Westridge Trust- Trustees. Annual Report 2023/24 Reference and Administration Details: Name.. Westridge Tru.st Address: Westridge Studio, Andover Road. Highclere, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 Registered Charity Number- 1169481 Nameb of the charity trustCCS who tnanage the charity: Michael York (Chairmdn) sally17.ett Michael lenkins Angela Tiley Structure, governance and management: Westridge Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisatinn Fii-st registered 04 October 2016. The threo original trustees were appuinted by the Highclere Parish Council to lead the neNv tru8t in its initial phase. The trustees have re.sponbibility tor the appoinlment uf further trustec.%. These appointment.s will be fur a period ot 3 years and will be Inade at a pruperly convened mceting of the charity trusteLS. The uriginal trustee.s wcrc appoi nted for the following terms: Sally Izett 4 years Michael York 3 years Michael jenkins 2 years Angela Tiley was appointed from September 4 2017 following a decision made by I"rustees at a meeting lield on luly.Bl 2017. Mrs Tiley is the Responsible Financial Officei. (RFO) for Lhe We5tridge Trust. Mr Jenkins was reappointed, at a meeting of Tru.gtee% far a fu rther t￿v0 years. All Trustees have agreed to continue their period of service. It hds been ditticult to attract voluntary help/5upport for tho Studio this year. as in previoub years, but we are consta11tly attempring to persuade local volunteL)r5 to join us. In 2023/4 meetings were structured as tollows: In this period the Management Group met on fvur occasions (January. May, September and twice in November) and we continued the policy of meeiing Ehree or tour times a year with special evenis or projeLts requirina.subgroups to meet and then report back to the full committee. I must emphdsize aGain the amazing work of this dedicated group ot voluntcers who have worked tirelessly to tnake this prnject work. Fund raising activities have Lontinued an a small scale. Ive have received urant funding from the Parish CounLiI for targeted. e.s.%Lntial projects but our real >uccess wa) a bJI'aiiL li-ujii Llie IJ li bioverii iii L)l)I's ' IJ Ik Shdred I'rosperiry fu nd, adminibtered by, and suppurted by, Basing¥stoki¥ and Deane Council. This grant was tor ju%t over £13,000. The fifth Arm is scheduled for Thursday 2 IstNovembcr, 2024. Objectives and Activities: The charitable objects: To promote the Art5 and to advance education in the ai.ts for Ihe public benefit in particular but not exclusively at the premisLs known as Westridge Studio for the benetit ot resid¥nis in the civil parish of HighLlere and the ne'ighbouring area. To provide facil ities in the IntL)rests of Social Weltrare For Education, RL)creation and uLher leisure time OCCUPdtions at the said premises with the aim of improving the Londiiion5 Ot lite (including the good health and well-bLing) ot rhose residents in the arL'a ot benefiL In turthL'rance nt. the objects of the chariLy to associate together with the IoLal residcnts, v()luntary organi/alion5 and local authorities with the aim to maintain and manage thL' prerniSQS as an Arts, Educational and Recreational facility fur the public benetrit without distinction ot (yender, se.xu31 orientation, race, age, disability or politiLal, religious or other opinions. To promote such other charitable purpn.ses (charitable under English Law) as Ihe trustees may. ti'orn time to tilTJe deem appropriate. 2023/24 has been another challengiiirF year fnr the Studio. Our aim wa5 to build un the sucLe%sfrul w()rk of last year and maintJin our u.ser base. We have, thanks to our Bookings Mandger, been very SULLesstul and we have continued ro operate in profit. However, the main challenoe ha5 been maintaining that level ot bookings in the tace of a 'Cost of Living Crisis, whei'e our running costs have risen signiticantly. We took the decision to raise our rates last year to cover our operaLina costs. Thanks 10 the hard work ot the committee. the support from the community has continued to gruw. We are nO￿V in a situation where our riinge ot activitie5 has expanded, and we continue to nieet our origindl objectives and opei'ate ()n a sound t'inancial tooting. Following our successful 'Ofticial' OPL'ning Idsl year thc Studio has continued to grO￿V and beLome bvell L)Stabli5hed ivithin our c¢)mmunity. One area that Lontinued to frustrare us wa£ our relatively poor outside facilities. Plans were drawn up to improve this and Lhe search beoan to hnd ways of funding our plan. Thanks t() one ot our Trustees. Sally Izett, we were able to secure a grant from the IJK 5hdred Prosperity Fu nd which was supparted by our Local tluthurity, Bd5inastoke and DeanL'. This grant. added to supp()rr trom Lhe Parish Council and Vdrii)us other small grants hds allowed US to put into aLtion a significant part of uur plan tu impi'ovo Pi.Irkin& l.'In(Js¢.ape tho site. er(N(:t iniproved sixnane and LFenerall! present a much more posirive iinaae to rhe community. The addiricin ot Disabled Parliing is a major breal