Trustees’ Annual Report for the period from 12[th] October 2024 to 11[th] October 2025
Charity name: FRENCHAY RESIDENTS’ EDUCATION & COMMUNITY HUB (FRE&CH)
Charity registration number: 1210565
Frenchay Residents’ Education & Community Hub was registered on 12th October 2024 to implement a plan for the local community that had ben developed by the Frenchay Residents’ Association to alleviate some of the deficits in local services following the closure of Frenchay Hospital in 2014.
The six Foundation Trustees who started their first term on office on 12[th] October 2024 are:
| Gordon Cole | Secretary | Appointed 12.10.24 | for 2 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian Collins | Appointed 12.10.24 | for 2 years | |
| Hans Kruiniger | Appointed 12.10.24 | for 3 years | |
| John Rawle | Treasurer | Appointed 12.10.24 | for 3 years |
| John Waldren | Chair of Trustees | Appointed 12.10.24 | for 3 years |
| Hugh Whatley | Appointed 12.10.24 | for 2 years | |
| Chrissy Shurlock | Appointed 18.03.25 | for 3 years |
The appointment periods reflect the succession policy for Trustees adopted for the long-term benefit of the Charity to encourage involvement by local residents and encouraging and developing community leadership and resilience.
The Foundation Trustees were recruited for their particular interest in the FRA plan, their background experiences and the professional knowledge and skills required to implement the setting up of FRE&CH and the refurbishment planning for the old school premises.
The Board intends to continue to implement this policy by appointing local residents who can demonstrate that they are committed to serving the needs of the Frenchay community.
FRE&CH Objectives
To provide facilities in the interests of advancing education, social welfare, recreation and leisure time occupation, in cooperation with other statutory, independent and voluntary organisations with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents of Frenchay and the surrounding area.
Background to FRE&CH and the Community Hub
The redevelopment of the former Frenchay Hospital site for nearly 500 new homes, included the building of a new two-form entry primary school, as the old school premises had been operating at nearly double the intended original capacity for many years. The intended provision of a preschool/nursery adjacent to the new school did not materialise and the housing developer’s S106 requirement to provide the nursery was discharged by payment of £310k to the Council. The
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Council was unable to fulfil the intended provision of the pre-school/nursery and the Frenchay Residents’ Association (FRA) proposed that the old school premises should be used with the preschool /nursery being provided by an independent provider.
The Frenchay C of E Primary School moved into newly built premises in September 2022. Discussions about the FRA proposal started in 2020, between FRA, the Diocese and the South Gloucestershire Council about a possible solution to enable the provision of financially independent pre-school/nursery, and a community hub to replace some of the community facilities and services lost to Frenchay Village by the hospital closure in 2014.
The Grade 2 listed school building was the first National School in Frenchay, built in 1842 by public subscription, on land donated for the purposes of education. It became a Church of England Voluntary Controlled school with ownership of the premises vested in the Diocese of Bristol. The FRE&CH pre-school and community hub project involves land transfers between the Diocese of Bristol and South Gloucestershire Council, with the new school having been built on former NHS land that was transferred to South Gloucestershire Council as part of the housing development plan.
In February 2024 after lengthy local consultations with residents and discussions between the prospective trustees, Council officers and local Parish and District Councillors and Diocesan Officers and Trustees, South Gloucestershire Council agreed the proposal submitted by FRA. The Council agreed to lease the former school premises, a listed building, to a new FRE&CH (CIO). FRE&CH is to arrange the refurbishment and manage and maintain the former primary school premises, to enable the provision of a pre-school/nursery, with 50 places including 10 special needs places, and a community hub. The Council approved also the allocation of the S106 funds for the
pre-school/nursery part of the project with the premises being leased to FRE&CH on a pepper-corn rent. Rental income from the pre-school and hire of other spaces, being used to gradually refurbish the premises over time and as finances permit. The FRE&CH plan is for the whole scheme to be selffinancing.
Activities during the first year
The land transfers and subsequent lease and sub-lease for the pre-school, are taking much longer than anticipated and it soon became apparent that the intended start for the pre-school, in the former school main building, in September 2024 was not achievable.
FRA worked with the prospective FRE&CH trustees, and in liaison with the Council and the Diocese, to establish and implement a contingency plan. A tenancy at will was granted to the local pre-school provider by the Diocese and The Frenchay Common Pre-School opened on a reduced places (16) basis in a former terrapin classroom in the playground of the old school in September 2024. This involved the Council agreeing to use some of the S106 funds for the refurbishment of the terrapin classroom with the works being arranged and managed by the Trustees with assistance from the Residents’ Association. The terrapin refurbishment works were completed before FRE&CH registration was received from the Charity Commission. The Council agreed to pay contractors via the Frenchay Residents’ Association - that already had a payments account with the Council. Those S106 payments are now included in the FRE&CH Annual Accounts as they are attributed to FRE&CH.
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The refurbishment was completed with huge support from local volunteers, tradespeople, and pro bono professional consultants and advisers. Quartet Community Foundation assisted by providing contacts with pro bono firms. All legal services are being provided at present on a pro bono basis by two national law firms.
