2022-12-31-accounts - Society For Co-Operation In Russian And Soviet Studies

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98[th] Annual Report of the Society for Co-operation in Russian and Soviet Studies January – December 2022

See page 2 for captions to these images

Society for Co-operation in Russian & Soviet Studies Registered Charity No 1104012 320 Brixton Road, London SW9 6AB Tel: 020 7274 2282 | Eml: ruslibrary@scrss.org.uk Web: www.scrss.org.uk

Extract from the Rules of the Society:

The Object of the Society shall be the advancement of education, learning and knowledge of, and to promote studies in the languages, culture, history and life of Russia and the other countries and nationalities formerly constituting the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Front page images (clockwise from top left):

A 1937 front cover of the Society’s publication Anglo-Soviet Journal .
Jean Turner, Secretary, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer of the Society from 1985 onwards, died in February 2023. This photo, taken by member Vaughan Melzer, was included in the London-St. Petersburg: City and People photo exhibition in 2014.
A promotional leaflet for the Society from 1931, headed “Close Cultural Relations – the strongest bulwark against war : the constructive basis for peace”.
A flyer promoting a 1939 exhibition of Soviet folk art and handicrafts organised by the Society.

The SCRSS

The Society for Co-operation in Russian and Soviet Studies (SCRSS) aims to promote knowledge of the culture, language and history of Russia and the former Soviet Union through its activities and unique library.

The SCRSS is a self-funding membership organisation with management vested in Annual General Meetings and regular meetings of its Council.

The SCRSS was founded in 1924 as the Society for Cultural Relations between the Peoples of the British Commonwealth and the USSR (referred to simply as “the SCR”), following the establishment of diplomatic relations between Britain and the new Soviet state.

It changed its name to the Society for Co-operation in Russian and Soviet Studies in 1992 when Russia became the inheritor state of the dissolved USSR.

From 1924 it has continued its work uninterrupted until the present day, including working with, when possible, other states of the former Soviet Union.

The Society became a registered educational charity in May 2004.

The Society was a founder member of the Soviet Memorial Trust Fund in 1997, which changed its name on becoming a charity in 2018 to the Soviet War Memorial Trust (SWMT).

Annual Report of the Society for Co-operation in Russian and Soviet Studies January 1 to December 31, 2022

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2022

At the Annual General Meeting of the SCRSS held on Saturday 21 May 2022 and the subsequent Council meeting, the following officers and Council were elected, or continued to serve:

Honorary Officers

President and EC Member: Professor William Bowring Vice-Presidents: Dr Kate Hudson, Dr David Lane, Dr Rachel O’Higgins

Executive Committee (EC) and Members of the SCRSS Council

Chair: Philip Matthews

Hon. Secretary: Ralph Gibson Hon. Treasurer: Jean Turner

SCRSS Council Members

Bethany Aylward, Christine Barnard, Kate Clark, Michael Costello, Jeremy Hicks, Andrew Jameson, Christine Lindey (Exhibitions Officer) , Jane Rosen, Charles Stewart (Vice-Chair) , Diana Turner, Leonard Weiss

NB: The President and members of the SCRSS Council are Charity Trustees of the SCRSS, registered with the Charity Commission. The make-up of the EC changed following the adoption of new Rules at AGM 2022.

Staff

None.

Auditors

No auditors were appointed for the Society’s financial year Jan-Dec 2022. Instead an independent examiner approves the financial statement for forwarding to the Charity Commission, in line with its requirements.

Bank

The Society holds all of its accounts with the Co-operative Bank.

1. Membership

Total membership (including affiliations), as of 31 December 2022, stood at 269 (279) - including 25 (26) joint memberships. There are seven organisations affiliated to the Society (one “commercial” and six “community, voluntary or charity”). The Society received 21 (21) new individual memberships and 1 (0) new affiliation in 2022. (The respective figures as of 31 Dec 2021 are in brackets.)

2. Finance

A financial statement for the period 1 Jan to 31 Dec 2022 accompanies this report. The end-of-year balances show a good surplus, growth in the reserve and healthy balances in the current and direct debit accounts. These balances will ensure we can celebrate our Centenary in 2024, but beyond that, it will be important for the Society to find a more sustainable financial model. Donations and Centenary Club contributions (including GiftAid) account for over half the Society’s income. The Society also received a one-off refund of its 2021-22 business rates as part of the government’s Covid support programme.

