Westleton Village Hall CIO
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 5 April 2025
Charity information
Registered Address: Westleton Village Hall CIO
The Street Westleton Saxmundham Suffolk IP17 3AD
Registered Charity Number: 1164038
Trustees: John Shepherd (Chair) Barry Banks Liz Barton Francesca Bartlett Frances Berry Sue Brett (Treasurer) Barbara Buckley Nicola Feltham Andy Gilmour Carole Homersham Mark Solomons
Independent Auditor:
Brian Boulanger
Structure, Governance and Management
Westleton Village Hall (the Charity) was registered as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) on 25 October 2015. Management of the Charity is by a Board of Trustees which meets about six times a year.
Trustees, who are normally appointed for a term of three years, may be either elected by members of the public at the annual general meeting (AGM), nominated by User Groups or appointed by sitting Trustees in accordance with section 10 of the Constitution of the CIO. The Trustees are supported by a part-time Centre Manager and a number of volunteers who run events at the hall and/or support specific activities or projects.
Objectives
The objectives of the CIO set out in Section 3 of the Constitution,
- To own and manage the building known as Westleton Village Hall for the use of the inhabitants of the Parish of Westleton in the County of Suffolk (the area of benefit) without distinction of sex,
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sexual orientation, age, disability, nationality, race, ethnic origin, or political, religious or other opinions for meetings, lectures and classes and for other forms of recreation and leisure-time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.
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To make the Hall available for use for the above purposes by all people who have need for such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving their conditions of life.
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To make the Hall available for private hire by individuals or organisations, both within and beyond the area of benefit, for the above purposes and for private or social purposes at the discretion of the trustees.
Activities and Achievements: Chair's report to the AGM
The Trustees have a risk register and this year the top risk on the register came to pass: Annie, the very valued previous centre manager, resigned! The Trustees recruited Lesley Taylor w.e.f. December and Lesley has been warmly welcomed. Brain Boulanger stepped down as bar manager after many years of valued service and now Andy Gilmour heads the new bar team but more support would be welcomed.
The Trustees have welcomed Mark Solomons (Soup & Pud nominee), Frances Berry (ex Officio Archivist), and Sue Evans (Secretary). John explained that he was stepping down as Chair in September after 5 years, and was delighted that the Trustees have elected Barbara Buckley to succeed him. The Trustees would always welcome more user group representatives and need specific help in keeping the website up to date.
Financially we had once again budgeted for a small deficit but have done better than expected. John then drew attention to some of the points made in more detail in the Treasurer’s report. He also mentioned a number of activities noted in the Treasurers’s report, and drew attention to the recently opened men’s breakfast, the Tech table, the soon to begin Death Cafe and possibility of a Good Neighbours’ scheme. He appealed for a new person to be responsible for carpet bowls and reminded the meeting of the open garden event coming up at Scotts Hall.
Whilst thanking everyone for their ongoing support, including users, volunteers, user groups and visitors, John offered particular thanks to the following people:-
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Annie and Lesley for their efficiency, enthusiasm and commitment to keeping the Hall a really vibrant centre of activities for community
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all Trustees & volunteers for their commitment and contributions over the last year,
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Dilys & Catherine (et al) for running Soup and Pud
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Frances Berry who has transformed the archives
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Barry Banks with Chris Simpson and Mike Brett: for overseeing maintenance
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Paul Shore & Dave Collins our resident Tech experts
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Brian Boulanger for planters (still doing gardening etc) and for doing the bins
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Georgina Rust for her cleaning and approachable disposition
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Accounting, accounts, annual reports and returns
Treasurer's report to the AGM
Sue Brett (Treasurer), thanked Brian Boulanger for auditing the accounts. The accounts show a total income of £62,246.57, an increase of approximately £4000 from last year and expenditure of £60,843.78, an increase of approximately £2000. We finished the year in a satisfactory position, with a modest profit of £1402.84.
Hall lettings accounted for over a third of total income. This income is made up of a variety of regular hirers, providing a range of activities including art, table tennis, French, yoga, WI, gardeners club, reflexology, hairdressing, music, physiotherapy, footcare, sculpture club, bereavement support, Parish Council meetings, pilates, soup and pud and the model railways group. We also welcome Lapwing – a provider of alternative education, as regular hall users. The Hall is also a popular venue for private events eg: birthday parties. Our pricing structure gives reduced rates to residents of Westleton and there is a discount for Sunday lettings.
The important and valued ‘Hall for All’ events raised an income of over £18,000 this year with expenses at just over £6000 – a profit of £12,000. These events are varied and the most popular in date order were a BBQ, the Wildflower Festival and Craft fair (run in partnership with the church),
various talks, a French Day, a quiz night, 2 flea markets, a book sale, a Christmas Fair, Sea Shanty and fish and chips evening, and a nearly new and vintage clothes sale. There are more! In addition the Hall runs a monthly film night and community market.
The ever popular Foyer brings in about 10% of our income – Sue thanked the foyer volunteers for their help. Interest on capital continues to provide a welcome addition to income. Finally, we are grateful for donations and gift aid amounting to nearly £2000.
Looking ahead, Sue mentioned the Friends of Westleton Village Hall scheme launched in May this year. The initial response has been strong.
Grateful thanks and appreciation were given to those who help with events, help in the Foyer or contribute as a Friend of the Hall, together with those who run and attend events. Our income is hard earned!
Most expenses are non negotiable the largest being the centre manager’s salary. We said a fond farewell to Annie earlier in the year and welcomed Lesley whose work is much appreciated.
The cost of electricity has increased considerably as a low fixed rate came to an end. The cost this year was £12,000. Most other expenses are not significantly more than is previous years, though the high usage of the hall means there are, and will be, inevitable charges for replacements and breakdowns. Earlier in the year the courtyard area was completed in memory of Tony Ingram and further improvements to the Hall are planned.
Finally, much of our capital is reserved for planned future projects, new windows, resurfacing of the car park, repointing the flint walls and in the longer term extending the Hall to provide extra facilities and improved storage.
Sue then asked if there were questions.
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Tom Ash asked about ‘miscellaneous income’, and Sue explained that the majority of that in both income and expenditure is the use of the SumUp card machine. She gave the example of the art group taking payments by card during their exhibition using the machine, and the Hall then reimbursing them, hence the money in and out of miscellaneous.
Declaration
The Trustees have complied with the provisions set out in Section 25 of the Constitution and the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 with regard to the keeping of accounting records, the preparation and scrutiny of statements of account, and the preparation of annual reports and returns.
Professor John Shepherd CBE FRS (Chair) On behalf of the Board of Trustees Westleton Village Hall 18 August 2025
See next page for financial report.
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