Trustees’
Annual Report and Accounts
For the year 1st April 2024 to 31 March 2025
Charity Number 1170767
Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
| Contents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Contents | 1 | |
| Reference and Administration Details | 2 | |
| Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity | 2 | |
| Structure, Governance and Management | 2 | |
| Type of governing document and how the charity is constituted | 2 | |
| Membership | 2 | |
| Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees | 3 | |
| Objects (Purposes) of the Organisation | 3 | |
| Summary of the Charity’s Main Activities, Achievements and Performance | 3 | |
| Public Benefit | 4 | |
| Financial Review | 5 | |
| Explanation of Account Funds | 5 | |
| Unrestricted Funds | 5 | |
| Restricted Funds | 6 | |
| Reserves Policy | 6 | |
| Notes Regarding Specific Categories of Payments | 6 | |
| Principal Sources of Funding | 6 | |
| Principal Risks Facing the Charity | 6 | |
| Summary Accounts - Section A: Receipts and Payments | 8 | |
| Summary Accounts - Section B: Statement of Assets and Liabilities | 9 | |
| Declaration | 9 | |
| Appendix A - Breakdown of Expenditure | 10 |
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Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
Reference and Administration Details
Charity name Humphrey Park Community Association Other names the charity is known by HPCA Established March 1948 Principal address[The Community Centre, Humphrey Lane, Urmston, ] Manchester, M41 9PT Structure[Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) ] Registered 15 December 2016 Registered charity number 1170767 Companies House Number CE009396
| Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity who acted during the period covered by this report and by the date it was approved |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity who acted during the period covered by this report and by the date it was approved |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity who acted during the period covered by this report and by the date it was approved |
|---|---|---|
| Trustee name | Office/Role | Dates acted if not for whole year |
| Mrs Claudette Stephenson | Chairperson | |
| Mrs Joanne van Alderwegen | Treasurer/Bookings Secretary |
To 3 April 2025 From 3 April 2025 |
| Ms Clare Rush | Secretary | To 23 April 2024 |
| Mr Andrew Purser | Treasurer | From 3 April 2025 |
| Mr Tsang Canon Kam-Leung | Webmaster | To 26 April 2025 |
| Mrs Caroline Gothard | Committee Member | To 23 April 2024 |
| Ms Sian Davies | Committee Member Acting Secretary |
From 1 September 2024 |
| Mrs Maria Chaisty | Committee Member |
Structure, Governance and Management
Type of governing document and how the charity is constituted
HPCA is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation which has adopted the Charity Commission CIO Foundation Constitution as its governing document with some minor and relevant amendments which were approved by the Charity Commission at the time of registration. A copy of the constitution document is available upon request.
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Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
Membership
The organisation is made up of trustees and associate (non-voting) members.
The trustees are:
-
Involved in the provision and management of community centre facilities (The Centre) and running the organisation.
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Responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the charity including deciding on how the funds of the charity are to be spent.
There are currently 34 associate members who coordinate activities and sessions held at the community centre for the benefit of the local community and anyone further afield who wishes to attend.
Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees
The existing Trustees are responsible for the recruitment of new trustees who are selected and appointed in line with the relevant section of the charity’s constitution and the requirements of the Charity Commission. New trustees are provided with a form to complete as a means of collecting the personal and contact information that is required by the Charity Commission, the CIO’s bank and other trustees of the CIO. The new Trustee also makes a signed declaration regarding their suitability for the role. This information is distributed on a need to know basis only.
The new trustee is provided with a training package which covers everything they need to know about the charity. This includes links to:
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the charity’s governing document (Constitution);
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the charity’s safeguarding policies;
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the latest annual report and accounts;
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minutes of recent trustee meetings;
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the Charity Commission “Essential Trustee” document;
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a list of the Charity Commission trustee disqualification reasons.
This enables the new trustee to familiarise themselves with the key duties of a trustee, what they need to do to carry out these duties competently, and current proceedings relevant to the charity.
Objects (Purposes) of the Organisation
The objects of the CIO are to further or benefit the residents of Trafford, Manchester and the neighbourhood, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.
In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise, the trustees shall have power to establish or secure the establishment of a community centre and to maintain or manage or co-operate with any statutory authority in the maintenance and management of such a centre for activities promoted by the charity in furtherance of the above objects.
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Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
Summary of the Charity’s Main Activities, Achievements and Performance
Humphrey Park Community Association became registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in December 2016.
