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2025-12-31-accounts

Plawsworth and Kimblesworth Community Centre and Recreation Ground

Your Community, Your Community Centre, Your Community Association

Plawsworth and Kimblesworth Community Centre and Recreation Ground (Nettlesworth Community Centre)

Annual Report 2025

Plawsworth and Kimblesworth Community Centre and Recreation Ground

Your Community, Your Community Centre, Your Community Association

Report of Trustees for accounting year 2025 (to be presented at AGM 14[th] July 2026)

Three significant developments have taken place during 2025:

  1. Our freelance Development Worker , Sarah Grey, started her position in January 2025 and has had a transformative effect. She has reworked our Business Plan, making it more ambitious, and assisted in a large range of governance and policy matters. Most importantly, she has been highly successful in securing grants for the Centre, both for core costs and for specific activities. We are delighted that we have been able to secure funding, partly from The National Lottery Community Fund through Durham Community Action’s Community Spaces Partnership and partly from the Parish Council, to continue her work until January 2027.

  2. Toilet Refurbishment. We have been able to secure major funding, via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, to employ a contractor to refurbish the three toilet blocks. The specifications for this work were drawn up on a pro bono basis by Arup, and we were able to obtain several quotations. A building contractor has been hired (subject to contract), and the work is due to be completed by the end of March 2026.

  3. Lease and Legal Matters. At the DCC Cabinet meeting in July 2025, it was decided that the Council would withdraw from being Custodian Trustee of the Community Centre. A new 50-year lease with Lambton Estates has been negotiated and is ready to sign, but there are legal steps to complete with the Charity Commission, for which we are hoping to get financial support for legal representation. We would like to sub-lease the Recreation Ground to the Council and are taking legal advice for a sub-lease to be negotiated with the Council to this effect.

Building Plans : We are planning a phased refurbishment to include the heating, wiring, lighting, main hall floor, and accessibility. Arup has agreed to work pro bono to produce specifications for rewiring and lighting, which will include increased power supply to the Centre.

User Groups: Many groups continue to use the Centre on a regular basis, including: Mini Melodies; the Monday Cafe, the SYP youth groups, dog-training groups, Durham HiiT Club, clog-dancers, the Mona Lisa Art Group, Durham Theatre Group, and many more. The Centre is also used for private events and family/community celebrations.

Fun Day: Thanks to funding from the Parish Council, we were able to run a very successful Fun Day in June 2025 and have another grant from the Parish Council to repeat this in 2026.

Among a number of funding bids is one to be able to employ a part-time Centre Manager, which would be a major step forward for the Centre.

John Barclay, Chair of Trustees

Plawsworth and Kimblesworth Community Centre and Recreation Ground

Your Community, Your Community Centre, Your Community Association

Aims of the Community Centre

According to our Constitution, the Objects of our CIO are “to run a Community Building and to promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of Kimblesworth and Plawsworth parish and Sacriston parish (“area of benefit”), without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, nationality, race, or political, religious or other opinions the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances, or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the conditions of life of the said inhabitants.”

Objectives

The Trustees of the Centre seek to achieve the above aims, on a non-profit basis, by the following means:

  1. To maintain the Community Centre as a secure, welcoming, and well-maintained facility, accessible to all, and with the reputation of a safe, attractive and well-resourced location for social activities.

  2. To ensure strong local participation in the management of the Centre, with a wide array of volunteer assistance, and widespread support from the local community.

  3. To ensure the efficient and effective management of the Centre by means of:

  4. effective advertising of the facilities of the Centre;

  5. a well-run website and bookings system;

  6. regularly reviewed pricing of the Centre’s facilities, to balance affordability with the level of income necessary to maintain the building;

  7. robust systems of governance;

  8. excellent customer service;

  9. proactive efforts to upgrade the building, with the aid, where appropriate, of external grants.

