## **Dartington Recreation Association - Annual Report 2024-25** ## **Annual report 1.4.24 – 31.3.25** 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** The charity has had a very successful year attracting record amounts of funding and welcoming new trustees and volunteers to realise the vision of Meadowbrook as a hub of recreation for all. Meadowbrook has made a first step to becoming a hub for clean energy with the installation of solar panels on the roof of the pavilions and feasibility work underway to become an energy generation network. 1 **Dartington Recreation Association - Annual Report 2024-25** In addition to the well established relationships with Pizzalogica (Meadowbrook’s resident pizzeria) and Things Happen Here (Meadowbrook’s resident tap room and live music venue), the charity was delighted to welcome Somewhere Sauna to Meadowbrook. We received the following grants and donations: Dartington Post Office, via the Nisa community fund - £500 for the baby bike track. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government **£44,833** to install solar panels through Devon County Council's Green Impact Fund as part of the Devon and Torbay Devolution Deal. **(£26,800 received 24/25 and £17933 received 25/26)** Department for Energy Security and Net Zero **£38,444** for community energy feasibility supported by the Southwest Net Zero Hub **.( £ 25,574 received 24/25 and £12,870 received 25/26)** Community Resilience Fund - £10,000 to pay for professional services to secure planning permission for the new pool. ## **Total grants and donations 24/25 = £ 63,488 (£ 30,803 received 25/26)** Restricted donation from Dartington Swimming Pool - £ **17,424** The Dartington Swimming Pool club, an unincorporated association that had for many years overseen the running of the Dartington Swimming Pool, was dissolved in 2024 when the pool was closed for renovation. The club transferred all remaining funds to the DRA to help fund the renovation General fund raising for the pool -2024/25 **£3342** ## **Main achievements** The community centre has thrived this year. Pizzalogica has maintained their reputation for delicious handmade pizzas. A grant from South Hams District Council for £10,000 (paid to Pizzalogica) matched by **£ 12,352 from DRA** to construct an outside covered area. This has provided welcome shade from the sun and rain and further enhanced the outside area at Meadowbrook. Due to the age of the boiler a major investment of **£ 16,700** was required to replace the boiler. This caused an unplanned disruption to all users of the centre in the winter months. Both businesses (THH and Pizzalogica) have created jobs, and are attractive employers to young people. They have been joined by Somewhere Sauna a wood fired sauna making the sauna experience available throughout the week. 2 **Dartington Recreation Association - Annual Report 2024-25** In the summer months, the offering to the community has been enhanced with pop up caterers including the Big Kebaski, which has become a regular member of the Meadowbrook community. The photograph is from the Extravaganza (our annual fund raiser and community event) and includes the new covered area. The play area was enhanced by a generous anonymous donation to purchase play equipment. Meadowbrook comprises the MUGA, accessible play park, rustic bike track and field, which together means that there is a lot to do for children and young people of all ages. On a warm evening the area regularly attracts 200 – 300 people. Earthjump (local Community Interest Community) continues as a brilliant partner to the DRA running a bike club for under 11s, a coffee club for over 55s and supporting the major project to re-build the swimming pool. 3 **Dartington Recreation Association - Annual Report 2024-25** Totnes and Dartington Football Club and Totnes Sub Aqua Club continue to thrive and benefit from the DRA facilities. Since the closure of the pool, a small group of volunteers have overseen a significant piece of work to secure planning permission for a new larger, heated open air pool. They are now focussed on fund raising for the renovation of the pool and site. Attracting funding for solar panels of the pool pavilion roof and for feasibility work has been another major step forwards for the pool project. The solar panels and batteries will power new pool air-source heat pumps to provide heating to the pool. In the meantime, they are also supplying our other community services and facilities at Meadowbrook. Although the majority of the pool compound remains out of the use, a section was fenced off to provide a base for Somewhere Sauna and the pavilion is used by various groups including the footballers and Earthjump to store equipment. The trustees ran a recruitment drive to attract new talent and capacity to the charity, which resulted in the appointment of 5 new trustees and welcome influx of ideas and energy to sustain the ambitions of the charity. The trustees are immensely