A wide range of activities are held at the community centre, including local meetings, fitness, slimming, education, community support, dance, drama, martial arts,, self defense, music performance/composition, parents and toddlers group, languages, cultural and various religious/spiritual groups. The centre forms the meeting point for several local supportive home education groups. The centre is also available for private hire.
We are pleased to work with Trafford Borough Council, and their representative Amey, in helping to maintain the facilities and services provided at the community centre. The community centre building is owned by Trafford Council and leased to HPCA who are responsible for the daily management of the facilities. By maintaining a good working relationship, we are able to achieve the best possible outcome for centre users and members of the local community.
The trustees of the CIO meet on a regular basis, dependent upon need, to review the progress and outcomes of our work. Whilst decisions are ultimately made by the Trustees, we also welcome constructive feedback from our partners, associate members and centre users.
The CIO would like to thank all those who kindly volunteer their time freely and work so hard to make the community centre the successful, lively and vibrant place it is.
Public Benefit
When the Humphrey Park estate was built in the 1940s, it was locally known as no-man’s land due to the lack of facilities in the area. As part of a plan to address this problem, a community centre was established on the site in 1948, utilising a WWII surface level air-raid precautions post and shelter, with a large hall extension. This was replaced with the current building which opened on 5th January 1963. Since then, the centre has continued to develop in order to provide activities which meet the needs of the residents of our local community and beyond.
We believe that in providing community centre facilities for private hire and coordinating a wide range of activities which people can carry out for their own enjoyment out of work, our purposes help to promote and enhance the health, well being, social welfare and conditions of life for people in the local community by advancing social interaction, citizenship, community development, education, physical/mental health, spirituality/religious belief, activity, arts and culture.
The facilities provide an essential meeting point for parents, carers and others in the local community, some of whom might otherwise feel somewhat isolated. Consequently, we bring members of the community much closer together.
The services are provided for the benefit of anyone who enjoys attending. There is no restrictive membership status and no legally binding preference regarding the use of the facilities. It is available to everyone, without exception.
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Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
The sessions held at the centre change to fulfill the needs of the local community. Decisions can be made about which sessions to provide either by someone approaching us for a venue in which to run their sessions (they will then join us as an associate member which allows us to fully support them to make it a success) or by actively seeking out someone with the knowledge required to offer a particular session that we think is missing or has been requested by someone. Sometimes new ventures are successful, sometimes they are not, but trying things has resulted in the number and diversity of sessions supported altering and changing according to the needs of the community and we believe they are relevant to the present day and are therefore very successful. Consequently, the facilities are currently very well used. The usual average weekly footfall is estimated to be around 500 people. We are determined to continue to adapt to the needs of the community in the future.
The public can access the facility between 8am and 9.30pm daily (except 25 December, 26 December and 1 January when the centre is closed, or if the building is being used as a polling station). The sessions we coordinate run on a weekly or monthly basis, some during term time only, others all year round. We attempt to meet the needs of our nearest neighbours in terms of nuisance and noise control by restricting certain events to the hours of 8am to 6pm and dealing with any rare issues or complaints promptly.
Fees are kept as low as possible and we offer discounted rates to new members as this helps to ensure the long term success of activities.
The centre can be used without a charge for community events or meetings on an ad-hoc basis where all the following apply:
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The event will benefit the local community as a whole.
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Any member of the community is welcome to attend without unreasonable restriction.
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No charge is made for attending the event.
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There is no exchange of funds (with the exception of raising money for charity or accepting donations).
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Individuals or organisations involved in running the event offer their services free of charge on a voluntary basis.
Financial Review
The CIO’s accounts are presented in the 'Receipts & Payments Accounting' format which is available to organisations with a total annual income below £250,000. Receipts & Payments Accounting meets the needs of this organisation very well.
Please refer to the Receipts and Payments Accounts for details of the CIO’s current financial position.
The charity's income is under £25,000 during the financial year in question. Therefore, an independent examination of accounts was not required.
Explanation of Account Funds
Unrestricted Funds
- Bank: This column is for all credits, debits and transfers to/from the current account held with Natwest. The bank column includes payments made/received by cash or
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Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
cheque which are always paid directly into the bank; we do not accept cash payments and do not hold any separate cash funds.
- Savings: The organisation doesn’t currently have a separate savings account.
Restricted Funds
This shows funds which are physically held in the current account but can only be used for a specific purpose. We have not received any such funds during the period covered by this report. The funds to install the bike storage area were received after March 2025 and will show in the next year’s accounts.
