Trustees' Annual Re ort for the eriod p p
Period start date Period end date From 1 July 2024 To 30 June 2025
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name The Amarna Trust Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1161292 Charity's principal address Newton Hall Town Street Newton, Cambridge Postcode CB22 7ZE
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Charity trustee at year-end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Helen Fenwick | HonoraryChair | Yes | ||
| Mr Paul Docherty | HonorarySecretary | Yes | ||
| Ms Susan Kelly | HonoraryTreasurer | Yes | ||
| Dr Andrew Bednarski |
Yes (resigned 1 July2025) |
|||
| Dr Anna Garnett | Honorary Secretary (acting) |
Yes | ||
| Dr Pamela Rose | Yes | |||
| Dr Margaret Serpico | Yes | |||
| Dr Judith Shirley | Appointed trustee 1 July 2024. |
Yes | ||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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30 June 2025
TAR – The Amarna Trust
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
The Trust is governed by a Constitution dated 23 February 2015.
Type of governing document
- (eg. trust deed, constitution)
The Trust is registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, CIO, with the registered charity number 1161292.
How the charity is constituted
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Trustees are appointed according to Articles 9 and 10 of the Constitution. New trustees are recommended based on their area of expertise and appointed by a vote at the next trustee meeting.
Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Trustee induction and employees:
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New trustees receive a copy of the Constitution, the latest annual report and accounts, trustee meeting minutes, and the Charity Commission’s guidance ‘The Essential Trustee’. Additional information is provided as required.
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The charity is entirely volunteer-run, and the trustees are incredibly grateful to everyone involved.
Related parties:
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Many trustees are also professional archaeologists who contribute to the excavation and research at Amarna as unpaid volunteers. They receive room and board, as is customary for volunteers.
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Several trustees donate to the Trust regularly, making both unrestricted and restricted contributions.
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During the year, there was no renumeration or expenses paid to any trustee or related party, other than the specific items disclosed above.
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Major risks:
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Data loss: Much of the work generated by Trust grant recipients, including excavation journals, photographs, and plans, is stored at an office in Cairo, Egypt. The archive is being digitised for safekeeping, with backups stored in multiple locations worldwide.
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Political risk: The trustees require grant recipients to regularly review travel advisories for Egypt, monitor the situation in Cairo, and maintain strong relationships with colleagues and stakeholders to mitigate the uncertainty related to ongoing excavation and research work in Egypt.
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Access risk: Excavation and research work at the ancient city of Amarna cannot be carried out without annual agreements with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) and responsible security agencies. Permits are increasingly granted based on public benefit to Egypt. The Trust provides resources, through grants, to protect the site, improve visitor experiences, and meet host country expectations.
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30 June 2025
TAR – The Amarna Trust
Section C Objectives and activities
The Amarna Trust exists to raise funds and provide financial support for archaeological fieldwork and research at the ancient site of Tell el-Amarna in middle Egypt.
The charity’s objectives are: To advance public education and to promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the ancient city of Tell el-Amarna, Egypt and the surrounding area for the benefit of the public, by:
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
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i. Maintaining a permanent facility for study (the research base – The Amarna Centre);
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ii. Supporting field research (and publishing useful results of such research);
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iii. Promoting training in archaeological field skills; iv. Providing, and assisting in the provision of, lectures and publications in furtherance of the stated objects;
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v. Developing displays and exhibitions at a site museum for the benefit of the public and an educational outreach programme for the benefit of pupils at schools; and
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vi. Working in partnership with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA), to maintain the ancient city for the benefit of the public.
During the year, the charity undertook the following activities in furtherance of its public benefit.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
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The Trust’s most significant contribution is supporting ongoing archaeological work, reconstruction, and safeguarding of the ancient city of Tell el-Amarna in Egypt. This globally significant site attracts academic researchers, foreign visitors, and local communities. This year, grants were provided for publication research on the Workmen’s Village excavations, field research station upkeep, and reprinting the children’s book available at the Amarna Visitor Centre.
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The Trust funded the permanent study facility in Cairo, where research records from Amarna are kept and accessible to scholars.; and
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• Trustees, former trustees and other volunteers associated with the charity delivered lectures and talks, often online, to raise public awareness about ancient Egypt and the Amarna site.
The trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under the Charities Act to ensure the charity provides public benefit. They have considered the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission and believe that they have followed its guidance in this area.
3
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TAR – The Amarna Trust
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
Policy on grantmaking:
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
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policy on grantmaking;
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policy programme related investment;
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contribution made by volunteers.
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Grant applicants must submit a grant application for review at the next trustee meeting. The application should include details about the project, the team involved, publication plans, health and safety risk assessments (for on-site fieldwork), and a budget.
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The trustees review applications, and funds are made available only if the applicant receives the necessary permits for work at Amarna (if onsite) and meet other conditions deemed appropriate by the trustees at the time of grantmaking.
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Grant applicants provide a post-fieldwork report to the trustees, accompanied by an accounting of the grant expenditure.
Contribution of volunteers:
The work of the Trust is entirely carried out by volunteers and the volunteer trustees. We are extremely grateful to everyone involved in the charity, without whom the work would quickly grind to a halt.
Section D Achievements and performance
The current year has been one of reflection and renewal for the Trust. In May Summary of the main 2024, our past Chair and Secretary, Professor Barry Kemp, passed away, achievements of the charity leading to a period of contemplation and remembrance for the trustees. during the year Collectively, we agreed that the work of the Trust is as necessary now as in 2006, when the Amarna Trust was founded.
Our main grant recipient, the Amarna Project, will continue Professor Kemp’s extraordinary work, under the leadership of a new director, Dr. Anna Stevens. We are delighted to support the continuation of research at Amarna. Dr. Stevens received the requisite permits for fieldwork in late 2024, which allowed for a short research season in December 2024 and a longer researchexcavation season for various project teams in April-May 2025.
The Trust is grateful for the continued support and co-operation of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the police of el-Minia province whose responsibility it is to ensure the safety and security of all foreign missions.
Overall financial results:
The year’s overall results were encouraging, given the uncertainty during this period of transition. Total receipts were £32,576, with 28.2% unrestricted and 71.8% restricted (2024: £45,338, 28.5% unrestricted). Total funding and unrestricted vs restricted funds can vary significantly from year to year due to fundraising events and the success of external funding applications to independent grantmaking bodies. Payments were significantly lower in 2025, due to excavation permit delays, a scale-back of work onsite and a resulting reduction in the grant applications received by the Trust. Total payments were £14,404 (unrestricted £10,612 and restricted £3,792) compared to £38,305 in 2024.
30 June 2025
TAR – The Amarna Trust
4
Section D Achievements and erformance p
Net receipts for the year were £18,172 compared to £7,033 in 2024. These reserves will fund future grant applications. As of 30 June 2025, the Trust had £65,704 in cash, of which £19,232 was unrestricted (including a £10,000 emergency reserve). The Trust’s activities in 2025 met its objectives. Maintain a permanent facility for study: a. During the year, the Trust provided unrestricted grant funding for the research office in Cairo of £4,589 (2024 - £1,870). b. At the end of 2025, the Amarna Project, the Amarna Trust and the Amarna Research Foundation (an independent US-based charity) launched a joint fundraising campaign to provide ongoing grants for the Project’s essential research bases in Egypt. This fund aims to provide long-term financial support of at least £36,000. Support field research:
a. Workmen’s Village: a restricted grant of £21,375 was received during the year and £2,178 was expended to support research and publication work following the excavation of this site on the outskirts of the ancient city. b. During the year, visiting academics joined various excavation and research teams at Amarna to work on scholarly projects. An unrestricted grant of £1,000 provided funding towards this fieldwork. Provide lectures, publications and local outreach: a. Dr Anna Stevens, a grant recipient, presented public and online lectures throughout the year and provided guided tours of Amarna to interested groups. b. The web sites www.amarnatrust.com and www.amarnaproject.com were significantly updated. c. A £1,614 grant was awarded to reprint the Amarna children’s book, available in Arabic and English at the Amarna Visitor’s Centre.
Maintain the ancient city:
The Trust supports grant recipients who oversee activity at Amarna and work closely with local Egyptian antiquities inspectors. These inspectors monitor potential encroachment and maintain the site for tourism throughout the year. In total, the charity provided grants of £9,381 in 2025 (2024 - £35,185).
Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s The Amarna Trust’s policy is to spend all raised funds on its charitable policy on reserves objectives, with no significant reserves. Since grant applicants’ work occurs at specific times, the trustees calculate previous period funding levels and anticipated expenditures and then tailor grantmaking accordingly. The Trust carefully monitors restricted funds to ensure that amounts received are used in accordance with donor requirements.
30 June 2025
TAR – The Amarna Trust
5
The Trust holds £10,000 in unrestricted funds as a contingency reserve. The adequacy of this reserve is regularly reviewed. It was maintained throughout the current and previous financial years.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
There were no funds materially in deficit during the year.
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
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the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
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how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
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investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
The charity’s principal sources of funds in 2025 were:
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unrestricted donations and gift aid;
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restricted donations for future Great Aten Temple excavations and Amarna Visitor Centre costs;
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grants from a foundation to support research and publication of the Workmen’s Village excavation results.
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Details of the charity’s grant and other expenditure, as it relates to support of key objectives, are provided in the section above “Achievements and performance”.
Section F Other optional information
Please see the attached Accounts and Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2025.
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
signed: "H. Fenwick" | signed: "S. Kelly" |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Helen Fenwick | Susan Kelly | |
Honorary Chair |
Honorary Treasurer | |
| 20.Feb.2026 | ||
| 20.Feb.2026 |
6
30 June 2025
TAR – The Amarna Trust
| Charity Name The Amarna Trust |
Charity Name The Amarna Trust |
Charity Name The Amarna Trust |
No (if any) 1161292 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts andpayments accounts | |||
| For the period from |
01.Jul.24 Period start date |
To | Period end date 30.Jun.25 |
CC16a
| Section A: Receipts and payments | Section A: Receipts and payments | Section A: Receipts and payments | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Donations | 8'513 | 2'030 | - | 10'543 | 21'734 | ||||
| Grants | - | 21'375 | - | 21'375 | 23'030 | ||||
| Gift Aid | 658 | - | - | 658 | 574 | ||||
| Interest andmiscellaneousreceipts | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 9'171 | 23'405 | - | 32'576 | 45'338 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
None |
- | - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||
| 45'338 | |||||||||
Website |
3'042 | - | - | 3'042 | 840 | ||||
| Costs of fundraising - Horizon newsletter |
- | - | - | - | 903 | ||||
| Costs of fundraising- Other | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Insurance | 597 | - | - | 597 | 597 | ||||
| Software and equipment | 570 | - | - | 570 | - | ||||
| Bank interest and other charges | 814 | - | - | 814 | 780 | ||||
| Grants paid - Fieldwork, research, publication and travel |
1'000 | 3'792 | - | 4'792 | 33'315 | ||||
| Grants paid - Amarna Project research centre costs |
4'589 | - | - | 4'589 | 1'870 | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 10'612 | 3'792 | - | 14'404 | 38'305 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||||||
| None | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | |||||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||||||
| 38'305 | |||||||||
| - 1'441 | 7'033 | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| 20'673 | 40'499 | ||||||||
| 19'232 | 47'532 |
TAR - The Amarna Trust
30 June 2025
Section B: Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B1 Cash funds |
Signature signed: "S. Kelly" signed: "H. Fenwick" Grant invoices for FY 2025 expenditures relating to Workmen's Village project No other invoices paid in FY2026 relating to FY2025 Details Details None Details None Details None Bank balance - NatWest Bank Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 19'232 46'472 - - 19'232 46'472 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) Restricted fund - Workmen's Village Publication Fund 10'883 - Print Name Susan Kelly, Honorary Treasurer Dr. Helen Fenwick, Honorary Chair |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
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| 31 July 2025 | |||
| Date of approval | |||
| signed: "S. Kelly" | Susan Kelly, Honorary Treasurer | 20.Feb.26 | |
| signed: "H. Fenwick" | Dr. Helen Fenwick, Honorary Chair | 20.Feb.26 |
TAR - The Amarna Trust
30 June 2025
Section C: Notes to the Accounts
1. Required disclosure for Charitable Incorporated Organisations:
Particulars of any guarantee given by the CIO: The Amarna Trust has not provided any guarantees in 2025 and there are no potential guarantee liabilities at 30 June 2025. Particulars of any debt outstanding at the date of the The Amarna Trust did not have any debt outstanding or any other liabilities at 30 statement of assets and liabilities: June 2025.
