## **Report of the Trustees and Accounts for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 for**
## **Caversham Hall**
(registered charity number 234438)
Simon Porter FCA 1 Prospect Street Caversham Reading Berkshire RG4 8JB
**Caversham Hall**
**(registered charity number 234438)**
## **Report of the Trustees**
## **for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
The Trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **Registered Charity number**
234438
## **Caversham Hall address**
St John's Road Caversham Reading Berkshire RG4 5AN
## **Registered office**
2 Wolsey Road Caversham Reading Berkshire RG4 8BY
## **Trustees**
Marie Elizabeth Barnett Mrs Ann Deane Appointed August 2024 Ken Deane Chair (deceased April 2024) Mrs Sue McQueen Alastair Muirhead Chair (appointed August 2024)
## **Independent Examiner**
Simon Porter FCA 1 Prospect Street Caversham Reading Berkshire RG4 8JB
Page 1
**Caversham Hall (registered charity number 234438)**
## **Report of the Trustees**
## **for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **Purpose and Overview**
The purpose of the charity is the provision of a hall to rent at low cost for community benefit.
In 1892 the land was transferred into trust, and covenants over the property mean that it has to be used for institutional, educational, recreational and social purposes, and that the trustees may charge for such use. Any excess funds are to be held as a reserve fund in a bank account. If the income is insufficient or the trustees determine that the continuance of the trust is no longer justified, then the hall shall be sold and the proceeds given to the Royal Berkshire Hospital. Under a title registered on 23 July 2008, the property is held in trust by Susan Mary McQueen, Kenneth George Deane, Jean Evans and Jeff Horncastle.
There are to be at least four trustees, and two represent a quorum.
## **Objectives and activities**
The charity's aim is to provide low cost facilities rental to support those living in Lower Caversham. In 2023 a ten-year lease was signed for the whole of the car park, generating a yearly rental of £13,000, with a rent review after five years.
Recurring and party bookings increased well over the year.
An exercise to compare similar venues was conducted and it was agreed both hall and hire charges would increase from 1st January 2025 across all rates.
The hall website continues to function well and continues to generate more recurring and party hire bookings, while the booking platform, Hallmaster, also continues to work well for managing bookings and invoicing.
The car park rental continues to bring in valuable revenue – £13,000 p.a. and a review of the contract and current rental price will be assessed when rent review takes place in 2027.
The bills were monitored and a new contract fixed for both Electricity and Gas with Easy2 Switch UK Ltd who specialise in providing rates for charities. The new contract will run from February 2026.
The bell tower, which sat on the hall roof, had developed a lean and on inspection by a Chartered Surveyor it was determined that it needed to be removed before it collapsed.
Removal took some time to arrange, including having the local diocese agree to the erection of scaffolding that would rest on the drive of the neighbouring vicarage. Removal was completed and the roof made watertight in March 2024.
It has subsequently been decided that the costs of replacing the tower are too great to bear so unfortunately, it would appear this landmark has, sadly, now gone forever.
Page 2
**Caversham Hall (registered charity number 234438)**
**Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **Objectives and activities (continued)**
The ageing gas boiler was serviced and while it had a new fan and gas valve fitted it broke down irreparably shortly after. Following a tendering process, a supplier was selected, and a new boiler fitted along with new header tank and associated piping and pump. This was completed on 22nd November 2024.
Running repairs were made as and when necessary.
The condition of the roof was addressed, and it was decided to replace various loose tiles and to repair guttering where required. To be completed in 2025.
## **Trustees**
The Trustees are kept in constant touch by email, text message and in-person.
Mrs Ann Deane agreed to become a Trustee after the death of her husband and former Chairman, Kenneth in April 2024.
The age of the existing Trustees has been noted, and it has been proposed to try to recruit some younger trustees to ensure the future running of the hall. This is a work in progress.
The Trustees work well together, continuing to uphold the guidelines in the constitution making Caversham Hall a place for the people of Lower Caversham and surrounding area to enjoy the facilities which we hold in trust for future years.
## **Reserves Policy**
The trustees look to hold sufficient reserves to meet operating costs for a period of at least six months, and to hold a contingency against unforeseen maintenance or repair costs.
