2024-12-31-accounts

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Introduction & Board of Trustees Co-Opted Members Chairman’s Statement Aims and Activities & Classification Our Charity Work, Public Benefit and Activities

Our Other Activities

Our Financial Summary

Our objectives are:

The preservation, restoration and exhibition of historical military vehicles, armour, artillery and associated equipment, documents and artefacts and to advance the education of the public in the history of the said historical military items

Trustees responsibilities in respect to the Annual Report and Financial Summary

Risk Management Business Plan Fund raising policy & Retention of records

E S S E X H I STO R I C M I L I TA RY V E H I C L E AS S O C I AT I O N

A L S O K N O W N A S T H E E S S E X H M VA C H A R I T Y N o : 1 1 5 5 70 5

W E B S I T E : h t t p : / / w w w. e s s ex h mv a . c o . u k

OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Our Board of Trustees is currently made up of 10 Trustees, They set our strategic direction and are responsible for ensuring that the association upholds our values and governance, and delivers our objectives. They guide, advise and support the Chairman; they decide how the association’s money is spent and approve our budgets.

The Board of Trustees met four times during the period and communicated frequently between meetings.

CHERYL PATTEN

The trustees who served during the period and at the date of this report are listed below:

Peter Smith

Colin Tebb

Treasurer Data Trustee (along with Russell Pacy)

Chairman

Colin is known and respected by preservationists throughout the country and has been involved in military vehicle preservation from something that started purely as a small hobby, to working with Museum organisations and various preservation groups, before becoming the Essex area chairman of the MVT. He is also our show director for Echoes of History.

Peter has a number of years’ experience in the preservation field, having started his working life as a coach-builder, he now puts this experience to good use in giving help and advice to members regarding vehicle restoration. In addition, his knowledge of military artefacts is invaluable to the organisation. He brings his experience in running a business to the charity through financial controls and budget tracking. He implemented new asset policy, and oversaw us through the recent pandemic, adapting budgets for the loss of income.

Marion Tebb

Safeguarding Trustee & Charity Secretary

Marion brings to our organization the administrative knowledge of her profession, along with a fresh perspective by coming from outside our association. She also oversees our non-member volunteer force who enjoy getting involved with our annual show and other events.

David Smith

Publications Trustee Membership Secretary Newsletter Editor PR / Media Trustee (backup to Russell Pacy)

David was one of the founding trustees of the Essex HMVA , and is responsible for all our on line media streams including personally implementing an e-newsletter about our fundraising. From the start, the e-newsletter was designed to be more than just an advert for our events and as such a substantial proportion of the content of these mails is given over to articles written with an educational element. He now works with a small team of volunteers, who are experts in the field of electronic media. This has expanded to include all membership communications. He works alongside Russell Pacy in this process, including our brand image.

Russell Pacy

AI / IT Technology Trustee PR / Media Trustee (along with David Smith) Data Trustee (along with Peter Smith) Membership administrator

Russell brings his experience from a commercial capacity having worked for global companies with IT systems to ensure we make productive use of our IT.

Adam Clements

Alan Zeller

Trustee and Facilities Specialist

Health and Safety Trustee Living History Events Coordinator

Adam has been volunteering for us for a number of years now, and brings his professional experience in audio visual technologies to our organisation.

Alan brings his extensive public sector health and safety experience and regulatory compliance to EHMVA. In addition to his role as Living History Liaison Management working with living History groups that attend and support our events.

Kerry Clements

Trustee, Deputy Show director

Alan has more than 20 years experience working with Living History groups and organisations in the heritage sector.

Kerry has been a Trustee since 2014 and holds qualifications in Events Management, Business and Event Management and Digital Marketing, bringing this expertise to the Essex HMVA, as well as a working experience of educational information and event management. Kerry is also invaluable as one of a younger generation who bring a youth element to our organisation and actively encourages new members to join through engagement.

Laura Willis

Trustee and Contractor Liaison

Laura has been volunteering for us for a number of years in a varied number of roles, Laura’s can do attitude and approachable nature along with Kerry has formed a strong partnership.

