AGM Chair Report Nov 2020
This has been an incredibly difficult year for the VHT due to the pandemic. Arguably it has been it’s most difficult year in the hall’s nearly 100 year old history since to my knowledge, never before have we been ordered to close by government decree. For an organisation whose sole purpose is to bring people together, it hits us especially hard.
Before the lockdown in March, we were going great guns. Occupancy in the halls, especially during weekday evenings, was very good. It was a good year for parties and other functions. Our newer groups including film nights and drop-in Tuesdays were faring well as were our longer established groups. The cafe continues to be very popular; one of the highlights of the year was celebrating the 10[th] anniversary of the cafe at the foyer along with songs from the Singing Ladies. Now that we are temporarily unable to do any of these things, I am grateful for the times when we could. All of which was brought to a sudden halt during the first lockdown starting in March, and of course, we are currently back in that position again . There was a short window of opportunity when it looked like many groups were poised to make a comeback in September, but we were hit almost straight away with the North East restrictions. A few groups had managed to meet, working within government guidelines, but nothing like our normal numbers. We have kept the cafe going as much as we realistically can, and I am particularly grateful to the cafe volunteers who have carried on regardless. So these are very difficult times, but I’m optimistic that people will want to come back to the halls as and when it feels safe to do so.
All of which makes it sound like nothing much has been happening for the last 7 months. Ironically I have never been busier. Having just past Remembrance Sunday, I am reminded of the famous poster “Daddy, what did you do in the Great War?’. The same could be asked of us: ‘what did you do during the coronavirus pandemic?’. Many had to do the right thing by staying at home. But I am very proud of our part in the village response to covid-19. From a meeting in March between the Parish Council, the VHT and the churches, there followed a very intensive period of planning as to how best we could meet the needs of our residents, both practical and emotional needs, many of whom had to self-isolate because of their vulnerability to the virus. This evolved largely into the cooked meal service provided by our caterer friend, Virginia Steer, and prescription collection and deliveries, both of which continue to date. Just as importantly, accessing those services has provided contact with a friendly person to chat to, perhaps the only person that resident might have talked to all day. The restrictions have been particularly hard on couples where one is the main carer for the other due to physical disabilities or ageing. In these situations, small but regular kindnesses go a long way, not having to worry about visiting the chemists, or planning what to cook, or just knowing that someone is there for you; this is what community is all about. Nobody asked us to do it, we did so off our own bat because we felt very strongly that we value our community and are willing to turn words into action. I wish to pay particular tribute to Catherine Harrison and Suzanne Barker who have put in countless hours to make all of this happen, and have done so willingly and cheerfully. Also to Virginia Steer for her kindness and dedication with the catering for the meals service.
The next major challenge was getting the halls covid-secure on re-opening. In the government’s covid guidelines village halls are described as ‘multi-purpose community buildings’ and it has become clear just how ‘multi-purpose’ we truly are when I have had to get to grips with what is allowed and what isn’t at any one time. It would be much easier if we were ‘just’ a cafe, or ‘just’ a sports hall. In reality we have a huge variety of widely different activities; but that underscores what a vibrant set of groups the halls play host to. As we all know, the rules have changed constantly from one day to the next and we have had to keep on top of them all. Nevertheless, I am satisfied that our halls are as covid-secure as we can get them. We have good systems in place, extremely thorough cleaning, and plenty of space in which to socially distance.
Financially we are on a secure footing to ride out the storm. The VHT has been helped enormously with two grants from the government. I am really grateful for the generosity of the Parish Council who helped us with additional funding, starting at the beginning of lockdown at a time when we needed it most and when it was far from clear if government funding would be available to us.
Many, many people have brought their own skills and experience to benefit the VHT in the past. The more you get to understand the VHT, the more obvious it is that it is the result of a lot of hard work (often unsung) by a lot of people. As I hand over the reins, I am confident that I leave the VHT in a good place in terms of its administrative policies and procedures. We live in an ever more complex world when it comes to things like protecting people’s data and privacy, their health and safety (re Covid and generally), our obligations as a landlord etc, and it is important that we are now up to speed with our obligations. Additionally, our
protection against the risk of fire is now greatly improved and you have Graham to thank for overseeing that aspect.