Alastair Muirhead Chairman of Trustees 2 October 2025
Page 3
**Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Caversham Hall (registered charity number 234438)**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 December 2024.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
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 material respect:
- accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Simon Porter FCA 1 Prospect Street Caversham Reading Berkshire RG4 8JB
2 October 2025
Page 4
**Caversham Hall (registered charity number 234438)**
## **Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
Note
£
**INCOMING RESOURCES**
**Incoming resources from generated funds**
Voluntary income
2
43,672
Investment income
3
121
**Total Incoming Resources**
43,793
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**Cost of generating funds**
Fundraising trading: cost of goods sold
and other costs
223
Governance costs
250
Other resources expended
4
33,558
**Total Resources Expended**
34,031
**NET INCOMING RESOURCES**
9,762
**Total funds brought forward**
36,976
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**
46,738||2024|**Total**
**Funds**
£
43,672
121
43,793
223
250
33,558
34,031
9,762
36,976
46,738|2023|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Restricted**
**funds**
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-||**Total**
**Funds**
£
41,541
77|
|||||41,618|
|||||213
50
40,544|
|||||40,807|
|||||811
36,165|
|||||36,976|
**The notes form part of these financial statements**
Page 5
**Caversham Hall (registered charity number 234438)**
## **Balance Sheet**
## **At 31 December 2024**
|**Balance Sheet**
**At 31 December 2024**|||
|---|---|---|
|**Unrestricted Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
Note
£
£
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Cash at bank and in hand
46,738
-
46,738
-
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
46,738
-
**NET ASSETS**
46,738
-
**FUNDS**
Unrestricted funds|**2024**
**Total**
**funds**
£
46,738
46,738
46,738
46,738
46,738
46,738|**2023**
**Total**
**funds**
£
36,976|
|||36,976|
|||36,976|
||||
|||36,976|
|||36,976|
|||36,976|
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 2 October 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:
Alastair Muirhead Chairman of Trustees
**The notes form part of these financial statements**
Page 6
**Caversham Hall (registered charity number 234438)**
**Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of Accounting**
The accounts have been prepared using cash accounting under the historic cost convention.
## **Resources expended**
Expenditure is accounted for on a cash basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost relating to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of
## **Taxation**
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
|**2.**
**VOLUNTARY INCOME**
Lettings income
Rental income
Insurance claim income
**3.**
**INVESTMENT INCOME**
Deposit account interest|2024
£
30,672
13,000
-
43,672
121|2023
£
25,658
13,300
2,583|
|---|---|---|
|||41,541|
|||77|
## **4. SUPPORT COSTS**
During the year the charity spent £4,980 (2023 - £12,300) with McQueen Consultancy, a business run by a family member of one of the trustees. The trustees satisfied themselves that this money was correctly authorised and spent, in order to maintain the administrative systems of the charity .
## **5. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS**
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 December 2024 (2023 - nil).
|**6.**
**STAFF COSTS**
Wages and salaries|2024
£
4,630
4,630|2023
£
4,630|
|---|---|---|
|||4,630|
Page 7
**Caversham Hall (registered charity number 234438)**
## **Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
|**INCOMING RESOURCES**
**Voluntary income**
Lettings income
Rental income
Insurance claim
**Investment income**
Deposit account interest
**TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES**
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**Fundraising trading: cost of goods and other costs**
Supplies
**Governance costs**
Independent examination
**Support costs**
**Management**
Wages
Insurance
Light and heat
Rates and trade waste
Maintenance
Window cleaning
Fire extinguishers
IT support
Accountancy
Marketing
Subscriptions
Sundry
Returned deposits
**Finance**
Bank charges
**TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**NET INCOME**|2024
£
30,672
13,000
-
43,672
121
43,793
223
250
4,630
2,071
3,710
272
13,957
340
-
4,980
115
30
265
73
3,115
33,558
-
34,031
9,762|2023
£
25,658
13,300
2,583|
|---|---|---|
|||41,541
77|
|||41,618|
|||213
50
4,630
1,561
3,030
254
14,688
340
430
12,300
115
-
383
20
2,793|
|||40,544
-|
|||40,807|
||||
|||811|
## **This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements**
Page 8