COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: NI661665 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 109018
Belfast Tool Library Company Limited by Guarantee Annual Report 31 May 2024
Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Annual
Year ended 31 May 2024
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Trustees' annual report (incorporating the director's report) | 3 |
| Statement of financial activities (including income and | |
| expenditure account) | 8 |
| Statement of financial position | 9 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 10 |
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Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)
Year ended 31 May 2024
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 May 2024.
Reference and administrative details
Registered charity name Belfast Tool Library Charity registration number 109018 Company registration number NI661665 Principal office and registered 41 Irwin Drive office Belfast BT4 3AR
The trustees
Mr N A Campbell Mr C N Campbell-Palmer Mrs C A McCartney Ms K McShane Mr S W Wood Mr M McCreedy Ms Lisa McCreery Company secretary Lisa McCreery Independent examiner Louise Gorman
Objectives
The objectives of Belfast Tool Library, as stated in our Articles of Association are to:
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a) advance the education of the public in Belfast and surrounding areas (‘the area of benefit’) in DIY, making and repair skills by operating a tool library and providing training opportunities; and
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b) advance citizenship and community development in the area of benefit by promoting volunteering, self-sufficiency and the circular economy.
Belfast Tool Library pursues these objectives through the provision of Northern Ireland’s first tool lending library, a community workshop and offering regular classes in practical skills. We lend an extensive variety of tools to our members covering household, DIY and home maintenance, crafting, gardening, vehicle and bicycle maintenance.
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Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 May 2024
History
Belfast Tool Library opened its doors to the public on 5th October 2019, after a year of work to plan and implement the project.
Belfast Tool Library’s launch was supported by a £10,000 grant for The National Lottery’s Awards for All programme, which supported the start-up costs associated with the project. The project was also supported by the donation of tools and equipment by many private individuals.
We are part of a growing global movement of similar projects with a shared ethos; to facilitate accessible, affordable borrowing for everyone, reducing waste, building community resilience, teaching new skills and supporting a sustainable lifestyle.
Governance and Structure
Belfast Tool Library is governed and managed by an 7-person Board of Trustees; Neal Campbell (Chairperson), Lisa McCreery (Company Secretary), Christine McCartney, Chris Campbell-Palmer, Kathryn McShane, Mark McCready and Stephen Wood.
We are a Company Limited by Guarantee operating on a not-for-profit basis and as of 18 October 2022 are registered with the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland.
On an operational level we are staffed by two part time staff members, 3 freelance class tutors, and by a team of over 30 volunteers.
Activities
Belfast Tool Library operates a tool lending library, community workshop and programme of classes in practical skills based in east Belfast. The library is open to members who can join for a fee of £25 per year. Membership is open to anyone over the age of eighteen who wishes to avail of our service. We offer reduced or free membership to individuals who are in financial hardship and to our active volunteers.
Our members can borrow tools from our inventory of over 1000 items, spanning hand tools, power tools, gardening tools and crafting equipment. Members may borrow up to 6 tools at a time for a duration of one week. Aside from yearly membership our members are charged no fee for this service, provided tools are returned on time. A late fee of £2 per tool per missed return date is charged on late returns.
Access to our Community Workshop is free for Belfast Tool Members and we typically charge between £30 and £40 per person for our classes, with a small discount for members.
Our extensive inventory includes tools purchased by Belfast Tool Library, but is primarily stocked by ongoing tool donations. Many private individuals have given generously to the project during our regular donation drives, and we have also been supported by donations from fellow charity Tools for Solidarity, from manufacturer Stanley, Black and Decker and from businesses and other organisations through Invest NI’s International Synergies programme.
In addition to the lending of tools, our team of experienced volunteers are on hand to provide our members with advice on the jobs they plan to undertake.
Belfast Tool Library also undertakes the process of tool repair and maintenance. All tools donated to us are fully inspected and tested before being added to inventory, and repairs are carried out where possible. Our tools are also inspected and tested when they are returned by our members after a loan period.
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Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 May 2024
2023-2024 Summary
2023-2024 Summary
This year has seen continuing growth and change for Belfast Tool Library. The year began with a move to new premises, involving significant cost, disruption and work to transfer and reinstate tools and prepare our new location to safely house our tool library and working. Thanks to the support of our dedicated staff, board, volunteer team and landlords, Vault Artists Studios, we were able to complete the move with a short 4-week closure and resume normal service in mid June 2023.
