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2020-12-31-accounts

The Downton Memorial Centre (Registered charity, number 1183511) Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2020

Page Contents
2 - 4 Trustees’ annual report
5 Independent examiner’s report
6 Receipts & payments account
7 Statement of assets & liabilities
8 - 9 Notes to the accounts

The Downton Memorial Centre Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31 December 2020

Full name The Downton Memorial Centre

Organisation type Charitable incorporated organisation

Registered charity number 1183511

Principal address Downton Memorial Hall, The Memorial Hall, The Borough, Downton, Salisbury, SP5 3NB

Trustees

Susan Kirsten Barnhurst-Davies, Chair David Philip Mace, Treasurer Hilary Mace, Booking Secretary Christine Anne Pearce Jeremy Parsons Danie Williams

Independent examiner

John O’Brien, employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL

Governance and management

The charity is operated under the rules of its CIO – Foundation constitution adopted 21 May 2019.

Trustees are nominated by local organisations or trustees and appointed by the trustees.

Initially there are 3 ‘first trustees’ from the previous unincorporated charity (Downton Memorial Hall, Charity No. 305507).

Other trustees up to a maximum of 23 in number can be nominated by local organisations.

The trustees can also appoint up to 4 local residents as new trustees.

Objectives and activities

The provision and maintenance of the memorial centre for use of inhabitants of the parish of Downton in the county of Wilts and its immediate vicinity without distinction of sex or political or religious or other opinions, including use for: (a) physical and mental training and recreation, and

(b) intellectual development through the medium of reading and recreation rooms library lectures, classes, recreations.

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The Downton Memorial Centre

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit

Activities undertaken at The Downton Memorial Centre include:

The Downton Memorial Centre is hired by local residents, organisations and other parts of the community.

The Trustees actively fundraise for items to improve the premises for the public benefit.

The Trustees ensure that the Downton Memorial Centre is kept in the public eye by advertising in the local press, and the village website, and by holding open days to promote the centre and to show potential hirers the facilities.

The Trustees enjoy a good relationship with the Downton Community Pre-School (Charity 1027574) who rent space in the new extension.

The trustees wish to put on record their grateful thanks to the volunteers who help with the running of the centre, the fund-raising events and the improvements that continue to be made to the facilities at the centre.

Public benefit statement

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.

Summary of the main achievements during the period

Until mid-March 2020 the Centre continued to flourish. Two fund raising events took place during this period to raise money for a projector and large projection screen for the hall; 2019 New Year’s Eve gig and a 1920 Jazz Dinner Dance in mid-March 2020. We also received a grant from Downton Parish Council for this purpose.

Major internal work in the hall included a new ceiling in late 2019 and redecoration in early 2020. These improvements have brought a more modern feeling to the older part of the Downton Memorial Centre and brought it more into line with the meeting rooms and facilities in the new extension.

Then the Covid 19 pandemic hit in March 2020 with the complete closure of the Centre until early September; no hire fees were received in this period as the fees of all hirers, both regular and ad hoc, were returned. A few classes resumed in early September in the hall only - a larger airier space where it is easier to open doors for better air circulation - but no parties, events or shows. There were virtually no bookings in the smaller rooms of the extension. The Centre again closed in

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The Downton Memorial Centre

November and very few classes resumed in December. Thus the income from hire fees in 2020 was greatly reduced.

In addition, the rental income from the Pre-school was less than anticipated in 2020 as they were compelled to close for part of the year, because of the pandemic, and so were granted a two-month rent holiday by the trustees of The Downton Memorial Centre.

A Government Covid-19 grant of £10,000 for village halls was received from Wiltshire Council in spring 2020. This has provided a welcome lifeline and has meant that some of the planned work to the hall (electrics, gas, and emergency lighting) has been able to be carried out but mostly not until 2021.

The Trustees continue to work hard to put the Downton Memorial Centre at the heart of the community and I believe, as Chairman, that this is being fulfilled.

As Chairman I wish to thank the users of The Downton Memorial Centre for their support and enjoyment. I also wish to thank the Trustees wholeheartedly for their drive and determination in offering a thriving community amenity fit for the 21[st] century.

The charity’s policy on reserves

The trustees have prudently decided to maintain cash reserves equivalent to six month’s income (£12,000), together with a further cash reserve for future improvements to the premises and facilities (£8,000) making £20,000 in total. The total reserves at the year-end stood at £32,034.

