Colchester North Men's Shed Report and balance sheets for year 2024
During 2024 The Shed continued much as last year and remains primarily as a community support organisation. It is moving forward on a very sound basis. We remain open to admitting members with greater life challenges particularly those with special needs, as long as they have their own support with them during sessions, although this year this has not been necessary. The membership has ended the year at 49 and regular attendees have increased from 14 to18 with 20 on some occasions, mainly on Thursdays, with Tuesdays also attracting increased numbers. A limited number of members also continue to attend on Wednesdays to complete projects and do extra training. These numbers are capable of being supervised properly but have reached a point where consideration to holding back on additional new entrants is being considered.
The Shed has maintained its charity status and met its obligations to The Charities Commission. We have also maintained our link with Essex Sheds and representatives from our Shed attend their meetings to keep abreast of any developments. The Hadleigh Shed our nearest neighbour (although in Suffolk) held a ShedFest in November and we sent representatives who had an interesting day and gave some advice on becoming a charity. A number of new sheds have opened in communities around us, and we have given them advice to help with their formation. After last years fluctuations with electricity prices, these have now stabilised and remain within our monthly session fee income.
During the year The Shed received two grants one from Colchester City Council of £500 and one from East of England Co-op, for £360.39. Details of expenditure for these are shown in appendix 2. We also received a donation of £1603 from the proceeds of a local Camera ale festival and a further donation of 300 from a well-wisher in memory of a departed relative. The inner room built by Greater Anglia Railways has continued to be an asset and made the shed a much more usable facility and together with the kitchen facilities has resulted in a routine of refreshment breaks which suits the members and supports our aims of preventing them from becoming isolated by providing opportunities for social interaction. During the year the snooker table in the room was used for a snooker contest in which majority of members took part and which marked a small beginning in extending the use of the shed beyond wood working projects, to other ways of supporting the members. The Shed also continued having breakfasts out at the Jubilee Café on a regular basis.
A project to change the character and look of the corporate clothing with an updated logo was started and is expected to come to fruition in the new year. The Shed also took out a contract for the supply of Wi-Fi which is now an essential for members to use their communication systems effectively. The toilet facilities were also upgraded with a new splashback with better drainage being erected and replacement of the small portable camping style toilet with a larger compost toilet in an upgraded enclosure with lighting.
No further equipment has been purchased, because the shed has most of the equipment it needs. Constant use of the equipment we have, such as planers and saws require steady expenditure on replacement blades and other parts which are expensive, but our current funds and income cover this adequately. The wood burner installed last year continues to be used and proved of some value in heating part of the workshop, it also uses some of the scrap timber generated by project work. Experiments with hot air heating in the refreshment room, fuelled with domestic heating oil have been carried out and have been successful; this is cheaper than using electricity. The supply of heating oil for the tests has been in small quantities and a larger tank is being considered. A contractor was engaged carry out repairs to the shed roof which was becoming a nuisance during periods of rain and damaging projects on some of the benches, this has improved the situation. Shed members continued to repair and make all sorts of items for their own and community use, ranging from bird boxes to garden benches. A further bus shelter on Mersea Island, like the one in
Salcot, for the use of children using the school bus was made and erected. A project to produce five barn owl boxes was completed, further dormouse tubes were made for Suffolk Coast and Heaths Unit and Some dormouse boxes were made for another private naturalist. A major refurbishment of a farm gates was also undertake for the Shed Chairman and two farm gates were made for a customer. The local landowner and owner of the Shed had an ornamental garden gate refurbished. These involved several members and provided them with activity over a period.
Financial governance remains unchanged and continues to be a team effort involving several committee members as well as the Treasurer; these include the Chairman and Shed Safety Supervisors who attend the majority of sessions. Members pay their own session fees, deposit the money in a container on a desk by the entrance and record their attendance on a sheet. The Treasurer removes the money weekly and leaves only a small float. In the absence of the Treasurer small purchases are reimbursed by appointed committee members and the receipts left in the container. Larger purchases are paid directly by the Treasurer when he attends, or reimbursement is made to the purchaser by using bank transfers. In the Treasurer's absence from The Shed, this can also be done by e-mail application. Large items of expenditure are discussed informally before purchase. This way of working is applied without undue interference and has worked reasonably well to-date without any real problems. This is largely due to everyone's honesty and goodwill.
A balance sheet for 2024 is attached appendix 1.
Grant money from the sources mentioned above, is shown in the records during the year itemised separately, so that it can be identified within the total bank balance, this has now been allocated to appropriate areas of expenditure as shown in appendix 2. These will now be removed showing no grant money unspent until any further grants are received.
Barry Unger Trustee and Hon. Treasurer.
Appendix 1
North Colchester Men's Shed
Financial Summary 31st Dec 2024
| Income | |
|---|---|
| Subscriptons | 860.00 |
| session Fees | 3900.00 |
| Donatons | 2420.51 |
| Sales | 1417.52 |
| Projects, bus shelter, gates | 2471.00 |
| Total | 11069.03 |
| Income over expenditure | 4037.34 |
| Funds held | |
| B Fwd from 2023 | 14678.83 |
| Net income | 4037.34 |
| Grant, Colchester City Council | 500.00 |
| Grant East of England EOE | 360.39 |
| Total | 19576.56 |
| Locaton | |
| Cash at bank | 19567.93 |
| Pety cash at shed | 8.63 |
| Total | 19576.56 |
| Expenditure | code | |
|---|---|---|
| Tools, equipment and spares | 901.80 | 1 |
| Timber | 1098.12 | 2 |
| Fitngs and fxings | 520.97 | 3 |
| Domestc | 567.90 | 4 |
| Paint, glue and fller | 561.51 | 5 |
| Insurance | 232.77 | 6 |
| Electricity | 1171.62 | 7 |
| Other, toilet, roof repairs, | 1977.00 | 8 |
| electrical test and repairs | ||
| Total | 7031.69 |
Appendix 2
Expenditure from grants, summary 2024
Expenditure
| Income | Expenditure | ||
| Colchester City Council | |||
| Grant for toilet upgrade | 500.00 | Compost toilet from Tendring CVS | 400.00 |
| East of England Co-op | 360.39 | Cosy Camping Co. | 279.00 |
| 860.39 | Fitngs, solar panel and enclosure | 185.00 | |
| Grant disbursed | Total | 864.00 | |
| Expenditure of major donatons | |||
| Donaton from Camera | 1603.00 | Gav Mat roof repairs | 800.00 |
| Commemoratve Donaton | 300.00 | Electrical survey work | 420.00 |
| Total | 1903.00 | Remedial electrical work awaitng invoice | 882.00 |
| From general fund | 199.00 | Total | 2102.00 |
| 2102.00 |