As a community-led project, the move from East Belfast’s Lower Newtownards Road to North Belfast’s Shankill Road provides new opportunities to connect with and grow new relationships with local networks and organisations in our new neighbourhood.
In the reporting year we saw considerable increases in our membership, tool loans, workshop use and an ongoing programme of skills-based classes. This is covered in more detail later in this report, under “Public Benefit”.
During the year, Dormant Accounts funding has continued to support Belfast Tool Library with resources for two part time staff, outreach activity, workshop maintenance and to explore new opportunities to generate income. In autumn 2023, our Workshop and Training Coordinator, Freddie Harris, left the organisation and we are grateful to his work establishing workshop systems and our class programme. We recruited Jane McMahon to the post, and she has brought considerable teaching, practical and community experience. Ema Buchanan continues to manage our library and volunteer team.
These roles allowed us to strengthen and develop our volunteer team, grow our library, open our community workshop space and launching our program of learning opportunities through classes and courses.
Public Benefit
Our beneficiaries fall under several distinct categories; our members, our volunteers, the general public and other voluntary organisations.
Member Benefits
Our members can avail of Belfast Tool Library’s extensive and growing inventory of tools and equipment and the knowledge of our volunteer team around tools, making and DIY.
In the year to 31st May 2024, we grew our membership from 460 to 589 members and completed over 6000 tool loans compared to 4152 in the previous year. This represents a 28% membership increase and 40% increase in usage.
Belfast Tool Library in addition offers residents access to tools without the need to buy, store or maintain them, offering an affordable, sustainable and convenient service to the community. In addition, members are connecting with each other and our team, through both the library and workshop, to encourage and learn from one and another.
Moving our community workshop and ensuring a safe and comfortable environment for memberscaused some disruption. Despite this, during the reporting period, we inducted a further 105 members in safe use of our workshop, bringing to a total of 128 members who have completed an induction. (28% of our membership)
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Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 May 2024
Member Benefits (continued)
We ran 76 open workshop sessions with a total of 228 workshop hours provided to 286 attendees.
In the reporting year we ran 42 classes, teaching practical skills in joinery and craft to 207 people. Example of our class topics includes:
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Build Your Own Birdbox
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Build Your Own Herb Planter
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Making a Hardwood Phone Dock
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Introduction to woodworking
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Build a stool
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DIY
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Sewing classes
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Wall fixings
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Concrete Plant Pot Casting
Classes are open to both members and non-members, giving the public an opportunity to develop new skills in making, crafting and DIY through providing them with access to tools and equipment which they might not otherwise have been able to obtain, through sharing the wealth of knowledge within our staff and volunteer team, and through access to free space to work (which may not be available in their own properties) and through affordable classes with experienced tutors.
Our workshop is also available to other groups in the community as various points through the years, including the building of a handmade skiff by the community as part of Belfast 2024 celebrations.
In the spring of 2024, we carried out a significant member’s survey to understand why people join, how they use the project, and hear feedback about how we could improve and what new classes we should explore. The 119 responses formed the basis of future planning.
Volunteer Benefits
In the reporting year, thanks to the hard work of our staff members we grew and strengthened our volunteer team, recruiting 25 new volunteers across the lending library and workshop to provide more effective support to members and expand what we were offering in both areas. In the library, with extra capacity we’ve been able to add tools to our inventory, revamp volunteer systems and increase our social media presence.
Belfast Tool Library’s volunteers are entitled to the full benefits of membership at no cost in recognition of their vital role in the sustainability of the organisation.
Additionally, our volunteers have access to opportunities for learning and developing skills through the vast knowledge base within our team. Our volunteers have been upskilled in tool repair and maintenance, database management and knowledge around tools, first aid, health and safety, DIY and making.
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Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 May 2024
Public Benefits
We have continued to re-home and restore donated tools from individuals, businesses and public bodies such as Ulster University, giving them a useful opportunity for them to dispose of items sustainably, without waste. Further, hundreds of donated tools were repaired to working order, bringing them back into use.
The environmental impact of diverting unwanted or no longer needed items from landfill and recycling is significant.
