SUFFOLK
Voices For Gainsborough AGM Report
Firstly, a big thank you to all my fellow volunteers for everything they have done this past year. Also, a
huge welcome to al I the new volunteers that have joined us and added new skills. During what has been a
very busy year, Voices have raised vital funding, delivered various eveflts, and ensured the Café 15 a vibrant
welcoming place.
Voices received funding from Suffolk County Council Ipswich East Health and Wellbeing Activity Fund to
provide a range of activities each month throughout the year
Januar
The first event was a fun retro gaming afternoon with Bring
Back Retro Gaming. It was well attended by families and brought back
some fond childhood memories for our older participants.
Februar
We hosted two adult craft sessions, where some lovely dot painted flowerpots were designed.
The pots were filled with soil and bulbs before being taken home. The local adult craft provision is under-
catered for and the feedback for these sessions was very positive, with requests for more similar sessions.
March As the weather improved, we arranged a Sound Meditation
Evening on the river Orwell shore. Wayne McHugh delivered an
inspirational relaxing session in a peaceful location.
ril Suffolk Wildlife Trust delivered a
hands-on session, with adults building
hedgehog boxes. Vinyasa yoga classes
were held for adults.
Ma
Activities had a nature and environmental theme. With Suffolk
Wildlife helping families make some bird boxes to instal l in their gardens. swr a150 provided a gruesome
but fascinating Owl Pellet Dissection workshop with participants finding all kinds of animal bones. Also,
some Yoga classes were held for parents with children under 5.
June With an em phasis on outdoor sports and wellbeing, Volce5 arranged two games days. One in
Landseer Park and one on Ravenswood Green. Various activities were provided including - Rounders,
cricket, football, badminton, bubbles, and large versions of games like Connect four, noughts and crosses
and quoits. Adults and families enjoyed this, having fun and with some exercise thrown in.

ul For a sunny July we had a Music
Day at the library to bring some tunes
to library users, both old and new.
The afternoon consisted of a melodic
open rric session on a car park stage,
by Carl and his friends. Indoors DJ
8opper provided a mini sound system
with some reggae sounds and did a
mixing workshop. In the evening the library hosted some rappers with musicians
El Emcee, Xi Dontlie and friends serving up some vibrant street sounds.
Au
For August Voices held an international day. The idea was to bring different
parts of the community together. Ipswich Museum brought some instruments
from different parts of the world and offered shaker making. The Hold provided
Batic Tie Dye and kite making, there was 3 fa irtrade stall along with Spanish
language and dance sessions.
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Family Boccia and Kurling indoor sports sessions were offered, giving families a
chance to try out some new fun accessible sports. An earlier session was held in
July with some hot competition in a men's v Women's Group chall enge
Other selected hi
hts
World Fast1¥￿ Day 2024
Garden Room
Our biggest achievement was the completion of the library's new Garden Room. In April and May Voices
volunteers, library staff, Members of the public and members of the rotary club, all pitched in and worked
hard to knock down beds, take down a pergola, clear the garden and create a flat base. In June the Garden
room was erected.
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Illill,.
In early October, after years of planning and fundraising by Voices, we were delighted to finally, officially
open our garden room. We had some very speci31 guests; Cllr Liz Harsant, Cllr Lucy Smith, Ipswich East
Rotary club, St. Lawrence Parish Hall Trust. The room has proved to be invaluable as an extra space for the
community to use. Many thanks again for the large contribution5 by the East Ipswich Rotary Club, St
Lawrence Parish Hall Trust. Also, Cllr Paul West and Cllr Lucy Smith for their generous contributiolls from
their locality budgets.
Families and
Peo
In February families had a great beach combing workshop with Beach Bonker5,
discovering and learning about sharks, teeth. This was made possible by funding by The
Suffolk & Essex coast & heaths national landscape sustainable development fund.
The Suffolk Libraries Reading Quest was launched. with a focus on local myths and
getting out and reading in different places.
oun

