Market Bosworth Community Library
Annual Report for the period April 1[st] 2022 to March 31[st] 2023
Registered Charity Number 1165437 Principal Address Market Bosworth Community Library Station Road, Market Bosworth, CV13 0LT.
1) Achievements and Performance
We have been fortunate to continue to have sufficient volunteers to be able to open the library for a morning or afternoon session from Monday to Saturday each week. In the 13 hours that the library is open we provide regular library services as well as a “Safe Space” and a “Warm Space”. During the year we loaned a total of 7.498 books, which is a modest improvement of 668 over the previous year. The number of items loaned to children has increased by 541 to 4117 although the Summer Reading Scheme was less successful than previous years with the topic of Gadgeteers attracting limited enthusiasm from our young readers. Our average number of active readers has increased from 97 to 111 each month.
One of the key improvements in the library during the last year has been the provision of a much more comfortable seating area where our users can read or meet their friends for a cup of coffee. Much use has been made of this area by our Wednesday morning Knit & Stitch group, all welcome, and our new monthly Library Book Group, details in the library. The first Friday of the month is the time for our Story & Rhyme session which meets in our Children’s Area. This area has also been improved by the addition of a comfortable settee which has proved to be a great success with carers reading to their children.
In collaboration with the Bosworth Bridge Club the training sessions have restarted with three students from the most recent course graduating to join the more experienced players at the Club sessions. The library was briefly able to provide a home to the Youth Drama Club and to the Scouts while their premises were being renovated. Unfortunately, the monthly Film Nights organised at the library by the Market Bosworth Festival Committee became a casualty of Covid with numbers attending so reduced that the sessions were no longer financially viable.
The start of this financial year saw the termination of regular monetary support from Leicestershire County Council although they still support our book loan services and provide the building for a nominal rent. All remaining costs have to be met by the charity. While we do have income from library services such as ordering loan books and late returns this only covers half our running costs. The remainder is raised through the work of our volunteers in organising events such as our Quiz Night, the yearly 200 Club, the sale of donated books, sale of cards and room hire. In addition, we have regular donations from the Bridge Club Training Programme and our Knit & Stitch Group. All these efforts didn’t quite cover our total costs but due to all the previous fund raising efforts the remainder has come from our reserves which still retain a substantial balance.
During the year Leicestershire County Council announced that it will be upgrading the internet provision at the library to become a Gigahub providing high speed access for our users although the actual date of the installation is yet to be confirmed.
The library Trustees would like to thank all the volunteers who give their time to ensure that this local community service continues, as well as our donors and community groups that support us. Lastly, we would like to give St Peters Church of England Primary Academy a special thank you for their splendid artistry that adorns the wall of our Children’s Area through the changing seasons.
2) Charity Trustees
Brian Granger Chairperson Susan Styche Vice Chairperson Kenneth Gilbert Treasurer
Tim Brooke Janet Greenfield Richard Bates Simon Paul John Pope Bryan Cole Isabel Granger Jacqueline Pope
Liz Alun-Jones
3) Governance
The charity is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with a Constitution dated 1st February 2016 as its governing document.
Market Bosworth Community Library was entered in the Register of Charities on 4[th] February 2016 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
The Constitution requires that there shall be a minimum of three Trustees and no more than twelve Trustees at all times. The current Trustees were elected by members at the Annual General Meeting as defined by the constitution.
The charity is resourced entirely by volunteers
4) Objectives and Activities
The objects of the charity are:
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a) The advancement of education for the public benefit in Market Bosworth and surrounding area by the provision of a volunteer run lending library.
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b) To promote for the benefit of the residents of Market Bosworth the provision of a public library for recreation and or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, 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 the condition of life of said residents.
The main activities of the charity are:
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a) The continued availability of a public library service free of charge to the community of Market Bosworth and surrounding area for 13 hours each week including the loan of stock provided by Leicestershire Library Service and the provision of free internet access.
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b) The provision of information concerning the local community, its resources and groups operating within it to residents and visitors.
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c) Acting as a point of access for local community resources.
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d) The availability of a room for meetings of up to 80 seated.
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e) Providing group activities for a range of needs and ages.
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f) Income generation to ensure the continuance and development of the charity’s activities
5) Public Benefit
The Trustees have had due regard of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and can confirm that our operations are in accordance with the guidance.
6) Finance
The total income for this financial year was £5,803 and our total expenditure was £7,463 giving £1,660 excess of expenditure over income. The Trustees spent £2,528 on capital items which included the new seating areas and coffee machine. The total end of year cash fund of the library was £50,639 compared to £52,299 the previous year
The Trustees have adopted a reserves policy whereby they have accumulated sufficient reserves to exceed the Charity Commission’s minimum recommended six months operating costs. The Trustees undertook to maximise the reserves during the period when they were receiving grant support from the County Council. The Trustee believe that the current reserves will enable the continuation of library services for the foreseeable future and the development of new provision.
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALE5 Matket Bosworth Commun Llbra 1165437 ments accounts Recei ts and CC16a For the perlod 01A r-22 ro 314Aar-23 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted Restricted EndrNmRnt lunds funds funds tothe nBar•Et É to Ih•farvt£ tr¥ thgn•xost£ Total funds Last y¢ar toth? noarFst E A1 Recei LCC Gtartts Otrr Gwts Library Don81ioDs Rwm H¢re Photocor Inc¢r( Furd RaisifJ Events 20) Club 20) Club Sutwpbons Netof Thi$ tota n)ss income 1524 2,524 1.95T 18 793 937 937 701 701 1,915 AR) set on see table Inves tota S.803 5.803 7.560 A3Pa ents Ca1 *nd Repairs & IA8intew Insur¥rte Lights Heabng Fund RaIra EXFWWS ComMuntity) E¥penses IT Expenses Hard 8 Soft Prwfiises Expertses Other Premises Related Expertses Bank Charges Sundry Exp5¢5 1528 1.396 fj17 1,492 2,528 1,396 $17 1A92 2S2 597 1.526 20 347 J47 205 305 4S 41 120 3.111 32D 152 2B7 Sub total 7A63 A4 Asset and InStment Purchases of Fe Assets Sub total Net of reeeipts/(paymentsJ AS Translers between funds A6 Cash fund$ last year end Cash funds thls year end 1,660 4.449 52299 50.839 52. 50.639 47, 52,299 CCXX R1 arxounts Issi 2Zll012023
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period UnrÈstrficted funds R•stricied funds tr noarnsi É Endowment fut)ds Categorleg Dei•ll# B1 Cash funds Total cash funds 50.639 5}1 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowfflènt lurMIs to wr•£ Dètalls Fund towhS¢h eurrentvalue [•#11$ B3 Investment assets Fund to ¥rtbiGh C05t loplonal) Cuwr•tht¥•luo Delalls 34 Assets rgtained for the charity's own us* Afflount Dètal 011 BS LSabilitles SvJned by one Of trustees on behaKtsf all the truste8$ SKJn8hJre inl Name Dgle of royal Btian Granger Gli 201% Simon Paul CCXX R2 arts)unts ISSI 22110r2023