Reserves Policy
The CIO holds funds in reserve to cover regular monthly or annual expenses which would still need to be paid should the community centre need to close due to unforeseen circumstances for a maximum period of 6 months. The amount in reserve is reviewed annually at the end of each financial year.
Notes Regarding Specific Categories of Payments
Total Income:
-
This has increased slightly by around £400 on the previous year.
-
The conversion of the storage room into another room for hire resulted in the loss of storage income of £816 per year. However, room hire and associate membership income has increased as a result by a similar amount, compensating for the loss.
Total expenditure: This has increased by around £31,000, from £19,184 in the previous financial year, to £51,171. The Association is very careful to limit expenditure to a minimum. The charity trustees consider the authorisation of large expenses carefully, balancing the need for maintenance and repairs with the need to ensure the future financial security and viability of the centre. The increase in costs is mainly due to essential refurbishment of the centre.
Principal Sources of Funding
The main source of income for the charity is once again from associate membership and room hire fees at 100%, showing that the centre is once again fully self-supporting. Fees for the use of facilities are kept as low as possible for centre users, but are required in order to provide the facility and ensure its long term success.
Principal Risks Facing the Charity
During the period covered by this report, income increased by 2% on the previous year, but our income is still significantly below the £24,000 we were generating in the two years prior to Covid-19. The centre remains in a good financial position and we have continued to undertake essential repairs and refurbishment to the inside of the building, work which we plan to continue during the next financial year. The gents toilets and kitchen are now in need of refurbishment, and the entire heating system may need replacement as parts are no longer available in the UK for the current system, which is beginning to fail. The committee believes that investing in the facilities is essential for long-term sustainable growth. The Committee also works with Trafford Council in requesting and helping to organize essential building work to the outside of the building. All work is completed by Trafford approved contractors. An ongoing risk to the financial position of the CIO is the general increase in costs including energy and rent which means our outgoings are increasing significantly,
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Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
therefore the committee is reviewing how we adapt going forward to ensure we can keep the community centre financially viable. Throughout the following year, it will be necessary to continue to closely monitor the ongoing financial position of the CIO, with a view to how we can maximise income streams which includes applying for funding available via grants.
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Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
Summary Accounts - Section A: Receipts and Payments
| Details | Unrestricted Funds | Unrestricted Funds | Unrestricted Funds | Restricted Funds (Bank) |
Total Funds This Year |
Total Funds Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | Bank | Savings | ||||
| RECEIPTS: | ||||||
| Associate Membership Fees | £17,968.41 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £17,968.41 | £17,558.11 | |
| Refunds | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | (£50.00) | |
| Room Hire | £2,071.53 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £2,071.53 | £1,298.65 | |
| Storage | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £816.60 | |
| Total Receipts | £0.00 | £20,039.94 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £20,039.94 | £19,623.36 |
| -PAYMENTS: | ||||||
| -Accounting | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £420.00 | |
| -Admin services | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £1,334.69 | |
| -Bookings & Invoicing | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £280.00 | |
| -Caretaking Services | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £1,319.50 | |
| -Centre Co-ordinator Services | £5,503.74 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £5,503.74 | £1,573.01 | |
| -Cleaning Services | £4,589.74 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £4,589.74 | £4,921.08 | |
| -Cleaning Supplies & Toiletries | £259.71 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £259.71 | £415.51 | |
| -Election Caretaking | £200.00 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £200.00 | £0.00 | |
| -Fixtures Fittings & Appliances | £39.96 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £39.96 | £384.14 | |
| -Gardening Services | £380.00 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £380.00 | £0.00 | |
| -Room Hire Refund | £34.84 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £34.84 | £0.00 | |
| -Insurance | £515.45 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £515.45 | £515.42 | |
| -Keys & Security | £49.67 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £49.67 | £5.00 | |
| -Maintenance: Electrical | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £144.00 | |
| -Maintenance: General | £31,666.87 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £31,666.87 | £0.00 | |
| -Miscellaneous | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £85.00 | |
| -Non-Domestic Rates | £154.69 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £154.69 | £153.35 | |
| -Utilities: Electricity | £4,070.86 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £4,070.86 | £4,510.14 | |
| -Utilities: Gas | £345.24 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £345.24 | £409.12 | |
| -Utilities: IT and Internet Services | £1,637.60 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £1,637.60 | £0.00 | |
| -Utilities: Recycling & Waste | £1,063.38 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £1,063.38 | £1,522.56 | |
| -Utilities: Water | £694.88 | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £694.88 | £1,192.39 | |
| -Total Payments | £0.00 | £51,206.63 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £51,206.63 | £19,184.91 |
| Net of Receipts / (Payments) | £0.00 | (£31,166.69) | £0.00 | £0.00 | (£31,166.69) | £438.45 |
| Transfers between funds | £0.00 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
| Balance last year end | £0.00 |
£71,130.40 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£71,130.40 |
£70,691.95 |
| Balance this year end | £0.00 | £39,963.71 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £39,963.71 | £71,130.40 |
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Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
Summary Accounts - Section B: Statement of Assets and Liabilities
| Details | Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds |
Total this year | Last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Funds: Cash in hand | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | |
| Current account | £39,963.71 | £0.00 |
£39,963.71 |
£71,130.40 |
| Savings account | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | |
| Total Cash Funds | £39,963.71 | £0.00 | £39,963.71 | £71,130.40 |
| No other assets or liabilities are held. |
Declaration
The trustees approved and formally accepted the content of this document at the Annual General Meeting held on 27 November 2025.
