www.rwc.org.uk
ROTTINGDEAN WHITEWAY CENTRE
ANNUAL REPORT 2024
AGM THURSDAY 20 MARCH 2025 AT 7.30PM @WHITEWAY CENTRE
ROTTINGDEAN WHITEWAY CENTRE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS IN THE COMMUNITY IN 2024
CHAIR’S REPORT - BILL MCNAUGHT
This is my first Chairman’s report since taking on the role around the middle of last year, and I’m pleased to say that it’s been a privilege to work with such a dedicated and enthusiastic team of committee members, RWC staff and other volunteers. I want to start by thanking them all for their effort and support over the past year.
Committee members with specific responsibilities have included a summary of their activities in this Annual Report, so I do not want to replicate what is reported elsewhere, and you will hear much of the detail during the AGM.
However, I do need to mention some of the changes to the Management Committee and the challenges we face going forward.
It is inevitable that some of our volunteers eventually leave us, for a variety of reasons, and sometimes after many years of valuable service. Recruiting replacements can often be a difficult and lengthy process, largely because there seem to be fewer people willing to undertake voluntary work. This is a problem not unique to the RWC, all charities and similar organisations are facing the same difficulties. If you think you would like to ‘do your bit for the community’ and help keep this fantastic asset running, please get in touch.
For much of 2024, Stewart Hutchinson did a great job covering both the roles of Building Officer and Bursar. Fortunately, towards the end of last year, we were able to recruit Colin Alexander as the new Building Officer, but we are still looking for someone to fill the Bursar role. Hopefully, once a Bursar is recruited, these new appointments will allow Stewart to enjoy his well-deserved retirement from the committee and we thank him sincerely for all that he has done for the RWC.
Angela Hoole, our Education Course Organiser, has also decided to leave and we are extremely grateful that Caroline Ellis agreed to take up the role at the end of last year. Angela leaves with our thanks and best wishes, sadly the Centre is losing another great volunteer.
Our Special Events Organiser, Peter Hewetson-Brown, expressed a desire to step down some time ago, but to date a replacement remains elusive. Peter has been a long-term volunteer, and he deserves special thanks for continuing to run these events long after he expected to ‘retire’.
The other changes to the committee during 2024 have been -
Katie Storey had joined in 2023 as our Website volunteer. She left in July 2024 as she moved back to Oxford.
-
Dawon Lee joined in 2024 to be the User Group volunteer but left in June 2024 when she took on a full-time paid position. Mita Patel also joined in 2024, taking on responsibility for enrolments. She left June 2024 to spend more time with her new grandchild in Dubai.
-
Lindsay Winter joined at the 2024 AGM as a representative from a User Group (Bridge). Initially without an additional role, she took over Enrolments when Mita left.
-
Angelina Chan joined in 2024 in the newly created role of Payroll Officer to cover both caretaker and tutor pay, previously undertaken by Lynn.
Virginia Fung joined in 2024 to take on the Website role from Katie, and to take over the Gdrive from Lynn.
I must thank Lynn, the previous Chair, who works tirelessly to ensure the Centre runs smoothly, and who has covered many of the vacant committee roles in recent years. Lynn is one of the key volunteers and her guidance and advice has been of enormous help to me in my first few months.
On 20th April last year the Centre celebrated its 50th Anniversary when we opened our doors to visitors with free refreshments, a bouncy castle and a speech from the mayor. There is now a plaque outside to commemorate this important milestone in our history. I’m sure with the right support we can look forward to another successful 50 years.
Lastly, a big thank you to all our users - people who attend our courses and special events, clubs that use our facilities, families and individuals who book rooms, and of course the Apple Tree Nursery who use the Centre 5 days/week. You all make the Centre the vibrant community facility it is today.
page 02 Annual Report
TREASURER’S FINANCIAL REPORT - CLAIRE JOHNSON
Year End 2024
Income
Altogether, total income was £118,885, 19% over the budget of £99,625.
Education courses gross income was £78,174, 26% above the budget of £58,000.
User Groups, single lettings and income from the nursery were all around budget levels, total £38,283, £158 above budget of £38,125 with User Groups just below at £11,866 (5% below budget) and single lets just above at £5,103 (2% above budget).
Special Educational events raised £4,192, against a budget of £1,500.
Expenditure
Running costs for 2024 totalled £123,364. This was over budget by £3,964.
Modernisation/reserves was over budget by £1,995 at £21,995. The was spent on the modernisation of the GB room, resurfacing the car park, the new noticeboard opposite the Plough and the unexpected need for a new boiler.