3. Library and Archive

Library open days for members continued in 2022 – on Tuesdays from January to September inclusive, and on the first-Saturday-of-the-month from February to December. The Tuesday openings were discontinued from October, due to insufficient availability of Trustees and volunteer Guardians. However, our volunteers continue to work in the library on Tuesdays – cataloguing, sorting, class-marking and labelling books and pamphlets.

Hon. Librarian Mel Bach worked, with the library volunteers, to launch the SCRSS online library catalogue in February 2022, and deliver training. The catalogue is based on the Soutron library management system. Cataloguing continued throughout the year, particularly on the history and theatre collections.

Hon. Archivist Jane Rosen continued to work sorting out the Archive during the year. Progress was made and amongst the work done was locating and sorting the EC minutes from the 1920s and 1930s. These are now in order and in many cases pages have been reunited with those from the same minutes. They provide a fascinating view of the Society's history and are particularly valuable for the years that we do not have AGM Reports. These are currently being scanned so that pdfs can be provided for researchers rather than providing the rather fragile originals. Work was also done in locating photographs and these are now being sorted into a section of their own.

Assiya Issemberdiyeva, who began work on a Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA) in October 2021 with Queen Mary University of London and the SCRSS towards a PhD, is exploring wartime Soviet Cinema for her thesis under the supervision of Professor Jeremy Hicks (who is on the SCRSS Council). As part of the CDA, Assiya visited the SCRSS regularly to research SCR film-related events and other activities during the Second World War, with support from Hon. Archivist Jane Rosen.

4. Development

At its meetings the SCRSS Council continued to discuss and work on the key targets for Strategy 100 which are: Stabilise finances, including building a reserve fund; Improve security; Open the centre at least two days per week; Complete the cataloguing of the library; Secure grants/funding to renovate the building and improve building access and emergency egress; Increase income from room hire; Complete the digitisation of the photo archive, and increase income from this source; Run a more extensive programme of events (talks, film screenings, exhibitions, seminars, etc); Improve storage of all collections, especially for rare/old material; Improve governance, including training for Council members (who are all Trustees of the charity); Develop outreach to increase membership and use of the centre; Improve facilities for members, students and researchers; Develop plans to increase volunteer participation in all aspects of the work of the Society.

Some key developments during the year:

Revised Rules were approved at the AGM held in May.
The SCRSS online library catalogue was launched in February.
The CAF (Charities Aid Foundation) Donate portal for online donations was set up in January and is linked from the website.
Three projects were approved by the SCRSS Council for the 2024 Centenary year: a history of the Society by Jane Rosen; an exhibition dedicated to the Society's history, to run throughout 2024; a centenary celebration at the SCRSS close to the 9 July foundation date.
Repairs to the front path were carried out over the summer.

5. Use of the premises

The meeting rooms were hired on several occasions during the year, but there has not been a recovery in bookings or income compared to pre-Covid in 2019.

6. Volunteers

The Society is wholly dependent on volunteers.

Members of the SCRSS Council supported the work of the Society on a voluntary basis in many different ways. In particular, Chris Barnard continued to run a weekly online Russian language class. Ralph Gibson continued the day-to-day operation of the Society, also supporting the work of SCR House Ltd and the Soviet War Memorial Trust. Jane Rosen continued regular work on the archives and library collections. Jean Turner continued to provide support and guidance to the Hon. Secretary in his work for the Society, SCR House Ltd and the SWMT. Diana Turner produced the SCRSS Digest, and continued website maintenance, work on the archive of the Anglo-Soviet Journal , and helped with library openings. Len Weiss also regularly supported the library openings and continued to work on various aspects of the maintenance of the building.

Mel Bach, our Hon. Librarian, devoted time to work on the library and the Soutron library management system. Library volunteers continued work on cataloguing, classifying, and sorting various collections. Thanks go to everyone who has contributed during the year, including members Wendy Ansley, Yaffa Clarke, Gordon Harris, Sara Jolly, Melanie Mauthner, Anne and Billy McKee, Clifford Poole, Olga Sidenkova, Michael Stephens, Claire Weiss and Geoff Weston. Claire Weiss has taken on the responsibility for opening the centre on Tuesdays for library volunteers.

