FEBRUARY 2024 - UPDATE
Rockfield Centre update 14th February 2024
I know many people have been anxious regarding The Rockfield Centre since our meeting before Christmas and awaiting news of what has been happening. Thank you for your patience.The news is good.
Last week we received confirmation of a loan offer from SIS (Social Investment Scotland) that will secure our immediate future and allow us to consolidate our debt and pay local traders monies due to them. I am hopeful these repayments can be made in early March.
In the final months of 2023 we had to make some painful and hard decisions based on the financial situation that showed us as trading insolvently. We projected that as a result of these actions, combined with new tenancy agreements, that we should achieve a trading surplus in January. At our business meeting on Monday it was clear that we had indeed achieved this. We are confident that this surplus can be sustained month on month with repayment plans for the loan and other larger creditors being met. We are now confident in a long term future for Rockfield , carefully increasing the opening hours and planning more exciting events and activities in line with our constitution.
This achievement is down to the extraordinary commitment shown by our staff, Teagan, Shanice, James and Nina to work and carry the load previously born by many more on their own shoulders. We are also enormously grateful to the volunteers and contract workers who have supported them to keep Rockfield open. Beth and Elaine have shown great commitment to return to their programs of work. We thank them for showing faith in the project and also thank the organisations who are now supporting them.
The Business Plan was developed and implemented by Phil Prentice and Jo Slater. Jo Slater has provided financial modelling and leadership without which we would have foundered. Phil has dedicated hours and hours of his time as a volunteer and our survival would not have been possible without him. We owe them an enormous debt. Other volunteers have also contributed immensely to the recovery, some not wishing to be named, but Jake, Geraldine and Sheena are named in Dispatches.
We plan an open meeting in Rockfield on 29/02/24 to present in more detail the work that we have undertaken, future plans and answer any questions you may have. We would encourage a discussion on how best communication, engagement with and feed back to the members and wider community can be organised going forward. Details of the meeting will be publicised separately.
Our accounts for 2022/2023 are currently being prepared and the AGM will be held when these have been finalised, most likely early April. At the AGM we will be seeking to appoint at least three new Trustees. In particular we are needing an individual to act as Treasurer. If you are interested in becoming a Trustee come and meet us and find out more about the role. There is a new and exciting future for Rockfield and we need new blood to drive it forward.
It has been a long hard winter for us all but the green shoots of spring are now showing.
Richard Wilson. Acting Chairperson, OCT
