MINUTES OF THE SOCIETY OF THE TWENTY EIGHTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF THE ROYAL NAVY SUBMARINE MUSEUM -FRIDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2024
President’s Address.
Welcome members and guests in particular the Mayor of Gosport, Cllr Richard Earle, and his consort Debbie Sherman, we appreciate the close ties between museum and town.
The Chairman will deliver his customary update on the activities in the museum and more details on issues, but I want to pick up on a couple of points.
As you look around there are noticeably less members here this evening than in previous years. As our membership is increasing this is much more likely to be a result of our demographics and a change in the geographical focus of the submarine force. However, as you will hear later this has not prevented the Friends in supporting the development of the museum in some key project areas.
You will also notice from the agenda that several committee members are retiring after sterling service. Fortunately, replacements have been found in most areas but not all and as we are all aware the publication of ARL has been stopped due to the inability to find an editor again more of that later. The reasons I mention this are to reinforce the request that anyone who feels they can contribute would be most welcome. However, I am pleased that the committee is already looking carefully at how to continue to function in any new environment that may occur via a project that aims to "Position for the Future".
COSM is unable to join us this evening so I sense the formal business will be quite swift and we will have longer to catch up.
Apologies. Apologies received from: Cdre Paul Dunn, (COSM diary clash with Annual Submarine awards), Matthew Sheldon (CEO NMRN – HRH The Princess Royal visiting FAAM Yeovilton today), Bob Fancy, Peter Jeanneret, Giles Fletcher.
Minutes of the 2023 AGM.– were published on the website. No amendments received so far.
Chairman’s Report:
Welcome to attendees. mention Mayor of Gosport, Cllr Richard Earle and his consort Debbie Sherman, emphasising close ties between museum and town.
Membership. Our current membership is 911 Members; 35 new joined independently in the year, 11 new via TSF.
This compares with 2023 - 897 Members; 53 new joined independently, 68 new via TSF Overall total members slightly increasing, new independent joiners healthy, however new via TSF well down.
Memorial Wall. Project moving ahead with £180,000 committed by the Friends. Contract date moved right to start of September – Project start imminent.
Blockhouse Future. Negotiations between NMRN and local government are continuing with Friends’ Committee engaged as ‘conscience’. The Memorial Chapel is a particular concern given its historical and emotional significance to our story.
OBOR. Project well established with regular inputs from team of researchers including inputs from the museum’s archive.Further development largely based on TSF website of which it is a part. £20,000 has been made available for procuring plaques with QR codes which can be placed on other submarine-related memorials for online linkage. It is believed that there are about 60 or so such memorials around the country and some abroad.
Mezzanine £50,000 committed by Friends to the improvement of the Mezzanine Floor with inputs from BAE, Thales and RR. Budget and deadlines still to be approved but project based around:
How does the Royal Navy Submarine Service train new submariners? What’s is it like to live and work on a modern submarine? How does a modern submarine work?
Conservation and Collections. Developments her include new Jolly Roger exhibition, opened in March, which has been met with wide approval, similarly an extensive refresh of the X-24 exhibit. Acquisitions include an early periscope lens from HMS H34, SETT architectural drawings being added to the archive, a hydroplane indicator from HMS H24, an opening sidelight from HMS DOLPHIN (1882), oral history interviews from 1995 and a Photograph album of pictures taken in 1917 by Lt Cdr Roly Miller of improvised dry dock for repairs to submarine at Killybegs Co Donegal. Rare images which we do not have. The photos of HMS D8 record the aftermath of an accidental attack as well as rare J Class photos. An initiative to acquire a C Class periscope failed owing to doubts about provenance based on inconsistencies in serial numbers.
HMS Alliance deep cleaning programme has been conducted and good progress has been made on the control room and engine room. Additionally, a conservation student has started assisting the Shipkeeper and made good progress with treating corrosion and conservation cleaning areas of the engine room and heads. In addition, textiles
have been treated with pesticides.The cofferdam continues to be inspected every 3 months, with no issues raised.
Museum General. We were happy to hear that the RNSM was outperforming the rest of the NMRN in terms of visitor numbers with ALLIANCE proving a big draw. We also congratulate Matthew Sheldon on his recent appointment as CEO of the museum in succession to Professor Dominic Tweddle whodeparted last November.
Website. With the demise of ARL, the website has become the only regular means of communication with hmembers. It goes from strength to strength with regular weekly updates and considerable comment and interaction. This year the site has been refreshed with a new look and enhanced functionality. The purchase of Increased storage space now allows our site to provide a permanent home for the collection of video interviews of Cold War submariners donated by the Courageous Project in Devonport.
COURAGEOUS. Continues largely as a result of diligent volunteer efforts. Currently NMRN lack the bandwidth for greater ownership and management, but aspirations remain.
Kylesku XII SM Flotilla Memorial. Tim Honnor has been a driving force behind refurbishment and development of a memorial to the XII SM Flotilla (X Craft) at Kylesku, North of Ullapool. The Friends Committee have been providing admin and accounting support as well as OBOR research for the benefit of this project as well as £2000.
Committee. Peter Christmas, Guy Sitwell and Justin Hughes are standing down from the committee and Matt Clark is standing for election to take over as treasurer from Peter Jeanneret. Phil Higgins is taking back the Hon Sec role from Justin Hughes.
