Trustee Annual Report For the year ended 31 March 2025
Prepared by Sally Long, Chair of Trustees
Legal and Administrative Information
Charity Name : Friends of Cricklewood Library (FOCL) Charity Number: 1168381
Legal Form : Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Constitution : Adopted 22 July 2016
Registered Office : 152 Olive Road, London NW2 6UX
Trustees during the year:
| Trustee | Role | Appointment Date | Resignation Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahmood Tariq Dar | Trustee | 16/07/2016 | |
| Sarah Long | Chair | 16/07/2016 | |
| Wendy Tyrrell | Vice Chair | 16/07/2016 | |
| Lynette Webb | Trustee | 28/01/2019 | 15/05/2025 |
| Allen Evangelista | Treasurer | 03/09/2020 | |
| Princess Francis | |||
| Trustee | 23/11/2022 | ||
| Aurora Eerosson | |||
| Trustee | 11/09/2024 | ||
| Cristiana-Daniela Radulescu | |||
| Trustee | 11/09/2024 | ||
| Sally Kirkwood | Trustee | 11/09/2024 | |
| Tahira Mirza | |||
| Trustee | 11/09/2024 | 6/08/2025 |
Bankers : HSBC 50-52 Kilburn High Road, London NW6 4HJ; CAF Bank, 30 Old Broad St, City of London EC2 1HT
Independent Examiner : Kathleen Moss ACMA, CGMA Kathleen Moss Limited 48 Lawn Terrace, London SE3 9LP
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Structure, Governance and Management
Friends of Cricklewood Library (FoCL) is governed by a Board of Trustees who are responsible for overall strategic direction, compliance, and oversight. The trustees meet regularly to review performance, finances, risk and compliance. Decisions are taken either at trustee meetings or by written/electronic resolution as appropriate.
The trustees ensure the charity operates within its constitution and complies with all relevant legislation. The charity relies on volunteers to operate with the support of a small number of paid contractors. FOCL maintains policies for safeguarding, health and safety, and financial management.
Recruitment, Appointment and Development of Trustees
Trustees are appointed according to the charity’s constitution and serve fixed terms with the possibility of reappointment. Trustees receive no remuneration or benefits.
During the year, FOCL strengthened its Board with the inclusion of new trustees, bringing additional skills and perspectives to support governance, sustainability, and resilience. Trustees regularly review board composition, skills balance, and succession planning.
Objectives and Activities
The objects of the charity are:
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To advance education, in particular by promoting literacy and reading.
-
To promote the arts, culture, heritage or science, in particular by supporting access to library services.
-
To provide facilities for recreation and other leisure-time occupation in the interests of social welfare for the benefit of the community.
All activities are designed to meet these objects and provide clear public benefit.
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Chair’s Report
Cricklewood Library has become a thriving hub of community activity and continues to develop. Open since October 2021 the library was fitted out with funds raised by the community. It is known as a welcoming small self-funding library that sits next to Gladstone Park in the south of the London Borough of Brent in the same place the original library was built in 1929.
An evolving and passionate group of volunteers make the library work and their input drives the services the library offers.
Cricklewood Library provides an independent library service and has a curated collection of over 5,000 books. Friends of Cricklewood Library ensure the continuation of library services in the area and also offer a wide range of educational and cultural activities. Alongside this we run a popular community cafe. The library offers a place for people to gather, and take part in educational, cultural and wellbeing services for people of all ages.
During the year ended 31 March 2025, the trustees focused on consolidating the library’s position as a financially independent, volunteer-led community resource while responding to growing demand.
Key areas of trustee attention included:
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Oversight of financial stability, balancing earned income, donations, and operational costs in the context of rising overheads.
-
Monitoring building maintenance and infrastructure issues, including drainage, to ensure safety and usability.
-
Board development, with new trustee appointments strengthening governance and long-term resilience.
-
The trustees want to thank volunteers, hirers, donors, partners, and the wider community for their commitment and support.
