2023-03-31-accounts

Waldringfield Village Hall

Charity 304830

Trustees’ annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

School Lane, Waldringfield, Woodbridge, IP12 4QP

Contents
	Page
Reference and administration details	3
Structure, governance and management	5
Objectives and activities	6
Achievements and Performance	7
Financial Review	9
Declaration	11
Independent examiner’s report on the accounts	12
Statement of financial activities	13
Balance sheet	14
Explanatory notes to the accounts	15

2

Reference and administration details

Charity Name

Waldringfield Village Hall

Other name the charity uses

Village Hall (Waldringfield) – previous name

Registered charity number

304830

Charity’s principal address

School Lane, Waldringfield, Woodbridge, IP12 4QP

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Marian Bradley Bookings Secretary Joyce Forsdike Vice-Chair Philip Hall Chair Nigel King Tony Lyon Celia Mason Treasurer John Nayler

Nigel Shore Sarah Wood Minutes Secretary

Volunteers who serve on the management committee

Louise Brearey, Christine Lyon

Waldringfield Parish Council representative on the management committee

Nigel Shore

Website waldringfield.onesuffolk.net/our-village/village-hall

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Email

[e-mail]

Telephone

01473 736126

Bankers

Lloyds Bank, 8 The Thoroughfare, Woodbridge, IP12 1AF

4

Structure, governance and management

Type of governing document

The Trust is governed by a Trust Deed dating to 1959.

How is the charity constituted?

Unincorporated association

Trustee selection methods

Trustees and the Committee of Management consist of elected and representative members and may include co-opted members. Trustees are elected for a term of 12 months at the Annual General Meeting and retiring Trustees are eligible for reappointment. Representative members include the Parish Council.

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Objectives and activities

Summary of the purposes of the charity set out in its governing document

A Village Hall for the use of the inhabitants of Waldringfield and the neighbourhood without distinction of sex or political religious or other opinions and in particular for use for meetings lectures and classes and for other forms of recreation and leisure-time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.

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

The main activities of the Trust involve the hiring of the Hall for sporting and leisure activities such as karate, dance, art, pilates, chair-based exercise, ukelele and stretch and tone. Many hirers use the Hall for their committee meetings, for hosting talks, shows and study days. They include the Wine Club, the History Group, the Parish Council, Woodbridge Arts Society, Waldringfield Wildlife Group and Waldringfield Gardeners. With the assistance of many volunteers, the Village Hall also hosts community events such as monthly Coffee Mornings, Winter Talks, Harvest Supper, Winter Party and Pantomime. The neighbouring school uses the Hall for special events and the Hall also hosts visiting drama and music groups for the enjoyment of villagers. The Hall is also used for private parties and the occasional wedding.

Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit

In planning our activities for the year we kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit at our trustee meetings.

Additional Details

We are grateful for the many hours that volunteers contribute to maintaining the premises and to hosting events. Without their valuable contribution of time, energy and expertise we would not be able to achieve so much. We are also grateful for the many kind donations, often anonymous, which help to support and sustain our activities.

6

Achievements and Performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

For the first time since 2020, the Hall was mercifully free of lockdown restrictions all year. It was a pleasure to see the Hall so well used again and for such a wide variety of activities. The lockdowns of previous years reminded us, if we needed reminding, of the social importance of the monthly coffee mornings to village life as well as their value in raising funds for the Village Hall. Thankfully the coffee mornings remain as popular as ever with attendances sometimes exceeding100 people. Not bad for a village with a population of less than 500! A tremendous amount of work goes into making these the success they are, both front of house and in the kitchen; and the quality of the homemade cakes is legendary. Our thanks go to Chris Lyon and the whole of the coffee team for their tireless and continuing efforts. New volunteers are, of course, always welcome.

May 2022 saw the return of the Waldringfield Gardeners’ Open Gardens. This is an opportunity for residents to open-up their gardens for visitors to enjoy. The Village Hall provides parking and the opportunity for visitors to rest their feet and enjoy a lovely cream tea, This was quickly followed in June by the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. On this occasion we were pleased to provide parking, toilets and tables and chairs to support the Parish Council’s party on the nearby Playing Fields.

The ‘sell-out’ Harvest Supper and Pantomime in October received rave reviews and our thanks go to all those who gave up their time to help and particularly to Nigel Shore who agreed to take on the organisation of the Pantomime from Gareth Thomas.

Also in October was the very successful ‘Quiz Night’, organised by Christine Lyon which raised a total of £539.12 for the Village Hall. It is always a pleasure to be able to put on a successful event and to nurture home grown talent. On the 18[th] March, the residents of Waldringfield were entertained to a very special Winter Party with music from Waldringfield’s very own ‘Garage Jam’. Local resident Mary Tucker’s review summed up the occasion brilliantly.

