s Commo4.
eople's
Lowes Barn Community Project CIO
th
Trustees Report and Financial Review for the year ended 30 September
2025
Charlty Number 1192101
Company Number CE023176

Contents
Legal and Administrative Information
TrkJStpp.s Rp_r)nrt
Structure and Goveman
Fulure Plans
Financial Review
Statement of Trustees Responsibilities
Independent Examiners Report
Legal and Administrative Information
1.1 The organisation is a Communty Incorporated Organisation (CIO) which was registered
wlth the Charities Commlssion on 2- November 2020.
Registered Charity Number
1192101
Companles House Number.
CE023176
Address:
Meryoaks Community Hall
Park House Road
Durham
DH13QF
2. Trustees Report
2.1 Alms and Ob
ectives
The aims and objectives of Lowes Barn Community Project CIO (LBCP) are set out in the
constitution as follows-
1) To further or benefit the INHABITANTS of OURHAM CITY SOUTH WEST (including
NEVILLE'S CROSS CROSSGATE MOOR MERRYOAKS SHERATON PARK MOUNT
OSWALD and STONEBRIDGE) and the neighbourhood THEREOF. wtthout distinction of
sex, sexual orientation. race or of political. religious or other opinions by associating
together the said INHABITANTS and the local authorities voluntary and other
organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilits'es in the
interests of social welfare for recreation and leisu￿ time occupation with the objects've of
improving the conditions of life for the INHABITANTS
2) To establish or secure the establishment of a community centre and to maintain or
manage or co operate wrth any ststutory authonty In the maintenance and
management of such a centre for activittes promoted by the charity in furtherance of the
above object.

In order to meet these objectives, the orqanisats.on has been committed to Drovidina a
community centre which opened in May 2023 and following a competition, local
schoolchildren and the communty chose the name and logo which is Merryoaks Community
Hall. the People's Place.
We aim to improve the sense of community and emotionallmental health and wellbeing. Also
to reduce social isolation and promote improved physical health and constructive activities
for all local residents and those in nearby neighl)ourhoods.
At the start of this financial year we ernployed a full time Centre Manager who now overse8S
the smooth running of the Hall.
We also plan to provide a garden that can b8 Visited and maintsined by local residents.
This year saw the continued popularity of Merryoaks Community Hall and growth in the
number of users and groups frequenting the centre.
LBCP successfully applied for grants as follows:
£20,000 from Northem Power Grld along with £2,500 from The Clty of Durham
Parish Councll for the installation of Solar Panels and Battery Storage which will
allow the Hall to be used as a shelter for the community in the event of power
outages etc.
£4.249.50 from Cllr Ellzabeth Scott towards setting up a Companionshlp Cafe,
external lighting design, garden design. bench refurbishment and planning
permisslon for garden sheds
£3,000 from Polnt North Fundlng for children's activities during the school holidays
£999 from Cllrs Ellzabeth Scott and Liz Brown for the installation of a community
notice board and leaflet holders in the Hall
A major milestone for the charity was the appointment of a Centre Manager to supervise
the running of Merryoaks Community Hall which has helped to bring further structure to the
operations. As well as maintaining the booking system including payments etc. the role
also encompasses the management of volunteers.
The Centre Manager has worked to improve the operations. building up good relationships
with Hall users and introduGing a new cleaning company.
Among other achievements. having a Centre Manager means that the Hall is open to the
public longer and the volunteers have improved supervision and support.
The temis and conditions for hiring the rooms within Meryoaks Community Hall have been
reviewed and revised with the benefit of now having 2 years of experience of room hire.

