## **Foundry Street Community Centre** ## **Chairperson’s annual report** ## **01/01/25 – 31/12/25** ## Foundry Street Community Centre objectives: - To benefit the residents of Sowerby Bridge and the neighbourhood, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, nationality, race or of political, religious or other opinions, by providing facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure-time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the residents. - To establish a community centre and to maintain and manage the same in furtherance of these objectives. ## Summary of the main activities in 2025 to achieve those purposes: 1. Ongoing programme of repair, refurbishments and redecoration undertaken throughout 2025 including: - Completion of redecoration of Lelsie Godfrey Lounge - Installation of fob security system - Installation of new kitchen - Cleaning and painting of fire escape - Replacement of damaged railings - Installation of light sensitive floodlights over side entrances - Additional fire sensors installed downstairs - Repair of plasterwork and redecoration of the stairwell 2. Purchase of equipment to support and enhance the centre and its facilities including: - Defibrillator (plus training) - Folding trestle tables - Child safety gate for the main hall fire exit - Hot water flasks - New projection screen - New curtains for the Leslie Godfrey Lounge - Badminton equipment 3. Compliance with all statutory health and safety regulations: - Fire safety – alarm and fire extinguishers - Gas boiler service and testing - 5-year electrical testing - PAT testing 4. Hire of facilities to a wide range of community groups since 01/01/25: - Sports and exercise –weekly sessions for karate, boxing, table tennis, keep active fitness, yoga, tai chi, line dancing, rugby tots, seated exercise, Willow Park PE, children’s football, mother and baby exercise classes, ladies cricket - Educational – French and Spanish language classes, jewellery making, children’s baking, family history - Health & Wellbeing – diabetes prevention classes, various PCN events, sound baths, Medicine Drum Journey, Unmasked Mental Health, Narcotics Anonymous - Social & Community – Chat Lounge, Sowerby Bridge 1[st] Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, Sowerby Bridge Town Board, Active Calderdale, Youth Justice Service, Children’s Clothing Bank 5. Centre based events: - Monthly local history talks - Christmas Fayre – 22 stalls and 228 visitors 1 Summary of Use: - A total of 15072 users have taken part in all activities during 2025, 38% up on 2024 - User groups have spent 2626.75 hours involved in activities, averaging 50 hours per week over the year, 31% up on 2024 ## Successes and points of interest: We are completely volunteer run - - The charity continues to be entirely run by volunteers, including the trustees. Two of the trustees are heavily involved in the management and refurbishment of the building. Another trustee manages the room hire, scheduling, charging and invoicing, and general paperwork. One volunteer is responsible for regular cleaning and does a fantastic job. Another looks after the website and the Facebook page, ensuring that information is changed regularly, keeping everything up to date. Other volunteers assist at major events and on an ad hoc basis with various tasks. We would like to thank all our volunteers, and to recruit more volunteers, to spread the workload. We are financially secure - - Hire of the building to a wide range of community groups provides an income which covers the day to day running of the building (utilities, broadband, routine maintenance, annual statutory safety checks and certificates, insurance, PPLPRS licence) and enables us to undertake some of our refurbishments. - Grants from Calderdale Council (Ward Forum and Community Assets Grants), and VSI Alliance have enabled more substantial purchases and refurbishments, whilst Sowerby Bridge Rotary Club made a significant donation which enabled us to purchase our new kitchen and appliances. - We continue to grow - - Provision of a wider range of regular activities and a13.6% increase in individual spot hire sessions, such as birthday parties or one-off meetings such as Block Buddy and Halifax Canoe Club AGM, mean we have seen a significant increase (38%) in number of users - Our Facebook page was set up in January 2022 to keep people informed about progress towards the community asset transfer. Since the transfer it has continued to provide information about the activities and other events taking place at the centre. Numbers are steadily increasing, and there are currently 990 members (14/01/26) – up 22.4% since our last AGM, when there