Financial review

The charity has two principal sources of income namely the hire fees charged for the use of its facilities and the pre-school rent. The charity uses this income to maintain a safe, clean, heated environment, with good facilities, for the users of The Downton Memorial Centre.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Signed ______ Date _ 16th March 2022 Susan Kirsten Barnhurst-Davies, Trustee

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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of The Downton Memorial Centre for the year ended 31 December 2020

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Downton Memorial Centre (the charity) for the year ended 31 December 2020.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed ____ Date _______ 17/03/2022 John O’Brien MSc, FCCA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus

5

The Downton Memorial Centre Receipts & payments account for the year ended 31 December 2020

21/05/19 -31/12/2019
Total
Unrestricted
Funds
Funds
£
Note
£
Receipts
228
Grants & donations
2
10125
285
Fundraising events
5266
2217
Rental income
950
13999
Sales & hire fees
11053
54
Bank interest
48
-
Utility recharges
367
-
Key deposits
75
20984
Opening transfer
-
37767
Total receipts
27884
Payments
-
Fundraising costs
2205
3396
Cleaning
2142
127
Equipment
1113
-
Grants & donations given
1374
-
Insurance
567
-
Membership fees
50
69
Office & general admin expenses
92
-
Printing, postage & stationery
9
-
Promotional event
61
11654
Repairs & maintenance
4322
-
Supplies
139
-
Music Licence
125
1446
Utilities
3797
-
Website
127
660
Legal & professional fees
-
25
Key deposits refunded
25
92
Sundry expenditure
-
17469
Total payments
16148
20298
Net receipts/(payments)
11736
-
Cash funds at start of this period
20298
20298
Cash funds at end of this period
32034
Restricted
Funds
£
500
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
500
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
500
-
500
2020
Total
Funds
£
10625
5266
950
11053
48
367
75
-
28384
2205
2142
1113
1374
567
50
92
9
61
4322
139
125
3797
127
-
25
-
16148
12236
20298
32534

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The Downton Memorial Centre Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2020

2019
£
Cash assets
Note
20270
Bank accounts
28
Cash in hand
20298
Other monetary assets
-
Debtors - Sales & hire fees
-
Assets retained for the charity’s own use
General equipment.
Liabilities
(445)
Creditors
4
-
Advanced receipts - Sales & hire fees
(445)
2020
£
32534
-
32534
4010
4010
(1677)
(130)
(1807)

These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:

16th March 2022 Signed _____ Dated _____ David Philip Mace, Trustee

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The Downton Memorial Centre Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2020

1. Receipts & payments accounts

Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.

2. Grants & donations

Wiltshire Council
Downton Parish Council
Sundry donations
Unrestricted
£
10000
-
125
10125
Restricted
Total
£
£
-
10000
500
500
-
125
500
10625

3. Funds analysis

Restricted funds
Projector & Screen
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Opening
balance
£
-
-
20298
20298
Receipts (Payments)
£
£
500
-
500
-
27884
(16148)
27884
(16148)
Closing
balance
£
500
500
32034
32034

4. Creditors

Legal & professional fees (IE fee)
Repairs & maintenance
Key deposits
Hire fees refunds
£
420
272
375
610
1677

5. Premises

The land and buildings are owned by Downton Parish Council and leased to The Downton Memorial Centre CIO for a peppercorn rent £10 per annum for a term of 900 years beginning on 24 June 2018.

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The Downton Memorial Centre

6. Trustees’ remuneration

7. Related party transactions

The trustees Susan Barnhurst-Davies and Jeremy Parsons are also committee members of The Downton Society, The Downton Society hired rooms from The Downton Memorial Centre during this period for a total amount of £80. The trustees David Mace and Christine Pearce are Parish Councillors at Downton Parish Council, Downton Parish Council hired rooms during this period for a total amount of £320.

The trustee Danie Williams is also a trustee of Downton Band. Downton Band hired rooms during this period for a total amount of £120.

The trustees Susan Barnhurst-Davies and Jeremy Parsons are also trustees of Downton Moot Preservation Trust. A joint fundraising event was held during this period and £1,373 (50% of the proceeds) were paid by Downton Memorial Centre to Downton Moot Preservation Trust.

8. Glossary of terms

Creditors: These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.

Debtors: These are amounts owed to the charity, but not received in the accounting period.

Restricted funds: These are funds given to the charity, subject to specific restrictions set by the donor, but still within the general objects of the charity.

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