We remain delighted to have the honour of having as our joint Patrons:

The Rt Hon. Sir John Whittingdale OBE MP

and

Stephen Nunn

Stephen is highly regarded as a local historian, author, Ex-Mayor and Freeman of Maldon.

VOLUNTEERS

We also have many volunteers, mostly made up from associate members who help us carry out our main aims either as a collective group or on their own or in smaller groups. They have shown the same enthusiasm for what we do as the trustees. The variety of jobs they carry out is wide ranging, we also have had help from outside organisations such as the Army Cadets.

CHANGES TO OUR ORGANISATION

The Essex HMVA continues to review the mix of trustees on a regular basis to ensure there is a variety of views and opinions regarding how the charity is run. We remain a charity which has a mix of trustees from different ages, backgrounds and those who bring new ideas to the committee. We must always encourage new members be given the opportunity to join our management. One way we do this, is through our co-opted members, which gives those interested to progress.

STRUCTURE AND DECISION MAKING

Any Newly appointed trustees are asked to confirm in writing that they have read and understood documents aimed to brief them of their legal obligations under charity law, their responsibilities as a trustee, the business plan and the recent financial performance of the association.

Our trustees remain ultimately responsible for the operation of the charity. Tasks are agreed and those responsible for conducting and delivering those tasks. These tasks are led by at least one trustee, and are usually supported by co-opted members.

We hold quarterly trustee meetings, during those meetings, our current activities are reported back, as well as future events and commitments. Where trustees are briefed on the progress and wider view of our charities direction and previously agreed decisions. We feel this is very important, as one of the reasons the charity was formed was those who came from our previous organisation had felt it to be undemocratic and non-inclusive.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

Our associate membership continues to increase, but what appears to be a financial squeeze’ may mean this is more challenging. We have members from all over the UK as well as a from Europe. This widens the access the public have to our vehicles and displays, . This has been a mix of people joining, from single individuals to families. We keep in contact with them through our monthly meetings and newsletters. We also have now been publishing our quarterly Olive Drab e-magazine, which we can use to inform and educate. We have a limited means scheme in place for those unable to meet the costs, though these costs are kept as low as possible to encourage engagement. We introduced our new free to join volunteer membership for those who want to start to help, and at a later date move to become a full associate member.

Our members also bring a wide range of knowledge and varied vehicles and artefacts. This means, at events the public get to see history up close, and with our living history members, experience history at first hand. We continue to encourage membership and public engagement as well as our continued efforts to engage with other organisations and museums. Many of the pictures in this report are of our members displays and their interactions with the public. They are from a diverse mix of backgrounds and ages. We encourage diversity as part of our associate membership recruitment process.

Agreements on any course of action is dependent on the majority of trustees agreeing on the chosen direction.

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Above: Explaining soldiers equipment to curious visitors 7
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2 0 24 S U M M A R Y

Welcome to this report for 2024 from the Essex Historic Military Vehicle Association.

“The

economic

This year has been one of both celebration climate and challenge for the Essex Historic Military Vehicle Association. As we marked the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, continues our vehicles and volunteers were in high demand across the region and beyond. From to affect school visits to commemorative parades, our presence helped bring history to life for charities thousands — a testament to the enduring relevance of our mission and the dedication of our members.

across the UK,

and the Essex

We’ve forged new links with community groups, heritage organisations, and HMVA is no local councils, expanding our reach and strengthening the network that supports exception. our work. These partnerships are vital as we continue to educate, commemorate, Yet we remain and preserve the legacy of military service through living history.

hopeful.”

However, the year has not been without its trials. The loss of ‘The Barn’ — our longstanding storage and operations facility has posed a significant logistical challenge. With a deadline of the end of January 2025 to secure a new site, we face a race against time to ensure our collection remains protected and accessible. The search is ongoing, and we welcome any leads or support from our wider community.

Despite economic uncertainty, our main fundraiser, the Echoes of History Show was a resounding success, thanks to the tireless efforts of our volunteers and the generosity of our supporters. It’s heartening to see such commitment in difficult times, and it reminds us that the spirit of service, preservation, education and remembrance is alive and well.

Looking ahead, the future remains uncertain. The economic climate continues to affect charities across the UK, and the Essex HMVA is no exception. Yet we remain hopeful. Our resilience, our community, and our shared passion for history give us reason to believe that we can weather the storm and emerge stronger.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed this year: our members, volunteers, donors, and partners. Your support ensures that the stories we tell, and the vehicles we preserve, continue to inspire future generations.

Colin Tebb Chairman, Essex HMVA

To educate and promote the study of military history by visiting schools and military establishments as well as holding public events. The preservation of military artefacts, including but not exclusively military vehicles to provide access for the general public to educational materials through our website to make representations where legislation could affect historical military items.

What

• EDUCATION / TRAINING

• ARTS / CULTURE / HERITAGE / SCIENCE

• ENVIRONMENT / CONSERVATION / HERITAGE

Who

• OTHER CHARITIES OR VOLUNTARY BODIES • THE GENERAL PUBLIC / MANKIND

How

PROVIDES ADVOCACY / ADVICE / INFORMATION
| • ACTS AS AN UMBRELLA OR RESOURCE BODY

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As many of our Associate members and Trustees visit a number of different shows and take part in activities in smaller groups, to save space within this report, we have focused on examples of events we did as bigger groups or with a larger impact. This forms part of our public benefit activity, as such, our trustees always take into account the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit as being at the core of what we do and how this is reviewed.

Above: Some members representing the Essex HMVA at one of the many D-Day 80 Events.

G E N E R A L P O L I C Y

As well as running some events ourselves, we also attend events run by other organisations. Our own events including our Winter Gathering (a free event), and our Annual show, which is our main fund-raiser. We are looking to run more events, which will expand on what we do. Those events we get invited to attend are a mix of commercial and other Charities. We also support the British Army, attending their events.

LO CA L E V E N T S

The Essex HMVA continues to support many local events, these are normally organised by local Charities or Local Authorities, though some are commercial ventures. This gives us an opportunity to promote our work, and to educate and inform the visitors about the history portrayed in the displays. Many of the displays span a large period the 20th century, from late pre WW2 to almost current military operations. This gives a “something for everyone” approach, although the association can adapt our displays to suit themed events.

The Essex HMVA kept to our aims to give a broad spectrum of activities and multi-period history, while keeping our costs as affordable as possible. The Association has had very positive feedback from the public, exhibitors and re-enactors all of whom took part in the our events. The amount of work put in by our trustees, co-ops, associate members, sponsors and volunteers cannot be under estimated. The association included a programme for our showcase event which included many educational articles.

V E T E R A N S

The Association continues to support veterans where possible, Marion Tebb acted as host this year for a number of Veterans who attended the show.

P R E S E RVAT I O N

P O P P Y C O L L E C T I N G

The Essex HMVA remains committed to supporting the preservation of military vehicles and artefacts. We give advice on such things as the correct vehicle markings, sourcing spares, drawings, photos and documents. We are also helping with vehicle registrations, giving assistance with applications via the DVLA.

Throughout November our members assisted the British Legion with their local charity poppy selling.

O L I V E D R A B M AGA Z I N E

Most charities have a magazine, which they use to communicate with their associate members. We are particularly proud of our publication, which is called the ‘Olive Drab’. This was a follow-on from a member’s newsletter produced by our chairman for many years at a previous club. It is now produced by a small team, who also produce the monthly newsletters and other publications. The contents of this quarterly are a mix of historical articles as well as news, some of which are sent in by our own members. Photos and histories of some of our members who were in the armed forces have never been seen in print, and their experiences would have been lost to future generations.

It has grown into something we also use to promote our association. The professional feel is attained by using Adobe publication software. We publish these both online and in a printed form. The feedback we get has been very positive, allowing us to engag with people who may not have been just interested in military vehicles.

As one of our members once expressed: “it’s not just full of green things”.