were 809. We continue to diversify - - Chat Lounge began in January 2025 and provides a place where older people can meet weekly for a drink and conversation, with the option of some gentle exercise or some family history research. On 15/12/25, a Christmas celebration with a bring-and-share buffet, crackers and Secret Santa marked almost a year of companionship and laughter. - We welcomed Sowerby Bridge 1[st] Rainbows, Brownies and Guides to Foundry Street in September 2025, bringing in lots of younger people every Monday night. - As a ‘Community Anchor’ we provide space for the PCNs to host events such as Grief Awareness, Volunteer Recruitment and Stress Awareness, while at the same time we have provided free rooms to groups such as Narcotics Anonymous and Unmasked Mental Health throughout 2025. - We hosted our first Christmas Fayre on 14/12/25, with 22 stalls, many selling festive items, and others offering beautiful products perfect for Christmas presents. We had an incredible 228 visitors, many leaving with bags full of purchases, having enjoyed carol singers and festive music. We had a guest appearance from Dominic Brunt (Paddy from Emmerdale), who showed a real interest in the centre while our MP Kate Dearden officially opened our new kitchen. Thank you to all trustees, volunteers, members, users, supporters and followers who have enabled us to have such a successful year. I look forward to working with you all for continued growth and development in 2026. Sheila Eastwood Chair of Trustees 2 The kitchen before The children’s clothing bank and swap shop Table tennis Christmas Fayre **----- Start of picture text -----**
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Local history talk with Jean Illingworth Chat Lounge Christmas celebration Kate Dearden with Sowerby Bridge Rotary, officially opening the new kitchen 3 **Treasurer’s annual report** ## **Summary** 2023/2024 was a period of getting the Centre established and on a reasonably firm footing financially. We carried over into 2025 around £13k of funds. The Trustees decided we should spend some money on refurbishments, improvements and more publicity. Hence, this year we carry over about the same amount of funds, having spent almost everything we earned in 2025. ## **Financial Period** This ran from 1[st] January 2025 through to 31[st] December 2025 ## **Income** We had a gross income of £40,843.54 for the year. This compares with £40,775.03 last year, for the same period. Last year’s R&P accounts show an income of £50123 , but this included a grant received by the table tennis club of £1107, which we held until they had opened a bank account, so not our income. ## **Highlights of this were: -** Grants on the spreadsheet stand at £14,016.80, but we also had another £2,946.80 from Sowerby Bridge Rotary which they paid direct to suppliers for the kitchen. Hence total grant funding is £16,963,60. ( _2024 was £16,960.06_ ). _Council suggested we aim for £20k per year._ Hire charges came in at £25,166 ( _2024 was £21,361.75_ ) _Increase of 17.8%, council set target of 10%._ We have carried forward into 2026 - £13,560.63 ( _2024 carried forward £13,443.35_ ), which was split into: - **2025 (** _**2024)**_ Restricted £1,390.68 ( _£9,841.02)_ Unrestricted £12,169.95 ( _£3,602.33)_ ## **Grants** - Ward Forum Grant – £500 – Providing new curtains and drop-down screen in LG lounge - Community Assets – £410 – Insulation in ET lounge & Thermal camera - PCN/Locality Grant – £10,000 – Fob entry system, subsidising health and wellbeing users - Sowerby Bridge Rotary Club – £6,000 for the Kitchen Refurbishment (£3053.20 as cash grant, £2946.80 direct to supplier) ## **Other Incomes** Donations - £986.87 _(£728.34 in 2024_ ) – Charity buckets and donation pots Interest - £213.87 _(£56.08 in 2024_ ), but Bank Charges £60 for the Current A/C _(£60 last year)_ Membership - £455 _(£330 in 2024)_ – increase due to increased number of members ## **Expenditure** Expenditure in 2025 was £40,726.26 _(2024 was £32,751.71)._ Again, this does not include the £2,746.80 SB Rotary paid directly. ## **Top 3 Major Expenditure Items** - Kitchen Refit £11,118.76 - • Fob Entry System £6,860.00 • Merchandise £981.77 4 ## **Other significant expenditure** - Railings repair - £505 - Fire Sensors in ceiling void - £456 - LG Curtains - £450 - Manhole Repair - £420 - Leaflet racks & stands - £360 - Floodlights over each entrance - £321 - A3 Laminator & Shredder - £266 ( _£190 + £76)_ - Invested in 6 more folding tables, now have 12 - £260 ## **Points to Note** Licences – We have renewed the Music licence again this year, but have not renewed the TV licence, as no one uses it as a TV. Aerial has been tucked up