2025-12-31-accounts - Village Hall East Woodhay

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EAST WOODHAY VILLAGE HALL Chairman's Report on Behalf of The Trustees For the year ending 31st December 2025

It has been another busy year at East Woodhay Village Hall and we hope that the local community and hirers can see and are feeling the benefit of the improvements that have been made.

Overview - during 2025 new hirers have been welcomed, grants have been secured enabling significant improvements to be made to the building, a Christmas Craft Fair raised funds and a new booking system was set up in readiness to launch early 2026.

The People - progress at the Hall could not be achieved without the amazing commitment of my colleagues who give much of their time to ensure the Hall runs efficiently - our enormous thanks are due to each of them. Thanks are also due to Julie, who quietly pops into the Hall to ensure it is always clean and ready for our next guest.

We are also immensely grateful to Belinda Bowrey and her husband who spruced up the planters by the front door for their own party and have now ‘adopted’ them and keep them looking colourful and cared for - which is very much appreciated by everyone.

Thanks too to those of you who are Users of the hall who have also lent a hand from time to time eg. The Scouts teams whose support has been much appreciated this year doing various ‘odd’ jobs.

There will be some changes to the management team over the next few months:

⦁ Unfortunately we are losing Chloe Poulter who has worked quietly in the background helping us with marketing and IT type issues. With a new baby and the need to return to work, she does not feel she can continue her work with the Hall as well - we wish her every success.
⦁ I am also sad to advise that we will be losing the financial expertise of Susan who has worked tirelessly to bring the accounts into order, move our bank account to Metro bank, securing a much better deal for us and ensuring that our figures are controlled in a much tighter way. She inherited a lot to sort out and we are immensely grateful to her for her relentless commitment to the cause.
⦁ The good news is that we are delighted to welcome Jackie Godwin to the team, who will take on the role of Treasurer from Susan. Jackie thought she was retiring for a quiet life until we heard she was available!
⦁ And more good news - we are also delighted to welcome Zara Preston to the team who has whipped up a social media frenzy on our behalf -

especially around the Christmas CraftEx on Saturday. Zara will be helping with our marketing going forward and has already come up with lots of great suggestions.

A Review of the Past 12 Months

Since we met here last year, when the list of achievements was very long, more has been accomplished:

⦁ Photographic exhibitions – our continuing thanks to Simon Ball for the loan of his exquisite photographs; we would like to offer this display facility to other artists and that is certainly on the ‘to do’ list.
⦁ A continuing tight budget review and many cost saving changes implemented.
⦁ Some amazing grants applied for and obtained.
⦁ A concerted effort to raise the profile of the hall working in liaison with Newbury Weekly News and all social media channels available to us.
⦁ The upgrade of the toilets and the start of redecoration plans for the whole hall.
⦁ The installation of upvc soffits, double glazing and deeper guttering - a long term benefit to the hall through no more redecoration bills and a much warmer hall (reducing heating bills)
⦁ We are working on a new more automated booking system, which will be easier to manage, but will still need overview by Beverly, whose continuing support to both halls is greatly appreciated.

Charitable Status

On 24th January 2024, East Woodhay Village Hall was officially registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) under Charity number 1206711. The purposes and objectives of the new charity remain unchanged from the original, but the important bit is this new constitution ensures Trustees are no longer personally liable. It is hoped this change will inspire more community members to get involved with the charity.

Now we are in the process of registering the charity's land with the Land Registry. This will confirm the charity’s ownership, make records clearer and provide extra protection for the land in the future.

Grants

As you know from our report last year, the Trustees were very successful in obtaining grants and these were used for the new windows, soffits and guttering as well as the work to the toilets. This funding has come from a

mixture of the Miss Laurence Trust, B&DBC, Hampshire CC and the Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund.

Grants help with capital projects but not generally with running costs so we have concentrated on applying for grants that improve aspects of the hall whilst reducing ongoing maintenance and heating costs, also helping our aim of renting out the back rooms.

Finances

Since becoming a CIO the accounting period for reporting has changed from the UK tax year to the calendar year. In 2025, hire income was £15,260. Average running costs for the hall are £12,720 per annum, therefore the hall is viable but would only have a small surplus of £2,520 to cover any larger maintenance items or replacement of equipment that may arise based on average running costs. The actual surplus in 2025 was £6,310 versus a forecast surplus of £1,506. The improved position was achieved as a result of the Christmas Craft Fair proceeds, kind donations and overheads being lower than forecast, namely solicitor's fees, maintenance costs and utilities costs. This has been reassuring and has gone a long way towards restoring funds after the loss of £7,535 in 2022/2023.

