## **Stokesley Community Library (Registered Charity Number 1171473)** www.theglobelibrarystokesley.org Annual Report to Charity Commission for Year to 31 March 2025 1 The Board of Trustees of Stokesley Community Library present their report, together with the accounts of the charity, for the year ended 31 March 2025. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Stokesley Community Library was registered on 6th February 2017 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation constituted under a governing document dated 23rd January 2017. The charity is managed by a Board of Trustees; under the Constitution there should be no less than 5 and no more than 11 appointed trustees. Every trustee is appointed for a term of 3 years. The trustees who have served during the year were: David Heggarty (Chairman) Carolyn Kitching (Treasurer) Bob Roberts (Secretary) Sally Atkinson Rudy Bilous (appointed May 2024) Jon Borwell (resigned January 2025) Peter Chandler Claire Craster (appointed July 2024) Bryn Griffiths (resigned June 2024) Jan Hunter Jeff King Jane McGill The library operates under a contract with North Yorkshire Council; the Council provide a professional librarian (their employee) who supports our Library managers. The l i b r a r y is managed by job-share Library Managers, both of whom are employed by Stokesley Town Council, though the Charity manages their day-to-day work. The Board of Trustees continues to very much value support given by the two Councils. Additionally, trustees are grateful for funding from some local Parish Councils. . 2 ## **Charity Objective** **The objects of the charity:** _to provide facilities for the education and social welfare of the public by the provision of a library and information hub for the benefit of residents of Stokesley and North Yorkshire-wide and for facilitating community activities_ . In planning activities during the reporting period, trustees kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. ## **Keeping in Touch** Library services and activities are made known to the community through the local press, via posters in local venues and businesses, on social media and on our p u b l i c website (www.theglobelibrarystokesley.org). The website provides details of library services, recommends reading, publicises community events and details how the charity can be supported by individuals and businesses. Trustees very much value the support given by ou r sponsors. Having given notice in the press, social media and ‘flyers’ in the local area, we held our Annual General Meeting on 2 0 t h November 2024; despite advertising the event, trustees were disappointed that, as in previous years, few from the community attended. ## **Management and Volunteers** Stokesley Parish Council (STC), through the local precept, continue to employ the Library Manager (currently a job-share post) whilst the charity trustees oversee their work. This funding is vital if we are to continue this community service. Following the Government’s announcement that National Insurance will be increased from April 2025, STC advised trustees that they would not fund that increase nor continue as employer of the Library Manager. Accordingly, Trustees accept that the Charity will have to become an employer from 1st April 2025. 3 We continue to benefit from the generosity of volunteers in giving their time in support of the Charity; we have 53 volunteers (a rota of 30 who man the desk, 10 running the children’s group, 8 delivering the home library service and 2 in the events committee). Additionally, 2 students have supported us during the year. The management and volunteer team provided the library service, operated a Home Library Service to those in the community who are housebound and delivered a varied range of community activity. Trustees recognise and appreciate the resilience, expertise and unstinting effort the library team provides to the community. Funded by the National Lottery, refurbishment of the library was completed 19 July 2024. The work included a full upgrade of decor and flooring, improved entrance desk, furniture and shelving and provision of a ‘Teen’s Area’ with comfortable sofas. Library emptied prior to refurbishment 4 Post-refurbishment entrance desk Library refurbished 5 The upgrade also provides improved ambience in the children’s area including seating for parents - three volunteers painted a delightful wall mural in the area. Children’s Area wall mural Teen’s Area 6 ## **Activity** ## **Library Service** The core function of the charity is to provide a first-class library service and we report a significant increase in footfall - 50,993 compared to 45,600 the previous year. Disappointingly, book issues (35,163) in the year showed a decline of 1,899 on the previous year, mirroring a national downward trend. We continued to visit local schools with a pop-up library; this work was undertaken by Gill, one of our volunteers and former Library Manager. She visited local schools to publicise the National _Summer Reading Challenge_ and children’s arts event held in the library. In Gill’s three-weekly visits to a local Church of England Federation of two small schools we provided a library service for 54 pupils; it was pleasing to hear that the children told Ofsted Inspectors that the pop-up library supported them in their reading for pleasure. As in previous years, we participated in the national ‘ _Summer Reading Challenge_ ’ for children; of 132 starting the challenge 106 completed and received a challenge certificate, many being presented at local schools. ## **Community Activities** The Charity continued to provide a varied range of community events and activities for all ages - a selection of these is listed in Table 1. Table 1 Health Drop-ins - for parents of under 10s. Art for Wellbeing - creative work with like-minded people. D-Day tea party & Christmas Party - for senior citizens. Ancestry - experienced family historians run courses, using library facilities, to teach how to find information on ancestors. 7 IT learning - talk by our resident IT buddy and Q&A about on-line safety. Gardening Club - monthly meetings. Book Talk - reading group. Children’s development group - seasonal activities throughout the year. Theatre - ‘ _Murder at Stokesley Towers_ ’ - comedy devised and played by Library staff, volunteers and trustees. Also, ‘ _The Plot Thickens_ ’ staged by Just Some Theatre in collaboration with Rural Arts. Monthly Film Night - well supported event showing recent films. BookFest - hosting Stokesley Town Council’s event: five local authors talked about their work and many more were able to display and sell their books. Repair Cafe - well attended event in which a team help to repair items brought in by the community. Code Club - weekly term time event enabling children to develop computer skills. Film Night - monthly showing of recently released films. The following illustrations provide a selection of some of our community activities: **----- Start of picture text -----**
BookFest
**----- End of picture text -----**
8 Theatre - _Murder in the Manor_ (cast of volunteers, managers and trustees) 9 Christmas Tea Party Rishi Sunack MP meets Stokesley Academy pupils in our ‘Teen Area’ 10 ## **Finance Review** In the year ending 31 March 2025 income had increased (£38,496 against £15,462 in the previous year; significant receipts were a National Lottery grant of £19,500 for the refurbishment of the library and increased receipts from events held in the library. Payments of £48,316 included £39,418 refurbishment costs. Excluding refurbishment, expenditure in-year was £8,898 against £3,314 in 23/24. Balance at year end was a loss of £9,820,which included the Charity's contribution to the refurbishment project. Cash balance at year end was £53,213 (£63,033 in FY 23/24). Trustees are content that unrestricted funds remain sufficient to allow library operations to continue in FY25/26 and are well aware of the priority to utilise the charity's significant funds. See finance statement at end of this report (pages 12 and 13). ## **Looking Ahead** Considerable time and effort was put into the Library refurbishment project, yet the service offered to the community continued unabated. Trustees now look to expand the pool of volunteers so as to ensure we have a team with the skills to operate the library service, deliver a greater range of community events and improve our ability to support the community in accessing government support services. This report was approved by trustees and is signed by the Chair of the Trustee Board: Signed by 11 ## **THE GLOBE COMMUNITY LIBRARY RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** |**Receipts**
Library charges and sale of books
Room hire
Contributions from parish councils
Grants and donations
Gift Aid donations
Gift Aid refund
Events
Sundry sales
**Payments**
Library supplies
Insurance
Cleaning
Replacement blinds
Capital expenditure
Refurbishment costs
Small items of equipment
Repairs and renewals
Website hosting
Events
Sundry expenses
Independent examination fee
Sumup charges
**Excess of payments over receipts**
**Bank balance at 1 April 2024**
**Bank balance at 31 March 2025**|**2025**
**2024**
£
£
4,339
5,453
2,711
3,308
700
500
21,793
1,204
1,102
1,148
282
289
6,485
3,445
1,084
115
38,496
15,462
1,393
598
314
357
937
918
818
865
3,727
39,418
508
335
298
918
594
948
3,317
2,422
410
638
200
510
62
23
48,316
12,212
(9,820)
3,250
63,033
59,783| |---|---| ||53,213
63,033| 12 THE GLOBE COMMUNITY LIBRARY STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIA81LITIES YEAR ENDED 31 MNRCH 2025 2025 2024 Cash Funds Cash in hand Cash at bank 53.213 53.213 63.033 63.033 Assets retained for the Charity's own use Website Furniture & equipment Computer equipment Donated assets Relurbishment of library 900 17.849 5.714 900 17,849 5.714 150 39.418 64.031 24,613 Liabilities Creditors and accruals 150 20CI The attached notes fomi part of these accounls Approved by the Trustees on .... on their behaw by = nd signed David Chair CJ//J4 Carolyn J Kitching Treasurer 13