys approvals, and PAYE and Nl requirements were properfy applieil. H. Asset and investments registers were complete and atcurate and property maintained. l. Periodic bank account reo)nciliations were property ¢>rried out during the year. J. AcLounting statements prepared durin9 the yearwere prepared on the a)rrect aixounting basis (reipts .' and payments or income and expenditure), agreed io the cash booK sUPPOrted by an adequat8 audrt trail frotn undedying records and where appropriate debtors and credrtors were properfy re(x)rded. IC Jf the authorty certified itself as exempl from a limited as$Ltran( review in 2023124, it met the exemption crsteria and correctly dlard itself exempt. (If the authorityhada liffliteda&suran¢e cifts 20234AGAR lick °not Covered") L The authority published the required infomiab'on on a websFteA¥ebpagÈ up to dale at the time of the intemal audit in accoTdanc8 with the relevant legrslat¥on. - In the yearcovered by this AGAR, the authority correcuy prowded for a period for the exercise of public rights as required by theAccounls and Audit Regulations (during the 2Q24-25AGARp8FFtrd, were public rFghts in relation to the 2023-24 AGAR evAdenced bya notice on the webstie an(Yor authority approved mittFUtes confim?ing the dates set). N. The authority has complied with th6 publication requirements for 2023r24 AGAR (seeAGAR P8ge 1 Guiclance Notesj. O. {For local councils only) TDtsst funds lincluding charitable}- The counol met its responsibilities as a trustee. Yes No" Nc INOl3Fp'i'E Fu8ny other risk areas idenbfied bythis aithty ad&4ue estect (list any other risk aroa8 on separate sheets if wded). Datelsl intemal audit undertaken Name of person who carried out the intemal audit lip l0S/2p25 iil¢s l£u2g iq l(Js12&z 21 kfjl4Y Signature of wrson who ¢8rried oultheinlemal audrt JCL Date "If the respons8 15 .140. pleasa stats the imPli¢aiions al action btylng takoh to address anywè?knes5 In Cohtrol identffied ladd ¥eparate sheèts rf needed). -Note.' Iflhe response is 'not coyered. please stale when tho most rent internal audItwo wa& done in this area ar whèn it is next platTrned.' or. ff coverage is not required, the annual inteF1 audit report mus explaiftwhy not (add ¥eparate if need¥. LAGal RÈlutfi uAGds, IAIèFFA> BFaM*96 BeaFds ahd 6theF Sfftal6pAulhoTI P¥3of6