Above: The Olive Drab Magazine Covers during 2024

Above: ‘Esther’

E ST H E R D O N AT E D J E E P

The Air born Jeep that has been generously dontated to us has continued to be in great demand, but has also required restoration as finances allowed. It’s been a great tool to use for education of both historical military history, but also that of the progress in industrial design and technology. We have made it accessible to members for their use in attending events and to allow the public to sit in it while supervised. Visiting many schools and events has brought us with direct engagement with the wider public, as well as through its own Facebook Page. We also discovered much about the vehicle, from its role in the 1960’s era film of a Bridge Too Far, to that of finding the original name, which we reinstated, (hence Esther).

Above: Some of the public at our first event of 2024, the Winter Gathering

W I N T E R GAT H E R I N G

We hold a free to enter event called the Winter Gathering (affectionately known as the ‘Bum Freezer’), which is commonly our first event of the year in February with the support and encouragement of Maldon District Council.

This is a great opportunity for us to engage with the public and was well attended by the public who posed lots of varied and interesting questions to our members.

You can only imagine how those who operated her during WW2 felt as they sat in the crammed area of the glider alongside the Jeep strapped in. We can bring this to life with our vehicle.

We continue to progress the restoration without sacrificing the originality of the vehicle. We are sure that Esther will continue to be in demand during 2025.

S O C I A L M E D I A A N D E N GAG E M E N T

In 2024, our commitment to engaging with the wider Beyond Facebook, our Instagram account has helped us public through digital platforms has continued to grow connect with new audiences through visual storytelling, in both reach and relevance. Social media remains and we are preparing to launch our TikTok channel, a cornerstone of how we share our work, promote a platform that now rivals television as a primary events, and foster dialogue around military history and source of information for younger generations. heritage. We see TikTok not as a novelty, but as a strategic tool to share our passion for history in short, engaging formats We now operate multiple Facebook accounts, including: that resonate across age groups.

We now operate multiple Facebook accounts, including: - Our Echoes of History Show page, which has surpassed 5,000 followers, reflecting the show’s growing popularity and national reach.

surpassed 5,000 followers, reflecting the show’s Importantly, we no longer subscribe to the growing popularity and national reach. outdated notion of a fixed “target audience.” This approach limits reach and relevance. • Our main organisational account, with over Instead, we embrace growth marketing, 1,000 followers, providing regular updates and recognising that interest in heritage can emerge behind-the-scenes insights. from unexpected quarters when content is authentic, accessible, and well-timed.

A closed members’ group, which continues to be an effective space for direct communication, planning, and community building.

Our YouTube channel, established during the COVID-19 pandemic, remains a valuable archive of vehicle tours, artefact spotlights, and glimpses into our storage area.

Dedicated pages for the Olive Drab magazine, supporting our historical research and publications, and for Esther the Airborne Jeep, which has become a popular ambassador for our living history work.
It continues to serve as a resource for those unable to attend events in person.

While digital platforms offer cost-effective promotion, we still value traditional outreach. Leaflets remain part of our toolkit, distributed at events and in commercial spaces that support our mission.

Looking ahead to VE & VJ 80, we anticipate unprecedented demand for participation, talks, and commemorative activities. To support this, our websites will be updated with a dedicated D-Day page, offering event listings, historical context, and resources for both the public and our members. We will have a dedicated website for these activities.

We are also expanding our talks programme, developing a suite of subjects that our members can present to schools, community groups, and heritage organisations. These talks will reflect our commitment to education, remembrance, and storytelling.

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Above: YouTube channel homepage
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BARN

FUTURE EVENTS

Our Barn has long provided essential storage for vehicles undergoing repair or for owners unable to house them at home. It has supported both members and non-members, with contributions covering maintenance and generating a modest surplus for our charity’s contingency fund. This arrangement is rare among military associations and has enabled access to vehicle preservation that would otherwise be out of reach for many.

