Redbourn Village Hall Management Committee (RVHMC)
Registered as Redbourn Village Hall (from 03.01.22)
Charity registration number: 302450
Trustees’ Annual Report for the period from 01.04.21 to 31.03.22
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 continuing Covid-19 pandemic this was curtailed during the start of this financial year 2021-2022. To
comply with Government legislation RVH remained closed until the 12th of April 2021 as detailed in the table below.
| Dates this financialyear | RVH status |
|---|---|
| 01.04.21 to 11.04.21 | Step1 – RVH Closed |
| 12.04.21 to 16.05.21 | Step 2 – RVH open but limited activity for children only due to Covid laws of no indoor mixingof different households |
| 17.05.21 to 18.07.21 | Step 3 – RVH open but limited activity due to social distancing laws: rule of 6 or 2 households allowed for indoors social gatherings |
| 19.07.21 to 07.12.21 | Step4 – RVH open and legal limits on social contact removed |
| 08.12.21 to 26.01.22 | Plan B – RVH open with use of NHS Covid App & Facemasks inside |
Unfortunately, even when RVH was allowed to open to the public in April 21 the activates were mainly restricted to essential or educational children's activities because social events and indoor group exercise remained prohibited until May 21. Social distancing regulations limited the number of people allowed to meet and made most of the usual activities impractical until July 21.
RVH continued to be an important base for the long established Redbourn Community Group as the community rallied round to support those who were isolating or in more need because of the pandemic.
When the social gathering restrictions were lifted in July 21, children’s parties and adult celebrations started again and RVH worked hard to accommodate all the cancelled events and the new demand to socialize.
Financial review
The effects of the Covid pandemic continued to impact RVH at the start of this financial year because RVH was closed and then once RVH re-opened only limited activates and events were permitted. The income increased as the restrictions were gradually lifted and from July 21 private parties and large community events were able to go ahead and revenue increased accordingly.
This financial year RVH earnt a revenue of £43,625 from hirings, which compares very well to the last full year of non-Covid hiring revenue in 2018-19 of £44,390.
RVH claimed the Government Covid grants which were available through the SADC, to cover the enforced loss of hire income. The two grants totalled £10,667 and were the main source of income during the Covid closure and restricted activity from Stage 1 to 4, replacing the lost hire revenue during this time.
RVH also claimed the available Government furlough payments of £1723 to cover the cost of the RVH Caretaker when they were unable to carry out their work duties.
As the Covid lockdowns and restrictions continued, RVH continued with the emergency cost cutting measures that had been implemented in the previous financial year. The RVH Manager worked flexible hours and administration procedures continued to be adapted so that the RVH Manager could work remotely as needed. 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 when possible. Licences and contracts were renegotiated as they were renewed.
These cost cutting measures mean that RVH ended the year with an excess of income over expenditure of £22,282 for the year. However, not all the grant money was spent so £4000 for the tables was carried over and they were purchased in May 22. The problems caused by the Covid pandemic may have eased, but at the end of this financial year the February 22 invasion of Ukraine is causing energy costs to increase and this impact on the finances of RVH must continue to be carefully monitored.
The “Friends of Redbourn Village Hall” continued their generous financial support each month, thank you. During the Covid lockdowns some regular hirers continued donations in lieu of hire fees, so thank you to Redbourn U3A, JBE Learning and Redbourn Karate club for their continuing support.
Between April 21 and Mar 22, the following maintenance and improvements to RVH were carried out: -
Maintenace works
-
Electrical Distribution Boards Reconfiguration The wiring of some of the Distribution Boards has been reconfigured so that the Stage lighting arrangements are no longer interconnected with power supplies to other rooms. Redundant cabling has also been removed.
-
Repointing Southern Flank Wall - £1,800 . The external brickwork pointing along the South wall of the Redbourn Community office was in very poor condition, probably caused by frost during the original construction in 1998. The wall has now been repointed.
-
Ceiling of Main Hall - £910. A section of the ceiling of the Main Hall fell. The original plaster layer had become disconnected from the timber laths but there was no indication of water damage or rot in the roof structure. The damaged area of the ceiling was immediately restored by Halsey Builders and the ongoing function of the Main Hall was not affected. Inspection of the rest of the ceiling has shown several areas where the ceiling is cracking, and these are now being monitored. They are scheduled to be taken down and restored during the summer.
-
LED Lights - £350. The spotlights in the entrance hall and corridors have been replaced with low energy LED lights. LED long lights were purchased for the Guide Room - £205.
-
Skip hire - £192. To clear the outside shed, stage and garden waste. Removed the bin store and then the garden beds were re-graveled.
-
The Window boxes were repaired, and the liners replaced -£110. With grateful thanks to Barrie and Penny Dear for this and their work in maintaining the boxes throughout the year.
New Equipment acquired
-
Table Tennis tables The Hertfordshire Table Tennis Coaching Club has moved to Redbourn Village Hall and now uses the hall weekly. They have brought with them 12 competition-standard table tennis tables, four of which are now stored in the Centenary Room. The Club has donated one of the tables to RVH and made available another three for use by RVH clients, such as the U3A.
-
Indoor Carpet Bowls . The Monday evening Redbourn Carpet Bowls Club disbanded and chose not to return to RVH after Covid. They kindly donated their equipment to RVH for future use by RVH Hirers.
-
Fridge - £213. A new fridge has been installed in the Bar Kitchen.
-
Microwave - £90. A new microwave for the main kitchen.
