WILTON COMMUNITY CENTRE CHAIRMAN’S REPORT For the period 1st October 2023 to 30 September 2024
Thank you - I would like to thank the representatives of the User Groups here tonight, and the User Groups in general for using the Centre. Without you, there would be little point in supporting and managing the Community Centre. As part of my report this evening, I would like to share with you some of the events and activities that have taken place over the past 12 months, and planned work to be carried out in the Centre.
It has been another busy and successful year here at the Centre. We have experienced some issues with parking, but I believe having approached a number of owners of cars parked here during the day, are now parking elsewhere so that User Groups are able to park when using the Centre.
Considerable funds have been spent on repairs and maintenance, and whilst I don’t want to steal the detail from our Treasurer and his report, just want to touch on some of the items that have been repaired or replaced and the associated costs as I believe it’s important you are informed and can see where some of your money goes.
The roof, following several serious leaks which in turn then caused damage to ceilings and flooring, pushed us to consider replacing the worn and damaged flooring. You may have noticed the new carpet which has been laid in the main hallway earlier on in the year and has really freshened up the internal appearance of Centre. The previous carpet and tiles were laid approximately 25 years ago I am reliably told, so I think we had our monies worth out of them.
New double glazed window units have been fitted into the windows in rooms 1 and 3 as they had blown, and were leaking, which meant amongst other things, the heat was getting out and the rain was getting in. Having inspected all the windows, it was necessary to have 7 new handles fitted to some of the windows too. Here in Room 2, we have a new larger, fully automated projector screen fitted for the princely sum of £140.00. The previous one was torn and half the size.
Room 1 has had new vertical blinds installed as the previous ones were old and disintegrating. This itself was a staggering £700 all of which whilst very expensive, in a south-facing room is utterly essential.
Room 4 was fully decorated, and we now have several User Groups using the room.
The Centre was closed very recently in August for 2 weeks for essential maintenance and decorating of rooms 2 and 3, and including the painting of radiators in all 3 rooms was undertaken and cost approx. £1900.00
Externally, we have had to replace much of the guttering on the southwest wall, and some other parts around the building were repaired and cleaned.
We are still currently considering looking to invest some money into having the front
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door to the Centre having an automated unit fitted to assist with the opening and closing of the door at the push of a button as this will be much more user friendly for able and disabled users of the Centre. However, having had to pay out X number of thousands of pounds on the roof, decorating, servicing and fixing the boiler and new carpets, is still on hold for now.
The Centre was very fortunate to receive a donation of £2000 following the closure of The Burnbake Trust. The team and I would like to express our sincere thanks as this money has been used towards the upkeep and maintenance of this Victorian building. Thank you Phil Matthews for supporting us with that donation.
One of our most recent highlights was the Prize Bingo night held in aid of Salisbury Hospice. A wapping £1304 was raised on the night for the hospice. I cannot thank enough Dawn and Lisa (and Mum Sue) Humphries for reaching out to local businesses in Wilton and Salisbury asking for donations of prizes. The response was terrific, with the likes of Wilton Hardware, The Greyhound, Paloma Lily, The White Hart, Paulton’s Park, Moors Valley, The Playhouse and Salisbury Cathedral, to name but a few. A huge thank you to Teresa Taylor who very kindly supplied the Bingo calling equipment and for calling the numbers on the night. There was also a raffle, which was very popular, and again I would like to thank Alan Crossley, our Mayor for pulling the winning numbers out of the hat, with about 30 seconds notice beforehand.
A couple of other activities and events the Centre has been involved with over the past 12 months that I would like to highlight are the Fovant & Wilton Foodbank, and then The Christmas Lunch organized by William Holmes in December of last year. Regarding the Foodbank, the Trustees were approached by Wiltshire’s Cllr Pauline Church asking for support with the move from the Foodbanks premises at Fovant to Wilton. We then met with the representatives from the Foodbank, Maria & Sam, along with Cllr Church here at the Centre to see if the premises could support with the invaluable work that they do for the wider community. On the 2[nd] of February, just weeks after the initial meeting, the Foodbank successfully re-opened here in Room 4. The Centre arranged for a small amount of work to be undertaken so that the adjoining kitchen area was more suitable in its use for the needs of the Foodbank volunteers and the service they provide.
William Holmes arranged for Christmas lunches to be provided in December last year to local people in the community who really needed it. From memory there were approx. 20/25 people who came along, and with a number of local volunteers, served Christmas dinners here on Christmas Day. Some of our Trustees were here Christmas Eve helping prepare the food and vegetables.
Plans for the next 12 months - trees and drains, and further redecoration of rooms 1 and 3. We will conduct an inspection as we do every year, to see what work is required, agree as a team, then contact the various Trades people that we use and book them in. As it stands, our Trustee/Property Manager Jason Forbes is liasing with several drain companies and tree surgeons as urgent work is required on the drains which keep blocking and then flooding the car park. The trees are in need of some appropriate pruning at the front of the building, and we have quotes coming
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in at around £1400 for the drains and similar for the trimming of the trees. We have yet to decide which companies we will use but it will be happening at some point.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank the Trustees & Management Team of the Community Centre. They are all volunteers and generously contribute their time to helping and supporting the Centre run efficiently.
We currently have 6 Trustees, including with myself as Chair, Jane Fawkus, Roger Best, Alexandra Boyd, Jason Forbes and Tim Croall, with two positions vacant, that of Vice Chair and much more recently, Trustee.
As I shared last year, working alongside the Trustees, we have Carolyn Stammers our Minute Taker who is responsible for producing Trustee and Management meeting minutes.
Doug Stammers, is The Centre’s Treasurer, responsible for managing the Centre’s accounts and producing monthly accounting reports and presenting to the Board and this AGM and Nickkie Pomfritt continues to look after the Centre in her role as Cleaner & caretaker.
Our Booking Secretary, Dawn Humphries, continues to manage all the bookings and also co-ordinates access for all the trades people that we use. So thank you Team, from me.
Earlier this year, after 9 years of wearing the hat of Trustee & Property Manager Ivan Seviour stepped down. Ivan was very helpful and supportive when I joined the team, and I was fortunate to benefit from his knowledge and calm but firm approach, which made my role so much easier than what it could have been. Thank you, Ivan, from myself and the team.
Very recently, Chrissie Musselwhite tendered her resignation as Trustee. Chrissie has been a Trustee for well over 4 years and has made such a strong contribution to shaping how the Centre is run and supporting 1 or 2 of the User Groups – one of which is the Thursday Club, who I’m sure will miss her like we will. I’ll personally miss her sense of humour and support. However, very exciting times for Chrissie and Tim as they move closer to their family in the Cotswolds. We wish Chrissie and Tim all the very best for the future.
I am delighted to share that after advertising the two previous positions this summer, that Lynne Street has applied to take on the role of Vice Chair and Becky Perry applying for the position of Trustee. I am therefore recommending to you this evening that they join the Trustee and Management team here at the Centre having both attended recent Trustee & Management meetings. At some point in the near future, we will advertise for the newly vacant position of Trustee.
We currently have approx. 40 user groups regularly using the Centre, 7 days a week covering a wide range of activities such as: fitness classes; physio treatment; Brownies; choirs, art groups, The Thursday Club, U3A, Pilates, Band Practice, Shuffle Board, Tai Chi, history groups and Wordsmith groups along with ad-hoc
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parties and meetings.
Footfall through the doors still amounts to around 30,000 per annum and if you want the details of your group’s activities shared on the Centre’s website, then please get in touch with us and we would be delighted to share.
And lastly, just to reference for peace of mind, all the Centre’s policies are displayed on our website and the Risk Assessment (covering Health & Safety and fire) is reviewed annually, and all safety equipment is regularly tested, in line with appropriate recommendations.
This concludes my report for 2024. Thank you. Happy to take any questions.
Jason Barnes Chairman of Trustees – Wilton Community Centre 14th October 2024
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WILTON COMMUNITY CENTRE Attounts Forthe Year ended 3111 Marth 2024
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WILTON COMMUNITY CENTRE Independent Examinerfs Reportto the Trustees of WILTON COMMUNITY CENTRE I report on the accounts of Wilton Community Centre (Charity Number 2780261 for the year ended 31st March 2024 The charity's trLJStees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustèes consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144121 of the Charities Aot 2011 Ithe 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to". examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act., * to follow the procedLSres laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act., and • to stste whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of indèpèndent examiner's report My examination was carried out in aeeordance wth the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration ol any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanations from the trustees conceming any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair. view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent examinor's Statement In connecb.on with my examinatson, no matter has come to my attenty'on.. 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements." . to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act.. and . to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met". or 2. to which, in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding ef the aUnIS lo be reached. Cliffor(l Fry & Co LLP Chartered Accountsnts St Mary's House Netherhampton Salisbury Wiltshire SP2 8PU Page 3