Reg. Charity number 1202543
Chair’s annual report to the AGM May 16th, 2024
I am delighted to be able to welcome you to the AGM of St Mary’s Thursday Club CIO, here in Bloxham Parish Rooms, and to thank the Parish Rooms Committee for the hire of the rooms for the club, which continues to enjoy the facilities and location every Thursday.
During 2023-24 Trustees have continued working to transition the charity to CIO status, and now all that remains to do is to open a new bank account with the CIO name and complete the Transfer of Assets, after which, with the generous support of Solicitor Brian Auld, we shall have completed this rather long journey. There are no changes to the way the club operates, or in respect to members, helpers, or employees, but we shall finally have a constitution fit for the circumstances of the club, and the new status which provides indemnity for Trustees and is encouraged by The Charity Commission.
As ever, on behalf of Trustees, I would like to thank our Coordinator, Lynn Johnson, and Deputy, Caroline Stringer, for providing our members with such a happy, sociable, safe, and stimulating day each Thursday, and for all the care they take of our members and volunteer helpers alike, so that everyone looks forward to Thursdays as the highlight of their week.
I would also like to pay tribute to the wonderful team of volunteer helpers who support Lynn and Caroline, helping to make the experience of members as agreeable and comfortable as possible. There are currently 9 helpers, assisting on a rota. Daphne has ably covered in the kitchen in Caroline’s absence. All volunteer helpers are DBS checked and receive appropriate training including in safeguarding.
We continue to be generously supported through grants from Bloxham Parish Council and from Milcombe Parish Council. We would like to record our gratitude for
these grants, and we are also grateful to the Bloxham Feoffees for their support of £300.00 for the Christmas lunch. There have also been generous donations and fundraising initiatives from among the members, one of whom has been knitting hats and mittens for sale, raising much needed funds for the club. Bloxham Feoffees has generously provided a grant of £150 this year to support celebration of our volunteers during the national Volunteers Week in June.
Sadly, there have been two deaths among members in the last 12 months. We said goodbye to Elsie Hathaway and Myrtle Stranks. Also, although no longer a member, we were sad to hear of the death of June Smith in recent weeks. We were also sorry to hear that long standing former volunteer Jean Phillips died in Kent during the year.
There are currently some vacancies resulting from these deaths. Due to illness and other reasons, the club has been operating well below its capacity of 11 members for some time. In April there were 7 members. This has obvious implications for club finances, but also it would be ideal if all the spaces were enjoyed by older members of our community. We have advertised for members through various means, and happily numbers are now beginning to rise, and we are hopeful of welcoming 3 more members in the coming weeks.
In common with many organisations, we have experienced the pressure of inflation in our finances. Our most significant expenditure is understandably on salaries, and secondly for the hire of the Parish Rooms. We are pleased to have been able to award salary uplifts once again from April 1[st] which were slightly above the inflation rate, recognising the invaluable contribution of our wonderful staff. Once again this year we have not incurred transport costs as the Community Transport provider has ceased to be able to support us, as reported last year. Our members arrange their transport independently and travel through a variety of means, including driving themselves, family lifts, taxis and Volunteer Transport.
For over ten years now, each member has contributed a weekly sub of £10.00 which Trustees have recently agreed to review considering a there was deficit of £5,303.34 for the year 2023-4. Although the club operates with a balance of £25,400 in reserves, we cannot afford to eat into these funds at the rate of £5,000 per year without jeopardising our resources to ensure the continued existence of the club.
With regret, Trustees have therefore agreed to an increase of sub to £15.00 per week, from June 1[st] , which while a significant increase compared with the previous level, is undoubtedly still very good value and is very competitive with County Council run clubs. To help with the deficit we are also approaching other funders for support in the year ahead, and will engage in our own fundraising through a cake sale/coffee morning in early Summer 2024.
Although we are not required to have our accounts audited, it is our intent in the interests of best practice to continue to have them inspected, and I would like to record our thanks to Andy Clark who once again is providing this service for us pro bono .
There are 8 Trustee positions, which are held by: Bee Myson (Chair), Jenny Smithson (Secretary), Nigel Johnson (Treasurer), Dale Gingrich (Ex-Officio, Incumbent, St Mary’s Church), Hugh Protherough (Ex-Officio, Godswell Practice), Susan Smith (Ex-Officio, Bloxham Baptist Church), Joanna Barton (Ex-Officio, Bloxham Parish Council), Maggie Impey.
We are sorry to say goodbye to Hugh Protherough who is stepping down from the Trustees as he moves away from the area, and wish to express gratitude for his role in providing an invaluable connection with Godswell Surgery, with whom we are seeking a replacement nominated Trustee. Members and helpers received a flu jab from the surgery and the club was visited by Social Prescriber Peter Ryan from Oxfordshire MIND.
Trustees have been working hard to support the Governance of the club, and we are extremely grateful to Treasurer Nigel Johnson, who has agreed to stand again, for all his hard work keeping our accounts and providing reports for the Trustee meetings and the County Council, and funders.
Thanks are due to Jenny Smithson for her great support in her administrative and secretarial function for the Trustees.
Sue Smith, Hugh Protherough and Joanna Barton have strengthened links between the club and Bloxham Baptist Church, Godswell Practice and Bloxham Parish council respectively. Dale Gingrich is our link with St Mary’s Church Bloxham and The Parish Rooms Committee. Maggie Impey is a regular volunteer helper at the club, and it is invaluable to have all these perspectives represented within the committee.
The club is a member of OCVA and NCVO, which provides support, training and resources to enable Trustees to carry out their governance.
Trustees met 4 times since the last AGM on 18th May 2023, and additional submeetings were held for working on policies, the CIO process and staffing.
I would like to thank all Trustees for their commitment, care and time spent in supporting St Mary’s Thursday Club over the last year.
On behalf of the Trustees, I would like to extend huge thanks to our staff, volunteer helpers, funders and supporters for all they contribute to enable the club to flourish in support of our members.
Bee Myson Chair of Trustees 16.5.24
2023/2024 Accounts
INCOME: £ EXPENDITURE: £ Bloxham Parish Grants 5,250.00 Salaries 10,598.76 Fees 3,260.00 Rent 1,760.00 Donations 525.00 Food 1,099.65 Fund Raising 429.00 Insurance 435.02 Christmas Meal Donation 300.00 Christmas 323.52 Miscellaneous 344.80 Training 204.00 HMRC 212.40 Bank Charges 66.40 CRB Checks 22.79 9,764.00 15,067.34
DEFICIT excess expenditure over income = -5,303.34
Account Reconciliation: £ Bank Reconciliation: £ Balance B/fwd: Balances @ 31st March 2024: HSBC Acct 30,704.45 HSBC Acct 25,401.11 LESS U/P payts: LESS deficit: -5,303.34 BP 0.00 0.00 ADD U/P Creds: 0.00 Bal C/Fwd to 24/25: 25,401.11 Bal C/Fwd to 24/25: 25,401.11
Statement of Independent Examiner
I have examined the receipts and payments accounts and statements of assets of St Mary's Thursday Club Bloxham for the year ended 31st March 2024. This examination did not extend to a comprehensive audit.
I can confirm that they accord with the Accounting records of the Club and I am not aware of any matter to which attention should be drawn to obtain a proper understanding of the accounts.
Signed Date 17th May 2024 Print Name: Andy Clark