ANNUAL REPORT TO CHARITY COMMISSION 2024
1.2024 was another very good year for the Hall. Most importantly, we successfully raised the funds to enable the installation of 21 solar panels, two storage batteries and an allelectric cooker. Consequently the last piece of equipment reliant on fossil fuels (LPG) has been removed and the hall is now much greener. Even better, a feed-in tariff enables us to sell any excess power to the national grid. This should provide an income as well as reducing our energy costs. As well as this we have installed heaters into the three toilets which should make them more pleasant to use in the winter.
2.Turning to social activities, we held:
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7 Film Nights, with films chosen through a survey of 100 Club members. Last year we also started a new – and popular - venture with pre-show meals being available from the Rose and Crown with a film ticket as part of the package. Our Film Nights attract people from right across the Queen Thorne benefice and have become a firm fixture on our events calendar.
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During 2024 we also held:
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4 coffee mornings;
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2 Early Doors drinks; and
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a Christmas Drinks evening.
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All of these activities provide a great way to catch up with friends as well as to meet new people. They also generate very welcome income for the hall.
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In addition, 2024 saw another Pancake Mardi Gras, much enjoyed by children from the school, a series of Spring Lunches in Lent and a Harvest Lunch. A Syrian meal in February, cooked by refugees based in Sherborne, was one of the highlights of last year. There are too many people to thank individually but many thanks to everyone who has worked so hard on our social activities over the year. These events simply would not happen without their efforts. Thanks as well to everyone who came to these events and helped make them such successes. The great
work has continued into this year, notably with another brilliant Quiz Night in January, run by Roly and Sally Dangerfield and enjoyed by nearly 50 people.
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The biggest event of the year, in terms of the organisation required, is undoubtedly the annual village fete. 2024 saw our traditional village fete raising some £3,300 for the hall and the church, a really important sum for both organisations. The fete is always a great way of bringing people together to support the village and the church.
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To keep the hall viable, we are dependent on both social events and hall hirings. Bookings in 2024 continued to be very good, with some 20 birthday parties – for both children and adults – as well as a wedding. As you can see from the accounts, income from hall hire is a vital income stream for us and remains buoyant, reflecting our excellent facilities.
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On that note, our income has enabled us to instal a suspended ceiling in the meeting room which has greatly improved its acoustics. We also installed a shed as we inevitably need lots of storage space. And we are shortly getting this hall and the meeting room redecorated – after 5 years, both are in need of a refresh.
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The accounts also show that the 100 Club lottery had another pretty good year, although there are still some vacant numbers.
The Hall Accounts for 2024
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The Accounts – and report of the Independent Examiner - are attached below. The Chairman thanked Nicola Matthews for all her work as Treasurer, as well as Nick Dyer, our bookkeeper, and Max Snow, Treasurer of the Queen Thorne Benefice, who has kindly reviewed our accounts once again this year.
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The headlines from the accounts are that:
• Income from hall hire was a little reduced in 2024 compared with 2023 but was still up by 17% compared to 2022. At this stage in 2025, income from hall hire was only slightly down on the same period last year, which was encouraging.
• Total assets stood at just over £30,000 at the end of 2024, compared with just under £29,000 at the end of 2023. This was despite several investments in the hall. Nicola continued that she had started to depreciate key assets such as the solar panels and those hall improvements funded by the loan from the Ernest Cook Trust.
Election of the committee for 2025/26
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During the last year. Christina Durnan-White was co-opted onto the Committee. Alistair Morgan stood down from the Parish Council but has remained on the Committee. Paul Harris said he had decided that now is the right time for him to stand down from the Chairmanship and the Committee. He joined the Committee in 2014 and had really enjoyed the last 11 years, particularly when acting as Project Manager for the major improvement works from 2019 to 2021. However, he preferred overseeing major developments to managing a facility in “steady state”.
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Chris Wilkinson had offered to take over as Chairman and so was recently co-opted onto the Committee and appointed Vice-Chairman. In June the Committee elected Chris as Chairman.