Public Benefits (continued)
Belfast Tool Library has generated significant media and press interest, including a 15-minute pieces on Radio Ulster’s consumer programme On Your Behalf and a Belfast live article, and a significant following on social media. Our team also ran information stalls at Belfast City Council’s Autumn Fair and the Love Your Home Exhibition to reach more members of the public who may benefit form using our services.
Through this we have promoted the ethos of repair, waste reduction, and affordable borrowing over buying. Raising public awareness of the circular economy is central to the goals of Belfast Tool Library. Prior to our premises move, we held a yard sale of surplus tools, which had been checked, maintained and sharpened by our team, offered to the public at low cost.
Benefit to Other Organisations
Belfast Tool Library has donated significant quantities of tools and equipment to Tools for Solidarity, a charity which refurbishes tools for use by craftspeople in sub-Saharan Africa. We have made our workshop space available to partner organisations such as Vault Artists Studios and Repair Café Belfast to support repair, reuse and crafting activities.
We are members of the Northern Ireland Resources Network, and were featured in a video, offering information and inspiration to other community groups and organisations interested in setting up similar projects. We regularly offer one-to-one advice to groups within and beyond this network.
Harm
The main risk of harm from our activities is injury through unsafe use of our tools. To manage this risk we have full public liability insurance for our activities, and in obtaining this we went through a rigorous process of risk assessment and policy development to ensure that we manage the risks related to our activities.
Private Benefit
Belfast Tool Library has undertaken improvement work to our premises. This necessary work has provided incidental benefit to the building owners.
Statement of Compliance
In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity’s purposes and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries.
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Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Statement of Financial Activities (including income and expenditure account)
Year ended 31 May 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||
| funds | funds | Total funds | Total funds | ||
| Note | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Income and endowments | |||||
| Donations and legacies | 950 | 31,158 | 32,108 | 24,415 | |
| Charitable activities | 6 | 26,246 | 26,246 | 12,535 | |
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| Total income | 27,196 | 31,158 | 58,354 | 36,950 | |
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| Expenditure | |||||
| Expenditure on charitable activities 7 | 21,109 | 31,158 | 52,267 | 35,503 | |
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| Total expenditure | 21,109 | 31,158 | 52,267 | 35,503 | |
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| Net income and net movement in funds | 6,087 | - | 6,087 | 1,447 | |
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| Reconciliation of funds | |||||
| Total funds brought forward | 4,743 | 740 | 5,483 | 4,306 | |
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| Total funds carried forward | 10,830 | 740 | 11,570 | 5,483 | |
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The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
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Statement of Financial Position
31 May 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | £ | £ | |
| Fixed assets | |||
| Tangible fixed assets | |||
─ |
|||
| Current assets | |||
| Debtors | 10 | 1,862 | 1,790 |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 26,641 | 22,001 | |
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| 28,503 | 23,791 | ||
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | 11, 12 | 19,073 | 19,837 |
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| Net current assets | 9,430 | 3,954 | |
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| Total assets less current liabilities | 11,570 | 5,483 | |
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| Net assets | 11,570 | 5,483 | |
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| Funds of the charity | |||
| Unrestricted funds | 10,830 | 4,743 | |
| 740 | 740 | ||
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| Total charity funds | 13 | 11,570 | 5,483 |
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For the year ending 31 May 2024 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Directors' responsibilities:
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The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476;
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The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.
These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 6[th] January 2025.
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Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements
Year ended 31 May 2024
1. General information
The charity is a public benefit entity and a private company limited by guarantee, registered in Northern Ireland and a registered charity in Northern Ireland. The address of the registered office is 41 Irwin Drive, Belfast, BT4 3AR.
2. Statement of compliance
These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland', the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Companies Act 2006.
3. Accounting policies
Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity.
Going concern
There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue.
Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:
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income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably.
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legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established.
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income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers.
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Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 May 2024
3. Accounting policies (continued)
- income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted.
Resources expended
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates:
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expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, noncharitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods.
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expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities.
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other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.
All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis.
Tangible assets
Tangible assets are initially recorded at cost, and subsequently stated at cost less any accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Any tangible assets carried at revalued amounts are recorded at the fair value at the date of revaluation less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.
An increase in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of a revaluation, is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, unless it reverses a charge for impairment that has previously been recognised as expenditure within the statement of financial activities. A decrease in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of revaluation, is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, except to which it offsets any previous revaluation gain, in which case the loss is shown within other recognised gains and losses on the statement of financial activities.