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Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
Appendix A - Breakdown of Expenditure
Accounting: The committee decided not to independently verify the accounts this year as the receipts were under the threshold amount of £25,000, thus saving £420.
Admin Services, Caretaking Services, and Centre Coordinating: In recent years, new admin and caretaking roles were introduced which were undertaken on a Contract for Services basis. These roles were reviewed, and replaced by the Centre Coordinator role, which again is completed on a Contract for Services basis. This is a demanding role involving tasks which were previously completed by volunteers, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to retain volunteers as a consequence. Introducing and reviewing these contracted out roles brings stability to the community centre and helps to ensure its long term success.
Election Caretaking: This has increased from £0 to £200. No elections took place in the previous financial year. Two elections took place during this financial year. The fee for caretaking for these events is charged to Trafford Council as part of their room hire fee and passed on to an acting caretaker.
Gardening Services: These were previously provided by Trafford Council, but this service was withdrawn. A local resident, who has recently moved out of the area, then looked after the grounds. We now employ a local gardener for 2 hours every 2 weeks or so to maintain the hedgerows and grounds. Hence the increase in costs from £0 to £380.
Insurance: Insurance fees have remained stable at £515.
IT Systems: The new committee has continued using the Hall Wizard Booking and Invoicing System and the fee for this system has remained the same at £280.
IT Website Design: The community centre website had become outdated and was no longer meeting the necessary requirements. This was redesigned by a contractor using the Wordpress system. Ongoing expenses for maintaining this site have been eliminated by moving the newly designed content over from the complex Wordpress platform, which none of the current volunteers fully understand and would therefore require ongoing professional and costly input, to Google Sites, which is free of charge under the Google Workspace Not-For-Profit scheme and is easy for a volunteer to revise when required due to its WYSIWYG interface which does not require any technical or coding knowledge.
Keys and Security: Minimal expenditure under this category - this is thanks to switching from key locks to code locks on the main entrance doors in the financial year 2021/22.
Maintenance: This expense is likely to fluctuate year on year since repairs are normally only carried out on a need to basis. Maintenance costs have increased significantly during this financial year due to extensive decorating and refurbishment works to much of the centre building once the required funds had been accumulated. This including new flooring to most areas, and sanding a resurfacing the wooden hall floor, refurbishment of the ladies toilets, and extensive redecoration works to the hall, Annexe and Old Library. During the year that follows, further refurbishments may be required to the gents toilets and kitchen.
Non-Domestic Rates: The CIO continues to benefit from an ongoing 80% charitable rebate.
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Humphrey Park Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25
Utilities - Electricity: Electricity charges have decreased slightly but still remain high at £4,070 reflecting the ongoing increase in UK energy costs. Energy use needs to be carefully monitored and we need to ensure future room hire rates break even on our running costs.
Utilities - Gas: This has reduced slightly from £409 to £345.
Utilities - Internet Services: Expenditure in this category can vary due to services being purchased and paid for on a 2 to 3 yearly basis.
Utilities - Waste: Expenditure in this category has reduced from £1,522 to £1,063. During the previous year, a back payment was made for a missed invoice.
Utilities - Water: Expenditure in this category has reduced from £1,192 to £694. This is due to the previous year including a meter reading adjustment and numerous repair work for blockages.
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