2025-08-31-accounts - The Wardroom Mess, Hms Drake

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WARDROOM MESS

HMS DRAKE

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For Period

1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025

Registered Charity No. 1129025

Trustees’ Annual Report and Comments

Wardroom Mess HMS DRAKE Charity Registered No: 1129025 Covering the Accounting Year: 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025 Address: HMS DRAKE Devonport Plymouth PL2 2BG Governing Document: Constitution (Mess Rules) Objects: Promotion of the Military Efficiency and Operational Effectiveness of the Armed Forces by the provision of mess facilities to Commissioned Officers serving in His Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport. Trustee: Brigadier M J Tanner OBE ADC Royal Marines Trustee selection method: Appointed as such by the Naval Secretary. Bankers: Lloyds Banking Group Royal Parade Plymouth Independent Examiner: Marianne Butcher FMAAT 5 Nursery Road Havant Hants PO9 3BG Activities and achievements: To have resources available for expenditure on improvements to the quality of life, and the engenderment of espirit de corps. The mess put on a full social programme for its members providing very generous subsidies for social functions with profits from the bar and associate member subscriptions supplemented by the excess from uniformed subscription income. Financial Review: The worth of the fund had fallen by £14.9K. The main reasons were: • Property revaluation - £55.5K fall. Offset by: • Bank and bond interest received - £3.3K. • Other income - £2.4K. • RNRMC Grant - £3K. • Running costs exceeded military subscriptions by £32K.

The Wardroom was worth £743.9K but most of this, 71%, consisted of property assets totalling £528.2K. The fund had bank assets of £163.8K to cover current liabilities of £29.5K. In addition, the Wardroom held £54.4K in a separate annual fixed interest savings bond.

Investment Selection Policy: None are held. Financial Reserves Policy: The Trustee has considered the level of reserves to retain, appropriate to the charity’s needs. This is set at £54.4K held in a fourteen-month savings bond. The Trustee aims to ensure that the charity will be able to fulfil its charitable objectives even if there is a temporary shortfall in income and unexpected expenditure. The Trustee will endeavour not to set aside funds unnecessarily. Grant Policy: Small sports grants may be paid to mess members. Risk Assessment: The Trustee reviews the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and systems have been established to manage those risks and believes that by maintaining the free reserves stated it would provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions. Public Benefit Statement: This fund provides public benefit by assisting Service personnel to perform their roles more effectively within the Armed Forces of the Crown. It does this by providing and supporting mess facilities and social activities. This assistance enables Service personnel to face the challenges and danger associated with military service by developing and maintaining teamwork, spirit and attitude, and morale. As a result, the fund promotes the efficiency of the Armed Forces of the Crown by enhancing the Royal Navy’s and Royal Marines’ capability to undertake the roles demanded of it including the defence of the United Kingdom and its interests.

I confirm that I have paid due regard to the Charity Commission of England and Wales’s guidance on public benefit when deciding what activities, the charity should undertake.

Declaration:

I declare, in my capacity of Charity Trustee, that I have approved the above report.

Signature Signed on Original Name Brigadier M J Tanner OBE ADC Royal Marines Appointment Naval Base Commander and Sole Managing Trustee Date 20 October 2025

HMS DRAKE WARDROOM MESS FUND

Charity Registration Number 1129025

BALANCE SHEET

31-Aug-25

Note

ASSETS

Fixed Assets Mess Property 7 Investment Bond Current Assets Messbills Misc Debtors & Prepayments 8 Bank Accounts Total Current Assets LIABILITIES Creditors 9 47 Cdo RM HQ Fund VAT Current Liabilities Net Current Assets Net Assets	21,477.94 £ 5,386.27 £ 163,808.37 £ 190,672.58 £ 26,607.89 £ 641.39 £ 2,236.58 £ 29,485.86 £	528,249.00 £ 569,009.00 £ 54,441.31 £ 51,407.67 £ 582,690.31 £ 620,416.67 £ 15,584.66 £ 4,780.00 £ 149,002.23 £ 169,366.89 £ 20,081.10 £ 697.87 £ 10,209.94 £ 30,988.91 £ 161,186.72 £ 138,377.98 £ 743,877.03 £ *758,794.65* £ 31 Aug 24	528,249.00 £ 569,009.00 £ 54,441.31 £ 51,407.67 £ 582,690.31 £ 620,416.67 £ 15,584.66 £ 4,780.00 £ 149,002.23 £ 169,366.89 £ 20,081.10 £ 697.87 £ 10,209.94 £ 30,988.91 £ 161,186.72 £ 138,377.98 £ 743,877.03 £ *758,794.65* £ 31 Aug 24
			620,416.67 £ 138,377.98 £
			*758,794.65* £