Depreciation
Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost or valuation of an asset, less its residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows:
Plant & Machinery - 20% straight line IT Equipment - 33% straight line Fixtures & Fittings - 20% straight line
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Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 May 2024
4. Limited by guarantee
The liability of the members is limited.
Every member of the Charity promises, if the Charity is dissolved while he, she or it is a member or within twelve months after he, she or it ceases to be a member, to contribute such a sum (not exceeding £1) as may be demanded of him, her or it towards the payment of the debts and liabilities of the Charity incurred before he, she or it ceases to be a member, and of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, and the adjustment of the rights of the contributories among themselves.
5. Trustee remuneration and expenses
No remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees.
6. Income from generated funds
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Membership Income | 14,745 | 7,699 |
| Late Return Fee Income | 2,813 | 386 |
| Income from Classes | 8,688 | 4,300 |
| Other Income | 950 | 150 |
| Income from generated funds | 27,196 | 12,535 |
7. Costs of generating funds
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Purchase of Consumables | 409 | 550 |
| Repairs and Renewables to Library Stock | 67 | 102 |
| Trainer Costs | 5,745 | 1,837 |
| Online Payment charge | 165 |
- |
| Hardware and Building Materials | 363 | 1424 |
| Staff Costs | 1,187 | - |
| Marketing | 595 | 131 |
| Rent and Rates | 4,200 | 2,478 |
| Office costs | 473 | 215 |
| Computer and Software Subscriptions | 1,786 | 1,263 |
| Accountancy Fees | 985 | 1,113 |
| Insurance | 844 | 1,286 |
| Repairs and Renewals (overheads) | 324 | 559 |
| Workshop refurbishment | 3,077 | - |
| Bank charges and interest | 110 | 642 |
| Depreciation | 589 | 337 |
| Other Sundry | 190 | 184 |
| Costs of generated funds | 21,109 | 12,121 |
8. Company member emoluments
The Company employs 2 staff.
The Company members received no emoluments or reimbursement of expenses during the year.
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Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 May 2024
9. Tangible fixed assets
| Plant & | IT Equipment | Fixtures & | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machinery | Fittings | Total | |||
| £ | £ | £ | |||
| Cost | |||||
| At 1 June 2023 | 801 | 740 | 325 | 1,866 | |
| Additions | 1,200 | 1,200 | |||
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| At 31 May 2024 | 801 | 740 | 1,525 | 3,086 | |
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| Depreciation | |||||
| At 1 June 2023 | 101 | 187 | 49 | 337 | |
| Charge for the period | 160 | 244 | 185 | 589 | |
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| At 31 May 2024 | 261 | 431 | 234 | 926 | |
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| Carrying amount | |||||
| At 31 May 2024 | 540 | 309 | 1,291 | 2,140 | |
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| At 1 June 2023 | 700 | 553 | 276 | 1,529 | |
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| 10. | Debtors | ||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| £ | £ | ||||
| Trade Debtors | 105 | 981 | |||
| Prepayments and accrued income | 1,757 | 809 | |||
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| 1,862 | 1,790 | ||||
| ═══ | ══ | ||||
| 11. | Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | ||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| £ | £ | ||||
| Accruals and deferred income | 18,420 | 19,105 | |||
| Other creditors | 653 | 732 | |||
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| 19,073 | 19,837 | ||||
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| 12. | Deferred income | ||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| £ | £ | ||||
| Amount deferred in year | 18,070 | 18,005 | |||
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Belfast Tool Library
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 May 2024
13. Analysis of charitable funds
Unrestricted funds
| Unrestricted funds | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At | At | |||
| 1 June 2023 | Income | Expenditure | 31 May 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| General funds | 4,743 | 27,196 | (21,109) | 10,830 |
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|
| At | At | |||
| 1 June 2022 | Income | Expenditure | 31 May 2022 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| General funds | 4,036 | 12,828 | (12,121) | 4,743 |
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| Restricted funds | ||||
| At | At | |||
| 1 June 2023 | Income | Expenditure | 31 May 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Restricted Funds | 740 | 31,157 | (31,157) | 740 |
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| At | At | |||
| 1 June 2022 | Income | Expenditure | 31 May 2022 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Restricted Funds | – | 24,122 | (23,382) | 740 |
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