Contacts and liaison with other local organisations have continued with prospective future Community Hub user organisations including NHS midwifery, health visitors and child health services being enabled to visit the premises to discuss their interests and space needs. A local hospice is also interested in providing support sessions for cancer patients and their families.
The Trustees have been investigating options for improving the energy efficiency of the premises and are considering these alongside the FRE&CH commissioned pro bono building condition report. provided by a local resident and surveyor and the works necessary to make the interior spaces compliant with Ofsted pre-school/nursery registration requirements. Initial draft layouts have been commissioned for the pre-school spaces from a local firm of Architects with extensive experience in this type of provision. These initial draft layout plans have been provided on a pro bono basis.
Discussions and negotiations continue with the Council regarding the S106 funds likely to be available for the refurbishment. Target dates for the initial programme for external and internal refurbishment works have been agreed with the Council with a target date for the pre-school internal and external works to be completed by the beginning of June 2026 to enable fitting out by the provider and staff recruitment and training to be completed ready for opening in the main premises in September 2026.
In view of the delays in the land transfers, the Council agreed to provide a letter of intent to FRE&CH in July 2025, to assist FRE&CH with raising small grants for internal technical building surveys (heating, lighting, plumbing, toilets arrangements etc.) ahead of the grant of the lease, and a licence to commence works. This is in order to have plans in place and ready for the main premises refurbishment as soon as a licence is granted or the property transfers are completed.
Two public meetings were held in Frenchay during 2024 – 25. The first was to share information about the planned activities and the projected timescale. A second meeting was for residents who were interested in possible future roles, including being trustees with FRE&CH, and tasks to assist in creating the Community Hub.
Public benefit
The trustees confirm that all activities at the Community Hub are for the public benefit and commercial arrangements will apply for sub-leases, with surplus income, after premises overheads, being used for programmed improvements to refurbish the community hub. Rooms in the community hub will be available for hire by the community and organisations and individuals for family related activities.
Grants
Financial support for planning details of the project has been enabled by discretionary grants from Local Councillors, grants from small local charities, donations and gifts in kind from local residents as well as many hundreds of hours of volunteers’ time used on clearing the accumulated leaf debris
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from the large playgrounds, refurbishing play equipment left by the former primary school and help with refurbishing the terrapin former classroom. This has been facilitated for FRE&CH by the Frenchay Residents’ Association arranging working parties. Support for the volunteers has been provided by other residents supplying refreshments including many home-made cakes.
Community involvement
There has been very positive feedback from the local community on the opportunities to be involved in the project. One additional trustee has been appointed during the first year with several expressions of interest having been made for future involvement. The current trustees have a focus on succession planning and are keen to encourage prospective new trustees, with opportunities to shadow the work of the current trustee group.
Trustees’ activities
The Board of Trustees has met approximately monthly, with dates of meetings usually related to specific developments or thresholds for decisions. All trustees have allocated responsibilities for a particular aspect of the implementation arrangements, with a system of delegations as necessary for FRE&CH formal commitments with other organisations and businesses.
The Board is fortunate in having been able to recruit from local residents with a wealth of professional experience and qualifications. This has enabled much of the setting-up and planning of the project to be managed without cost to the Council or the community.
The next steps
The Council is to commission a building condition report from a firm of independent surveyors to identify the essential works to ensure the premises are weathertight, electrically and structurally safe, prior to the internal refurbishment works for the pre-school/nursery spaces.
As soon as the lease (or an Agreement for Lease) is completed, together with the Council Funding Agreement and FRE&CH Service Level Agreement, the Trustees intend to start fund raising and considering large grant applications for the refurbishment of the community hub spaces.
Detailed discussions and negotiations continue with the pre-school provider to achieve the most effective use of the spaces available.
Report and Annual Accounts received and approved by the Board on 28[th] April 2026.
Signed ……………………………………………….. Trustee on behalf of FRE&CH
Date …………………………………………………
NB Annual Accounts and Independent Examiner’s report copy to be added into this report with signatures and date
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinevs Report Report to the trusteesl members of lame On accounts ft+r the year ended 3111012025 Charlty no {If any) 11105bs Set out on pages ty) HxhJdèt of ad(¥t)nBI sheetsl I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the al)ove charity (0 Trusf) for thè year end8d Responslbllltles and As the charity trustees of the Trust.. you are responsible for the preparation basss of report of the atUnts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 llhe Acr). I rert in resped of my examination of the Trusys accounts carried out under secon 145 of the 2011 Act and In caffwrKJ out my examlnatlon, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Sed1 145(5Xb) of Act. I have completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have Lwe to my attention {other than that disclosed below'> In connection the examination whlch gives me cause to believe that in. any material re$t. accountlrtrJ rec(Kds wEre not kept In aco)rdance with sectk)n 130 of the Act or the acc4)unts do not acccd the accvunting rerdS Independent examlnerfs Statement I havp no COrmS arKJ have c¥Th a(wss no other matters in connection vith the examination to vthich attention should be drawn in order to enable 8 proper understsnding of the accounts to bè reachèd. se te th8 w0S in the brdckets rfthey do not appfy. Slgned: Date: IX_2 _ Name: JD2ew Q£)YLATrJC Relevant professional quallficatlon{s) or body (tt any): C I MA 0FIECj Address: wÉgrc4N UÉ
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