## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 01/04/2024 To 31/03/2025** **Charity name: Social History Curators Group** ## **Charity registration number: 1157994** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|To advance the education of the public in
heritage, science and the arts advancing
standards of social history curatorship by
encouraging better care, management,
research and development of collections and
delivery of improved use, access and
interpretation of museum and related
collections through public facing outputs
such as events, exhibitions, participative
projects for the benefit of the public| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or services
identified in the accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|SHCG Committee meetings were held
regularly across the year online to facilitate
as broad access as possible, with one in
person meeting held at Stevenage Museum.
An Extraordinary Meeting was held in
November 2024 to discuss forward planning
ahead of the changeover of a number of
trustees at the 2025 AGM.
SHCG Chair advocated for a successful
reconsideration of the closure of Abbey
House Museum to the Leader of Leeds
Council, through sending a direct letter,
completing consultation forms and signing a
petition.
SHCG is represented on the Subject
Specialist Networks Consortium by the
Chair, although no meetings were held this
year. The network had remained active via
email, although consultation has taken place
on how best to continue the network with
new leadership to continue to strengthen
relationships and build support between
SSNs in sharing resources, best practice
and co-hosting training and events. SHCG
will continue to be represented in this forum
and takes an active interest in its future.
SHCG News was published in April and
November 2024 with an increased number
of contributors and the introduction of
interviews and discussions with sector
professionals alongside reviews and project| |||spotlights.
Journal vol 48 was published in November
2024, focused on Emotion in Museums in
line with the Conference theme. The
selection of articles in this issue allowed for
emerging professionals and more diverse
voices to be featured, with a slightly less
academic style.
The free Hardship Membership, begun
during Covid, continues to be offered to
support those who may otherwise be unable
to join SHCG due to the rising cost of living
and increasing issues with redundancy in the
sector.
A bi-monthly ‘Legacies of Colonialism’ online
meetup continued for the first half of the year
and was run to provide a space for both
members and non-members to discuss and
support each other with problems, projects
or anything else related to colonial histories
and other potentially challenging topics in
their work. As wider sector support in this
area has increased, it was felt that this
space was no longer needed.
A seminar focused on Intangible Cultural
Heritage was held online on 27thNovember
2024, as a collaboration with another
Subject Specialist Network. This brought in
£106 in ticket sales and received broadly
positive feedback.
The 2024 Conference was held online
across two days in June 2024 on the theme
of Emotion in Museums, attracting between
30 and 52 delegates across the sessions,
including bursary places to allow early
career members to attend. A series of
complementary in person visits were also
organised at Leeds City Museum and the
Brunel Museum, although with limited
takeup. Feedback was wide-ranging, with
lessons learned taken on board for the 2025
Conference. A trial of organisational tickets
for larger institutions and institutional
members was successful, and increased
participation in these museums.
The firstBASE sub-Committee continued to
meet to discuss new ways of promoting skills
and resources for social history
professionals.| |---|---|---| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|SHCG has carried out its purposes as a
charity for the public benefit and, in doing so,
can confirm we have had regard to the
guidance issued by the Charity Commission
on public benefit.| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: SORP reference **n/a** Para 1.38 Policy on grant making **n/a** Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment **n/a** Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers **n/a** Other ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|Membership numbers were recorded for
2024-25 by the Membership Secretary.
As of March 2025, SHCG had the following:
58 individual print members (equal to
2023/24) •
108 individual digital members (reduction of
1 on 2023/24) •
90 institutional members (reduction of 2 on
2023/24)
8 Hardship Memberships (increase of 1 on
2023/24)
15 Student Memberships
As of March 2025, SHCG had the following:
Twitter followers: 3,604 ↓**15%**(account no
longer active)
LinkedIn group followers: 355**↑ 43%**
Facebook page followers: 1298 ↓**0.2%**
BlueSky followers: (new account) 1,162
Instagram followers: (new account) 360| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements||where relevant about:| |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|**n/a**| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|**n/a**| |||| |---|---|---| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|**n/a**| |Other||**n/a**| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|As of 31st March 2025, SHCG has healthy
finances, as outlined in the attached
accounts, and does not have a deficit.| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|The reserves account provides some
stability should there be a significant drop in
membership income. SHCG may use some
of these funds for longer term project activity
such as overhauling the website.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|**£5000**| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|**n/a**| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|**n/a**| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|**n/a**| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|**n/a**| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|**n/a**| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|**n/a**| |Other||**n/a**| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated
Organisation with voting members other than
the charity’s trustees.| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|**CIO**| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Potential trustees must be members of
SHCG and their nomination must be
proposed by another member. Nominations
are voted on digitally by members and
confirmed by a quorum at AGM – those
garnering the majority of votes are elected.
Trustees are elected for a term of 2 years
not serving more than 3 consecutive terms.
