Dartington Recreation Association
Annual report 1.4.21 – 31.3.22
Type of governing document: Constitution
How the charity is constituted: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Trustee selection method: by election (appointed trustees) and nomination by affiliate clubs (nominated trustees)
Summary of charity objects
To provide or assist in the provision of land and facilities for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Dartington and the surrounding area, and of such other area or areas as the trustees may from time to time resolve to invite, for recreation, sport, education or other leisure time occupation of groups and 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 the said inhabitants.
Summary of main activities
The charity has made significant progress towards establishing Meadowbrook as a hub for recreation and sport for all who live, learn, work and play in Dartington. Building on the success of the play park installed in 2020, the charity has breathed new life into the community centre and added to the facilities by building an open-access, two-loop, rustic bike track. The charity has welcomed back clubs and activities paused during the worst of COVID and established relationships with new organisations.
Summary of main achievements
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A long time in the planning, the bike track project was completed this year thanks to the amazing efforts of a small group of volunteers. Funding from South Hams District Council (Section 106) and British Cycling has transformed a neglected parcel of woodland into an exciting, two loop track. The outer loop is suitable for younger riders and three wheel trikes; the inner loop is a pump track suitable for riders seeking more challenge. It has been constructed around the established trees making it a genuinely rustic track. The track is unsupervised and open 24/7. It has been phenomenally popular from the moment it was completed! Located at the end of the cycle track connecting Totnes & Dartington and on the cycle route linking Dartington to the nearby Steiner School, the track is safely accessible to hundreds of children and young people.
In March 2021 the Meadowbrook Social Club, long-term tenants of the Community Centre, took the difficult decision to permanently close. After 40 years as a major asset to the community, this came as a serious blow. It meant that responsibility for the Community Centre reverted to the Charity. The building was empty and unused for the majority of 2020 as a result of COVID. It was in a very poor state of repair. Concerned that the building could become a significant drain on the Charity’s reserves, the Trustees were keen to find users of the space that would not only provide amenities for the parish but also contribute to the running costs of the building.
A local chef and entrepreneur took on part of the downstairs space to open a pizza take away, and the remaining downstairs space was taken on by local, community-owned brewery, New Lion, to run a tap room. From tentative beginnings and the uncertainties of COVID, the two organisations have gone from strength to strength not only providing wonderful new amenities for the village but also enabling other organisations to flourish. The occupation of the ground floor has enabled the reopening of the upstairs rooms for sports clubs, parties and events. This includes Aikaido, ballet, Kung Foo, dive club and drama. The snooker room, which contains a full size snooker table, has also been re-opened and is available to anyone to book and use. Bookings are managed on-line which has made the facilities more accessible to more people. Pop up caterers are invited on site at the weekend to provide a more varied food offering.
The community brewery offers a rich, diverse and evolving programme of events including book club, board games nights, jamming sessions, live music, DJ nights and quiz nights.
Clubs affiliated to the charity were all hit hard by COVID. The Dartington Swimming Pool club had two seasons affected by COVID restrictions - a problem compounded by the shortage of qualified life guards post COVID. The Totnes Sub Aqua Club had a much restricted programme of diving but has come through the pandemic and is growing its membership. The Meadowbrook Athletic Football Club has suffered a decline in members and has agreed to merge with Totnes & Dartington Football Club.
The charity is fortunate to have strong relationships with the three schools that neighbour Meadowbrook (Bidwell Special School, River Dart Academy and Dartington Primary School), the Dartington Parish Council, the Dartington Hall Trust and affiliated clubs. The ways these organisations work together is well illustrated by coordinated fund raising to install a defibrillator in Spring 2022. The school raised £251, the council granted £1500 and the remainder was made up by
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donations from all the clubs and organisations connected to the DRA. The DRA was delighted to have the support of Jay’s Aim, a local charity working tirelessly to reduce the rate of sudden cardiac death among young people in the south west, with the installation of the defibrillator and training of local people to use it.
The trustees are proud of the charity’s achievements in 2021/22 and confident that they are making major strides towards becoming a hub for recreation and sport for the village.
In 2022/23 the trustees will focus on: (1) establishing sustainable post COVID income for the charity; (2) further strengthening the governance of the charity; (3) planning for the re-development of the community centre and swimming pool.
Charity’s policy on reserves
The charity retains £20,000 as a reserve. This is sufficient to cover the running costs of the charity for a year.
Financial review
The charity received £93,632.66 in the period 1.4.21 – 31.3.22.
This included: Grant from Dartington Parish Council towards defibrillator £1500 Grant from Dartington Parisk Council towards Colins Bridge repairs £943.20 4 grants from South Hams District Council Covid rate relief grant 2 £8000 Covid leisure grant £2667 S106 grant for community centre £2775.94 S106 grant towards bike track £11,387 Grant from British Cycling £18,320 towards bike track
The remaining funds came from a range of sources including contributions from clubs and payment for use of the car park.
In the same period, the charity expended £92202.24. This comprised installation of bike track, and ongoing maintenance and repairs of the facilities,
At the financial year end, the charity held a balance of £58,685.72.
