The Baxter Hall Charity Chair’s Report 1[st] September 2022- 31[st] August 2023
The Baxter Hall Charity (TBHC) has had another busy and productive year, although not without its challenges in a difficult economic climate with spiralling energy costs. Significant progress has been made towards the full transfer of the Baxter Hall back to local ownership and the garden area next to the Hall has been completely transformed.
The Baxter Hall Charity Aims
TBHC aims to establish and run a community hall, to improve conditions in the hall and achieve financial stability and resilience in order to satisfy the needs of the community for space to meet, socialise and learn.
Trustees
| Trustees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jane White | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | |
| Ruth Fisher | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | |
| Gill Lamb | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | |
| Tracey Chadwick | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | Resigned: 3rdNov 2022 |
| Sarah Beale | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | |
| Andrew Clover | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | |
| Jean Buckby | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | |
| Anne Fullager | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | |
| Ann Jones | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | |
| Kirsty Danks | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | |
| Jonathan Collett | Appointed: 9thMarch 2021 | Resigned: 8thDec 2022 |
| Margaret Collier | Appointed: 3rdMarch 2022 | |
| Anthony Baxendale | Appointed: 3rdNov 2022 | |
| Caroline Lewis | Appointed: 6thJuly 2023 |
Achievements
The Baxter Hall Charity signed a 25-year lease with the Leicestershire Diocesan Board of Education (LDBE) on 21[st] September 2021 and has successfully managed the hall since, enabling the playgroup, the before & after school club and various community groups to meet together. Regular groups have included an art group, a singing group, monthly coffee mornings, Pilates, W.I meetings, Ukrainian Support group, social events and childrens’ parties.
Garden
The small garden area, which had been sadly neglected for several years, is now a stunning, attractive and imaginative space, offering the opportunity for children from the playgroup and after school club to have hands on experience in growing and learning about plants and creatures. A design by local landscape gardener Pete Zelenczuk, helped us to secure funding from the Big Lottery for this project which was managed by a small team of trustees and carried out by a large number of volunteers.
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Garden Opening
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Garden Designer,
Pete Zelenczuk
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Accessibility
Following an accessibility report which the charity commissioned last year, work has been undertaken to improve the disabled toilet, add a baby change facility, install a banister rail on the front steps and buy some new chairs with arms. A sign for the front door was added to make it easier to identify the community hall. In order to achieve this accessible space, the gents’ toilets were stripped out and made into a storeroom. This was all made possible due to funding from Leicestershire & Rutland Community Foundation ‘Making Local Life Better Fund’.
Support For Local Ukrainian Group
We were pleased to be able to continue to provide a meeting space for local Ukrainian refugees and their hosts to meet. The Baxter Hall became a very important place for them while they were settling into the community.
Building and Maintenance
The Baxter Hall has had a bit of a ‘face lift’ with the completion of exterior and interior paintwork, the former thanks to funding from HBBC Parish Initiative Fund and the latter thanks to funding from the Charity of Thomas Barton. The fence between the school and the Baxter Hall tenant’s garden had to be replaced during the summer. The community hall floor was cleaned and resealed thanks to the hard work of a few of the trustees. The pipes around the hall have now been boxed in and the electric meter cupboard has been rebuilt using fireproof material.
Transfer
Negotiations with LDBE to secure the full transfer of the hall have reached an agreed way forward by both parties and we are currently awaiting approval from the Charity Commission. The original Baxter Hall Trust included St Margaret’s School land, so work has been done to separate the Baxter Hall from the land and create two separate trusts. As previously we have had to pay all legal fees for both organisations associated with the transfer.
Events
Two successful events were held as fundraisers for the hall during the year, a history talk by Eddie Smallwood and a wine tasting evening by John Whitehead. Both were well attended and, in addition to raising funds, opened the hall to the local community.
Challenges Ahead
The rise in energy cost has doubled this year to over £5,000 and has meant much time has been spent investigating and negotiating the best tariffs. We are currently paying gas and electricity costs for both the upper and lower halls, although the playgroup will start to pay their own energy bills next year. We need to ensure we conserve as much energy as possible.
The Baxter Hall is an old building and maintenance will always be a significant challenge. In addition to the work we have had done, the trustees have had to cope with water leaks, fire alarm emergencies and even a possible wasps nest!
A long-term plan for the maintenance and improvement of the hall will be our priority once we are the legal trustees for the building. Work will be costed and a fundraising plan produced, so that we can proceed with the plan.
We will ensure we are meeting the needs of the local community by advertising our hall in our local newsletter and on social media as well as seeking new ideas from local people.
We intend to run further fundraising events including a gin tasting evening planned for November.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
To the local community for coming forward to volunteer their help, especially in the garden.
To our funders, enabling us to improve the facilities and continue to provide a safe and welcoming environment.
To our website Hosts 34SP, who not only continue to provide free hosting for the Baxter Hall website but are always more than happy to help when we need it.
To the Baxter Hall trustees, a dedicated, enthusiastic and hardworking team who have made a real difference in the community by ensuring the Baxter Hall will be here for many years to come.