Blinds have been installed on the windows in the Main Hall. Multi-Purpose Room and
Office using grant money received in the previous year from The City of Durham Parish
Council and money raised from a Bum's Night Supper and a talk on the Falklands War
givon at tho H211. Tho blindo provid& privacy 2$ wall 22 hèlpinc with t@mporature control on
hot days.
Adjacent to Meryoaks Community Hall is the Durharn County Council owned Lowes Bam
Recreation Ground. This has vehicular access via the car park and Hall users had al times
driven vehicles through and on to the children's play ar8a.
To prevent accidents, LBCP successfully bbbled for the installation of bollards on the
access road meaning that vehicles can only enter the children's play area if approved and
supervised by LBCP staff or volunteers.
LBCP also facilltsted the Installation of a community noti￿ board on council land at the
entrance to the adjoining recreation ground.
This ye8r we reviewed and revised 811 of our policies and procedures. A not insignificant
piece of work.
Following the building work which was completed in 2023. the builders went into
administration leaving several items on a snagging list incomplete. After negotiation with
the administrator, LBCP undertook to make th8 repairs and this has now been completed
with the exception of an on4Joing investigation into leaks above some doors in severe
weather.
Meryoaks Communlty Hall benefits from a large garden area whlch since the openlng of
the building has remained mostly grass. A new project has stsrted to establish a
community garden. The first step was a survey to 8Stablish what th8 local community want
from such a project following which a design was commissioned from a local garden
designer and fundralslng has started to tum this into a realty.
One of the first actions was to remove an old path that was a relic from the bowling green
that had been on the site before the Hall was built and had deteriorated and at some points
become dangerous.
Merryoaks Community Hall has a central Hub with a community library and tea and coffee
making facilities which are available to all whenever the building is open. making it an ideal
venue which the local community use as a drop in space.
There are Iwo rooms available to hlre for meetings and events; a Main Hall and a
Multipurpose Room with a Kitthen adjacent to the Main Hall that is also available to hire,

The office space which had been available to hire is now dedicated to the Centre Manaaer
and volunteers.
Over the course of the year several groups have used these facilities to benefit the
community with a range of activities induding,.
Exercise and dance dasses
Yoga
Home education lessons
Health and Wellbeing
Cultural discussions
Mother and toddler groups
First Aid training
Martial arts
Crochet and knitting
Religious services and celebrations
Parties
The City of Durham Parish Council continue to hold their monthly meetings in Meryoaks
Community Hall making them more accessible to residents.
Durham Merryoaks Women's Institute also hold their monthly meetings in the Hall.
As well as events and classes provided by extemal groups, LBCP has provided activities
and facilities to benefit the community including;
Christrnas music and crafts aftemthjn
Bum's Night Supper and Murder Mystery
Solar Eclipse event
Table top sales
Local speakers
Book club
Community library
Puzzle library
Coffee momings
Aftemoon teas
Activities for children during the school holidays
starting in September 2025, a monthly Companionship Cafe for elderly people and those
suffering the effects of dementia is run by our volunteers every month.
The coffee moming which is held on the first Saturday of the month now includes an
electrical testing and repair station supported by Durham County Council to reduce
electrical waste and is regularly visited by a mobile Eco Van refill shop.

Meryoaks Communty Hall is located adIa￿nI to Lowes Bam Re¢￿atIOn Ground which is
owned and maintained by Durham County Council and includes a children's play area as
well as a multi-use games area (MUGA) and adult exercise facilities. The Community Hall
ho9 toilot And boby chgnging f2cilitiQC 2£ woll 2£ providing 2 warm, dry space for users of
the recreation ground to shelter during periods of indement weather.
It has been estimated that beiween 330 and 380 people use the building each week and
the age range has been from 3 weeks old to over 90 years old.
We have also installed a defibrillator on th8 outside of M8ryoaks Community Hall so that it
is available for use by the public at all times.
3. Structure and Governance
This year there were 9 Trustees:
Glen Walker (Chair)
Claire Murray-Kemp (Secretary)
Suzanne McGoay (Treasurer)
Jennifer Thompson
Martin Ruerup
Will Greeves
Susan Walker
Suzann8 Whelan
Alan Doig
At the Annual General M8eting {AGM) for the year ending 30th September 2024, which
was held on 29th January 2025. Alan Doig stood for and was duly elected as a trustee.
In accordance with the constitution, one third of the Trustees need to retire at the AGM but
can stand for reappointment. This year Suzanne McGoay, Claire Murray-Kemp and Will
Greeves retired and were duly reolected by the members.
Glen Walker, who had been acting as chair and secretary since Jennifer Thompson had
stood down from the role at the previous AGM18aving the role unfilled. has become chair
and Claire Murray-Kemp has taken on the role of Secretary.
Trustees, on joining, are given a copy of the LBCP constitution. the latest annual report and
the Charity Commission publication Yhe essential trustee: what you need to know, what
you need to do.
Trustees are required to sign 8 Declaration of Eligibility fomi and abide by the Trustees
Code of Conduct.
A register of Trustees interests is maintained to protect against conflicts of interests.

