## BLAKEDOWN PARISH ROOM ## Registered Charity No.523100 Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 30[th] September 2020 ## Principal Address The principal address of the Charity is 18 Belbroughton Road, Blakedown, Kidderminster,Worcestershire DY10 3JG. ## Structure Governance and Management The Charity is a registered charity, registered with the Charity Commission under registered charity number 523100 and is constituted by a Trust Deed dated 25[th] April 1925 (‘the Governing Document’). The Governing Document provides for the Charity to operate through a Committee which is to manage the Parish Room and arrange lettings to hirers. The Committee is also responsible for maintaining the buildings and the infrastructure and keeping them in good repair. The Committee consists of the trustees together with 9 committee members (4 of whom shall be ladies). Committee members are to retire at each Annual General Meeting but they are eligible for re-election. Committee members are to be aged 21 or over and must reside in Blakedown and the Committee has the power to co-opt any person(s) as members of the Committee. The power of appointing new trustees is vested in the existing trustees and there is to be a maximum of 5 trustees and not less than 3. ## The Buildings The current building was erected in 1973 and cost in excess of £50,000. It replaced an old corrugated iron structure which was erected in the 1920s. Fred Young, who lived in Blakedown for many years, died in the early 1970s and he provided in his Will for the major part of his estate to be utilised for the building of a new village hall. ## Objects The Governing Document provides for the use of the Parish Room as a place of recreation, social gatherings, entertainments and meetings for the benefit of the Parishioners of Blakedown either gratuitously or in consideration of any monetary payment or on such terms as the Committee may think fit. The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities. ## Trustees The present trustees are John Rostron, Wendy Priestnall, Christine Elizabeth Lindley and Robert George Richardson. ## Correspondent The correspondent is Mr J B Rostron of 11 Brookside Way, Blakedown, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY10 3NE. ## Principal Activities In normal circumstances the Hall is in use most days of the week for a variety of activities including Baby & Toddler Groups, Rainbows, Dance Fitness, Yoga and Community Keep Fit, Adult Dance Coaching, Bridge Club, Art Club, Short Mat Bowls, Drama Group, WI and Orchestra Rehearsal. The Hall is available for hire for private functions including children’s birthday parties, wedding receptions, funeral teas and Village social functions. ## Summary The financial year ended 30/09/2020 has been most unusual with the onset of the pandemic in the UK resulting in a nationwide lockdown from mid March. As a result the Hall was closed to Hirers from mid March until Mid July when it re-opened albeit subject to very strict conditions with regard to hygiene, cleaning and social distancing. In fact it was the beginning of September before some of the regular Hirers started resuming their activities in the Hall. The Charity did benefit from a Government grant of £10,000 for COVID-19 support and this did compensate for the loss of income from Hirers and enabled the Charity to end the financial year in a healthy financial position. Despite all the difficulties the Parish Room Committee were able to purchase new curtains for the stage at a cost of £2100 and were also able to arrange for the refelting of the flat-roofed section of the Hall at a cost of £15650 which was funded in part by a grant of £8125 from the Norman Dawson Charitable Trust. The Trustees would like to thank all those who hired the Hall during the financial year whether regular Hirers or those using the Hall for one-off events and are grateful to Hirers for observing the COVID-19 Special Conditions of Hire which were put in place following Government guidance on the re-opening of Community Facilities. ## Funding Strategy The Trustees aim to manage the revenue budget on a self-financing basis and the hire charges paid by the users of the Hall are set to achieve this. The main source of the Charity’s income is the hire charges paid by the users of the Hall but from time to time grants are awarded to the Charity mainly for building and infrastructure works. The Hall is advertised via its own website. The Trustees do not engage in any direct fundraising with the general public. ## Reserves Policy The Charity had cash and bank reserves of £35520 at the year end. These are held as a reserve to cover the cost of essential works to the buildings and the infrastructure, to cover the cost of replacing or up-dating the equipment and furniture in the Hall and as a contribution towards the cost of future projects. Risk Management - Insurance The Hall is insured with Allied Westminster Insurance. The cover for Buildings Insurance is £1,332,085, for Contents £40,561, for public liability £10,000,000, and for employers liability £10,000,000. The Hall is also covered for trustee indemnity, legal expenses and loss of revenue. ## Licences The Hall has a Premises Licence (which includes the sale of alcohol). The Hall is licensed by PPL PRS Ltd for live and recorded music. ## Community Involvement and Support The Hall is an important asset for the local community and the Trustees work hard to ensure that it is available for local people to hire while also benefiting from hire charges from people and organisations from outside the Parish. The Hall’s finances are sound and as a result the Committee have not had to increase the hire charges for several years. ## Appreciation The Trustees and Committee are volunteers and give their time free of charge or benefit and they are grateful to all those who support the Hall by attending and/or running events. They would also like to thank the trustees of the Norman Dawson Charitable Trust for the grant towards the re-felting of the flat roof. ## Declaration The Trustees acknowledge that they have approved this report. Dated 19[th] November 2021 Signed J B Rostron J B Rostron - Trustee ## **Blakedown Parish Room (Regd Charity No.523100) Statement of receipts and payments for year ended 30 September 2020** |**RECEIPTS**|**2018/19**|**2019/20**|**PAYMENTS**|**2018/19**|**2019/20**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||£|£||£|£| |Hire charges|19544.00|12162.00|Postage&stationery|17.77|0.00| |Other payment by hirer|50.00|0.00|Water|86.50|1722.33| |Grants|0.00|18125.00|Gas|3071.16|3052.87| |Refund insurance premium|0.00|44.35|Electricity|1660.03|1138.13| ||||Cleaning|4397.25|3482.00| ||||Maintenance/repairs|3785.69|3783.73| |**BANK INTEREST**|||Insurance|1342.15|1333.59| |COIF Charities Deposit a/c|113.46|82.13|Grounds maintenance|1185.00|1185.00| ||||Refuse disposal|335.00|345.00| ||||Performing rights|448.44|448.44| ||||Premises licence|180.00|180.00| ||||New tables|311.28|0.00| ||||Stage curtains|0.00|2100.00| ||||Flat roof re-felting|0.00|15650.00| ||||Sundries|195.00|341.50| ||||Excess receipts over payments|2692.19|-4349.11| ||19707.46|30413.48||19707.46|30413.48| |**STATEMENT OF BALANCES**|||**STATEMENT OF BALANCES**||| |at year end|||at year end||| |**Accumulated funds**|||||| |Opening balance|37177.41|39869.60|COIF Charities deposit a/c|20282.27|20364.40| |add profit/loss|2692.19|-4349.11|HSBC Bank Current a/c|18970.94|14549.99| ||||Cash|616.39|606.10| |Balance at year end|39869.60|35520.49||39869.60|35520.49| Charlty Independent Examiner's RLP(Irt CC57(b) on the Accounts. 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