2024 was a landmark year for public engagement, with our team attending numerous events across the region—many centred on the 80th anniversary of D-Day. These occasions allowed us to share artefacts, vehicles, and stories with thousands of visitors, reinforcing our commitment to education and remembrance. Our Display Jeep proved invaluable in drawing interest and sparking conversations, especially among younger audiences.

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However, the pending loss of this facility has placed considerable strain on our operations. The Barn has been central to our ability to safeguard heritage vehicles and manage logistics year-round. Its absence will affect not only storage but also our capacity to support members and maintain readiness for events.

We were proud to once again host Echoes of History, alongside other Essex HMVA run events and appearances in support of local organisations. Our continued presence at our main show site remains important, and we thank Fran and Peter for their continued support of the Essex HMVA.

While not generally open to the public due to safety and access limitations, we held a successful open day and had hoped to repeat this in 2024 as a biennial event. Additional security measures were implemented to protect assets, but the uncertainty surrounding the site’s future has made long-term planning difficult.

Looking ahead, we are now preparing for VE Day and VJ Day 80 commemorations in 2025, which promise to be significant national moments. Planning is already underway to ensure we can contribute meaningfully to these events, both through displays and talks.

Above: Just some of the vehicles that people can examine at Echoes of History 2024

Securing a replacement storage site has now become our primary mission, with other projects paused to focus on this urgent need. The Barn’s role in our community and operations cannot be overstated, and we are actively pursuing solutions to ensure continuity.

This year also marked the 10th year of the Essex HMVA, and we took time to celebrate that milestone, recognising the many individuals and groups who have supported us — including the Charity Commission, whose early guidance helped shape our journey.

E D U CAT I O N , H I STO RY A N D R E G U L AT I O N S

Our education officer George King , as well as our Military History experts continue to represent the Essex HMVA for both Educational and Policy matters.

Although these are perfectly safe and have been found to already be to some of the strictest standards in Europe, there are plans to make the regulations even tighter, or possibly to ban them altogether. This could make it more difficult as a “mobile museum” and education portal, to give talks when you are unable to show the actual items.

PRESS COVERAGE

The Essex HMVA continues to have favourable press coverage about our work, including radio stations, where we talk about our organisation and the work the association does as well as coverage in the local press, which included our annual showcase event. Our shows TV appearance on “wheeler dealers” gained much attention and the association has capitalised on this with many press requests.

George King continues to visit schools to assist with classroom learning. This is a valuable free resource to schools who are under pressure to find new ways to educate but have little or no budgets to achieve this.

Sadly, David Walmsley who passionately advocated on our behalf regarding various historical matters passed away in February 2024, his passing has been greatly felt by everyone involved with the Essex HMVA.

INCOME

For 2024 we have adopted a new accounting system, this has greatly helped with time taken on financial matters. Membership remains constant and this gives us a good degree of financial stability.

Although we did secure an Armed Forces Day grant this year and returns from the fund-raising Echoes of History were good the overall profit was down in 2023, this was in part due to investment in assets, which in the long-term help to keep our expenditure lower as we don’t have to hire equipment.

Another factor is the increase in general running costs, which affect our bottom line. At the end of the year, we received notification that we had to vacate the Charities storage facility, which had been in occupation for over 30 years, initial investigation into alternatives has shown that there is likely to be a significant cost increase and we are planning to minimise the impact this will have on the charity.

Peter Smith, Treasurer

EXPENDITURE

Payment Processors in use by the Essex HMVA (as of 2024) PayPal UK Ltd (authorised by the FCA as an Electronic Money Institution) TicketSource

SumUp

Total Turnover	£36,986.39
Total Expenses	(£34,324.97)
Profit Before Tax	£2,661.42
Tax amount	£0

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ report and the financial summary in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom accounting standards (United Kingdom generally accepted accounting practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare the financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the Group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

There is no relevant material audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and

The Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.

The Trustees have a duty to report on how the charitable company provides public benefit by explaining:

Observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP.
Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
The significant activities undertaken in order to carry out our aims for the public benefit; and
State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
Our achievements measured against those aims.

The Trustees confirm that we have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in reporting on the Charity’s vision, purpose and goals, and on our objectives and achievements.

Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP 2005) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” published in March 2005, applicable accounting standards, the Charities Act 2011, and the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable organization and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity

of the information included on the Charity’s website.

The Legal and Administrative Details form an integral part of this report.

Approved by the Board of Trustees and signed on its behalf on the 26[th] of September 2024.

During our set up we carried out a number of risk assessments using a “heat map” in order to grade possible risks to our association. Through this, we updated our Health and Safety Policy at the end of the year along with adding risk assessments for individual events with liability insurance for our associate members. One of the biggest challenges to the structure of our association was setting up a bank account. This took much longer than we expected due to delays caused by the bank. Our treasurer and chairman maintained pressure on the bank to speed the process along. Our treasurer was able to implement a temporary back up plan in order that we could keep tight financial control of incoming monies during this time, with the full support of the trustees.

As part of the risk management process, major risks have been reviewed and actions taken in mitigation. The Essex HMVA complies with the Charity Commission’s list of internal financial controls in all material respects, though significant risks arise in the following areas:

Health and Safety risks.

Public liability risk that a third party or their representative, participating in an event either promoted by the Charity or organised in support of it may bring a lawsuit following death or serious injury as a consequence of their participation.
Reputational risk that adverse publicity may lead to a reduction in future donations.
Fraud risk that the Charity suffers financial loss as a result of fraudulent activity.
Fundraising during the current economic climate continues to prove to be a challenge.

The Trustees have responsibility for ensuring that there is an appropriate system of controls, financial and otherwise. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Essex HMVA and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities, and to provide reasonable assurance that:

The Essex HMVA is operating efficiently and effectively;
Its assets are safeguarded against unauthorised use or disposition;
Proper records are maintained and financial information used within the Charity or for publication is reliable; and
The charity complies with relevant laws and regulations.

The systems of internal control are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss. They include:

An annual budget approved by the Trustees;
Regular consideration by the Trustees of financial results, variance from budgets and non-financial performance indicators;
• Delegation of authority and segregation of duties.
Identification and management of risks.

Colin Tebb Chairman, Essex HMVA

Future risks remain at the front of our agenda at all meetings. One of the biggest future risks we currently face are due to new EU regulations. Following several attacks in mainland Europe the EU are looking at ways to curb the use or ownership of deactivated weapons. In the UK, we already have some of the strictest gun controls in Europe, but early assessments of regulations could mean we loose some historic artefacts including those fitted to vehicles. We plan to form a sub-committee with the view of keeping an eye on such legislation and ensuring this does not impact on the educational aspect of it. We will write a frame of reference for this committee to work under, which includes taking notes of the Charity Commission’s guidance as contained in CC9 notes.

Further legislation that could affect us comes from those, which have impacts on vehicles. We are a member of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs, who keep us up to date with changes that could affect us, as well close contact with those who make such legislation. This ensures that the rule of common sense remains and our voices are heard.

As a charity we need to ensure we remain of public benefit, comply with charity law, be relevant and not allow ourselves to be forced into an unacceptable situation, or conditions, which we have found some venue owners feel they wish to impose onto us. They remain commercial organisations, and therefore their outlook can be different to ours.

As part of our risk management, we require time after the event for evaluation and a full review of finances, and reports from all departments to ensure we comply with charity law. Although there is a risk to the loss of our main funding stream, we have already taken action to ensure we deal with this promptly.

The site gave us the ability to expand on the way we educate the public by expanding the historical aspect. The land owners are very supportive of charities, running events themselves and raising many thousands of pounds, so are much more in tune with charity events, and our need to have a longer term and more stable venue.

The charity generally has another successful year, and has no major incidents to report.

Above: Just one of the varied displays at Echoes of History 2024

We have a number of written policies, which are guiding principles for the charity, and we can refer to these held in our central cloud document repository if there are any risks or issues that are identified. We reviewed these during our 10th year of operation in 2024.

