Kimblesworth and Nettlesworth Community Task Force (registered charity no. 1163966)
Annual Trustees’ Report, June 2024
Current Trustees: John Barclay, Heather Liddle, Emlyn Lofthouse, Kelly Lofthouse (elected at last AGM), Robert Kirton-Darling
The Task Force has been on the edge financially this last year, but has managed to tick over, with some grant funding. We are very small in terms of activities and volunteers, but it works well to co-operate with other local bodies, including Kimblesworth Church, The Community Association, Sacriston Youth Project, and the Parish Council.
Our thanks again to our Treasurer, Emlyn Lofthouse, for preparing the annual accounts, and to Malcolm Wadge for examining them for us.
The grants running this year have been:
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The AAP (OPSIF) grant (£5100) finished in September 2023, having funded the Café and the bus trips for a period.
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The CDCF Poverty Hurts grant (for winter goods, £1500) finished in early 2023.
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After the small grant in May 2023 to enable us to taxi-in some Karbon Homes local residents, Karbon Homes gave us a new grant (£1500) in Nov 2023 (lasting until March 2024), which covered the Christmas lunch and the minibus costs for Karbon Homes residents to attend (see below).
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CDCF grant for £5000 to cover the café expenses, Karbon Homes residents’ transport, and a bus trip this summer, covering the period April – September 2024.
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We were unsuccessful in applying to the McCarthy Stone Foundation for funding for the Café beyond Sept 2024.
The two main activities have continued to be:
The Monday Café: Lillian Walker and her team regained 5* rating in Food Hygiene after a recent inspection: many congratulations to them. Lillian and Lisa also received a Karbon Homes Award for their sterling work on behalf of the community: CONGRATULATIONS again.
The Café continues successfully, with about 10-20 local residents, and another 5-12 Karbon Homes residents, who are bussed in from Pelton Fell and Chester-le-Street. We have a good arrangement with Carnforth Community Transport for this weekly task. The number of KH residents fluctuates, and we may need to reconsider this arrangement. The food continues to be excellent and the bingo is very popular. The Christmas lunch was a huge success (despite a ceiling collapse in the entrance corridor that morning!).
We continue to be registered as a Warm Welcome location and offer a meal to local families after school on a Monday; four or five families take up this offer with gratitude. Lillian (with Donna Bruce) is exploring the possibility of a new Bingo session on a Wednesday afternoon.
The bus trip last summer to Blackpool was full and very successful; a trip is planned this August to Scarborough.
Little Stars: it has been difficult for us and SYP to find leadership for this activity, which is now quite small and sporadic. Heather Liddle successful obtained some funding for the Centre, for sensory equipment, and LS may be best reconceived as a sensory space/activity, but we need a new vision, new staffing, and new funding. There is some demand for a sensory room (e.g. from Nettlesworth School), but costs are high and the wider demand is uncertain.
The challenge continues to be in getting sufficient volunteers, and in funding (both core and project-based). Suggestions welcome.
We had a long drawn-out battle with Barclays Bank about the account-category (all three accounts are now recognised as charity), and Emlyn wrung from them an apology and a £50 contribution: thanks and well done, Emlyn.
John Barclay Chair of Trustees
ACCOUNTS. 1111122. 5111ty CDCF Kafborb Hones PerTr Donations Baldays Bank 15C I (ty Duvham Cornmunlty FoUndaan- Po¥eFty Hurts Grani 2 TraTrsporttoCafe 50. 3 Corr4)en5atlon forde*ln 50rtln8OUta(touni acce Totsl: EXPENixfuRE: 120) Rentfor Café Relund toj &T¢V JH Coxhes 14¢K37 itso I Poverty Hurts Wlnter Goods Pvrchases 2 Tripto Blackpo 6M37 .2?)7 .2741837 a0N6 &4WICE u102 -4 QVl 30. . X4-
ACCOUNTS- UIy22- 3U10123 Open1 Balanc• (11111221: 11&82 RE[PTs. Notes Transfer5 from Main Account Takings Personal Donations 1200.00 245.(M) l F?miFy Fun Day (June 2023) Total: EXPENDITURE: Café food 1912.67 Totsl: 1912,67 Z.33 Openln8 J•lance {YIV22) Net Income (defidtl 116.82 132.33 CLOSING BALANCE (3y10123) 249.15 Vt e.¢ 71ty*•t ¢vLty/
I)Bn(ll11im):6T32 Yotsi: Netlnwme 14rt1ntom* Idolkltl