Wlstaston Memorial Hall and Community Centre Trustees. Annual Report for 2026 AGM Registered Charity Number 1209180 NO. Namè .Office Name of body entltlèd to appoint the Trustee Trustee and President Nantwich & District Scottish Society and Wislaslon Community Council Eileen Bamb8r IEB) Diane Houston IDH) Trustee, Co- Crewe and Nantsvich local committee of Chairperson and Chair Cancer Research UK and Wislaston of Rebuild Sub- Parish Council Committee Trustee and Co- Crewe and Dislrict Coin and Medal ChairFersonlBusiness Society PlanlPublicily Officer Trustee and Vice Chairpersonlsecretary Iminuling Secretaryl Health and Safely OITicer TTUStee. Treasurer and Booking Officer Anne Vetter IAV) Trustee Michael Hassall - Trustee Vice President IMHI Eleanor Tatton Diane-Heather Edge-Robinson (DHERI Judy Gratton IJG) INstaston & District Flower Club Bill Heath18H) Imstaston Jubi18e Tennis Club Wistaston Memorial Hall Bowling Club Crewe Movie Makers Trustee Welfare OffI￿r Local Community Chris Flaherty Bob Squirrell (BS) Meurig Jones (MJI Colin Wood {CW) Trustee Trustee Trusteellnvestments Rope Parish Council Local Community 10 Trustee Local Communty 12 South Cheshire George Fomiby Ukulele Society U3A 13 Lynne Jones ILJ) Member of the Committee Chrys Lines (CL) Member ofthe Committee Member ofihe Committee 14 Local Communrty 15 Tallal McLean (TLI Local Communrty In Marth 2025 DHER and DH confirnied that tw wwld becomejr*nl Chairperson5. REPORT COVERING 1ST OCTOBER 2024 TO 31ST DECEMBER 2025 INCLUSIVE This 1$ the first report following our Charitable Incorporated Organisation status, it cannot be underestimated how much work has been involved in getting to this point. I would like to pul on record thanks to all the Truslees and Committee members for their commitment to this project and its oulcome. General DHER attended the Wistaston Parish Counul AGM in April updating everyone on the ongoing progress of the Hall. Online banking was progressed and is now partty in place. The Trustees received an email regarding a¢￿sS to the tennis pitches. A member of the Tennis Club couldn't gain access due step only ac￿$$. WJTC organised quotes for a ramp to be installed. It was agr￿d that this would be led by WJTC and that they would liaise directly with Wendy Thomasson. Additional mobile PA equipment was purchased for use at events or loaned out to hirers, rf required. CCTV was installed outside the hall. Four cameras monitor Movements outside the building and cover entrances to the Hall, WJTC an WMHBC. JG attended the Village Fete on behalf of the Hall Trustees to promote the rebuild and all that goes on in the hall. It was agreed that formalisation of the relalionship between the Hall and WMHBC and WJTC would be progressed and Ihis project is ongoing. Wistaslon Memorial Hall appeared in Halls for All, a book by Louise Beaton and David Clarke. A May VE Day Concert (SCCBI was held in the hall, which was decked wilh bunting for the occasion. We also held an Afternoon Prom in November (CB}, on the Saturday prior to our Sunday Remembrance Service. Repairs lo the Stage Lighting. replacement of water damaged ceiling tiles, and replacement of the notice board perspex window were all completed. JG look on the administration role of the Charty Commission Website. Written descriptions of Trustees roles were added to the website for continuty purposes. Safeguarding policy was introduced and ET volunteered to become Welfare Officer. Instructions for the use of stage lighting and audio was produced and is now available to all hirers on-line. Rebuild Sub Committee Summary The Rebuild Project was initiated in April 2022 to provide a new Hall fit for purpose and continue to be a fitting memorial for the sixteen men of Wistaston wha lost their lives during the Second World War. Dunng the reporting period the project reached ￿ major milestones.. 1. New Hall Design Brief sign off on Octoter 2024 2. New Hall Plans sign off on 17m l)ecember 2025. This is a major milestone in the Rebuild project, enabling the project to move to the next stage and apply lo Cheshire Easl for planning permission. Rebuild Project Team The Rebuild core project team consists of 7 Hall Trustees, Diane-Heather Edge-Robinson, Bill Heath, Bob SqUi￿e1, Judy Gratton. Diane Houston, Anne Vetter. and Eleanor Tatton who joined the team on 16 September 2025. David Price, who has considerable experience in the construction industry, conlinues to provide valuable input on building related aspects of the project. Stephen Wright, grant application expert, continues to be employed to advise on The National Lottery Community Fund ITNLCF) appliGation. The team continue to be assisted by the chanty Cheshire Communtly Action ICCAI, which provides an advisory service for village and Gommunity halls in Cheshire and is part of Action with Communities in Rural England IACRE}. Deslgn Brief Slgn Off The design brief, having been signed off by Ihe H811 Trustees on 26th September 2024, was signed off by Michael Simpson Chair of the W15taston Memorial Hall Bowling Club IWMHBCI on 9" October 2024 and by Bill Heath Chair of the Wistaston Jubilee Tennis Club IWJTC) on 10, October 2024. The design brief was issued to our architect Clive TuGker of Bower Edleston on 141n October 2024. Hall Plan$ Slgn Off Due lo jury service and other work commitments our archiled was unable to start work on the plans for the new Hall until January 2025. The first version of the plans was received on 29th January 2025 and for the next 3 months we worked with our architect to refine the plans. Revision 4 of the plans were approved by the Hall Trustees on 24th April 2025 for issue to Stakeholders. which included the WMHBC, WJTC and the Wistaslon Parish Council. Hall Trustees and Stakeholders identified issues wilh the size and location of the meeting room$. Options were considered and WJTC advised they V￿re open to moving the tennis pavilion to location next to the bowling green lo free up space for larger meeting rooms. Further hanges lo the plans were made and Revision 5 of the plans were approved by Hall Trustees on 26th June 2025 for consultation with user groups and the people of Wistaston. Throughout August 2025 the proposed plans for the new Hall were on display in the Armitage Hall and the 2 meeling rooms. Two Open Days were held on Tuesday 12th August and Saturday 16 August lo provide the opporlunity for user groups and the local community to view and discuss the plans with the Hall Trustees. Both sessions were well attended and our architect Clive Tucker was there on the Tuesday. to answer questions. Visrtors were encouraged lo provide feedback on the plans using the paper comment foms available in the Hall or by completing an electronic version using the link on the Rebuild Project website page. The consullalion ckssed on 12 September 2025. A total of 45 comment forms were received. All feedback was collated, reviewed and 11 changes to the plans approved. Everyone who asked us to get back to them were contacted on their suggestions to let them know if their ideas have been accepted as part of the revised plans or rf not, why. One of Ihe biggest concems was that the current location of the entrance and exit to the car park was dangerous. This was discussed wtth our architect who advised svmpping them would be much safer. A suggestion from a local resident on Church Lane "Maybe some feature such as the Swan could ￿ incorporated into the facade to make it feel unique to the area was thought a lovely idea and implemented a change lo the plans to show a Swan etched into Ihe front faFade glass. Our architect implemented the 11 changes and the final plans (Revision 7) were re￿iVed on October 281h 2025. Revision 7 plarss were signed off by the Hall Trustees on 27 November 2025, by Michael Simpson Chair of Wistaston Memorial Hall Bowling Club on 13, December 2025 and by Bill Heath Chair ofwistaslon Jubilee Tennis Club on 17" De￿mber 2025. A special thanks goes to David Price for his colleague Erin Taffe's 3D Model which proved very useful during the Communty ConsLbltation. Fundlng The National Lottery Community Fund {NLCFI issued a press release on 6th November 2024 outlining changes to their approach to giving grants and advising organisalions not lo apply until Spring 2025 when their new criteria would be launched. On 21st May 2025 Diane Houston had a call with Laura Myles. Funding Officer from NLCF North Wesl team. Laura onfirmed definitely worth putting in a Stage 1 application but chances of success difficult to know as new criteria only just came into effect. Planning permission is required from Cheshire East befo￿ we can apply so this task was moved to 2026. Throughout 2025 we worked on compiling a list of other funders to target for donations onc8 budget shortfall known. Fornial Agreements wlth Tonnis and Bowling Clubs On 301h October 2025. the Hall Trustees approved progressing PLthing in Pla￿ formal agreements with the tennis and bowling clubs prior to the start of the work lo build the new Hall. This subject had previously been discussed with both clubs and agreed to put on hold until after the charity became a CIO. This was also a recommendation from our solicitor Jonathan Aldersley from Butcher and Barlow in Northwich, Diane-Healher Edge-Robinson is leading on this and is deferred until 2026 when Gontact for WJTC is krTrown. Communlcations Updales on the projed are provided via the Rebuild page on the Wtslaslon Memorial Hall and Community Centre website together wrth The Roundabout magazine distnbLrted to all households in Wislaslon. Finances A budget of £30,000 for 2025 was approved * the Trustee's Meeting on 27" February 2025 to cover architect Gosls for feasibility study and submission of planning application, and for Stephen Wright's fees to wrrte and submit the Stage 1 application lo the NLCF. Actual expenditu￿ was only £1223.33 due to the delay in submission of the new Hall planning application. Expenditure was covered by the income for the period of £2617.72. This comprised ol donations of £300 from Havana Oriental Lilac Cal Club, £1500 from George Fomiby Ukulele Society, £550 from Wista5ton Community Counal Duck Ra￿, £235 In Memoriam for John Cooke and £32.72 from Easy Fundraising. Plans for 2026 1. Obtain planning pemiission from Cheshire East. 2. Write and submrt Stage 1 Application to the National Lottery Community Fund 3. Complete leases for Wislaston Jubilee Tennis Club and ￿$laston Memorial Hall Bowling Club 4. Idenlfy Project Costs and Timelines 5. Progress other Fundraising Thank you to everyone involved in the project who have volunteered their time. All relevant project documents are held in the Trustee's area of the Wislaston Memorial Hall and Community Centre website HALL CObA.'J:IJNliY CENTRE Land Registy In February 2025, it was agreed that we would approach Wstaslon Parish Council to