## **HAMBLEDEN VILLAGE HALL**
# **TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
**Registered Charity Number: 300275 Inland Revenue Ref: XN 40129**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2025**
## **Trustees**
Anne Del Greco (Chairman) Dawn Murton (Secretary) Dick Fletcher (Deceased March 2025) Charlie Lumley (Resigned May 2025) Sara Horner Evelyn Robinson Fran Keene Steven Skelton (Treasurer)
The freehold of the Village Hall is vested in the Rector and Churchwardens of St Mary the Virgin, Hambleden.
The day to day running of the Hall is in the hands of the Trustees
## **The main objectives of the Hall**
- Provision of a hall for the use of the inhabitants of the Parish of Hambleden and the neighbourhood
- For use by the Church when required
- For any other purpose the committee may allow as long as it does not interfere with the above
## **Specific investment powers**
The Trustees’ investment powers are conferred by the Trustees' Act 2000.
## **Chairman’s Report**
Hambleden Village Hall is run by a group of volunteer Trustees, as listed above and elected at the AGM. The Caretaker, Jamie Baker, attends all meetings of the Trustees when possible.
In 2025 Hambleden Village Hall continued to be a popular focus for community events and for personal use by residents in the local area. We are heavily dependent for our financial security on funds raised by volunteers. This brings two benefits – the community coheres around the events, and without the funds raised, this 200-year-old building would rapidly decline. In 2025 our income was below that of the previous year, when we benefited from a month-long booking from a film company, however the income was still good and we have a healthy carry forward.
Regular events organised for community participation included:
- Coffee Mornings (first Wednesday of each month),
- Men on Tuesdays (a men's lunch club the second Tuesday of every month),
- Hambleden Cinema (once a month on Saturdays outside the summer season),
- Bridge Club (weekly on a Friday)
- Alcoholics Anonymous (weekly)
- Yoga (weekly on a Thursday)
- Pilates (weekly on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Regular annual events included:
- Christmas Market
- Open Gardens
- Quiz Night
- • Talks
Other private hirings included: Trade Sales, Wedding Receptions and Parties
The Hambleden Cinema is organised by an enthusiastic and successful team who also hold an annual coffee morning for a local cycling group. The funds raised for the Village Hall by these events are considerable and appreciated.
The surplus income for the Hall comes mainly from letting out the cottage and the office.
The outside toilet continued to be open for public use during the day and is maintained by the Parish Council.
Key points relating hall maintenance and expenses: There has been no further blackening of the floor and the damage is thought to be due to the polish used preventing the wood from breathing. Following refusal last year of The Heritage Officer of Bucks CC to countenance the replacement of the existing windows with similar looking thermally efficient and low maintenance replacements, we have had all the windows painted and cleaned. After an inspection by Thames Water, some work was required in order to comply with regulations. A mains break in December resulted in huge loss of water and high costs, which were offset from compensation by Thames Water for sewer flooding caused by their inability to fit an alarm on the main sewer in Hambleden.
Work in the cottage has included bathroom repairs following the mains leak, some electrical work and fitting of the kitchen.
Special thanks are due to our caretaker, Jamie Baker, for the extremely high standard of daily upkeep of the hall, his continuing diligent maintenance of the garden, and his extremely efficient administration of hall bookings.
Although Charlie Lumley resigned during the year, she continues to support us, particularly with running the Coffee Mornings and her wonderful cakes, which we really appreciate.
The passing of Dick Fletcher, our lovely Chair, in March was a huge loss to us and to all who knew him. His passion, enthusiasm and positivity was an inspiration to us all and we miss his leadership and friendship greatly.
Finally: Can you help? We are seeking volunteers to serve as Trustees and in particular an energetic and committed Chairman with vision who can lead us into the future.
## **Review of major risks**
The Trustees review the major risks facing the Hall at least once a year. A thorough review of Health and Safety, including a Fire Risk Assessment, was undertaken during the year.
## **Reserves policy**
The Trustees’ objective is to maintain a sufficient balance to meet committed expenditure and to hold as a minimum capital of approximately 6 months running costs.
At 31 December 2025, reserves totalled £72,528 (2024 £62,714), which was appropriated as:
|Capital
General reserve|**2025**
**£**
10,000
62,528
**72,528**|**2024**
**£**
10,000
52,714|
|---|---|---|
|||**62,714**|
## **Declaration**
I declare, in my capacity as Chairman, that the trustees have approved the report above and have authorised me to sign it on their behalf.
Signed:
Anne Del Greco
Date 10/02/26
## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**
## **THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
|**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**
**THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**|||
|---|---|---|
|**INCOME**
**Operations**
Hire Charges
Fund Raising Events
**Schedule 1**
Donations
Cinema
**Income from Operations**
**Other Income**
Cottage Rent
Office Rent
Interest Received
**Total Income**
**EXPENDITURE**
**Operations**
Heating and Lighting
General Rates & Water Rates
Insurance
Wages
Advertising
Repairs and Refurbishment
**Schedule 2**
Cleaning and Sundries
Gardening
**Operations Expenses**
**Other expenses**
Cottage / Office expenses
**Total expenses**
**SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR**
**SURPLUS brought forward**
**SURPLUS carried forward**|**2025**
**£**
13,406
6,278
535
1,781
**22,000**
16,200
3,180
1,076
**42,456**
1,225
1,892
1,552
9,809
325
9,335
2,238
1,612
**27,987**
4,655
**32,642**
**9,814**
52,714
**62,528**|**2024**
**£**
19,148
6,655
449
2,255|
|||**28,507**
16,200
3,180
1,070|
|||**48,957**|
|||5,076
1,782
1,547
10,033
430
4,476
2,156
1,609|
|||**27,109**
5,233|
|||**32,342**|
|||**16,615**
36,099|
|||**52,714**|
## **Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2025**
|**Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2025**|||
|---|---|---|
|**Current Assets**
Cash & bank
Debtors
HMRC Gift Aid
**Total Current Assets**
**Current Liabilities**
Creditors and Accruals
**Net Assets**
**FINANCED BY**
Capital
General fund|**2025**
**£**
69,961
5,262
489
**75,712**
3,184
**3,184**
**72,528**
10,000
62,528
**72,528**|**2024**
**£**
63,663
2,814
468|
|||**66,945**|
|||4,231|
|||**62,714**|
||||
|||**62,714**|
|||10,000
52,714|
|||**62,714**|
|**Schedules to the Income & Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2025**|**Schedules to the Income & Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2025**||
|---|---|---|
|**Schedule 1 - Fundraising events**|**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Christmas Market|688|588|
|Quiz Night & Talks|720
|775|
|Christmas Wreath Making|265|250|
|Pop up Café|365|348|
|Open Gardens & Market|1,912|2,572|
|Coffee Mornings|2,328|2,122|
||**6,278**|**6,655**|
|**Schedule 2 - Repairs & Maintenance Hall**|||
||**£**|**£**|
|Water Heater Replacement
|0|908|
|Decorating|6,400|916|
|Electrics|340|2,070|
|Water Regulations Compliance|1358||
|Mains Water Leak Repair|940||
|Sundries|297|582|
||**9,335**|**4,476**|
## **Trust Property**
Hambleden Village Hall, office and adjoining cottage are currently insured for £1,560,450 (2024 £1,515,000).
These accounts were approved by the Trustees of the Village Hall at their meeting on 10/02/2026
Signed: ……………………………….
………………………………..
_S Skelton D Murton Trustee & Treasurer Trustee & Secretary_
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of the Hambleden Village Hall Management Committee**
I report on the Accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31[st] December 2025, which are set out on pages 1 to 5.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the 1993 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under Section 43 of the 1993 Act;
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 43(7)(b) of the 1993 Act; and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with 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 of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning 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 examiner’s statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- 1 .which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: a) to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 41 of the 1993 Act; and b) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 1993 Act have not been met;
or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: …………………………………………………. P I Coxon, FFA
Date: 24/03/26