## Gaskell Memorial Hall, Silverdale, Lancashire Registered Charity 225842 Trustee Report for 1/1/22-31/3/23 ## Overview The Gaskell Hall was opened in 1931 and is named after Elizabeth Gaskell, the novelist who regularly stayed in the village. The hall was originally designed with the local amateur dramatics society, the Silverdale Village Players in mind. The Village Players continue to put on 2-3 productions a year including a Christmas Pantomime. The Hall has two main rooms that can be booked for a variety of activities. The Hall is used regularly by village and outside groups for many events and activities, including, yoga, Pilates, coffee mornings, theatrical productions, linedancing, country-dancing, badminton, W.I, private parties, weddings, lectures, concerts, public meetings etc. ## Governance The Gaskell Hall charity holds the land and buildings conveyed in trust for the purpose of “physical and mental recreation and social, moral and intellectual development through the medium of reading and recreation rooms, library, lectures, classes, recreations and entertainments or otherwise as may be found expedient for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Silverdale in the County of Lancashire and its immediate vicinity without distinction of sex or of political, religious or other opinions”. The new Gaskell Hall Constitution came into effect on 22 July 2021, this replaced the original Conveyance of 1930. The hall is managed by a Committee composed of a maximum of 17 trustees, who can be nominated by eligible groups, elected or co-opted. The minimum number of trustees is 7. Trustees can be elected or co-opted to fill vacancies if there are fewer than 17 representative trustees. No decision shall be taken at a meeting unless a quorum is present. The quorum is defined as 2 Trustees or one third of the total number, whichever is the greater. The eligible groups are who can nominate Trustees are; Silverdale Village Players Silverdale Bowling Club Silverdale Cricket Club Silverdale Golf Club Silverdale Village Institute Silverdale Horticultural and Gardening Society Silverdale Art Group Silverdale Women’s Institute At least 4 trustees are to be inhabitants of the Area of Benefit. All trustees, however appointed, have the same voting rights. The management committee can also co-opt additional volunteers or paid officers to fulfil supporting roles and provide advice as necessary, on a temporary basis. These are not trustees and do not have a vote. Members of the Committee fulfil the following posts; Chairman Secretary Treasurer Bookings Secretary Fund Raising & Events Cleaning and Caretaking duties are performed by a third party. ## Major work carried out and changes made in this period - There has been work completed on the floor, roof and the clock, with a new kitchen door and an update of the website. - A new Management protocol has been adopted. - A Calendar of Business has been created and is reviewed at each meeting - The Hiring agreements were updated. - All the electrics have been checked and made EICR compliant. Similarly with the heating, and a new remote heating control system is in place to reduce costs. - Fire safety inspections have resulted in installation of new smoke alarms and more regular checks of the system. - New risk assessments have been written, and all inspections are now up to date. - The hall is a designated Village Safety Centre and there is now an Emergency Plan which has been developed by the Silverdale Parish Council. - Committee members attended a Training session. ## Bookings The Hall Bookings have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels but are slowly increasing. In particular the weekly Saturday Coffee Mornings are sporadic. We also are suffering due to competition from other local venues. Despite the reduction in Bookings we just about manage to run the Hall without dipping into reserves. ## Current Issues No serious incidents have been reported. The Hall itself continues to provide us with ongoing maintenance problems and we no sooner seem to solve one, then we move onto another. We have a very dedicated management committee, and some members put in inordinate amounts of effort and time. Unfortunately we lost a few lynch pins all at the same time, all people who had done their stint and worked hard over the years. It has been difficult to recruit new Committee Members and it would be good if we could find some younger volunteers. Following on from the flexibility afforded to us by the new constitution, we are in a much better place than we were a few years ago. The change of the financial year end from 31 December to 31 March, has meant that this report covers 15 months rather than the usual 12 months data. This 15 month period has resulted in us reporting income of over £25,000 for the first time and hence falling into more onerous reporting requirements. This coupled with not having a full quota for the for the committee for the last year has unfortunately led to our Charity Commission return being late. Fortunately we now have a full team, which bodes well for the future. GASKELL MEMORIAL HALL Silverdale Registered Charity No. 225842 Annual Accounts year ening 3111 March 2023 INCOME EXPENDtTURE 2022-23 £6,152.20 £700.00 Hlre of Ha Donatlon8 £15,829.75 £5.021.80, AdITm￿YnntinthlSta Car•tsklnwLaundry GH Exwn8es £81.75 £2.574.00 £929.95 £7.101.20 £337.50 GH COMMItt￿ Evwrfs SVP don for El•ciric £12.470.92 Gran18 ILLC-Q)vldl Bank Intsr•8t £1.W2.28 £5,389.19 £4,723.76 £4,517.13 £403.41 £675.TrJ £3.133.40 £175.39 £80.97 H•gUng 011 R8palr8Nalnten8Th Renewa16Equipmonl £2.667.Crf) £67.58 £1.025.07 £10,982.88 £183.45 £2.475.27 £77.88 £402.68 Sundri £19,880.82 TOTAL £25.948.39 £21.684.01 TOT £28,281.20 Assgrs £864.45 Cash kn hand É7,626.70 Bank Account- oj￿nI £7.553.13 Bank Acc- (regenernlh)n fvndl £15,844.28 TOTAL £430. £7.740 71 £15,511.47 Treasurer Accounts for Gaskell Hall Silverdale all checked by Mr Adrian Garn, 27 The Row, Silverdale. April 2024