2025-11-30-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 1st Dec 2024 To 30th Nov 2025

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Longbarn Residents’ Association

Other names charity is known by LRA

Registered charity number (if any) 1170309

Charity's principal address	The Woodlands Centre, Kassia Academy	The Woodlands Centre, Kassia Academy
	Fallowfield Grove
	Warrington, Cheshire
	Postcode	WA2 0QQ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Bob McLaughlan	Chair	From 21 May 2024	Board of Trustees
	Katy Wallace	Vice Chair	From 21 May 2024	Board of Trustees
	Nicola Taylor	Treasurer
	Paul Adams	Secretary
	David Pearson
	Lynn Colter-Howard
	Howard Klein
	Richard Martin		From 10 December 2024	Board of Trustees

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address	Type of adviser Name Address	Type of adviser Name Address
Member of town’s help and advice group	Mr Bryan Dargie	Warrington Voluntary Action, The Gateway, Sankey Street, Warrington, Cheshire WA1 1SR

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

N/A

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document Constitution, adopted 20th October 2016 (amended (i) 9 June 2018; amended (ii) 12 March 2019)

(eg. trust deed, constitution) How the charity is constituted Association consists of all residents of Longbarn in north east (eg. trust, association, Warrington ~ approximately 2,600 eligible members. company)

Trustee selection methods Trustees are appointed from among the residents of Longbarn ~ (eg. appointed by, elected by) plus others in the town who may bring a new, fresh & value-added perspective to LRA ~ by our Board of Trustees.

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include LRA is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). Our 7 LRA additional information, where Charity Trustees are equal members of the CIO, & delegate the day relevant, about: to day running of the Association to our LRA Management Committee.

• policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;

• We have Terms of Reference & Governing Principles for each of the

• and training of trustees; 2 tiers of our governance structure which serve, inter alia, as useful

• the charity’s organisational training aids, as part of an induction pack, as new Trustees or

• structure and any wider Management Committee members join us.

• network with which the charity works;

• As our former Chairman, Geoff Orange launched LRA (in his front

• relationship with any related room!) on 19 July 2012. So very sadly, Geoff passed away on 1

• parties; May 2024. So did his knowledge about much of the efficient running

• trustees’ consideration of of LRA. In turn our Secretary has drawn up a List of Activities (with

• major risks and the system a Management Committee member assigned to each) which is now

• and procedures to manage our bible of ‘Who Does What’ in LRA Land. them. All Trustees & Management Committee members give their time voluntarily & receive no remuneration nor other reward.

There is a Safeguarding Policy in place, & a Communications Strategy serves to maximise & maintain open, 2-way dialogue with our residents. Public Liability Insurance is current in the amount of £10 million. LRA is a member of the National Organisation of Residents’ Associations which provides helpful advice. LRA works enthusiastically in partnership with a range of local civic, business & educational stakeholders & sponsors, including ~

• Greencore Foods

• Barclays Bank

• Poulton with Fearnhead Parish Council  Warrington Borough Council

• Padgate Village Club

• Mukti’s Mini Supermarket

• Wind in the Willows children’s nursery

• Kassia Academy

• Station House Pub & Dining

• Elm Tree Financial Services  Cheshire Community Foundation

• Co-Op Community Fund

• National Lottery Community Fund

• Muir Group Housing Ltd

• Warrington Housing Association

• Torus Housing Association

• Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service

• Cheshire Police

• Northern Rail, &

• The Land Trust. We have an established liaison with our MP Charlotte Nichols. And we have a great relationship with Warrington Voluntary Action which provides us with outstanding advice, guidance & training services.

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

(a) To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Longbarn (Warrington) & the surrounding area not catered for by an adjoining residents’ association, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, nationality, age, disability, race, or political, religious or other opinions, by associating together our community & the statutory authorities, voluntary & other organisations in a common effort to promote good health & wellbeing, advance education & to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation & leisuretime occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for our people; (b) to promote such other charitable purposes (charitable under English law) in the area of benefit as the Trustees may from time to time determine.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

When planning our activities for the year we have kept in mind ‘The Charity Commission’s Guidance on Public Benefit’ at our Trustee meetings.

Our focus is our people ~ our residents ~ with a programme of events & activities that provides benefit for the whole community.

And our Secretary has developed our logos, with our strapline developed by residents, in that vein ~

We welcome all people regardless of background, faith, gender or personal circumstances & we passionately believe that our state of openness enriches everyone through the sharing of the life experiences of our membership, & our wonderful team of volunteers.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

• policy on grant-making;

• policy programme related investment;

We empathise fiercely with the people we serve. We care intensely about the work that our volunteers do. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our Association & without them, we would not be able to deliver the wide range of diverse events & activities to our members contained in our portfolio, nor achieve the success we have enjoyed in running them.

• contribution made by volunteers.

