Newsletter

Welcome to the Downend Folk House Association Newsletter.

40th Anniversary

We are now in the fortieth year of operation.  The actual opening date was the 17th October. All through the year we will be organising events ( click the link on the left to see these ). However as well as a celebration we have a fund raising objective. The front of the Barn is in a sad state of decay and so we have dedicated this year to raising sufficient finds in order to restore the front by cleaning and re-pointing the stonework.

BARN NEWS June/July/August

Treasurers Report

The Management Committee have agreed that we need to increase our income next year in order to ensure we do not use monies from our reserves to keep the Barn functioning. These reserves are currently £20,000 less than last year. The income rises will affect club and class fees. The yearly membership fee will not be changing. Class fees will be rising by about 3%, and due to the variation in club fees/attendance patterns, each club needs to be calculated separately. This has been done and whilst some clubs will not face any rises next year, the majority will find their fees will have risen slightly.

In order for clubs to understand how any rises have been calculated, I will ensure that before the last day in May there will be a sheet in each Club folder identifying the fees for the year 2010/2011 and showing how this fee has been calculated. (MB)

AGM (Annual Accounts)

Our last year's Annual Accounts have now been "signed off' by the auditor with one or two minor alterations.

Last edition of the Barn News carried the information that next year's AGM would then held in January, to fit in with the Auditor's commitments. The Management Committee have reviewed this, and in view of the prevalent weather in January it has been decided to move the AGM into March, and to experiment by holding it in an afternoon, rather than a dark evening. (MB)

Playgroup Toilet Block

South Glos Council have agreed to fund the additional toilet block for the Pre-school. The building work will take place during the summer shutdown period. (MB)

Sewage "Odour' Problem

As some of you may have experienced our sewage system occasionally makes its presence known. We are arranging to have an extraction system which is planned to be in place by the end of May (MB)

Car Parking Spaces

South Glos Council have informed us that it will cost us nearly £1,000 in paperwork alone to action a change to our lease for us to "take over" more ground space for car parking provision. Obviously our rent and rates would also rise, but without identifying the actual increase in space no figures have been sought. The Management Committee have decided that spending this money, and then still having to fund additional spaces would not be something to be pursued at this time. (The current estimate of creating 12 new spaces is approx £19,000) It is intended to mark out four new spaces in the top comer of the curve leading down to the Barn. (Cars are usually parked there when the rest of the spaces are taken, however it was thought best to formalise this area as parking spaces).(MB)

Damaged Wall in Car Park

It was very difficult to persuade Aviva (the insurance company involved in both the vandalism and car accident) to use common sense and employ one builder to rebuild the complete wall. They have at last agreed, and their approved builder has been instructed to rebuild the damaged wall. (MB)

Gift Aid

444 members signed for gift aid on this year's enrolment. This means that we have been able to apply to HMRC (Taxman) for a refund of £1,100 against the tax these individuals currently pay. Many thanks to all of you! (MB)