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Public Benefit
The trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. FOCL delivers public benefit by:
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Providing access to library services, educational activities, and cultural events.
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Offering an inclusive community space accessible to all ages and backgrounds.
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Subsidising activities through income from venue hire, ticketed events, café sales, and donations to ensure wider participation.
-
Our volunteers are central to the service the library offers and essential to building person to person links and strengthening community cohesion.
I love this library! There are so many interesting events on from Pilates to ukulele and line dancing as well as so many others even live music once a month. Lovely cakes too. Run by very lovely volunteers. Feel so lucky to have this place just on the edge of Gladstone park ❤
“I would just like to say how wonderful the volunteer staff is at the Library, they were extremely helpful and very nice [and] were able to answer all of my queries and signpost me in all the right directions.”
Lovely library. Beautifully clean, nice selection of books and a lovely environment for a coffee and a read or browse. All run by volunteers. Amazing. We are so lucky to have this. I also went to a Friday night music event - fantastic live band and a great friendly atmosphere. Thank you!
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Our Mission
To offer inclusive spaces for learning, wellbeing and creative activities that support local communities and develop, protect and sustain libraries. Our aims and objectives are to ensure local residents have ongoing access to a professional library service and community services they need locally and cannot access elsewhere. Delivered through the following activity areas:
-
Sharing and Learning
-
Health and Wellbeing
-
Venue and Performance
-
Working with the community
FOCL works to engage with the whole of the community, providing a wide range of activities and using project and general funds to support programmes that increase participation by people from all backgrounds and ages.
Fundraising will leverage community relationships for ongoing support, both with larger donations and consistent small contributions enabling us to expand our impact also joint funding applications will build relationships with other groups. We seek feedback from a wide range of users and stakeholders, to help develop what goes on at the library.
Community Need and Wider Context
FOCL operates in Cricklewood, where access to community-based educational, cultural, and leisure activities is limited. The library addresses these gaps by:
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Offering low-cost or free events and activities.
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Maintaining a volunteer-run, community-focused facility open to all.
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Supporting literacy and learning for children, families, and adults
-
Being responsive to user’s requests and comments
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The library is likely to be in further demand due to the local focus on regeneration and home building in the NW2 and NW10 postcodes: It is the only free-to-use building open to all within the area.
The number of visitors to the library is recorded and is evidence of the community’s growing use of its facilities. The aim of reopening the library as a community run space was to improve social cohesion and this is evidenced, not only by numbers coming into the library but also the growing friendship groups. The library is often ‘discovered’ by people, and a common comment received is how friendly and welcoming a space it is.
The library is completely self-funding. The charity’s strategy from the outset has been to achieve and maintain financial independence to ensure its sustainability. The library continues to diversify its income streams such as by generating income through cafe sales, party hire and venue hire. Both local councillors and Barclays Bank are regular long term hirers
Achievements and Performance
Library Use
FOCL was open to the public at a lending library approximately 23 hours per week. In addition, recorded visitor numbers during the year were approximately 20,000 , but much footfall (for example for activities taking part after/before hours) goes unrecorded.
Total book issues were 733 .
Some key metrics for the year 2023-24
| As of 31/3/25 | % inc/dec on prev | |
|---|---|---|
| year | ||
| Number of volunteers in the team | ||
| 57 | -15%(67) | |
| Number of library patrons | 733 | n/a |
| Visitor numbers | ||
| 19020 | +14% |
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Activities and Events
During the year, the library delivered a broad programme of regular and one-off activities, including
Weekly family reading sessions and children’s book clubs; monthly music and cultural events; seated exercise, line dancing, ukulele group and choir as well as regular ESOL classes.
The library was also used for regular Councillor surgeries, NHS-run diabetes health meetings and Covid booster bus, chess club, community group meetings and private social events.
Hirers provided services including fitness and art classes and Barclays Bank offered weekly services following the closure of the local branch.
