The Friends of Friar Gate arid Financlal accounts for the Year Ended 31 Au st 2024
The Friend f Fri r Gate Brld Contents forthey arEn 31°Au st 2024 Income and Expenditu Account Balance Sheet
The Friend5 of FriarGate Brid e ncome and Ex ndlture Account For the ar ended 31Au u5t 2024 Year ended 31.08.24 Year ended 31.08.23 Income Membership 19) 270 Donation5 io io Fundraising activtties 50 250 280 Expenses Printing, advertising and office 105 PayPal fees Room hire li Book purchase 41 157 Surplus for the year 244 123
The Friends of Friar Gate Brid Balance Sheet Year end d 31.08.24 Year ended 31.08.23 Current assets Bank account 5,223 5,395 Current liabilities Creditors 416 Net current assets 5,223 4,979 Represented by Accumulated funds Openirig reserves 4,979 4,856 Surplus for the year 244 123 Closing resÈrves 5,223 4,979
The Friends of Friar Gate Bridge Trustees. Annual Report For the period 01109123 to 31108124 Reference and administration details Charity Name: The Friends of Friar Gate Bridge Registered Charity Number: 1163174 Charity Principal Addre5s= 32 Friar Gate, Oerby. DEI IBX Names of Charit Trustees who m Mandy Coons Alistair Hodge Iremoved 16.09.241 Malcolm Holden oward Thomas Chair Names and addresse5 of advisers-. Solicitors Smiih Partnership. Celtic House, Derby. DEI ILS Website Human Interface Publications, 14 MacKenzie Street, Derby. DE22 3DD Vacant position Treasurer Structurei governance and management Type of governing document: Constitution How the charity is constituted: Charitable incorporated organization Trustee selection methods-. Elected by general meeting Objertive and artivities Summary of objects of the charity The objects of the CIO are.. 1.1.1 to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical. natural and man-made environment bv promoting the historical and arthitectural heritage of Friar Gate Bridge I'the Bridge") in Derby. 1.1.2 to advance the education of the public. in particular in relation to the history and architectu of the heritaEe of the Bridse by developing public interest in the architecture, history and heritage of the Bridge by means of publications, public lectures and exhibitions and co-operation with schools and other educationol establishments and other bodies arL(I societies. Restoration- What lie5 at the end of the road? At the beginning of this year we met with Wavensmere Homes to discuss their plans to develop the Friar Gate Goods Yard and we Iparned that they were dealing with the whole site, including the listed commercial buildings. While we were surprised al the proposed removal of the arches, including those very close to the Bridge we understood that viability of this site relied on maximising land usaEe. Such reliance also meant that vehicular acce5S onto the bridge itself was not possible. Waven5mere had provided pedestrian acce55 via
wide and attrartNe steps, and, following our comments, they amended their plans to incorporate a ramp to allow disabled acces5. The viability report we had from Latham5 Heritage Architects in 2018 had identified linking ctivity on the Bridge to that on the Goods Yard as being a key factor in providing the sustainability required by most funders likely to support the restoration of the Brid8e. At thi5 stage last year it was not obvious how any linkage would be achteved. On a positive note. we had a full and constructive meeting with Councillor Nadine Peatfield, then Deputy Leader of Derby City Council and also the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Tourism,. together wilh two of her officers. We explained our frustration at successive administrations, lack of interest in the Bridge and of action to preseNe or develop it. We acknowledged the Council'5 lack of spare funds and asked only for moral and practical support for our endeavour5. We pointed out that tne current administration, thanks to the revised election schedule and unlike previou5 administration5. had four year5 in which to ensure progress, or be seen as not caring for heritage. Councillor Peatfield told us of a Council tourism project to celebrate Derby's inventors and agreed to consider Andrew Handyside. We were asked to send relevant informaiion to two Council offi[5, which we duly did without CeiVIng any response. There was a further exchange of mutual contacts. At the end of the year. arising from his work with another heritage body. one of our members, Mike Wingfield. turned our attention to developin8 the Bridge as a tourist attraction and told us how we could obtain a feasibility stuijy. Education We continued to meet our educational remit through giving talks to general interest sroups and societies at their meetings. Other5 were arranged for after the end of this reporting year. Through our trustee Alistair Hodge, representinE ihe Univer51ty, we were again investigating ways to collaborate with the Untversivs Student5. but Mr Hodge went very quiet and we found he had left the University without telling us. Outside interference caused a disruption to our news and information on social media and we are grateful to Jayne Courts-Robinson of Humon Interface Productions for persevering and restoring her work on this and our website on our behalf. Other activities We sought advice and support from various bodies on presenting to Historic England the case for raising the status of the Bridge from Grade 11 to Il" We had previously delayecj our approach to Histoiic England to help the Goods Yard developers, since a successful application may have restricted the Goods Yard site's uses and made the planned development unviable.
Financial review The figures for this period remain straightforward and modest as demonstrated by the accounts. We are actively investigating sources to fund development and are makin8 applications as appropriate. The Fuiure While we are pleased to see the serious octtvity taking place adjacent to Friar Gate Bridge, it is apparent that no other party is committed to the future of the Bridge itself. Therefore. the Friends of Friar Gate Bridge has the key role in ensuring the Bridge's long-term interest5 are properly served. We nee¢J extra support from new trustees and volunteers to ensure the Biidge has a future. From a very early stage the Chair has said he would prefer to serve under someone with MO contatts and experien¢e, particularly in heritage. No one has been forthcoming but the Chairfs term as a trustee ha5 come to an end under the constitution and he will rètire no later than the next AGM, Declaration The report has been prepared by the Chair on behalf of the trustees. Signature-. Full name-. Position.. Franci5 Howarfl Mile5 Thomas Chair Date.. 30 January 2025