Charlbury Community Workshop CIO
Charity reglstration number: 1202551
Trustees. Annual Report
for the period 1" January to 31° December 2025
The Charity and its trustees
Charlbury Community Workshop (CCW) occupies pr¢miscs on property owned by The
Thomas Gifford Tn￿t at Charlbury Community Centre, Th¢ Spendlove Ccntre. Enston¢
Road, Charlbury, OX7 3PQ.
During ¢al¢ndar 2025, the trustces who managed the charity were:
David Court
William Robinson
Simon Walker
Kevin Slevin
Colin Critch
Tony Merry
Lucy Overs
Chris Potts
Matthew Scott
Michael Shayler
Helen Vickery
Chairn)an (to 5" May 2025)
Secrelary
Treasurer (to 3 April 2025) and Chaimian (from 5. May 2025)
Treasurcr (from 3° April 2025)
(to 3° April 2025)
(from 3° April 2025)
(from 3° April 2025)
Tbe charity's Annual General Meeting was held on 3 April 2025. ]n accordance with the
rotation requirements in its constitution, Colin Critch. Simon Walker and Lucy Overs stood
down as trustees; Colin Critch and Simon Walker offered themselves for re-appointment, and
were confirnied as truslees by the members present at the meeting, as were Helen Vickery and
Michael Shayler. The officers and tru51ees put on record their thanks io Lucy Overs for her
input as one of th¢ founding trustees during the process of establishing the charity.
Structure aDd Management
Registered by the Charity Commission on 30, March 2023, the Charlbury Community
Workshop is an association-type Charitsble Incorporated Organisation (CIO).
Under its Constitution, the CCW ¢an have up to 12 trustees. S¢v¢n of the current ten trustees
were origtnal members of the working group that was fornied in June 2022 to bring the
concept of a community workshop to fruition. They are drawn from working and retired
professionals who have the skills and experience required to manage and run tbe CCW.
Trustees hold bi-monthly forn]al meetings, with numerous inforn]al contacts in between.
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Activities and Objectives
Our aim in setting up the Workshop has been to giv¢ anyone and everyone a place where they
can find help to improve their well-being through reducing loneliness and finding an
alternative to social isolation. And that aim is based on solid research. The UK Men's Sheds
Association. with which we are affiliated while being available to both men and ladies, has
found that a majority of people who attend a 'shcd' such as OUTS regularly are less likely to be
anxious or deprcss¢d. Loneliness and social isolation also fall markedly. with the
camarad¢rie found there being a great support.
The workshop provides an affordabl¢ facility for r¢pairin& making and trdining in a variety of
practical crafts, in particular woodworking and soft crafts. It is open on prearranged
mornings and afternoons, with supervision by coordinators experienced in the safe us¢ of the
equipment. All members and volunt¢¢rs are given a safety induction b¢fore carrying out any
operations within the workshop.
Aside from offering its members a place to undertak¢ their own projects in a social
environmenL the CCW provides a repair facility (subject to the capabilities of the workshop
members involved) whereby items can b¢ brought to the workshop and r￿aired/reStOred
eith¢r by members or in collaboration with their owners.
tn managing the workshop, th¢ t[￿SteeS are mindful of the Charities Act 2011 "public benefit
requirement" in all their activities.
Achievements and performance
The workshop building is split into two distinct sections, one catering for soft crafts alld tbe
other for woodworking and associated activities. It is also equipped with hot and cold
nllilliDg water and facilities for providing hot beverages for th¢ m¢mbers.
Experienc¢ over the past two ￿arS has shown that there are practical b¢nefits to being able to
work outside when weather conditions are suitable, and to this end the arca b¢hind thc
workshop was resurfaced in late 2025 to provide a clean, saf¢ working area. Th¢ trustees
acknowledge the support provided by Charlbury Beer Festival, which funded the cost of
materials for this. LL)¢al electrician John Wilkinson's donatlon of time and materials for
extending the power system to the outside area is also greatly appreciated. Plans for 2026
include constructing a lean-to gazebo behind the w0￿$hOp building in order to provide
additional sheltered working space outside.
During 2025, membership of CCW increased to 47, of whom about half make use of the
workshop facilities, either regularly or from time to time. We welcome and apprcciate th¢
support provided by those members who are not active workshop participants, but who
endorse the charity's aims nonetheless, and we continue to reach out to the local community
to encourage more people to become involved.
In addition to providing a facility for our members to use, the CCW continues to liaise with
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other orgdnisations that aim to help combat social isolation and improve people's well-being.
Contact has been Tnade with various health-service providers. and the CCW is now providing
a venue for a local community men's group to meet. We look forward to being able to
cooperate more widely with the group and its members as time goes on.
The woodworking section of the Workshop was kept busy during the year. with a brief
analysis of the work undertaken showing the following:
Furniture repairs have included 15 various wooden chairs, three large tables, and six
cupboards, including the r¢placement of ven¢ers'
The refurbishment and rebuilding of gard¢n furniture has included six garden benches
and s¢ats'
We were commissioned to renovat¢ an oval-shaped trophy shield, dating from 1913,
for the Oxfordshire County Ladies Golf Association. The task included repairing the
existing s¢ctions and fitting in a new section of hardwood: this will ensure that the
shield can have the yearly winncrs shown on the trophy for at least another 25 years"
W¢ also undcrtook a diverse sel¢ction of general repairs. such as to two children's
buggies. a number of table and standard lamps, several clocks, an offic¢ chair (for
which we were able to contact the manufacturers and aTrange for it to be fixed under
warranty), and numerous small repairs of all mam]er of items.