Volunteers
Volunteers remain central to FOCL’s operation. The library is staffed by trained volunteers, contributing approximately 125 hours in a typical week.
The library could not function without the support of its volunteers. Since opening the library has benefited from local friendship groups introducing people to the library, and in addition new friendship groups have grown out of people meeting as volunteers, at activities and events. Volunteers also help build new activities, coming up with ideas and making them a reality, such as Crickleflicks, a community film club.
The trustees recognise both the strength and risk inherent in volunteer reliance and continue to prioritise recruitment, training, and retention to ensure service continuity.
To support library activities and volunteers FOCL pays contract workers for the essential job of cleaning, Saturday shifts in the cafe and co-ordinating room hire.
Risk Management and Reserves
The trustees regularly review key risks:
- Dependence on volunteers for daily operations
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-
Building maintenance and infrastructure requirements
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Maintaining sufficient unrestricted income to cover ongoing costs
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Risk mitigation strategies include active volunteer engagement, close financial monitoring, and maintaining adequate reserves.
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Reserves policy: - The trustees hold unrestricted reserves to ensure the charity can continue operations in case of unexpected income disruption, replacing capital items such as the heating/cooling system or increased costs.
-
The trustees consider the current level of reserves to be sufficient for 6-12 months of operating costs. This includes the possible impact transitioning to salaried roles, in accordance with employment requirements, might have on overheads, which we currently estimate as a 5% increase of existing regular staff costs.
Financial Review
The charity continued to operate on a self-funding basis during the year. Income was generated through café sales, donations, venue hire, and fundraising activities.
Total income year on year increased by 31% with increases of 8% for unrestricted funds & 440% for restricted funds. Operationally for our total funds, our income streams have decreased by 42% for donation and legacies but our charitable activities have increased by 48% which represents a much larger portion of our income base than pure donations. Our ability to fundraise especially on the restricted funds side has further strengthened our existing financial position and as such we are able to continue to run new & existing projects outlined in this report.
In summary our Annual Finances for the year ending Mar-25 were as follows:
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Summary for year ended 31 March 2025
| Year | Unres. Funds 2024 |
Res. Funds 2024 |
Total Funds 2024 |
Unres. Funds 2025 |
Res. Funds 2025 |
Total Funds 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Income |
£76,100 | £4,438 | £80,538 | £81,833 | £23,966 | £105,799 |
| Expenditure | £44,922 | £41,421 | £86,343 | £70,538 | £41,047 | £111,585 |
| Net Surplus /Deficit |
£31,178 | (£36,983) | (£5,805) | £11,295 | (£17,081)** | (£5,786) |
| Total Funds carried fwd. |
£108,327 | £329,145 | £437,472 | £118,299 | £313,387 | £431,686 |
**Note on the summary table: Deficit on the restricted 2025 funds in line with project restrictions with timings not aligning with the financial year.
The trustees consider the charity’s financial position stable and sufficient to support ongoing operations.
Plans for the Future
The trustees will continue to:
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Monitor financial sustainability and reserves
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Review governance and board development
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Maintain and expand volunteer recruitment and training
-
Ensure that library activities remain responsive to community needs
A film club is being planned, and blackout curtains have been installed in anticipation, which have already proved useful for other events. An application is being made to fund
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activities for two groups who could benefit from them, the over 60s and children 8-11. The German conversation group is up and running.
Trustee Responsibilities and Statement of Compliance
The charity trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the appropriate law.
They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In so far as the trustees are aware:
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there is no relevant information of which the charity's examiners are unaware; and
-
the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the examiners are aware of that information.
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The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The total number of such guarantees at 31 March 2024 was ten (2024: five). Trustees are members of the Charity, but this entitles them only to voting rights.
Our Independent Examiner, as appointed by the board, Kathleen Moss Limited. Approval This report was approved by the trustees on 20 January 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
Sally Long – Chair of Trustees
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Friends of Cricklewood Library
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Friends of Cricklewood Library
Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registered in England and Wales Charity Number 1168381
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Friends of Cricklewood Library (‘the charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and related notes.
