BVT Annual Report

Brockenhurst Village Trust, a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee, incorporated on 15 November 2000 and governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. The charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 27 March 2001 and commenced operations upon transfer to it on 15 May 2001 of the assets from the Brockenhurst Village Hall charity. The Company number is 4108622 and the Charity Registration number is 1085825.

As required by the Memorandum and Articles of Association the management of the company is invested in the Board of Directors who are also the Trustees of the Charity. The Board consists of up to eleven Directors.

The object of Brockenhurst Village Trust is to provide educational, recreational, and other community facilities for the benefit and social welfare of the people of the civil parish of Brockenhurst in Hampshire by charitable means.

This means the running of the Village Hall, and its site in Highwood Road, the Charity Shop in Brookley Road. and organising such events which benefit the widest possible community in Brockenhurst under the revised branding as The Brockenhurst Community Hub.

The Trustees giving due regard to guidance published by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

The Village Hall hosts around 30 weekly and 10 monthly clubs and classes in addition to repeat booking from other community groups and small businesses. Organisations such as Hampshire County Council and the New Forest National Park Authority regularly hold training sessions at the Hall, appreciating the location, facilities, and service and also the value for money that it offers. External events such as this contribute to the successful running of the Hall, and thus its wider community benefit.

The Hall is available for hire by individuals and organisations. There is a standard hiring agreement and scale of charges. which is calculated to be adequate to generate income to meet all expenditure incurred in maintaining the Hall, providing an appropriate share of the wider site maintenance and annual depreciation of the Trust’s assets.

Hire fees were increased this year, first time in five years, due to a quadrupling of energy costs.

The Trust hosts activities, such as “Brockenhurst Cinema” and the Brockenhurst Bridge Club in the Hall on its own account, managed by volunteers, in order to provide a focus for the village as part of the Community Hub concept described below.

The Trustees are responsible for the overall management of the Company and its future direction. This may also include strategic guidance, or delivery of projects for the community.

The day-to-day operation of the Village Hall, the charity shop, and site facilities is the responsibility of the full-time Operations & Development Manager supported by part-time administrative and caretaking staff and a growing number of volunteers.

The full Statement of Financial Activities for the year is set out in audited annual accounts, and available from The Charities Commission website.

Income from lettings and events during 2023 was approximately £110,000 (2022 £104,783)

The Charity Shop, which had operated in the Hall since 2021 relocated to an empty shop in Brookley Road in the centre of Brockenhurst and following renovation of the premises re-opened successfully in September 2023.  It was apparent that the central location would double the shop’s revenue and thus increase the funds available to the Trust.  The shop’s gross contribution to the Trust in 2023 was £43,000 (2022 £26,525) and it is expected to contribute up to £60,000 in a full year of trading in 2024. The shop is entirely staffed by volunteers and the Trust wishes to express its gratitude to them. As part of the Community Hub the shop showcases events in the Hall and on the Highwood Site.

The space released in the Hall by the shop’s relocation is being developed as a Community Food Enterprise during 2024, which could include a Community Fridge and Cafe. This will be closely connected to the outside space with community garden projects.

Rising energy costs were identified as the major risk facing the Trust with long term fixed contracts expiring in late 2023. To that end the Trust decided to invest some £24,000 in additional solar panel capacity including battery storage in 2023 and is negotiating new agreements with energy suppliers and for sale of surplus energy generated in the expectation of moving as far as possible “off-grid”.

The focus for 2024 is to enhance the facilities both inside and out.

The hall, improving insulation and examine whether gas use can be eliminated by installation of heat pump technologies.

The outside space made more useable and attractive with the installation of picnic benches and planting.

All potential developments are tested against our five-year strategy, developed in 2022, which provides a framework for decision making, investment and prioritisation and the basis for regular reviews of the Trust’s activities and financial position at each board meeting.

As these plans start to take shape, we will be seeking input from our community. Please keep a look out for these opportunities.