## **FRIENDS OF YORK WALLS** ## **TRUSTEES REPORT 2020** The trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2020. ## **1 Structure, Governance and Management** The Friends of York Walls was established in 2013. It is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation first registered on 20 November 2014, registration number 1159300. The charity was established with objects and powers, and is governed under the terms of its Constitution. The trustees who served during the year were: Bill Hill (Chair) Samantha McDermott (Honorary Secretary) Glen McGowan Simon Mattam Alan Fleming Emily Greenway The trustees served on the Management Committee, which had in addition the following members: Basil Jones Penny Heptonstall (Honorary Treasurer) Martin Hetherington (until October 2020) None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All the trustees guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up. The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks. ## **2 Objectives and Activities** The objects of the charity as expressed in its articles/constitution are: - 1 To educate the public in the history, natural history and architecture of the historic defences of York and its city walls. - 2 To secure the preservation, protection and improvement of their features. The Fishergate Postern Tower has been the venue for the regular activities of the charity along with the walls more generally. The Friends of York Walls have the aims to: 1. Influence the management, care and presentation of York’s City Walls and Defences for the benefit of local residents and visitors. 2. Organise and undertake practical work and public events in cooperation with the City of York Council and other like-minded groups or individuals. 3. Encourage people generally to utilise the Walls as an amenity. 4. Identify opportunities for potential improvement of the Walls. 5. Establish links with local residents. 6. Monitor and act where appropriate to protect the historical views from and towards the Walls. 7. Act as a pressure group, when necessary, to maintain high standards of maintenance of York’s Walls and fortifications. 8. Identify opportunities for possible improved access, physical and intellectual. 9. Explore the potential of Fishergate Postern and the Red Tower. 10. Establish and reopen Fishergate Postern as a historical attraction. 11. Explore fundraising avenues such as grants and bequests. 12. Involve schools. 13. Create resource packages, leaflets and other material to help people appreciate the Walls. 14. Arrange walks and talks. 15. Participate in and foster local cultural events. 16. Support other like-minded organisations. 17. Consult with those interested in the Walls. 18. Develop the Friends website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. 19. Communicate with members via email address and newsletters. 20. Raise the public profile of the group by generating local media coverage. The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. ## **3 Achievements and Performance in 2020** ## 3.1 Opening Fishergate Postern Tower to the public The tower was closed because of the COVID pandemic from March to July, but nevertheless was visited by 3,281 people over the year. ## 3.2 Organising the Third York Walls Festival This took place in August 2020. Because of the national restrictions arising from the COVID 19 pandemic, the event was virtual only, but nevertheless attracted a great deal of interest and social media interchanges. ## 3.3 Heritage Lottery Fund Sharing the Heritage of York Walls Activities made possible through the grant secured from the Heritage Lotter Fund of £10,000 continued, enabling the Friends to: - Produce a newly formatted version of the Annual Leaflet targeting public display locations such as Visit York. - Commission ideas for enhancing the Timeline Display in Fishergate Postern Tower. ## 3.4 Walled Towns Heritage Network The Friends maintained contact with this network, but the proposed symposium in York was postponed because of the COVID pandemic. Similarly a Twins Diary project which was to be implemented by St George’s RC Primary School from March has been postponed until 2022. ## **4 Financial Review** In the year under review the national lockdown and precautions specified because of the COVID 19 pandemic meant that Fishergate Postern Tower was closed from March until July, reducing the income from donations. However this was offset by COVID related grants received to help the organisation’s resilience over the period and as a result the charity is now in a stronger financial position. At the end of the financial year the charity had unrestricted funds of £17,404 which included £12,000 which has been earmarked by the trustees as a reserve to ensure that the charity continues in a robust financial position, and help build resources towards refurbishing the roof. The charity's principal sources of funds and how these have supported the key objectives are outlined below: Income raised through the Charity’s own activities - Donations during the open days at Fishergate Postern Tower - Stones donations - Other donations - Sale of books, maps and other literature - Grants. ## **5 Plans for the Future** The