Cosby Community Library
Registered charity no: 1168347
7[th] AGM to be held at 7.00pm on Monday 19[th] June 2023 at Cosby Community Library, Park Road, Cosby.
Secretary’s Report
Cosby Community Library is a registered charity, registered on 21[st] July 2016. The charitable objectives are:
1. To advance the education of the general public in Cosby and the surrounding area, in particular but not exclusively by the provision of a lending library.
2. To further or benefit the residents of Cosby and the surrounding area, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.
The library is run by volunteers on a day to day basis and is overseen by a Management Team which includes the Trustees. The Charity took over the running of the Library from Leicestershire County Council [LCC] in September 2016 and s responsible for all costs with respect to the building and general equipment. The book stock and I.T. systems continue to be provided by LCC.
This report will cover the period from the previous AGM [18.5.2022] to this AGM.
1[st] April 2022 – 31[st] March 2023:
During this period, finances have been healthy and there were a sufficient number of enthusiastic volunteers to cover all scheduled shifts.
The Library continues to open for 7 sessions a week. This includes 6 sessions as a lending Library, and 1 session for Ducklings [a termtime only, weekly activity session for preschool children]. Over the last year, we have gained an additional 222 new users [an increase of 45% on the previous year].
The Ducklings group is very popular. There are about 15 children, with their carers, at each session. Each week is based on a theme, and these have included recycling, the Queen’s Jubilee, the seashore, Easter, the weather, the zoo, Outer Space, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Hallowe’en, Bonfire Night, and creepy crawlies, as well as a Christmas party and the Annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic. The sessions include craft activities, stories and singing, as well as games. There is a fabulous team who organise all these endeavours, including Jan Humphries, Laura Meider, Lesley Clarke, Deb Bugg, Hilary Jones-Gerrard and Sarah Gordon.
Additional regular activities include Cribbage evenings, Thursday Coffee Mornings and Crime Readers.
The Library participated in the Summer Reading Challenge in July & August 2022, which had a good uptake from the children in the village, with some devouring books at an amazing rate. We also hosted classes from the school for World Book Day.
We took part in the Warm Space Campaign, providing magazines and jigsaws for people to enjoy, in addition to free tea and coffee. This has now ended, but it generated a steady stream of new visitors.
Other events have included a Easter Egg trail, a Community Craft Event aimed at both preschool and school age children, hosted Live & Local event [Rob Gee’s one man show, ‘Forget Me Not’], held book sales and craft events for both the Platinum Jubilee event and the Cosby Community Celebration Day, and a Lego Club during school holidays [organised by Sarah Gordon]. We have also introduced IT sessions on Friday afternoons, although take up has been very slow.
We have also held our second raffle, raising £390.
Within the Library, we have been able to renew the cladding, had a retractable awning fitted, completed necessary maintenance on the roof and drains, and have now commenced work on developing a sensory garden at the front of the building.
We are delighted to report that a new trustee, Terry Crossley, joined us during the year and I am delighted to say that he has confirmed that he is very happy to stay as a trustee. We also appointed a new Health & Safety Officer, David Ricketts. We also continue to have Duke of Edinburgh Award volunteers working with us. Laura Meider continues to monitor our FaceBook page, posting information on the various activities and other matters.
The Management Team continues to meet on a monthly basis. Lesley has continued to lead the Management Team, aided by the varied and effective talents of the Management Team Members.
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Cosby Community Library Accounts at 31/03/2023
INCOME
Bank Cash Total
Leicestershire County Council 4,350.00 4,350.00
Friends Of Cosby Library 65.00 310.00 375.00
Donations/Events 26,512.15 1053.55 27,565.70
Fines 144.64 144.64
Coffee mornings 510.00 510.00
Raffles 843.00 843.00
Card Re-Issue 0.00
Reservation Fees 61.30 61.30
Miscellaneous income 77.46 77.46
Photocopying 101.50 101.50
Sale of Books & Christmas 647.90 647.90
Stationery 0.00
Jigsaws/CDs 62.90 62.90
Refreshments 9.00 9.00
Crib 46.00 46.00
Bank Interest 11.14 11.14
30,938.29 3,867.25 34,805.54
EXPENDITURE
Bank Cash Total
Alarm 0.00 0.00
Gas & Electricity 1682.50 1,682.50
Water 219.07 219.07
Insurance 670.44 670.44
Photocopier 0.00 0.00
Maintenance 18343.84 18,343.84
Stationery 41.80 41.80
Postage 13.04 13.04
Special Events 631.80 631.80
Refreshments 119.08 119.08
Miscellaneous 49.80 189.22 239.02
21771.37 189.22 21960.59
Income less expenses 12844.95
Brought Forward from 2021/2022 31393.70
44,238.65
Represented By:
Bank Balance at 31/03/2023 44115.69
Cash In Hand 122.96
Cash Book Position 31/03/2023 44238.65
Diff 0.00
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| 2023 | 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ]NCOME | |||
| Blabv District Council | 4,350.00 | 1,662.00 | |
| Covid Grant | 4,250.00 | ||
| Friends Of CosbyLibrary | 375.00 | 245.00 | |
| Donations/Events | 27,565.70 | 1,406.28 | |
| Fines | 144.64 | 72.07 | |
| Cotfee mornings | 510.00 | ||
| Raffles | 843.00 | 652.05 | |
| Eard Re-lssue | 0.00 | 11.00 | |
| Reservation Fees | 61.30 | 19.00 | |
| Miscellaneous income | 77.46 | 58.00 | |
| Photocopying | 101.50 | 112.75 | |
| $bteof Books&Christmas | 647.90 | 430.89 | |
| ftssaws/CDs | 62.90 | 21.70 | |
| Refreshments | 9.00 | 115.00 | |
| erib | 46.00 | ||
| Bank lnterest | 11.14 | ||
| Totallncome | 34,805.54 | 9,055.74 | |
| expeuoruRe | |||
| [hrm | 949.72 | 479.56 | |
| .tsbs& Electribitv | 1,682.50 | 1,402.33 | |
| Water ihturance |
219.07 670.44 |
235.01 653.1I |
|
| &laintenance | 17,394.12 | 6.473.87 | |
| Stationerv | 41.80 | 61.97 | |
| Postage | 13.04 | 18.12 | |
| Special Events | 63't.80 | ||
| Refieshments | 119.08 | 11.37 | |
| Miscellaneous | 239.02 | 868.49 | |
| fotalExpenditure | 21,960.59 | 10.203.90 | |
| :icessof income overexpenditure | 12,844.95 | (1,148.16) | |
| v, | |||
| HlouqhtFonrvardtrom202112022 | 31,393.70 | 32,541.86 | |
| Balance Carried Forward | 44,238.65 | 31,393.70 | |
| Represented By: | |||
| Bank Deposit Account | 18,951.14 | ||
| Bank Current Account | 25,164.55 | 31,204.77 | |
| )ash lnHand | 122.96 | 188.93 | |
| 44,238.65 | 31.393.70 | ||
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