The English Ceramic Circle
Trustees Report and Accounts for the Year Ended 31st October, 2023
A Swansea pearlware plate, shell edged, inscribed Tho's & Eliz Lewis, 1794 Photo © Sylvain Deleu, Private Collection
Registered Charity Number 1097063
THE ENGLISH CERAMIC CIRCLE ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2022
This report has been prepared in accordance with the Charity Commission's publication "Financial Reporting Standard 102" ("FRS 102") and guidance note "Charity reporting and accounting (CC15d)" applicable to reporting periods beginning on or after 1st November 2016
1. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Charity Name: The English Ceramic Circle (also known as "ECC")
Registered Charity Number: 1097063 Website address: www.englishceramiccircle.org.uk Charity's principal postal address: BM Box 7246, London WC1N 3XX
Trustees
Jonathan Gray - President Barbara Jotham - Treasurer Lucy Lead (co-opted July 2023) - Librarian Patricia Macleod Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth - Grants Secretary Stephen McManus (resigned April 2023) - Librarian James Peake Jacqui Pearce - Joint Editor of the Transactions publication Rosemary Pemberton - Visits Manager Tom Smith - Newsletter Editor Simon Spier (appointed April 2023) - Marketing Manager & Webmaster Amber Turner - Programme Secretary Rebecca Walker (appointed April 2023) - Membership Secretary Alan Walden (to March 2023) Jo Whitehead (resigned April 2023) - Publications manager
Bankers : NatWest Bank plc and United Trust Bank
Independent Examiner: Mr John Beetwell
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THE ENGLISH CERAMIC CIRCLE ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2022
2. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
The Charity is an unincorporated association, governed by the Rules of The English Ceramic Circle ('The Rules'), which were revised at and took effect from the Annual General Meeting held on 24 May 2022. A copy of the Rules can be found on ECC's website.
The Trustees of the Charity form the Committee of the English Ceramic Circle. The Committee comprises not more than fifteen members who are elected (for a term of not more than three years with the right to re-election). The Committee has power to co-opt not more than three members, and a list of the current Trustees is set out above.
The Charity has no employees. The Accounts have been subject to Independent Examination as required by Part 8 of the Charities Act 2011.
ECC complies with the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Data is held by only the President, Treasurer, Membership and Programme Secretaries and Visits Manager and is accessed and used by them only to solicit subscription renewals and other payments due, to mail Transactions (via a third party which then destroys the mailing list) and email Newsletters and communicate matters of interest eg events (via Mailchimp) to them. ECC does not share personal data with third parties without the consent of the individuals concerned. ECC's full data privacy statement is available on its website www.englishceramiccircle.org.uk.
3. OBJECTIVES AND PUBLIC BENEFIT
The Objectives of the Charity, as defined in section 2 of The Rules, are:
a) To advance the public knowledge and appreciation of ceramics and enamels manufactured, decorated, or used in the British Isles.
b) To promote research and study in all matters relating to ceramics and enamels manufactured, decorated, or used in the British Isles and to disseminate the useful knowledge gained for the public benefit.
The Charity provides public benefit through its Transactions and other publications, which are available in a variety of libraries and also for sale to the public, and through its website, public meetings and seminars. The general public are also invited to view those of our on-line Zoom lectures which are not restricted to Members only.
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THE ENGLISH CERAMIC CIRCLE ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2022
4. ACTIVITIES & ACHIEVEMENTS
Meetings, seminars and visits
Saturday lecture meetings are held twice a year; in 2022-23 these were at the Foundling Museum and the Rembrandt Hotel, Knightsbridge, in London. A further nine lectures were held via Zoom, with the majority open to non-members. Many of these lectures are available to Members on the ECC website, with several available to all website visitors.
In May 2023 Members were able to partake in a fascinating trip organised by ECC to two highly important collections of English ceramics. Temple Newsam House, Leeds, is home to fine early English creamware, lead glazed aerthernware and salt glazed stoneware. The Bowes Museum, Northumberland, contains the Lady Ludlow collection which has been described as one of the greatest assemblages of English porcelain in the world, comprising 500 pieces of Bow, Chelsea, Derby and Worcester. Participants enjoyed handling sessions of Yorkshire creamware at Temple Newsam and English porcelain at its highest level of design at Bowes Museum.