2. Basis of Preparation of Accounts
The trustees of the Amarna Trust elected to prepare receipts and payments accounts under section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 for the year ended 30 June 2025, consistent with prior years. The trustees have prepared the receipts and payments accounts following relevant legislation and guidance, including Charity Commission guidance CC15d Charity accounting and reporting – the essentials – November 2016 and CC16 Receipts and payments accounts. This method of preparation includes the account of receipts and payments - summarising all money received and paid out in the financial year - and a statement of assets and liabilities as at 30 June.
3. Restricted funds details:
The detailed restricted fund receipts and payments and statement of assets and liabilities are presented on the following page.
TAR - The Amarna Trust
30 June 2025
CC16a
Charity Name No (if any) The Amarna Trust 1161292 Receipts and payments accounts
| For the period from |
Period start date 01.Jul.24 |
To |
Period end date 30.Jun.25 |
|---|---|---|---|
Section A Receipts and payments - Restricted fund details
| A1 Receipts | A1 Receipts | Restricted - Cemeteries Publication Fund to the nearest £ |
Restricted - Workmen's Village Publication Fund to the nearest £ |
Restricted - Great Aten Temple Fund to the nearest £ |
Restricted - Outreach Fund, Amarna Visitor Centre to the nearest £ |
Restricted - Outreach Fund, Site Management to the nearest £ |
Restricted - Future Fund to the nearest £ |
to the nearest £ | Total Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Donations | - | - | 1'719 | 311 | - | - | - | 2'030 | 9'375 | |
| Grants | - | 21'375 | - | - | - | - | - | 21'375 | 23'030 | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). Sub total Total receipts A3 Payments |
- | 21'375 | 1'719 | 311 | - | - | - | 23'405 | 32'405 | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | 21'375 | 1'719 | 311 | - | - | - | 23'405 | 32'405 | ||
Grants paid - Fieldwork, research, publication and travel |
- | 2'178 | - | 1'614 | - | - | - | 3'792 | 30'045 | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Sub total A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) None Sub total Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
- | 2'178 | - | 1'614 | - | - | - | 3'792 | 30'045 | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | 2'178 | - | 1'614 | - | - | - | 3'792 | 30'045 | ||
| - | 19'197 | 1'719 | - 1'303 | - | - |
- |
19'613 |
2'360 | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 3'088 | - | 408 | 1'303 | 6'008 | 16'052 | - | 26'859 | 24'499 | ||
| 3'088 | 19'197 | 2'127 | - | 6'008 |
16'052 | - | 46'472 |
26'859 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period - Restricted fund details
| Categories B1 Cash funds |
Details | Restricted - Cemeteries Publication Fund to nearest £ |
Restricted - Workmen's Village Publication Fund to nearest £ |
Restricted - Great Aten Temple Fund to nearest £ |
Restricted - Outreach Fund, Amarna Visitor Centre to nearest £ |
Restricted - Outreach Fund, Site Management to nearest £ |
Restricted - Future Fund to nearest £ |
to nearest £ | Total Restricted Funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank balance - NatWest Bank | 3'088 | 19'197 | 2'127 | - | 6'008 | 16'052 | - | 46'472 | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Total cash funds |
3'088 | 19'197 | 2'127 | - | 6'008 | 16'052 | - | 46'472 | |
| OK | OK | OK | OK | OK | OK | OK | OK |
TAR - The Amarna Trust
30 June 2025
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name The Amarna Trust members of
On accounts for the year 30 June 2025 Charity no 1161292 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 - 10
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 30/06/2025.
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
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 a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Nana Opoku Barfi
Date: 13 April 2026
Name: Nana Opoku Barfi
Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):
- Member - Association of Charity Independent Examiners (MCIE) 2. Fellow - Association of Certified Public Accountants (FCPA)
Address: 16 Butlers Grove Great Linford Milton Keynes, MK14 5DT
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
1
October 2018
IER
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
2
October 2018
IER