Stair Community Centre Stair Community Centre
Stair Community Association Stair Community Association
Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statement
for the Period 1[st] February 2025 to 31[st] January 2026
Reference and Administration Details
Charity Name: Stair Community Association Registered charity number: SC023898 Charity’s Principal Address: Kinmount, Stair, MAUCHLINE, East Ayrshire, KA5 5JE
Names of the Charity Trustees
| Gordon Soane | Chair | Claire Brown | (Approved 26-03-2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linda Hair | Secretary | Roberta Henry | (Approved 26-03-2025) |
| Joseph Hair | Treasurer | Jill Newbigging | (Approved 26-03-2025) |
| Kathryn Gulliver | BookingSecretary | Richard Binkhorst | (Approved 26-03-2025) |
| Robert Dunlop | Fiona Gemmell | (Approved 26-03-2025) | |
| Rob Cairns | Ryan Kennedy | (Approved 26-03-2025) | |
| Hannah Corbett | Jennifer Middleton | (Resigned 26-03-2025) | |
| HilaryMcQueen | Morven Guthrie | (Resigned 26-03-2025) | |
| Elizabeth Gelling | HarryBell | (Resigned 26-03-2025) |
Stair_Community_Association_Annual_Report_and_accounts_2025-2026.docx
Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
Stair Community Association (SCA) was registered as a Scottish Charity in 1995 and converted to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) on 7[th] February 2013. The Association is governed by its constitution. SCA Board (Committee) meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month. Decisions are reached based on a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote. The quorum for a Board (Committee) meeting is five members; at a Members meeting (AGM) the quorum is fifteen members.
Trustee Recruitment and Appointment
The SCA Trustees (the Committee) are appointed or re-appointed by the members at the Members meeting (Annual General Meeting), which is usually held in March of each year. The maximum number of Trustees is fifteen; the minimum number of Trustees is seven.
Objectives and Activities
Charitable Purposes
The Organisation's purposes are:
-
To provide recreational facilities by the provision of a Community Centre available for use by the local community and members of the public at large.
-
To advance community development by organising recreational activities at the Community Centre for the local community and members of the public at large.
Summary of Main Activities in Relation to These Objectives
The committee of volunteers meets nine times a year (August to April) to plan and prepare the annual programme of community events at Stair Community Centre, to manage the maintenance of the building and to oversee the running of the Centre. Stair Community Centre, owned by Stair Community Association, is located at: Trabboch, MAUCHLINE, East Ayrshire, KA5 5HT.
The Centre is available for use by community groups and for hire by individuals for private events. There are eighteen groups affiliated to the Association who use the Centre for their meetings and activities on either a regular or an occasional basis.
Communication with the dispersed rural community is through two newsletters; its website at: www.staircommunitycentre.co.uk; Facebook; posters at the Centre and two WhatsApp volunteer group chats. Consultation takes place through feedback from users at events, through the website and Facebook.
Achievements and Performance
Activities and Events
This year’s programme of nineteen events included cultural, social, and informative opportunities, to cater for the range of interests within the local and wider community.
The cultural events included two productions from the Gaiety Theatre on Tour programme which brought live theatre into the heart of the community through its use of the Centre.
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
The Short Attention Space Theatre Company provided a series of one-act sketches in February and JG Production Company highlighted a one woman play called Common Tongue in September. The Ayrshire Ukulele Clan’s excellent musical and singing performance in November encouraged lots of audience participation. Amateur dramatic group, Stair Players, gave another impressive performance of two hilarious comedies in April utilising the Centre’s staging facilities and using sound and lighting expertise from within the community. All of these events have attracted slightly different audiences and brought new visitors to the Centre.
The monthly Coffee and Cakes events and the highly successful Afternoon Tea provided everyone with opportunities to meet within a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and appreciate the superb baking of the volunteers. Three of the Coffee and Cakes events were themed to stimulate interest and encourage new visitors. The harvest event in October delighted many with a volunteer’s homemade apple pie made using a Dutch recipe. The Christmas Mini Fayre event in November with was the best Coffee and Cakes event to date with donations exceeding six hundred pounds. The Robert Burns event in January allowed users to enjoy a musical recital of traditional Scottish music by Trabboch Fiddlers after their coffee and cakes.
