# **Redbourn Village Hall Management Committee (RVHMC) Charity registration number: 302450**
## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period from 01.04.2020 to 31.03.2021**
## Aims and objectives of the RVHMC
To successfully operate a community building, providing the facilities for a wide range of events and activities, for the benefit, and to improve the lives of local residents of all ages, without discrimination.
To maintain Redbourn Village Hall (RVH) as a viable asset for the use and enjoyment of the Redbourn residents and local community groups.
To run RVH as a successful Charity enabling the maintenance of RVH’s structure and the development of its facilities, so preserving the importance of this historic community building at the centre of the village for the future.
## – “ ” RVHMC extract taken from the Trust Deed dated 2nd February 1951
The Trustees have agreed to hold the “Trust premises” upon trust for the purpose of physical and mental training and recreation and social moral and intellectual development and recreation and social moral and intellectual development through the medium of reading and recreation rooms library lectures classes recreations and entertainments or otherwise as may be found expedient for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Redbourn and its immediate vicinity without distinction of sex or of political religious or other opinions subject to the provisions of these presents.
## – RVHMC activities, achievements and performance
The main activity of the RVHMC is to have RVH open and running as a community building, which is hired and used for a wide variety of activities, unfortunately due to the Covid-19 pandemic this was considerably curtailed during this financial year 2020-2021. Following
Government legislation RVH was compelled to closed on the 21st of March 2020 as England entered the first Lockdown. RVH remained closed to the public for most of the year as detailed in the table below.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Dates this financial RVH status
year
21.03.20 to 03.07.20 closed
04.07.20 to 04.11.20 Open but limited activity due to social
distancing laws
05.11.20 to 01.12.20 closed
02.12.20 to 18.12.20 Open but limited activity due to social
distancing laws
19.12.20 to 11.04.21 closed
**----- End of picture text -----**
Unfortunately, even when RVH was allowed to be open to the public the activates were mainly restricted to essential or educational children's activities because social events and indoor group exercise remained prohibited. Social distancing regulations limited the number of people allowed to meet and made most of the usual activities impractical.
RVH continued to be an important base for the long established Redbourn Care Group (re-named Redbourn Community Group in Nov 2021) when it joined forces with the newly formed Redbourn Coronavirus Volunteers as the community rallied round to provide extra essential services and support to those who were isolating or just in need because of the pandemic. Even during lockdown RVH was able to host essential NHS Blood Donation sessions.
During the full lockdowns RVH loaned out its tables and chairs to office workers and school children who suddenly had to work at home but didn't have the furniture. RVH gave up its freezer and fridge space for the Redbourn Charity Christmas Hamper 2020 scheme.
When limited children's activities were allowed again, RVH provided an essential venue for the new and returning permitted clubs and groups to use because the schools would not allow non-pupils on site. When only people from the same household were allowed to meet indoors, RVH offered free use of the Main Hall for dance students (on their own or with family members only) an essential large space to practice and record their collage audition videos.
RVH was used in a number of different and surprising ways whenever a need was identified and as soon as it was legally permitted to support the community through a very difficult and unprecedented year. This
commitment to supporting the community, however possible, has continued as the pandemic has progressed into 2021.
## **Financial review**
The effects of the Covid pandemic hit RVH at the end of the previous financial year, when all the activates and evets had to be cancelled and refunds given. RVH started this financial year closed and remained closed for a considerable amount of the year. Large gatherings were not allowed during this financial year and all private parties and large community events were cancelled having a devastating effect on the RVH hire income.
RVH earnt a revenue of £12,251 from hirings, that were mainly permitted children's activities and socially distanced well-being classes during the limited spells that these were allowed.
The popular “Village Markets” continued through the lockdowns as outside food markets were permitted and during the worst lockdown months this provided a very welcome opportunity to buy new food and drinks. Once regulations allowed the markets spread to include inside RVH. The Friends of the High Street (FOTHS) who organised the Village Markets donated £1355 to RVH and the RVHMC would like to thank Teressa and Caroline for all their efforts in organising and putting on these popular monthly events.
RVH claimed the Government Covid grants which were available through the SADC, to cover the enforced loss of hire income. The three grants totalled £20241 and were the main source of income during this financial year replacing the lost hire revenue.
RVH also claimed the Government furlough payments of £6252 to cover most of the cost of the RVH Caretaker, as they were unable to carry out their work duties. The other Caretaker chose to retire in April 2020, and they were replaced by a new cleaner who only works as and when they are needed.
As the Covid lockdowns hit, RVH went into other emergency cost cutting measures. The RVH Manager offered to do the role as a volunteer and gave her services free of charge for this financial year, to help RVH get through the crisis. A new RVH laptop was purchased, and administration procedures adapted so that the RVH Manager could work remotely.
Energy costs were reduced as much as possible by switching of the heating and hot water, unplugging appliances and generally putting everything into hibernation mode were prudent to do so. Unused licences and charges were suspended. This was greatly helped by the co-operation of the companies and the SADC suspension of the building rate charges.