Trustees Current Will Fitzgerald Margarent Cushen Louise Morpeth Mandy Burton
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Jan Maddick
Resigned Jinty Balch ( May 22) Peggy Prout (March 22) Alan Blake (August 22) Lynne Williams (July 22)
This report was approved by the trustees on 27th September 2022.
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DARTINGTON RECREATION ASSOCIATION RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2022 Charlty no. 1168817 RECEIPTS 2022 Total 5691 31448 845 2021 Total 5848 892 1217 55 1325 276 Gen8rn1 Des¥Jnaled Rest17cled ReiYI'. DarbNJlon Trust Car Park Olher rents 5691 31448 Affiliated Club Rants BAnk Account interèst Coppicing Mi5cellan99u¥ Inwmg Grants.. Dartington Pxrish Cwn(xUSHDC 2015 Grdnis SHDC S1¢ 659 2443 659 2443 14163 16000 2667 14163 46679 20658 SHDC Covid grant P8vilionslMg8dowbrook rate SHDC Covid leisurg grant Fund Raising Funding ApICa.0ns Awards for all Funding Appll¢aUons Post code Lottery Fundlng Applicaknon British Cyding Donations 16000 2667 9850 20000 18320 18320 385 246 408 122 Insurdnce 246 9671 317 98 Electricity Income Water and $6werag6 Income Pod Grass eul P8villon8 Repair toilet Repairs sink fund TOTAL RECEIPTS 122 66 850 117800 233 233 233 93633 S6652 36747 PA YPAENTS Field Grass Cutting & otherfield maintena[8 Play Park Grass cajtting Bins & cleaning mèad0wbok gas and electriThty Meadovrtjrook rates 2961 2961 580 1585 12011 1592 3254 5482 11476 1750 900 423 1585 12011 1592 3254 General Maintenance 1011 3292 437 52 89 118 71 665 136 4044 87 95 4297 8686 Rapairs M8adcMbrook Building Repairs Pavillions Buildings fire extinguishers Swimming Pod Sèwerage Rates Swimming Po= Water Rates Pavillions Foolball Season Water Rates 11476 122 95 116 122 95 116 50 18 Pavillions Football Sèason Sawèrydgè R8tgS E18Ctricity Swimming Pool Electricity Pavillions Rate Relièf grant donalK)ll to Po Rale Relief Covid grant donationlo Sub Aqua Insuronce M8Adovk>mok Conlants 18 Insuranc8 1717 1717 Insurance Payout repairs Pal)nS Insurance repairs Pavilions Covid gr8nl ,1 i ill 983
Offic8 Admi 553 538 Coppicing Expenses New Play Park Fencing & Play Bark Fun Day expenses Bik& Track Expènsès Awards for all 37113 5017 37113 5017 2982 Play Park payments post (xde Lottery Play Park Kompan (post code Lottery) Gran'%S SHDC S106 Kompan Play Park Benches frorn 2019 PC grant Miscellaneous 3962 32 3708 18000 46679 840 273 30 100737 4979 73 50073 4979 73 92202 Pool gra55 Cuts TOTAL PAYMENTS 42130 Excèss of IrMe over Expenditure Adlustmonl 6580 -79 233 4383 1430 -79 17063 Bank and cash balar5 al start of yaar 33886 8868 57334 40271 Bank and cash balarths at end of year 40387 14813 3485 58685 57334 DARTINGTON RECREATION ASSOCIATION CIMrty•xlllU17 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIE5 AT 315t MARCH 2022 General Destgnated Restrict8d 2022 2021 Assets Bank & CAxh BlaJJces 8srclay8 Curr8nt Barclays Saver less ¢ovid grant Covid Grant remalnder 23672 14813 3485 41970 14806 5261 12388 14998 1500 386 1744 PC (8nl Ipremous restrthl fvndsl Match fu1ng savers account Users Repairs Account 1909 1909 COIF Chariti8s Deposit Fund Cash in hand 20838 219 40387 14813 3485 58685 57334 Llabllllles Ind8pendent Examin8r 330 330 330 Note.. The trustees confim, in acLX)rdance wlh the Charitabte Incorporatad Organis81ions (Generall ReguJatk)ns 2012. that at Ihe y8ar 8nd th8 CIO did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debls Secu C Ihe assets of tho CIO.
Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of Dartington Recreation Associatlon ao arity no. 1168817 I report to the tm5tees on my examination of the accounts of Dartlngton Recreation Association CIO for the year ended 31" March 2022. Responslbllitles ond bosis ofreport As the charlty trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the chartties Act 20111.the ACY'I. I report in respect of my examination of the Charitys accounts carried out under sectlon 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable D1ctionS given by the Charity Commission under 5ettion 14515llbl of the Act. Independent exomlnerf5 5totement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect.. Accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act,. or The accounts do not accord wtth those record5. I have no concems and have come across no other matter5 in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in thls report in order to enable a proper understanding of the account e reached. I P Borre Barretts Chartered Accountants 22 Union Street Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 2JS FC 24th ortober 2022