2020-12-31-accounts

ARCTIC RESEARCH GROUP ANNUAL REPORT FOR CHARITY COMMISSION 2020

CONTENTS

• 1 Trustees of the Charity 2020 – 21 2 The Objects

• 3 Leader’s report 4 Accounts 5 Agreement of Trustees

TRUSTEES

For the year 2020 – 21 Trustees of the Association were as follows: -

Trustees:	Mr Ian Frearson (Founder)
	Prof George Shaw
	Mr Chris Searston
	Mr Bernard Frearson
	Mr Simon Hall

1 OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY

• 1 To advance education in the High Arctic environment through scientific research into all its aspects and the dissemination of the useful results for the benefit of the public.

• 2 To encourage the continuation on research expeditions by encouraging and taking along new young scientists on expeditions and introducing them to the rigours of field research in this hostile environment

• 3 If the objects specified in 1 and 2 should for any reason fail or cannot be fulfilled then the Group will continue to plan for the future continuation of research expeditions and recruitment of new members who will be able to maintain the vision of the founding group.

• 4 The strategy of the ARG is to undertake useful, meaningful scientific research that will add to current information and benefit both science specifically and the public generally so that a better understanding of the High Arctic environment may be obtained. The Group's strategy has always been designed to guarantee a higher than average chance of success with all expeditions, by undertaking a series of interlinked, but scientifically separate, projects that together provide a better scientific coverage of the research area generally, whilst the individual projects chosen on their own merit are complementary to each other. This strategy makes the best economic as well as scientific sense and has stood the ARG in good stead since its inception in 1988.

2 LEADER’S REPORT

2020 opened with continued planning and preparation and promulgation of aspects of the reports from various portions of the 2019 Expedition to Bockfjorden. Sadly the inclusion of outside bodies and other research organisations who requested the ARG to undertake some work on their behalf manes that the Group are dependent on them to complete their analyses of samples then come up with their part of the research findings as part of the overall research work so that results may be included on the overall Expedition reports. So far we still await the results from some outside partners. It is recognised that the Covid pandemic has seriously affected some organisations and countries so that normal research is now impossible to predict and the Group hopes that results will be forthcoming soon so that final reports may be competed and promulgated. This is one of the means through which the ARG is promoted to others and applications for inclusion on future expeditions is made.

Even the limited results of our 2019 expedition work up to the end of 2020 has since led more young scientists to express an interest in becoming involved in research work in the High Arctic and in joining our next expedition, the planning for which commenced as soon as the 2019 one got home.

Dr Stephen Staley

ARG Leader

3 FINANCES

In considering the finances of this period – January 2020– December 2020, it must be realised that the roller coaster life of expeditioning means periods of low activity and financial transactions are to be experienced and expected. This reflects the low number of transactions and likewise that of increases in funds that are seen in the actual financial spreadsheet. The only marked element is the payment form HMRC of the monies claimed under Gift Aid, that has made such a marked turn in the current financial statement.

4 AGREEMENT OF TRUSTEES

This report has been circulated to all the Trustees with the understanding that it has to be agreed by them prior to submission. The agreement is awaited although no comments or complaints on the figures or presentation have been made by anyone to date. Some changes to the actual Trustee members is expected during the next financial year. This will be purely down to desired regular turnover of members so that the new Trustees remain keen and fresh to the tasks put before them. Not an enviable role.

ARCTIC RESEARCH GROUP CHARITY ACCOUNT

FINANCE STATEMENT 1[st] January 2020 – 31[st] December 2020

ITEM	OUT	IN	BALANCE
Opening balance 1stjan 2020			973.35
Arctic Ltd	300.00		673.35
Gift Aid funds		5385.07	6058.42
Everyclick Fund		16.39	6074.81
Jervis Investments		515.00	6589.81
			6589.81
Balance retained in Svalbard account		1152.42	7742.23
Closing sum for 2020 Total Assets			7742.23