plans for the future are to focus on: - a) Seek further grant funding to implement the Heritage Strategy for Fishergate Postern Tower. - b) Take forward the development of school packs. - c) Seek grant funding for projects which engage local people in practical activities related to the walls and their heritage. - d) Implement the ‘York Walls Festival’ as an annual event. - e) Recreate a portcullis in the postern gate, supported by explanatory models. - f) Visit other walled cities to gather ideas to bring back to York on ways of enriching the visitor experience of city walls. - g) Arrange guided training in searching archives so that members of the Friends (and the general public) can undertake searches for information which might add to the interpretation of the walls. - h) Work with the Council’s Ecologist to develop plans for interpreting the ecological aspects of the ramparts, including a nature trail and area managed by the Friends of York Walls. - i) Build the profile of the Friends and the York Walls Festival on social media and the internet. - j) Repoint the interior of Fishergate Postern Tower with traditional lime mortar. - k) Refurbish the roof tiles on Fishergate Postern Tower to remove moss and ensure weather proofing. - l) Install electrical sockets and lighting throughout Fishergate Postern Tower. - m) Develop a programme of recruitment of volunteers and committee members. - n) Strengthen the capacity of the Friends to offer guided walks of the walls, supported by relevant resources. These aspirations will be the subject of bids for targeted funding to enable them to be implemented. **Bill Hill Chair of the Management Committee September 2021** Friends of York Walls Treasurerfs Report: 2020 Overvlew Below Is a summary of the accounts for 2020. More details are on pa8es 2 and 3. 2019 2Q Optr•tlons HMRC'Kift aid, Open day donations other donèttons Qthef operatlons inrome CYC Cowd sUPPOrt Brant Op•rntsonstot*l Incom• L253 L397 L278 228 1.867 2.4SI 410 1.563 1.285 287 6.656 4.727 3,136 less operations ex OperntSons surplus nses L553 S.102 L185 2.197 939 50) 765 103S 3¢TrJ io,rAK) 12.iKO 2,858 6,859 It￿ proierts expenses less prtiiect ifirome rf surplus Total surplus Cumul*tlv• •5Mts 4,Wl 3,062 Total 4J02 17.404 11602 ILOS9 The flnances of the FOYW are in good shape. The end-year net assets are now £17,404- an excellent galn from £12,602 the previoLts year. In addition, we carrled over £2.035 of unspent project funding to 2021. The assets are held in the HSBC and PayPal accounts. Operatlons The operatlons surplus. which is a rneasu￿ of the baslc health of the FOYW, was £4.802. up from £1,542 in 2019. However, thi5 gives a false impression as we received a CYC Covid Support grant of £2.500 and an HMRC 8rft-aid tax refund of £1,253. Without these extra items the operations surplus would have been a less satisfartory £1,049- but still reasonable considering the long periods of lock-down. Pro5ects We received grants from Gulldhall ward (£l(M)01 and Fishergate ward1£5CM)) for a Youth Theatre project, which was s1i8htly overspent. A further grant of £IOfJ) from Fishergate ward was re￿iVed late in the year for the Twtns Diary project. As this will take place in 2021 the grant has been carried forward to 2021, along with unspent El,035 of the Heritage Lottery Fund project grant. In addition. £240 was spent on a survey of the roof in preparation for the planned refurbishment project. Detailed accounts for the period are attached. If you have any queries, please contact Richard Hanage richard hana e.com York Walls iso le9tste￿&￿￿TItyMO.' I1593￿. Contutr. 10..20 A Friends of York Walls UK Balance Sheet- Standard As of 31 Decembor 2020 31m3121 31 O•cX4 31 DK 19 855.71 $55.71 C••h at bjnk •wKI In Iwxl Ca*h HSBC Currort HSBC SAVE PvJfp81 TL*AI Cabh at hnk and In IbAThJ 1.41 4.295.08 15.551.c 15.(O). 141.01 133.33 19.438.70 15.685.82 19.436.70 16.341.53 Currnni Othw Currert U•bllttlo4 2.034.87 3.n9.98 2,034.87 3.n9.98 2.034.87 s.n9.98 17,403.83 17.403.83 17.403A3 12,801.35 12.601.55 12,601.80 ET ASSETS Capllal and R8aw¥ AddltJoMI N•t A•MI• Inlllal Aw¢• Profft for th• Y• 759.95 11,841.60 4.802.28 -782.29 11,841.PAJ 1.542.24 8h•Y•holdwfundB 17.403J3 11801.00 10:21 AM Friends of York Walls Profit & Loss Prev Year Comparison January through December 2020 31103121 .DK19 Income OPERAnONS INCCWE 2020 CYC cO￿d Support DoMti4) DonaVor•. By¢k•l• 1,272.33 124.50 I,￿.64 1,974.51 275.C 125.Tr) 76.14 105.CA) Totsl Dob￿￿* 2,674.83 1,252.84 4.31729 HMRC Gift• Ald In¢¢m• Intsrost Earnad Product Salo 4,728.79 X119 Hwlt•g• Sh•rfN4 X120 Tkbln• DSary 10,LIXI.iKI 1,5CQ. Taill PROJECT GIUNfJ RECEL 10.OCQ.IY] 8,155.76 14,728.79 Exp•n•• OPERAnoN8 expENSES Dhplaynnt•vprot El•¢trklty Insur•nc• Exp•rn• M•mb•rnhlp f••* Mlsc•llan•ous Eyw Offl¢• exp• P•yp41 F••• Produc¢ Purth••• Publlclty & IA•￿611￿ .71 12.39 143.64 10.IXI .IA.99 10.78 143.64 89.37 19.15 149.75 71.17 7.78 281.Q) 276.97 70.40 17.( Sumup Fq v•n￿ •xp•n# 145.05 287.64 1.553.48 1.184.55 PROJECT EXPENSE8 2018 FPT lrt•rior R•v*np 2018 Inl¥•l Electvlc• 2019 Hodtoy Sharl 2020 Roof R•palrs I2,r￿. 1.5eo.Ix) Totsi PRCklECT EXPEIISES 1,￿).00 12.¢XQ.( 3.353.48 13.184.55 4.W2.28 1.542.24 Profftfryth• Ymr 480128 1,54224