This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity’s trustees those matters I am required to state to them in this report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for my work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
An independent examination does not involve gathering all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently does not cover all the matters that an auditor considers in giving their opinion on the financial statements. The planning and conduct of an audit goes beyond the limited assurance that an independent examination can provide.
Consequently I express no opinion as to whether the financial statements present a ‘true and fair’ view and my report is limited to those specific matters set out in the independent examiner’s statement
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set
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out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
KR Moss
Kathleen Moss ACMA, CGMA Kathleen Moss Limited
48 Lawn Terrace London SE3 9LP Dated: 29th January 2026
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) For the year ended 31 March 2025
| Income Notes Donations and legacies 3 Interest received Charitable activities 4 Total income Expenditure: 5 Raising funds Charitable activities Total expenditure Net income and net movement in funds for the year Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Transfer between funds Total funds carried forward |
Total Total Unrestricted Restricted Funds Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds Funds 2025 Funds Funds 2024 £ £ £ £ £ £ 3,670 4,980 8,650 14,883 80 14,963 92 - 92 - - - 78,071 18,986 97,057 61,217 4,358 65,575 81,833 23,966 105,799 76,100 4,438 80,538 25,660 - 25,660 18,749 - 18,749 44,878 41,047 85,925 26,173 41,421 67,594 70,538 41,047 111,585 44,922 41,421 86,343 11,295 (17,081) (5,786) 31,178 36,983) ( 5,805) ( 108,327 329,145 437,472 77,149 366,128 443,277 (1,323) 1,323 - - - - 118,299 313,387 431,686 108,327 £ 329,145 £ 437,472 £ |
|---|---|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.
The notes on the following pages form part of these accounts.
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Balance Sheet As at 31 March 2025
| Note Fixed assets Tangible Assets 8 Current assets Stock Debtors 9 Cash at bank and in hand Liabilities: Creditors: Amount falling due within one year 10 Net current assets / (liabilities) Net assets 11 The funds of the charity: 12 Restricted income funds Unrestricted income funds General reserve Total charity funds |
£ 98 1,277 121,462 |
2025 2024 £ £ £ 317,960 333,358 2,186 110,465 112,651 8,537) ( 113,726 104,114 431,686 437,472 313,387 329,145 118,299 108,327 431,686 437,472 |
|---|---|---|
| 122,837 9,111) ( |
||
The notes on the following pages form part of these accounts.
The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 20th January 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
Allen Evangelista
Allen Evangelista
Trustee Charity Registration No.: 1168381 Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
1 Statutory information
Friends of Cricklewood Library is a charitable incorporated organisation, charity number 1168381. The charity’s registered office address and prinicple place of business is Chronicle Heights, 152 Olive Road, London, NW2 6UY. The functional currency is sterling.
2 Accounting policies
The principal accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the year and in the preceding year.
2.1 Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), (Charities SORP FRS 102).
Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
2.2 Public benefit entity
Friends of Cricklewood Library meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
2.3 Going concern
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. The charity can operate based on confirmed funding with sufficient reserves.
The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.
The Library opened in October 2021 enabling the rental of space in order to raise funds. Trustees consider that current reserves and anticipated income is sufficient to cover operating costs.
2.4 Income
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income, it is probable the income will be received and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Where donations and grants are restricted to future accounting periods, they are deferred and recognised in those future accounting periods. Grants for immediate financial support and assistance, or to reimburse costs previously incurred, are recognised immediately.
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item or received the service, any conditions associated with the donation have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), volunteer time is not recognised so refer to the trustees’ annual report for more information about their contribution. On receipt, donated gifts, professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025: continued
2.5 Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis with the irrecoverable element of VAT included with the item to which it relates and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category.
Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:
-
Costs of raising funds relate to the costs incurred by the charity in inducing third parties to make voluntary contributions to it, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraising purpose
-
Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of delivering services and other activities undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs
-
Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading
2.6 Allocation of support governance costs
Support and governance costs are allocated to across funds at an appropriate rate.
Governance costs are the costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charity. These costs are associated with constitutional and statutory requirements and include any costs associated with the strategic management of the charity's activities.
2.7 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation
The charity operates a policy of capitalising fixed asset items over £1,000. Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life from the date the Charity took ownership of the building.
The principal annual rates used for this purpose are: Building 5% straight line on cost Fixtures and Fittings 20% straight line on cost
2.8 Leasing and hire purchase commitments
Rentals applicable to operating leases where substantially all the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor are charged on a straight line basis over the lease term.
2.9 Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments.
The trustees seek to use short term deposits to maximise the return on monies held at the bank and to manage cash flow.
2.10 Financial instruments
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
2.11 Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025: continued
2.12 Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
2.13 Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are to be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the Trustees.
Restricted funds are to be used for particular restricted purposes within the objectives of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes.
2.14 Pensions
The charity does not currently employ any staff and so does not operate a pension scheme.
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025: continued
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Donations and legacies | 2025 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| General donations | 3,670 | 4,980 | 8,650 | |
| 3,670 | 4,980 | 8,650 | ||
| Donations and legacies - prior year comparative | 2024 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| General donations | 5,756 | 80 | 5,836 | |
| Fundraising | 9,127 | - | 9,127 | |
| 14,883 | 80 | 14,963 | ||
| Income from charitable activities | 2025 | |||
| 4 | Charitable activities | £ | £ | £ |
| Seven Friends Foundation | - | 2,250 | 2,250 | |
| FP Chapman Trust | - | 2,000 | 2,000 | |
| Sport England | - | 8,640 | 8,640 | |
| Other trading activities | ||||
| Café trading | 32,488 | - | 32,488 | |
| Venue hire | 34,580 | - | 34,580 | |
| Other trading activities | 10,897 | 6,096 | 16,993 | |
| Book sales | 106 | - | 106 | |
| 78,071 | 18,986 | 97,057 | ||
| Income from charitable activities - prior year comparative | 2024 | |||
| Charitable activities | £ | £ | £ | |
| Other trading activities | ||||
| Café trading | 29,060 | - | 29,060 | |
| Venue hire | 26,682 | - | 26,682 | |
| Other trading activities | 5,475 | 4,358 | 9,833 | |
| Book sales | - | - | - | |
| 61,217 | 4,358 | 65,575 |
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025: continued
| 5 Analysis of expenditure Fundraising events Advertising Café supplies Project activities Subscriptions Insurance Bookeeper Utilities/Waste collection Telephone General Administration costs Professional services Training: Staff, Volunteers Cleaning Repairs & Maintenance Fees Depreciation Other costs Independent Examination Sub total Support costs Governance costs Total expenditure 2025 |
Cost of raising funds Charitable activities Governance costs Support costs Total 2025 £ £ £ £ £ 4,261 - - - 4,261 - - - 366 366 13,440 - - - 13,440 - 23,304 - - 23,304 - 253 - - 253 - 1,331 - - 1,331 - - 750 - 750 - 7,365 - - 7,365 - 1,806 - - 1,806 - - - 1,203 1,203 113 - - 350 463 - - - - - - 8,294 - - 8,294 - 6,527 - - 6,527 6,391 9,637 - 2,317 18,345 - 19,789 - - 19,789 - 2,748 - - 2,748 - - 1,340 - 1,340 |
|---|---|
| 24,205 81,054 2,090 4,236 111,585 955 3,198 82 (4,236) - 500 1,673 (2,172) - - |
|
| 25,660 85,925 - - 111,585 |
| Of the total expenditure: | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | £ 70,538 | £ 41,047 | £ | 111,585 |
