Shenfield Parish Hall
Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2025
Charity Number 301394
SHENFIELD PARISH HALL
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2025
The Trustees present their Report together with the Financial Statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2025.
Objects of the charity
The Shenfield Parish Hall’s governing document is an indenture dated 6th January 1923 and the Hall was registered as Charity number 301394 on 14th October 1963.
The Charity owns and runs Shenfield Parish Hall for the benefit of the local community. The Hall is situated at 60 Hutton Road, Shenfield, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 8LB.
Organisation
The Trustees during the year were: Rev Canon Darren Barlow (Chairman) Mr John Bridger (Vice-Chairman) Mr Shaun De Boo (Treasurer) Miss Gillian Oldham Mrs Jane Oliver Mrs Mary Roder Mrs Christine Williams Mr William Hindley
The Trustees, together with the Supervisor and Bookings Manager, function as a Management Committee. The Chairman is the Rector of St Mary the Virgin Church, Shenfield, who is ex officio a member of the management committee. Two further trustees are members of and appointed by St. Mary’s Parochial Church Council (the PCC). In addition to these three, not more than six further persons resident in Shenfield, Hutton and surrounding area may be appointed.
Review of activities and public benefit
The Committee continues to run Shenfield Parish Hall for the benefit of the local community and emphasises the importance of community service and seeks to provide quality facilities to suit the widest possible range of interests. It is one of the best used community halls in the Borough of Brentwood.
Over thirty community groups have regular bookings and there are many annual and “one-off” events as well. The Hall was renovated in 2000 using funds from the lottery and a larger sum generously subscribed locally; this demonstrated very clearly the value of the Hall as perceived by the residents of Shenfield and the surrounding area and enabled the committee to pursue their aims for the local community.
SHENFIELD PARISH HALL
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2025 (continued)
Policies
After the successful renewal of the Hall and its equipment in 2000 at a cost of some £320,000, the committee reviewed the actions necessary to sustain the long-term viability of the Hall. This is considered to be particularly important as any future public appeal for funds could be very uncertain and the availability of grants is now minimal; a condition of the 2000 £142,900 lottery grant was that the Hall should become self-sustaining. A maintenance fund was established and the target is to add to this fund an appropriation of at least £5,000 each year and to build the fund up to an appropriate level over the years. In 2025 costs of £8,169 were charged to the fund (2024: £14,221). Routine repairs and maintenance continue to be undertaken and charged to the General Fund in the year they are incurred.
The committee has reviewed the level of free reserves (the general fund) and believes that a sum of approximately £5,000 is appropriate to provide for working capital and minor contingencies. The free reserves at 31st December 2025 were £10,241 (2024 £10,241).
Risk management
The major risks to which the charity is exposed, as identified by the trustees, have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate those risks.
Future Plans
During 2025 the Trustees decided to upgrade the toilet facilities at the Hall and engaged contractors to carry out the work. As the new fittings could not be delivered in time for the work to be undertaken during the shutdown period when the Hall is closed for maintenance, this project was postponed until 2026.
Outlook
Based on the current levels of use of the Hall, we consider that the Charity has sufficient financial resources to maintain and operate the Hall for the foreseeable future.
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
D Barlow
………………………………………………….
Rev Canon D Barlow Chairman
31 March 2026
Shenfield Parish Hall
Statement of Financial Activities - Unrestricted Funds for the year ended 31 December 2025
| General Fund Incoming Resources - Charitable Activities Hall rents Total incoming resources Resources expended - Charitable Activities Heating, lighting and water Cleaning and rubbish removal Council Tax Insurance Repairs and maintenance Telephone and Internet Salary Bookings Professional fees Rent refunded Music Licence Gardening General expenses Total resources expended Net incoming resources Transfer to maintenance fund Balance at 1 January Balance at 31 December Maintenance Fund - Unrestricted Fund Incoming resources - Charitable Activities Interest received Resources expended - Charitable Activities Maintenance expenditure Net outgoing resources Transfer from General Fund Balance at 1 January Balance at 31 December Page 1 |
2025 £ 78371 78371 6859 16520 389 2177 14018 1034 8911 9753 113 953 911 0 77 61715 16656 (16656) 10241 10241 £ 8081 8169 (88) 16656 219605 236173 |
2024 £ 75931 75931 9082 15376 130 4043 11794 806 8510 8584 0 684 830 570 58 60467 15464 (15464) 10241 10241 £ 9159 14221 (5062) 15464 209203 219605 |
|---|---|---|
Shenfield Parish Hall
Balance Sheet at 31 December 2025
| Assets: Current Assets Cash at Bank Barclays - Current Account Barclays - Deposit Account COIF - Charities Account Total Assets The Funds of the Charity - Unrestricted General Fund Maintenance Fund Total Charity Funds |
2025 £ 4653 63774 177987 246414 246414 10241 236173 246414 |
2024 £ 4166 54988 170692 229846 229846 10241 219605 229846 |
|---|---|---|
S V De Boo 31 March 2026
…...........................................
Shaun De Boo Treasurer
Page 2
Shenfield Parish Hall
Notes forming part of the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 December 2025
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The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention except that the cost of the freehold land and buildings of the Hall are excluded as explained below. In other respects the financial statements are prepared in accordance with The Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2000 and the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” issued in October 2000 and with applicable accounting standards.
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These statements are prepared on a receipts and payments basis in accordance with the Charity Commission reporting and accounting guidelines.
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The Charity owns the freehold land and buildings and its equipment. The land was donated and the main Hall built by public subscription and opened in 1922 as a memorial after the First World War. In 1965 the Gwendoline Lewis Room was added following a bequest. The original costs of the Hall and some amendments thereto are not available. The Trustees consider that the cost of carrying out a professional valuation to include these assets in the accounts cannot be justified, particularly as a valuation of the land would be dependent on its use under the planning regulations.
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The Hall was renewed in 2000 at a cost over the years 1997 to 2000 of £321,744; during this period donations from fundraising amounted to £173,115 and a further £142,900 was received from the National Lottery Charities Board. These costs have all been written off in the respective years of expenditure, as have all the past costs.
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Of the cash at bank at 31 December 2025, £63,774 (2024: £54,988) was on deposit with Barclays Bank. The remainder of the cash on deposit was with the Charities Official Investment Fund.
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Details of certain items of expenditure
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a) £606 was paid to Trustees in reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of the Charity during the year (2024: £123).
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b) No fees were paid to the Independent Examiner (2024 £Nil)
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Paid employees. The Hall employs one part-time person as Hall Supervisor, part of its Charitable activities. The salary cost was £8,911 (2024: £8,510). There was no liability for employers national insurance and no pension costs were incurred (2024: £Nil).
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Interest received has been credited directly to the Maintenance Fund as it arises on this Fund.
Page 3
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT
I report on the accounts of the Shenfield Parish Hall for the year ended 31st December 2025, which are set out on pages 1 to 3.
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 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 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 procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 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 seeking 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:
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(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
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(2) To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding
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of the accounts to be reached.
A Ward
- ……………………………………………….. 1 April 2026
A Ward
Chartered Accountant
Shenfield
Essex