Merryoaks Communty Hall is built on land leased from Durham County Council. The
terms of the lease restrict what LBCP could do wtthout pemiission from the Council.
Sometimes such permission would take a long time to be obtained due to the workload
within the relevant council departtnents. LBCP met with the Council and agreed what
works could be carried out without permission being obtained. This should enable the
charity to move quicker and more efficiently to implement improvements to the building
and surrounding garden area.
3.2 Or
an
ation
Trustees continue to meet monthly and have organised themselves into 7 workstreams:
Governance
Building Management
Merryoaks Community Hall Operations
Volunteer Management and Recruitment
Grant Applications
Community and Stakeholder Engagement
Events Organisation and Communty Fundraising
Each workstream has a trustee as lead and may indude other trustees and volunteers as
appropriate.
A Finance Committ8e has been established comprising the Treasurer. Ihe Chair and a
volunteer with experience in accounting practices. Tem)s of reference for the Finance
Committee were drawn up and agreed by the trustees.
A new 8uilding Snagging and Remediation Committee was established with 2 of the
trustees who had been instrumental during the construction of the Hall to focus on
completion of outstsnding building works.
A separate activity has also started to establish a Community Garden.
3.3 P
nd Procedures
When Meryoaks Community Hall was opened in May 2023, new policies and procedures
were put in place, many with a review period of 2 years. In order to prevent all of thes8
policies needing review at the same lime. the reviews were spread out over several
months.
New poliGies impletnented thi5 year inGluded:
Anti bullying and Harassment
Social Media Policy

Future Plan5
In the coming period, the trustees expect that the use of Meryoaks Community Hall will
continuo to grow.
It is expected that leaks which happen above several doors during severe weather will be
remediated allowing the trustees to focus on new initiatives around Merryoaks Community
Hall.
Extra solar panels and battery storage will be installed alloviing the Hall to be used as a
safe space or refuge in the ev8nt of a power outage.
Lighting will be installed in the car park areas to make it easier and safer for Hall users and
the users of the adjacent Council owned recreation ground especially during the darker
months.
Funding to establish a Communty Garden is being sought and ff( is anticipated that
progress towards achieving the design that was commissioned this year will be made.
Community events are expected to be held at holiday b'mes as well as the regular coffee
mornings, "tea. cake and chaf meetings. book dub etc..
The trustees have agreed that donations will be used for p￿senting children's activities
especially during the school holidays.
5. Financial Review
The Lowes Bam Community Project was financially active in the period 1st Oct 2023 - 31 st
Sept 2024.
During this financial year the primary bank account was switched from the Lloyds Bank to
the Co-operative Bank current account in the name of Lowes Bam Community Project
cio.
A savings account also with the Lloyds Bank was closed and two new savings accounts
were opened with the Co-operats've Bank. an Easy Access Savings Account and a 95 Day
Access account.
The trustees agreed a policy to reduce the amount in the current account from £8,000 (2
months expenditure) to £3,000 which is larger than the biggest regular invoice received
(approx. £2,000). The reasoning is that monies can be easily transferred between the
savings and the cu￿ent account and can be done at the time that any extraordinary spend
is happ8ning.
It has also been agreed to hold reserves of 6 months to 2 years of budgeted expenditure.
The Finance Committee continues to meet monthty and advises on budgeting, financial
planning, and the allocation of resources to support the LBCP'S activities and

