CHURT VILLAGE HALL
Annual Report 2024
Charity Name: Churt Village Hall
Charity number: 305006
Report for financial year: 1 November 2023 – 31 October 2024
Principal address: Crossways, Churt, Farnham, Surrey GU10 2JA
Trustees at the date of this report:
Holding trustees:
| Holding trustees: | |
|---|---|
| Geoffrey John Langton Brain | Chair |
| Rev Richard Bodle | Trustee |
| Terence Arthur Cole | Trustee |
| Manging trustees: | |
| Michael Robert George Cook | Chair (appointed 12 February 2024) |
| Peter Bolt | Trustee |
| Christopher James Deacon | Trustee |
| Julia Deacon | Trustee |
| Alison Jane Hughes | Trustee (resigned 20 November 2024) |
| Philip Peter Kirby | Trustee (appointed 07 January 2025) |
| Lucie Jean Pinnell | Trustee (appointed 14 December 2023) |
| Vivienne Frances Raeside | Trustee |
Governance
The charity was established in 1928 with charitable objectives to operate a Village Hall for use as reading and recreation rooms. The governing document is the Deed of Conveyance dated 18 May 1928. The Charity is constituted as an unincorporated association.
The Holding Trustees hold the title to the Hall as custodians but are not involved in day-to-day management. The routine operation of the Hall is delegated to a management committee consisting of the seven Managing Trustees.
Manging trustees are formally elected by the Annual General Meeting, which is held every year in November and is open to all Churt residents. New trustees may be co-opted during the year, subject to confirmation at the AGM.
Charitable activities
Churt Village Hall is run and maintained to provide a focus for the local community to meet its social and recreational needs. A variety of activities are undertaken, principally by and for the benefit of members of the village, however the Hall is open to, and embraces, wider usage from the surrounding populace and elsewhere.
The trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when managing the hall and determining how best to utilise funds raised.
Annual review 2024
Churt Village Hall is an extremely important community facility that is heavily used throughout the year. We have a good number of regular users of the Hall that include Dottie Tots (DT) Day Nursery, who occupy the Hall on weekdays between 0800-1800, and other Churt organisations such as CADS, the WI, CHAPS and the Parish Council (PC). Ad hoc users of the Hall include private hires for children’s parties, pop-up retail, general parties etc. Private hires were a little down on previous years during the middle part of 2024 but are beginning to pick up again as we begin to market the Hall more effectively including providing a small discount for St John’s School and DT parents’ children’s parties. We have hosted 19 birthday parties this year, to date, with several more booked. In addition, there have been ~ 20 other ‘non-core’ bookings including for elections and commercial activities (rugs, furniture etc).
The Dottie Tots contract provides a welcome level of baseline income that helps us to maintain and develop the facilities of the Hall and supports a local feeder nursery for potential St John’s School pupils.
In addition to income from users of the Hall, the Village Hall Committee, comprising Mick Cook (Chair), Chris Deacon (Treasurer), Julia Deacon (Secretary), Lucie White (Maintenance), Viv Raeside (Nursery liaison and Events
Coordinator), Peter Bolt (Hall Bookings), Alison Hughes (Fundraising) have been active during 2024 adding to the Hall’s income through three well supported activities. The Village Quiz, the Churt Fete Raffle and the Tina Turner Tribute Act all provided not only good funds for the Hall but, perhaps as importantly, also fun activities for the Churt and surroundings community.
Overall, it has been a very good year for Churt Village Hall where we have supported the community and raised a good level of surplus funds despite the fact that we have continued to offer reduced rates to charities and our community, provide the Hall free of charge for the PC Village Cheer preChristmas event, and are pleased to mark our central position in Churt with the Christmas tree and lights.
The funds raised have been used to maintain and upgrade the Hall. We have replaced some of the kitchen equipment, given the chairs a superb overhaul, repainted parts of the Hall that suffer from heavy use, replaced a gate post at the back of the Hall and a leaking windowsill. Further, we are now in the process of planning a number of upgrades in 2025 & 2026, including provision of a modern audio-visual (AV) system, replacing the storage shed at the rear of the Hall, upgrading the ladies’ and disabled toilet facilities, and replacing the curtains in the main part of the Hall. These upgrades will eat into the reserves we have accumulated but will provide a significantly enhanced Hall for the Churt Community. And, we will be seeking some grant funding to offset the costs of these upgrades, where possible.