One risk which has shown itself to have risen, is that of the risk of a terrorist incident. We therefore have a trustee who has undertaken ACT training, and will assess this risk at each public event. We may have to consider bag searches or other protection measures in order to counter the risk, and are mindful of possible changes in laws in the future.

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Above: Stephen Nunn and Colin Tebb pose by Esther at Drive-It Day 2024
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Short term Goals:

To secure additional funding above our current actions in order that preservation and restoration activities can continue.
Continue with our education programme, with more school visits
Increase membership numbers and secure renewals
Prepare and execute the 2024 Echoes of History Show

Medium Term Goals:

Increase community interaction with programmes designed for schools and other educational facilities.
Set up an online e-learning programme with advice for new starters, and educational resources for those interested in our military heritage.
Encourage a greater number of younger people to take an interest in the conservation activities of the association

Long Term Goals:

  - To expand on our educational elements of the Essex HMVA

To secure premises to open a museum, those premises affording greater public access and housing a subset of the collection with the ability within the premises to stage exhibitions as well as giving us a venue to enhance our ability to provide an educational resource.
Find replacement storage facilities due to the loss of our Barn

In 2024, our focus was forced to shift toward securing the long-term sustainability of our operations, following the loss of our barn facility. The search for a permanent storage site became our central mission, with many other projects temporarily paused to prioritise this urgent need. The impact of losing our storage space was significant — not only in terms of logistics, but also in safeguarding the heritage assets entrusted to us.

Earlier in the year, we applied for funding to acquire a set of WW2 trailers, which would have complemented our Jeep display and enhanced our living history presentations. A dedicated project team was formed, and we drew on our extensive project management experience to prepare a strong grant application. Unfortunately, just as our submission was made, the funding body altered its criteria without notice. As a result, our application was unsuccessful, and the trailers — along with other valuable heritage items were sadly disposed of, their future uncertain.

This experience reaffirmed our belief in self-led grant writing, rather than outsourcing to paid organisations. We remain confident that our deep understanding of our mission and community impact allows us to make a more compelling case for support.

Despite this setback, we continue to explore funding opportunities and seek expert advice to strengthen future applications. The lessons learned have informed our approach to resilience planning and asset protection, and we remain committed to preserving and presenting history with integrity and care.

We continue to follow guidance sent to us from the Charity Commission, and use this to ensure our charities policy documents are kept relevant and up to date. Given recent bad press about the charity sector, it is as important now as it ever was to stay within the current guidelines. We also engaged with a new insurance company at the beginning of the year as we felt there could be some areas which pose a risk of having a cover gap. We now cover all associate members for public liability while they are attending events, as well as the usual charity and trustee cover. We also follow the guidance from the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs, who advise on matters of vehicle law and advice for holding events. We also give guidance, to members and public who own vehicles or equipment. This can be both historical or legal.

The Essex HMVA has brought in a revised and updated collections policy following the donation to us of a military pumping unit. This was our first large asset, and we plan to use this for future use where we can display it in such a way to be of interest. Currently, this will be stored until we can check it over, carry out any repairs or restoration. One of the issues with donations of equipment is to have somewhere to store this. We can use our Barn facility as required for larger items, and the use of “guardians” for smaller items.

Our main fund raising is achieved by running the Echoes of History event every year. Monies earnt from this are allocated to an annual budget to run the following years show and anything earnt beyond this is used to fund the charities running costs and aims. Membership monies collected are used to self-fund the membership operating costs and any surplus is retained in the main account for charity use. The association has reviewed our fund raising polices in line with our future income stream review and as part of a recent appeal for a special fund for purchasing new and replacement equipment. The Essex HMVA also gains additional funds from the use of charity buckets. This has helped with our general income, with the public being generous with their donations.

The Trustees have agreed to set a policy in place that the association will not cold call either our members or outside individuals to ask for donations. The Essex HMVA may call, write or email to remind members their membership has lapsed or in cases where we need to grant either reduced / free membership in order to comply with our policy on access to those on limited means. The association will also mailshot organisations or companies where there would be mutual interest in supporting us through advertising or sponsorship. Should in the future , the Essex HMVA wish to fund raise for a project, we will ensure this is done in such a way that does not put any pressure on those individuals contacted to contribute and without the use of any “cold call” listing either purchased or otherwise. The trustees note the adverse publicity and damage that can be attached to charities as a whole should we not act otherwise to the above. The Essex HMVA may from time to time use our social media to promote special fund raising activities or as part of our normal fund raising and general charity awareness.