transfer the holding trustees lo Custodian of the Charities, following the unanimous agreement ol the Iruslees at the previous meeting. A letter outlining our intention was sent to Wistaslon Parish Council. DHER attended the Wislaslon Parish Council meeting on the 201h of March, to discuss Holdinglcustodian Trusteeship. The Wistaston Parish Council have held this role since the h811 was tr￿111. The land was registered in 2024 with the Land Registry. Issues have arisen with regards lo this registration. DHER proposed that the Holding Trusteeship should be moved lo the Official Custodian for Charities. Wistaston Parish Council agreed to the request. We then met our solicitors Butcher and Barlow on the 29" ofApril to progress. Butcher and Barfow approached the Official Cuslodian but had a response to confirm that now we were a CIO we should hold the deeds ourselves. This was approved by the Trustees at the committee meeting held on the 30 of Octotser 2025, that the Trtle be transferred to the Wstaslon Memorial Hall and Community Cenlre. Al the Wistaslon Pansh Coun¢il meeting on the 20, of November we infomied Wista$ton Parish Council of the change. We instructed Butcher and Badow to woceed with the Transfer in November The TR1 fomis were issued for signature to Bob Squiffell, Kerri Wilcox and John Moore on behalf of the Wistaston Parish Council. and Diane-Heather Edge-Robinson on behalf of Wislaslon Memorial Hall and Community Cent￿. All have been signed with the exception of John Moore due lo illness. Health and Safe A Fire. Health and Safety Risk Assessment was completed In March 2025, the following actions have ￿en taken ". A flickering light in the Emergency Fire Exrt Lights in the Dudley Room has been replaced. The Health and Safety Policy was reviewed in June 2025. A query was received from a hirer as to the extent of cover provided under the Hall's liability insurance. Clarrfication was wovided by the insurers and a communication was subsequently issued to all regular hirers. The First Aid box in the krtchen was replaced No accidents We￿ reported. It was noticed that the Health and Safety file in the kitchen containing the Health and Safety Policy. Asbestos Register. Acudenl Report Book. and other documents had been removed. This was replaced. Treasurers l Bookin Officers Re On the 1st of October 2024 Wistaston Memorial Hall became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with a new charity number 1209180. This change of status resulted in a change to our financial period with this first set of accounts of the new charity covering a fift￿n month period ending on the 31st of December 2025. Thereafter we will ￿tuM to the ￿e1ve month calendar year for the accounts. The accounts show that room hire continues to be the main Sour￿ of income for the hall and ofthe £68.132 total income foom hire at £57.764 is nearly 85 1 of the income. Room hire outstripped our investments with Hargreaves Lansdown which only brought in £28,443. Comparing room hire year on year, i.e. 2024 to 2025 calendar years, it grew by 7Ok and since hiring rates remained the same it means we had more occupancy during 2025. Looking into 2026 one group has already moved to a new site because oflhe proposed rebuild ofthe hall. Another group has indicated that it intends to reduce its bookings by 50 % and another group (War Games) has left completely. A further U3A group has indicated it is leaving the hall at the end of March 2026 having grown too large for the room they use. Overall. this is likely to result in approximately £5,000 lost In potential income and together with a considerable increase in spending on the rebuild project, this does not look good for 2026. Investments Over the fifteen-month penod from October 2024 our inveslments rose in value from £264.673 to £293,116 an increase of £28,443 which is 10.7%. Trustees U date Chris Flaherty and Eleanor Tatton became Trustees in March 2025. Alan Williams and Julia Robinson came along lo meetings but decided rt was nol for them. Tallal McLean joined as representative of the local community in October 2025. Signed. Diane Houston Diane-Heather Edge-Roblnson Co-chairperson's Wistaston Memorial Hall and Community Centre Date: 0£ Signed Judy Gratton Vice Chairperson WSsta$ton Memorial Hall and Community Centre Date: ZL131 ao Financial Statement 2024125 Independent Examinerfs Report to the member5hipltrustees of Wlstaston Memorfal Hall and Community Centre. I report to the trustees on my examinatlon of the accounts of Wistaston Memorial Hall and Community Centre. Charity No. 1209180, forthe Period of the I" of October 2024 until the 31 December 2025. Responslbllttles and basls of report As the charity's trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111.the Act'l. I report In respert of my examination of the Charities accounts carrled out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under sertion 14515llbl of the Act. Independent examlnerfs staternent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention In connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any matcrial respect.. accountin8 records were not kept In accordance with sertlon 130 of the Charities Act,. or 2. the accounts did not accord with the accountin8 record. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connettion with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understandlng of the a ounts to be reached. Slgnature Name J I &(L