Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/04/2024 (Period start date) To 31/03/2025 (Period end date) Charity name: Rothwell Community Library Trust
Charity registration number: 1178745
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity, as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To promote, for the benefit of the residents of Rothwell and surrounding area, the provision of a public library space. This to be used for recreation and other leisure time occupation by individuals and the general public who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity disablement, financial hardship or social/economic circumstances. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit. In particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. Para 1.17 and 1.19 Through the dedicated support, of around 35 volunteers, the following activities take place meeting the following identified purposes: Provision of a public library A full adult and children’s book lending service including a “click and collect” service during opening hours. A dedicated children’s library area including a range of toys. Access to computer terminals Help with bus pass and blue badge application Activities and facilities for young people Weekly Rhyme Time, Stay and Play under 5s and Story Time sessions. A weekly session for parents/carers with children who are home educated. Regular craft and child focussed activities in school holidays. A very active participation in the summer reading challenge. A RCLT volunteer visits all local participating schools providing an introduction to the scheme, ahead of the annual launch. Activities and facilities for adults Several games groups who meet to compete at Scrabble, chess and complete Jigsaws. Weekly Ancestry Group. Weekly Craft group Weekly dementia support group meeting. Access to computers/ quiet spaces for reading/ study/ revision. Monthly coffee mornings with home made cheese scones and cakes. Local beaders and crafters also have an evening meeting and, amongst other activities, help to produce knitted poppies and ‘toppers’ which decorate the town for specific occasions. Regular craft fairs take place during the year. The library is a named dedicated warm space during winter months with additional drinks and food available. However, tea, coffee, biscuits and other snacks are available all year round. Help with bus pass and blue badge applications/renewals. Various day and evening fund raising events from fashion shows to book events and talks. Outreach ~~Visits from MIND Mental Health outreach~~ |
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| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The Trustees confirm that that they are aware of the guidance and have taken it into account when considering the range of activities offered by the Trust. All of activities undertaken are to meet the charitable purposes of the Trust and benefit the community of Rothwell and the local area. |
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Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | No grants are made by the Trust |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | Not applicable |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | The library is staffed, and run, entirely by volunteers. In addition, the volunteers undertake fund raising activities and, along with the Trustees, seek to secure grants. |
| Other | The lease for the building has been taken over from the local council by the Creating Tomorrow Multi Academy Trust which operates several SEN schools in the area. Pupils from the schools visit the library on certain days each week and undertake supervised work connected with the library and upcoming events. |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | RCLT has continued to ensure that the library has remained open throughout the year but this has only been possible by the continued support of the volunteers. Funding was, again, secured from the local County Council for the library to be a designated warm space during the colder months. The footfall has increased during the year, for the second year running, up by 6% with active membership of the library up by 2%. However, it is important to remember that the library acts as a community space for a range of activities and therefore any increase in use, by looking at footfall, is a better measure of how well the charity is fulfilling its aims. 2 pieces of feedback received recently highlight the positive impact the library has on the local community: Thanks from a son whose father, a local resident, recently passed away, just after reaching 100. His father had been a daily visitor enjoying working on jigsaws and chatting to other visitors. To quote from the letter ‘Dad loved meeting people and the sense of community he experienced at the library was incredible.Thank you for providing this comradeship and friendship throughout the latter stages of Dad’s life’ Secondly, a heartfelt ‘thank you’ from a lady and her husband who were very appreciative for the the additional guidance provided in completing a blue badge application. This year, help with blue badge applications has increased by 229%. All renewals are now treated as ‘fresh’ applications and the evidence required has become more complex, which has meant that more people have requested help. Assisting with an application can take up to 2 hours but it remains a vital help for many of our local |
| ~~residents~~ |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against Para 1.41 objectives set
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set Para 1.41 Investment performance against objectives Para 1.41 Other |