In November Odinn's Raven Guard came to the library for a Viking re-
enactment day. Families tried on costumes, played games, held
weapons and other recreated artifacts and learnt about Viking Ilfe. Two
more family sessions this year had an emphasi5 on science. Kinetic
Science had a Terrific Test tubes workshop offering colourful
experiments, and Ipswich Museum provided a 'Nature is our home,
session using artifacts from its natural history collection and actlvities to explore the natural world.
For the young people, particularly the teenagers, we purchased some televisions and games to play on our
xbox360 and Playstation throuEh Diversionary Funding from Ipswich Borough Council. These have been
well used and encourage young people to visit our library.
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Arts & wellbein
The very popular Blank Page Project continued to run in
the school holidays, with Voices café catering for the
'* project. Artists came to the library to share their skills
. Wi. .4 and make amazing creations with 10-16 year olds.
Through May and June there were some adult and teen
workshops, thanks to funding from The Wolsey 550
Project. Celebrating Thomas Wolsey and Ipswich history,
the attendees made some stunning digital art, went on
an Ipswich history field trip around the town and made a beautiful pa inted glass panel for the l i brarv.
To increase wel I being and get outdoors, Daniel Cable Davey continued his fascinating family wildlife walks.
We learr)ed more about nature on our doorstep on Glow worm, Bat and Fungi focused walks.
Thanks to funding from Suffolk & Essex Coast and Heaths 'Landscapes
For All Fund,, we were able to offer days out to families who were
financia I ly restricted. During the summer there was a coach trip to
Southwold for a day exploring the beach and a coach trip to
Rendlesham Forest, where families walked the UFO trail, played games
and conducted a bug hunt. Lunches were provided on both trips and
the feedback from families was very positive.
Providing food for those in need was another area addressed again this year. The weekly Fruit and Veg pop
shop was extremely busy and encouraged people to meet up and socialise. The Arnold Clark Community
Fund provided funding for toiletrios and period products to be available at the pop up once a month. The
Kindness clothes rails were well used. During the summer to help with 'holiday hunger, young people
Spending the day at the library were provided with some snacks. Pot noodles and cereal bars were donated
by Morrisons. For the winter Warm spaces campaign, people in need were encouraged to come to the
library to save on their heatSng bil Is and were offered free Tea, Coffee, Soup and toast.
Outreach
The library had summer outreach stalls at the Cornhill in Ipswich and at Holywells Allotments Open Day.
The Allotment association very kindly chose the library as the main beneficiary of funds raised on the day.
ular
earl
and Seasonal Events
Our traditional fundraising seasonal activities went very well this year. For Suffolk Libraries Day, volunteers
worked hard raising funds by cleaning cars. Our lovely knit and natter group made some daisies and Voices
hosted a spring clear out, selling unwar)ted items. Girls Group completed a sponsored l itter pick and walk.

The Easter and Christmas Fairs were both well attended. Oona the
Owl made a special appearance at Easter while at Christma5 we had
volunteer, Jeff a5 Father Christmas in the New Garden Room Grotto.
Our 'Knit and Natter Group, made some cute decorations to sell. In
onjunction with BBC Radio Suffolk the 'Be Kind Toy Appeal, saw toys
distributed to families in need.
As a treat volunteers and staff had the opportunlty to watch a live stream of
'Sleeping Beauty, from the New Wolsey Theatre, which proved to be a fun evening.
For Ha Iloween Voices provided pumpkins for carving and volunteer
Zach ran a lovely horre-made cake stall. raising money for Suffolk
Libraries and Mind.
Librar
Grou
Library groups continue to go well, including our two Girl's
groups, Top Time over 55,5, Women's Group and the Men can
talk Group.
The Girl's Groups are a great provision. Partly Funded from Suffolk Community Foundation through The
Women and Girl's fund. The girls enjoyed cooking, making their own quiches from scratch and fruit salad.
Highlights of the year included a PGL adventure weekend away and a trip to London to see 'Sister ACV at
the theatre. The Eroup developed a partnership with the 'New Wolsey Theatre, which included free tickets
to Shows and a live streaming of the Panto.
Men's Group and Women's group5 continued to offer an open space for adults. The
women finished the year with a murder mystery evening while the men used the
library kitchen to offer up a fine Christmas meal.
Top Time continued to offer a varied program of activities for the over 55's including
a monthly lunch and a coach trip to Bury St. Edmunds.
Fundra isers
Colin continued to provide his fundraising quiz nights, which were inventive, great fun and well attended.
Volunteers continued to deliver their fundraising monthly Sunday family bingo
afternoons. In May, another of our regular yearly fundraising events took place with
Wayne McHugh's intriguing Medium Night.
In September Voices Volunteer Alec ran in the Ipswich Half Marathon. With a fine
personal achievement, he raised money for Suffolk Libraries while recording a verv
respectable time.
In November, Voices held its first line dancing evening. This proved to be very popular and three more
have been arranged for 2025.
All the above represent just part of the picture of a very busy productive year for Gainsborough
Community Librarv.
k-fi1 Gs£SofJ ' 202

