Annual Report for The Mere Lecture Hall Trust For the Year Ending 30[th] June 2025
(Charity Registration Number 202620)
1 Administrative Details
Registered Office:
Newport House Salisbury Street Mere Wiltshire BA12 6HE
Correspondence Address:
Chris Wood (Treasurer) Swainsford Fish Farm Woodlands Road Mere Warminster Wiltshire BA12 6BY
Trustees as of 30[th] June 2023:
Mr A Bristow Ms S Catley Mr M Durkee Mr S Fletcher Mrs J Hurd Mr G Jeans Mr D Lamb Mr P Manning Mrs C Morton Mr A Rees Mr C Rutter (chairman) Mr S Rutter Mr B Watts Mrs H Watts Mrs J Wilding Mrs M White Mr C Wood (treasurer)
Number of Active Trustees at Year End: 17
Custodian Trustee:
Legal Trustee Limited Company registration number 00195819 C/O Rutters Solicitors 2 Bimport Shaftesbury Dorset SP7 8AY
Trust Document:
The Trust was created by Deed dated Saturday 22[nd] November 1924
Page 1 of 5
The Mere Lecture Hall Trust
April 2026
Annual Report for The Mere Lecture Hall Trust For the Year Ending 30[th] June 2025
(Charity Registration Number 202620)
2 Structure, Governance and Management
The Trust is governed by up to 25 Administrative Trustees, with the backing of a Custodian Trustee. Six Trustees are especially representative of the Christian presence in the town and are elected by their own churches each for a period of three years. The rest are selfperpetuating, elected by the remaining trustees for an indefinite term, being gathered from the local community resident within 13 miles' radius.
"The Administrative Trustees shall manage or superintend the management of the trust properties with power to deal therewith as if they were absolute owners thereof." They thus have wide powers.
The Trustees currently meet once or twice a year. They annually elect a management committee to manage the day-to-day business of the trust, consisting of a chairman, secretary, treasurer and four others plus a hall manager. They also appoint a Grants' subcommittee of up to 5 trustees. The management committee meets as required, but usually 4 – 6 times a year. The Trustees approve the annual accounts, set the level of grants for the year, receive and discuss the management committee's report and decide items of policy.
The Trustees employ the services of a Caretaker/Cleaner for the Lecture Hall building. Although they are at liberty to employ any other servant if they wish, all the office holders are also trustees and act in a voluntary capacity. From time to time, they employ professional help as required.
Page 2 of 5
The Mere Lecture Hall Trust
April 2026
Annual Report for The Mere Lecture Hall Trust For the Year Ending 30[th] June 2025
(Charity Registration Number 202620)
3 Public Benefit Statement
The Primary Objective of the Trust is to provide a meeting place for the community of Mere and surrounding area for non-commercial use. This enables the various groups that make up the community to meet and develop spiritually, physically and socially.
The Hall is available to all sections and groups within the community although there are restrictions on use based on the requirements as set out by the original Trust Deed and the limitations of the building.
The Grants provided to the local community require the benefit to be used within an 8-mile radius of Mere and the purposes of the grant must be consistent with the objectives of the Trust as set out in the original Trust Deed.
None of the Trustees receive any benefit, direct or indirectly from the Trust.
Page 3 of 5
The Mere Lecture Hall Trust
April 2026
Annual Report for The Mere Lecture Hall Trust For the Year Ending 30[th] June 2025
(Charity Registration Number 202620)
4 Objectives and Activities
"The objects of the Trust are the promotion of the spiritual, moral, intellectual or social welfare of the inhabitants of Mere in the County of Wiltshire and elsewhere, along lines not inconsistent with non-conforming Christianity, or the promotion of temperance, or the promotion of similar charitable objects elsewhere."
To this end the "Lecture Hall" building, a main 100-seater hall and stage, two smaller halls and various ancillary spaces, was given to the Trust in 1924. In many ways it serves as a community hall. At the same time various properties were also given to the trust as endowment for the Hall to ensure its spiritual freedom and financial independence.
The Trustees maintain the Hall as an attractive and suitable venue for many local activities as a benefit to the community. One of the halls is now a coffee bar and there are modern toilets and disabled facilities. The rooms are offered for rent at a subsidised rate to the community and at a commercial rate for commercial purposes.
The trustees endeavour to make small grants each year to community organisations and continue to explore opportunities to promote the objects of the Trust.
To maintain a viable level of income, the trustees maintain, manage and let a number of properties, both residential and commercial.
Page 4 of 5
The Mere Lecture Hall Trust
April 2026
Annual Report for The Mere Lecture Hall Trust For the Year Ending 30[th] June 2025
(Charity Registration Number 202620)
5 Achievements and Financial Review
The Mere Lecture Hall is now being increasingly well used and the Trust is now able to meet the primary objective of providing a suitable venue for the people of Mere and district.