proud of the achievements of the charity this year. Meadowbrook goes from strength to strength as a vibrant hub for recreation and sport and continues to attract more volunteers and organisations wanting to become part of this exciting, inclusive community. The trustees are grateful to all the support they have had throughout the year including South Hams District Council, Dartington Hall Trust, Dartington Primary School and Dartington Parish Council. In 2025/26 the trustees will focus on the pool renovation, progressing plans for sustainable energy for the site and enhancing the sustainability of the charity. ## **Charity’s policy on reserves** The charity retains £22,000 as a reserve. This is sufficient to cover the running costs of the charity for a year. 4 **Dartington Recreation Association - Annual Report 2024-25** ## **Financial review** The charity received **£ 157,737** in the period 1.4.24 – 31.3.25. In the same period, the charity expended **£ 208,196** General activities surplus of £ 3025. Restricted funds show a £ 53,484 loss but relates to a £20,000 expenditure when _Kompan_ donation received in 23/24. Also £30,803 spent in advance of solar panel grants which were received in 25/26. At the financial year end, the charity held a balance of **£36,647** ## **Note: If accruals accounting rather than current cash accounting would have shown a break-even situation. Recommendation to the Trustees to adopt accruals accounting for 25/26** ## **Trustees** ## **Current** Louise Morpeth, Mark Burton, James Brittain, Amy Stray, Michael Campbell, Richard McKenny, Michela Delamere ## **Resigned** Mandy Burton, Jan Maddick, Olivia Doherty, Ashish Ghadiali, Helen Tune, Margaret Cushen, Helen Allipaz , Joel Riley This report was approved by Trustees on 14[th] October 2025. 5 DARTINGTON RECREATION ASSOCIATION Charltyno. 1168817 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 RECEIPTS 2025 Total 8189 65087 2024 Total 5078 60958 10487 1627 160 General Design8ted Restrict8d Renl- Dartinglon Trust Car Park other rent5 SHDC grants Fund Raising for pool Fund Raising for bike track Grant incoma 8189 65087 20765 20765 208 63273 215 208 10801 215 52472 Donations and sales Rates refund TOTAL RECEIPTS 30244 1568 110122 84500 73237 157737 PA YMENTS Field Grass cutting & other fi81d maintènance Cleaning-community Centre El8ctricity and gasrycommunity centr8 Water and s8W8rag8wcommunity centre Rapalrs and malnt6nanc8-community C8ntr8 Fire alam and security-communlty cantra Repairs and maintenance-general Swmming Pool-rebuild Rates 6315 4888 16816 4100 27967 198 618 7977 382 165 6315 4888 16816 4100 27967 198 618 28742 382 165 12447 3201 17506 2943 15537 149 16471 7548 72 197 7190 839 8680 553 86 1652 3991 20765 Water and sowerage-pavllion Insurance Telephone and internet-community ￿ntre Consurtancy Accountancy and 8xaminalion IT So￿are and con8umabl8s 1052 9284 666 1052 9284 666 115 491 105748 649 115 491 Budgot for Extravaganza Grant and donation expèndlturè Blke club 105748 208 441 Miscellaneous 108 99170 TOTAL PAYMENTS 81475 126721 208196 Excess of Income over Expendlture Transfers Bank and cash balances al start ofyear 3025 -53484 0459 10952 -16696 50318 -14813 14813 31509 21975 87106 76154 Bank and ca8h balances at end of year 36647 36647 87106 DARTINGTON RECREATION ASSOCIATION STATEMENT OF ASSEfs AND UABILITIES AT 31st MARCH 2025 harity no. 116Be17 General D8signated Restricted 2025 2024 Assets Bank & Cash Balances Barclays Current 36647 36647 87106 Debtors Accounts recelvablo Grant funding 3786 3786 30802 34588 30802 30802 3786 Total Assets 40433 30802 71235 87106 Llabllltlos Creditors & accruals 3927 3927 330 Nofe.. The trustees conflmi, In accordance wlth the Charitable Incorporatsd Organisalions (General) Regulations 2012. that al the year end the CIO did not have any outstsnding guarantses lo third parlies nor any debts secU￿d on th8 assets of Ihe CIO. The accounts were apprvoed by the tru8t8es on 21st October 2025 and signed on their behalf by Mark Burton, chair oflwste8s. Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Dartington Recreation Assoclatlon CIO Charlty no. 1168817 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Dartington Recreation Association CID for the year ended 31" March 2025. Responsibilities t7nd basls of report As the charity trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Charity's accounts carrled out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commisslon under section 145(5)(bl of the Act. Independent exuminerfs stotement I have completed my examinatlon. 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 wlth those records. I have no conc@rns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examinatlon to which attention should be drawn in this report In order to enable a proper understanding of the accountgtokn¢ reached. I P Burrett FCA FCIE Barretts Chartered Accountants 22 Union Street Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 2JS th 28 October 2025