## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 24/8/23 Period start date To 23/08/24 Period end date** **Charity name: Friends of the Newport Ship (FONS)** ## **Charity registration number: 1105449** ## **Objectives and Activities** The objectives of the charity as set out in the governing document are: - To promote and support the conservation of the Newport Medieval Ship together with all artefacts and, when fully conserved, their effective public display and, if practical, with other maritime relics from the Severn Estuary. - To facilitate research into the Ship, the possible methods of display and conservation of the vessel and the dissemination of the results of this research to the wider world. - To promote greater awareness of the Newport Medieval Ship and to foster understanding and appreciation of Newport’s maritime heritage. The main activities of the charity are: - Provide free guided tours of the Ship Centre - Acquire funds via membership subscriptions, donations, sale of merchandise and fees for delivery of talks. - Publish written material on the charity, its activities and research relating to the Ship. - • Support Newport City Council (NCC) and its curator in their activities relating to the promotion and conservation of the Ship The trustees of FONS are all aware of the guidance from the Charity Commission on public benefit. We have regard to this guidance in all our activities. ## **Achievements and Performance** In the year 2023/24 the following has been achieved: - Continuation of opening the Ship Centre to the public every Friday and Saturday from March to November, providing a free guided tour by volunteers - Successful application for a grant to provide audio-guides to the visiting public, as an alternative to a personal tour - Fundraising by a “Crowdfunding” initiative to provide 50% of the cost of a new animation of the story of the Ship - Purchasing further replica items for the displays in the Ship Centre 1 - Supporting the summer Medieval Fayre which received 900 visitors - Financing the printing of a new Guide to the Newport Ship (3[rd] ed.) with greatly improved text and illustrations. - Giving a large number of external talks to groups to promote the project ## **Financial Review** The charity is in a strong financial position. Some significant expenditure was incurred during the year in the purchase of the new guide books and the audio sets to assist visitors as they progressed around the ship display. This was one off expense fully approved by the trustees to further promote the conservation of the ship in line with objectives of the constitution. The total assets of the charity are all owned outright, there are no liabilities. The accounts for 2023/24 have been independently examined to a high standard (report attached). The trustees consider that it is appropriate to maintain a minimum figure of reserves whilst considering further expenditure to promote the ship and its maritime heritage to the general public. Whilst the significantly large visitor centre where the ship is in storage is currently fully funded by Newport Council, who employ the curator, the objective is for the ship to be eventually displayed in a new museum which, together with the refurbished transporter bridge, will provide two major tourism attractions in the city. The trustees consider a minimum amount of reserves of £35,000 is appropriate. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The charity’s governing document is its Constitution revised in November 2021. FONS is an unincorporated association. Nominations for vacancies for trustees are proposed and seconded prior to the Annual General Meeting when the election by members takes place. Trustees are appointed for a 3-year term. Further details on voting methods, quorum etc. are available to be found in the Constitution. The four officers are elected via the same procedure. ## **Reference and Administrative details** The name of the charity is “Friends of the Newport Ship” known as FONS. The registered number of 1105449 **.** Registered Address: Newport Medieval Ship Centre Unit 20, Estuary Road, Queensway Meadows Industrial Estate Newport NP19 4SP 2 ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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10|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or**
