TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
1[ST] JANUARY TO 31[ST] DECEMBER 2021
THE INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF PITCHFORD VILLAGE HALL
(PITCHFORD VILLAGE HALL) PITCHFORD,
CONDOVER, SHREWSBURY, SY5 7DW
CHARITY NO 507243
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
DELIVERED AT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
19[TH] JANUARY 2022
Reading my report from last year prior to writing this makes me realise how far we have come. We have completely revamped the hall into a warm welcoming facility which will serve the community for a number of years. I would like to thank you all for your hard work and the hours put in, so much has been achieved not just visually but behind the scenes to manage and implement the works. I’m sure some of you were dreading answering the phone from me for fear of more work. Numerous people have commented to me how great the hall looks both internal and external which is refreshing after years of negative comments. The new heating seems to be a winner.
It was disappointing at the turn of the year that we had very little help or support from our landlord in trying to secure a lease extension so with our resources, which have been greatly helped by government and parish council grants, we have spent wisely to hopefully live out our lease.
As we have heard from the treasurer, we have met all our financial commitments with prudent and costed spending. We have maintained our reserve to enable us to move forward with financial confidence
Moving forward we have the kitchen to refurbish and exterior woodwork to repair and replace this year with the added bonus that funds are in place to do this
The subs for the 200 club are being collected by Jeanette, this is so important as electric prices are soaring and insurance will cost us over £1200. Let’s all support her in collecting and selling all the numbers
I think we still need more committee members to drive us forward and help with the workload but more than anything we need the community to use the hall.
Mike Price
Chair
HISTORY
The exact date when the building that is Pitchford Village Hall was first used is unclear but early records seem to suggest that it was erected on the site in 1926 with local lore suggesting that it wasn’t a ‘new’ building then. The Charity, Pitchford Village Hall, was created in 1946 when the building was leased from local landowners for a period of 99 years and a trust deed entered into which details the intended use of the Hall and the administration of the
management committee. The trust deed entered into in 1946 is still our governing document and the building is currently leased from Pitchford Estates.
The minutes from the post war years paint a picture of a different way of life in rural Shropshire before widespread TV, social media and the availability of a plethora of activities/entertainments. Whist drives, meat auctions, tea dances and bingo were popular occasions and well attended.
The minutes also tell a familiar story of trying to adapt an ageing building to be fit for purpose as the community’s expectations changed and the challenges of funding the improvements needed.
GOVERNANCE
Pitchford Village Hall is run by a management committee of trustees. In 2021 these were
Michael Price Chair
Christine Jones Secretary
Bridget Thurgood Treasurer
Andrew Roberts Vice Chair
Jeanette Reaney Tote Manager
John Glover
Niki Williams
Daphne Lewis
Rev Geoff Garrett
Committee meetings are held every three months with ad hoc meetings when required and the Annual General Meeting is held in January. Trustees are appointed at committee meetings once they have satisfied the trustee declaration requirements.
The building is insured with Allied Westminster Village Guard insurance and includes trustee liability and public liability cover.
ANNUAL REPORT 2021
The purpose of the committee is to maintain and manage Pitchford Village Hall for the benefit of the community, notably the parish of Acton Burnell, Pitchford, Frodesley, Ruckley and Langley though we do have support outside the parish. Regular users are the Parish Council, WI and a local playgroup. A monthly pub night is put on by the committee and in December we ran the Christmas Fayre when the WI indicated that they could not. Ad hoc events are run from time to time e.g Plant Sale, themed nights and pre-lockdown a quiz night was planned which may make a return. The Hall is used for elections and booked for family occasions, birthdays, weddings and funeral wakes.
Publicity about the Hall is via our own Facebook page, Acton Burnell Community Facebook page and Village Views, the local newsletter published every 3 months. We have an entry on Shropshire Council’s Community
Buildings Database and Acton Burnell Parish Council website. Our own website is under consideration, costs are being collated for a decision to be made shortly. Currently bookings are made by contacting Mike Price, the Booking Secretary but it is hoped this can be part of the website eventually.
The challenge of an aging building became apparent several years ago when it was found to be suffering from structural movement. A long unsuccessful wrangle with our insurance company and a refusal from our landlord to enter into negotiations on extending the lease which it was felt would assist with grant funding meant that at the start of 2020, the future of the Hall was uncertain. The
uncertainty was exacerbated by the lockdown which forced us like other Halls to close. The silver lining came when we received Covid Business Support grants from Shropshire Council and Shropshire RCC (now Community Resource). This gave us the opportunity at the start of 2021 to approach Acton Burnell Parish Council for a grant from their Lightsource Fund to address the structural issues which was successful. We secured additional grant funding from the Bernard Sunley Foundation and a further grant from Community Resource. This enabled the following works to be carried out and in particular to address the heating of the Hall which had been a problem for several years and regularly cited as making the Hall unattractive to users.