Plans for the Building

Subject to obtaining further grants we hope to undertake a full redecoration of the Hall during 2026.

We also plan to install bigger planters and planting at the front door.

Conclusion

The year has been a little less challenging than last year - and I can only put this down to the exceptionally hard work of the team who have trimmed costs and obtained grants for the benefit of the hall; as well as making sure we are operating legally and raising the profile of the Hall.

We remain in a stable but still vulnerable financial position - we need to secure that longer term, regular user of the hall. Existing users are most welcome but we need some more regular income to underpin your usage - we continue to raise the profile as a wedding reception venue and are working closely with an events organiser.

How you can help:

⦁ Help us find that ‘anchor’ tenant who provides a regular, full weekly income - whether that is someone who takes the main hall on a regular basis or someone who rents the rooms at the back – also on a regular basis. Think start up business/ consulting rooms/ office space/ beauticians – the rooms lend themselves to all sorts of opportunities.

We look forward to the continued support of the community, hirers and volunteers in 2026.

KAREN TITCOMB CHAIRMAN

EWVH Income & Expenditure Statement 22/012025 to 31/12/2025

Balance b/f Income Hirings - individual Hirings - regular Hire/Donation - EWVH Flower Show Donations from hirers security deposits Donations - parking Donations - St Martins Guild & Simon Ball Donations - 100 Club refund not required - donated Donation - Footnotes EWVH Event Proceeds Bank Interest Grants Insurance Claim Refundable Deposits Re 2023-24 bookings (£639-£439) Refundable Deposits Re 2024-25 bookings Refundable Deposits Re 2025-26 bookings Refundable Deposits Re 25/01/2024-21/01/2025 Refundable Deposits Re 22/01/2025-31/12/2025 Refundable Deposits Re 2026 Total Income Expenditure Cleaner Cleaning Materials Sundries Utilities Insurance & Licences Maintenance & Repairs Planning Costs Fittings & Equipment Advertising Legal Fees Bank Charges Grant Expenditure (Projects) Deposits Refunded re2020-21 bookings Deposits Refunded re 2022-23 bookings Deposits Refunded re 2023-24 bookings Deposits Refunded re 2024-25 bookings Deposits Refunded Re Pre 25/01/2024-21/01/2025 Deposits Refunded Re 25/01/2024-21/01/2025 Deposits Refunded Re 22/01/2025-31/12/2025 Total Expenditure Summary Opening Funds b/f Trading Profit/(Loss) for the year Current Funds Less Reserves Current Funds Excluding Reserves	EWVH CIO 1206711 22/01/25- 31/12/25 £ 30856.21 3485.49 11774.00 500.00 170.00 53.00 605.00 890.00 70.88 39702.00 3210.00 200.00
	60660.37 1422.00 243.80 163.39 2948.62 2006.57 989.72 420.00 567.20 44.85 1182.60 104.99 41091.80 234.50 2930.00
	54350.04 30856.21 6310.33
	37166.54 -30070.88
	7095.66

Indepgndent axaminer's report to the trustees of East Woodhay Village HaLL Trusl I'the Trusl") I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts ol the Trust for year ended 31. December 2025. R8sponslblllti•s and basls of r8PQrt As the trustees ol the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 Ithe'2008 Act'l and the Charities Act 2011 (the .2011 Act'l. You 8ro satisfied that the accounts of the TTUSt are not require(J by charity law to be audited and have chosen instead to have an independent examination. I report in re$pecl of my examination of the Trust's aecounts carried out under section 65 of the 2008 Act and section 145 of the 201 l Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Iieland under section 6519llbl ol the 2008 Act and ihe Directions given by the Charity Commission for England and Wales under section 14515llbl ol the 2011 Act. Independent &xamingr's 5tatemeni I have completed my ex8mination. I confirm that no matters have come to myattention in conneetitsn with my examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect.. accounting records were not kept as required by section 63 tsf the 2008 Act and section 130 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that there ale no other matters to which your Bttention should be drawn io enable a proper understanding ol the accounts to be iea¢hed. Signed.. Jacqueline Godwin 43 Penwood Heights Highclere Newbury Berks RG20 9EZ 8" january 2026