2023-12-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1/1/2023 Period start date To 31/12/2023 Period end date

Charity name: Hayes Village Hall

Charity registration number: 302956

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To run and manage the Hayes Village Hall for the benefit of the people living in Hayes and to be the focus for community activities
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	The hall is used for meetings, exercise classes, fund raisers such as the Hayes Christmas Lights Appeal, Bingo or Quiz Nights, Children’s parties up to age 9, badminton, horticultural shows, Gingham Goose craft fairs, art groups, baby showers, meetings for several local clubs, Hope Church meetings and Messy Church with Churches Together in Hayes as well as band rehearsals. There is a large main hall, 2 smaller meeting rooms, 2 kitchens and disabled access. More than one group can therefore meet in different rooms at the same time.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	In planning the lettings for the year the trustees and committee have bimonthly meetings and use these to consider the Charity Commission Guidelines on public benefit. In addition any emails sent from the Charity Commission about important topics are circulated to the Trustees and discussed later at the next meeting.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	Grants are not made
	Para 1.38

Policy on social investment including program related investment		No investments
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	Family and friends of the Trustees as well as local residents help out at fundraisers such as the Hayes Village Fair where the Village Hall has run a bottle tombola again. Regular hirers supplied donations of bottles from their members. A temporary bookings secretary covered the role for 8 months as a volunteer whilst the trustee went on a trip home to New Zealand. Occasionally volunteers work on the outside garden area to plant weed and generally maintain the flower beds. In 2023 we held a Big Neighbourhood Community Day, as part of the King’s Coronation weekend, to clean and paint inside the hall and carry out gardening and general maintenance. Refreshments and homemade cake were supplied. A volunteer litter picks and keeps the front of the hall neat and tidy. The Hall Bookings Manager has the generic email address and responds to queries, takes bookings, issues contracts and draws up the monthly Duty trustee rota. Each trustee on average is the named contact twice per calendar year and goes to the hall to unlock and lock up after one off hirings. The Hall Manager trustee arranges all works, cleaners etc. Seeking 3 quotes for each piece of work, circulating to the Management Committee before meetings so an informed discussion can take place. All trustees are involved in fund raising activities. We greatly appreciate all help given by volunteers. The Trustees are also volunteers and there is a Duty Trustee each month who looks after ad hoc hirers.
Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	2023 was a busy year for life at the Hayes Village Hall and we were back to pre Covid levels of bookings. We undertook the start of many long overdue maintenance and improvement projects. The paved area at the front of the hall leading from the pavement was repaved. The slabs removed were domestic grade and had become cracked and uneven with vehicles parking on them. With the help of a donation of £10,000 from The Hayes (Kent) Trust we were able to dig down deeper and lay proper foundations before paving with suitable slabs. Partially sighted visitors as well as the general public welcomed the work. The rest of the grant monies will be used in 2024 to remove the bollards at the front and allow more parking which will be particularly useful for the Tea Dance group as many are unable to walk any distance. This allows a greater accessibility for all to enjoy the hall. With rising energy costs, our Chairman visited the hall every week to set the heating to come on at times when hirers were booked rather than leaving the heating on all day and this was a significant positive money saving initiative. A discounted energy rate was agreed by the Treasurer with our supplier. A Christmas tree and fairy lights for inside the hall were purchased in a 50% off sale and will make the hall more festive in years to come. We have been working on an online diary in Google Drive that will be launched in January next year so Trustees can see bookings and the Duty Trustee each month can see events for which they need to unlock and lock up. The Treasurer is also now using a Google app to keep a better paper trail of invoices and receipts. For one off hires we charge a £100 deposit which is refunded quickly if the hall is left clean and tidy.

The trustees also revisited events we hire the hall for and decided that parties for the over 25’s will be trialled in addition to children’s parties but only where there is a local connection. It was decided to change the rules for party hire by forbidding bubble machines as there had been a slippery residue on the floor afterwards and an unattended popcorn machine had set off the fire alarm, so these have also been banned. Guidance is given on the terms of the booking form. The Management Committee decided to make the toilets in the Annexe gender neutral and fix a lock on the outer doors so users could feel comfortable in that space. A very kind donation was offered to buy a framed portrait of King Charles III although less traditionally it was agreed to also keep up the portrait of the Late Queen. The Hayes Village Association bought a plastic bench for outside the hall to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee to make the outside space a nice place for Hayes residents to rest and chat. We held a Big Neighbourhood Community Day on the Monday of the Coronation weekend with volunteers and locals doing a deep clean, painting, maintenance and gardening. That evening the Hayes Village Association unveiled a new noticeboard outside the Village Hall followed by refreshments in the hall making it a very community day as intended by the King. A Christmas tree was again put up in the front of the hall and we now have a fixing by the flagpole for 2023 and future years. It was much commented on as a lovely feature in the Village. A Cultural Diversity Day was held at the hall and attended by the Mayor of Bromley and subsequently an article featured in the local paper.