||
| 2024 | £ 44,922 | £ 41,421 | £ | 86,343 |
||
| Analysis of expenditure - prior | year comparative | 2024 | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Fundraising events | 6,580 | - | - | - | 6,580 | |
| Advertising | - | - | - | 1,028 | 1,028 | |
| Café supplies | 10,981 | - | - | - | 10,981 | |
| Project activities | - | 17,664 | - | - | 17,664 | |
| Subscriptions | - | 952 | - | - | 952 | |
| Insurance | - | 3,848 | - | - | 3,848 | |
| Bookeeper | - | - | 900 | - | 900 | |
| Utilities/Waste collection | - | 6,753 | - | - | 6,753 | |
| Telephone | - | - | - | 13 | 13 | |
| General Administration costs | - | - | - | 2,294 | 2,294 | |
| Training, Staff, Volunteers | - | 4,787 | - | - | 4,787 | |
| Cleaning | - | 5,261 | - | - | 5,261 | |
| Repairs & Maintenance | - | 2,725 | - | - | 2,725 | |
| Depreciation | - | 19,569 | - | - | 19,569 | |
| Other costs | - | 1,753 | - | - | 1,753 | |
| Independent Examination | - | - | 1,235 | - | 1,235 | |
| Sub total | 17,561 | 63,312 | 2,135 | 3,335 | 86,343 | |
| Support costs | 706 | 2,544 | 86 | (3,335) | - | |
| Governance costs | 482 | 1,739 | (2,221) | - | - | |
| Total expenditure 2024 | 18,749 | 67,594 | - | - | 86,343 |
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025: continued
6 Net income for the year
The net income for the year is stated after charging:
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Independent Examination | 1,340 | 1,235 |
7 Staff costs
No staff were employed by the charity in the year (2024: nil), all staff were paid on a freelance basis.
8 Tangible fixed assets
| Cost: At 1 April 2024 Additions at cost At 31 March 2025 Depreciation: At 1 April 2024 Charge for year At 31 March 2025 Net book value: At 31 March 2025 At 31 March 2024 |
Library building Fixtures & Fittings Total £ £ 391,377 391,377 4,391 4,391 |
|---|---|
| 391,377 4,391 395,768 |
|
| 58,019 - 58,019 19,569 220 19,789 |
|
| 77,588 220 77,808 |
|
| 313,789 4,171 317,960 |
|
| 333,358 - 333,358 |
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025: continued
| 9 | Debtors | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Due within one year: | £ | £ | ||
| Trade debtors | 964 | 1,979 | ||
| Prepayments | 313 | 207 | ||
| 1,277 | 2,186 | |||
| 10 | Creditors | |||
| Amounts falling due within one year: | ||||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
| £ | £ | |||
| Trade creditors | 2,143 | - | ||
| Accruals | 6,468 | 7,537 | ||
| Deposits received | 500 | 1,000 | ||
| 9,111 | 8,537 | |||
| 11 | Analysis of net assets between funds | |||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | ||
| Funds | Funds | Funds | ||
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| Fund Balances at 31 March 2025 are represented by: | ||||
| Tangible Fixed Assets | 103,540 | 214,420 | 317,960 | |
| Current Assets | 23,870 | 98,967 | 122,837 | |
| Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year | (9,111) | - | (9,111) | |
| Total net assets | 118,299 | 313,387 | 431,686 | |
| Analysis of net assets between funds -prior year comparative | ||||
| Total | ||||
| Funds | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| Fund Balances at 31 March 2024 are represented by: | ||||
| Tangible Fixed Assets | 99,149 | 234,209 | 333,358 | |
| Current Assets | 17,714 | 94,937 | 112,651 | |
| Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year | (8,537) | - | (8,537) | |
| Total net assets | 108,326 | 329,146 | 437,472 |
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025: continued
12 Funds
The income funds of the charity include restricted and unrestricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust:
| Restricted Funds Cricklewood Library building & fit out costs; including kitchen & storage Crowdfunder: Power to change Creative Conversations Cricklesingers Sport England Forest Bathing Total Restricted Funds Unrestricted funds: General funds Total funds |
At Incoming Outgoing Transfer between At 01 Apr 2024 funds 31 Mar 2025 £ £ £ £ 317,355 - ( 19,569) - 297,786 4,316 - - 4,316 5,410 7,230 ( 13,963) 1,323 - 1,684 6,096 ( 3,215) 4,565 380 8,640 ( 4,300) 4,720 - 2,000 - 2,000 |
|---|---|
| 329,145 23,966 ( 41,047) 1,323 313,387 |
|
| 108,327 81,833 ( 70,538) ( 1,323) 118,299 |
|
| 437,472 105,799 ( 111,585) - 431,686 |
Restricted Funds
Cricklewood Library building & fit out costs; including kitchen & storage
The restricted funds received to enable a full build & refurbishment of the Community Library facility. The building officially opened in October 2021 with depreciation for that bulding work and fitting out being attributed to the restricted income funds over 20 years.