At the AGM on 26[th] September 2024 all the new Trustees were duly confirmed and all trustees were present.
The following resolution was put to the meeting and passed unanimously.
The consumption of alcohol will be permitted on the Lecture Hall premises, provided that:
-
1) The alcohol consumed is limited to wine, fortified wine, beer and lager.
-
2) The provision or consumption of spirits will not be permitted.
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3) Consumption is only between 12.00 and 22.30 hrs.
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4) No alcohol is sold. Events requiring a licenced bar will not be permitted.
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5) Events offering alcoholic beverages as part of the admission price will be limited to one normal size measure per person/ticket.
In drafting this proposal, I have given consideration to the value attached to temperance by those responsible for the establishment of the Lecture Hall. My personal belief is that these provisions will permit moderate consumption at social events: if more is required, hirers can apply for a licence at the Grove Building or hire one of the licenced venues in the town.
I suggest that, if adopted, this proposal be reviewed annually by the Trustees to ensure that it is working satisfactorily.
Andrew Rees August 2024
On 24th November 2024 the centenary of the trust was celebrated with an opening evening and an exhibition of the Trust activities over the years.
The Trust continued to do various works to maintain the properties the Trust owns and manages. The Trust endeavours to keep abreast of current legislation to ensure all the properties are within the Health and Safety and building regulations.
A number of property repairs and improvements have been made over the last year particularly to the Truscott and Homelea.
A professional insurance valuation was made of all the Trust’s properties and new quotations obtained for overall insurance, including trustee liability, and even though the property insurance values had increased significantly a saving was made on the overall annual premium.
All domestic rents have been reviewed by the agents, the use of the Lecture Hall has increased by 35% over the previous year and gas and electricity price have come down.
£6,440 of grant aid was distributed to the community as per the Trust document guidance and it is hoped that the improvement in the Trust finances will enable the Trustees, at the AGM in September, to increase the grant aid in 2026.
Page 5 of 5
The Mere Lecture Hall Trust
April 2026
for the |
Year Ended 30th Jun e-2025 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | 202s e |
2024 | |
| Donations received The Gables - ground floor The Gables - Drama Room The Gables - Top floor ftat Hartfield Courtfield Newport House - Milisonette 1 Newport House - Maisonette 2 Newport House - Office Town & Country House _ office fg*n& Country House _ snookerroom Homelea Truscott Lecture hall Garage |
1 0 6,500 400 7,4A0 10,14A 5,400 6,050 10,500 1,949 5,000 850 9,900 8,1 00 8,467 480 |
5,959 400 6,675 9,740 5,333 6,675 7,555 1,579 5,000 850 9,400 9,100 7,391 480 |
|
| Property direct coslts | 80,945 | 75,135 | |
| Repairs to property - Gables Repairs to property-Courtfield Repairs to property |
2,513 648 |
2,367 95 |
|
| - Newport House Repairs to property - Truscott Repairs to property - Homelea Repairs to property - Lecture Hall Repairs to property -'fown & |
607 9,964 9,714 2,602 |
6,297 95 205 1,955 |
|
| Country House Repairs to property-Ha rtfield |
4,390 4,116 |
600 377 |
|
| 34,444 | 1 1 , 9 9 1 | ||
| GROSS PROFIT | |||
| 46,501 | 63,244 | ||
| Other income | |||
| Deposit account interelst | 446 | 242 | |
| 46,947 | 63,496 | ||
| Establishment costs | |||
| Security Management fees Rates, water, & insurance Cleaning Heating & tighting |
955 6,926 5,666 3,523 2,337 |
623 7,254 5,979 3,050 3,740 |
|
| 19,407 | 20,645 | ||