The annual Quiz Night run by the local quizmaster attracted an enthusiastic audience and everyone had a fun-filled and informative evening.
The swop shop table, which has encouraged the local community to recycle, reuse and repurpose unwanted items, reducing landfill, is regularly perused. This has been another successful enterprise for the Association in terms of both an increase in cash donations and involvement. The spring litter picking week saw rubbish collected from the roadsides by dedicated volunteers and supported by East Ayrshire Council (EAC).
Other events this year were a Climate Literacy talk and a seasonal flower arranging workshop from a local florist producing an exceptional centrepiece for each attendee to take home.
A new on-line room booking system was adopted during the year which has allowed users to check the website calendar and make a booking online. The system has simplified and streamlined the booking and invoicing process enormously.
Maintenance and Upgrading of the Facilities
The Planned Preventative Maintenance Report (PPMR) has guided the overall maintenance programme of the building, along with any breakdowns and the regulatory servicing and testing. Where possible the volunteer maintenance team maintain and repair the facilities, but sometimes professional services are required for some tasks to ensure the Centre is safe and compliant with current regulations. An example of this was the upgrading of the centre’s wiring, the provision of lighting and power which completed some of the PPMR tasks.
Larger jobs have required grant funding for which committee expertise and time has been required for both sourcing funds and obtaining professional quotes.
This year, a grant from Ayrshire Rural & Islands Ambitions (ARIA) fund enabled the purchase of new chairs and carpet tiles for three rooms and the replacement of all three of
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
the main external doors, which has been an enormous improvement for the Centre in terms of comfort and appearance. ARIA also donated free IT equipment which enabled the replacement of the Centre’s laptop for primarily the Secretary’s use. New curtains in five rooms, made by a local company has also improved their appearance as well as helping to keep them warmer.
In response to the increase in the costs of running the Centre, the Association asked the local community for support by producing a Keep The Lights On @ Stair Community Centre Appeal leaflet. The response from the community has been impressive and greatly appreciated. A grant has also contributed towards utility costs.
Financial Review
The Centre has continued to be affected by rising costs. The basic income received from Donations, Fund Raising income, Hall hire and Affiliations was up £682 from £10,395 in the previous year to £11,077 .
The basic running costs of the Centre, which was all payments except Facilities Improvement was up £622 from £13,143 to £13,765 . The major expenditures have continued to be Electricity (£7,873) and Insurance (£3,004).
At the end of the financial year, the Unrestricted Funds were £7,776 ; of which £1,665 were Designated Funds, set aside for specific purposes (currently essential repairs and internal upgrade), leaving a balance of £6,111 as Available Reserves.
The reserve policy is to maintain Available Reserves at a level equivalent to six months operating expenses (£6,882). This is to ensure the Centre can continue to function, especially over the summer period when the majority of the affiliated groups do not meet, thus providing minimal income. The Available Reserves fail to meet the policy by £771, and action will have to be taken to address this shortfall of funds.
The electricity bill increased by £1,217, from £6,656 to £7,873. This was covered with the generosity of the Keep The Lights On @ Stair Community Centre Appeal which has raised £1,503 and the EAC Community Support grant of £2,500.
The Association will continue to seek grant funding to offset the running costs and to support the repair and refurbishment projects for the Centre’s building from the PPM report.
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
Plans for the Future
The Association will work to provide community events and maintain the building to ensure its continued suitability and availability to the community.
The annual programme of events is designed to appeal to as many different sections of the community as possible and will resume in the autumn.
Communication with the community will continue through the improved advertising materials and the Association’s growing Facebook presence, as well as at events over the summer.
One of the largest costs to running the Centre is electricity, used mostly for heating. The search for alternative ways of providing electricity will continue and will require grant funding.
The PPMR will continue to steer the management of the building projects, and the maintenance team will continue to do as much as they can of these tasks.
The Centre has only been able to operate as well as it has for the past thirty years because of the efforts and time of its many volunteers. The Association continues to value these contributions. Running the Centre does provide many opportunities for volunteers and the Committee encourages as much participation as possible to enable it to remain an accessible, attractive, and affordable asset for the benefit of all.
