SIDEGATE LANE COMMUNITY CENTRE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2025
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
I am very pleased to report that our membership numbers have continued to increase this year and they are now up to the level that they were before Covid. Since we introduced junior membership last year, two juniors have become members of the centre and attend on a regular basis. We have another junior who is about to join our Table Tennis section. It is lovely to see these young people coming here each week so enthusiastically and enjoying their activity and being part of their section.
Following on from discussions at last year’s AGM, Thursday Ladies was renamed Thursday Talks, in the hope that this would encourage more members to attend the monthly talks. Unfortunately, as attendance did not increase, this section decided to close and they had their last meeting in December 2024. I would like to thank Margaret Page and any others who were involved in the organisation and running of this section, for their hard work in enabling it to continue for so many years. It is sad to see this section close.
On a more positive note, in October 2024 we held a Sunday Tea Dance which was enjoyed by all those attending and as a result of this, there have been regular Sunday Tea Dances since then. I would like to thank Sylvia Finbow and Alison and David Last for their involvement in these.
During last September it was necessary to have a new boiler installed to supply the hot water to the wash basins and to the radiators. I understand that the old boiler was well over twenty years old and had been classed as obsolete by the industry, so replacement parts for it were no longer available. It had served the centre well and I hope that the new one will do likewise!
It takes a lot of people and commitment to run this centre each week. I would like to thank Paul, our Caretaker, for all of his hard work in maintaining our facilities to such a high standard throughout the year and thank you to Sylvia and Alison for their help with cleaning etc. when Paul has been unwell. Thank you to all of the officers and committee members for their support and efforts over the past year and especially to Peter, our Treasurer and Alison, our secretary. Thank you also, to all of the tutors, section leaders and other volunteers who enable the activities to run well each week. Finally, I would like to thank every member for their continued support of the centre. We all know how important it is to us and what we gain from coming here, so please do tell your friends, family and neighbours about it and encourage other people to come along and join us.
Rachel Daniels
FINANCIAL REPORT
Peter, The Hon. Treasurer distributed copies of The Clubs Accounts for the year ending 31st March 2025 with an additional sheet showing the receipts and payments of the Section accounts. He hoped that you have been able to look at these independently examined accounts.
He thanked the members who collect and record class and section fees for the centre each week. Then he mentioned the main aspects of the accounts: - We have a surplus of £9,060 even with the cost of the new boiler of £4,464.00.
Our electricity is £55.00 cheaper this year but our gas is £1,320.00 more due to the increase in costs and the end of a very beneficial fixed tariff.
Peter explained the reason for the difference in administration costs - an increase of £1,147 on last year- as the inclusion of many additional items beyond Printing, Postage and Stationary such as window cleaning, change of alarm system, plumbing repair, fire alarm battery, defibrillator battery and pads, Community Action Suffolk Sub and payment for a Safeguarding course, also website
subscription and the printing of our brochures and membership cards which only cost us £125.00 this year.
SECTION REPORTS These were received from the following Section Representatives: Margaret Osborne for Ballroom Dancing David Vickers for Sequence Dancing Graham Garrard for Art Mick Bugg for Badminton Alison read Tony Crane’s report for Carpet Bowls Dave Rowland for Circle Dance Alison read Linda Horan’s report for Keep Fit Jean Knapman for Yoga June Lawrence for Wednesday Ladies Kevin Brazier for Table Tennis James Spurling for Tea Dance Dot Walker for Saturday Social Dance Rachel sadly reported that The Thursday Group which met in the evening has now closed. Although opening it to all comers there was not an increase in attendance. Rachel thanked David Vickers for his service on the committee as the Sequence Dance representative.
CONFIRMATION OF SECTION REPRESENTATIVES ON THE MANAGMENT COMMITTEE
These are nominations from the Sections for this year all PROPOSED by Frances Curwen and SECONDED by Mike Kwasniak and Andrew Johns.
BALLROOM DANCE - Margaret Osborne SEQUENCE DANCE - Peter Hillman ART - Graham Garrard. BADMINTON - Mick Bugg. CARPET BOWLS - Tony Crane. YOGA - Jean Knapman. WEDNESDAY LADIES -June Lawrence. TABLE TENNIS - Kevin Brazier. TEA DANCE - James Spurling. CIRCLE DANCE - Dave Rowland. SATURDAY SOCIAL DANCE - Dot Walker. The Saturday Social Dance is 50/50 Ballroom and Sequence Dance
ELECTION OF ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Proposed Seconded Rachel Daniels. Frances Curwen Peter Hillman Peter Keeble. Jean Knapman. Kevin Brazier Pat Addison Peter Hillman. Margaret Osborne Alison Last. Rachel Daniels. Jean Knapman Frances Curwen Rachel Daniels Andrew Johns Peter Hillman. Dave Rowland. James Spurling
ANNUAL SUBSCIPTION
Agreed to remain at £15.00 for adults and £7.50 for juniors from September.
APPOINTMENT OF AN INDEPENDANT EXAMINER
The Treasurer recommends that we re-appoint Mr S Lasky FCCA of RDP Accountants to Independently Examine the Accounts next year. Agreed
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