The Society is also very grateful to Noel Hannon for the independent examination of the Society’s accounts.

7. SCRSS Digest

Three issues of the SCRSS Digest were published in 2022. SD-25, Spring 2022 with lead articles: 'Vera Mukhina: Queen of Soviet Sculpture' (Christine Lindey), 'Survival and Renewal - The SCR / SCRSS 1991–93' (Jean Turner), 'Russian Film Week Returns in Person' (Donald Gasper). SD-26, Summer 2022 with lead articles: 'Stalin’s Library: A Dictator and His Books' (Geoffrey Roberts), 'Nikolai Andronov and the Severe Style' (Christine Lindey), 'Huntly Carter the “New Spirit’ in Soviet Theatre” (Jean Turner & Diana Turner). SD-27, Autumn 2022 with lead articles: 'Children Can Change History: AmericanSoviet Youth Encounters at the Artek Pioneer Camp' (Matthias Neumann), 'After Russia’s 30 Years of Transformation, What Comes Next?' (David Lane), 'Troubles with Titles in Translation' (Andrew Jameson).

Printed copies are posted to members, online pdf versions are available one month after publication on the SCRSS website. The Editor thanks all reviewers and feature article authors for their unpaid but much appreciated contributions, and encourages others to offer articles on Russian and Soviet-related topics in which they have expertise. Unfortunately, advertising in the journal was reduced in 2022 - if members know of organisations that would like to advertise in the SCRSS Digest , please contact the Editor.

8. SCRSS Website and Social Media

The SCRSS website is managed by Diana Turner. The statistics for 2022 were slightly down on the previous year: 11,466 total hits (12,928 in 2021). However, the Library & Archive webpage had an increase in visitors, following updates about and a link to the new online library catalogue (Soutron). The Huntly Carter Collection webpage was rewritten with new images to reflect the findings in the article on Huntly Carter in the summer 2022 issue of the SCRSS Digest .

2022 saw an impressive SCRSS Facebook page reach to 5,537 accounts, just 5% less than in 2021. We also had 681 page visits, up over 110% on 2021. We have 890 followers. Our audience is two thirds UK based. This includes one third in London. Internationally, our numbers are highest in US and Russia.

Council member Bethany Aylward manages the Society’s Twitter account. By the end of the 2022 it had 187 followers.

9. Russian Language

Russian evening classes for good intermediate level

Christine Barnard’s weekly Zoom class continued for four terms in 2022, with a loyal group of SCRSS members. Each 2-hour session includes one hour of free conversation and one hour of reading, with a short break in-between. A few places are available and we offer a free taster lesson for anyone considering joining the group. The Society is grateful to Christine for continuing the class which provides a valuable contribution to its annual income, as well as supporting one of the key elements of the Society’s charitable purpose.

10. SCRSS Council

The Council met online in January, March, May (in person following the AGM), September and November 2022. Following the adoption of new Rules at the AGM, an Executive Committee was formed of the President, Chair, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer. The Council decides on all issues related to the Society in the period between AGMs. All the members of the Council, together with the Society’s President, are Charity Trustees of the SCRSS and are registered with the Charity Commission. Members interested in joining, or nominating another member for election to the Council, should contact the Hon. Secretary. Council members are currently elected for three-year terms, and can seek re-election.

11. Soviet War Memorial Trust (SWMT)

The SCRSS continues to play a very significant role in the administration of the SWMT. The SCRSS Hon. Secretary fulfils the same role with the Trust. Holocaust Memorial Day was marked on 27 January, but no events were organised in May and November due to the conflict in Ukraine. Flowers were laid on both occasions on behalf of the Trust and the SCRSS.

The current SCRSS Chair, Philip Matthews, has been SWMT Chair since 1997, and the SCRSS Hon. Treasurer, Jean Turner [1929-2023] who was the Trust’s Hon Secretary from 1997-2006, continued her involvement as a Trustee during the year. The Memorial is located in Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, which surrounds the Imperial War Museum in Southwark.

12. Obituaries

The Society was notified of the deaths of several long-standing members in 2022, including Anthony Devereux (obituary in SCRSS Digest SD-28 ) and Professor Laura Marcus, Goldsmiths Professor of English Literature and Fellow of New College, Oxford.

