## Emsworth Men’s Shed 

## Trustees report 2024 

As we come to the end of what is effectively our third full year of operation I think we can look back with some pride on what we have achieved in a relatively short period of time. 

Starting with the original gang of six led by David our first chairman we have developed into a well-respected community resource which I think I can say is valued by its members, local residents, and local organisations alike. 

The work we have carried out for local groups such as St James Church, The Friends Garden, the new Dementia garden to name just a few, is in itself, full justification for our existence but as we are all aware our men's shed is much more than that. It is a place where like-minded people who enjoy working with their hands and making and mending can get together and support each other with not only skills and advice, but most importantly, by providing a safe and welcoming environment where those that have the need, for whatever reason, can feel part of a larger like-minded group of people and can come and do as much or as little as they feel comfortable with. 

It has become clear to me, particularly over the last year, that the social interaction between members whether it be during coffee break, whilst working, or at social events, is as important as the projects we undertake. Everyone giving and taking in different ways. 

When I took on the chairmanship of the Shed from David last year it was on the understanding that we restructure the trustee group to give individual trustees responsibility for the key elements of managing the Shed. 

I would therefore like to take this opportunity to highlight the support that I have had over the year from my fellow trustees. 

Linda has the unenviable job of trying to keep us organised and under some form of control (a challenge with some members!) also looking after membership and guiding new members in the ways of the Shed. 

We would not be a Men’s Shed without the Shed itself and the Shed would only be an empty space without working tools and equipment and we have to thank Ian for the time and effort he has put in over the year to give us a well-equipped and resourced facility which has enabled us to take on the many and varied projects over the year. 

There are always behind the scenes jobs of which many will not be aware but are essential for the day to day smooth running of the shed. For taking care of things like insurance, association membership etc we have to thank Jon for his eye for detail and digging down to ensure everything does what it should do. 



Richard has taken care of our finances for the last couple of years and those of you that have seen his spread sheets will know that he accounts for every penny that comes in and goes out, keeping us on the financial straight and narrow. He is stepping down from the role of treasurer at the AGM but will remain as a trustee and I am sure we will find a suitable role to keep him busy. 

Whilst the trustees are the important and take responsibility for the Shed it would not function without Session Managers, who not only take day to day responsibility for what goes on in the shed but take on roles of machine familiarisation and sharing their skills and knowledge to help other members, thank you to all of them. 

I think the way forward is fairly clear, keep doing what we are doing as it is clearly working. Our membership has grown year on year, we are being awarded grants by local organisations so we have obviously earnt their confidence and respect, we are particularly grateful to the Friends of Emsworth Community Health who have helped with significant grants to fund new equipment, The Trinity Trust and numerous local residents that have made donations to our funds. 

I would also like to express our gratitude to The Emsworth Community Association who are not only our landlords but were the driving force in establishing the Men’s Shed in the disused buildings, without them we simply would not exist. 

Finally a thank you to our members who make the coffee, clean up, repair the machines etc but most of all make the shed a fun and enjoyable place to be. 



## Annual Accounts January 1[st] to December 31[st] 2024 

|Income|2023 - 2024|2022 - 2023|
|---|---|---|
|Subscriptions|1,145.00|750.00|
|Donations|6,849.99|3,922.91|
|Sales|297.22|702.00|
|Grants|1,500.00|1,800.00|
|Legacy|0.00|970.00|
||||
|Total Income|9,792.21|8,144.91|
|Expenses|||
|Materials/Consumables|6,104.07|5,712.79|
|Donations (Charities)|0.00|75.30|
|Insurance|655.26|561.69|
|Fees (Domain)|12.85|216.49|
|Rent|550.00|500.00|
|Total Expenses|7,322.18|7,066.27|
|Income less Expenses|2,470.03|1,078.64|
|Balance bf from 2023|4,680.27|3,601.63|
|Closing Balance|7,150.30|4,680.27|
|Bank|7,146.21|4,626.41|
|Cash|4.09|53.86|
|Total Assets|7,150.30|4,680.27|



Footnote to the above that, after the accounts were finalized, £175 cash came into the Shed, meaning the total cash was £179.09.