Declaration
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees by:
Signature(s): Cacdingtso . Full Name(s): Gordon Soane Joseph Hair Position: Chair Treasurer 2026 2026 Date: is|a| iu/2 |
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Stair Community Association
I report on the accounts of the charity for the period 1st February 2025 to 31st January 2026 which are set out on pages 7 to 13.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s statement
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
-
which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations;
have not been met, or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Date: March 2026
Neil Reid FCCA Dains Accountants 30 Miller Road Ayr KA7 2AY
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
Stair Community Association
Receipt and Payments Account for the period 1st February 2025 to 31st January 2026
Statement of receipts and payments
| Statement of receipts and payments | Statement of receipts and payments | Statement of receipts and payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||||
| funds | Grants | 2026 | 2025 | ||||
| Note | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Receipts | |||||||
| Donations | 1 | 466 | 0 | ~~Fr~~ | 466 | 682 | |
| Appeal Keep the lights on | 1,503 | 0 | 1,503 | 0 | |||
| Grants | 2 | 0 | 19,384 | 19,384 | 18,378 | ||
| Fundraising | 3 | 3,641 | 0 | 3,641 | 2,938 | ||
| Charitable activities | |||||||
| Hall hire | 4 | 6,585 | 0 | 6,585 | 6,300 | ||
| Affiliations | 385 | 0 | 385 | 475 | |||
| Total receipts | 12,580 | 19,384 | 31,964 | 28,773 | |||
| Payments | |||||||
| Fundraising activities | 495 | 0 | 495 | 531 | |||
| Charitable activities | |||||||
| Community Events | 0 | 0 | 0 | 849 | |||
| Electricity | 5,373 | 2,500 | ~~r~~ | 7,873 | 6,656 | ||
| Insurance | 3,004 | 0 | 3,004 | 2,841 | |||
| Repairs & maintenance | 5 | 951 | 0 | ~~r~~ | 951 | 5,572 | |
| General expenses & G'nance | 6 | 650 | 0 | 650 | 439 | ||
| Caretaker/Cleaning services | 7 | 792 | 0 | 792 | 583 | ||
| Facility improvements | 8 | 22,665 | 15,884 | 38,549 | 7,685 | ||
| Total payments | 33,930 | 18,384 | 52,314 | 25,156 | |||
| Net receipts/(payments) | (21,350) | 1,000 | (20,350) | 3,617 | |||
| Cash balance at start of year | 29,127 | 0 | 29,127 | 25,510 | |||
| Surplus/(deficit) | (21,350) | 1,000 | (20,350) | 3,617 | |||
| Cash balance at end of year | 7,776 | 1,000 | 8,776 | 29,127 |
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
Stair Community Association
Receipt and Payments Account for the period 1st February 2025 to 31st January 2026
Statement of Balances
| Statement of Balances | Statement of Balances | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | |
| Available | Available Designated |
|||
| Reserves | Fund | Grants | 2026 | 2025 |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Bank and Cash Balances | ||||
| Bank Current account 6,111 |
1,665 | 1,000 | 8,776 | 29,127 |
| Fixed Assets | ||||
| Land and Buildings | ||||
| Stair Community Centre | ||||
| 22,700 | 0 | 0 | 22,700 | 22,750 |
(Purchased in 2015)
Signed on behalf of all the trustees
| Signed | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Gordon Soane | Joseph Hair |
| Position | Chair | Treasurer |
| Date | 2026 | 2026 tha/ |
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
Stair Community Association
Notes to the accounts for the period 1st February 2025 to 31st January 2026
Basis of accounting
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities & Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
Grants
| Restricted funds | Brought | forward | Receipts | Payments | Carried forward | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| ARIA Small Capital Fund | 0 | 15,883 | 15,883 | 0 | ||
| EAC Community Grant | 0 | 2,500 | 2,500 | 0 | ||
| 9CCG | 0 | 1,000 | 0 | 1,000 | ||
| 0 | 19,383 | 18,383 | 1,000 |
Ayrshire Rural and Islands Ambition Small Capital Fund ARIA 2448 (ARIA) Fund Carpet tiles, Tables, Chairs, External uPVC Doors (3 off) EAC Community Support Grant East Ayrshire Council REF: COLCSG1A135 Awarded £2,500 towards your group’s efforts to alleviate the impact of the cost of living on our local communities : Support with utility costs 9CC Group DR25003 9CCG Small Grants Scheme. £1,000 towards Stair Community Centre Family Fun Day 2026
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
| UnRestricted funds | Brought | Carried | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| forward | Receipts | Payments | forward | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Designated: The Stairway Charitable Trust | 24,330 | 0 | 22,665 | 1,665 |
| Other: Available Reserves (General) | 4,797 | 12,580 | 11,265 | 6,112 |
| 29,127 | 12,580 | 33,930 | 7,777 |
The Stairway Charitable Trust
This fund is designated towards paying for the work to plan, prepare and improve the facilities at the centre. £1,665 has been designated, this is not enough to meet the costs of which are £2,880 towards re-wiring and PAT, £1,500 Window repairs.