Using Zoom continues to be extremely popular with the membership at large, enabling many more, particularly those living overseas, to attend meetings. It also widens the list of potential speakers as they can give papers from their own homes or workplaces anywhere in the world. ECC receives invitations from various other ceramic groups in the UK and abroad to participate in their Zoom lectures and these are passed on to both ECC Members and other societies.
Publications
The English Ceramic Circle publishes an annual publication, The Transactions of the English Ceramic Circle, and two newsletters each year. Occasional additional publications are published and made available to Members. Members are also advised by email of significant events in the ceramic world, such as exhibitions, auctions and seminars.
ECC maintains a library of ceramic publications and literature to which Members have access and which, in most cases, is available on loan to Members for short periods.
A total of £4,000 is being used to create a pdf of the papers presented at the Thomas Baxter seminar held at the V&A in May 2022 (£2,000 donations, of which £1,500 was received in 2022-23 and £500 in early 2023-24, and £2,000 designated from general reserves) with the aim of seeking grant support to publish in 2025. The Committee has not made a final decision on publication, and will revisit that based on the success or otherwise of securing external funding.
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THE ENGLISH CERAMIC CIRCLE ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2022
Membership
The English Ceramic Circle offers annual subscription membership which entitles Members to attend meetings, to receive the annual Transactions, two newsletters, invitations to Zoom lectures including those provided by other bodies to which ECC Members are invited and sometimes (at the discretion of the Committee) other publications without further charge. Membership is offered to individuals, joint membership to two individuals at the same address, and Institutional Membership. The latter category entitles Institutions to send any nominated individual to meetings organised by the ECC.
Membership subscription numbers decreased by 4 overall during the year (2021-22 decrease of 24). A total of 50 new Members were recruited in 2022-23 (29 in 2021-22).
The majority of UK individual Members gift aid their subscriptions and the Committee urges any UK tax payer who has not done so to contact the Treasurer in order to set this up and provide valuable additional income to ECC at no cost to themselves.
5. FINANCIAL REVIEW
ECC generated net income of £3,708 for the year, before designations, comprising £3,439 restricted net income and £269 unrestricted net income (2021-22 net income of £6,331, comprising £1,210 restricted net expenditure and £5,121 unrestricted net income). There was a modest increase of £1,266 to gross income, from £35,041 to £36,307. Subscriptions decreased by £1,758. £183 net income was earned for the visit to Temple Newsam and Bowes. Sale of publications, including postage recharges, increased by £201. £1,500 was received towards publication of papers from the Thomas Baxter seminar held in 2021-22; of this £241 was spent in 2022-23, with the balance of £1,259 being shown in restricted funds.
Expenditure increased by £3,889, to £32,599 from £28,710 in 2021-22. The publication costs were £3,304 higher than in 2022-23 as the Transactions journal contained around 30/11% more pages than in 2021-22 and due to increased costs of printing and postage, particularly to overseas Members. Additional postage costs were also incurred to send packs to new Members and for publication orders, the latter costs mainly recharged. General expenses in 2021-22 included the purchase of a laptop and related costs.
The ECC is a registered charity and we encourage donations and bequests from both Members and the public to enable ECC's activities to continue. Supplementary categories of membership, comprising Friends, Sponsors and Benefactors, produced additional income of £2,180 during 202223 (2021-22 £1,210). This income is treated as restricted and credited to the Research Reserve, which enables ECC to contribute to research, publishing and increasing access in relation to ceramics and enamels made in Britain. In 2022-23 the balance on this fund increased from £2,057 to £4,237. A total of £3,000 research grants were offered to four recipients in early 2023-24.
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THE ENGLISH CERAMIC CIRCLE ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2022
Reserves Policy
ECC's trustees consider the existing free reserve of £56,425 to be sufficient to meet the mediumterm requirements of ECC, being comparable, in relation to annual expenditure, to other ceramic societies.
Designated Funds
ECC will reach its 100th anniversary in 2027 and the Committee has set up a sub-committee to plan at least one special event to commemorate this. Since 2020-21, uncommitted unrestricted funds have been transferred to the Centenary Fund: £269 in 2022-23 (£3,121 in 2021-22). The balance at 31 October 2023 is £5,655.