Our Trustees

Our current Trustees are:

Plawsworth and Kimblesworth Community Centre and Recreation Ground

Your Community, Your Community Centre, Your Community Association

Community Research

The information below is from the 2025 community survey, in which 118 people participated. We will have to refresh this to ensure the community still wants these groups before applying for funding.

Why people attend the Centre:

Potential New Groups

Future Plans

Plawsworth and Kimblesworth Community Centre and Recreation Ground

Your Community, Your Community Centre, Your Community Association

Thank you to our Funders and Partners:

Kimblesworth and Plawsworth Parish Council

Klmblesworth & pl￿m¥0rth Community Ctntre and Reueation Ground For the year Ènded 31 December 2025 Charity re8iStration number. 1174075 Charbty address.. Nettlesworth Communlty Cenire. Front Street. Netttesworth, DH2 3PN Accountin6 period.. l January 2025 to 31 Dttember 2025 frust¢es John 8arclay Chairperson Heather Liddle Treasurer Diana Barclay Trustee/Minute Secretary Llsa Walker Trusteel6ookin8s Secfetary Geor8e Kendall Trustee LSllan Walker Trustee Donna Bruce Parish Council Co￿pIee Ernma Shank5 | Tru$te• Trustees, Annu•l R• R•l•r•nc• •nd admlnI5tratl¥e detalls Charity name, registration number. prln¢lpal address and trustee names are Shown on the cover page. Stru¢tur• 8¢¥m•n¢• and manapm•ni Governina document." Constitution of a Charltable Incorporated Or8anisatitin with votlnB membtrs other than its charity trustees (Assocraiion model). last amended IV0312015 Le8al 5tTuciure.. CIO How tru5t•gs arg appolntedlreerulted.. Trusiees •re appginted by election and, In Jom¢ ￿3¢). by nomlnaiion. At each annu61 general meeting. trustees retire by rotation and vacanoes may be filled by the fflembers. The members or the charitv trustees may also appoint a new tharity tTllStee at any time. wovided the maximum number is not exceeded. In addition, Klmblesworth and PlawsWQrth Parish Council. Durham County Coun¢ll, and Kimblesworth Parish Church may each appoint one f harity trustee for a term ol three year5 ObJectl¥es and artivltles Charitable purpose5. The objects olihe CIO are io rvn a community building and to promote. lor the benefit of the inhabitanis of Kirnblesworth and Plawsworth Parish aftd Sauiston Parish. the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation for individuals who need such facilities by re350n of youth, a8È. infirmity or disablement, financial hardship, social and economic circumstanees, or for the public at lar8e, in the inteFe5ts of Social welf•re and with the oblect of Improvin8 the condilions of life of those Inhabitants. Activities undertaken during the year to carry out the purp05e5'. The charity continued to operate the Community Centre as a local venue for the villa8e5 of Kimblesworth. Nettlesworth and Plawsworth. providin8 halls and rooms for hire to individuals, groups and organi5ations from the local area and the wtder County Durham community.

