2025-09-30-accounts - Stutton Community Association

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Annual Report

Year ending 30 September 2025

1. Introduction

1.1. Stutton Community Association (Charity Number 1188188) was first registered as a charity on 26 February 2020. This represented the culmination of a decision by both Stutton Community Hall and Stutton Community Council charities to disband and transfer their assets into the new charity.
1.2. The key objects of Stutton Community Association (SCA) are “to promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Stutton the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life of the said inhabitants”.

2. Stutton Community Hall

2.1. In meeting our overall charity’s aims our principal focus is the provision of and maintenance of an accessible Stutton Community Hall. This provides a vital community hub where a groups and individuals can engage in a wide range of activities and where the SCA can run events.
2.2. It falls to the Trustees and Committee members to ensure that the hall, the associated car park, roadway, and grassed areas are maintained and repairs attended to. Our hirers and hall users have commented that the hall is light and airy and is well equipped.
2.3. We were successful in securing grants from Babergh District Council, Valencia Communities Fund and the Parish Council to build an extension which was completed in 2024. The new Garden Room provides a smaller room for hire and gives greater flexibility when running larger events. A new block paved patio to the rear provides and attractive and useable outside area, which can be accessed via bifold doors from both the main hall and Garden Room.
2.4. The hall continues to be well used and our income from hiring exceeds the expenses incurred. In setting the hire charges our aim is for them to be affordable to the various groups and individuals that hire the hall and to cover our costs of maintaining the building. A review of the charging policy was undertaken in 2024. Rather than on a session basis, hiring on an hourly basis was introduced. There has been a small increase in charges; these had not increased since 2006. Our hall’s charges remain comparable with those other halls in the local area. In this financial year, fees for hiring the hall raised £18,660 and increase of 40% over the previous year’s total £13,320.

2.5. Forty solar panels on the hall roof feed all the in electricity generated in to the community shop, which lies alongside the hall. Income from the electricity generated goes to the community hall. This contributed £2,100. This is a substantial contribution to our annual electricity costs of £4,727
2.6. The expenses incurred in running the community hall totalled £ 18,623 up from £10,351 in the previous year. This includes electricity costs, cleaning, water and business rates, waste disposal, fire safety, repairs, music licence and insurance (this latter item being a sizeable sum of £2,114)
2.7. Significant expenditure was incurred in ensuring the hall’s electrical installation was up to standard. There have been several changes over the years and the latest 5-year electrical survey recorded several failed items that needed to be rectified. Total costs incurred were £3098.
2.8. Our aim is to continually make improvements to the hall. We installed replacement hand dryers. We also bought 2 outside tables got the rear patio at £736 (thank you for the volunteers drafted in to put them together). We bought a new bottle cooler for the garden room (£386) – which is great for parties and the fete. New flooring and entrance mat in the foyer was installed at a cost of £1315, which ensured that potential trip hazards were dealt with and it gave a lift to the appearance of the area.

3. Delivering Social and Recreational Opportunities

3.1. Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit in providing and promoting a valuable community facility for the village and wider community - to reduce isolation; encourage social inclusion and provide opportunities for improving health and well-being for all ages.
3.2. Activities to promote health and well-being at the hall have included: Pilates classes; Weekly Strength and Balance classes for older people and those with disabilities, regular dance classes for children, weekly Carpet Bowls.
3.3. Social events to reduce isolation and promote friendships and informal networks have included: Monthly “Meet Up Mondays” meetings; Suffolk Sight meetings (formerly East Suffolk Blind) that bring people across the local area to Stutton. Two Art Groups meet weekly and a playgroup now run by Constable Country Childcare brings parents, grandparents and young children together. They also operate the Forest School. Whilst they spend most time in the Community Wood they use the Garden Room as a base. Other than these regular activities, the hall is regularly booked for parties and especially children’s parties.

3.4. The community hall is also the location where monthly Parish Council meetings are held along with the Annual Parish Meeting, where groups and societies from the village along with interested members of the public attending.
3.5. As a charity we also aim to put on events and activities to add to the social and leisure landscape of the village in line with our constitution. In addition, these events can provide valuable additional sources of income. All these events rely upon the goodwill and energy of our committee members and their partners.
3.6. The events this year included a spring 2 Quiz Nights, a disco and a very successful barn dance. We also run monthly film nights, showing a wide range of newly released films. Stutton Presents performed a VE80 celebration.
3.7. In July we worked alongside Stutton Primary School PTFA to deliver a fete and we raised over £2000. In July the annual open-air concert featuring the Puffins Ensemble again was well attended with people picnicking in the garden of David and Janet Lock. Our charity also organises Father Christmas and his helpers deliver presents on Christmas morning. This along with carols in the Kings Head PH raised £274, which was given to FIND a local food bank charity.
3.8. We also run an annual Community Draw. Some 380 residents have joined the draw and can win monthly prizes. This generated a net income of £1,333 for the charity.
3.9. All these activities, including the community draw raised a net surplus of £3,996

4. Communicating what we do

4.1. As part of the Community Draw collectors have the opportunity to talk to residents about our charity. For many people supporting the Community Draw is seen as a way of supporting our charity and connection with the wider village community. Roundabout, our village newsletter, is an important way of telling people in the village about the charity our plans and events. This is produced bi-monthly and always includes articles about our charity.
4.2. The village web site stuttonvillage.net includes information about our events and details about the hall. Posters and Facebook are other methods used to promote what we do.