The Repairs and Maintenance budget of £8,100 was over budget by £1,400.
The staffing costs were over budget due to under-budgeting last year.
Operating costs, especially gas and electricity have seen unavoidable rises which were budgeted for. The water bill was over budget by £1,270.
Surplus/Deficit
We were budgeted to have a deficit of £19,775 but ended with a deficit of £4,479. We took £18,000 out of the reserves to cover cash flow problems during the summer.
Financial Stability and Reserves
Rottingdean Whiteway Centre is financially stable with a healthy surplus in reserves. We have reserves of £104,440 and an agreed policy that we should keep reserves at a level between 6 and 9 months (between £61,700 and £92,500).
A summary of the year-end Accounts can be found in Appendix 1.
page 03
Annual Report
ROOM LETTINGS REPORT - JO NEWMAN
There were 291 booking items this year: Commercial bookings – 23 User Groups – 143 Single Bookings – 103 Nursery – 19 RWC – 3 – for building works
Many of these are for multiple bookings:
| Commericial | User Groups | Nursery | Single | Total sessions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | 458 | 294 | 103 | 933 |
-
Board Games group started in February. Amy, Ewan and I went in January and there were about 30 people there. Lots of enthusiasm and a really nice welcoming, friendly group. Karate left in January and came back and left
-
‘Drop in’ Meditation started in March
-
We had a large number of bookings from Pocket of Light theatre group who have performed their play in Brighton and are hoping to take it to London. I went to see it and it was very good
-
Yoga finished in February – as she was offered a free space at the Lido
-
Ballet sadly finished at the end of the summer term as the teacher retired. Attempts to find another dance teacher have not been successful so far.
Cancellations seemed to increase this year – with 23 Single bookings and 4 User Group bookings cancelled. The reasons varied from two people from one group both making a booking for the same event (a User Group thing) to non-payment and no communication in response to requests for payment (a single booking thing). Interestingly 2 of these were for people wanting to teach people how to set up a business.
There were also 13 bookings rejected. Some of these were because people booked twice or had too many people but most of them were because people booked for a date and time when the room was not available.
Regular Users now seem to be going strong. 2013
Interesting bookings are Doggy First Aid, Cook Stars running cookery classes for children and a sound bath.
As ever the total monies will not match the treasurer’s figures. Bookings made before the start of the year and paid for in 2023 will still show up on 2024 occupancy reports.
Single Lets Total: £6,348
User Groups 15 Regular User Groups Total: £11,967
Commercial & for Profit 4 Regular Users (2 now left) and 2 Occasional Users Total: £3,288
Nursery Total : £ 20,680.59
GRAND TOTAL: £ 42,283.59
page 04
Annual Report
EDUCATION REPORT - ANGELA HOOLE & CAROLINE ELLIS
Course organisation and enrolments
Following on from an active 2023, 2024 was a varied year in terms of course provision and student attendance.
There were more five-week courses in Group Singing, Pilates and a new Introduction to Bridge in the autumn term. There were also four taster sessions, which were well recieved but numbers were low.
| Spring | Summer | Autumn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Courses | 33 | 29 | 37 |
| 2024 Courses | 34 | 31 | 41 |
| 2023 Attendance | 304 | 238 | 383 |
| 2024 Attendance | 372 | 291 | 408 |
In 2024 a total of 106 (99 in 2023) courses were run with 1,071 attendees (925 in 2023), most were face to face, but some were via Zoom. However, it should be noted that the increase in shorter courses does not necessarily translate to longer teaching hours
| Art Fitness and Wellbeing History and Geography Languages Other (creative writing, music, current affairs, singing, astronomy, Bridge) Total |
Courses | Attendees |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | 293 | |
| 21 | 203 | |
| 8 | 111 | |
| 36 | 252 | |
| 18 | 212 | |
| 106 | 1,071 |
The standard fee for a 10-week course was increased to £97 and the bursary scheme, to help those who might have difficulty paying course fees, is still available.
page 05
Annual Report
PUBLICITY AND SOCIAL MEDIA - WENDY SWIFT
I am delighted that we have been able to increase the amount of publicity we’ve undertaken over the last 12 months, not only to keep our current students informed about the courses and events we run, but also to reach a wider network in the community.
We promote our courses and Special Events in the Rottingdean Village News, The Deans Magazine and now also in the Seaford Scene and I’d like to say a big thank you to Roger, Sam and Fran who help us do this In addition, we include details of the courses and Special Events in the Brighton & Hove Arts Council publications and, where appropriate, on the TV screens in the Rottingdean and Woodingdean libraries.