Actiwties and serwl¢e5 during the year intluded the pmision of space for dJ55es. events, room hire. community café activities and blngo. tO8etherwith use of the buIldK￿ lor re8ular community 8mups and private b¢)okin8S. The C•ntre 5UPPOrted a ra￿e of community-based artivities that met the charit15 al￿￿ of provKling recreaiional and leisurè- time facilitie5 in the interests of social welfare. These inrluded fitness dasse5. (hildren's and family actiwti@s, youth pro¥ision, music and sensory sessions ILY babies, loddlers and westhool £hildren. community cale Ffovi5ion. and space for meetlngs. communlty groups and other local adivitie5. The Centre also continued to make its premise5 available for prlvète events, famlly ceWathn5, community actlvlthes and re8ulargroup bookin8s, helpln8 to ensure thai the buiklin8 rernained a well-used and welcL¥ning community fadlity. In addition, the charfty promoted W￿der comfi￿nity partKipation ￿￿ough e¥ent5 5uth Its Annual Community Fun Da¥, which brought lotal resident5 and familie5 together and supported Community en8a8ement and fundraisin& The trustees believe that these activitie5 dirertky furthered the charlws objects by n1nni￿ a communlty bulldln8 and provith"n8 lacllllles lor recrèatlon and lei5ur&time occupaiion for the benefit of local inhatstants. kn the Interests of sodal welfare and with the aim of impiowlng condltlons of life in the area of benefit. Achl•wm•nts and performanc• Ilncludini public benefft) Public beneflt.. Trustees conflrm they have hod re8afd to the Charity CommissJn's public benefit 8uidance when exercising powers and duties where relevant. Achievernents and performance in 202S: Durin8 202S, the trustees fotusEd on 5trewhenln8 the govemance. susialnablllty nd lon8-term developmeni of the Cfmmunity Centre The &Jsine5s PL3n was updated and submitted to the local authority, nd positive feedback was recwved on the work undertaken. Pro8ress wa5 also made toward5 securlnk a new lon8-term lease nd ad¥ancin8 chan8e5 needed to support ihe tharity'5 luture management and development of the centre. These 5tep5 were Important in helplng the charity plan lor fvture capitsl investment and improve the buildi￿ lor communlty use. Durln8 the year, the charity benelited from developmeni support lunded throu8h an organlsatlonal sustalnablllty grant. Th15 work helped the trusiee5 to revi￿ 8overnance arrdn8ement5. update policies and procedurès. Improve plannln& strewhen publicity, and prepare fundin8 applications to support core costs. a¢tivities and future capital work5. Work was als undertaken duri￿ the year to progress legal and practrcal matters conneaed with ihe lease and with future buildlng lrnpro¥ement$. The charity made 8ood pro8ress in secuflng external funding durln8 2025. Fundln8 records show that by early November 2025. a total of E30.792.50 had been raisèd. includin8 SUPI)ort for core costs. activities and development work, with furthèr applications submitted and awaiti￿ decision. 8y December 2025, additjonal application5 were also bein8 prepared or progressed to 5UPPOrt utllities. core costs. volunteer trainln& IT. pubficity. activities and stafh'n8 capacity. The irustees atso worked durln8 2025 on preparln8 for I￿lIdIng Improvements and on strenBthenin8 the centfe's longer-term ccjmpliance and resilience. Thi5 included wor Connected wlh planned refurbishments, safe8uardin8 development, policv revlew. publicity, website development and future lunding priorities. These activities were intended to 5mprove th• ¢harlty's abllity lo maintain safe, accessible and 5usiainable community faollties for local residents. The year also endèd with posittve news that funding had bceh 5ecu¥ed through the UK Shared Pr05perlty Fund to support the refurbishment of the centre'5 three sets of toilets and washrooms. representin8 a significant step lo￿ard ImprovinÉ the building and its facilities tor users. The awèrd wa5 later described as £64.4￿.80, to enable full refurblshment af the three existin8 loilet blocks within the centre. The trustees believe these achievements furthered the charrty's objects by irnproving the govefnaneè. sustsinability and future development of the Community Centre and Retreation Ground lorthe benelit of local residents. The constitutlon states that the charity exists lo run a communlty buildirvd and io P¢OVKle facilities for rÈtreoEion and ki5ure-tlme occupation for the benefit of the local area in the interests of so¢ial wellare and with the of improving conditions of lile.