These cost cutting measures mean that RVH ended the year in a much stronger financial position that the RVHMC could have predicted at the start of the Covid pandemic, with an excess of income over expenditure of £17159 for the year. However, the Covid situation may have a long-term effect on the hire income of RVH and the finances must continue to be carefully monitored.
During this financial year the RVHMC have gratefully received help with funding from the Redbourn Parish Council Community Grant towards the repair, redecoration and a replacement sink in the Main Hall bar Kitchen. This was essential work because the Covid social distancing regulations restricted access to the main kitchen. Now users of the Main Hall can enjoy refreshments independently of other hall users.
The RVHMC are extremely grateful to the St Albans Old Peoples Trust and regular RVH hirer Jacky, who made possible through their generous donations, the replacement of the Stannah chair lift to the second floor, after the old chair failed.
Thank you to Neil at NISA Redbourn for the £500 donation from the NISA charity “Making a Difference Locally” to update the equipment in the kitchen. The “Friends of Redbourn Village Hall” continued their generous financial support each month, thank you. During the Covid lockdowns some regular hirers gave donations in lieu of hire fees, so thank you to Redbourn U3A and Redbourn Karate club for your continuing support.
## Between April 2020 and March 2021, the following maintenance and improvements to RVH have been carried out: -
1. Drain sump in the front carpark was found not to be a soak-away but is linked to the main drains. The drainpipe has been cleared by SADC and the carpark no longer floods.
2. Touch-up painting of the toilets and corridors, and parts of the Centenary Room and main entrance hall.
3. Electrical PAT testing throughout RVH
4. Main entrance door lock changed, and new keys issued to those hirers that have agreed to the revised RVH Health and Safety plan, the Covid 19 operation plan and submitted a Risk Assessment for their activities.
5. 5-yearly mains electricity safety inspection carried out and passed.
6. Emergency lighting inspected, which identified several failed lamp units. Six lamp units have subsequently been replaced. The level of
emergency area lighting in the Main Hall was found to be almost non-existent. New emergency area lighting has been installed.
7. Resurfacing RVH front carpark and new liner markings to the front and rear carparks. This also involved the removal of a tree on the southern edge of the carpark and filling in the gap left in the fence.
8. Renovation of Bar Kitchen in Main Hall, providing new double sink and two side-cupboards, new raised platform for the new fridge, new enclosure of the gas meter and water heater, and new flooring.
9. Laying new carpet to Main Hall lobby entrance.
10. Improvements to the safety for personnel working within the two loft storage rooms at the rear of the Main Hall by fitting safety grab rails, a winch and a swing door.
11. All long ladders in RVH are now secured by padlock to wallbrackets and are not to be used by hirers. Stabilizer brackets have been installed on the long extension ladder to facilitate its safe use, particularly when providing access to the front external wall of the Main Hall.
12. Redbourn Girlguiding Leader Penny and husband Barrie spent some of their lockdown cleaning and repainting the Guide Room and tiling the adjacent kitchen splashback. Thank you. The old carpet in the Guide Room was fitted with a hard-wearing new lino floor so that it can be easily and hygienically cleaned between hirers.
13. STAHS generously donated 4 small tables to enable sanitising stations to be set up in strategic places around RVH. STAHS also donated 30 new chairs for the Guide Room so that they can be more easily cleaned. Sally (RCG) replaced the old-style cloth chairs in the entrance hall with wipeable plastic and metal chairs to enable daily sanitising.
14. A skip was shared with the Redbourn Players, and the outside storage shed was de-cluttered.
- 15.Deep cleaning undertaken throughout the Hall during the lockdowns
The RVHMC and RVH Manager sincerely thank the many people who have supported RVH during the last strange and difficult year with their time, expertise, or services. Thank you to Penny from Redbourn in Bloom for her volunteering work tending the window boxes and garden all year round. Thank you to Barrie for making the new window boxes, tiling the kitchens and decorating. Thank you to the St Albans Communities 1st for their advice and in particularly Isobel’s continuing help.
During the Covid pandemic, when the Government regulations and restrictions were changing so frequently, and the Covid-Secure rules were
important to follow to reduce the spread of Covid, ACRE provided regular updates for Community buildings. This was an invaluable service to the RVH Manager because it provided a one-stop places to keep up to date with the requirements for the prevailing Covid conditions and current legislation. Tim Hayward-Smith the ACRE Community Services Manager and Village Halls Adviser organized Zoom meetings where the RVH Manager could join other people responsible for the management of community buildings to share advice. A most sincere thank you from the RVH Manager.
## **Structure, governance, and management**
The RVHMC continued the monthly committee meetings by Zoom and the committee used WhatsApp and email to remotely communicate effectively throughout the lockdowns. The 2021 RVHMC AGM was held by Zoom on 05.05.21 - to be included in the 2021-22 Trustees’ Annual report.