13. Outreach

The Society maintained contacts with Cambridge Russian-Speaking Society (CamRuSS) and other affiliated organisations, including Manchester-St. Petersburg Friendship Society, and the North-West Anglo-Russian Friendship Group.

14. SCRSS Events in 2022

February:

Zoom Online Lecture: Andrew Jameson on Navigating Russian Conversations - The Devices We Use to Manage Conversations

March:

Zoom Online Lecture: Andrew Jameson on Tall Tales about Russian Etymologies

April:

In-person Lecture: Dr Matthias Neumann on Peace and Friendship: Overcoming the Cold War in the Artek Pioneer Camp

Zoom Online Lecture: Colin Turbett on Soviets in Space

May:

In-person Event: SCRSS Annual General Meeting In-person Lecture: Dr David Lane on Russia: 30 Years of Transformation

October:

Hybrid Lecture: Dr David Lane on 100 Years Since the Founding of the USSR (joint SCRSS / Marx Memorial Library event)

Zoom Online Lecture: Dr Robert Leach on Sergei Tretyakov - Modernism and Theatre

November:

Hybrid Lecture: Professor Geoffrey Roberts on Stalin's Library: A Dictator and His Books In-person Lecture: Christine Lindey on Representation of Workers in Soviet Art

SOCIETY FOR CO4)PERATION IN RUSSIAN AND SOVIET STUDIES INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS 1 January to 31 December 2022 2022 2021 2020 2019 INCOME Membership Events Library Sales {including pottery) and informkn.on Phololibrary SCRSS Digest I sales l adverts Room Hire Russian Courses I Seminars Sundries Regular monthly donat5 Centenary Club donations Bequests Agency fees I grants I bank InteSt I refunds Donations Gift Aid claim l HMRC refvnd SMTFIsw donations made wa SCRSS 3.753 595 132 3,791 999 3.887 880 89 503 350 1,665 1,370 672 200 748 727 715 3.145 2.694 4,450 4,900 6.608 6.555 6.743 4,761 5.149 2.139 400 5,472 2,486 5.932 2,084 2.872 2,748 TOTAL 25,328 23.055 21.738 26.897 EXPENDITURE Staff wages I tax I nth.onal insurance Electricity l Gas l Telephone l Broadband I Water Insurance Maintenance l equipment I stationery l Fety cash I Sc Business Rates (Lambelhl Russian Courses I Seminars Postage Evenls linc Zoom fees) Fees / debts Rent {SCR House Ltd) Donations lo SCR House Lt(I Promoty'on (Printing l Adverts l Mugs l Donations l Memberships} Transfers of donations to SNffFISWMT 3,237 4,524 1,136 3,982 4,047 2.744 2,273 1,049 8,7 4,147 5,092 1,033 3.900 4,140 2,659 479 7.193 4,147 535 408 1,01]0 646 50 1,500 1.120 1,500 1.750 1.129 1,202 634 650 TOTAL 20,922 20,557 20,242 Deficitlsurplus 6.349 2.133 1,181 6,655 Bank eurrent and deposf( accounts 1st January .Bank current and deposit accounts 31st Dember 12,002 18.339 9.324 12.002 7,470 9.324 896 7,470 SCRSS Finan81 StstementJafvDec 2022- FINAL FOR AGM

SCRSS Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 December 2022 ASSETS Cash F¥Jnds Bank current account Bank direct debil account Bank reserve acc(NJnl 6.673 10,312 18,339 Other Monglary Assets Sundry Invol due Fixed Assets Library ectronic Equipment Fixlures and F1th"rs 45,000 1.935 5.038 51,973 TOTAL ASSETS TOTAL UA8ILmES CreditoTr at 31 Demter Approved at Executive Commrttee meekn.rg on Slgned: Chair Philip Matthews Hon. Secretary Ralph Gibs IndeFendently examined by Nod Hannon )@ Date ae. LE- , lbis SCRSS Financ Stat8mentJ8fvDec 2022. FINAL FOR AGM

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ members of Society for Co-operation in Russian and Soviet Studies On accounts for the year 31 December 2022 Charity no ended (if any)[1104012 ]

Society for Co-operation in Russian and Soviet Studies

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 December 2022.

Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did 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.

Signed: Date: Name: Noel Hannon 14 Eastry House Hartington Road Address: London SW8 2HU

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .