Bob Cuthill, Chairman June 2026
In May 2025, the management status of the Vivian Hall was amended to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation or CIO. So far as the users of the Hall are concerned this has meant no change to their association with the Hall. The main purpose of the change in status was to protect the trustees from any personal liability for the Hall’s affairs.
The management committee of the Hall has continued to meet on a monthly basis throughout the year, primarily to deal with issues concerning the Hall’s letting, upkeep and maintenance. The committee has comprised of eight trustees for most of the year but following the recent sad passing of one trustee, Ann Iles, the number has reduced. For the future benefit of the Hall it is imperative that new trustees are added to the committee and I encourage regular user groups to propose one of their members to join the committee.
The Hall’s bookings have remained healthy with almost 20groups or organisations regularly meeting, totalling between 60 and 70 sessions per month. This demonstrates the value of the Vivian Hall to the wider community and fully justifies the grant aid given to it by the National Lottery over recent years for its refurbishment and improvement.
Last October, a further National Lottery grant enabled the committee to have installed an array of solar panels on the roof of the storeroom. Besides improving the Hall’s carbon footprint by reducing demand on the National Grid, it has meant that electricity bills have reduced and that the Hall has supplied surplus energy to the Grid.
In addition to the regular maintenance undertaken, the sound system has been upgraded and the hearing loops in both halls restored. A bookcase has been placed in the main hall to enable books to be donated and taken by all users of the Hall.
Largely because of the strong support of user groups the Hall’s finances continue to be robust. As a result, the committee agreed last year to reward all regular users of the Hall with a rent-free ‘holiday’ and to maintain rents at a low level compared to other similar venues. It has been agreed to repeat this again for this year across the months of September,October and November.
The committee has put on two events in the past year – a concert by the Swansea U3A Ukelele Band in May, and a concert by the Gwalia Singers in December. An outside Christmas Tree was erected and decorated with the support of the Residents’ Association which has become an annual tradition.
Finally, the committee continues to work hard at keeping all the facilities in full working order but it does rely on any faults or defects to be reported by Hall users.
Bob Cuthill, Chairman of the Trustees