Approved on 20 October 2025 Signed On Original

Brigadier M J Tanner OBE ADC Royal Marines Sole Managing Trustee

DR-WR25BSZ.xlsBALANCE SHEET

HMS DRAKE WARDROOM MESS FUND

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

For Year to 31 Aug 25

Note Income Donations Charitable Actvities Investment Income Other Trading Activities Total Income 3 Expenditure Charitable Activities Other Total Expenditure 4 Net Income (Expenditure) Previous Year Correction Total Funds Brought Forward Total Funds Carried Forward	3,000.00 £ 202,301.26 £ 3,332.03 £ 1,587.50 £ 210,220.79 £ 169,648.41 £ 55,490.00 £ 225,138.41 £ (14,917.62) £ - £ 758,794.65 £ 743,877.03 £		Previous Year 1,679.92 £ 192,137.48 £ 4,599.98 £ 2,400.00 £
			200,817.38 £
			161,877.89 £ - £
			161,877.89 £
			38,939.49 £ 500.00 £ 719,355.16 £
			*758,794.65* £

DR-WR25BSZ.xlsSOFAsum

HMS DRAKE WARDROOM MESS FUND

Notes to the Accounts dated 31 August 2025

Note 1 - Accounting policies

a. The financial statements are prepared under the historic cost convention (as modified by the revaluation of fixed asset investments) and in accordance with applicable accounting standards: Charities Statement of Recommended Practice effective 2019 and the provisions of the Charities Acts. Significant policies adopted are:

Income

a. Donations are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the fund becomes entitled to the donation or grant and it is reasonably certain that it will be received.

b. Incoming resources from fund raising are reported gross in the SOFA.

c. Intangible income is not included in the accounts.
d. The fund receives no unpaid volunteer help.
e. Interest is included in the accounts when receivable.

Expenditure and Liabilities

a. Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the fund to the expenditure.

Assets

a. Paintings, furniture, works of art, silver and books were valued by Bearnes, Hampton & Littlewood in February 2025.

b. Depreciating fixed assets are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £100. They are valued at cost or a reasonable value on receipt. Depreciation is straight line over the estmated life of the item. Depreciation is not allocated to activity costs as the use is varied.

c. Stocks are valued at the lower of cost or market value.

Note 2 - Investments

There are none.

Note 3 - Income

Previous Year

Donations

RNRMC Grant - Furniture Re-upholstered Windfall - Closed Holding Account Charitable Activities Mess Subscriptions Associate Subscriptions Function Income Bar Profits Ice Cream Profit Christmas Raffle Extra Messing Charge Coffee Napkin & Candle Sales Port Sales Christmas Card Sales Bike Lockers Taxi Fares & Z-Bed Misc & Amazon Credits Income Other Trading Activities Private Function Facilities Charge Investment Income Bank & Bond Interest Total Income	3,000.00 £ - £ 78,746.75 £ 17,074.50 £ 58,653.41 £ 26,795.20 £ 18.13 £ 18,645.00 £ 1,837.00 £ 7.00 £ 72.88 £ 137.00 £ 160.00 £ 100.00 £ 10.00 £ 44.39 £ 1,587.50 £	- 1,679.92 £ 3,000.00 £ 1,679.92 £ 76,840.32 £ 16,515.03 £ 65,125.71 £ 27,160.99 £ 35.17 £ 5,020.00 £ - £ 92.00 £ 142.79 £ 1,150.92 £ - £ - £ 32.55 £ 22.00 £ 202,301.26 £ 192,137.48 £ 2,400.00 £ 1,587.50 £ 2,400.00 £ 3,332.03 £ 4,599.98 £ 210,220.79 £ 200,817.38 £

Note 4 - Expenditure

Charitable Activities Operating Costs Function Expenses from Tickets Functions Expenses from Subsidy Port Cost of Sales Christmas Raffle Running Costs Minor Function Expenditure Performing Rights Licence Insurance Repairs & Renewals Newspapers & Periodicals TV and Video BACS Gifts/Flowers Grant - 47 Cdo Dinner Trophy Hire Lost Trophy Cost Napkins Coffee Sauces and Squash CAF Contribution Mess Guests Christmas Decs/Cards Travel/Fuel Costs Misc Expenses Governance Costs Examination of Accounts Valuers Fees Support Costs Office Costs Sage Software & Support Card Charges Bad Debt Write Off Depreciation Other Revaluation - Non Depreciating Artefacts Total Expenditure	58,653.41 £ 45,726.94 £ 137.00 £ 18,442.71 £ 1,207.10 £ 2,230.73 £ 2,305.16 £ 1,392.16 £ 5,734.15 £ 6,714.02 £ 4,829.49 £ 1,749.48 £ - £ 304.91 £ - £ 110.44 £ 5,531.50 £ 1,505.61 £ 2,000.00 £ 931.18 £ 1,000.00 £ 88.01 £ - £ 1,090.00 £ 1,800.00 £ 106.16 £ 2,725.20 £ 633.37 £ - £ 2,699.68 £ 55,490.00 £	65,125.71 £ 42,160.49 £ 668.47 £ 7,740.93 £ 2,415.34 £ 1,774.42 £ 1,785.88 £ 334.27 £ 6,277.10 £ 8,649.85 £ 5,287.62 £ 1,197.31 £ 200.00 £ 304.90 £ 142.33 £ - £ 4,205.05 £ 763.32 £ 2,000.00 £ 785.58 £ 1,000.00 £ - £ 1.00 £ 1,070.00 £ - £ 440.00 £ 3,121.43 £ 769.19 £ 57.10 £ 3,600.60 £ 169,648.41 £ 161,877.89 £ - £ 55,490.00 £ - £ 225,138.41 £ 161,877.89 £ Previous Year

Note 5 - Paid Employees

The charity has no paid employees.

Note 6 - Trustees and Other Related Parties

a. No expenses or emoluments have been paid to the Sole Managing Trustee.
b. There are no amounts due to or from the Sole Managing Trustee.

DR-WR25BSZ.xlsSOFAE

Note 7 - Tangible Fixed Assets - Property Account

Non-depreciating Property As at 31 Aug 24 559,380 £ Additions 1,948 £ Re-Valuation (55,490) £ Depreciation - £ As at 31 Aug 25 505,838 £	Depreciating Property Total 9,629 £ 569,009 £ 15,481.68 £ 17,429.68 £ - £ (55,490.00) £ (2,699.68) £ (2,699.68) £ 22,411 £ 528,249 £

Note 8 - Miscellaneous Debts and Prepayments

Accrued Bond Interest Prepayments Trafalgar Night 25 Insurance TV Licences Trophy Hire PRS/PPL Note 9 - Creditors PNIE Christmas Raffle 25 Prepaid Newspapers - August BT TV BACS - Bottomline ESS Retail ESS Bar Sales (from Mess Bills) ESS Private Functions PRNOA Functions Charity Chest Crown Accommodation	717.41 £ 2,011.86 £ 566.00 £ 131.00 £ 178.00 £ 1,782.00 £
	5,386.27 £
	1,090.00 £ 10,355.00 £ 515.30 £ 161.44 £ 242.15 £ 1,055.28 £ 1,588.20 £ 10,080.27 £ 12.87 £ 40.00 £ 1,467.38 £
	26,607.89 £

Note 10 - Endowment of Retricted Income Funds

There are none.

Note 11 - Other Information

a. The fund does not have any material commitments not provided for in the accounts.
b. The fund has not given any guarantees to any third party that could be called on at the year end.

Note 12 - Declarations

a. The Trustee has not changed the year end date nor the length of the financial year.

b. All the fund's operations are continuing operations and there were no discontinued operations.

c. The fund has no marketable intangible assets.

d. None of the funds functional assets have been revalued during the year and the fund does not have a policy of revaluation of these assets other than periodic professional valuations of non depreciating assets, last conducted in February 2025.

e. Items of non depreciating property which were not owned by the fund do not include items on loan from the Trophy Centre and Drake's Sword.

f. The fund has no material fixed assets which have not been capitalised and included in the Balance Sheet.

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustee of the Wardroom Mess HMS Drake. Charity Registered No: 1129025

I report on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 August 2025, which are set out in pages 1 to 5 and accompanying notes.

Responsibilities and basis report

As the charity’s trustee you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”) and that an independent examination is needed.

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed 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 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 the accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than in 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 to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed On Original

M L Butcher FMAAT 5 Nursery Road Havant Hants PO9 3BG

20 October 2025