TSF. As of June the numbers were:
2372 members 49.8% veterans 23.8% family 22.4% serving 4% Admin Team
Waterfront take up somewhat disappointing with efforts being made to persuade submariners and their families of the benefits. Needless to say we recommend membership of the TSF as well as retaining stand alone Friends membership in order to maximise our potential.
Election of Committee Members. Following committee members up for re-election:
Tom Herman , Jon Westbrook , John Clayden , Chris Groves , Peter Jeanneret and Barrie Downer . Peter J has made it clear he is re-elected to provide a years-worth of Deputy Treasurer support an will resign from the committee at AGM 2025.
There was one new candidate(s) for election: Matt Clark , Matt will take over as treasurer with immediate effect. We need a vote to elect.
Adoption of the Accounts. PJ will field this.
Appointment of Independent Examiner. Giles Fletcher has agreed to do so again.
Any Other Business.
Propose date of 19 Sept 2025 for next AGM.
On Completion of the AGM:
Reception and buffet supper in the Museum
THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF THE RN SUBMARINE MUSEUM
Financial Statement for Period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
| Income and Expenditure | 2023-2024 | 2023-2024 | 2023-2024 | 2022-2023 | 2022-2023 | 2022-2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expense | Income | Expense | Income | |||||
| Expenditure | ||||||||
| All Round Look | £ | 3,528 £ |
£ | 1,383 £ |
||||
| Committee expenses | £ | 410 £ |
£ | 337 £ |
||||
| General admin | £ | 234 £ |
£ | 536 £ |
||||
| Grants to RNSM | £ | 30,711 £ |
£ | 42,859 £ |
||||
| Grant to Ocelot 60 | £ | - £ |
£ | 5,750 £ |
||||
| Book of Remembrance | £ | - £ |
£ | 6,000 £ |
||||
| Urge Commemoration | £ | - £ |
£ | 950 £ |
||||
| Online Payment Fees | £ | 178 £ |
£ | 169 £ |
||||
| Website & Comms | £ | 15,944 £ |
£ | 517 £ |
||||
| Submarine Memorials | £ | 2,103 £ |
||||||
| Income | ||||||||
| AGM | £ | 1,605 £ |
£ | 1,295 £ |
£ | 1,232 £ |
£ | 1,020 £ |
| Bequests | £ | 2,000 £ |
£ | 1,000 £ |
||||
| Christmas Cards | £ | 520 £ |
£ | 1,283 £ |
£ | 488 £ |
£ | 1,143 £ |
| Donations | £ | 2,993 £ |
£ | 1,674 £ |
||||
| Gift Aid Tax Claim | £ | 5,271 £ |
£ | 5,029 £ |
||||
| Interest | £ | 6,132 £ |
£ | 1,584 £ |
||||
| Subscriptions | £ | 22,080 £ |
£ | 22,222 £ |
||||
| Unity Lottery | £ | 1,171 £ |
£ | 1,280 £ |
||||
| Michaelmas Fayre | £ | 44 £ |
£ | 299 £ |
£ | 195 £ |
||
| SMA Closure | £ | 75 £ |
£ | 151,477 £ |
||||
| TSF Grant | £ | 8,550 £ |
£ | 4,100 £ |
||||
| Kylesku Memorial | £ | 3,715 £ |
£ | - £ |
||||
| Totals | £ | 55,277 £ |
£ | 54,864 £ |
£ | 60,221 £ |
£ | 190,724 £ |
| Net Income | £ | (413) £ |
£ | 130,503 £ |
| Balance Sheet | 2023-2024 | 2023-2024 | 2023-2024 | 2022-2023 | 2022-2023 | 2022-2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asset | Liability | Asset | Liability | |||||
| Current A/C Childs & | £ | 683 £ |
£ | 2,470 £ |
||||
| Deposit A/C Childs & | £ | 3,503 £ |
£ | 8,495 £ |
||||
| PayPal | £ | 123 £ |
£ | 685 £ |
||||
| Virgin Money 30 Day | £ | 239,507 £ |
£ | 236,269 £ |
||||
| Petty Cash | £ | 23 £ |
£ | 48 £ |
||||
| Unpresented Cheques | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
||||
| RNSM GM Float | £ | 400 £ |
£ | 400 £ |
||||
| Submariner Memorials | £ | 3,715 £ |
£ | - £ |
||||
| Net worth / Capital | ||||||||
| Balance on I&E | £ | (413) £ |
£ | 130,503 £ |
||||
| Opening Balances | £ | 248,367 £ |
£ | 117,864 £ |
||||
| Totals | £ | 247,954 £ |
£ | 247,954 £ |
£ | 248,367 £ |
£ | 248,367 £ |
This Financial Statement has been prepared from the records of the Society of Friends of The Royal Naval Submarine Museum and I certify that it is in accordance with those records.
Giles Fletcher Independent Examiner
Peter Jeanneret Treasurer
FINANCIAL REPORT 2023-2024
Annual subscription donations by members has remained the same as last year, at about £22k, but boosted again by a larger grant from The Submarine Family as more members have joined via that route.
Grants to NMRN have totalled over £30k, for a major re-interpretation of the X-Craft and Chariot displays, a new Jolly Roger display and a VC interactive display.
The main exceptional outgoing has been about £15k for an update to the Friends website.
The balance remains high, at £248k, £180k of which is earmarked for a new memorial at the Submarine Museum which may be achieved within the current FY. Much of the balance has been promised to NMRN for a redevelopment of the John Fieldhouse Building, again, planned for completion within this FY.