| Caried forward | |||
| 27,540. | 42,941 |
| for | the Year Ended A0th June | 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brought forward | 2025 E |
e 27,540 |
2024 E |
€ 42,941 |
||
| Administrative expenses Telephone Post and stationery |
313 | 302 | ||||
| Advertising Sundry expenses Accountancy Other professional f,ees Donations & grants |
50 218 650 6,440 |
1 2 50 1 6 700 1,500 7,500 |
||||
| 7,.671 | 10,090 | |||||
| I | l | 1g,g69 | 32,761 | |||
| Depreciation | ||||||
| lmprovements to pro,perty Plant and machinery |
724 161 |
696 143 |
||||
| 885 | 839 | |||||
| NET PROFIT | ||||||
| 1g,gg4 | 31,922 |
| Mere Lecture Hail Trust | Mere Lecture Hail Trust | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance Sheet | |||
| 30th Jun e 2AZ5 | |||
| Notes | 2025 t € |
2024 E t |
|
| FIXED ASSETS | |||
| Tangible assets | |||
| CURRENT ASSETS | 197,263 | 1gg,55g | |
| Trade debtors | |||
| Deposits held by Gilyard Scarth |
923 | 426 | |
| LloydsTSB deposit Bank current account Cash in hand |
% | 6,507 45,688 19,026 843 |
6,332 35,242 1 9,1g3 324 |
| 71,987 | 60,507 | ||
| GURRENT LtABILIllES | |||
| Trade creditors Deposits received fr<lm tenants Accrued expenses |
v04 6,507 7!00 |
679 6,332 700 |
|
| -- | 7,911 | 7,711 | |
| NET ASSETS | 64,076 | 52,796 | |
| 261,339 - |
242,355 - |
||
| FINANCED BY | |||
| CAPITAL ACGOUNT | |||
| 261,339 - |
242,355 |
| cosT | Freehold properfy € |
lmprovements to properfy f |
lmprovements to properfy f |
plant and machinery I |
Fixtures and flttings t |
Totals t |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At 1st Juty 2024 Additions |
159,462 5,662 |
34,903 | 2,72A | 2,179 | 1 99,164 g,5gg |
||||||
| At 30th June 2O2S | 165,124 | 34,903 | 5,647 | 2,179 | 2A7,753 | ||||||
| DEPRECIATION | |||||||||||
| At 1st Juty 2Ct24 Charge for yelar |
5,960 724 |
1,466 161 |
2,179 | 9,605 885 |
|||||||
| At 30th June 2OZs | 6,694 | 1,627 | 2,179 | 10,490 | |||||||
| NET BOOK \/ALUE | |||||||||||
| At 30th June :ZOZ1 | - | 165,124 | 29,119 - |
4,02A | -____. | - | 197,263 | ||||
| At 30th June ?.A24 | 159.462 | - | 29,943 | 1,254 | _ | _ . |
- | 1gg,55g | |||
| 2. | CAPITAL ACCOUNT | ||||||||||
| Brought fonrvard Add |
2425 f 242,355 |
2024 t 210,433 |
|||||||||
| Net profit | 1g,gg4 | 31,922 | |||||||||
| CAP | ITAL ACCOUNT | ||||||||||
| 261.339 | 242,355 |
Fkn•nelal Stsl•nb•nts for th• Y•ar Endod 31)th Jun• 2025 AccntanY5 Reportto Il¢r• Lectsrn H•ll Tnt INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF AIERE LECTURE HALL TRUST I rerort on the nts oftt Tw8t y•ar •nd¢d 3Qh 2025. The charivs trustees are foswnslbje for ol Th• th8rW$ trustee8 nsider tnai an audrt is requred for this ye¥ {uThltt Wltyjn 144) rf thè Charib"86 Act 2011 Ime 2017 Actll and that Indewndenl e¥8mination i¥ . It i& my r•ponsibthty to". examine the acUnIS {underse¢tion 145 ofts 2011 W: to folluw procedures t1 in tr• Ge1 by the Chty commi0 lurdor 8CIth 145{5llb) of the 2011 Acti to 8ts1• ether mattern hwe to nw 8tterf#)n. B"A of dp•rfwrt ex•nlr• w)ri examinstion was ¢and out u[Lxjroae wth the G81 glven ty the Ch Commissk)nefS. An examtnation indudes a ol tt)a acD)untJrrfJ re¢ts kept by th8 tharrty and comparison ol the 8CC(NJnts presenied wrth thoBe ¢s. It also indudes Con$¢0&Tati ol¥ny unusual rf<ems or 10¥urES In the acccwJrrtS 8TrJ seeking explangti)ns from you a¥ trustees eonceming any Sueh matt¢r8, Ths procedwe$ undert&en ¢Jo Th)t wovide 1 the eviderKe that w(NJkl be In •n aLtth( orKI ¢WWtÈrty I do not expresa an ¢)PiFwn on the grven in the ¥counts. Irtyendènl examinorfs statement In comectkin VAth my examknaticffj. no matter has come th rny attenbon whkh me rnajonable ¢auM tr+ believg that. in any matetfal respect the wuirements Ive been metr.- to keep counry recor(Is in Sthn 130 of 2011 . •KI to prepare 8ecountq which S¢[d %7th ¢he aXWllllrvJ rec(Th LxHnpty the K¢oundrwJ requirements of the 2011 Atx. Gordth CnLrtJb 542 Bishops Caundl8 &lerbom8 DT9 5ND