East Goscote Community Library
Annual Report
1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025
Trustees and Volunteers
At the Annual General Meeting on 24th April 2024, Richard Kyle was appointed Chair of Trustees, succeeding John Malpus. In July, we were pleased to welcome Jackie Woodward to the committee, bringing the total number of trustees to six.
The library is fortunate to be supported by 20 committed volunteers, including a gardener, all working to a self-managed rota system. We also welcomed five students this year as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Thanks to everyone’s dedication, we’re proud to report that the library remained open as scheduled throughout the year, with no closures due to volunteer shortages.
Library Services
The library continues to be a valued part of the East Goscote community. While the use of our core services has remained steady, average weekly footfall has dipped slightly to 71 visitors.
We’re delighted that Bizzy Bees Preschool and Broomfield School continue to visit, helping us maintain valuable community connections. Our Summer Reading Scheme was a great success, with 67% of participants completing the programme. Special thanks to our School Liaison Officer, Barbara Liversedge, for her excellent work in building these relationships.
Our Romp and Rhyme sessions also remain popular, offering a fun and supportive environment for young children and their parents to enjoy songs, stories, and social time together.
Fundraising and Financial Overview
Fundraising plays a vital role in supporting the library. Item sales - especially jigsaw puzzles - have remained a reliable source of income. Coffee Mornings have also been successful, raising just over £300 this year.
Santa’s visit on 13th December 2024 was a festive highlight. Although attendance was slightly lower due to the weather, it was a joyful evening. Thanks to support from the Parish Council,
every child received a free Christmas gift. The Christmas Raffle raised a fantastic £138, and we extend our gratitude to all who donated prizes or bought tickets.
In March 2025, we hosted a local history exhibition that concluded with a fascinating talk by historian Rod Axon, raising £60 in support of the library.
Another steady income source has been the sale of dog waste bags, which brought in a net profit of £135.
Energy bills continue to be our largest ongoing expense, and we are monitoring them closely to ensure resources are used efficiently.
As of 31st March 2025, the library’s closing balance stands at £23,186.60 .
R. Kyle, Chair
31[st] March 2025
EAST GOSCOTE COMMUNITY LIBRARY
ANNUAL MEETING
Accounts from 1[st] April 2024 – 31[st] March 2025
CURRENT ACCOUNT
| INCOME | £ | EXPENDITURE | £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 0 | Stationary | 0 |
| Fundraising | 66.34 | Misc | 60 |
| Grants | 0 | Cleaning | 241.99 |
| Lettings | 0 | Security | 394.85 |
| Dog Bags | 824.84 | ||
| LCC | 0 | Telephone | 20.00 |
| Transfers From PC account | 1635.00 | Electric | 2425.40 |
| Other | Insurance | 248.08 | |
| Repairs Fire/lights | 0 | ||
| Repairs/service | 566.20 | ||
| Grounds Maintenance | 0 | ||
| Wages | 484.25 | ||
| Water | 238.10 | ||
| Furniture | 0 |
TOTAL
£1701.34 TOTAL £5503.71
B/F £26,721.20
BALANCE C/FWD
£22,918.83
PETTY CASH ACCOUNT (Balance 31.03.2025)
£ 267.77
CATurlington
(C Turlington, Treasurer)