## **Blunham Village Hall** Registered Charity No. 1183856 ## Trustees’ Annual Report – 1 March 2022 4 April 2023 ## **Names of Trustees who served during the year** |Robin Boothby|Treasurer| |---|---| |Michelle Grice|Chair| |Beverley Boothby|| |Nigel Aldis|| |Lindsay Rose|| |Phil Rose|| |Shell Eves|| |Dee Bartholomew|| |Yvonne Sargeant|| ## **Sources of advice and support** Barclays Bank plc, Leicester LE87 2BB Norris & Fisher Insurance Brokers Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity, Cardington Blunham Parish Council Phil Rose (Maintenance), Shell Eves (Bookings Secretary) Independent Examiner: Dr Roy Tipping ## **Governance** Blunham Village Hall was established by a Trust Deed & Lease date 20 July 1928. The Trustees manage the site under a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission on 12 June 2019. 1 ## **Appointment of Trustees** The Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governs the appointment of trustees and the management of the charity. There must be at least three charity trustees. The maximum number of charity trustees is 12. ## **Hiring Agreement** Use of the village hall is subject to a Hiring Agreement which must be signed by the hirer when booking. The hiring agreement sets out the conditions of hire and identifies the respective responsibilities of each party to the agreement. ## **Licences** The hall has a Premises Licence that permits the provision of regulated entertainment including the performance of plays and live music: the exhibition of films and the playing of recorded music. In 2017 the Trustees undertook the exercise to disapply from the mandatory licensing procedures for the sale of alcohol and hirers who plan to sell alcohol at their events must now apply for a TENS license through the Council. The hall is registered with the local authority for small society lotteries. The hall is licensed by the Performing Right Society for live and recorded music. We usually obtain our film licenses from Filmbank Media. ## **Risk Management** ## **Insurance** The Trustees recognise that they are under a legal obligation to protect the building, its users and contractors through adequate and appropriate insurance. The village hall is insured with respect to property damage (buildings insurance) by Covea Insurance Plc (£607,977 cover). It is insured with the same company with respect to contents (£52,637), public liability (£5,000,000), employers’ liability (£10,000,000), property owners liability (£5,000,000), Trustees Indemnity (£500,000), Business Interruption up to 24 months (£22,606), and personal accident (£10,000). It is insured by DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company for legal expenses (£100,000). 2 ## **Building Issues** - Gas appliances and portable electrical appliances and firefighting appliances are tested by qualified personnel annually. - Volunteers from the Committee carry out other regular maintenance checks. ## **Objectives of the Charity** - The provision and maintenance of a village hall for use by the inhabitants of the Parish of Blunham without distinction of political, religious or other opinions - Use of the village hall for meetings, lectures and classes or other forms of recreation and leisure time occupation and with the object of improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants - The Trustees consider these objectives to be consistent with Charity Commission guidance on providing for the public benefit and these objectives have been pursued in the activities of the charity this year. ## **Principal Activities in pursuit of Objectives** - The hall is in use most days of the week for a variety of activities including St Edmunds Fellowship, Gardening Club, Pilates, Boot Camp and Baby Massage - Volunteers run a successful coffee morning every Monday - The Parish Council hold their bi-monthly meetings in the Hall - Blunham Community Cinema holds regular screenings on the last Friday of every month where members of the community have the opportunity to view a recent film at a modest price whilst being able to chat to friends before the performance and enjoy refreshments including ice creams during an interval. - The hall is available for hire for private functions including children’s parties, wedding receptions, funeral teas, village social functions and occasional fund raising fayres. ## **Reserves Policy** 3 It is the strategy of the Trustees to manage the annual budget on a self-financing basis and fundraising activities and hiring income aim to achieve this. The purpose of the reserves policy is to ensure that sufficient funds are always available to meet all reasonable short-term contingencies. This includes: - Cover for unforeseen day-to-day operational costs. - Cover for unforeseen emergency/repair (e.g. boiler breaks down). - Loss of a source of Income (Could take time to replace). - Buildup of reserves for replacement/refurbishment of contents that become necessary over time. - Planned Commitments that cannot be met by future Income alone, eg, plans for a project that require matched funding etc. The Trustees have resolved to maintain a minimum level of reserves to enable normal operating costs to be covered for a minimum period of 6 months, (approx, £5,000) assuming no