“ Every year, since the Autumn and Winter Parties started back in the 1970’s, I’ve been saying ‘Well, this is the best ever’. Last night’s must have been one of the very best ever. From the ingenious layout of the tables, to the central flower decorations. The subtle lighting in the hall. The M.C. in his flashy red coat kept us in order or tried to!! The £1 heads and bums competition, which sadly I didn’t win, next year maybe. The whole thing went like clockwork, great organisation. The soloist! And then we came to the Band. Paul Barrell their accomplished vocalist has been hiding his light under a car. All those years I thought he was working but he’s obviously been practising at the back somewhere. They were amazing. But next year, and I hope there will be a repeat next year, I am putting in a request that they sing YMCA, because they are the Village People’s Band”.

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Many thanks go to all concerned, particularly Joyce Forsdike, and Heidi for the catering.

As the year progressed, the rapid rise in the cost of living became increasingly concerning. It has had an impact, both on the finances of our residents and the finances of the Village Hall. For its part, the Trust has kept hirers’ fees static, for the 6[th] year in a row. This has enabled bookings to remain buoyant and the Hall was a hub of recreational and social activity throughout the year. In response to the cost of living crisis, the Parish Council initiated a ‘Warm Room’ scheme in early 2023 using the Village Hall as venue. Staffed by volunteers, it provided a welcome opportunity for residents to come somewhere warm, have a chat, and enjoy a cup of tea and refreshments. It was a popular new addition to the social calendar and is planned to continue in the winter of 2023/4.

Despite the cost of living crisis, residents continued to be extremely generous towards our various fund raising efforts which are detailed further in our Financial Review.

The Trust has benefited throughout the year from a dedicated team of Committee Members often assisted by their partners. The result has been a programme of Village Hall activity and events which would simply have not been possible without them. Particular thanks go to Colin Reid, our former Chairman, for continuing to organise the Winter Talks and visits by local theatre group Eastern Angles.

The Hall needs ongoing maintenance if it is to remain attractive to users. Special thanks go to John Nayler and Tony Lyon for their work in maintaining the Hall to a high standard. Significant improvement works have been undertaken, supervised by John and Tony which are detailed further in the Financial Review below. Michelle, our cleaner, manages successfully to keep the Hall clean and we are grateful to David Ward for ensuring the bins are emptied regularly. Simon Couchman, our gardener, has ensured the grounds have remained tidy and attractive, despite the challenges of a dry summer.

As a community, we are environmentally aware and wildlife friendly. This approach was severely tested in the autumn when we found we had a wasps’ nest somewhere in the roof. Despite our best efforts the problem persisted well into the winter months and we are grateful to all concerned for their forbearance whilst we tackled the issue.

The relationship with Waldringfield School is an important one and we are pleased that the School continues to make full use of the Hall’s facilities. We are also grateful to Sarah Wood for her work as Minutes Secretary.

Our thanks also go to Louise Brearey for reviewing and updating many of our policies and to Ann Stock for taking over the ordering of supplies.

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Financial review

We are pleased to report that the Trust continued in robust financial health this year, despite the economic headwinds.

Thanks to our excellent Bookings Secretary, Marion Bradley, income from bookings in the year reached a total of £16,197, compared to £14,725 in the previous year, and £9,891 in 2019, the last full year before Covid. The paperwork involved and the time taken liaising with hirers is considerable and we are extremely lucky to have such a committed individual as a Trustee.

Our thanks also go to our Treasurer Celia Mason for keeping us on the financial ‘straight and narrow’, not just in this financial year but also in dealing with the many challenges of recent years, particularly over Covid when she was extremely successful in obtaining much needed grant aid. Celia will be stepping down as Treasurer at the 2023 AGM but has kindly offered to continue to help the new Treasurer with next year’s accounts.

Waldringfield may be a small village, but it has a heart much bigger than its resident numbers would suggest. Our income from the Village Hall Lottery continues to grow thanks to Nigel King, the Lottery’s Promoter, and his willing band of volunteers. Despite the cost of living crisis, the numbers participating in the Village Lottery continue to grow with gross income from lottery proceeds amounting to £3,627 and net income after prizes and administrative costs rising to £1,861.

Fund raising events such as the monthly Coffee Mornings, the Quiz night, the Harvest Supper, Winter Party and various talks, raised a total of £6,618 compared to £2,161 in the previous, Covid-affected, year. Our thanks go to all those involved, but particularly Christine and Tony Lyon for their organisation and dedication.