To our local benefactor who has made it possible for us to save the Baxter Hall for our community for generations to come.
Jane White
Chair – October 2023
Accounts for Financial Year 1st September 2022 to 31 August 2023
| The Baxter Hall Charity | Accounts fo | r Financial Year | 1st September 2022 to 31 August 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income | 2022-2023 | 2021-2022 | Notes | |
| Donations from Private Individuals | £25.00 | £21,500.00 | ||
| Gift Aid Claimed to Date | £1,283.48 | £4,002.18 | No outstanding gift aid claims | |
| Donations from Local Charities | £3,971.47 | £1,265.99 | ||
| Grants (restricted funds) | £1,195.00 | £15,190.00 | ||
| Interest from Bank Account | £60.29 | £1.71 | ||
| Regular Rentals (House, nursery, after school) | £16,395.00 | £14,713.65 | ||
| Community Rentals | £1,941.00 | £1,234.00 | ||
| Sales of Tickets to Fundraising Events | £622.00 | £10.00 | ||
| Deposits received | £100.00 | £307.00 | ||
| Refund from LDJ Solicitors | £40.00 | £0.00 | Correction: Now included in total income figure | |
| Total Income | **£25,633.24 ** | £58,224.53 | No outstanding income | |
| Expenditure | 2022-2023 | 2021-2022 | ||
| Legal & Other Fees to obtain Lease & Transfer from LDBE | £5,301.10 | £5,752.80 | Committed legal costs to come | £2,019.60 |
| Regular Maintenance & Materials | £1,311.88 | £2,167.03 | ||
| Repairs to Building | £6,680.57 | £8,770.40 | ||
| Bank Fees | £60.00 | £117.00 | ||
| Baxter Hall Insurance | £926.23 | £864.11 | ||
| Utility Bills | £5,250.55 | £3,459.35 | ||
| Weekly cleaning fees | £1,270.00 | £888.00 | ||
| Cleaning Products, Stationary & IT | £157.39 | £583.21 | ||
| Returned Deposits & Hire Fees | £200.00 | £239.00 | ||
| Expenses for Fundraising Events | £241.56 | £0.00 | ||
| Hall Improvements (Restricted Funds) | £10,084.32 | £2,110.99 | Remaining restricted funds carried forward | £587.56 |
| Total Expenditdure | **£31,483.60 ** | £24,951.89 | ||
| Cash at Bank | 2022-2023 | |||
| Opening Balance | £33,272.64 | Operational Cash Flow Analysis (Viability Check) | ||
| Plus Income | £25,633.24 | Operating Income (Regular Rentals) | £19,018.29 | |
| Minus Expenditure | £31,483.60 | Operating Costs (excl legal + restricted funds) | £16,098.18 | |
| Closing Cash at Bank | £27,422.28 | Operating cash flow | £2,920.11 |
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts S•ctlon A Independent Examlner's Report Report to thè trustees The Baxter Hall Charity On aG¢ounts for Iho year endod 3110&r2023 Charfty no lif any 11937S3 Set out on p•g¢8 I report lo the Irustees on my eXaMinatn of the accounls of the above chanly {'the Trust.) for the year ended3 1 0 fr 2pLJ . As Ihe charrtys Iruslee$. you are responsible lof the preparation of the a¢¢ounls In acc¢rdan¢e ¥th the requirement$ of the Chanlies Act 2011 ("the Act") R•spon3ibilitles and balli of report I reporl in respecl of my examinatlon of the Trust's aceouftts carried o under section 145 01 the 2011 Act army in carying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Oiredioni given by ihe Charity Commisslon under ttIon 1445I(bl of the Acl. Independent •xamin•e8 Slatement ph¢wl. D81810 { l rf nol applKable. I have completed my ex3mtnalJ'on. I confim thal no material matters have come to my attenlion in ¢onneth"on bwth the examination101, which gives me cause lo believe that in, any malerial resFd: Ihe accounting reccKds were nol k•pt in accNdanco with 8•ction 130 of the Charities Act. or the accounls dKI not K¢ord wrth Ihe acmunting record•: or the accounts did not comply with Ihe applicable requirements concerning the fonn and content ol a¢UnIS set out in the Charit• {Accounti and Reportsl Regulations 2LN)8 othef than any requirom•nt thal the accounls give a 'twe and fair, which 1$ not a matter considered as part ol an independent examinati. I have no concems and have Come across no other matters In connection with the examination to which attenlion should be drawn in this report in order lo enable a proper urKler8tanding of Ihe account8 lo be reached. ' Please dele Ihe M)rds in the brackefs rflhey do nol apply. Slgn•d: Dat•: Lo13 Nam•: VTb Relevant profes$lonal qualific•tion(sl or body IER Oct 2018
Address: 17 wY<I.< LJ Gtil Se¢tion 8 Dls¢losure Only complete if Ihe examiner needs lo hwJhlhI material matters Ot concem Isee CC32. Independent examination af chanty accounts. directson6 and guKlance lor examiners). Give here brief detslls of any Items that the oxamlner wlshes to dl•¢los•. IER Oct 2018