HODGE HOUSE COMMUNITY TRUST CIO
Charity registration number 1206063
Trustees Report Year ended 31 March 2025
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1. Objectives and Activities
Hodge House Community Trust was set up to take over the management of Hodge House Community Centre in the Bradley ward of Nelson, Lancashire – a purpose-built centre set within a residential area and first opened in 1988.
The Trust’s constitution sets out its ambitions to provide facilities for sport, recreation and leisure activities for local residents and the wider public. The Trust recognises the need, and demand for, accessible and affordable events and activities improving health and wellbeing.
The Charity was first registered in December 2023 by the Directors of Bradley Big Local Community Land Trust (a community benefit organisation registered with the FCA – number RS7552) as a more suitable business model for the shift in focus from affordable housing to sport, health and wellbeing. During the first full financial year, 2024 to 2025, Bradley Big Local Community Land Trust funds continued to cover most of the costs associated with the day-to-day running of the community centre. Following changes to the Board of Trustees in September 2024, Hodge House Community Trust set systems in place to manage its own income and expenditure and is now almost fully independent of the Community Land Trust.
In accordance with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, events at the community centre prioritise physical activity, wellness and opportunities for social interaction. The town of Nelson, and Bradley ward in particular, is home to a diverse population and the Charity has provided a range of sessions to encourage participation. The majority of events for 2024 to 2025 have been organised and funded by third party not for profit groups. They included a Burnley FC in the Community summer club, Bradley Food Garden (with linked workshops on how best to use the produce), women only fitness sessions and a men’s Walk and Talk group.
The new Trustees have also taken steps to improve the customer experience at the community centre with improvements to security, cleanliness and availability of personnel on site (volunteers as well as self-employed caretaking and administrative staff).
2. Achievements and Performance
Under the direction of the new Chair, Rafida Khaliq, the Trustees have taken significant steps to improve the profile of Hodge House Community Centre within the local area.
The centre was built by the local authority nearly 40 years ago but ownership was transferred to Together Housing Association in 2006. Repairs and minor improvement works have been carried out but there has been no significant investment in the centre for many years. Bradley Big Local Community Land Trust currently holds a lease on the building with rent and some utility costs continuing to be met from their funds. In the longer term, Bradley Big Local Community Land Trust plans to transfer all assets to Hodge House Community Trust and, it is hoped, that Together Housing Association will agree to an asset transfer of the community centre.
The community centre has experienced periods of fairly intense activity interspersed with, unfortunately, longer periods when it appeared to be closed. Private parties have been a main source of income for several years, but whilst these types of events are still welcome, the Trust has successfully attracted a number of third-party activity providers to organise and fund the following:
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Bradley Food Garden – run by Pennine Lancashire Community Farm with funding from This is Nelson, this community garden project on land within the community centre boundary focussed on produce. Access was available to anyone in the community to join sessions planting and growing fruit and vegetables. Subsequent herbalist and wellbeing workshops were held to incorporate the produce in home-made remedies, soups etc.
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Men’s group incorporating walk and talk sessions.
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Burnley FC in the Community summer club.
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Employment and skills ‘drop-in’ sessions and specific qualifications training (e.g. teaching assistant).
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Youth club.
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Multisports activities for children and young people.
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Homestart in East Lancashire weekly meetings for parents of very young children.
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East meets West dance sessions.
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Art therapy.
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Cinema nights.
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Family wellness events.
Hodge House Community Trust also used funds from Bradley Big Local Community Land Trust to hold fitness classes for women, digital literacy classes and hold a weekly ‘open door’ warm hub funded via a Lancashire Warm Hub grant.
One of the key changes to be implemented by the new Hodge House Community Trust Board was to review the customer experience at the community centre: staff were brought in on a self-employed basis to be on site during activities and events, welcoming and engaging with centre users as well as providing caretaking, cleaning and administrative support. Work was carried out to improve the external lighting and the kitchen was given a ‘make-over’ with the cabinets repaired and painted and new small appliances purchased. A defibrillator was also installed.
A new website with online booking facility was set up and portable external signage bought to advertise when the centre is open.
Finally, the Trust engaged Facility and Sports Club Services Development Limited to carry out a feasibility study on the construction of a 3G artificial grass pitch on the council-owned sports field adjacent to Hodge House Community Centre. This is a legacy project from Bradley Big Local Community Land Trust where progress had all but halted.
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3. Financial Review
Balance sheet (31 March 2025)
| Current assets | ||
| Cashat bankandin hand | 2,782 | |
| Debtors | 500 | |
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year |
- | |
| Net assets | £3,282 | |
| Capital and reserves | ||
| Revenue reserve | £3,282 | |
Revenue account (31 March 2025)
| Revenue account (31 March 2025) | ||
|---|---|---|
| GrantsReceivable | 500 | |
| Room hire | 2,745 | |
| Interest receivable and other income | 100 | |
| Administrative expenses | 63 | |
| Operating surplus | 3,282 | |
| Surplus / (deficit) on ordinary activities before taxation |
£3,282 | |
| Tax on surplus | - | |
| Surplus / (deficit) for the financial period | £3,282 |
Notes
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Lancashire Warm Hub Grant of £500 received after 31 March 2025
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Operating expenses, including rent, insurance, caretaking and cleaning paid by Bradley Big Local Community Land Trust
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Administrative expenses relate to bank charges
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Room hire income derived from both third-party event organisers and private individuals.
4. Structure, governance and management
Hodge House Community Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charity Commission (charity registration number 1206063). It has adopted the Foundation Model Constitution.
At the time of registration in December 2023, all six Trustees were also Directors of Bradley Big Local Community Land Trust. Following the resignation of three Trustees in Summer 2024, four new Trustees were appointed, all of whom had had previous involvement with the
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work of Bradley Big Local Community Land Trust and shared the commitment to improving services and facilities within the Bradley area.
The Chair and Trustees are responsible for the day-to-day management of the community centre, including negotiation with other not for profit organisations and companies to ensure the centre has a full programme of events and activities in accordance with the Charity’s objectives.
A small number of individuals have been contracted on a self-employed basis to cover caretaking and cleaning duties, administration of social media and book-keeping.
5. Reference and administrative details
| 5. Reference and admin | istrative details |
|---|---|
| Charity name | Hodge House Community Trust |
| Registered charity number | 1206063 |
| Charity’s principal address | Hodge House Community Centre Regent Street Nelson. BB9 8LJ |
| Contact details | Email: info@hodgehousenelson@gmail.com |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
|---|---|---|
| Rafida Khaliq | Chair | |
| Fayyaz Ahmed | 3 October 2024 -present | |
| George Macsween | 3 October 2024 -present | |
| Yvonne Tennant | 3 October 2024 -present | |
| M Farhan Khaliq | ||
| Waqas Arshad | ||
| Yasara Naheed | 3 October 2024 – October 2025 |
|
| Peter Dewhurst | December 2023 – September 2024 |
|
| Ikram Ahmed | December 2023 – September 2024 |
|
| M Hamid Khan | December 2023 – September 2024 |
|
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| Signature(s) | (k | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name(s) | Rafida | Khaliq | |
| Position | |||
| Chair | V Ice | ||
| Date |