WRT Annual General Meeting: Chair’s Report
Welcome and thank you to so many members taking the time to attend this year’s AGM, especially in such awful weather.
The Agenda has been sent to everybody, and is as follows.
Chair’s Report Election of Trustees Treasurer’s Report AOB
Chair’s Report
Grateful thanks to all the volunteers who have helped so much to make this another very successful year for our community and our club. You are essential to everything we do, and if anybody felt they can help in any way, you will be made most welcome.
In add-on I would like to thank the WRT trustees, all of whom are also volunteers. These include 5 representatives from the Parish Council, and 4 representatives from the local community. The latter will be standing down and the vacancies are subject to election at this meeting, in line with our Constitution.
The club is open regularly on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons, and is well attended by Community Club members and their guests. We have our own skittles team that plays on a Tuesday evening, and also host games from different leagues. Throughout the year we host additional activities, such as Takeaway nights, Bingo nights and the Tikka van, which have all proved very popular.
I am delighted to announce that this year we also saw the welcome return of the Football teams, and we will be continuing to improve the facilities for the teams in the coming year.
We also hold a number of themed events throughout the year, which are very popular. This year we had a very busy Fun Day, despite the wind and rain and having to pin the marquee down in the afternoon. Other popular events now in our regular calendar include Easter egg hunt, Halloween, and Christmas Party. The Easter and Halloween events incorporate trails for the youngsters around the village with lots of local participation, in a truly community event. We also host a variety of entertainers during the year, and having the field available has helped expand these during the simmer months, weather permitting!
Several local organisations now use our Club hose for their events, which is also booked for private parties and events.
Our Membership has increased again this year to 76 Annual membership cost is £10 for a family membership if resident in Winsham. Improvements Completed and Planned
This year we had a full refurbishment of our kitchen facilities, which will reduce operating costs and provide better facilities for the various activities we hold.
We have also had new rubberised floors in the kitchen and toilet areas which will make it safer, and a new total building water softener.
Going forward, we have a grant for an outdoor table tennis area. We are also going to upgrade the marquee which should solve the vandalism issue, and move the smoking shed to be 5m from the building and around the front. We are also looking into grants for our major expense, the electricity, which might mean moving to eco friendly alternatives.
We now move to the section of community members to the WRT. 2 of the existing members are standing down, and 2 others have said they are happy to continue. We have 2 members (Claire Hodder and Mike Slyfield) who are standing for the vacant positions. As there is the same number of vacancies as potential candidates we do not need to go to an election if the assembled members are happy.
The assembled members voted to elect the 2 candidates.
Financials
Henk Beentje our Treasurer, sends his apologies for not attending tonight, and Jim Everard will deliver the financial details in Hank’s absence. income total £53,857 (last year £58,311)
expenditure total £54,482 (last year £48,355)
down on the year £625
End of year bank balance £24,138
of which
ring-fenced £11,565 (football £227; Fun Day £7,788; Easter Event £950; table tennis £2,600)
free reserve funds £12,563
Gerry Earl Chair WRT
WRT accounts financial year Apr2024-Apr2025
income total £ 53,857 (last year 58,311)
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bar takings 44,182 (last year 50,729)
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other income membership 612; hall hire 152 (last year total 769)
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other income 8,905 (interest; donations; FunDay grant for 3 years 6,000; grant table tennis 2,600; Fun Day stalls) (last year 6,764)
expenditure total £ 54,482 (last year 48,355)
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bar restock 26,807 (last year 26,335)
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other 7,059 (bands including for Fun Day, club insurance, decorations, disco lights, Information ICO, JPM advert) (last year 6,778)
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Utility payments £ 5,901 (water & sewerage, electric, wifi, email) (last year 5,604)
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Maintenance £ 1,066 (last year 2,867)
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Capital expenditure £ 13,613 (kitchen refurb 8,600 plus; furniture £ 2,500; marquee 2,268; fridgefreezer) (last year 4,426)
down on the year £ 625 End of year bank balance £ 24,138 of which
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ringfenced £ 11,565 (football £ 227; Fun Day £ 7,788; Denise £ 950; table tennis £ 2,600)
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free reserve funds £ 12,563 (possible roof repairs, emergencies)
Some notes on utility payments
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water and sewerage over the year 396 (has shot up since...)
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electricity 4223, monthly bills in summer as low as 136, in winter as high as 768!
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telephone bills at 810 are necessary for both Wifi and bar billing system; we have now negotiated lower monthly rent
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email account 84
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alcohol licence 70; TV licence 169; fire safety annual check 88; alarm annual check 60