Our newsletters have been going out much more frequently this year - particularly as we had so much activity to promote. Over 19 newsletters have been sent and reach well over 1,000 people. This helps to keep those people who have signed up to the newsletters informed about events we are running or when courses launch.
Details of all our events and courses are included in our noticeboard, which is at the end of Whiteway Lane (opposite The Plough).
This year we also invested in a Rottingdean Whiteway Centre banner, which we used at our 50th birthday celebrations and also at the Village Fair. We also used these opportunities to publicise and celebrate our tutors and the User Groups who meet in the Centre.
Our 50th anniversay celebrations, where we hosted many of the community.
Annual Report
page 06
BUILDING REPORT - COLIN ALEXANDER
I joined the committee team in 2024, taking over from Stewart Hutchinson who was covering both the Bursar and Buildings Manager roles.
My task is to make sure the buildings are maintained and safe for all.
It has been another busy year. Between Colin and Stewart, the following were completed at the Centre:
The flat roof above the corridor was resurfaced Radiators in the youth hall had new valves fitted A new vinyl floor was fitted in the GB room
A new door mat was fitted at the front door Two new lights were fitted in the main hall Fire safety inspections were carried out
A new hand dryer was fitted in the girls toilet in the youth hall The car park was resurfaced
A new exterior light was fitted above the main hall emergency exit doors to the car park A new gas boiler was installed
Lagged pipes in the boiler room to reduce the wasted heat in that area Taps replaced in youth room hall girls toilets as they were not sealing and so wasting water Faulty taps replaced and sink fixed in the main ladies toilet Portable appliances tested
BURSAR REPORT - STEWART HUTCHINSON
- The Centre continues to operate effectively with the three part-time caretakers doing daily cleaning and setups. Any issues are dealt with promptly.
External windows are cleaned and gutters cleared of leaves. Hand sanitiser continues to be provided throughout the building.
The wearing of face masks is at the discretion of the individual. Some damaged chairs were repaired and others disposed of. New chairs were purchased. A new notice board was purchased and fitted at the end of Whiteway Lane. 01. Strategy #01 02. Strategy #02 During the summer we had a volunteer gardener. After he left, our caretaker, Tom Welfare, agreed to take care of the garden area.
A 'no dogs' sign was fitted near the front door.
The edges of the raised flower bed and the low wall near the bin store were painted white, so as to reduce a trip hazard. adipiscing elit. Pellentesque sit amet A new tap was fitted to the Lincat boiler in the kitchen. A new flipchart stand was purchased to replace a defective unit. ligula ipsum. Vestibulum massa libero, Profit from the supply of refreshments was £1,034.
Vestibulum sit amet mauris ac mi facilisis
hendrerit.
WEBSITE ADMINISTRATION REPORT - VIRGINIA FUNG Strategy #03 04. Strategy #04
In May 2024, i joined the committee team as the website administrator, succeeding Katie Storey.
During the reporting period, the website operated largely well, although we encountered some issues with the room booking system. Jo Newman and I are currently collaborating with Ian, our website developer, to resolve these issues. In addition, various enhancements were made to the website throughout the year.
The main page was updated with a banner featuring three photos that showcase the vibrant spirit of RWC. Moreover, more updates were published in the "News" section of the website. Over the course of the year, seventeen pieces of updates were published, including thirteen issues of the RWC Newsletter, ensuring that the community remains informed and engaged.
In addition, some functions of the Content Management System were improved to make it more user-friendly, including adding a search function to the course list page and the tutor list page, as well as the option to select different font sizes on the special events page.
Course information for the spring term was also published, providing the community with all the necessary details.
Annual Report
page 07
SPECIAL EVENTS - PETER HEWETSON-BROWN
I have been doing the Special Events for nearly four years now. The first talk I set up was on 20 November 2021 when Judie English spoke on Cave and Rock art around the World and there have been 36 since then, with others arranged until February 2026.
Numbers in the audience have varied but, apart from one on Microbial Resistance where there were just eight in the audience, the average number has been around 31.
In the summer of 2024, there was a very fruitful collaboration with Rottingdean Heritage on three talks; at a time when RWC do not put on these talks as many people are away. However, it meant we had a whole new constituency of students giving us quite high numbers in the audience.
The last eleven talks beginning on 6 April 2024 have brought in £3,496 for the Centre.
I have tried to arrange talks so they cover a wide range of interests. They normally include something on medicine, art, science, history, archaeology and local Sussex history, Brighton in particular. Talks every three weeks or so have kept the profile of the Whiteway Centre in the public eye while the ten-week courses are running.