in the roof void, just using it as a monitor. Insurance – renewed this year through Coversure at a slightly reduced price of £2,169.08 _(2024 was £2,314.20)._ Utilities – Gas, Electricity, Water & Sewage - £10,838.67 _(2024 was £7,677.33)_ ## **Numbers** We track hours done by users, volunteers, etc and utilisation of the Centre _(how much each room is rented out against availability)_ as these have a direct impact on both income and expenditure. ## **Hours done** Trustees – 1,398hrs -1% (27 hrs/wk) Volunteers – 388.75hrs -27% Users – 2,626.75hrs +31% Contractors – 424.25hrs +282% Total – 4,837.75hrs + 19% (Council targeted 5% increase) ## **Numbers through the doors** 15,072 in 2025 (10,909 in 2024) – 38% increase (Council targeted 5% increase) ## **Centre Utilisation** Over 2025 we got a total figure of 26.1% (2024 - 14.8%,) which is an 11.3% increase year on year (Council targeted 5% increase) • Hall 48.1% 2024 was 45.8% • LG lounge 20.4% 2024 was 6.3% • ET lounge 19.9% 2024 was 4.8% • Undercroft 16.2% 2024 was 2.4% 5 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGiANO ANO WAI£S Foundry Str••t Commtsnlty C•ntr• 1203818 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from per￿10 stan dale Period end dai8 31112r2025 01K11r2025 Section A Receipts and payrnents Unrestricted funds to tho fi￿[0•1 Restricted lund$ Endowment fund8 Total fund8 Last ￿ar A1 R*c*ipts Gf*lt Donabon8 11.017 14.017 61 23.081 Jjo 16U Hn Char98 M8rthrship CalefjrwJ 2S.166 455 25.161 455 Fund Hc*Jhg S8TT 1.107 72 Payment Error C(xroction Sub total(Gmss income for AR) 2(827 14017 .12) A2 A¥s•t and inv•strnent Jal•J, Sub total A3 Paym•nts D&8 SubsLaiptions & Licences 144 281 2B1 243 9SO is• TÉchThol(N)y 8asic sUppl￿s Bank Charg85 Insurance 8uilding Mainienanc• Building Sol up Utslibas R8furbishmenl R•freshr￿n1$ Stationery 950 843 2.033 130 2.169 3.330 914 10.839 S.398 2,189 3,4S2 2,000 10,839 17,437 I.JT5 1,186 5.071 7.IT7 6.826 16J 11038 173 69 173 123 J12 10 19 Pmtsng Tia￿1 Was1& Manag￿@￿t In$iruci*xI l Trainino F@• 713 713 410 S8TT Con$utsn¢y & Profossthal Payment Effor Mwchandise & fvJt4kty 1.107 2.040 72 Sub total 633 A4 As8ot •nd In¥e$tm•nt urch•#•¥, #e• t*bl• Sub total 26.633 14,093 40,726 36,680 Net of recelptsl(payments) A5 Transf•r¥ botr4e•n fund C•sh funds lost y•ar •nd Cash funds thls year •nd 19 76 13,443 8.260 3.718 8.260 9.727 13.443 12.17 1.391 13.580 13,443 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unr*strict•d funds to n•¥•tst£ R•¥trict•d funds to n•ar4st£ Endowm•nt funds to Nar•%t£ B1 Cash funds Cw8ntAccthnl 3.Of4 92 Savinu5 Account 9.OS4 1.299 102 Total cash funds 12,170 1,391 Unr￿trICt•￿ funds to nwest£ R•$trlct•d funds to r￿&￿et £ Endowrn•nt funds to nearest£ 06talls B2 othor mon•tary assets Fund to wNch Currwrt onal Details Cost lopknAII B3 Investment assets FurKI towlwch Cwrnnt valu• Detailg B4 Assets retaln•d for the charfty's ¢)wn use Fund towNch r•lllt•s Details on 85 UablI￿leS h*lol thOtW8tfje6 SWJn8ture Pmt N8rn8 Dale of . GroCyA fvJ CCKX R3 a¢¢th5nts ISSI 02mQ028 CHARITY (OMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the tru8tèesl members of FOUNDRY STREET COMMUNITY CENTRE CIO On accounts for the year ended 31 DECEMBER 2025 Charlty number 1203818 Set out on page I report lo the Irustees on my examin8tion of Ihe accounts of the above charity I'lhe Trusfi lor the year ended 3111212025. Responslbllltles and basis of roPOrt As th8 charitvs trust88s. you ar8 r8srxinsible for th8 preparation of the ac(xJunts in accordance Wlth the r8quirem8nls of the Charities Act 2011 I'th8 Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 01 the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charily Commission under section 14515llbl of the Acl. Inde￿ndant I have completed my examination. I confim that no material mallers have examinèr's stat8m8nt come to my attents.on in connection with the examination which gives me cause lo believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act. or the accounts did not accord wth the accounting ffj¢ords- or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requir8m8nts conceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Chanlies (Accounts and Reports) Regulats"ons 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'lru8 and fairf vi8w which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concèrns and have come across no other matters in ¢onne¢tion with the examinab'on lo which allenlion should be drawn in this report in order lo enable a prO￿T understanding of the accounls to be reachèd. Slgn•d: /40 Date: 0210212026 Name: Helen M Pedley Relevant professional quallflcatlon(s} or body Ilf onyl: FCA Address: Frost Hole Fam, Cragg Vale , Hebden Bridge HX7 5RU