income is generated during this time, and to hold a further buffer taking the total reserve to between the six month minimum period and up to a maximum of two years of budgeted annual expenditure, to meet the aims above. The trustees understand the principles behind the reserves, setting out appropriate levels of reserves based upon risk assessment, which is based on factors which impact on the hall. Each year they review the reserves to make sure they are relevant to the current prevailing conditions. This ensures the facility is maintained in good order for the benefit of all hall users. ## **Volunteers’ Effort** Management costs are minimised through the use of volunteers for regular maintenance and supplementary cleaning of the hall. On average 4 hours of volunteer time are given each week to cover routine tasks such as bookings management, additional cleaning and maintenance. In addition, trustees give time each month for meetings and organising and running fund raising events. Without the tireless efforts of the small band of Trustees and volunteers there would not be a village hall. The Trustees would like to recognise, with gratitude, the support given in time, effort and donations over the past year to ensure the hall is fit for purpose and used for the benefit of the community. The Committee would welcome offers of help from any resident and this could be undertaken ex-committee if desired. 4 **2022 -2023 Achievements** The Hall continued to attract regular Hirers and now offer Pilates, Baby Massage and Bootcamp on a twice weekly or weekly basis. The Community Cinema and the Committee hosted a joint event for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. The Committee hosted a successful Family Day in September 2022 and a Race Night in November of 2022. The Hall was represented at the Village’s Tree Lighting Ceremony in December 2022 and distributed mince pies as well as advertised regular and Hall sponsored events. ## **Future Plans** The Committee is determined to offer a full programme of events and are investigating a number of options including the return of regular luncheons, a Vegan Supper, the always popular Quiz Night, an Open Day to assist in promoting on-going activities at the Hall and a Village Talent Show. ## **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s) M Gri��** **Full name(s) Michelle Grice Position Chairman Date: 17 November 2023** 5 BLUNHAM VILLAGE HALL Receipts & Payments Account tor the Yèar Ended 4th Aprll 2023 IAII Unrestricted Funds) YE 414123 YE 414122 Recel Regular hall Hire Ad Hoc Hall Hire Coffee morning Inc Cinema Club Donations Grants Events Misc 2.878.50 2,294.00 721.00 178.36 2,613.00 8,000.00 627.85 150.00 756.26 Total Incorre 7.717.61 14 471.61 Pa ents Gas Electrictty Water Insurance Cleaning Stat Inspect & Boiler Serv Maintenance- Internal Malntenance.. External Maintenance One off Annual MernbershtP5 Licenses Sundries 1.572.61 -24.12 108.00 946.53 4.054.41 146.98 552.58 726.19 451.44 35.00 712.IXI 165.09 1.131.00 900.75 1.680.00 514.10 593.33 7.775.00 50.64 otal Payments 9,446.71 14.447.61 Profit/lL0$51 -1,729.10 24.00 Statement of Assets & Liabllities Opening Bank 8alance Excess Of Income over Expenditure 17.917.81 -1,729.10 17.893.81 24.txl Closin8 Bank Balance Made up of..- C105in8 Bank & Cash Balance Bar Stock 16,188.71 17,917.81 16,024.29 17.917.81 otal Assets 16,188.71 17,917.81 Signed on behalf of the Trustees Jsignature | Print Name R J Boothbv Date of Approval Ixh Navember 20231 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report lo the trustees BLUNHAM VILLAGE HALL On accounts for the year ended 4Th APRIL 2023 Charity no (if any) 118385 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examinalion ofthè accounts ofthg at*)ve Charity I'lhe Trust.) for the year ended 4th April 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the prèparation of the a¢counts In accordan￿ with the requiremènts of the Charititrs Act 2011 Ilhe AL#'). I report in respect of my examinaticK of the Trust's acLounls carrièd out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the ap￿ICable Directth¥ given by the Charity Comrnissh?n under seclion 14515llbl of the Act. Independent lThe charity's gross income exceeded £250.000 and l am qualified to undertake the examiner's 3tatsment examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed bodyll. Delets I l if not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below ') which gives me Cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act,. or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the fomi and content of accounts sel out in the Charities IA¢counts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'lrue and fairf view which 1$ not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in conneth'on with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understsnding of the acc£)unts to be reached. se delete the words in the bTr¢kets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Date: 17111123 Name: Dr Roy Tipping Relevant professlonal qualification{sl or body lif any): Address.. 60 Barford Road Blunham Bedford MK44 3ND IER Oct 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Glve here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to dlsclose. IER Oct 2018