Benington Community Heritage Trust - Chairs Report 2024/25

The Beonna Annual Report: A Year of Growth and Community Impact

Over the past 12 months, The Beonna has continued to go from strength to strength, driven by a highly capable team and a dedicated Board of Trustees. Together, we have delivered meaningful growth and increased community engagement while laying the foundations for long-term sustainability.

Key Achievements

Visitor Footfall:

In 2024, we welcomed over 10,000 visitors through our doors, reflecting our growing presence and relevance in the local community.

Community Events:

Our monthly quiz nights now regularly attract 150 attendees, and we’ve expanded our events calendar to include bingo nights, preloved sales, and craft fairs—all of which are generating valuable income for the charity as well as being important in bringing our local community together.

Music and Culture:

We have launched a monthly live music night to showcase local talent, we have our very well loved and established Beonna Community Choir who meet weekly and perform regularly - and we have just piloted a very successful open mic night, further enriching the cultural life of Benington.

Private Hires:

The Beonna is gradually establishing itself as a unique and sought-after venue for celebrations and weddings. Our ambition within the next 5 years is to become recognised as the premier heritage venue in the East Midlands. Our 5 year aim is for 80% of income to be generated from private hires – so that we can fund more and more community events

Digital Reach:

Across our social media channels, our website and a regional radio campaign , we are reaching approximately 65,000 people each month. Our digital presence is growing rapidly, helping us connect with a wider audience and attract new visitors and clients.

Energy Efficiency:

Maintaining and heating a grade 1 heritage building is one of the biggest challenges we have. The board of trustees has worked hard to reduce energy bills by 50% in 2024 and are now looking at finding to redistribute energy as well as look at greener options such as solar power.

Looking Ahead

While 2025 presents challenges for our sector, our Board has developed a robust five-year plan. Our goal is to become self-funding by early 2027. We are committed to using revenue from private hire, business hire, and weddings to sustain community events and the Beonna Café, ensuring the building remains a hub for local life.

We are immensely proud of The Beonna—a building of national historical importance—and are fortunate to have such a special place at the heart of Benington. The Board of Trustees remains deeply committed to preserving The Beonna for current and future generations.