On a brighter note, I am delighted that the Charity Commission has approved our application to CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) status. Following the resolution passed by trustees at our last trustees meeting to move forwards with this, the application process proved to be straightforward and quick. A CIO is a relatively new legal structure which has more advantages compared to the old Trust structure. It will not change what we do, nor how we do it, on a day to day basis. But it does provide some protection to trustees (who after all, are the people who have stepped up to the plate to look after this organisation) and it also means that the village hall organisation can do certain legal transactions in its own name rather than in the names of individual trustees.
If I thanked everyone by name that deserved to be thanked, Zoom would run out of internet bandwidth, so I hope no one minds if I restrict myself to a few thank you’s in particular:
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the cafe volunteers for keeping the show on the road throughout this year;
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the garden invaders for keeping the gardens and grounds looking well cared for and beautiful; and -likewise the maintenance group for tackling those pesky ‘odd jobs’ in and around the halls;
-Colin and Carrie Craig-Gilby for keeping our website and social media presence active, and for letting us meet via Zoom
-Judy for her sound advice and wealth of experience; and to Graham for keeping the books in good order and for signing us up to green energy suppliers;
-and the most enormous thank you to Suzanne for her tireless energy, her unwavering commitment not just to the VHT but to the people of this village, and for her good ideas to take the VHT forwards. It’s not an understatement to say that I just cannot imagine doing without a manager, and we would be much the poorer without Suzanne in that role.
Finally, I wish all the very best to the incoming committee members. I can guarantee that you will never be bored but is a very rewarding role and I hope it is as much fun for you as it has been for me and my colleagues over the past couple of years.
Riding Mill Vlllage Hall Trust Note5 on Final Account for year September 2019 to August 2020 1.0 The bank balance at 31st August 2020 was £43089 previous year £17281 2.0 The net worth of RMVHT has in(xeased from £17298 10 £42259 3.0 Viability Test after Grants and lfflprovemeftls proved positive with a sutphjs of £2564 due in the main lo the t¢0[eS generated in up to 23rd when ihe Halls were at capacity and oversubsaibed. Unrestrtcted Funds Income speal Events iftcludes lunches, parties. film nbghis. Jumbte sale. Jaa evening, and Craft Fare. Grants & Donalions NorthLSmberd County Council 20000 Broomhaugh & RKling Mill PC 5500 B8rdays Trust 750 NHS North Cumbria 500 Janet Padgelt face masks 150 Broomhaugh & Riding Mtll PC Donalw)n lo Gardens 100 27000 AffilialÉon Fees Affiliated Clubs £30 per annum Trading Income Millennium Hau Parish Ha]1 Income redu bwuse of Covidlg restrlon5 Hire of Parish Hall reduced due to Covid19 Miscellaneous River Ttust 2nd Book Cltsb Coffee MomÈngs Indudes shop and meal service to the communrty Flat Monthty rental income. Sundry Lunches in part. Total Income A creAJitable ou1C desptte only having 7 months active trading. The Hall ck)sed on 23rt March 2020. Sufficient funds were being generated to pay the Fire Prevention measures required by Ihe Fire Brigade. Expenditure Parish Hall Runnirp costs include gas. eiectrtcity. water. maintenan. consumables, PPE, service costs and tree survey. Repairs and Relurbishment indudes the c%)st of a FI proteclK)n system. building works. therMtatic Wdlves to radtators and ma5ntenance. Miltennium Halt RunnirYJ costs include gas. electricity, maintenance. consumables. and service costs. Repairs and refurt)ishmenl indude Fire Proteckn up grade. Signa. and ventilation to boiler rcM)m_ Flat Safety check on gas boikn Fsre protection requiremerrt for gas emissions. General Insurances for Parish and Millennium Halls from Allied Westminster arNJ ADT brokers. General Sundties Cost of meal services. shop produ1%. eggs. jams 2nd chutneys. garden maintenance of equÉpment, minor consufflables. Income Tax none applicable. Telept¥)nes and WIFI to both Halls under a Business Contract. Couranl is no available tr( Hall