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

Determined to maintain a strong sense of community & social connectivity, we carefully & sensitively provided a full programme of activities, maintaining direct engagement with our community with our quarterly Newsletter (delivered free through every letterbox in Longbarn by our marvellous team of volunteers) & residents’ meetings, & by maximising our website & social media to make it all happen. In turn,

Safeguarded & supervised by our amazing team of volunteers, we delivered a host of events & activities which helped us meet our major driver for the community. That is, we believe that social participation creates mutual trust among individuals, which forms the basis for shared responsibility for our community & society at large.

Our brand is, ‘Working together for our Community.’ We believe that community strengthens conversation & wellbeing. And our programme of wellbeing & social inclusion, built upon local consultation & knowledge, successfully got more families out of their homes, together (& helped those who may feel isolated & on their own) & involved in the following community-wide activities ~

• Our volunteers continued to litter pick around our community, as & when, including kiddies organised by our local nursery (Wind in the Willows).

• Our team of volunteers have maintained the 24 planters dotted around our community (including one nurtured by the kiddies at our Wind in the Willows Nursery), weeding & stocking & watering the plants.

• We have lots of grassed open spaces across Longbarn. Our team of volunteers have kept them mown, & our litter pickers have kept them tidy, throughout the year.

• Held quarterly open forum Residents’ Meetings, which provide an opportunity for folk to ask us questions & have their say; & for LRA to share what's on in Longbarn Land.

• In between residents' meetings we kept residents posted about what's on in Longbarn Land via our quarterly newsletter, our website, & our social media (we presently have 1,034 followers on Facebook), with an undertaking in each that, if there's a burning issue they'd like to raise, residents may always contact us any time at: [e-mail]

• Held our fortnightly Afternoon Tea events. The 2-hour sessions provide our senior citizens with the opportunity to meet & chat, enjoy gaming activities (bingo, raffles & “Play Your Cards Right’) & refreshments & most importantly, get out of the house.

Section D Achievements and performance

• Held our fortnightly seated exercise classes. The 1-hour sessions are led by Leanne Parr, who is from an entertainment background having trained at The Italia Conti School in London, then travelled the world as a professional dancer before getting all her exercise qualifications. She has worked in the fitness industry for over 10 years & as well as pitching the exercises to help regain fitness at participants’ own pace, Leanne ensures that the atmosphere in the room is upbeat & positive. Our seated exercise programme helps participants who've lost a step or two in their later years, or who are battling the effects of chronic pain or disability due to injury or a health condition, to improve strength, cardiovascular health, mobility & balance, all from the comfort of a chair.

• Held our weekly ‘Footloose in Longbarn’ 1-hour dance classes. Alert to the many health benefits associated with regular exercise & maintaining a good level of general fitness & mindfulness, under the heading of ‘Exercise is Fun,’ we have our own local dance studio. No experience is necessary. Age is no barrier. We invite residents to come alone or bring a friend, & just be prepared to have some fun, gain some exercise & learn a new skill into the bargain. It’s an opportunity to take part and learn different dance styles ~ which could include Rock ‘n Roll, Jitterbug, Charleston, Swing, Ballroom, Jive, line dancing, Salsa, Latin American, Tango (varying each session) ~ indeed any type of dance which appeals to our residents led by Tina Thomas, a professional dance instructor.

• Held regular Quiz Nights at Padgate Village Club.

• Successfully re-negotiated our License to Operate with The Land Trust, so that our volunteers who mow the grass on our open spaces may do so with impunity.

• Successfully negotiated with Warrington Borough Council for the provision of free bin bags (for disposal of grass cuttings) & free collection of the bin bags after each cut.

• Supported & promoted Warrington Community Lottery, a weekly lottery that provides the opportunity for participants to win cash & other prizes; plus 50% of subscriptions are allocated to LRA; plus 10% of subscriptions are allocated to other good causes on Warrington.

• Working together for our community, we celebrated VE Day in Longbarn on 8 May with Padgate Village Club raising the Union Jack on its flagpole; Union Jack bunting was erected along Harper’s Road (the main thoroughfare thru Longbarn); a 30-minute service was held at Christ Church concluding with the ringing of the Church bells; followed by a bit of a do for residents at Padgate Village Club where sandwiches, cakes & nibbles were provided, free of charge, along with entertainment furnished by our LRA D’Ukes of Longbarn ukulele band, who entertained folk with music from the era. A time to reflect ~ especially for those who may have lost loved ones during the conflict ~ & a great opportunity to be proud of our armed forces.

Section D Achievements and performance

• Folk regularly comment that Longbarn is a great place to live. And they’re not wrong! But that’s in large part down to our wonderful team of volunteers who give so freely of their time, to organise stuff, to deliver stuff, to maintain our highways & byways, & much more. By way of a, ‘Thank You’ to all our volunteers in Longbarn Land, we invited them to a celebration event at Padgate Village Club in July, where we entertained them with a buffet & live music.

• Held our annual Fireworks Extravaganza on 7 November (admission by donation, thereby catering for all pockets), famously supported by Greencore Foods (kindly providing food for our BBQs, & a First Aider), & undoubtedly The Best Fireworks Show in Town!

