## **The Harry Middleton Centre** ## **Trustees annual report 2024** ## **Administrative information** Status Charitable Incorporated Organisation Charity number 1202660 Registered Office 63A Silver Street, Newport Pagnell MK16 0EQ Bankers Natwest, Milton Keynes Trustees Roger Hall (chair and secretary) David Wright (treasurer)(from 17 September 2024) Helen Donelan (minute secretary)(from 17 September 2024) Kim Frame Neil Frame Duncan Mason Nick Read (resigned 20 January 2025) Natasha Wood (from 17 September 2024) ## **Purpose of charity** The purpose of the charity is to provide a community centre for the benefit of the residents of Newport Pagnell. The centre, housed in an 1867 chapel, has served the local community since its purchase by the Harry Middleton Gift charity in 1984. The CIO was established on 6 April 2023. The trustees are aware of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and complies with this guidance in its activities, the principles of which are laid out in the CIO’s constitution. ## **Structure, governance and management** Alongside the constitution the CIO also has a collaboration agreement with the neighbouring Newport Pagnell Baptist Church to assist with the management of the centre. The Church provides services for bookings, financial management and cleaning for an agreed sum. The centre has no paid staff and relies on volunteers – mainly from amongst its trustees. The constitution provides for the appointment of trustees from the following categories – up to two nominated by The Harry Middlton Gift, up to four nominated by Newport Pagnell Baptist Church, and an unlimited number of other people elected to serve. The trustees meet at least three times a year to manage the centre. The meetings receive regular reports on bookings and finance and address any issues or risks arising. The trustees are cognizant of the Charity Commission’s advice on risk. ## **Lettings policy** The centre’s constitution requires that the centre is used for the benefit of the residents of the civil parish of Newport Pagnell and this underlies the lettings policy. The types of groups using the centre include: - Charitable organisations providing sessions for local residents - Local clubs and organisations such as Scouts and Brownies - Small businesses providing services for specialist groups like the elderly and babies - Businesses who provide services for the benefit of local residents, such as Slimming World - One-off lettings such as children’s parties. ## **Achievements and performance** The involvement and support of the Baptist Church has enabled the trustees to look at increasing use of the centre and this is now beginning to be achieved in 2025. The centre's sustainability has improved significantly with the new CIO structure and Church collaboration. The trustees are grateful for the contribution of The Harry Middleton Gift towards the legal costs of creating the CIO. However, the centre continues to rely on voluntary input and this remains essential for successful operation; the trustees are very appreciative of this contribution. The attached financial statement (which forms part of this report) provides figures for 2024 alongside those for the five-month period of 2023 that the charity was operating. Lettings income was steady and costs closely managed with a limited amount of maintenance work. This provided a satisfactory surplus for the year. ## **Reserves policy** The trustees have agreed a reserves policy with three elements: - The equivalent of 3 months income for cashflow reasons - A sum necessary to cover the excess on the buildings insurance policy (currently £10,000) - A major repairs fund to cover potential significant expenditure on building maintenance. The figures at December 2024 were: - Three months turnover £3,140 - Allowance for insurance excess £10,000 - Major repairs fund £11,407 ## **Other matters** The trustees confirm that there were no recorded incidents in connection with the charity which required to be reported to The Charity Commission. Signed **Roger Hall** Date: 20 October 2025 Roger Hall (chair of trustees) |**The Harry Middleton Centre**|**The Harry Middleton Centre**||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |**Financial Statement**|||||| |**1st January 2024 - 31st December 2024**|||||| ||||||| |||**2024**||**Aug to Dec 2023**|| ||**Income**||||| ||Rentals|£12,304.86||£3,799.32|| ||Interest|£253.99|||| ||**Total Income**|**£12,558.85**||**£3,799.32**|| ||||||| ||**Expenditure**||||| ||Administration|£613.12|||| ||Accounting|£3.84|||| ||Internet|£45.54|||| ||Electricity|£586.46||£306.25|| ||Gas|£1,473.76||£500.06|| ||Water|£421.52||£130.43|| ||Insurance|£776.27||£298.48|| ||Cleaning|£317.31|||| ||Legal costs|||£1,202.20|| ||Repairs & maintenance|£2,717.90||£112.31|| ||Purchases|£67.76|||| ||**Total Expenditure**|**£7,023.48**||**£2,549.73**|| ||||||| ||**Surplus**|**£5,535.37**||**£1,249.59**|| ||||||| ||**Funds**|**@ 31 Dec 2024**||**@ 31 Dec 2023**|| ||General Fund|£3,021.15||£8,951.94|| ||35 DayAccount(Insurance)|£10,137.79|||| ||Business Reserve(Deposit)|£11,384.62||£9,457.00|| ||Cash|£3.77||£603.02|| ||**Total Funds**|**£24,547.33**||**£19,011.96**||