5. Our Accounts

5.1. Overall, the total income for the year was £30,276. Our expenditure was £23,386. It is pleasing that despite significant expenditure on repairs and improvements we still we able to run at a positive surplus of £6,890. Our reserves stand at £29,128 (this includes restricted funds for Stutton Presents, £2,896, Stutton Grows £778 and

Car Park Repairs of £1400). Within the reserves fund we have set aside £10,000 as an emergency. It is likely that re-roofing of the hall will be needed in the coming years so it is prudent to build up such a contingency fund.

5.2. Our treasurer provides regular detailed management accounts for our committee meetings. Based on excel spreadsheets, the accounts are both clear and accurate. Year ending accounts for the year are attached.
5.3. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with Charity Commission requirements and have been independently verified.

6. Grant Giving

6.1. Under the charity’s constitution we are able to give grant aid to projects that are in line with our objectives. In previous years we have supported the craft group and agreed financial support for the Play Group to cover any losses. However, no grants have been given this year. If there is a group or interested people to set up an activity that is in line with our charity’s aim and objectives, we are here to help.

7 Stutton Presents and Stutton Grows

During the year two village organisations came under the umbrella of the SCA. Our charity was using its bank account to hold monies for Stutton Presents. This fine group comes together and puts on plays and musical evening and always packs the crowds. Charity rules now prevent us holding accounts for a third party such as Stutton Presents. And since the hall is the main focus of the Stutton Presents’ activities it was a logical step for it to become a formal sub-committee of SCA.

Stutton Grows looks after the woodland that surrounds the playing field to the rear of the hall. Its bank was looking to transfer it to a business account which would have made a significant dent in the group’s finances, particularly so when it doesn’t need to raise money to keep its operations going, relying solely on the good will of its volunteers. It too is now a sub-committee.

Our SCA insurance ensures that both Groups are a covered subject to Risk assessments and adopted safe working practices.

8 Management

The charity is managed by 5 Trustees who are elected at the Annual General Meeting and who work with other volunteers through a managing committee. At September 2025 the charity committee comprised the following members:

Trustees	Committee Members	Committee Members
William Hewlett(Chair)	Lisa Taylor(Treasurer)	Derek Chartres
Rosie Stuart-Thompson(Vice-Chair)	Ian Flower	Sarah Gray
Nick Pavitt	David Stuart -Thompson	Jenni Pallant
Adrian Gray	Colin Reilly	Roberta Garrad

Stutton Community Assoc Income & Expenditure Account Year ended 30 September 2025

		Y.e Sept
	Restricted Fund	2024
Stutton Presents - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 512 - - - - - 512 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 859 - - 859 (347) - 3,242 - 2,895 *Note 1*	Stutton Grows - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 778 - - - 778	Total
		Funds

		13,320
		1,094
		126
		66
		-
		155,987


		2,906
		1,300
		1,865
		1,900
		565
		100
		-
		1,105
		230
		232
		-


		100
		150
		84
		640
		350

		182,120


		3,737
		1,727
		515
		57
		2,639
		285
		1,045
		198
		43
		135
		148


		898


		1,144
		1,053
		614
		525
		232
		95
		989
		-
		-
		40
		-



		180 177,696 193,995 (11,875) - - - 30,093 18,218 593 - 14,610 5,000 (1,985) 18,218

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGIAND ANO WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to tho trusteos Stutton Communtty Association On accounts fortho year ended Charity no (if any) 30 September 2025 1188188 Set out on pages the p#ge nurr4)ets of additional 5h81:: I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {"the Trust.) for the year ended 3010912025. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charitys trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan wrth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe AGf). I report in respecl of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 ofthe 2011 Act and in carying out my examination. I have followed all the applicable Direth'ons given by the Chanty Commission under section 145(5}{b) of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's ststsment come to my attention in connection wrth the examination whiGh gives me cause to believe that in. any malerial respect". thè accounting records Yre not kept in accordan with section 130 of the Chartties Act, or the accounts did not aGwrd viith the aeKounting rewrds" or the accounts did not comply wrth the applicable requirements conceming the fomi and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a Irue and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no COnM8 and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should te drawn in this report in r to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: 24 May 2026 Name: Philip J G Sadd Relevant professional qualificationlsl or body (if any): FCA Address: Kendal Cottage, Woodfiekl Lane Stutton Ipswch IP9 2ST IER Oct 2018

Section B Disclosure Only complete If the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32. Independent examination of tharity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018