2023-09-30-accounts - Hatfield Woodhouse Village Hall And Old Folks Centre

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Hatfield Woodhouse Village Hall and Old peoples Centre

Chairman’s Annual Report to the AGM

2022-2023

A warm welcome to those attending tonight’s annual general meeting. This year has been my 9[th] as Chairman and this is my 8[th] annual report. Last year’s report, despite the village hall having had a very successful year ended on a somewhat sombre note. The future outlook, with the world in turmoil, energy costs rocketing and family’s financial security far from secure looked distinctly down beat.

The very existence of the Hall is predicated on its ability to provide a village space for, to parody Lord Reith, entertainment, education and community. All things which are impacted by people’s economic situation.

Despite the gloomy outlook I am happy to report that it has been another very successful village hall year. As I have said before it is not my place in this report to present information more properly provided in the reports of other members of the committee. The Chairman’s report’s purpose is to showcase the successes in the village hall year, the progress in the provision of its duties and to flag up potential challenges that are on the horizon.

With this in mind, I am happy to start with the many successes that the hall has seen in the last year.

As usual the first major event of the year after the AGM is the annual Hatfield and Askern Brass Band Christmas concert and as usual this took place in early December. Yet again a great winter warmer. It set the scene for the village hall’s Christmas and New Year. The annual pantomime ‘Treasure Island’ presented by the village hall’s Phoenix Theatre group was a fantastic success, bring cheer, laughter and enjoyment to packed houses in a dull January. Such was the success that this year’s coming pantomime has had it’s run extended by another day.

Early in the year we continued our relationship with Well Doncaster and hosted a series of their meetings. These led to the setting up of the Village events committee with whom we have continued to work and with whom we look forward to a continuing partnership in providing for the village.

These contacts also led to the village hall being one of the regular sites for visits from the ‘Health Bus’ a vastly important service for the village. This is especially welcome now that the village bus links have been so decimated.

Spring saw the hall successful in obtaining a grant from Doncaster Council to celebrate Earth day 2023. This led to a six-month project to improve the village hall lands and the approach lane to the hall. The Brownies Scouts and key stage 2 pupils from Hatfield Woodhouse school were all involved in the planting of wildflowers trees and the construction of a ‘bug hotel’. The whole project was a great success both in bettering the environment for wildlife and in promoting village cohesion. Spring also saw the commencement of a Games Club on a Tuesday at the Hall. This was supported by Doncaster Health and has been run by James, [ our secretary] and Sally Hesketh with support from Jamie from the committee. Great thanks to all involved, it has been a phenomenal success with attendees ranging from 6 to 86 years of age.

Summer saw the Phoenix Group present another summer show, a review ‘Thank You for the Musicals’. It goes without saying now that this was a professional polished presentation which received great acclamation from the village and further afield.

Whilst these activities were going on, behind the scenes the committee was working away to continue to better the fabric of the Hall. Our Secretary has had a somewhat challenging year bedding in the new solar installation. This would now appear to have been achieved all but the installation of our export meter. We have obtained grants to proceed with the next stage of the energy security plan. Thank you to James for his dogged efforts. I have been, along with Kath, struggling with the Byzantine administrations of Openreach and BT and we have finally had the internet installed to the hall, although at this date we still await the final engineer commissioning. Major investments in committee members time and hall finances have been put in to carry out remedial work on the

heating system and hall sound and lighting bar and associated controls. The hall sewage system is at present the focus of our energies. These betterment projects have almost all been funded by grants obtained from various bodies and have not needed us to go into our reserves to any great extent

The greatest work and burden, however has this year been shouldered by our Bookings clerk, Anushka, and our Treasurer Russ. They jointly have been responsible for what I believe is the greatest single advance in the administration and running of this hall that has occurred in my 20 years plus involvement with the running of the Hall. They have jointly initiated, put in place and developed the new booking and payment systems. A monumental task but one that future committees and chairmen will for ever thank them.

This work was occasioned in no little part by the wish of Colin Hepworth our longstanding Bookings clerk, to step back a little and lighten his load. How little did we realise what a colossal work load Colin had been shouldering over all these years? Colin has always been known as’ Mr Hatfield Woodhouse’ having devoted his life and energies to this village and Hall. Just how much is revealed by the fact that he has only been partially replaced by 2 people and, multiple computers and expensive software! I would like to formally express my own and the committee and villages grateful thanks to Colin and our relief he is continuing on the committee.

The outlook for the coming year appears rosier and the hall is weathering the present economic downturn.

This is mainly due to the hard work and diligence of the committee and I am proud to have such wise and foresighted support as Chairman. It is heartening to have as well the support behind the scenes of some very reliable and longstanding friends of the village hall without whom It’s functions would have to be curtailed. The opening and closing of the Hall can be problematical when committee members have other commitments. Willing volunteers for this as well as to serve on the committee are always needed and warmly welcomed.

In summary, it has been a very successful year for the Village Hall. It has also been a very demanding year for the committee, who have stepped up to the challenges and secured the village hall’s future and modernised its fabric and more importantly it’s systems to meet the demands of a modern society

HATFIELD WOODHOUSE VILLAGE HALL AND OLD FOLKS. CENTRE Reg15terdd Charty No. 519079 R?nu¢ A¢¢ount for the Financlal Yearto 30 Se tember 2023 2022r23 20212 Fund Raising Grants and Oonab'ons Haffield Town CoLTrncil DMBC Vulcan Renewables Haffield Woodhouse Phoenix South Yourkshire Counol Voluntary Action Dormxster Rank Foundation Donation Hirings Interesl and Th"vi(5en Insuran Light & Heal Walei Rales Waste Disposal Costs Cleaning costs Tree planting Games Equipment MaintenancelElectsical Expenditure Miscellaneous items 1,500 13,5 3,000 7,200 4.522 6.030 3.695 750 850 21.321 19,638 3,792 8,917 187 3,673 5.527 3,326 5,249 127 1,689 5.260 3,004 6.497 710 11.525 958 surplU(0effirJt) 23.318 4.248 53.121 53.121 35.386 35.386 I nfiM that the attached Revenue Ax)Unt and Balance Sheet for the Finan¢ial Year 10 30 Seplernber 2023 are tn agreement with ihe accounting re¢ord5 and informats'on sup ed by Haffield Wix)dhouse VillBge Hall and Old Folks. Centre. S D Boyall, FCCA 11 March 2024

HATFIELD WOODHOUSE VILLAGE HALL AND OLD FOLKS. CENTRE Registered Charity No. 519079 Balance Sheet for the Flnaneial Year to 30 Se tembgr 2023 2023 2022 Fund Account Balance brought foThvard 1110r2022 Surplusl{Deficitl for the year 931,402 927, 154 23,318 4,248 Balance carried forward 301912023 954.720 931.402 Ropresented by: Buildin andE ment Costs Balance brought forward 1110r2022 Additional expenditure - sotar panels (2022 - playground and benche: 888,628 20.400 909.028 847,553 41,075 888.628 Funds available Co-operative Community Directplus Account 45,692 42, 774 Nel assets at 3019r2023 954.720 931.402