We are grateful to the £500 grant from the Parish Council and the £904 in donations from various individuals, including a particularly generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

Our total expenditure this year exceeded that of last year by a significant margin. Some of this was just because of the Hall now being back in full swing, but in large part this was due to the increased expenditure on capital improvements and maintenance. The cost of new radiators (£8,934), flooring (£4,704), and reinstating the front garden (£3,160) have been capitalised in the balance sheet. Although these are not shown as expenses, depreciation is now running at just under £3,000 a year. Maintenance costs of £5,416 include the costs of decoration, increased gardening expenditure, new planting to the front garden – and dealing with the wasps. Overall, the amount spent on improvements to the Village Hall during the year exceeded £23,000.

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During Covid we were allowed to reduce our monthly standing order for electricity, and catching up on the balance, plus the significant increase in the cost of heating oil, has increased the spend on heating and lighting.

As a consequence of the increased income and expenditure the net surplus of income over expenditure in the previous year reduced significantly. However, due to a continuing strong balance sheet, the Trust should be able to continue to deliver on its charitable objectives for the coming financial year, barring any unforeseen catastrophic events.

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

The cash at bank at 31 March 2023 was £89,235 in unrestricted funds. The main financial risk to the charity is loss of funding from hiring of the Hall. The funds are held to cover 12 months operational costs in the event of a loss of income from closure of the Hall and to meet future capital expenditure plans and to meet any unforeseen expenditure that may occur.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

Not applicable.

Future Plans

The ‘new’ Village Hall is over 20 years old and is in need of major expenditure over the next few years to ensure that it remains attractive to hirers and a facility of which the whole village can be proud. The Trustees have spent over £23,000 on improvements in this financial year and this expenditure forms part of a long term plan which the Trust is refining and implementing to improve the Hall further.

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Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature

Full name: Philip Charles Leonard Hall Position: Chairman

Date: 19[th] September 2023

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Independent examiner’s report on the accounts

Report to the trustees of

Waldringfield Village Hall

On accounts for the year ended

31[st] March 2023

Responsibilities and basis of report

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31[st] March 2023.

As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under s145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under s145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

• Accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or

• • The accounts do not accord with the accounting records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed

Name: Geoff Robinson Date: 10[th] October 2023

Relevant Professional Qualifications

Certified Diploma in Accountancy and Finance, ACCA

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Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31[st] March 2023

Income Hall lettings Fund raising events Lottery income Lottery prizes Lottery net income Parish council grant Donations Bank interest Electricity generation Total income Expenses Heat, light and water Council Tax Cleaning Telephone & broadband Insurance Maintenance Licences, health & safety Stationery & consumables Fund raising Presents and entertaining Depreciation Total expenses Net surplus of income over expenses for the year	£3,628 £(1,767) £500 £904 £328 £1,000 £4,259 £285 £2,945 £465 £1,286 £5,416 £656 £438 £2,483 £31 £2,910	£16,197 £6,618 £1,861 £24,676 £2,732 £27,409 £(21,174)
		£6,235

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Balance sheet as at 31[st] March 2023

Fixed assets Village Hall Furniture and Equipment Current assets Stock of heating oil Current account Savings Call account Debtors Hall bookings not yet paid for Bank error to be repaid Insurance prepayment Current assets Current liabilities Lottery income prepayment Unbanked cheques Invoices due Net Assets Reserves brought forward Surplus / (loss) in year Reserves carried forward	£767 £1,588 £56,743 £30,905 £942 £24 £1,123	£346,872 £16,009	£362,881 £92,092 £(911) £(68) £(797)
		£90,003 £2,089
			£453,198
			£446,963 £6,235 £453,198

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Explanatory notes to the accounts

Accounting Policies

General

The financial statements have been prepared under the historic cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice and Reporting FRS102 by the Charity Commission. All incoming resources are recognised once the charity has entitlement to the resources, it is certain that the resources will be received and the monetary value of incoming resources can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Liabilities are recognised as resources expended as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to the expenditure. All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis.

Depreciation

Depreciation is provided on furniture, plant and equipment at the following rates, based on the estimated useful life of these assets and their anticipated residual value:

100% for items with a value less than £250;

20% for white goods, and items with an expected life of 10 years or less;1

10% for all other furniture, plant and equipment with a likely long-term use and value.

No depreciation has been provided for freehold land or buildings as these are expected to have a useful life in excess of 50 years subject to ongoing repairs and maintenance; and in the view of the Trustees their unrestricted Market Value is likely to be at least that of their historic cost.

Cost Brought forward Additions in year Carry forward Depreciation Brought forward Depreciation for the year Carry forward Net Brought forward Prior year adjustment Net movements Carry forward	Freehold Village Hall and Car Park Furniture and Equipment £346,872 £27,758 - £17,809
	£346,872 £45,567 - £26,647 - £2,910
	- £29,558 £346,872 £1,111 - - - £14,899
	£346,872 £16,009

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