I have been helped enormously by some of our regular tutors, in particular, Dr. Geoffry Mead, Dr David Rudling and Dr Judie English. The use of the head microphone and speakers has meant the audience is much better able to hear. The wine and nibbles in the interval during Friday evening talks have been popular.
The programme is always changing so, from time to time, please go to the RWC website – rwc.org.uk – and head for the Special Events tab to see what is available.
I also give my thanks to the caretakers, in particular, Richard Haynes, who does the setting up of the chairs and technical equipment. I also wish to give my special thanks to Lynn and Stewart Hutchinson who have faithfully come to every talk to help me run it when I am sure they would have preferred to spend their evening doing something else.
Why I became a Volunteer.
I was press ganged!! Not really, but as I was on the committee of a User Group, Rottingdean Bridge Club, we were all asked by our Chair if one of us would join the Management Committee of RWC and a volunteer was asked for. One of us had already served on the Committee and Chaired RWC and the others lived in deepest darkest Hove…I felt obliged to throw my hat into the ring.
So there I was at last year’s AGM, firstly I was pleasantly surprised at how welcoming everyone was and secondly, before I knew it, I was sitting in a cafe with Lynn looking at a job description, nodding and mumbling about how useless I was with a computer. Maybe she didn’t believe me, but she does now along with several other members of the Committee! We needed someone to take on the role of Enrolment so I was given that task under the tutelage of Angela.
And it’s been brilliant!!!
Slowly I have gained skills and confidence within one of the most supportive environments ever, the obstacles I have imagined have melted away. My recently retired husband and I like to travel, not a problem, a family bereavement, not a problem, many of us can cross cover each other’s jobs so we can holiday or take time out if necessary, I am hoping that I too can take on some of this for colleagues.
As well as our lovely volunteers I have met and spoken to wonderful tutors and a myriad of students, helping them with any enrolment issues has and hopefully will continue to give me tremendous satisfaction.
Finally, having lived near Rottingdean for well over 30 years, I have flitted in and out, shopping, swimming, eating and drinking…..but now I feel part of the community and useful. If only I could bottle and sell it?
Lyndsay Winter
page 08 Annual Report
Appendix 1
Summary as of 31st December 2024
| Summary as of 31st December 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | |||||||
| Spend | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Budget | Spend | |
| Tutors Wages Tutors Tax and | £28,315 | £24,287 | £32,537 | £38,453 | £ | 40,000.00 | £40,243.03 |
| NIC Staff Wages Staff Tax and | £1,268 | £4,239 | £3,144 | £3,832 | £ | 3,000.00 | £3,556.44 |
| NIC Payroll Services Travel | £14,564 | £12,504 | £17,383 | £18,665 | £ | 18,500.00 | £20,799.16 |
| Expenses Staffing Costs |
£1,050 | £2,468 | £2,482 | £2,531 | £ | 2,800.00 | £2,363.00 |
| Repairs & Maintenance |
£1,710 | £1,452 | £840 | £1,373 | £ | 1,700.00 | £1,914.30 |
| Modernisation/ Reserves |
£0 | £121 | £36 | £35 | £ | 100.00 | £0.00 |
| Furnishings & Equipment |
£46,907 | £45,071 | £56,422 | £64,889 | £ | 66,100.00 | £68,875.93 |
| Inspections, Health & Safety Computer Hardware Cleaning Garden Centre Upkeep Insurance Business Rates Electricity Gas Wa ter Phones & Wifi Web site Operating Costs Printing and Advertising Stationery & Postage Software (Zoom & Antivirus) 50th Event Costs |
£6,546 £0 £412 £34 £374 £0 £268 £7,634 £1,512 £79 |
£3,390 £25,180 £560 £775 £460 £2,339 £158 £32,862 £1,487 £154 |
£2,283 £7,639 £377 £526 £0 £1,253 £20 £12,098 £2,130 £409 |
£8,434 £27,468 £611 £1,185 £1,233 £1,350 £0 £40,281 £1,302 £189 |
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ |
8,100.00 20,000.00 2,800.00 1,000.00 - 1,400.00 200.00 33,500.00 1,800.00 |
£9,525.78 £21,994.14 £1,861.28 £620.31 £8.95 £1,438.06 £0.00 £35,448.52 £1,685.23 £163.17 |