The Trustees would like to thank the Village Hall Management Committee and other Hall helpers, who do an enormous amount to ensure the Hall continues to provide an excellent facility for the residents of Churt and its surrounds.
Financial review 2024
Overview:
Total income in the financial year 2023-24 was considerably higher than in 2022-23 because it included a full year of fees from Dottie Tots Nursery. Total costs were somewhat lower than in 2023, largely because we completed as much hall improvement and maintenance work as possible in 2023, before the
new nursery started operation. The net effect is that the surplus this year is considerably larger than we’ve achieved previously, at £23,148.
The charity’s financial statements for the year ended 31 October 2024 are attached, along with the Independent Examiner’s report.
Income:
Total income was £41,283 for the financial year, with Dottie Tots nursery contributing £21,562 of that total.
Fundraising maintained last year’s excellent contribution. The VH Lottery now has 29 members and still generates useful income. The level of donations is up this year, largely because of the receipt of a legacy of £2,000 from the estate of former committee member Brigid Tucker, for which we are very grateful. Smaller donations were also received from other kind donors, and by way of Lottery prizes donated back to the hall. Income from fundraising events was again excellent. Finally, we received a grant of £1,000 in the form of a business recovery rebate of £500 on each of our gas and electricity bills.
Private functions, and Clubs and Activities income were slightly down v/s 2023, whereas Commercial income (including use as a polling station) was up.
This year, £10,000 was invested in a Lloyds fixed term deposit account, at an interest rate of 3.6%. This account will mature on 3 February 2025, and a further investment will be considered in due course.
Expenditure:
Total expenditure was £18,135 for the year. Hall Improvement costs and Repair & Maintenance costs have now returned to more normal levels, but gas and electricity costs were slightly higher this year because of increased occupancy of the hall by the nursery.
Unfortunately, our advantageous fixed price utility contracts finally came to an end on 30 September 2024. A new fixed price contract is now in place, but nonetheless it is expected that energy costs in the coming financial year will be substantially higher.
Financial position:
The hall has a strong balance sheet. The overall financial position at the end of the financial year 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024 is satisfactory, with net assets of £55,794. The net income for the financial year was £23,148.
Because of a general increase in costs, hire fees were increased at the beginning of September by 5% for general hirers. It was decided, however, to leave rates unchanged for local community organisations this year, in recognition of the cost pressures that they themselves are under.
Reserves policy and reserves:
The hall operates a reserves policy of retaining one year’s operating costs. For the coming year, in the light of steadily increasing costs and the recent increase in our contracted energy prices, the policy reserve has been increased to £22,000. At the end of October 2024, this leaves ‘free reserves’ of £33,794.
Declarations:
All funds are unrestricted. There are no funds held by the charity that are materially in deficit. There are no uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern.
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Signature
Full name
Christopher James Deacon
Position
Treasurer
Date
26 August 2025
Profit and Loss
Churt Village Hall
For the year ended 31 October 2024
| Profit and Loss Churt Village Hall For the year ended 31 October 2024 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Trading Income | |||
| Interest Income | 205 | - | - |
| Other Revenue - Donations | 2,652 | 700 | 863 |
| Other Revenue - Fundraising Activities | 5,999 | 5,162 | 4,829 |
| Other Revenue - Grants | 1,000 | 6,086 | 2,667 |
| Other Revenue - Lottery Subscriptions | 1,785 | 1,800 | 1,815 |
| Sales - Clubs & Activities | 3,290 | 4,238 | 4,123 |
| Sales - Commercial | 1,512 | 864 | 730 |
| Sales - Nursery School | 21,563 | 2,225 | 7,558 |
| Sales - Private Functions | 2,153 | 3,512 | 2,062 |
| Sales - Storage Space | 1,125 | 1,125 | 890 |
| Total Trading Income | 41,283 | 25,712 | 25,537 |
| Gross Profit | 41,283 | 25,712 | 25,537 |
| Operating Expenses | |||
| Advertising & Website | 277 | 234 | 234 |
| AGM & Christmas Tree | 114 | 95 | 139 |
| Bad Debt Expense | 212 | 712 | - |
| Cleaning | 2,897 | 1,960 | 1,965 |
| Electricity | 1,716 | 843 | 728 |
| Fundraising Costs | 2,204 | 1,355 | 2,017 |
| Gas | 2,053 | 1,604 | 2,172 |
| General Expenses | 56 | 786 | 25 |
| Hall Improvement Costs | 173 | 11,191 | 2,701 |
| Hallmaster Subscription | 270 | 253 | 236 |
| Hygiene Services | - | 115 | 324 |
| Insurance | 1,300 | 1,211 | 1,320 |
| Lottery Costs | 920 | 920 | 905 |
| Performing Rights | 404 | 254 | 279 |
| Premises licence | 180 | 70 | 70 |
| Rates | 81 | 77 | 143 |
| Refuse Collection | 1,017 | 1,142 | 1,741 |
| Repairs & Maintenance | 2,983 | 3,428 | 3,904 |
| Telephone & Internet | 505 | 578 | 294 |
| Water | 446 | 237 | 491 |
| Xero Subscription | 327 | 304 | 283 |
| Total Operating Expenses | 18,135 | 27,370 | 19,971 |
| Net Profit | 23,148 | (1,658) | 5,566 |
20 Nov 2024 Page 1 of 2
Committee Report Churt Village Hall
Balance Sheet
Churt Village Hall As at 31 October 2024
| Balance Sheet Churt Village Hall As at 31 October 2024 |
Balance Sheet Churt Village Hall As at 31 October 2024 |
|---|---|
| 31 OCT 2024 31 OCT 2023 31 OCT 2022 |
|
| Assets | |
| Bank | |
| Churt Village Hall 37,269 27,975 31,410 |
|
| Churt Village Hall Lottery 1,021 980 1,090 |
|
| Lloyds Fixed Term Deposit 10,000 - - |
|
| Skipton Deposit Account 3,576 3,371 3,371 |
|
| Total Bank 51,866 32,326 35,871 Current Assets |
|
| Accounts Receivable 5,772 1,771 850 |
|
| Prepayments 336 297 314 |
|
| Total Current Assets 6,108 2,069 1,164 |
|
| Total Assets 57,974 34,395 37,034 Liabilities |
|
| Current Liabilities | |
| Accounts Payable 456 156 705 |
|
| Accruals 809 341 335 |
|
| Income in Advance - 382 764 |
|
| Lottery Income in Advance 915 870 925 |
|
| Rounding - - - |
|
| Total Current Liabilities 2,180 1,748 2,729 |
|
| Total Liabilities 2,180 1,748 2,729 |
|
| Net Assets 55,794 32,646 34,305 Equity |
|
| Current Year Earnings 23,148 (1,658) 5,566 |
|
| Retained Earnings 32,646 34,305 28,739 |
|
| Total Equity 55,794 32,646 34,305 |
20 Nov 2024 Page 2 of 2
Committee Report Churt Village Hall
Mr Chris Deacon Treasurer. Churt village Hall Spring Valley Churt Road Churt GUIO 2QU Inde ndent examlnerfs re to the trustees of Churt Wil l pOrt to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Churt Willage Hall for the year ended 31st October 2024. Res nslbilitles and ba$ of re As the charlty trustees of Churt Vlllage Hall you are responslble for the preparation of the accounts in accordance wfth the requirements of the Charities Art 2011 ('the ACV). I report In respect of my examinatlon of Churt Vlllage Hall's accounts carrled out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examinatlon I have followed all the appllcable Directlons glven by the Charlty Commlssion under sertlon 14515)Ib) of the Art. Inde ndent examlnerfs statement I have completed my examlnatlon. I confirm that no materlal matters have come to my attention In connertlon with the exarninatlon giving me cause to belleve that in any material respect: l. accountin8 records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord wlth those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the appllcable requirements concernlng the form and content of accounts set out in the Charitie51Accounts and Reports) Re8ulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view which is not a matter consldered as part of an Independent examlnatlon. I have no COnrnS and have come across no other matters In connection with the examlnatlon to whlch attention should be drawn In this report in order to enable a proper understsndlng of the ts to be reached. accou si ne Name: Vanessa Address: 8 Greenhanger, Churt, Surrey GUIO 2PE Date: 8 August 2025