Kitchen & storage: community space
Funding received to build a kitchen & secure storage to enhance the community space within the library building. The costs are included within the Building Assets. The funds were fully spent in the year, with the exception of the "Power to Change" Crowdfunder grant funding which has been carried over into the following financial year.
Grants awarded by London Borough of Brent have been of significant support to the refurbishment.
Other projects:
Creative Conversations
Funding to support Creative Conversations to deliver ESOL classes alongside craft sessions to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. This funding allows women to access the ESOL provision without prohibitive fees, in a friendly and informal environment.
Warm spaces hub
Funding to support heating costs to provide a warm space for the community to access during the cost of living crisis.
Cricklesingers
Cricklesingers community choir, external funding and a small fee charged to cover the cost of the Musical Director.
Sport England
Funding to support the provision of seated exercise classes.
Forest Bathing
Project creating opportunities for self-care in combination with respect and care for the natural environment. Starting at the library and progressing to local Gladstone Park for mindful exploration sessions ultimately benefiting 180 people.
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025: continued
Funds - prior year comparative
The income funds of the charity include restricted and unrestricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust:
| Restricted Funds Cricklewood Library building & fit out costs; including kitchen & storage Crowdfunder: Power to change Creative Conversations Warm Spaces Hub Cricklesingers Sport England Total Restricted Funds Unrestricted funds: General funds Total funds |
At Incoming Outgoing At 01 Apr 2023 31 Mar 2024 £ £ £ £ 337,206 - ( 19,851) 317,355 4,316 - - 4,316 20,236 80 ( 14,906) 5,410 1,250 - ( 1,250) - 920 4,358 ( 3,594) 1,684 2,200 - ( 1,820) 380 |
|---|---|
| 366,128 4,438 ( 41,421) 329,145 |
|
| 77,149 76,100 (44,922) 108,327 |
|
| 443,277 80,538 (86,343) 437,472 |
13 Related parties
Steve Hudson, husband of Sally Long Chair of Trustees, received fees in the amount of £965 (2024: £120) for professional building services.
Trustee Allen Evangelista received fees in the amount of £240 (2024: £nil) for bookkeeping services. He is not paid for trustee duties and Charity Commission guidance is followed.
There are no other related party transactions to disclose for 2025 (2024: none).
There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties.
14 Trustees
None of the trustees (or any person connected with them), other than that disclosed under Note 13, received any remunerations from the charity during the year. No reimbursements were made to trustees in 2025 (2024: nil) for travelling and other expenses and no payments were made direct to third parties. Reimbursements to trustees for expenditure relating to charitable activity are not included.
Friends of Cricklewood Library
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025: continued
15 Operating lease commitments
The library has a 999 year lease dated July 2019 for annual peppercorn rent. The lease includes a comittment to contribute the Library's share of the Service Charge payable.
16 Contingent assets or liabilities
There are no contingent assets or liabilities at March 2025 (2024:Nil).
17 Liability of members
Friends of Cricklewood Library is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability of the members is limited to £10 each.