GILLINGHAM YOUTH FOUNDATION
Chairman’s Report for 2020/21
The last two years or more have been a complete blur for many of us and we all had to find new ways to work, new ways to live and businesses found it very hard to survive, though Belinda learnt new skills and the new word “furlough”, even though we have only one member of paid staff changes had to be set in motion. Government Covid-19 restrictions continued to be in place throughout 2020/21 and the previous year 2019/20 AGM did not take place as hoped. However, my Chairman’s Report and independently audited financial accounts for 2019/20 were duly submitted to the Charities Commission.
We all had to find new ways to work but now we seem to be coming out of the other side and returning to normal whatever that new normal is. This last year has yet again been an extraordinary challenge for Gillingham Youth Foundation and hirers of the Gillingham Youth & Community Centre buildings. Income from the hire of rooms improved a little when Covid restrictions were temporarily eased, but the Foundation has to owe its complete gratitude to the continued generosity of local sponsorship and one-off grant funding from Investec Wealth & Investment. Without which, the youth and community buildings would now be closed, permanently . We are deeply indebted to these benefactors, who have secured the future of the youth & community buildings for the community. Once again, I also thank Farnfield Solicitors for their ongoing help with tidying up all the loose ends with the transfer of the site from Dorset Council.
With the youth centre buildings vacated for long periods during lockdown, it was agreed by the Trustees to tackle some of the most pressing repairs, particularly the damage to the rear porch entrance caused by the rain finding its way through the roof, ceiling and causing internal damage. My sincerest thanks to Alan Waistell, fellow trustee, for all his attention to maintenance and repair, particularly in organising structural works to the rear porch roof damaged by water ingress. Also, lights plus all the other things I haven’t mentioned which keeps the buildings safe and up to standard for our hirers. As well as these duties, Alan has responsibility for health & safety and has been a stalwart in making sure the buildings are compliant with Government pandemic guidelines and in organising the necessary hygiene equipment to ensure that hirers were operating in a safe environment.
I thank all the groups and individuals that work with us in providing for our Community. It has been another difficult year and some of you have not been able to physically meet because of your member’s potential vulnerability to the Covid-19 virus or because your activity cannot comply with social distancing. It was agreed by the Trustees that hire rates would not be increased during these times, however at the end of 2021, we all became very much aware that utility bills, gas and electric in our case, were going to sore. Again, I thank Alan Waistell for securing the Foundation the best possible prices through his contacts. With this in mind, it was very regrettable that the Trustees were left with no alternative but to raise hire fees from 1[st] November 2021. We really do appreciate everyone’s co-operation with this.
As will be explained by our Treasurer, if it hadn’t been for the Covid outbreak, our finances were forecast to make significant improvement. but many of our regular groups were unable to meet up due to the vulnerability of their members. We were looking forward to hosting art and cultural classes run by Bournemouth & Poole Skills & Learning, but unfortunately these courses had to be cancelled again, and remain cancelled going forward. This is a great shame not only for the Foundation but for the local community. Despite this, we managed to just about break-even which is remarkable. However, we still have to be extremely careful going forward. As we all know, we are facing unprecedented increases in utility bills. and on that note Can I please reiterate to all those who use the buildings to ensure that all lights and taps are turned off when they leave.
So What is new, what is next? We will continue to increase our regular hirers through promotion of the centre. The renting out of the garage workshop and the Music Suite has been very successful. The renting out of the space between the music suite and the garage has just been finalised. Our next project is to work on hiring out the office space on the first floor. We will have then achieved full hire capacity of the premises.
I would like to welcome a new group, “The Friday Club”, to our regular lettings and wish them every success. I would also like to thank all groups and individuals who have stuck with us through these difficult times and can now look ahead.
Finally, I want to mention and minute our thanks to Eric, our Caretaker and only paid employee. Conscientious as ever, but it has been a difficult year for Eric, like it has been for most of us and I thank Angela, his much better half, for stepping in when needed. But I’m pleased to say we can now look forward to having Eric’s full attention after relinquishing his other job.
Finally, FinalIy, I would like to minute our thanks to our Trustees who put in more hours a week than your average job requires and so I thank Belinda and Alan …for all that they have done over the last year to keep this community’s dream a reality …and for the support of our new trustees, Gaynor and Judy, who joined us in June 2021. As Chairman, I want to mention someone special, who was there at the very beginning when we set up the Foundation 6 years ago and since that first Trustee meeting has been the beating heart behind this community venture, for 6 years she has Taken the bookings, set the weekly diary and liaised with the caretaker, advertised for new hirers, all the book keeping and reporting to the Charity Commission and everything else expected of a Charity’s Secretary and of a Charity’s Treasurer. We all thank you Belinda for all your hard work and dedication.
It really has been a pleasure to work as part of this committee and I am very proud to be it’s Chairman. We are all looking forward to the coming year with excitement and optimism.
David Walsh, Chair of Trustees, Gillingham Youth Foundation 23[rd] February 2022
GILLINGHAM YOUTH FOUNDATION
1[st] September 2020 - 31st August 2021
PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT
| This year | Prev. year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/2021 | 2019/2020 | ||
| INCOME: | £ | £ |
|
| Sales: hire of rooms Sales Type | A 4000 | 13,157.00 | 10,355.00 |
| Sale of Assets: 4200 | 180.00 | 0 | |
| Other Income: 4900 donations, | sponsorship, tombola | 10,765.78 | 17,930.98 |
| 24,102.78 | 28,285.98 | ||
| EXPENSES AND OVERHEADS | |||
| Office equipment and IT | 0030 | 0 |
384.84 |
| Gas, water, electric |
7200 | 4,133.77 | 4,426.97 |
| Rent & Rates | 7100 | 0 | 0 |
| Office costs | 7500 | 1,086.48 | 701.64 |
| Fire & Safety | 7503 | 1,052.00 | 0 |
| Health & Hygiene | 8201 | 2,017.81 | 197.99 |
| Legal and professional | 7600 | 100.00 | 0 |
| Insurance | 7610 | 2,688.12 | 2,146.05 |
| General expenses | 8200 | 2,909.26 | 4,606.89 |
| Repairs and renewals | 7800 |
1,755.49 | 744.47 |
| Payroll costs | 7001 | 240.00 | 319.00 |
| PAYE (HMRC payments) |
2210 | 1,444.20 | 1,554.00 |
| Net Wages | 2220 | 5,881.34 | 6,105.20 |
| Other deductions | 7009 | 0 | 0 |
| Marketing | 6200 | 0 | 450.00 |
| 23,308.47 | 21,637.05 | ||
| NET PROFIT/(LOSS): | 794.31 |
6,648.93 | |
Reserves policy: |
|||
| Based on total expenditure £23,308.47 divided by 12 months= | £5,827.14 | ||
| £1,942.38 x 3 months = £5,827.14 | |||
| Lloyds Opening Account Balance: | 13,790.34 | 4,934.66 |
|
| Lloyds Closing Account balance: | 13,717.28 | 13,790.34 | |
| Variation | (73.06) |
8,855.68 | |
| Less Trade debtors 1100 | 721.25 | 1,432.75 | |
| *Adjustment for Sage Accounts | Bank Opening Balance | 774.00* | |
| (As agreed with Independent Examiner of the accounts) |
794.31 6,648.93