Appendix B

NYCE Business Plan 2017 – 2020

Second 6-monthly Monitoring Report, 28th March 2018

What we have done in this period:- 

Section 3.3 Maintenance of Building and Grounds

• Made the numbering and marking of the front parking spaces much clearer for users
• Produced a grounds management plan to describe the areas of responsibility for the maintenance of the various parts of NYCE’s outdoor spaces and paths
• Installed a CCTV camera and movement sensor to enable monitoring of the building’s main side door entrance and main pathway; plus the necessary public surveillance site signage and data protection registration
• The Community Workshops have constructed and erected a timber- drying store near workshops 
• Held various working parties for inside and outside tasks
• Engaged a tree surgeon to carry out heavy pruning / removal of mature trees along ‘green’ lane adjacent to the tennis courts
• Performed monthly fire equipment checks and repaired and tested the building’s fire alarm system
• Fitted self-closing taps in the ladies and gents WC’s to avoid wasting water
• Fitted movement sensitive lighting for the stairwell between lower ground floor and hall
• We are in the process of getting estimates to create a new unisex disabled toilet facility between the lower ground floor and the hall; the project will include new windows, heating, lighting and remedial roof repairs  

Section 3.5 Marketing and Charity Development

• Added further material to our Facebook page
• Updated our website on a frequent basis
• Created an A5 size ‘advert’ flier seeking more help for the Charity- for placing in Nailsworth Town Information Centre and Library and for the Town Meeting 
• Prepared for the Annual Town Meeting for local organisations in its changed format on 28 April 

  Section 3.6 Finance and Income Generation

• We have reviewed Nailsworth Tennis Club’s annual rent. The review was overdue and agreement was reached with NTC for a ‘clawing back’ of arrears from previous years (which was not the fault of NTC). The next review is due in early 2019 for the following 3 financial years
• We have also reviewed the Community Workshops’ lease and after disclosure of the issues have raised the annual rent to a mutually agreed amount; the lease which is being re-drafted will be for a further seven years
• The level of room hire remains positive and at the present time regular users consist of the following: Ruskin Mill drama students, Phoenix table-tennis with their nine League teams, visiting League players and weekly training sessions, badminton, School of Larks circus skills lessons, a local Narcotics Anonymous group, strings orchestra practice sessions, two community choirs, harp orchestra and English conversation lessons 
• In recent months we have also hired out space for numerous parties, an animal communication demonstration evening and ukele practice
• Regular Comedy Club evenings are held in the Workshops
• Engaged with Barnwood Trust and have been given approval to bid for a grant to part-fund about 4/5ths of the costs of the proposed disabled unisex toilet.  

 

Ends

A Summary of Improvements to the Building and the Facilities we Offer

The Trustees of NYCE who manage the Subscription Rooms have acquired funding and raised income levels in the past few years and this has enabled major investment in the building for the first time since the 1980’s. Completed improvements up to November 2016 include:-

➢renovation of the large leaded front window of the main hall,
➢decoration of hall by a work team from HM Prison, Leyhill
➢installation of new male, female and disabled toilets on the upper ground floor and creation of a new entrance hall - thanks to the Frank Arkell bequest,
➢fitting of a new fire alarm system & provision of new fire prevention equipment,
➢double-glazing of the main hall to improve sound- proofing and conserve energy, *
➢insulation of the whole loft space to prevent heat loss, *
➢purchase of portable raised staging for performances in the main hall,* ➢double- glazing of windows on the lower ground floor, * (* all funded by Gloucestershire Environmental Trust (GET)),
➢removal of an unusable and unsightly outside store and replacement with usable and essential storage space which has been re-roofed,
➢complete restoration of garage roof allowing extensive later improvements (GET), ➢hard landscaping & fencing of grounds at the rear of the building (HMP Leyhill team),
➢the rebuilding of the whole length of Cotswold stone walling on the left-hand boundary of the land next to The Village, partly funded by Nailsworth Town Council and a smaller section on the right hand side bordering a neighbour’s garden,
➢the complete transformation & fitting-out of the garage including production of new glazed doors, windows, mezzanine floor and balustrade plus electrics & plumbing. This has created additional fully serviced workshop space for craft classes run by our partners, Practical Intelligence since September 2013. This was mainly funded by the Summerfield Trust and Gloucestershire Community Foundation (GCF),
➢laying of a new tarmac pathway and patio area on the left side of the building leading from Bath Road to the main side entrance, thanks to generous funding received from Gloucestershire County Council’s ComBI Grants Programme: complete replacement of slate roof on rear section of main building and replacement of inefficient and leaking roof gutters to the whole of the building in April 2014,
➢4 double glazed windows & replacement of flooring in upstairs coffee bar / meeting room

(2014),
➢new central heating boiler,
➢fitting of ceiling- mounted apparatus for use by circus skills members
➢  new lighting in main hall mainly for the benefit of sports teams,
➢  installation of stair lift from lower ground floor workshops to landing (April 2015), funded by the Horsley and Nailsworth Charity and Barnwood Trust,
➢fitting of 4 double glazed windows on ground floor in foyer and washrooms (May 2015),
➢fitting of 2 secondary glazed windows on upper stairway and above foyer entrance
(also May 2015),
➢with financial help from Sport England, Nailsworth Tennis Club opened up a 3rd court with new surfacing, flood-lighting and perimeter fencing in April 2015; this major project supports the Club’s aim of increasing the number of players, particularly young people, taking up the sport,
➢in the Spring 2016 further levelling off and gravel landscaping was carried out in two areas, namely, behind the workshops annexe and between the rear of the premises and the tennis courts. This work greatly reduces the grounds maintenance burden,
➢Thanks to further funding from Gloucestershire Environment Trust and NYCE’s own financial contribution the latest phase of our refurbishment programme has been the removal the unsightly old asbestos and iron porch canopy at the front right hand side of the building. This was replaced with a bespoke glazed canopy, double doors and frontage. New drainage was also necessary to accommodate the new design; new lighting was added later. This together with new stonework surrounding the porch and the old cinema entrance enhances the building’s appearance greatly. Site preparation commenced in October 2015 following Local Authority approval and work was finally completed a year later,
➢ in October a new glazed door was installed behind the workshops annexe into the main craft- working area and at about the same time the rainwater gutters and pipes on the workshops annexe were replaced to match the rest of the building and a water butt added.

Les Haines, Trustee and Charity Secretary, November 2016