ANNUAL REPORT
Year ending September 2022
Slaithwaite Community Association
Slaithwaite Community Centre Bankgate Slaithwaite
Huddersfield HD7 5DL
Registered Charity No. 516991
www.slaithwaitecommunitycentre.org info@slaithwaitecommunitycentre.org bookings@slaithwaitecommunitycentre.org
Introduction
In 1983 the Church of England infants’ School in Slaithwaite closed and its pupils transferred to the Junior School at Two Gates. A number of local people expressed an interest in using the school building as a meeting place for local groups. A public meeting was held, which was very wellattended, and support was expressed for this idea. There was a strong feeling that a building that had served the village for over 100 years should not be lost. The owner of the building, Lord Dartmouth, agreed to lease the building for community purposes with the responsibility for its maintenance to be in the hands of an elected committee.
The Association is a registered charity and as well as its role as the Managing Committee for the Community Centre it has the aim of encouraging and promoting community life in Slaithwaite. It seeks to achieve this by providing facilities at a reasonable cost for the groups and organisations that meet at the Centre and also by helping to facilitate events that bring together the many interest groups in the village as well as people of all ages who do not belong to any organised group.
All residents of Slaithwaite are considered to be members of the Association and there is no membership fee. The association is run by a committee of volunteers elected at the Annual General meeting held in the autumn. Its meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend.
This report covers the period from 30th September 2021 to 29[th] September 2022.
Trustees and Committee
Mr Gordon Beever -Trustee Mrs Susan Fell - Trustee Mr John Scott - Trustee Chairperson – Linda Hinchliffe Vice Chairperson –Adam Routleech Treasurer – Andrew Garsed Secretary – Julie Shaw Booking Secretary – Jo Collier Pam Wood Richard Izzard Kim Soothill (Meals on Wheels)
Slaithwaite Community Centre
After a difficult period, we were very pleased to see the return of most of our regular users last September and we are delighted to see the Centre busy again.
Sadly, SPlaT ceased trading in October 2021 after being one of the mainstays of the Community Centre since its very beginning. We were very sorry to see them leave, and the staff and children are greatly missed. Breakfast Club and Toddlers also closed at the same time.
We were fortunate to find new tenants quite quickly. Merrydale Private Day Nursery joined us in spring this year and are now occupying both the former playgroup room and the Merrydale Room.
Following the closure of Toddlers, we saw the opening of a new community toddlers group held once a week and run by volunteers. We also welcomed Bodyrockerz dance school to the Centre. In March we held an open afternoon at the Centre to give groups the opportunity to advertise themselves, showcase what they do and potentially recruit new members. This event was well attended, a lot of our user groups took part and afternoon tea was served by Meals on Wheels. All the groups who use the building are encouraged to nominate a representative to sit on the Association Committee. In this way we aim to ensure that decision making about the Community Centre rests with the people who use it.
Groups Currently Involved are:
Merrydale Private Day Nursery Slaithwaite After School and Holiday Club Slaithwaite Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and Explorers Slaithwaite Rainbows and Brownies
Slubbing Billy’s
Moonrakers Pilates Classes Languages for Fun Meals on Wheels Soul Choir Bodyrockerz
Community Baby and Toddlers Group (BaTs)
Community Centre Developments
We have a very small core group of volunteers who continue to work hard to maintain and develop the Community Centre, but we would still like to actively encourage the involvement of more local people who have a little time to spare. We would particularly welcome new committee members with fresh ideas who can help with the day to day running of the Centre.
The maintenance and refurbishment of the building continues and there is always something which need attention.
While the Playgroup Room and Merrydale Room were empty we took the opportunity to install a new heating system to replace the old cast iron radiators and pipes which were very inefficient. We are now able to heat the two rooms and the cloakroom separately and the heating is much easier to control. The Merrydale Room, which had been made into a multi-use space, is now being used as a babies room by the nursery.
The soft play area has been improved and totally resurfaced as the original surface was breaking up and becoming hazardous.
Other work includes improvements to the South Entrance, replacement of ceiling tiles in the coffee bar, installation of new outside lights up the main ramp and extra plug sockets in the main kitchen.
It is now just over five years since Community Spirit charity shop in Slaithwaite closed and since that date the Community Association has been holding £5000 for the potential setting up of a new charity shop. As there has been no progress on this, it was agreed to set a deadline of the end of August 2022 for the signing of a lease on a charity shop in Slaithwaite. As no lease has been signed, the money will be used for the benefit of the Community Association as per the original agreement. The decision was taken following the recommendations of the former grants committee of
Community Spirit who suggested a deadline of five years from the original agreement of August 2[nd] , 2017.
Slaithwaite Christmas Lights
This year we were able to hold a switch-on event for the Christmas lights again. Many thanks to Richard and his team for organising this and as always, many thanks to all the volunteers who helped with PAT testing and putting up and taking down the lights. This year the festoon lights remained until February to co-ordinate with Moonshine.
We are grateful to all the shops, organisations and traders who once again stepped up and sponsored the lights.
Centre Plans for 2022/2023
One of our main focusses for next year is to recruit new members to our committee to help with the running of the Centre. We would like to attract new users to the Centre, particularly at weekends and during the day when the Centre is used less.
As regards the upkeep of the building, the two main halls still need decorating, and we hope to get at least one of the halls done during the coming year.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all the committee members and volunteers for the huge amount of time and effort that has been invested in running the Centre. Everyone has been very supportive and stepped in at difficult times.
Thank you to our Staff, Pam Wood, Kenny Carr and Gill Maginess, for carrying out their vital work and keeping the place running smoothly.
Thanks also go to all the groups who continue to use and support the Centre.
INC ANO EXPEN ITURE R THEYEAR D 31sr Trading Incomt 22351 6616 Grants 26811 Donations 145 2(X) Chrlstma5 lIts 4472 Arts Festlval Fundralslng Interest Recelved 18 15 38114 Rates and Insurance 3403 2363 Llghtlng and Heatln8 3531 3529 prO$10n for Bad Debts 465 Chrlstma5 U8hts 1523 4527 Arts Festlval Wages 8559 7938 Tdephone arml 8roadband 334 297 Fundralsln8 Actlvlties Posta8e, Stat5(ery and Advert11¥4 Repalrs and Renewals 5051 3361 Cleanln8 Materials 559 614 Accountancy 75 Wate Dlsposal 1194 525 Sundry Expense5 I(7 566 Provislon for Depredatlon 3173 1974 27829 24793 Net In¢omé 679
HEEY AT3 Y 2022 FIX Boiler & Heatlng Installatl¢)n lif 11204 449 Structural Improvements to Property Flttln85 & Equlpment 41070 25255 15815 16647 20894 7953 12940 5863 Securlty Systems 6513 78 29225 2YJ37 Debtors & Prepald Expenses 6534 3351 Cash at Bank 74277 Petty Cash In Hand 70942 77630 Credltors & Accrued expense5 5859 7039 65082 70591 93628 ND Balance as at 1st June 2021 93628 80307 Net Income for the year 679 13321 TEDF 94307 93628 APPROVED BV AND SIGNEO ON BEHALF OF THETRUSTEES CHAIRPERSON
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS'REPORTTO THE TRUSTEES OF THE SLAITHWAITE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Slaithwaite 5t Community Association for the year ended 31 May 2022. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charitie5 Act 2011 ('the Act'}. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in G3rrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Comrnission under section 145{5llbl of the Act. Independent examlnerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: l. accounting records were not kept in respert of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act: or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a pr understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Name: ALIsrJ PftQkirfSQ Address: S SLfiNr Gffre,HOI SR (I Date: