The Duxford Radio Trust Annual Report 2022 – 2023-Final
Registered Charity No. 1169780
The Trustees of the Duxford Radio Trust (DRT) present their annual report for the year 16 November 2022 to 15 November 2023. Accounts for the above period are listed separately. The Duxford Radio Trust was formed in 2016 to take over the assets and activities of the former Duxford Radio Society (DRS). DRT has a wholly owned subsidiary, Duxford Radio Limited (DRL), a company limited by shares. The Trust is privately funded and during 2022-2023 was not in receipt of state grants.
1. Summary of DRT Activities November 2022 – November 2023
In 2022-2023 the DRT trustees and DRL directors resumed discussing and administering the affairs of the charity by regular face-to-face gatherings plus email, telephone conversations and WhatsApp text messages. Engineering, conservation, and restoration work has continued at the DRT store and engineering workshop. DRT exhibition and other equipment has been loaned to two local museums.
Following closure of the IWM radio section DRT has been working to clear the contents of a 40-foot storage shipping container full of spare equipment, components and racking remaining at IWM Duxford. However, access to this container has been limited by the collapse of an internal IWM access road, requiring the DRT equipment to be manually man-handled slowly away from the container. Some other items from previously aborted joint DRT/IWM projects remain on loan to IWM in other IWM buildings. These will be recovered in due course as DRT storage capacity permits.
The small replica of the Avro Lancaster Wireless Operator crew position has been loaned to the Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum, (WMHM) as a working exhibit, along with working examples of the Gee and LORAN navigation systems dating from WW2 and DRT trustees are acting as WMHM volunteers for explainer duties when required. DRT Trustees have begun demonstrating Morse code and radio communication to visitors and organised groups of visitors to WMHM.
Suitable other venues for DRT/DRL to resume presentations and exhibitions for the education of the public, and particularly of school children and Army/RAF Cadets, in the history and technology of radio communications in military conflict and civil emergencies continue to be under active research, investigation, and discussion.
2. DRT Reference and Administrative Information
The Trust is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and was registered with the Charity Commission on 19 October 2016. Registered Charity No. 1169780, registered in England. The Trust name can be abbreviated to DRT.
The DRT Trustees
Peter Brown Richard Pope Richard Howes John Moore Brian Roberts Pauline Howes Beryl Pope
During this period, trustee Kenneth Ballard died. Ken was one of the original DRT trustees. The Trust is grateful to have received the benefit of his activities and expertise since inception.
There have been no other changes of trustees during the period of this report. Trustees are appointed by the continuing Trustees and should number between three and ten competent persons according to the needs of the Trust. During the period under review the Trust had supporters but did not have any formal volunteers, only the above listed Trustees who are officers of the Trust.
Company secretary
Richard Howes
Registered Administrative Office
4 Burgoynes Farm Close Impington Cambridge CB24 9ZU
duxfordradio@gmail.com www.duxfordradio.org
Email Contact details Internet Web site
3. DRT Objectives
The Duxford Radio Trust is a not-for-profit communications, history, and technology foundation, formed in 2016 to take over the assets of the former unincorporated organisation, Duxford Radio Society, which from 1992 – 2016 had organised the operation of the volunteer radio section at the Imperial War Museums, Duxford, England. From 2016 – 2020 DRT/DRL took over the operation of the IWM Duxford volunteer radio section for IWM until the site closed for the Covid pandemic and was subsequently reorganised by IWM and the radio sections at Duxford and HMS Belfast closed down. DRT was then told by IWM to leave the Duxford Airfield site.
The primary role of DRT is the education of the public in communications used in military conflict and civil emergencies, and the celebration of the efficiency and effectiveness of the armed forces and the emergency services of the Crown by means of the management and protection of the collection of historic communications equipment, documents, and artefacts for exhibition to the public for the purposes above.
The Trust conducts research into the causes, needs, evolution, history of application and technical implementation of all types of communications used in military conflict and civil emergencies. The Trust collects, conserves, restores, records, maintains in working order (where practicable), a reference collection of historic equipment, technologies, documents, and other artefacts related to communications in military conflict and civil emergencies.
The Trust fulfils its public education obligations by using its equipment and document collection together with the accumulated knowledge and experience of the trustees and supporters to provide the materials for public exhibitions/demonstrations of historic radio communications, navigation, and radar artefacts.
The Trust fulfils its public education obligations by supporting independent work of other third parties in research, documentation, collection, conservation, restoration and exhibition of historic communications artefacts by providing support, materials and information from its internal collection and human knowledge/experience base. The Trust also fulfils its public education obligations by publishing the Duxford Radio journal three times per annum containing articles on specific historic equipment or communication related techniques. Copies of the Duxford Radio Journal are archived in Cambridge University Library. A newsletter is circulated to supporters by email from time to time.