ECC maintains a printing reserve of £18,500 to cover the anticipated costs of printing the papers delivered to Members but not yet published. £2,000 has been designated as a contribution to the publication arising from the Thomas Baxter seminar held in 2021-22.
6. MEMBERSHIP
| Membership | numbers at 31 | October 2023 | were as follows: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | Dual | Institutional | Total | 2021-22 Total |
|
| UK Members | 303 | 71 | 18 | 392 | 405 |
| Europe | 13 | 0 | 8 | 21 | 22 |
| USA and Canada | 86 | 8 | 18 | 112 | 102 |
| Australia & New Zealand | 17 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 21 |
| Rest of World | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 423 | 81 | 46 | 550 | 554 |
On behalf of the Trustees
Jonathan Gray President
Barbara Jotham, FCA Treasurer 28 March 2024
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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of The English Ceramic Circle for the Year Ended 31st October 2023
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the English Ceramic Circle (“The Circle”) for the year ended 31 October 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Circle you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Circle’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Society as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
John Beetwell c/o BM Box 7246 London WC1N 3XX
28 March 2024
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THE ENGLISH CERAMIC CIRCLE
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31st October 2023
| INCOMING RESOURCES Voluntary Income Subscriptions Income from Friends, Sponsors & Benefactors Gift Aid Donations Investment Income Bank Interest Income from Charitable Activities Publication & archive sales Seminar income Advertising income Summer visit Other income Total Incoming Resources RESOURCES EXPENDED Costs of Charitable Activities Publication Costs Mailings and Postage Meetings Website and computer expenses Research Grants awarded Bursaries Marketing Insurance Depreciation Seminar costs Summer visit Donations Bank Charges General expenses (including assets under £1,000) Total Resources Expended Net income/expenditure for the year Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward |
£ Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds Total Funds - 21,921 21,921 2,180 - 2,180 - 3,006 3,006 - 459 459 2,180 25,386 27,566 2,072 2,072 780 780 - - 2,700 2,700 1,689 1,689 1,500 1,500 1,500 5,169 6,669 3,680 32,627 36,307 241 21,900 22,141 1,577 1,577 3,951 3,951 2,021 2,021 - - 198 198 - - 502 502 - - - - 1,506 1,506 - - 317 317 386 386 241 32,358 32,599 3,439 269 3,708 2,057 82,311 84,368 5,496 82,580 88,076 2022-23 £ £ |
£ Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds Total Funds 23,679 23,679 1,210 1,210 3,158 3,158 822 822 1,210 27,659 28,869 897 897 579 579 1,578 1,578 2,700 2,700 418 418 - - 5,275 5,275 1,210 33,831 35,041 18,837 18,837 605 605 4,139 4,139 1,754 1,754 - - - 451 451 - 1,434 1,434 250 250 - 131 131 1,109 1,109 - 28,710 28,710 1,210 5,121 6,331 847 77,190 78,037 2,057 82,311 84,368 2021-22 £ £ |
|---|---|---|
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THE ENGLISH CERAMIC CIRCLE
Balance Sheet at 31st October
| Notes Fixed Assets Tangible Assets 2 Current Assets Debtors and Prepayments 3 NatWest Bank - instant access NatWest Bank - 45 days notice Shawbrook Bank - 60 days notice United Trust Bank 3 months bond United Trust Bank 1 year bond United Trust Bank 3 years bond Current Liabilities Creditors and accruals 4 Net Current Assets Net Assets Represented by: Unrestricted Funds: General Reserve Printing Reserve Centenary Fund 5 Restricted Funds: Research Reserve Thomas Baxter Publication 6 |
- 5,386 33,713 27,262 - - 30,360 18,439 115,160 27,084 88,076 88,076 56,425 20,500 5,655 82,580 4,237 1,259 5,496 88,076 2023 £ £ |
- 7,202 31,367 - 20,652 18,184 30,000 107,405 23,037 84,368 84,368 56,425 20,500 5,386 82,311 2,057 - 2,057 84,368 2022 £ £ |
|---|---|---|
The Financial Statements were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Jonathan Gray (President)
Barbara Jotham, FCA (Treasurer)
28 March 2024
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THE ENGLISH CERAMIC CIRCLE Accounts for the year ended 31 October 2023 Notes to the Accounts
1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(a) Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared using the historic cost convention and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The statements have been voluntarily compiled on an accruals basis to comply with the principal recommendations of the Charity Commission's publication "Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities" [2015].
Income from Members' subscriptions, which entitles members to receive the annual Transactions publication and to attend both public and members' meetings, is recognised in the year in which those meetings take place.
Income from Gift Aid is accounted for in the financial year in which the donated income being claimed for is received. Income from publication grants, provided such grant is committed, is accounted for in the year in which the relevant publication costs are incurred.
The Circle holds stocks of past Transactions which it sells to the public and to Members. Some of these publication are many years old and the trustees take the view that maintaining a stock recording system to maintain these relatively low valued stocks would not be justified. Accordingly, subject to the matters set out below, publication costs are expensed in the accounts in the year in which they are printed.
The Circle maintains a Printing Reserve to make allowance for the cost of unpublished Transactions, or supplements to Transactions, where the relevant papers have been presented by Members to the Circle but the printing not yet undertaken.
(b) Statutory Disclosures
During the year three committee members were reimbursed for travel and subsistence costs totalling £248 incurred on behalf of ECC (2021-22 £152 to three committee members) and no other trustee expenses were incurred (2021-22 £nil).
(c) Fixed Assets and Depreciation
Equipment under £1,000 is written off in the year of acquisition. Assets over £1,000 are depreciated on a straight line basis over their expected useful life, usually 3 years.
| Tangible Fixed Assets Cost Opening balance at 1st November 2022 Additions Disposals Closing Balance at 31st October 2023 Depreciation Opening balance at 1st November 2022 Disposals Charge for the year Closing Balance at 31st October 2023 Net Book Value at 31st October 2023 Net Book Value at 31st October 2022 |
Computer, Software, and Projection Equipment £ - - - - - - - - - - |
|---|---|
2 Tangible Fixed Assets
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THE ENGLISH CERAMIC CIRCLE Accounts for the year ended 31 October 2023 Notes to the Accounts
----- Start of picture text -----
3 Debtors and prepayments As at 31st October: 2023 2022
Amounts falling due within one year: £ £
Meetings expenses paid in advance 642 -
Seminar expenses paid in advance 136 -
Mailing and postage paid in advance - 54
Insurance paid in advance 85 78
Website expenses paid in advance 812 781
Gift Aid receivable - 3,158
Advertising income receivable 2,100 2,100
Publications income receivable 180 -
CAF donation receivable - 377
Accrued bank interest receivable 1,431 654
5,386 7,202
4 Creditors and accruals As at 31st October: 2023 2022
£ £
Subscriptions received in advance 4,680 3,781
Seminar income received in advance 825 -
Meetings expenses - 111
Publication expenses 21,320 18,723
Mailings and postage 101 20
Summer visit - 250
General expenses 158 152
Grants awarded - -
27,084 23,037
----- End of picture text -----
5 Unrestricted Funds
| Unallocated reserves General funds Designated reserves Printing Reserve Thomas Baxter Publication 2027 Centenary Fund Total |
Opening balance at 1st November 2022 £ 56,425 18,500 2,000 5,386 25,886 82,311 |
Incoming resources Outgoing resources £ £ 32,627 (32,358) - - - - - - - - 32,627 (32,358) |
Transfers £ (269) - - 269 269 - |
Closing balance at 31st October 2023 £ 56,425 18,500 2,000 5,655 26,155 82,580 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
6 Restricted Funds
| Research reserve Thomas Baxter Publication |
Opening balance at 1st November 2022 £ 2,057 - 2,057 |
Incoming resources Outgoing resources £ £ 2,180 - 1,500 (241) 3,680 (241) |
Transfers £ - - - |
Closing balance at 31st October 2023 £ 4,237 1,259 5,496 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Research Reserve, funded by additional income from Friends, Sponsors and Benefactors, enables ECC to contribute to research, publishing and increasing access in relation to ceramics and enamels made in Britain.
The Thomas Baxter publication fund relates to the seminar held in 2021-22; a total of £4,000, including £2,000 in designated funds and a £500 donation received in early 2023-24, is available for the cost of creating pdfs of papers, including £241 spent in 2022-23. The Committee has not made a final decision on publication, and will revisit that based on the success or otherwise of external funding.
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