Two sp¢cial tool-sharpening scssions during th¢ year proved v¢ry popular with the
local community, and had the add¢d b¢n¢fit of being an excellent fund-raiser for the
In addition, several of our members brought in projects of their own, making use of
the Workshop's equipment and benefitting from the knowledge and experience of
other p¢ople to ensure their successful cA)mpletion.
The Workshop also hosted an evening tutorial session for the local Girl Guide group,
providing an introduction to basic DIY and woodworking skills. We hope to be able to repeat
this in th¢ futur¢. and to extend the idea lo other children's and young adult groups.
The w0￿ShOP continued to receive some very gen¢rous donations of tools and consumables.
As previously, we evaluated everything that came in and passed on un-n¢eded equipment to
Tools With a Mission - a charity that takes unwanted tools, cleans and repairs theni and then
passes them on to third-world countries where th¢y are needed.
The soft-craft section has continu¢d to be a liv¢ly and friendly morning with regular members
and th¢ occasional drop-in for help with projects. Special events during the year included
sessions for making tote bags and Cl]ristm&8 rag wr¢aths, with a similar course on recycling
denim scheduled for early 2026.
The section participated in the local Scout group Christmas Fair, and has provided the
Cornerston¢ project in Charlbury with some material to mak¢ present bags for the children on
their register. Members also mad¢ scarves that were donated to the Women's ]nstitute
ChTiStmas Tree and subsequently donated to Porch ¢haTity in Oxford. Items we make are
offered for sale as fund-raising for the Workshop, with the aim of tsking a Craft Fair stall in
2026 to evaluate its viability as an outlet for the many crafted items that get made.
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Members have participated in overlocker and freehand ma¢hin¢-¢mbroidery courses as a way
of widening the group's capabilities. There is also the possibility of opening the Workshop
for an additional soft-craft session either during ihe week or on odd weekends to ty to widen
our group. Generous donations of materials and wool continue to come in. and are much
appreciated.
Flnance
The CCW funds ongoing opcrations with incomc from..
annual m¢mb¢rship fees. (£25 per year)"
spccial cvcnts. such as tool-sharp¢nin& and fees for soft-craft courses.
thc sale of items made in thc Workshop- and
donations from pcople who have had items repaired by memb¢rs.
During 2025. we also Icvicd a £1 p¢r-session fce from Workshop participants. The trustees
have since decided to drop this on the grounds that pcopl¢ have largely ccascd to us¢ and
carry cash.
In addition. wc continued to apply for grants to support buying new equipmcnt. to help cover
our final construction costs, and to assist in the cost of insuran¢c and the rent that w¢ pay to
thc Thomas Gifford Trust as the owncr of thc land and the building itself. To this end, we are
grateful to Charlbury Town Council and Charlbury Becr Fcstival for their donations for work
to the building and its S￿ounds, to the Wildcrncss f¢slival organisers for funding th¢
purchase of a commercial dust-extractor for the Workshop, and to Oxfordshire County
Council's Connected Communities Fund for their continued support in covering our 2026
insurance premium.
We were again able lo record a surplus of income over expenditure for 2025, with the proviso
that some of the fimding received from grant donors was earn]arked specifically for
exp¢nditure during 2026. In consequence, our financial assets al the y¢ar-end w¢re also
higher than at the ¢nd of 2024, allowing us to continue in the confidenc¢ that th¢ charity is on
a fimi financial footing.
Signed on behalf of the trustees:
'Ji
Simon Walker, Chairn)an
Date:
William Robinson, se¢￿tary
Signature: ..
J.L): !x&b
1&,4 £oLG
Date:
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Charlbury Communityworkshop
(Registered Charlty No. 12025511
Accounts for period l January 2025 to 31 December 2025
INCOME
2025
2024
Grants
Donations
Fund Generated by Activities
Membership Subscriptions
1,205.IJO
219.50
3,579.55
1,037.50
nd1 44
2,575.00
1,826.42
910.50
1,087.50
AaQ94?
EXPENDITURE
Rent
1,200.00
435.36
1,814.61
1,200.00
641.29
863.66
Insurarsce
Purchase of Equipment and alterations to workshop
Maintenance and utilities
Workshop Consumables for activities undertaken
Materials for third-party projects
Catering Consumables
Room Hire
Refund of excessive donation
Share of Street Falr Taklngs
Bank and card handling charge5
Capital Expenditure
668.14
226.39
352.34
43.50
25.00
90.00
35.CKJ
10.26
177.62
46.00
25.00
21.62
Total Expendlture
4,210.73
3,725.06
TOTAL SUPLUSIDEFICIT FOR THE YEAR
1,830.82
2,674.36
Funds retalned from prevlous years
5,882.66
3,208.30
TOTAL WORKING RESERVES AT 31 OECEM8ER 2025
7,713.48
5,882.66
REPRESENTED BY: ASSEfs:
Cash at Co-operatlve Bank
Petty cash
Debtors at 31 December 2025
7,707.52
5.96
5.864.16
18.50
LIABILITIES;
Credltors at 31 December 2025
7,713.48
5,882.66
Prepared by Kevin S Slevin
Treasurer
April 3rd 2026