The Essex HMVA will retain such documents as required by law under the Companies Act/Charities Act for periods of time specified. We are moving all account invoices onto our Intranet system by scanning them. This is part of our new accounts system which we have rolled out.

The Essex HMVA are pleased to say that the requirements under the General Data Protection Regulation legislation is being complied with, this regulation extends the rights of the individuals, granting the right to increased access to personal data or to its removal.

We have updated our written policy as part of the review and this is now stored in our on line Intranet file storage system. We also have some archives , which are books and information which has been digitised and will be used for reference use by those wishing us to assist them with historical or mechanical research.

2024 ESSEX HISTORIC MILITARY VEHICLE ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL : he .. Woes. = = = i Ss REPORT $< _————

Telephone: 01245 476249 Email: info@essexhmva.co.uk Website: www.essexhmva.co.uk

ESSEX HMVA c/o COLIN TEBB 60 MOLRAMS LANE GREAT BADDOW CHELMSFORD, ESSEX CM2 7AJ

2024 Annual Report

Created 14 September 2025 From Date 1 January 2024 To Date 31 December 2024

ESSEX HISTORIC MILITARY VEHICLE ASSOCIATION Profit & Loss Statement (All values reported in GBP)

Turnover
4000	General Sales	23,261.11
4900	Miscellaneous Income	2,897.06
4901	Royalties Received	2,861.37
4902	Commissions Received	13.85
4904	Rent Income	7,953.00
	Total Turnover	36,986.39
Less Cost of Sales
5000	General Purchases	(44.50)
5002	Miscellaneous Purchases	(165.24)
	Total Cost of Sales	(209.74)
	Gross Profit	36,776.65
Less Expenses
6002	Sub-Contractors	(5,071.10)
6100	Sales Commissions	(60.72)
6201	Advertising	(431.87)
6203	P.R. (Literature & Brochures)	(109.30)
6900	Miscellaneous Expenses	(14,549.25)
7100	Rent	(8,340.00)
7302	Licenses	(748.05)
7401	Car and Van Hire	(305.00)
7500	Printing	(820.41)
7501	Postage and Carriage	(147.04)
7506	Hosting Fees and IT Consumables	(105.74)
7601	Audit and Accountancy Fees	(18.00)
7603	Professional Fees	(99.64)
7700	Equipment Hire	(940.00)
7803	Premises Expenses	(31.44)
7901	Bank Charges	(9.00)
8204	Insurance	(2,328.67)
	Total Expenses	(34,115.23)
	Profit Before Tax	2,661.42
4000 General sales:
includes Ticket, Stalls & Catering Concession income from the Echoes of History event.
4900 Miscellaneous Income:
Donations &	Stalls.
4901 Royalties Received:
Income from	Association Membership.
6002 Subcontractors:
Events First Aid & Echoes of History Toilet Hire.
6900 Miscellaneous Expenses:
General Event & Operating Costs & Miscellaneous Purchases.
7100 Rent:
Storage of vehicles and Show Equipment.
7603 Professional Fees:
Security, Car Park management and Gate ticket staff for Echoes of History.

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Report to the trustees/ members of Essex Historic Military Vehicle Association PO

On accounts for the year Charity no ended[31][st][ December 2024 ] (if any)[1155705 ] ~~ee eee~~ Set out on pages 1 ~~PO~~ Respective The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. responsibilities of The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year trustees and examiner under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities 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 procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities 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.

Independent

examiner's statement[In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention. ]

Date: 17/09/2025 Signed: ~~—~~ Name: Janice Grand ~~Ce~~ Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): ~~a~~ Address: 30 Hawks Muir, Kirkcaldy, KY1 2PW