Permission was sought from the

Council to prune 10 foot off the tops of the trees to the side of the hall following complaints from the adjoining neighbour in Walnut Cottage that the trees were taking her light and overhanging. Other small prunings were done at the same time. We had several occasions where the toilets became blocked and the drains needed clearing of paper hand towels that had been flushed down the toilets. We had three quotes to do remedial work after volunteer efforts proved ineffectual. The committee decided to use a local drainage company with a good reputation who would not only clear the blockages but line the drains which were in need of repair and then offer an ongoing maintenance contract. They had put cameras down the drains and supplied visuals to accompany their quote. They also individually quoted for each item of work giving us options. Redundant equipment was disposed of and table tennis tables offered to another group. There is nothing stored now behind the stage. Excess crockery was also disposed of. We had accepted it just before lockdown from the Conservative Club building when it was being demolished but much of it was marked or chipped. We looked at replacing some internal and external doors and the local Councillor offered to try and get Bromley Council to make a grant but nothing came of this. The doors were repaired where needed and remain a project to replace but the drainage became a more urgent claim on our resources. Bees had again taken up residence in the Green Room cupboard and a specialist was brought in to rehouse them to a local hive. Following an attempted break in to an outside storage cupboard it was decided to purchase security cameras for the outside and these will be installed early in 2024. It also meant we looked at what was being stored outside and we reorganised storage spaces in the hall. The Management Committee discussed

and updated our cancellation policy after a hirer cancelled 3 bookings, one of which at very short notice. We now stipulate that a fee will be charged if we cannot let to another group when minimal notice is given. The main hall floor was professionally polished and it was decided this should be done at least annually in future. Not only does it look nicer it is better for the Tea Dance Group. Guttering was fixed, the hot water system temporarily repaired and a letter sent to a local tradesperson who we discovered had a key and was cutting carpets in the hall and leaving a mess. This led to an up to date inventory of who has keys and new locks were put on the doors and a key list now maintained. Sadly, the Hayes Players had folded in 2022 and they were our largest hirer. Their shed at the back of the hall was donated and work done on the roof to meet insurance company requirements. The Pastor of the Deep Water Baptist Church relocated to a ministry in St Albans and Deepwater Church then merged with Coney Hall Baptists. Hope Church now hold services at the hall and have become an important regular hirer. They have taken over the running of the Thursday Toddler Group and storage is in the hut outside for all the toys. The Management Committee discussed whether to review hire charges 6 monthly instead of annually with rising inflation but it was decided to keep price increases being put to the Community Council AGM in April for implementation the following year and that gives the hirers time to make their own plans to meet any increases. Reverend Alison Smith of the United Reform Hayes Free Church chaired the AGM. Given all the work done by the Trustees the hall is now better maintained and a more inviting space for hirers.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	With two large donations the financial position was improved at the end of 2023 and the Trustees have given careful consideration prioritising work to be done. However, having sought quotes for the next works we found that priorities changed and we needed to be flexible to ensure money was spent wisely but with health and safety paramount. With the uncertainty of inflation and further energy price rises we got agreement from the regular hirers to increase prices in 2024 thus ensuring that our financial position was better protected against unknowns. We are always looking for fundraising opportunities and several events were held in 2023.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	We keep a minimum of 6 months anticipated expenditure (£20,000) at all times as a reserve to enable us to run the hall for lettings and meet our outgoings as they fall due.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£64,421
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	Not applicable
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	None
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	Not applicable

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	The principal source of funds remains hall hire both to regular groups and for one off events such as First Aid Training, funeral wakes, children’s parties (up to age 9), Hayes Village Association and Hayes Christmas Lights fundraisers, ad hoc meetings etc. All booking requests out of the ordinary are discussed by the Trustees before going ahead. The hall has also received donations from local organisations.

		The Trustees organised a bottle tombola stall at the Hayes Fair on 11/6/23 which raised £550 , a Table Top Sale on 29/7/23 of new and used items, a raffle at the Bromley Lions Quiz on 9/9/23, a Christmas Market on 2/12/23 including a big Christmas Hamper raffle and refreshments
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	No investments are held, merely a savings bank account to keep surplus monies with a daily automatic sweep to maintain the current account at £100. Bank interest was £500 in 2023.
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	Historically income from hall hire has been the principal source of revenue. The principal risk is the loss of income from hall hirers, the inability to fundraise and any further lockdowns in the future. Another limiting factor was the lack of income generation which meant planned maintenance works were put on hold. Works have been prioritised as a result and trustees are very aware of their duties and we discuss health, safety and maintenance at every committee meeting. A very real risk post Covid is the rising cost of running and maintaining the hall and the committee research and discuss costs and proposed plans at each trustee meeting. Three quotes are always sought for planned works although it is sometimes hard to get work men to visit to see the job involved.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Trust Deed
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Unincorporated association.
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Under the Hall Trust Deed each of the organisations affiliated to the Hayes Community Council become member organisations and are due for re- election every 3 years on a rolling basis Trustees are appointed from these member organisations.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	Prospective trustees are invited to Management Committee meetings to familiarise themselves with the workings of the charity and if they then decide to take on the role shadowing and 1:1 training is given. A character reference is also sought as required by our insurance company.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	Management of the Village Hall is done by a committee of trustees and also the Treasurer who is not a Trustee
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	None
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Hayes Village Hall
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	302956
Charity’s principal address	c/o 2a Hayes Road Bromley Kent BR2 9AA

This being the address of the Charity Commission Liaison Trustee. The Hayes Village Hall building itself does not have a post box and cannot accept mail there.

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Jennifer Ann Miah	Charity Commission Liaison
	Sarah Pereira
	Pamela Joyce Anderson	Hall Manager and fundraising
	Oliver Derek Pereira	Chairman
	MaryWhytock	Secretary
	Helen Lightoller

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Jenny Miah

Full name(s) Jennifer Ann Miah

Position (eg Secretary, Charity Commission Liaison Chair, etc)

Date

1/10/24

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