## **Whitley Community Development Association Registered Charity No: 1165275**
## **Trustees Report and Annual Accounts 2023-2024**
Registered Office and operational address: South Reading Community Hub, 252-260 Northumberland Avenue
Reading RG2 7QA
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## **Trustees**
Elizabeth Grugeon - Interim Chair Imke Wilson - Treasurer Kerry Reilly-West - Secretary Elected Trustees - Paul Walton, Sarah King, David Turner Lisa Haines, Marg Cobb.
## **Staff**
Lisa Alloune - Business Manager 0.8fte Maria Cox - Community Development Worker 0.8fte Kelly Brown - Community Development Worker 0.2fte Donna Duvall - Project Assistant 0.3fte Dani Durrante - Administrator 0.2fte Anne-Marie Wheeler - Cafe Manager 0.9fte Cafe Assistant 0.7fte - One staff member had sick leave, SSP paid. Cafe Assistant 0.7fte - Additional to cover sickness.
## **Professional Advisors**
Dr Trisha Bennett - TACCT Consultant 8 days/ month Gavin Aldrich - Kyle and Irving, Media Support 4 day/ month Ann Murphy BA (Hons) ACA - Auditor
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## **Chair’s introduction**
Thank you all for coming, and welcome to WCDA’s 2025 AGM.
## **Last year, and thanks.**
First of all I’d like to give a very big thank you to my fellow trustees, staff, volunteers, contractors and partners who give their all to ensure that the heart of Whitley keeps beating, sometimes against the odds. This has been
particularly relevant in the past year, as staff have had to cope with sickness of colleagues who have unfortunately been unwell. As always, they’ve kept the place going, as I’ve said above, against the odds.
## **The future**
Our National Lottery Big Local programme funding has now drawn to a close and we are actively looking for another major funder. Post covid, and as a result of the cost of living crisis, funding is becoming more difficult to secure but as you will see from the pictures around the cafe, we really do make a difference to the lives of people in Whitley. The review we are doing of our strategic plan reinforces the importance of the early intervention and preventative role we play in supporting statutory agencies working in our community.
We are fortunate to have a Trading Subsidiary, Whitley Social Club, who currently pay our rent and service charges to Reading Borough Council for the space we occupy within South Reading Community Hub. Without this support it would be difficult to provide the level of service that we do.
We continue to work with the University of Reading and are starting to make an impact on ensuring that the voice of those affected by specific issues are heard and considered in the development of solutions to those issues. You may have heard or seen us on local media, or visited our Saturday morning Fruit and Veg stall.
We continue to be committed to our underpinning belief that a community flourishes best when things are done WITH THEM not TO or FOR THEM.
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It goes without saying of course that all our residents are central to what we do. This year, we are heading towards our 10th Year as a charity and will be celebrating all things Whitley Community at our AGM.
We have significantly continued to increase our public profile and hope you've managed to catch sight of us sharing our news and stories.
## **Finally**
I'm pleased to be able to present to you the unaudited, independently examined, Annual Accounts for the year August 2023 - July 2024. We are very grateful to Ann Murphy for supporting us with the preparation of these. Ann is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants but for us equally importantly a Whitley girl. Her time and support is much valued.
These accounts were approved by the trustees electronically ( as allowed by our constitution) on 15th March 2025
## Elizabeth Grugeon
Elizabeth Grugeon
Interim Chair of Trustees
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## **Our Charitable aims as stated in our constitution are:**
3.1 To develop the capacity and skills of the members of the socially and economically disadvantaged community of the area of benefit in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and participate more fully in society.
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3.2 to establish, or secure the establishment of, a Community Centre and to maintain and manage the same (whether alone or in co-operation with any statutory authority or other person or body) in furtherance of the Objects;
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3.3 to promote such other charitable purposes within the area of benefit as the trustees may from time to time determine.
These charitable aims, along with the aims identified in our Big Local funding (below) are central to how we manage both our strategic and operational activities.
## The aims of Big Local can be summarised into four key areas:
1. Communities will be better able to identify local needs and take action in response to them.
2. People will have increased skills and confidence so that they can continue to identify and respond to local needs in the future.
3. The community will make a difference to the needs it prioritises.
4. People will feel that their area is an even better place to live.
As a registered charity we can confirm that we complied with our duty to carry out activities of public benefit as required by, Charity Commision guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
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