The RVHMC and RVH Manager sincerely thank the many people who have supported RVH during the last year with their time, expertise, or services. Thank you to Penny from Redbourn in Bloom for her volunteering work tending the RVH boarders all year round and tending to the window boxes with her Brownie Unit. Thank you to the St Albans Communities 1st for their advice and in particular to Isobel Hatfield for her continuing advice surgery twice a month at the Thursday Community coffee morning.
A sincere thank you to Tim Hayward-Smith the ACRE Community Services Manager and Village Halls Adviser who from the start of the Covid pandemic in March 2020 to the lifting of restrictions in January 2022 provided regular updates for Community buildings. This was an invaluable service to the RVH Manager because it provided a one-stop place to keep up to date with the requirements for the prevailing Covid conditions and current legislation. Tim continues to organize Zoom meetings where the RVH Manager joins other people responsible for the management of community buildings to share advice and ideas with support.
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 year. The 2022 RVHMC AGM was held by Zoom on 30.06.22.
At the 2021 RVHMC AGM on 05.05.21 Caroline the RVHMC Chair resigned due to her other commitment of running the monthly Village Markets, the RVHMC thanked Caroline for her work as Chair. Ken volunteered and was voted as the new Chair RVHMC. The other RHMC members remain in their positions for another year: Steven – Trustee & Treasurer; Ken – Trustee & Fabric Officer; Dennis – Fire Officer; Rosemary – voted to be a RVHMC new
Trustee and minute secretary; Mario – Player's representative and Ian – Redbourn Councillor. The RVHMC thanked the RVH Manager for her work and commitment to steering RVH through the difficult Covid times successfully.
During the year, the RVH Manager reviewed and updated the RVH Policies in relation to many areas of operations and particularly, in RVH’s response to Covid-19 and the changing risk assessments (Covid and non-Covid). The RVH HR policies were reviewed and updated. The RVH Manager continued her Professional Development by attending “Data Protection for non-profit organisations” – webinar by HCF; “Managing poor performance”- webinar by Reddway HR; Co-Op Community Grant – webinar by Communities 1st; and attending a 6 hr First Response training to keep her qualification current.
At the end of this financial year the RVHMC and RVH Manager were relieved that the Covid lockdowns were over, and that hirers and visitors were once again able to enjoy using RVH. From September 21 the large popular events like the Horticultural Show, Redbourn Christmas Market and Players Shows had returned though with some adaptations and limitations. The regular hirers had resumed their classes and clubs again and there was a demand for parties and to have fun once more!
The Covid pandemic took its toll on the life of RVH and the community that use it, but the RVHMC and RVH Manager have weathered that storm and are preparing for the next challenging year ahead.
REDBOURN VILLAGE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Income & Expenditure Account for the year ended 31st March 2022
| 2022 | 2022 | 2021 | 2021 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||||
| Income | |||||||||
| Letting income | 43,625 | 12,251 | |||||||
| Interest | 84 | ||||||||
| Other Income | 1,048 | 2,243 | |||||||
| Coronavirus Grant | 10,667 | 20,241 | |||||||
| Old Peoples Trust | 2,000 | ||||||||
| St Mary's Church/Redbourn Parish Council | 4,000 | 2,511 | |||||||
| Grants and Donations received | 545 | 2,842 | |||||||
| Total Income | 59,884 | 42,172 | |||||||
| Less Operating Expenses | |||||||||
| Advertising | 200 | - | |||||||
| Cleaning & Janitorial Supplies | 675 | 860 | |||||||
| Electricity | 1,203 | 783 | |||||||
| Expenditure from grants and donations | 4,213 | 6,336 | |||||||
| Gas | 1,307 | 1,214 | |||||||
| Licences & Subscriptions | 735 | 851 | |||||||
| Payroll Costs - Net of furlough contribution | 15,194 | 2,947 | |||||||
| Repairs and Maintenance | 8,249 | 7,626 | |||||||
| Printing, Post, Stationery & computer cons | 353 | 389 | |||||||
| Sundry Expenses | 1,088 | 364 | |||||||
| Telephone | 530 | 458 | |||||||
| Rates & Water & Insurance | 3,855 | 3,185 | |||||||
| Total Operating Expenses | 37,603 | 25,013 | |||||||
| Excess of Income Over Expenditure | 22,282 | 17,159 | |||||||
| BALANCE SHEET | 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| As At 31st March 2022 | |||||||||
| Fixed Assets | |||||||||
| Computer Equipment | Cost | 350 | 350 | ||||||
| Depreciation | - | 350 |
- | 350 |
|||||
| Amounts Outstanding from Hirings & Prepayments | 11,168 | 2,054 | |||||||
| Bank Current Account | 55,420 | 32,691 | |||||||
| Charity Deposit Fund | 7,665 | 7,665 | |||||||
| 63,085 | 40,356 | ||||||||
| Less Creditors | - | 10,645 |
- | 1,084 |
|||||
| 63,608 | 41,326 | ||||||||
| Represented By | |||||||||
| General Fund | |||||||||
| Opening Balance | 35,326 | 18,167 | |||||||
| Surplus for the Year | 22,282 | 17,159 | |||||||
| 57,608 | 35,326 | ||||||||
| Trustees Liability Reserve | 6,000 | 6,000 | |||||||
| Total Funds | 63,608 | 41,326 |
Mon 05.09.22
Dear Jane
I am attaching herewith the annual accounts of Redbourn Village Hall for the year ended 31/03/2022 and I would draw the following matters to the attention of you and the committee: -
-
I am assuming you are happy with the specific significant grants being mentioned separately.
-
Can you please bring the COIF balance up to date.
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