**body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (if**
**any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||John Charles Ferris|Chair||FONS members| ||Rosalie Sian King|Vice-Chair||FONS members| ||Neil Robert Fowler|Treasurer||FONS members| ||Elizabeth Aiken|Secretary||FONS members| ||Catherine Grace Humby|||FONS members| ||JeffreyGrosvenor|||FONS members| ||Elaine Marilyn Davey|||FONS members| ||James Gareth Davies|||FONS members| ||Liz Gulliver|||FONS members| ||David Leigh|||FONS members| ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (e.g. Secretary, Chair, etc) Date** 3 Friends of the Newrnort Ship_ Receipts and payments accounts 1105449 For the period 24th PAwJust 2023 To 23td A4Jgust 2024 Section A Receipts and payments Unr9Stficted funds Restricted i i Totsl funds Lastyear toth• n•*r••t£ Receipts Subscription8 Donabon¥ tI.907 £¥￿13 £1,7 £7.907 £9.615 £1.766 £S.255 É7.6S8 £1,44 Speakerf88s Grants Other Fundramthg É2263 £2.263 GrfIAh Éo £0 £0 £48.79 Eo £19.1 Total rnceipts .532 63 Pa ments Insurance TraY810xwn888 Slatnnery. post¥Je 4nd telep AGM and Comrnittso mMb'ThJs Conservthrt. d(splays Equipment & PrintiThJ Pubh¢ity W8b$ito Library £400 £986 £9 £8 £1A71 £483 £11Afj7 £1.S09 £1.383 12,987 £4,7JO £1.3 £6,26 £1.10 £790 Acc¢untary & chorp S￿b$C￿FIl0n & £19 E220 t80 £536 Sub total .10 £1S,1 Asset and Imwtm•nt UTchase8 Increase in merchandise stock Peter Povffjr intin £12,￿2 É6.278 3,368 £6,27 Totalpayments É11.45 £46,103 £15.10 Net ofpayments 10.11 £10.8 £69 £4,022 Cash funds last y¢ar •nd Cash funds thls year end Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period La:.Lgorios Unrestricted Restricted fvnds t year Cash funds n•ar•st£ i. .to noarn8t£ Bank&KI ca¥h to n•arnst£ £17,915 £10.806 £13,73 £275 £1.219 Total cash funds £18.190 £10,806 £14,951 Unrestricted funds Details Other monetary assets £21,628 £35.680 Section B Balance sheet Restricted income .b'i"ie,11(lkni ()(' I lie -c;11-i)()I'l Sliii) Unrestricted Totsl this ear Total last year Fixed assets Painting Total fixed assets £6,278 Current assets Debtors (Short term) investments Cash at bank and in hand of which: Cash - ship float Cash- shop & events float Money Manager Account Paypal Stock and work in progress £0 £21,628 £28,996 £0 £0 £35,680 £14,951 £0 £21,628 £18.190 £10,806 £16.450 £16,450 £3,548 Total currnnt assets £56,268 £10,806 £67,074 £54,179 Net current assets/(Ilablllties) £54,179 Total assets less current liabilities £54,179 Net assets £56,268 £17,084 £73,352 £60.457 Funds of the Charity Unrestricted funds £56,268 £56,268 £17,084 54,179 £6,278 Restricted income funds £17,084 Total funds £56,268 £17,084 £73,352 £60,457 Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees Date of approval ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** ## **Report to the trustees/ members of[FRIENDS OF THE NEWPORT SHIP]** **On accounts for the year Charity no ended[23][RD][ AUGUST 2024 ] (if any)[1105449 ] Set out on pages** 1 AND 2 ) **Respective** The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in **responsibilities of** accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). **trustees and examiner** The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act, and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. **Basis of independent** My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given **examiner’s statement** by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. 1 **IER** **May 2018** In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: **Independent examiner's statement** - the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 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. _._ **Date:** 2[nd] December 2024 **Signed:** ~~a~~ **Name:** ROBERT JOHN EVANS ~~Ce~~ **Relevant professional** ACMA **qualification(s) or body (if any):** ~~a~~ **Address:** ROYAL OAK COTTAGE, GOETRE, USK NP15 1QP **Section B Disclosure** ~~ee~~ Once again, a clear and well kept set of financial records which reflect well upon the treasurer, the team of volunteers manning the Ship Centre and those conducting talks and visits. Gift Aid has not been claimed on donations for several years and the amount outstanding is large enough to be a material influence on the accounts. A claim should be submitted in the current year. 2 **IER** **May 2018**