Trustees Annual Report for 30[th] September 2025
Charity number: 1196177
CIO - FOUNDATION Registered 18 Oct 2021
Aim and purposes
Knaresborough Friendship and Leisure Centre (CIO) has the responsibility of maintaining a charitable activity originally conceived in the late 1940s. It operated from various locations (mainly Church Halls) for the first ten years to help the old people of the area who had been rather neglected during the second world war and during the following ‘Ration Book’ period after the war ended.
A local wealthy individual, Mr Frederick Frazer, was so impressed by the group that he sought and found suitable premises from which they could operate. He suggested that the group would be better run as a registered charity and would need sufficient funding to meet the heating and other services required. The building he decided on was located perfectly in the centre of Knaresborough and having two flats above capable of raising sufficient rental value to make the project viable. In 1960 the Charity was named as the Knaresborough Old Peoples Welfare Association (KOPWA) and a team of Trustees and Committee members were formed to run the Charity from the premises still known today as ‘Frazer House’.
In 2021 the Trustees decided that the Charity would be better served operating as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and it was renamed as Knaresborough Friendship & Leisure Centre (CIO).
This Trustees Report covers our fourth year of operating under our new banner.
Objective
TO RELIEVE THE NEEDS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE, AND THOSE PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM THE EFFECTS OF PREMATURE AGEING, RESIDING IN NORTH YORKSHIRE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA BY THE PROVISION OF ACTIVITIES, SERVICES OR FACILITIES DESIGNED TO RELIEVE THE NEEDS OF SUCH PERSONS.
Activities - how the charity spends its money
The charity operates from Frazer House, 23 Market Place, Knaresborough. We have a meeting room mainly for the elderly to visit whilst out shopping to drop in for a cup of tea/coffee etc and a biscuit to sit and chat and read the daily papers. It is operated entirely by volunteers.
1
Achievements and Performance
Our customers.
All our customers, when asked, have said that they really like the new facility following the major renovations we undertook in 2020. They also very much appreciate the friendly service that our Volunteers give and welcome the chat and banter that many of the Volunteers give them. One of the main objectives that everyone believes we are meeting is that we offer a pleasant place for them to meet up with friends and acquaintances. Many of our customers have very little social interaction as they often live alone and many of them have said how good it is to reestablish contact with the rest of the world outside their own four walls.
Our Volunteers
At first sight it is often assumed that all the benefits are given to our customers. This is far from the actual truth. A high percentage of our Volunteers also suffer from lack of social interaction and might have difficulty in starting a conversation with a stranger. However, when they have a job to do such as asking a customer for their choice of tea or coffee and would he like a biscuit with it, then a whole new world of chatting opportunities opens. We have had several examples where these otherwise lonely people come in to work here even during Public Holidays.
The centre is run by volunteers serving teas/coffees with biscuits at minimal prices. There are six groups formed on rotation from local churches and organisations. Each group has a coordinator and there are 10/12 volunteers in each group. A list for reserve staff is available in case of sickness, holidays, etc. The centre is open Monday to Saturday 10-12 a.m. for people aged 55 years and over. It also opens several afternoons for specialised activities such as Craft Work, Bingo, Café etc.
Website
We now have our very own website called KnaresboroughFandL.net It contains sections on history and recent events. A full Calendar is available showing all the events happening at the Centre with details of times. The Chairman and Secretary can update the Calendar at any time.
Xmas Gifts to the Old and Lonely
The giving of a gift at Christmas to anyone in Knaresborough who has attained 75 years and is living alone, has been running for over 70 years. Of course, there are many edits made to the list every year, but we normally end up pleasing about 310 people.
We raise separate funding from various Organisations and Churches to pay for this very popular activity.
2
First charity trustees
The first charity trustees are as follows, and are appointed for the following
terms:
John Moore for 3 years Beryl Snelson for 3 years Gillian Mercer for 3 years
Special Note . Following the first term of office, all trustee posts have now reverted to a three-year term in office.
Appointment of charity trustees
Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustee, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
F&L Committee Members
The Committee members consist of a very keen group of individuals who bring a varied valuable experience to our organisation.
| Cllr Helen Westmancoat | President, Mayor of Knaresborough |
|---|---|
| John Moore | Chairman |
| Gillian Mercer | Treasurer |
| Helen Mitchell | Secretary |
| Charlotte Bulley | Christmas Gift Organiser |
| Margaret Walker | Group Organiser |
| Pat Gambles | Group Organiser |
| Beryl Snelson | Group Organiser |
| Aleli Richmond | Group Organiser |
| Carole Reid | Ex Town Councillor, Ex Mayor |
| Norma Bean |
Knaresborough Local Council
We maintain a very close relationship with our local Town Councillors. In fact, our President is always our local Mayor. We find that this relationship works both ways as we help with local events and in return, they are very supportive of the work we do and, in the past have assisted our fund-raising efforts when required.
3
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30[TH] SEPTEMBER 2025 RECEIPTS £20251.16
PAYMENTS £12173.43
ANALYSIS OF RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS
| Receipts | |
|---|---|
| Sales of Teas, Coffee etc | 5929.00 |
| Rents – 2 Flats | 12900.00 |
| Private Donations | 151.16 |
| Donations – Use of Room | 1266.00 |
| __ | |
| £20251.16 | |
| Payments | |
| Maintenance, Repairs & Improvements | 881.49 |
| Insurances | 2270.15 |
| HBC - Rates | 643.05 |
| Water Rates | 533.09 |
| Lighting & Heating | 2636.07 |
| Provisions | 1823.41 |
| Newspapers | 1175.76 |
| Cleaning & Laundry | 360.00 |
| Window Cleaning | 275.00 |
| Postage & Stationery | 12.47 |
| Talk-Talk – Internet | 287.50 |
| Sundries | 538.52 |
| Donation to Christmas Parcels | 500.00 |
| Website | 236.92 |
| £12173.43 |
£20251.16
4
ANALYSIS OF MONTHLY INCOME & EXPENDITURE
Oct 24 Nov 24 Dec 24 Jan 25 Feb 25 Mar 25 Apl 25 May 25 June 25 July 25 Aug 25 Sept 25 Income - 1525 1796 1691 1547 1645 1837 1741 1690 1679 1613 1703 1738 Expenses - 855 726 781 1189 1213 948 590 3011 666 531 842 815
Our finances are in a healthy position as we have savings of £12,900 to meet any unexpected expenses. We own our building which has recently been updated and shouldn’t need much more money spending on it. We have had a steady year of income and expenses and believe this will continue. We haven’t incurred any debts in the year.
Mrs Gillian Mercer Treasurer & Trustee
Additional Income
We now have a very nice ‘Listed’ building albeit it is very old and quaint. We are finding that we can let the room out in the evenings to groups who are keen to meet up in the Town Centre and are prepared to give us a donation. In the past year we gained £1266 this way. We believe that we can let the room off on many more occasions and we should see this figure rise again in the next year.
Trustees Meeting held on 15[th] July 2026 at Frazer House.
This report was accepted as a true record of our third year as a CIO All 3 Trustees were present at the meeting which took place at 16:00 and signed.
John Moore
Beryl Snelson
Gillian Mercer
5