Structural enhancement to stabilise gable ends
New underground drainage
New channel drainage to car park gable end
New guttering to front of hall
Cleaning of ditch and laying of new drains away from sewage treatment plant
Removal of concrete walls to porch
Remedial work and new timber to porch walls
All tin work painted
Exterior kitchen and store walls painted
Remedial work and painting to both porches
New concrete footpath
All windows framed with upvc to seal
New windows fitted to kitchen and store
New kitchen door
New walk way/ bridge to kitchen door
New barrier/ handrail to car park
Remedial work to car park
Landscaping and reseeding of grassed areas
Resitting of notice board
New exterior lighting
New entrance doors and change of main entrance
Remedial work to toilet floors and a new door
New lino flooring to toilet area
New cupboard to box in electrics
Removal of unwanted goods from mezzanine floor store
Redecoration of toilets and lobby area
Resitting of notice boards
Remedial work to lobby doors
New heating and associated electrical work
Redecoration of store room
New tables
New curtains
Main hall floor re varnished
New music centre with Bluetooth connection
New bar pump
New hoover
A further grant was secured from the National Lottery Awards for All Community Fund which will allow the kitchen to be upgraded and this work is planned for the summer of 2022.
FINANCIAL
A copy of the accounts for 2021 independently examined and signed is available separately as part of our annual return but a copy is included overleaf for completeness.
In October we became aware of bank charges being applied to our account by HSBC and it was resolved to identify a new account which would not incur charges. This process is in hand.
The level of reserves held has been reviewed and increased to £10,000. Booking fees have been held at prepandemic levels with heating costs included replacing the old system of coin meters. Booking fees will be reviewed once the impact on revenue of including heating costs can be assessed. Rising energy costs will also be a factor in
the review once our current electricity deal ends and we can see what our running costs will be.
The requirement to have accounts prepared in time for a January AGM with the year end being 31st December is under review with a proposal to move the AGM to March and this will be put to committee in 2022.
Pitthft>rd wfLry Hall knurrts for1 Year-DdeO 315t Ewernbet 2C21 BakntssbrUhtfOfrnm YE•rEnded31stDeternber2020 5BC Unpresenthd thegues 16048.55 C45hlthequeslTh hand 309.01 16316.76 135m 45 120.LXI 315XW) 385.ttl 6171 236&UJ 25.83 T¢)ie Eaw Fundrntsins Equiprnent Htre Pub N¥ht 2334m 28L70 217AK) 247.fA) Events Bank Intere5tCurreniA¢ttyJnt Meturned Ft Grants 49&20 1743LU) Comrnufity Coun Bemard Sunl Moln Grant IC() 13552.70 Expendmure Refviblshtjwt Insvran<e Elertr Water FeEktlPatTe511nyJFtrted Eltsk5 Pub Nleht Feasabthty study Events Craft Fayre Maintenance 3135&fil 1153.50 451AO 341.25 2501Q 411. 2rxi.lxi Its33 Eqvlpment CCS Afflboik)n Fee Consumabks Tote Prfies ikeTrces Expen5e5 Brtsadnd Prthtkng Float Alll?n¢e& teke5terWIO 4687.95 35.IXI SQ58 tKJ 34 157.96 g)AX) 2&84 2179 399126 3978595 Surplus/Dtftdt 1205439 Jan. Blllanw carrled forwwd a5atYearEnded31stDe£ernber 2021 HS8C 28IOQ14 42.CD 3091 Cashlchequesln hand
hfr>rd Hall knunts fort Year Ende# 31st Decernber 2021 8èLncesbrou8htfoThRrf fruMYrEnded3IStDerefftbr2020 FL4BC Unprtsented theques 16048.55 C•shlChequesln hand 309.01 16316.76 Prknrywr OJrr•nlYoir P{rf5hCouI 45fy) o.c 220 om 315. 62.71 2364 25.83 Tote E•w Fund1•n$ Equlpment Hlre Pub Niqht Don•tlons 2334.rL 28L70 217m 247.60 Electrk Ewents 8llnk Int•r•stCurrent Account R•ttsmed Float Gr•nts ABPC SC Communlty Coun¢M Bern•rd Svn Maln Gr•nt 122 495.20 17431m ILWJ 13552.70 EKp•hdhur• Refu41shment Inwr•net Elertrfc W•t¢r FhExtlP•tfertInF El•ct Pub Nht FeasDblty Studv Events CrJft Fryrt M•lntenJnce Tree Equlpment CCS Affill•Won F•e Consumables Tote PleS i*ence5 Expeftses Oroadb•nd Prfntlng FINt Alllanee& LekeslerWIO 313460 1153.50 451.410 8&95 341.25 56A3 118J3 411.Xl 2co.rxi 4617.95 35.C 35.(1) 2&84 IS7.96 Zi.79 3WI.26 39785.95 SurpluslDÈfwJt 95fKJ.44 120M39 n. Linces carrled for as atYearEnded31stDe£wnber2021 28IOQ14 lthpre5ented theques Cashlcheques In hand -42.C 3(r4.01 28.371.15
SUMMARY 2021 has been a year of significant change in the fortunes of Pitchford Village Hall and the Committee look fonmard to the next year with renewed optimism about its futu. DECLARATION The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees Annual Report above. Prepared on behalf of the Trustees Christine Jones (Mrs) Secretary Signed on behalf of the Trustees Michael Price Chair