John Upton Charity Report 2022/24

This is the fourth report from the John Upton Charity, aiming to show Gawsworth residents how the Charity is working towards its aims and to report publicly on its financial position. This report is in addition to the annual financial information submitted to the Charities Commission which is available on their website. This report covers the period April 2022 to March 2024.

The John Upton Charity exists to make grants for the benefit of Gawsworth residents. These are funded from the interest we receive on our permanent endowment. During the report period the Charity made grants totalling £5025 in 2022/2023 and £4037 in 2023/2024. These include:

• Gawsworth Village Hall received £2500 to support providing an audio visual system.
• Gawsworth Methodist Church received £600 in 2022 and £750 in 2023 to help with expenses for their community coffee mornings.
• St James’ Church received £130 in 2022 and £250 in 2023 to help with the cost of providing the Christmas Tractor Run.
• Gawsworth WI and residents in the Rising Sun area each received grants of £250 to support refreshments for parties celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
• GASS was granted £702 to support a Ceilidh and other events in the village as part of the Coronation celebrations.
• A resident received a grant of £344 to equip a community ‘plogging’ group.
• The Friends of Gawsworth Park group received £2500 to provide materials for creating a community garden in the park.
• A resident was granted £248 to provide materials for youth groups to help make ‘The Big Frieze’, a tapestry depicting Gawsworth history now on display in the village hall.
• Gawsworth Parish Council were granted £537 towards providing a new defibrillator located by the Scout Hut.

A healthy financial position was maintained during the report period with financial assets of £409,627 (31 March 2023) and £408,970 (31 March 2024). These assets include a Permanent Endowment Fund of £375,000 with the remainder available to make grants and cover expenses.

Income for the charity is generated from investment of the permanent endowment funds. Our constitution restricts investment to banks and building societies with FSCS protection, so income varies depending on interest rates available when fixed term savings accounts mature and are reinvested. Interest rates rose during the two years covered by this report, reflected in income in the region of £4400 in 2022/2023 and £6900 in 2023/2024.

Expenses are kept to a minimum (under £3,000 p/a) and cover the clerk’s wages, administration (external account checks, postage, etc) and maintaining the small piece of land which we own adjacent to Penningtons Lane.

The trustees hope to continue to make grants that benefit the community and we welcome comments and suggestions to the clerk/treasurer at JohnUptonCharity@gawsworthpc.org.uk.

Finally, the trustees would like to thank Loraine Wood for her continued support and dedication in her role as clerk/treasurer to the charity.