## **Eddleston Village Hall Trustees ’Annual Report** 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 **Charity contact information** Eddleston Village Hall Scottish Charity Number: SC035039 Eddleston Village Hall, Eddleston EH45 8QP villagehall@eddleston.org.uk - https://eddleston.org.uk/village hall/ https://hallbookingonline.com/eddleston/index.php https://www.facebook.com/EddlestonVillageHall/ 2 ## **Charity Trustees** The following were re-elected members of the Village Hall Committee, who act as trustees for the charity, at the AGM on 14 May 2024: 1. Emma McNab (originally elected Chair 1 February 2023, stepped down in 2024 and was elected Booking Secretary at AGM) 2. Lorna Jones (originally elected Secretary 15 November 2022) 3. Dr Simon Gilmour (originally elected Treasurer 18 October 2022) 4. Rev Aftab Gohar (appointed ex Officio from original Deed of Trust) 5. Carn Peaston (appointed ex Officio from original Deed of Trust) 6. James Taylor (previously re-elected 18 October 2022) 3 ## **Objectives and activities** In 1959 a Deed of Trust dedicated the grounds and village hall building to be held … “for the purpose of physical and mental training and recreation, and social, moral and intellectual development through the medium of reading and recreation rooms, library, lectures, classes, recreation or otherwise as may be found expedient of the inhabitants of the Village of Eddleston in the County of Peebles and its immediate vicinity, without distinction of sex, or of political, religious or other opinions subject to the provision of these presents.” Eddleston Village Hall continues to play a central role in village life, providing a space for the community to meet, play and learn. The Committee hire the hall for events (for example weddings, parties, horticultural shows, elections, dance classes, Bite and a Blether), meetings of the Community Council, and recreation (for example badminton, yoga). The Committee also run village hall events such as a book swap, the annual duck race, ceilidh’s, a Christmas fair, and maintenance days for volunteers to help with the upkeep of the hall. 4 ## **Structure, governance and management** Deed of Trust While now a charity registered in Scotland (SC035039) the governing document remains a 1959 Deed of Trust which contains 17 statements that set out the purpose for which the land and any buildings built on it can be used and how governance of the charity is to be conducted. Now very much outdated, the Committee have successfully applied for and registered a modern SCIO (SC052721) to take over the running of the hall and its subjects. The transfer of assets from one charity to another was started in 2023 with the Committee seeking legal advice on the process. It is hoped to complete this process in 2026. Trustee recruitment and appointment As per the Deed of Trust two trustees are automatically appointed _ex officio_ (the successors of the original Minister and Schoolmaster of the Parish). The rest of the Committee is elected at the AGM. In May 2025 the AGM re-elected Lorna Jones and Simon Gilmour, and elected the previous Chair Emma McNab to Booking Secretary leaving the Chair vacant. James Taylor was re-elected in his absence. The Committee stands at six members at the end of the financial year 30 June 2025, all of whom are considered to be Trustees of the charity. 5 ## **Achievements and performance** The charity organised a series of events for the community and to help fundraise for the Village Hall. These events couldn't happen without support from the hall helpers and local businesses and again over the last year their generosity has been really appreciated. The Committee would also like to note the invaluable support from our regular hall users. There is always more that can be done though and the Committee hope the hall gets the volunteers it needs to progress plans from applying for grants to supporting hall events. The Christmas Fair raised £883 for a cost of £107, a net surplus for the charity of £776. The charity then went on to host a successful Duck Race along the adjacent burn on 10 May 2025 which raised £812 at a cost of £99, making a surplus of £713. The Committee is grateful to those who help organise and deliver these events for the community which have raised over £1,400 for the hall. The Committee tried to progress the transfer of assets from the current charity to the new SCIO, but this has proven more difficult than anticipated and required further legal advice. The Committee hope to further this in the next financial year. The hall hosted a wide range of community and private activity, with the annual Horticultural Show on the 6 September 2025, making it into the Peeblesshire News, the annual plant sale and coffee morning, various cycling events, a polling station for the General Election on 4 July 2024, a birthday party, a Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, a baby shower, a Burns Supper and even an album launch. In addition to the regular Iyengar Yoga and Irish Dance classes held in the hall, the Eddleston Community Council, the church run Bite and a Blether, and the playgroup continued to use the hall. The local three linked churches held a sponsored walk along the new multi-use path with refreshments provided in the Village Hall on 14 September 2024, and the harvest thanksgiving service was held in the Hall on 20[th] October 6 2024, as well as the local church choir social evening and beetle drive. There was a Christian Aid service in May 2025 A Children’s Halloween party was held in the Hall on 1 November and a children’s Christmas party on 15 December 2024. Tweed Theatre used the hall for rehearsals in February and March 2025 and Peeblesshire Junior Agricultural Club did concert practice in February too. Nigel Gatherer - Music Tutor – used the Hall for Mixter Maxter 28. The Committee sought quotes this year for renovations to the roof and downpipes, and were able to apply for funds to replace the windows on receipt of quotes for this. Work on these is expected to be undertaken in the next financial year. Excluding planning meetings, the Hall Committee met five times during the financial year. **Financial review** The Village Hall generated just over £7,700 in income over this financial year and spent just over £11,600. The majority of this expenditure was on refurbishment, repair and maintenance to the building and its surroundings, with by far the most being £5,863 on electricity costs, a significant increase on the previous year. Insurance costs of £1,636 were an increase on last year too. The Committee try to keep these as low as possible, but over a period of high inflation and exceptionally steep energy costs this has proven difficult. Income is split between hall hire fees and donations and other fundraising. The result is a deficit of almost £4,000, and the Committee will continue to keep a close eye on expenditure and maintain the effort to generate income through the year. Statement of the charity’s policy on reserves Eddleston Village Hall doesn’t hold reserves with all money raised used to maintain the building and pay for services. At the end of the financial year on 30 June 2025 the Hall held £8,994.70 funds in its bank account and petty cash. 7 ## Deficit A deficit of £3,905 is worse than the previous year’s deficit of £289 but an improvement on the 2022-23 deficit of £7,207.63. The bank balance remains healthy, but it is likely that energy costs will continue to increase and inflation still remains above the Bank of England target of 2% per year. The Hall Committee will continue to review the costs of all services, noting especially the increasing costs of electricity (the only source of energy for the building); it is hoped that the replacement windows will help reduce these costs. Donated facilities and services The Committee is grateful for all donations, both in cash and in-kind support. The Leadburn Woodland Trust donated a Christmas tree for the hall again with Pentland Biomass providing for its transportation. Eddleston Children’s Entertainment Committee (ECEC) again supported the successful Duck Race, providing entertainment in the orchard prior to the race itself, and Bite and a Blether ran the kitchen during the latter and the Christmas Fair. 8 Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Eddleston Village Hall I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30 June 2025 which are set out on pages 11 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) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the 2006 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 1. 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 - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records - and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations 9 have not been met, or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Name: PETER MULHOLLAND C.A. Relevant Professional qualification/professional body: I.C.A.S. Address: Millbank Eddleston Peebleshire EH45 8QP Date: 21 April 2026 Signature: Signature: 10 EDDi￿T0￿ VILUIGEMALiACCOUldTS IJULY 2024- 30JUP4E2025 INCOME )TES Organi￿tIOn Hire Private Hire commercial Hire other 1748. &59. SUB TOTAi 5.107.50 Fund￿l￿V￿g Generalgrants and donatlons Chri5tm£5 Fair DuckRace 7a1. 833.36 ￿￿25 .27 Warm Hub 976. Horseshoe Raffle other SUB TOTAL 78. 4657.11 W6.27 other Scottish PowerPayment other 975. SUB TOTAL >xrx) TOTAL 7.nl.27 10,1&&77 EXPENDMJRE Electricity Telephonelintemet Insurance 5,863.X 3,318.12 281. 1,636.93 I,4￿.53 312. nsing Fire Protertion 393.85 surveys Repair5 and Refurbishment Fund￿lS1￿9￿xP￿n5e5 Christmas Fair Duck Ra L420. 107.05 178.17 I￿.99 6n. CleaDer Caretaking and 5uppliéS Sundries Warm Hub LeEalAdvice Bank Fee5 other 1175.co 393.63 13 271.62 14 159.a) 304.97 17A2 TOTAL iQ447.76 SURpwSIDEFICITfory￿ar STATEMEMTOF L4LAMCES 30June3)24 Opening balance 13,189.42 Surplv51Defictt 3.9)5.73 288.99 C105ingbalan &99Q70 lI￿A4 Represented by.. Bank 7,22D.79 1,7n.91 &9X70 11536.99 363A4 Pettyts5h I2.￿.45 ## **Notes to Accounts** 1 Income generated through different types of hall bookings, organisational hire relates to charities or similar organisations renting the hall 2 Income generated through different types of hall bookings, private hire relates to individuals renting the hall for various purposes 3 Income generated through different types of hall bookings, commercial hire relates to businesses renting the hall, the main clients are Yoga with Avril and Irish Dancing with Ms KE Hill 4 A grant was received from Peeblesshire Federation of Village Halls and a donation from Marieta Mladenova 5 Scottish Power paid £30 to the Village Hall in response to a complaint 6 Electricity costs have risen by £2,545 over the previous year, an increase of 76% 7 Internet and telephone line cost has risen from £56.81 per month at the start of the year to £71.63 per month by the end - 8 Insurance cost increased by 15% - 9 Licencing decreased due to no additional sales licence required for three years 10 Fire protection costs including testing of alarm and extinguishers increased by just over 95% with purchase of a couple of new extinguishers - 11 Maintenance work and repairs were lower this year: Locksmith £67.85 Electrical work £250.00 Plumbing work £72.00 **Total £389.85** - 12 Our cleaning bill was more expensive this year, by c13% 12 13 Caretaking and supplies reverted to a more normal figure this year, some 45% up on last year 14 Sundries are items that a re required to enable the hall to function such as batteries and table covers 15 The Bank of Scotland started charging a monthly fee of £4.25 for the account 16 Twelve-month subscription for online hall booking ## **Future plans** A high priority remains to replace the single glazed windows to reduce heating costs, with the hope this can be completed in financial year 2025-26. The Committee hope to replicate the success of the Christmas Fair and Duck Race in the next Financial Year. ## **Additional information** Borders Community Action are always ready to help support the hall and the Committee looks forward to working with them in the forthcoming year. ## **Declaration** Signed on behalf of the charity trustees: Print name Designation Date Lorna Jones Secretary 28 June 2026 13