Trustees in named roles – Chair, Secretary,
Treasurer – are elected for 3 years equal to
1 term. All trustees work on a voluntary basis
and usually undertake a particular role.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements||where relevant about:| |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
training of trustees|Para 1.51|All trustees are issued with a copy of the
constitution, a role description and handover
notes from the retiring trustee who
previously held that position.| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|SHCG is a Subject Specialist Network
(SSN), one of many professional networks
operating within the museums and heritage
sector in the UK. Representatives from each
SSN have formed the SSN Consortium
which works collaboratively to support
individuals and organisations to care for and
use their collections for public benefit.| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|**n/a**| |Other||**n/a**| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Social History Curators Group| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|SHCG| |Registered charity number|1157994| |Charity’s principal address|c/o St Fagans National Museum of History, St Fagans,
Cardiff, CF5 6XB| |---|---| ||| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee(if any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Amy Elizabeth
Foulds|Chair||SHCG Membership| ||Samantha Jane
Daisley|Treasurer||SHCG Membership| ||Charlotte May
Barron|||SHCG Membership| ||Edward Matthew
Smith|||SHCG Membership| ||Tracey Louise
Hebron|||SHCG Membership| ||Louise McAward-
White|||SHCG Membership| ||Jill Birrell|Secretary||SHCG Membership| ||Henry Joseph
Roberts|||SHCG Membership| ||Imogen Amy
Clarke|||SHCG Membership| ||Ivet Ivanova
Benova|||SHCG Membership| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets n/a held in this capacity Name and objects of the n/a charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for n/a safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of Name Address adviser** **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details ## **Other optional information** ## **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)** Amy Elizabeth Foulds ~~a~~ **Position (eg Secretary,** Chair **Chair, etc)** ~~ee~~ **Date** 17/12/2025 ~~Pp~~ 80CIAL HISTORY CURATOR8 GROUP SHCG Ymr End•d 31 IAarch 2025 Fw Il* Y••r irAl•d Jl Ilwrh 2a25 borrtlp 8 7aal.19 7.￿A0 14C4.14 1.34725 41*A 129.10 144.16 8wnhr• 2024 10,026.42 CNnmlll•• TrMI 151. 3AB9.19 1.CO228 257.99 27623 123121 1.923. 1,131.Kl Fht Ba•• 521.C6 435.75 1596. 1.075.W) 7,794.Q2 9.74&53 1.181fA 277JO 28MS.86 28287.n P•r ts Y•w end•d 2ffj0 Fund• T•tsl T•tsl C••h kn ￿nd 24.n7.72 5.CW 24,n7.n 23M6A8 5.CW.C .n7.72 2•.n7.n G•rwal Fund• V••l•bkn •• •t 1 21)24 #.56SA6 1.162I* 28J85.66 1.1611 28287.ri 277A9 Totsl •• at 91111rt12ffj6 2•.n7.n 2•.7Z7.n Svcfj 7k6•éW2G ao/o7/10 tf Independent examlner's report on the accounts 9" July 2(r25 To Thhrrt)8rs of So¢>al Hisknry Curaknrs Group on the accounis for Ihe yw ended 31 March 2025. This report is made solety lo the societys members. as a body. (￿r exaMinalK￿ work has boen undertaken so thai we rn￿h1 state kn the societys merrt)8rs those matt8rs we are foquired to stats kn them in an examiners. report aThJ for no other wrwse. To the fullest extent Permined by law. we do accepi or assume responsibilty to anyone other than the soo'ety arKI the society's mernbers as a LK>dy, for work, for this re￿rt, or lor Ihe opinions we have formed. R8sp8eiiv• r•sponslbllltlè# of Soelèty Board Members and axamlner The Society Board Members C￿sKIer that an audrt is not required for this year as an appropriaie resolu1￿n was appffjved by mentsts ai iho last AGM and thai an iThJ8pendent examination is Ihefefora appropnale. 11 is our reSp(￿SIbil￿ to: examine the accounts follow th8 proc8(JJres laia l￿wn in G￿￿ra1 th"recbons 9￿￿ by Social Htslory Curators Group: and slat8 W￿ther parti￿lar mallers ha￿ co￿? to our allentK)n. Basls ol IndeperKlent •xamln•r'$ $iatement Our examination was carried OLrt in accordance ￿th General Directicffis given by Social Hisiory Curators Group. An examinai#M includes a re￿W of ￿ accountsng records kept by the charity arKI a compafison of the accwnts present￿1 with Ihose reLx>rds. 11 also includes considefalK of any unusual (iems or disclosures accounts and se8ks explanalM)ns from tt18 trusl88s concerning any such matters. The proc8dur8s undeflaken do noi provKI8 all the 8videnc8 that woukl be required in an arnl. ￿nse(W8n1ty. we (kn not expr8ss an aud￿ q)in￿n on tr accounts. Independent examlner's statemenl In the course of our examinatK)n, no matter has Cor￿ to wr attenti¢xi' 1. Which gives us reas￿able cause kn believe that in any m*erial r8SP8th requirements: to keep accounting recoNls. and to prepare acLx)unls wh￿h accord wrth Ihe accoLmting records and conply wilh Generally acc8Pt8d accountiTrJ requirements hav8 riot b88n m81. Of 2. To which. in ￿r crf>inion. atten￿n shoukl b8 dravm in order to enabl8 a proper und&rstandng of Ihe aca)unts to be reached. L group Zwp Surte LU.231. Tr Lyht ￿1b 1 Fila￿nt Walk Wandsworth. Lon¢kn) SW184GQ