Annual Meeting of the Conservation Trust for St Laurence’s, Ludlow Sunday 20 June 2021 at 2pm Minutes
Present
11 trustees - Sylvia Turner (Chair), Viv Parry, James Caird, John Cherry, Chris Crowcroft, Nick Ford, Lesley Harling (minutes), Ian Marshall, Malcolm Perrett, Karen Raymond Blake
15 supporters - Mike Beazley, Margery Wood, Michael Evans, Phyllis Rai, Iain and Myra Field, Robert and Jennifer Gill, Bridget Cherry, Tony Mahalski, Jane and Michael Hunt, Hazel Noble, Rosemary and Jonathan Wood
1 Welcome
The Chair welcomed everyone to the 14[th] annual meeting of the Conservation Trust for St Laurence’s, Ludlow, the first for two years because the Covid-19 pandemic had made it impossible to hold a meeting in 2020.
2 Apologies for absence
Trustees: Francesca Bingham, Dick Franks
Others: Rory Chase, Bill Eastwell, Lou Griffiths, John and Helen Parsons, Mike Penn, Carole Perrett, Portia Powell, Gareth Williams
3 Approval of the minutes of the meeting of 16 June 2019
- The minutes of the 13[th] annual meeting held on 16 June 2019 were scrutinised and agreed to be an accurate record.
Proposed - Mike Beazley; seconded - Ian Marshall; agreed unanimously
4 Matters arising from the minutes
- There were no matters arising
5 Appointment of Officers for 2021/2022 and Trustee changes
The Chair informed the meeting that two trustees were standing down and offered her heartfelt thanks to both of them. John Cherry had completed a 3-year term during which he had masterminded an erudite and most enjoyable tour of the stained glass at Fairford. Viv Parry was a very long-serving trustee having served two full terms as the Ludlow Town Council representative, plus an extra year because of Covid-19.
The Chair welcomed one new trustee, Nick Ford, who introduced himself to the meeting describing St Laurence’s as the jewel in the crown of the Queen of the Marches. The second new trustee would be appointed in due course by the town council. The presence of an LTC representative on the board of trustees provided an important link with the town and was one of the terms of the Trust deed.
The Chair confirmed that Treasurer, Karen Raymond-Blake, and Secretary, Lesley Harling, would continue in post and thanked them for their service to date. She announced that the new Chair of the Conservation Trust would be Ian Marshall, previously Vice Chair, so a new Vice Chair would be identified soon.
Ian introduced himself to the meeting, saying that he was grateful for the opportunity to
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help with the preservation and conservation of such a fine building. His ambition was to continue the great work done by Sylvia who had led the Trust so efficiently and imaginatively.
6 Chair’s Report for the year 2020/2021
The Chair referred the meeting to her written report circulated in advance of the meeting. She described the previous year as an ‘interesting period’ but stressed that the Trust had not been idle. One significant achievement had been the launch of a new website. Several people had provided text but the bulk of the work had been done by James Caird. James explained that the aim had been to create a site which did not simply inform people about the Palmers as an organisation but engaged them with the fabric of church, possibly leading to donations for the major projects which lay ahead. It was designed as a tour of church with all the points available on a mobile phone.
The Chair drew attention to the work done by Mike Beazley to engage with Facebook users to spread knowledge about the building, particularly locally. ‘Likes’ and ‘follows’ were rising gradually and there was a link on the Facebook page with the website.
The Chair said that the Trust was now a leaner, more efficient and fully compliant organisation. It was also in a good financial position, having received very few grant requests because the church had been unable to do any work during the pandemic.
The Chair invited questions from the floor but there were none. She concluded by saying how much she had enjoyed being the Chair, a role she had taken on ‘for one year only’. She had soon recognised that it took time to learn the ropes and establish contacts. She had learned a lot, especially about IT, and proved to herself that one can function and be useful even in one’s seventies.
