Reach Village Centre – Annual Report
September 2024
Community use of the hall
Good use has been made of the hall in the past year, for various clubs, events, elections etc. This looks set to continue and grow as opportunities are developed (by Helen Oliver and Claire Halpin) for a growing number of arts, education and health and fitness activities.
Repairs and maintenance
Towards the end of 2023 the lead roofing from the porch/entrance hall was stolen. This led to a protracted episode of obtaining quotes for repairs and negotiating with the insurers (Aviva) – much of this led by Andrew Trump. The work was finally completed with the new signage put in place in July.
The ventilation cowls on the roof are in a very poor state of repair. The ECDC Conservation Officer has confirmed that they can be removed – Ely Diocese have also consented. Quotes are being sought for this work, which will need to include repairs to the ridge tiles. At the same time, quotes are being obtained for repairs or replacement of other parts of the roof (if assessed by roofers as being needed). Quotes received so far indicate that fundraising will be needed if this work is to go ahead, and the cost will be high.
The annual fire and safety survey revealed that the emergency door lights no longer functioned effectively. These have all been replaced. Likewise the emergency ceiling lights, which are in the process of being replaced, including the installation of new batteries.
Work to the ‘grounds’ of the Village Hall have been limited to trimming of trees around the property, to remove branches overhanging the roof (the yew and the front and cherry at the rear).
Energy eficiency
The committee continues to explore improvements to the hall that will improve efficiency and move the hall towards becoming more carbon neutral. In October 2023 a report was received following a survey by the Peterborough Energy Conservation Trust. This was not very helpful however. Since then the following is planned/underway:
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Improvements to roof insulation (awaiting decision on the re-roofing)
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Replacement of bulbs with LED energy efficient versions (work has started)
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Timer added to immersion heater to prevent it from being left on after bookings
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Replacement of oil-fired boiler. Although still functional the boiler is old and inefficient. Various options are being explored but no decision has yet been made.
Funding, fundraising and events
Another successful cheese and wine and harvest supper event was held, organisation led by Tony Fordham.
The hall received a bequest of over £ 12,000 from Denis Millard. A decision on how to use this gift has not yet been made.
In partnership with other volunteers from the village a harvest supper was held in the hall. There was good attendance – nice to see this popular institution being revived.
Website and booking system
The village hall is moving to a new integrated website, booking and on-line payment system, thanks to the work done by Andrew Trump. When completed this should help simplify management of bookings.
Policies
New village hall policies were prepared and approved on Health and Safety and on Safeguarding. These will be reviewed on an annual basis. The Fire Evacuation procedures document was also reviewed and updated.
Lease
The lease agreement with Ely Diocese for the Village Hall has only a few years to run. If there is to be considerable investment in improvements (and the associated fundraising) it would be good to have a guarantee of a longer let. A renewal/extension of the lease has been requested but after 4 months there is still no response from the Diocese.
Committee Membership
After many years of combined service to the committee several members have stepped down due to their changed circumstances. Sue Elliot (Secretary) is moving from the village to be closer to her family, Tash Newman (Bookings Manager) has a new baby, and Charlotte Cane (Parish Council representative) has been elected as MP. We are grateful for all that they have contributed to the effective running of the village hall and are sorry to lose them from the committee.
The committee has been joined by Diana Greer who takes on the role of Bookings Manager, and most recently by Paul Greer. Paul’s technical expertise will be invaluable as we seek to reduce the hall’s carbon footprint and running costs.
Helen Oliver and Joss Goodchild have joined a volunteers group for the Village Hall, available to help out when needed and to support management of the hall with regular/routine tasks (eg putting out the bins).
David Parr has volunteered to help with fundraising and is currently drafting proposals for funding for the roof repairs.
The committee is still seeking new members.
David Thomas
19/09/2024
Reach Village Hall Accounts to 31st July 2024
| 2023 - 2024 | 2023 - 2024 | 2023 - 2024 | 2022 | - 2023 | - 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income | Expenditure | Income | Expenditure | |||||
| Hall Hire general | £ | 8,444.42 |
£ | 5,840.20 |
||||
| Social Events | £ | 835.00 |
£ | 725.00 |
||||
| Miscellaneous | £ | 25,416.63 |
£ | 940.00 |
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| Bank Interest Deposit Account | ||||||||
| Marquee/BBQ/Games Hire | ||||||||
| Hall maintenance & Caretaking | £ | 8,884.25 |
£ | 4,916.80 |
||||
| Heating Oil | £ | 1,740.72 |
£ | 1,009.26 |
||||
| Electricity | £ | 431.78 |
£ | 148.59 |
£ | 944.05 |
||
| Water | £ | 168.97 |
£ | 345.74 |
||||
| Internet | ||||||||
| Cleaning | £ | 826.15 |
£ | 634.78 |
||||
| Insurance | £ | 1,113.57 |
£ | 1,111.62 |
||||
| Rent | £ | 131.00 |
||||||
| Social Events | £ | 415.15 |
£ | 259.29 |
||||
| Miscellaneous | £ | 432.10 |
£ | 304.80 |
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| Auditor's Fees | ||||||||
| Capital Expenses | ||||||||
| Balancing Adjustment | -£ | 0.06 |
||||||
| Debtors | ||||||||
| Creditors | ||||||||
| Totals | £ | 34,696.05 |
£ | 14,012.69 |
£ | 7,653.79 |
£ | 9,657.28 |
| Income over Expenditure | £ | 20,683.36 |
-£ | 2,003.49 |
||||
| Balance Sheet at 31st July | ||||||||
| Opening Balance at 1st August | £ | 20,369.62 |
£ | 22,373.11 |
||||
| Surplus for year | £ | 20,683.36 |
-£ | 2,003.49 |
||||
| Closing Balance at 31st July | £ | 41,052.98 |
£ | 20,369.62 |
Notes:
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The Miscellaneous income is made up of: £ 7,717.20 Insurance claim
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£ 12,746.13 Legacy
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£ 4,953.30 Profit from Reach Fair
20 Fair Green
Reach CB25 0JD 30[th] May 2025
To Whom It May Concern
I am acting as the Independent Examiner of the Reach Village Hall’s Receipts and Payments accounts for the year ending 31[st] July 2024.
I have:
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Checked the bank reconciliation
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Reviewed the invoices and receipts provided
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Reviewed the accounts themselves
I can confirm that I am entirely happy with the accounts and that they are a true record of the performance of the Reach Village Hall over the financial year.
Best regards
David Parr
Managing Director of Millroad Ltd, Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer of Reach Parish Council (retired).