During the year the RVH Manager spent a considerable amount of time updating RVH Policies in relation to many areas of operations and particularly, in RVH’s response to Covid-19. In September 2020 when RVH reopened after the first lockdown the front door lock was changed and a new key only issued to Hirers who completed the new On-going hire forms after agreeing the updated RVH Terms & Conditions and preparing their Risk Assessments (Covid and non-Covid).
At the delayed 2020 RVHMC AGM held by Zoom on 20.09.20 Caroline the RVHMC Chair took the opportunity to thank the Trustees, members, and guest of the RVH Management Committee for their ongoing support of RVH and they in turn thanked Caroline for her commitment and work as Chair. The RHMC members remain in their positions for another year: Steven – Treasurer; Ken – Fabric Officer; Dennis B – Fire Officer; Rosemary - Care Group representative; Mario – Player's representative and Ian – Redbourn Councillor.
The RVHMC thanked the RVH Manager for her work and time volunteering to keep RVH running smoothly, the building in a good state whilst closed and the improvements that have been carried out over the difficult year, both administrative and structural.
At the end of this financial year the RVHMC and RVH Manager were optimistic that the worst of the Covid lockdowns were over and that the coming months in 2021 would allow activities in RVH to once again resume. However, the financial cost of the Covid pandemic will have an
enormous impact on the RVH income until all activities and events can resume without Covid restrictions and the public feel safe enough to want to meet in large numbers. The RVH building has been standing in the centre of Redbourn for well over a century and as RVH celebrates its 100th year as the main community centre, it role is going to be even more important to get people socializing again.
## **REDBOURN VILLAGE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE**
## **Income & Expenditure Account for the year ended 31st March 2021**
||||**2021**|**2021**|**2020**|**2020**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Income**|||||||
|Letting income||||12,251||42,877|
|Interest||||84||-|
|Other Income||||2,243||2,157|
|St Albans DC Coronavirus Grant||||20,241||-|
|Old Peoples Trust||||2,000||-|
|Redbourn Parish Council||||2,511||-|
|Grants and Donations received||||2,842||2,918|
|**Total Income**||||**42,172**||**47,952**|
|**Less Operating Expenses**|||||||
|Advertising|||-||83||
|Bad Debt Write Off|||-||104||
|Cleaning & Janitorial Supplies|||860||1,569||
|Depreciation|||-||-||
|Electricity|||783||1,811||
|Expenditure from grants and donations|||6,336||2,108||
|Gas|||1,214||2,266||
|Licences & Subscriptions|||851||1,094||
|Payroll Costs - Net of furlough contribution|||2,947||21,146||
|Repairs and Maintenance|||7,626||8,272||
|Printing, Post, Stationery & computer cons|||389||486||
|Sundry Expenses|||364||455||
|Telephone|||458||529||
|Rates & Water & Insurance|||3,185||2,557||
|**Total Operating Expenses**||||**25,013**||**42,481**|
|**Excess of Income Over Expenditure**||||**17,159**||**5,472**|
|**BALANCE SHEET**|||**2021**||**2020**||
|**As At 31st March 2021**|||||||
|Fixed Assets|||||||
|Computer Equipment|Cost||350||350||
||Depreciation|-|350
||350
-||
|Amounts Outstanding from Hirings & Prepayments||||2,054||5,168|
|Bank Current Account|||32,691||14,484||
|Charity Deposit Fund|||7,665||7,581||
|Less Creditors||||40,356
1,084
-||22,064
3,065
-|
|||||41,326||24,167|
|Represented By|||||||
|**General Fund**|||||||
|Opening Balance||||18,167||12,695|
|Surplus for the Year||||17,159||5,472|
|Trustees Liability Reserve||||35,326
6,000||18,167
6,000|
|**Total Funds**||||**41,326**||**24,167**|
||||||||
2021 Annual Accounts
Bob Harding
Tue 30/11/202113.01
To: Treasurer RVHMC
Cc: Redbourn VFllage Hall < offFce@redbournvFllagehall.org.uk>
2 attachments (509 KB)
Profit & Loss and Balance sheet - 25.11.21.pdfr Invoice 6888.pdf;
Jane
l am attaching herewith the annual accounts of Redbourn Village Hall for the year ended 31/03/2021. As you
will see I have separately dtsclosed the larger grants received, particularly the amounts received relating to
Coronavirus support.
As this completes the work we have carried out to date l am attaching herewith our invoice which I trusts
meets with your approval.
Perhaps you would please make arrangements to collect your records from my office in due course.
Regards
Bob
R S HARDING Chartered Accountant
Mercer House, 15 High Street, Redbourn, Herts. AL3 7LE
Tel: (01582) 794864 E-mail: rsharding.@accounts.org.uk
www.rshaccounts.co.uk
Accountant Partner
R S Harding Ltd
Registered Office: MERCER HOUSE, 15 HIGH STREET, REDBOURN, HERTS AL3 7LE
Regtstared in England no. 7200294
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