7 Treasurer’s Report for the year 2020/2021
The Treasurer spoke to her written report, previously circulated, outlining key points. Despite everything it had been a very good year financially. Event takings and one-off donations were down but single donations including one very substantial gift and two sizeable legacies more than counterbalanced this and efforts to pursue Gift Aid declarations had borne fruit.
The annual income had risen from under £30k to nearly £75k while expenses had been halved. Printing and posting costs had been reduced by encouraging use of email. Current funds had risen from £105k to £173k by the year end, currently £180k. The number of regular donors had held up at approximately 100 individuals and foundations. The PayPal account, which had not been used much, had been closed and a text giving account had been set up.
A small sub-committee had been set up to review the Trust’s investment policy. The £50k emergency reserve had been earning 0.01%. The group would look at alternative, secure investments, spreading funds to stay under the £85k protection limit.
There were no questions from the floor.
The meeting accepted the accounts; proposed – Chris Crowcroft; seconded – Mike Beazley; agreed unanimously.
The Treasurer confirmed that Ralph Tingle, who had acted as independent examiner for 2020-21, was willing to do so again.
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The meeting agreed to appoint Ralph Tingle as independent examiner for 2021-22; proposed – Chris Crowcroft; seconded – Mike Beazley; agreed unanimously.
8
Supporters - Report for the year 2020/21
The Secretary stated that there was little to add to the Treasurer’s report on supporters. She commented that there were still 52 supporters for whom the Trust had no email address, 20 of them living outside Ludlow. More than half of these had not made a financial contribution in 2020-21 while the Trust incurred printing and postage costs to ‘service’ these supporters, typically £40 for a ‘monthly email’.
9 Plans for 2021 – 2022
The Chair explained that she had initiated a system for having a rolling plan covering all aspects of ideas for the further development of the Trust. The version circulated was a snapshot of the current situation and the new board would take it forward. The Covid19 pandemic meant that in several areas no progress had been made eg liaison with the church and fund-raising and relationships with supporters would have to be rebuilt.
The board would need to find one new recruit when she stepped down as a trustee in December 2021 and a new Vice Chair as soon as possible.
The events sub-group had been successful in drawing in more trustees and supporters to play an active part. Before Covid-19 it had put in place a programme of events up to the end of 2020 but some things had not come to fruition and other new ideas had arisen.
Two events were in the diary, Covid-19 restrictions permitting – a street collection on Saturday 4 September and the first in a new series of Talk & Tea, a talk on 16 September by Leon Bracelin on witches’ marks in Ludlow.
10 Any Other Business
Ian expressed the gratitude of all the trustees for the excellent job done by Sylvia as Chair of the Trust, which she was leaving in very good shape financially and ready to face the future. It was a massive achievement, born of diligence and imagination. It had been an education to see how she managed the board. He presented her with a token of the Trust’s appreciation.
11 Date of next Annual Meeting tba
There being no further business the meeting closed at 2.32pm and was followed by a talk by John Cherry on Beriah Botfield and the great west window.
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Reporl Réport to thè trusteesl members of The COnSeallOn Trust for St Laurence Ludlow On accounts for the year èndéd 31" March 2021 Charlty no (If any) 1114768 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Twst") for the year ended 3110312020. Re8ponslbllltles and As the tharity trust88s of the Twst, you are responsible for the preparatlon basls of report of the accounts in accordance with the qUireMentS of the Charities Act 2011 (Yhe Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts eArried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examinatlon. I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5llb} of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no mat8rial mattets have come to my attention in connection with th8 8xamination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examlnerfs Statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reach8d. Slgned: Date: 8 January 2022 Ralph Tingle Rolevant professional quallflcatlon(s) or body (If any): Chartered Institute of Public Finan and Accounlancy. Address." Weavers Bam, Watling Street, Leintwardine. Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 OLL IER October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC3 Independent examination of Charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Glvo here brlef detalls of any items that the examlner wlshès to disclose. IER October 201