Riding Mill VFlla8e Hall Trust Receipts and Payments statementfrythe yearended 31stAugust 21>20 Income." 2020 2019 Hir har Millennium Hall Parish Hall £3.73850 £8 066.64 £11,805.14 £6.749.50 £13 %7.10 E20,716.60 Coftee Morftings £8.095.74 £8.095.74 £4.203.(KI £4.203.00 Flat rent E5.701.Ci) £5,701.CKI £5A75.tsJ £5,475. Sundry Income £553.66 £553.66 £0. £0.00 Grants/Donations £27.C.(l £27.0. £8.655.90 £8.655.90 Special Events E4.640.42 £4.640.42 £1.615.00 £1,615.(KJ Affilliaton Fees £360. £360.W £330.(M) £330.CN) Miscellaneous £99.00 £99.C4J £2.037.25 £2.037.25 Courant £0.00 Total Intome £43,032.75 diture.- Parish Hall Running Costs RepairlRefurbishment £12.713.22 £15.17554 £37 221.11 £19.318.82 £52,396.65 illeTrnium Hall Runnin8 Costs RepairlRefvrbi5hment £4.650.18 £947.21 £7,.37 £6 476.80 £5.597.39 £14.381.17 Flat Running Costs RepaiF/RefuFbishment £0.00 £251.25 £424.58 £50.00 £675.83 Insurance £2.291.35 £2291.35 £2.40531 £1405.31 Sundry Expendliuire £4,671.45 £4.671.45 £3.44932 £3.449.32 Telephone (both ha1151 £136429 £1?64.89 £1.562.57 £1.562.57 Cournnt £0.00 Income Tax Icaretakerl £0.00 Totsl Expenditure £335) £74.870.85 Surplus for the year £24A61.06 Independentl¥ chetked by". Date:
RIDING MIiLVIiLAGE HALL TRUST INCOME AND EXPENDrtURE ACCOU1 201912020 9n0 XIJ812019 Non T1 Speaal Ew*ts Gfants and Donati 1.615 27.IXK) 360 330 .601 Tradl Incorne Hire Millennium Hall HI Parth Ha 6.750 13,967 20,717 S.(? Miscellaneou5 Coffee morning Hat Rt 2,037 4.203 5.475 8.096 5.701 SLtndry 14.449 11.715 $8255 2012020 201812019 Parish Hall Running Costs Repoirs & Refurbishment 11713 15.176 37.221 52.397 19.319 MtUenNum Hail Running Costs Rèpairs & Refuybthment 4.650 947 6.477 14381 5.597 Running Costs Repairs & Refvrbishment 251 425 676 In5uraii 5vndrie5 IncomeTax Caretaker Teleghone Both Halb Courant Pay[rts 2,405 4.671 1.563 7.417 741 &Jrplus l (DefKit) {31A381 Retained Surphjs bm Retained Surplus c/f 17,298 49.136 17,298
Rldi illa Hall Trust- Annual Re thEkpErK1enteMnerfS reportDnthe accounts The charftystrvsteeseon%derthan avdit is not required forthis year lundersechrth4312lofttrt Charitieskn 1993 (the Actll and thatan independÈnt examinatlon 15 needed. It 15 my resw1nb(IIty1O". examinothea¢couDts lundersection43 of theActl, tofollowtheprocedureslaid dDWn intheGet(al (krectiUll5 bythe Chèrity c(¥On lunder seCtn 4317llbl of thÈArtI. and tOState %YhÈthEr partlcul•r tterS hè come to myattentlcpn. Myexarninatyon carried Dut in aCCordanW Generdl Dlrectionsgiven bythe Chirity commisOners. An examlnation IndUd a ree ofthe accountin8 records kept by the rhartyand a comparison of theaccounts we5ented those records. It21so In¢lude5 Consideration of aDyunusu31 Itemsordisclosutes ill the atÈDun and seÈkJDgexplanatlons frorn the trustees concernln8anysuch matrg. procedures undprraken do nOt(Ide all the edence thatwould bE required ia an audil. aTrd consequently I do not expre5san avditopinw)n on the account5. In the courseof myexaminatlon, no matter has corftètomy attention which me reasonab Causeto believe thatin. anymerk?I respecE. the tru5tee5 have not met the reoulrement5toensurethat-. proper actounting recor are kept lin accordantewith 5eciion 41 olthÈ Act).. ènc accountsare ppared ¥Yhich a¥ree wlth the accountingrecord5 and totnpiy with the accountin8 requirements ofthe Act.. r towhich, in myopinion. attentlon 5hDuld be drawn in ordertoenablea propEr understanding gf the accountSto be re6ched. SI8*. Jonathan Dod8eon BAHon5 FCA Dat•.. I fiovÈmber2020