maintenance. The committee has been instrumental in imDrovina the financial reDortino for
the trustees.
LBCP continues to use Xero
accounting package.
The principal income source outside of grants is from room hire with £49,066 being
received in FY24125.
Grants totalling £64,374 were received this year. £30,749 as detailed in section 2.2
Achievements (page 3) and £33,625 from grants applied for successfully in previous years
including £30,329 towards the cost of employing the Centre Manager. For the detail see
the table in Notes to the Accounts. 3 Income (page 13).
The trustees are pleased to report that the financial position of LBCP CIO is robust and the
strong start to the history of Meryoaks Communty Hall which opened in May 2023
continues.
6. Statement of Tru5tees' Responsibilitie5
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees. report and the financial ststements in
accordance with the Uniled lQngdom Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting
Practice) arKI applicable laws and regulations.
The law applicable to charities requires the trustees to prepare the financial statements for each
financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charily and of the
incoming resources and application of reSoUr￿S of the Charity for that period. In preparing these
financial statements, the trustees are required to..
se18Ct suitable accounting tM)lioes and apply them consistently.
• observe the methods and principles of the Charities Statement of Recommended
Practice (SORP).
make judgemenls and estimates that are reasonable and pwdent.
state whether applicable accounting stsndards have been followed, subject to any
material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
prepare the financial statements on the going con￿rn basis unless rt is appropriate
to presume that the charity will not continue in business.
The annual report was approved by the trustees of the Charity on 13th July 2025 and signed by its
order.
Approved by the trustees and signed on tts behalf by:
22 JJJ 1026
Glen Walker
Date:
Chair

Independent Examiners Report
I report to the trustees on my examinatson ot the accounts of Lowes Bam Gommunity Proje￿ Glo
(th8 charity) for the year ended 30 September 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in
accordan￿ with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
I report in respect of my examination of the chariws financial statements cartied OLrt under section
145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carying out my examination I have followed Ihe Directions given
by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Chanbes Act.
Independant examiners statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in
connection with the examination gtvo me cause to believe that in any material resp8Ct:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the tharity as required by section 130 of the
Charits'es Act 2011.
2. the financial statements do not accord with those records" or
3. the financial statements do not comply with the applicable requirements conceming the form and
Content of financial statements set out in Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other
than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair viow, which is not a matter
considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection to which attention should
be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be
reached.
David Holloway F
Finchale House
Belmont Business Park
Durham
DH1 1TW
A DChA
10

g. Accounts
Lowes Bam Community Project CIO
Registered Charity Number: 1192101
Year Ended 30 September 2025
Statement of Financial Activities
Unrestrktod Restykts
lunds
Funds
Vnrestrkted ReStr￿le￿
lunds
Funds
TthE
Totsl
Income
Grants. ￿(￿all¢f￿and1ew[es
Olhertra(SngacD%iIE5
64374
FA374
).219
1.158
7(
64374 IJW6
&724 ￿,￿2 r4,
SL
51.
9)
other
Expendlture
Ralslngfunds
CharFtableAGti￿t1
4&51
3l164
17,
48,251
Other
iQ8
17.
48.251
NeIn￿m•*I￿f¢1*Is
17164 m639
FuTrJSu￿ledI0rnI￿
47A68 ni.w 769
11

Lowes Barn Community Project CIO
Registered Charlty Number: 1192101
Year Ended 30 September 2025
Balance Sheet
Trt•l
Yotal
FixedAsS•ts
BUIWI
431 864431
iQ3XJ
781
EqLrfpiw¢
io.
IQ6T8
10.678
¢urrentAssets
CurrentAccotht
s3MnEsAcco￿1
Ca5hinharrJ
SI￿ 37.7&5 ￿.2&$
&V54
S.YJl
6L793
541
L748
61.793
541
1,748
AccountsreceNabie
&j￿rythI￿or5
2.515
5.213
15
&2
13L416
37.755
CredltorxAm￿tsI￿l1lrId￿￿tt￿￿&Tr￿YW1r
&J￿ryCreE1I(￿S
31151
2&
1267
8T3
873
418
oo
NetQJtt£ntAssds
374
F¥trbJs
io
47
12

Lowes Barn Community Project CIO
Reglstered Charlty Number: 1192101
Year Ended 30 September 2025
Notes
LYJI
2.XQ IlQl
IIJY 21W
4*
3T4 IS
•?) &07J
1217
174
7J•
7J•
4roi
Yt
zs
J.ry5
ise
27.*J
17.[67 4001
13

Lowes Barn Community Projèct CIO
Registered Charity Number: 1192101
Year Ended 30 September 2025
Notes
l¥j￿ 7W•i
1217
n2.*1
A4•
40.•AI
J7.%•
7•1n7
71>A75
I•JS0 LU411
otr•r•
7.72B
ohr¢￿*￿v￿
io.
14