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So, as well as Chris, the following committee members have been elected for 2025/26. They are David Walden (Secretary), Nicola Matthews (Treasurer), Peter Phillips, Ray Thomson, Wendy Phillips, Mike Herrmann, Christina DurnanWhite and Alistair Morgan. The Parish Council has nominated Gene Stoddart as its Committee representative. Paul thanked everyone on the current Committee for all their help and
support, especially David Walden and Nicola Matthews, as well as Chris Wilkinson for putting himself forward.
Tnt Memorial Hall Financial Activities TOT J.CclP 3288. 3.17T.I 37.71 3.144.C Bar& 8.282J4 174&63 IM15.95 102.IJ) 1A117JS 7260.Q) 17921 .40 Hal H*0 7054.00 c101$ 1.4riJ.00 1AZI 4,332.74 .471.18 Stoc41 ShiirtaJe Bar &rKk (W.781 1,436.55 2.W7.43 Fote 110158 £7AI1 &7U726 £8,41&94 tI41W10 TOTAL 647.IXS I,M)20 1559A2 897 714.$3 •71_Q9 1.98 1261.60 LI& IW.L¥J ¥d25
Trent Memorial Hall Finarrtid Athl1$ TOTPi JAN. DEC 3rgJ Ip 235J4 IM558 4J46.93 418.51 1.t65.18 237.71 559.87 FA91325 £621&75 NET CERATI 741154 1.775 NET OTHEA INCOME £ox NET IKOMEIIEXPEPX)tnJREI 76 £8.75
Trent Memorial Hall TOTPL ASCDEC 31. ASOF DEC 31. 2021 IPYI a56•ts FUtiJ & FLY 2.374.18 25.rx•).(L) 15.gS3.88 Sof PS 8vAethurrt IlknS 717. 10x# 16.9)4 Fwd 95801 &972A3 10.011.84 647.C Cash 3a70 219_47 Curveni As88 NET CURAENT ASSErs 10
Trent Memorial Hall Balance Sheet TOT 8C DE¢31. 2024 SIDEc31.23lV 132.iY) NET CURAENT SSEtS ILWBILITIESI TOTA&sET$ LESS CUARENT LIABILtflES 178Jl 1812 ECTL 25.IW.C 16.343.56 TOTAL NET ET$ (LIABILles1 23.fj26.74 s.1918 1.372.76 23.626.74 11.025.In 6.216.75 £W1U2
Tmnt M•mortgl Hail- Indopendont Rovlow of Acc(ntS Year ended 31 Dec 2024 I have vieWed the subject accounts by undertaking the following 8Ction8: Cros8-checkingaU closing bank account bal8nces on the Balance $heet against verified electronic copies of bank ststem8nt8. Cross-check]"ngaLi entries in Financbal Activities statement against the sub-total amounts in the"Trnnsaction Report byAccount" reporL Observotions". There were no anomalies in the abo check& A professionally qU8fied and experien¢ed l)ook-keeper ha$ prepared the financial statements. The Treasurer has introduced some beneficial changes to the psentatIOn of the 2024 accounts with the creation of an asset rewster. the recognition of depre¢iaiion and the outstanding ECT Loan liability. Thefe Ire signific8nt in¢re88es in expenses for Rep8ir& Maintenance.. £4.346.93120241 wce £1.885.9812023) and Website & Intemet £1.665.18 (2024) vice £559.9712023) R•comm•nd•tlon•: Unless the NS&I1£33.88pl account still has utility. it is suggested that thi8 account 18 c103ed. 89 rt is effectr¥elydOnant. With the iniroduction of depreciation. the Treasurer may wish io expL8in. at the AGM. the impact of this-non-cash- cost on operating profit. With the recognition of the £25,000 ECT loan 8tyear-end 2024. Ihe Treasurer may wish to explain. at the AGM. the impact of Finance charges and depreciation on the future Hall accounts. The Hall Committee mayviish to look at measures to contain the 8ro%Y(h in Rep8ir& M8int8n8nce and Website & Internet expenses. The Hall Committee should be reassured that the Trent Memorial Hall Accounts continue to be run in a professional and buSine-llke manner. M C P Snow, B* Dip FM. FRAeS Independent Examiner