• In recognition of Remembrance Day we bought a load of super-large plastic poppies, erected them on lampposts along Harper’s Road (the main thoroughfare through Longbarn (along with roadside metal Tommies)), & invited residents & local businesses to sponsor them. The sponsorship raised £850 ~ an incredible show of generosity & community spirit ~ which we donated to The Royal British Legion. A credit to all concerned.

• Welcomed the Festive Season by planting & decorating, with fairy lights, 3 x 10’ Christmas trees along Harper’s Road (the main thoroughfare through our community).

• Provided a Children’s Christmas Party at Padgate Village Club, including entertainment courtesy of Dazzle The Clown; goodie bags (including food kindly donated by Greencore Foods); selection boxes; & of course Father Christmas who gave each of our children top of the range toys.

• Provided an Adults Christmas Party at Padgate Village Club, including entertainment courtesy of DJ Wayne Sixsmith & a hot pot supper.

• Supported a Christmas carol concert (with brass band) held at Padgate Village Club.

• We have a team of trained & certificated First Aiders dotted around the community, & 4 defibrillators located at the local village shop in the heart of our community, at Padgate Village Club, at Padgate Station, & at Harper’s Green sheltered housing complex.

• We have maintained open, 2-way communications with our residents throughout the year with a combination of our quarterly Newsletter (distributed by volunteers to every house on the estate), our website, & on social media (we have our own Facebook, Twitter & Instagram accounts), enabling LRA to keep our people up to date with news, fun & free competitions & what’s on; & ask The Big Questions, too.

Section D Achievements and performance

Section E Financial review

We have 3 accounts with Barclays Bank: an LRA current account Brief statement of the which we maintain to the tune of £2K to provide for petty cash; an charity’s policy on reserves LRA Bowling Club account; & a ‘Restricted Funds’ account in which the monies are earmarked for specific activity or outlay (eg, Fireworks Extravaganza). We are registered with HMRC for Gift Aid. Our policy on reserves is simply that we have none. Our Treasurer is a qualified accountant; works for a local accountancy firm; & does an exceptionally good job for us (Thanks, Nicola 😃). And with our Management Committee & Trustees, we plan activity & spend within our means. Details of any funds Not applicable materially in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include None additional information, where relevant about:  the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);  how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;  investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F Other optional information

Formed 19 July 2012, & operating as a charitable incorporated organisation since 20 October 2016, Longbarn Residents’ Association has been safeguarding our community infrastructure & providing leisure opportunities to our residents for 13 years. And it has done so with outstanding leadership provided by our Management Committee & Board of Trustees..

Delighted in turn to acknowledge Richard Martin as a new addition to our Board of Trustees & the new, fresh insights he will bring.

In 2025 our contribution to our residents’ morale, health & wellbeing was better than ever. We’ve looked after our environment & highways & byways (in which we take great pride, by the way). We’ve provided opportunities to enjoy some free & subsidised entertainment, have a laugh, & raise loads of money for charity into the bargain.

Our performance demonstrates an association that leads with intent, delivers with confidence & puts our residents at the centre of every decision. Our achievements span growth, value, inclusion, governance, wellbeing & partnership with our residents.

We’re not an association that does everything. We are an association that does the right things, well, & on purpose, demonstrating how a volunteer-led association can deliver exceptional value & meaningful impact for its residents.

We’re a powerful coalition of residents & volunteers & local service providers, & we’re immensely proud that our Association continues to pull together, determined to support our residents to the best of our ability.

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above, at their Annual General Meeting held 2 April 2026.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature Full name Paul Adams Position Secretary & Trustee Date 2 April 2026

Profit and Loss

Longbarn Residents Association

1 December, 2024-30 November, 2025

Total

----- Start of picture text -----
Income
Donations
Greencore 780.80
Other Donations 997.00
Poppy Appeal 650.00
Raj Shop 80.00
Total for Donations £2,507.80
Events/Activities
Afternoon Tea 1,009.00
Christmas Party 100.00
Exercise Class 570.00
Fireworks Night 3,032.89
Footloose 1,179.00
Padgate Walking Day (BBQ) 325.85
Quiz Nights 837.24
Total for Events/Activities £7,053.98
Other Income
Advertising Income 80.00
Warrington Community Lottery 790.50
Total for Other Income £870.50
Total Income £10,432.28
----- End of picture text -----

Profit and Loss

Longbarn Residents Association 1 December, 2024-30 November, 2025

Total

Expenses Event Costs Afternoon Tea Costs Christmas Party Exercise Class Costs Fireworks Night Footloose Costs Quiz Night Costs Total for Event Costs Grants & Donations RBL Poppy Appeal Equipment Repairs/replacements Insurance Landscaping & Gardening Leaflet Printing LRA Bowling Green Stationery & Office Costs Accountancy Fee (donated) Sundry Expenses Website costs Total Expenses Net deficit for the year Opening bank balances Closing bank balances

1,233.63 467.77 1,401.86 1,905.74 3,037.56 112.50 £8,159.06 86.00 650.00 1,286.68 409.08 932.78 780.80 200.00 82.43 400.00 683.30 119.99 £13,790.12 -£3,357.84 £24,752.52 £21,394.68