Treasurers report January- December 2024
Unreserved funds at year end are £6459.02
V4GCL raise funds mainly through the volunteer run café, which has had a difficult year,
due to volunteer vacancies and sickness. The café made a profit of £5653.46, which was
boosted by income from catering for the Blank Page Project.
Voices continued to raise funds through fundraising events during the year, most
fundraising events held this year have raised funds towards the garden room project, which
is now complete.
£5000 fundingfrom Ipswich East Rotary Club and £5000 from St Lawrence Parish Hall Trust,
made a large contribution towards the garden room project being completed.
Cllr Paul West gave £IOOO from his locality budget to fit out the garden room and Cllr Lucy
Smith gave £1160 from her locality budget to purchase blinds for the room.
Voices hold pots of money for Top Time, Men's group, youth sports, adult singing group,
men's group, ladies, group, the pop-up shop, and Girls Group.
Funding from Suffolk Community Foundation through Women and Girls Fund for Girls
Group- £lOOO
Funding from Suffolk County Council Health and Wellbeing Fund for adult wellbeing
activities £6200.96.
Funding from:
Wolsey 550 Project- £2588
Ipswich Borough Council- Diversionary Funding for activities for teenagers - £lOOO
Landscapes for All Funding for family coach trips- £2000
Arnold Clark Community Fund for warm space, plus toiletries, and period products to be
available once a month at our pop-up shop- £2500.
Mandy Grimwood
Treasurer

Voices for Galnsborough Community Library Accounts
0110112024- 31/12/2024
Cash B/F
Uncleared cheques
Bank B/F
£36,337,48
Balance
£36,337.48
Income Cash
Income Cheque
Income Transfers
48,696.91
Total Income
£48,696.91
Expenditure Cash
Expenditure Cheque
190.00
Expenditure Transfers
66,217.33
Total Expenditure -£66,407.33
ProfitlLoss
-£17,710.42
Balance 3111212024
£18,627,06
Prepared Bv." j2"/L IUC/•rl
M Grimwood
Checked by..
Signed 4.byW-
Dated.. 23101225"

CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's
report on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Voices for Gainsborough Community Library
On accounts for the year
ended
3151 December 2024
Charity no
lif any)
1165302
Set out on pages
112
I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity I the Trusl'l for the year ended
I I I￿1¥1 i YY
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation
basis of report of the accounts in accordance wilh the requirements of the Charities Act
2011 1"the Act'}.
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 AGI and in carrying out my examination, I
have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 145{5}Ibl of the Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
come to my attention (other than that disclosed below "} in connection with
the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material
respect..
accounting records were not kepl in accordance with section 130 of
the Act or
the accounts do not accord with the aGcounting records
Independent
examiner's ststement
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection
with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a
proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Please delete th8 words Ihe brackets if they do not apply.
Signed".
Date:
Name:
Relevant professional
qualification{sl or body
lif any):
Address".
LIAQKC
pl
CÉ
IER
October 2018

Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of Goncern (see CC32,
Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for
examiners).
Give here brief details of
any items that the
examiner wishes to
disclose,
IER
October 2018