| Refreshments Professional Services Bank Charges Stripe/Sumup Fees Training Gifts Health & Safety Purchases |
£1,049 £2,827 £717 £633 £0 £6,817 £1,740 £22 |
£1,604 £4,029 £617 £632 £8,377 £16,899 £856 £49 |
£731 £5,088 £1,249 £663 £849 £11,120 £644 £86 £98 £0 |
£2,454 £5,823 £1,907 £798 £818 £13,292 £709 £104 £183 £0 |
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ |
200.00 3,600.00 6,000.00 1,400.00 700.00 2,800.00 16,500.00 750.00 100.00 250.00 |
£3,550.61 £5,618.92 £2,671.40 £737.71 £935.86 £15,362.90 £919.05 £130.52 £183.06 £117.07 |
| £0 £0 £128 £106 £0 £208 £40 |
£0 £0 £194 £96 £726 £0 £0 |
£531 £1,227 £81 £1,268 £0 £50 £14 |
£0 £444 £69 £1,520 £50 £38 £3 |
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ |
- - 500.00 100.00 1,400.00 100.00 50.00 50.00 |
£0.00 £364.03 £60.00 £1,762.56 £112.50 £27.53 £0.00 |
|
| £50 | £23 | £ | |||||
| Service Costs | £2,507 | £2,314 | £4,000 | £3,120 | £ | 3,300.00 | £3,676.32 |
| Total Spend | £63,865 | £97,146 | £83,640 | £121,581 | £119,400 | £123,363.67 | |
| Income | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Budget | 2024 | |
| Adult Education Courses | £35,145 | £45,627 | £56,622 | £68,113 | £ | 58,000.00 | £73,174.18 |
| User Group Room Hire | £8,444 | £11,618 | £18,353 | £13,813 | £ | 12,500.00 | £11,866.00 |
| Single Let Room Hire | £215 | £3,675 | £6,725 | £5,218 | £ | 5,000.00 | £5,102.50 |
| Special Education Events | £0 | £280 | £2,094 | £2,142 | £ | 1,500.00 | £4,192.20 |
| Non-Education Events | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £ | 500.00 | £676.52 |
| Apple Tree Nursery | £0 | £20,625 | £ | 20,625.00 | £21,314.00 | ||
| Refreshments Photocopy Fees Village Fair Don ati ons Oth er Interest Covid 19 Grant & Payroll Total Income |
£633 £0 £0 £1,750 £0 £0 £18,377 |
£72 £40 £0 £0 £0 £0 £28,032 |
£551 £0 £970 £0 £0 £22 £0 |
£573 £0 £436 £13 £179 £51 £0 |
£ £ £ £ £ £ |
450.00 - 1,000.00 - - 50.00 - |
£1,034.98 £0.00 £1,174.26 £312.50 £0.00 £37.76 £0.00 |
| Income less spend | £64,777 £913 |
£89,713 -£7,433 |
£85,998 £2,359 |
£111,163 -£10,417 |
£99,625 -£19,775 |
£118,884.90 -£4,478.77 |
| Accounts Balance | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End 2020 End 2021 |
End 2022 | End 2023 | 31 December 2024 | ||
| CAF Current | 67,233.29 27,581.85 |
29,940.77 | 19,523.40 | 33,034.63 | * |
| Savings Accounts | |||||
| CAF Gold Account | ** 32,221.26 |
32,344.44 | 32,951.5 | 15,471.33 | * |
| COIF Short Duration Bond | 31,538.17 30,078.60 | 25,298.41 | 7 | 28,182.05 | |
| COIF Investment (R) | 43,142.84 46,752.08 | 46,217.42 | 27,132.8 | 54,837.30 | |
| COIF Deposit (C) | 3,379.97 2,534.49 |
4,156.48 | 5 4980.29 |
5,949.00 | |
| Total Savings | 77,215.50 112,431.91 | 108,016.75 | 51,787.4 2 116,852.13 |
104,439.68 | |
| Grand Total | 144,448.79 140,013.76 | 137,957.52 | 136,375.53 | 137,474.31 |
**Moved to current acct
*£18000 transferred from Gold acct
Appendix 2
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Rottingdean Whiteway Centre members of
On accounts for the year 31 December 2024 Charity no 264853 ended (if any)
Set out on pages
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 12 / 2024.
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of Responsibilities and the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 basis of report (“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.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have Independent come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ) in connection with examiner's statement* 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.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Date: 3 March 2025 Name: Ewan Wilkie
1
October 2018
IER
Relevant professional Chartered accountant, member of ICAEW qualification(s) or body (if any):
Address: 9 Rottingdean Place, Falmer Road Rottingdean BN2 7FS
----- Start of picture text -----
Section B Disclosure
----- End of picture text -----
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
2
October 2018
IER
Give here brief details of No matters to note in this section any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
3
October 2018
IER