Flnanci•S review Reteipts for the year were approximately £48.97212024-. £51.9531. Payments for the year were approxirnatefy E56.30412024.. E30,9431. Cash at bank and in hand at year end wa5 approxifflatety £18,34212024.. £25.6741. Reserves poliLy.' The trustees seek to hold unrestricted re5er¥es Sufficient to cover between three and Six months. essential running costs. stsbject to available fund5. Room hire income and donations are ringfenced for centre runnin8 Costs and help provide stability for utilitie5. cleanin& licences, health and salety. and other core expenditure Debts and liabilltles". None Known Fund5 held as £ustodlan trustse Custodian trustee èrraneements- None Approvod by the truste•s on.. Si8ned on behalf of the trustees.. Ichair of Trusteesl R•c•lpts and Piym•nts Account Accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis. Amounts are rounded to the nearest £. A•¢•lpts D•xrfpiion Tot•1 2025 {£1 Total 20241É1 hds 1£) fwds 1£) Grants 33,092 33.092 27,383 Room hire and rental income 14,378 21,493 Donallons and fundraisin8 1.207 1,207 3,076 Other Income Irefunds and mlstellaneousl 294 294 1 Tot•1 r•¢•lpts 48,972 48J72 51,953 P￿MentS End¢y*m•nt fund5 {£1 Tot•1 20151£) Total 2¢)241£) fvnds (£1 Contraci cleaner 4,084 675 Professional and g¢vernance costs 9.988 9,988 120 Elèctricity 3,780 3.780 9,724 Gas 4,629 4,629

Water 950 950 821 Insurance 651 651 479 Internetltelephone 816 816 476 ITIWebsite 428 Licences and 138 138 2,467 ontractS Maintenance an 7.351 7.351 3,771 repair5 Equipment and resources 4.091 4,091 572 Activities and fun days 14,346 14,346 6.168 Grani refund Other payments Ito be des¢rlbedl Heolth and safety 12024 onfyl 78 Tot•1 p4￿￿•nI$ 30,94i Statement of b•lanc•s 20251£) 20241£) Oper¥in8 cash and bank balances Total receipt5 Total payments 30,943 closing cash ano bank balances 18,342 25.674 Statement of Ass•ts and Uabifiti•s As at 31 December 2025 202510 2024 1£) Cash at bank and in hand 18,342 Other asset51rf any) IDescribe / Value if neededl IDescribe I value if neededl bllitiès 20241£)

Cfedit¢rs and a¢¢ruals lif anvl Ilnsert amounL or O it nonel Ilnsert arno￿L or O if nonel Notes to the accounts l. Accounting policies= The ￿coUnts are wepare(l on a receipls and payments ba5t5. Amounts are rounded to the nearesi f. Z. Fund5". The accounts above 3how all tran5a¢tk•ns In the unrestricted I￿￿5 ¢olumfi. If any lftcorhÈ Is restritted by the donor, the accounts should be arnended to show restricted fvnds separatelv. 3. Desl8nated funds.. Trusiees have desi8nated room hire incolne and donation5lfundrai5ing for centre runnin8 cests. Those funds are rln8fenced for utilities. contract cleaniTr& licences and coniracrs, health and safety, and other core centre runnin8 ¢ost5. 4. Related party transattions and trust￿ fèmunerattonlèynses.. 14one Independent Ex¥mlMr's fte￿rt To the trustee5 of KImblesu￿rth & Plzwsworrh Community Centre and Recreation Ground l report to the trustee5 on my examlnatujn ofthe Kcounts of the charityfor the year ended 31 C)ecember 2025. Responsibllilies and basls ol report.. As the chaflws trustees. you afe responsible for the preparatlon of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charit￿5 kt 2011. My examination was carried out in accordance with the Charity Commlsslon'$ 8uidance on independent exèmination My examinatim indudes ? review of the a¢countin8 records kept by thè charity and a comp3ri50n of the accounts presented with tlxjse records. Indeppndent pxaminerfs st3temertt.. In connection ¥riih my examination. no matter has come to my attention whiih give5 me reasonablè cause lo bÈlieve that in any material respert.. the accountlng re¢ords have ntst been kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charitle5 A¢t.' or the accounts do not accord wth the accountin8 records. I have no ¢oncern5 and have corne acro55 no other maiters In connKtlcffj wth th• éxaminatlon to whlch attentlon should be drawn In thls report In order to en•ble a proper understanrfing of the auounis io be reached. Independent examiner n4m•' E LOFTH 0￿sE Relevant professional qualFfKatkJn lff anvl.. THE > tsueTY Addr￿5.. Ilk TANMLAOS, L4JrAwoly D 3fW Sl8naturè'. Date.. l O D7