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Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The total funds of RCLT, as at the 31 March 2025, were just under £21,000 - with £18,974 held in the CAF bank and just over £2,000 in the original account opened with a local Building Society. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | We have set a low reserve of £2,000 which will be retained in the RCLT account held with the local BS - see above. Only a low reserve is necessary because, as RCLT is not the leaseholder or responsible for any utility charges, then the Charity does not have any ongoing day to day liabilities . There are no employees so the £2,000 will be there just as a cushion in case of donations/grant shortfalls - to allow the children's holiday activities to continue. These are the only activities that require funding. All the other activities are either self-funding or covered by grants. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £2,000 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | N/A |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46eq | 1. Continued involvement of the Academy Trust, as leaseholder of the library building and providing additional support. If the Academy withdraw from the partnership then it would be unlikely that the Library could remain open. 2. Retaining sufficient numbers of Volunteers - both to carry out the role of Trustees and to be the ‘workforce’ in |
| ~~running the library~~ |
Other
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s |
||
|---|---|---|
| ~~t~~ ~~t~~ Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | CIO Foundation Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CIO |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more |
Para 1.25 | Apart from the initial Trustees, the appointment for Trustees is for four years or less. Trustees are selected based on their interest, skills and knowledge - required for the effective administration of RCLT. |
| ~~trustees~~ |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | RCLT have an agreed Trustee induction pack. |
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| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | There were 6 current Trustees at the beginning of the year. Two trustees resigned during the year and three new trustees were appointed. There remains a mix of Trustees, who are also active volunteers in the library and those who are not. This mix continues to ensure that there is a balance giving a ‘line of sight’ across the Volunteer activities together with a ‘challenge’ element from those not directly involved in the running of the library. This increases the robustness of the Trustees Governance ability. Separately, there is a Volunteer Committee which undertakes the organisation of the volunteers and is responsible for dealing with the induction of new volunteers including completion of the necessary DRB checks and GDPR training. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | As mentioned under ‘Objectives and Activities’, a local Academy Trust formally took over the lease of the library building from the County Council when the Community Library was set up. The RCLT volunteers are still responsible for the running of the library and the local activities but the partnership with the Academy Trust has ensured that the library has a secure longer term future. The Academy is using the library to give work experience for some of its students which are supervised by an Academy employee. |
Other
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Rothwell Community Library Trust |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1178745 |
| Charity’s principal address | Market Hill Rothwell Northamptonshire NN14 6EP |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 |
Kate Ley | Chair | 01/04/2024- 05/01/2025 |
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| Maureen Hill | 01/04/2024 - 05/01/2025 |
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| Mark West | ||||
| Victoria Bell | Chair | |||
| Christine Gordon-Smith |
Treasurer | |||
| Dawn Young | ||||
| Lin Ray | 18/04/2024 - 31/03/2025 |
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| Chrys Vere | 18/04/2024 - 31/03/2025 |
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| Dennis Lloyd | 18/04/2024 - 31/03/2025 |
Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year |
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|---|---|---|---|
| None | |||
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff mem bers (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Victoria Bell Christine Gordon-Smith Position (eg Chair Treasurer Secretary, Chair, etc) Date 3/07/2025
Rothwell Community Library Trust Annual Accounts
Year ended 31 March 2025
| Rothwell Community Library Trust Annual Accounts Year ended 31 March 2025 |
Rothwell Community Library Trust Annual Accounts Year ended 31 March 2025 |
Rothwell Community Library Trust Annual Accounts Year ended 31 March 2025 |
Rothwell Community Library Trust Annual Accounts Year ended 31 March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance brought forward as at 1 April 2024 | £7,053.81 | ||
| Plus Unrestricted receipts EON credits £1,444.43 Interest received £30.00 Insurance reimbursed (NNC) £282.72 Event receipts £2,125.24 DonaDons £1,873.07 Friends of Rothwell Library £11,000.00 Payment recDfcaDon £279.00 |
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| £17,034.46 | |||
| Restricted receipts Warm Space (WS) -NNC £2,000.00 |
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| £2,000.00 | |||
| £19,034.46 | £19,034.46 | ||
| £26,088.27 | |||
| Less Unrestricted expenses Monthly bank fees £60.00 Window cleaner £360.00 PrinDng costs £200.00 Gardening costs £506.49 Insurance cost £448.94 Event expenses £589.66 Children acDviDes £410.09 Non capital equipment £832.35 Bufet expenses £155.00 Twinkl subscripDon £119.88 Incorrect payment £279.00 |
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| £3,961.41 | |||
| Restricted expenses WS - various £3,152.66 |
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| £3,152.66 | |||
| £7,114.07 | £7,114.07 | ||
| Balance carried forward as at 31 March 2025 | £18,974.24 |