Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1[st] April 2024 To 31[st] March 2025
Charity name: Archives West Midlands
Charity registration number: 1168386
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The objects of Archives West Midlands are to advance education for the public benefit by supporting the collection, storage, preservation of and access to archival materials relating to the West Midlands region and to support work that increases the public understanding and appreciation of the people, places and events that have shaped the region |
| 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 |
AWM has created an Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging self-assessment tool as a follow-up to its No Barriers project. The tool is available free to all archives. AWM ran two workshops on the tool. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | |
|---|---|
| Para 1.38 | |
| Policy on grant making | |
| Para 1.38 | |
| Policy on social investment | |
| including program related | |
| investment | |
| Para 1.38 | |
| Contribution made by | |
| volunteers |
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 | · Continued to celebrate the region’s archives and their importance as irreplaceable cultural assets which tell the story of the West Midlands · Maintained our support for member services as the world embraces new ways of delivering services following the pandemic · Inducted a new trustee and begun planning for the departure of our three influential founding trustees · Maintained momentum with the Digital Progress Programme with events and discussion opportunities · Launched the EDIB-SAT to very positive feedback and with record attendance from across the sector · Begun to share responsibilities for different aspects of AWM’s work among our trustees, drawing on their valuable skills and experience · Delivered a total of 6 workshops and events on topics ranging from digital records to community archives and inclusion · Maintained a strong website and social media presence, sharing the success stories of our members and showcasing the work of our network |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 |
Other
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Total receipts for the year were £8030 and total payments were £4938. An agreed £10,000.00 has been set aside for the Beyond the Barriers project which has also been accounted for separately. The bank balance at 31 March 2025 was £24294.27 |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | AWM’s annual spend on overheads is approximately £4.9k K per annum and the income from current subscriptions is £9K. A reserve of £3.5K representing almost 49% of the annual operating budget is suggested. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £3500 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 |
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 |
Members Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | Reduction in membership levels and associated subscription levels. Membership levels remain steady and no significant reduction is anticipated |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
Constitution | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | |
| 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 | Trustee posts are advertised on the website and specify an interest in archives or experience of archives. Candidates are invited to submit their CV and an email to the Chair. An online interview is conducted by the chair and/or other officers and trustees. The prospective trustee is invited to attend a trustee meeting before committing. A vote is taken at either a Trustee meeting or the AGM. |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
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 | A job description sheet. Short online induction meeting with the Secretary. |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | A board of 12 Trustees who stand for 3 year periods, maximum of 9 consecutive years who report to the subscription members via the Annual General Meeting. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | The National Archives is the sector lead for archives and has an observer who attends Board meetings. The professional body for archivists, the Archives and Records Association also has an observer on the board, as does the Information and Records Management Society. |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Archives West Midlands |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | AWM |
| Registered charity number | 1168386 |
| Charity’s principal address | Warwickshire County Record Office Priory Park Cape Road Warwick CV34 4JS |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline Sampson | Chair | |||
| Richard Lewis | Secretary | |||
| Ian Gray | Treasurer | |||
| Justine Pick | ||||
| Georgia Bould | ||||
| Rob Dakin | ||||
| Pedro Cravinho | ||||
| Elizabeth- Oxborrow-Cowan |
||||
| Sal Mager | ||||
| Helen Johnson | ||||
| Clare Watson | ||||
| Eleanor Cook | ||||
– 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 held in this capacity
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for 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
No employees
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) C H COLLIER
Full name(s) CLAIRE COLLIER
Position (eg Secretary, ADMINISTRATOR Chair, etc)
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Date
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15/08/2025