Available
Reserves These are the free cash reserves (General) in the Unrestricted funds
Related Party Transactions
Trustee Remuneration No remuneration was paid to trustees during this financial period.
Trustee Expenses No trustee received payment for expenses.
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
Notes to the Accounts
| Notes to the Accounts | Notes to the Accounts | |
|---|---|---|
| Additional analysis Total Receipts General Funds Grants 2026 (1) Donations £ £ £ Stair SWI 100 0 100 Mauchline YFC 0 0 0 Loudon Musical Society 0 0 0 Ayrshire Association YFC 60 0 60 Eglinton Hunt, Pony club 50 0 50 Coylton&Stair Farmers 30 0 30 Book Launch Gallipoli 0 0 0 Monthly Meditation 0 0 0 Friends of Hannahston Woods 30 0 30 pail 71 0 71 Individuals 125 0 125 466 0 466 (2) Grants EAC Cost of Living Community 0 2,500 0 9CC Group 0 1,000 1,000 EAC Funday 0 0 0 EAC Scrubber Dryer 0 0 0 ARIA CAM 5yrSurvey 0 0 0 ARIA 0 15,884 15,884 The Stairway Charitable Trust 0 0 0 0 19,384 19,384 Restricted Unrestricted |
Total 2025 £ 0 153 73 60 50 30 13 7 0 248 48 |
|
| 682 0 0 425 1,000 1,953 0 15,000 |
||
| 0 19,384 19,384 |
18,378 |
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Stair Community Association
Annual Report
2025 - 2026
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants | 2026 | 2025 | ||
| (3) Fundraising activities | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Gaiety Ayr Fort Players Raffle | 0 | 0 | 0 | 68 |
| Quiz Night (Feb 2025) ~ Tables | 111 | 0 | 111 | 121 |
| ~ Raffle | 112 | 0 | 112 | 113 |
| Ayrshire Ukulele Clan ~ | 144 | 0 | 144 | 0 |
| Stair Players ~ Raffle & refreshments | 244 | 0 | 244 | 215 |
| Loudon Musical Society | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 |
| Fun day | 0 | 0 | 0 | 302 |
| Easter Ceilidh | 22 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Afternoon Tea@Stair | 726 | 0 | 726 | 460 |
| Coffee and cake events | 2,179 | 0 | 2,179 | 1,568 |
| CTT Charity Give as you live | 103 | 0 | 103 | 33 |
| 3,641 | 0 | 3,641 | 2,938 | |
| (4) Hall Hire | ||||
| Mauchline YFC | 1,008 | 0 | 1,008 | 918 |
| Crafternoon | 936 | 0 | 936 | 306 |
| Yoga Class | 800 | 0 | 800 | 198 |
| Ayrshire Quakers | 774 | 0 | 774 | 990 |
| Crosshill Bowlers | 468 | 0 | 468 | 504 |
| Trabboch Fiddlers | 504 | 0 | 504 | 414 |
| SixMilewide band | 326 | 0 | 326 | 252 |
| Stair Players Drama | 316 | 0 | 316 | 360 |
| Milestone rock band | 296 | 0 | 296 | 144 |
| Church Guild | 180 | 0 | 180 | 162 |
| Stair SWI | 126 | 0 | 126 | 108 |
| Stair Social Club | 108 | 0 | 108 | 144 |
| Cycle Ayrshire | 36 | 0 | 36 | 54 |
| Ayrshire Association YFC | 36 | 0 | 36 | 54 |
| Women of the Coalfield | 20 | 0 | 20 | 90 |
| Stair Book club | 18 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Monthly Meditation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 126 |
| Drumley Midnight Riders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 |
| The Ayr Gaiety | 312 | 0 | 312 | 208 |
| Spark of Genius | 39 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Dog shows AGMs Drongan, Cumnock | 26 | 0 | 26 | 26 |
| Ayr Renegade Community Coastal | ||||
| Rowing Club (CCRC) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| S Ayrshire Federation Historical Society | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| East Ayrshire Council | 0 | 0 | 0 | 500 |
| South Ayrshire Council | 0 | 0 | 0 | 500 |
| Private | 256 | 0 | 256 | 108 |
| 6,585 | 0 | 6,585 | 6,300 |
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Stair Community Association
2025 - 2026
Annual Report
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Designated |
|||||
| Funds | Funds | Funds | 2026 | 2025 | ||
| ayments | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| ) Repairs & maintenance | ||||||
| Fire Extinguisher Service/maintain | 416 | 0 | 0 | 416 | 321 | |
| Building Survey, design consultant | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,480 | |
| Window Repair YF DH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,445 | |
| slate replacement /storm damage | 505 | 0 | 0 | 505 | 242 | |
| other, toilet | 30 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 84 | |
| 951 | 0 | 0 | 951 | 5,572 | ||
| ) General expenses & G'nance & Internet and phone | ||||||
| Governance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| General expenses: | ||||||
| Internet & phone | 373 | 0 | 373 | 358 | ||
| PPL&PRS music licence | 85 | 0 | 85 | 81 | ||
| Hall Booking program subscription | 144 | 0 | 144 | 0 | ||
| Others | 48 | 0 | 48 | 0 | ||
| 650 | 0 | 650 | 439 | |||
| ) Caretaking & cleaning | ||||||
| Caretaking & cleaning | 700 | 0 | 700 | 517 | ||
| Janitorial products | 92 | 0 | 92 | 66 | ||
| 792 | 0 | 792 | 583 | |||
| ) Facility improvements | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||
| General | Designated |
Funds |
||||
| Funds | Funds | 2026 | 2025 | |||
| Carpet tiles( Ru, DH, Ch) £5,952 | ||||||
| Tables, 48 Chairs, Trolley £6,086.7 | ||||||
| 2 PVC+1 emergency Doors £5,610 | 0 | 1,765 | 15,884 | 17,649 | 0 | |
| Curtains 1/2: DH, Church,Kitchen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,139 | |
| Curtain+ 2nd 1/2: DH, Ch, YF, Ki | 0 | 4,259 | 0 | 4,259 | 0 | |
| Re-wire part 2, YF,Of,Fu,Bo, | ||||||
| Hallway, UnderCroft, UnderHall,Boiler room |
16,410 | 0 | 16,410 | 0 | ||
| Internet Access points+PoESwitch | 0 | 232 | 0 | 232 | 0 | |
| Scrubber dryer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,044 | |
| Sound reduction for YF&Kitchen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 126 | |
| Roof Vents: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,376 | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 22,665 | 15,884 | 38,549 | 7,685 |
Payments
(5) Repairs & maintenance
Fire Extinguisher Service/maintain Building Survey, design consultant
(6) General expenses & G'nance & Internet and phone
(7) Caretaking & cleaning
(8) Facility improvements
Carpet tiles( Ru, DH, Ch) £5,952 7 Tables, 48 Chairs, Trolley £6,086.7 2 PVC+1 emergency Doors £5,610
Re-wire part 2, YF,Of,Fu,Bo, Hallway, UnderCroft, UnderHall,Boiler room
3 Internet Access points+PoESwitch Scrubber dryer Sound reduction for YF&Kitchen Roof Vents:
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