The Trust has a wholly owned subsidiary, Duxford Radio Limited, formed on the advice of the Charity Commission, to conduct any activities which, under UK charity law, are not considered wholly and exclusively for the public benefit such as the Radio Amateur transmitting station. The limited company name can be abbreviated to DRL and is company number 10762055, registered in England, a company limited by Shares. The DRL activities include the ownership and operation of the special exhibition Amateur Radio communications station and associated equipment (when operational), and any trading activities necessary on behalf of the DRT parent charity etc.
In the past the Trust has also fulfilled its public education obligations by its DRL subsidiary owning and operating a licensed permanent exhibition radio transmitting and receiving station at IWM Duxford. The IWM radio station is now closed down; however, the core DRT registered radio call sign has been retained for future use and an appropriate Notice of Variation (NOV) exhibition radio call sign obtained from OFCOM to operate from Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum in the future.
The DRT collection of Allied communications equipment consists, in many cases, of complete working communications systems, (as opposed to the more common museum approach of a fragmented collection of individual objects obtained by the receipt of random donations). However, the unique feature of the DRT collection is not just the historical and technical significance of the items held, but the specialist ability of displaying and explaining the operational, working historic radio, navigation, and radar systems equipment to the public.
Following the death of Ken Ballard the DRL Directors currently are Richard Howes, and John Moore. The Company Secretary is Richard Howes. The Health and Safety Manager for both DRT and DRL is Peter Brown and the Treasurer for both is John Moore. The Supporter Liaison Secretary and Data Controller is Brian Roberts.
The Trust has reviewed and continued with the same banking facilities which were created in 20162017.
4. Summary of objectives contained in revised DRT Constitution V8a dated 21 October 2020
The objects of the CIO:-
The advancement of education of the general public, in the history of communications in military conflict and civil emergencies, and the consequent development of the technologies, equipment and techniques as applied to the related fields of activity of radio communications, line communications, radio navigation, radar (the process of radio detection and ranging, transponding etc.) and other forms of communications and communications technology as appropriate by means of:
(a) the research, documentation, collection, conservation, restoration, preservation, and storage of various items of electrical, mechanical, electronic, optical, and other military and non-military equipment employing various technologies together with related documents, images and ephemera, in order that they be exhibited and demonstrated to the general public in permanent and/or temporary exhibitions at selected locations in the United Kingdom.
(b) providing specialist technical knowledge, information, equipment, engineering services, other artefacts and the services of interpretation, explanation, and display, to support national, regional, and local exhibitions and other similar activities, in order to create, establish and maintain a museum or other historic communications exhibits and/or displays open to the general public.
(c) providing specialist technical knowledge, information, equipment, artefacts, historic documentation, exhibitions, and support relating to communications as required to:
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The public
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Schools and educational establishments
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Collectors, restorers, conservators, and users of historic communications equipment
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History societies and other groups
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Museums
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Other public and private events and venues, permanent or temporary
5. Activities, Performance and Public Benefit
The Trust was formed on 15 November 2015 and became a registered charity on 19 October 2016.
During the period under review, DRT has been actively supporting the Trustees of the Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum and also the management of both the Pye History Trust and the Cambridge Museum of Technology Trust in respect of exhibiting the history of communications to the public.
6. Subscriptions and Donations Received
Supporters subscriptions and various donations of funds have been received from private individuals in the UK for the express purpose of supporting the operation of DRT and maintaining and storing the DRT equipment collections. Various other non-restricted financial donations and donations of storage racking, equipment, documents, and electronic, and electro-mechanical components have been received from private individuals and from organisations in the electronics industry. The Trust is most grateful for these donations. The Trust is registered for Gift Aid recovery on subscriptions and donations.
7. Heritage Assets
The collection of historic communications equipment and documents owned by the Trust, which currently date from the approximate period 1916 – 2024 is considered by the Trustees to qualify to be treated as Heritage Assets. Throughout this reporting period the Trustees have continued to conserve, restore, maintain, research, catalogue, and assess the present-day market value of these heritage assets in accordance with SORP FRS102. The cataloguing and valuation process was arrested by the pandemic but is again ongoing.
The individual value of such items is estimated by researching the average selling price achieved at public auction and public on-line auction and by applying the knowledge, experience, and judgement of the Trustees as to the historical significance, scarcity, desirability, utility and condition of each item. The Trust has purchased Spectrum approved museum cataloguing software in order to begin to migrate the internal collection recording database to the British Museum Spectrum standard.
8. Other Information
The Trust has maintained appropriate product and public liability insurance for DRL activities via the RSGB group policy and for DRT activities via a separate insurance policy. The suite of replacement operating policies and risk assessments have been maintained appropriate to the changed circumstances and locations of DRT/DRL engineering and exhibition facilities.
The Trust has the following formal operating policies in operation:-
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Health and Safety Policy
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Complaints Policy
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Data Protection & Privacy Policy
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Code of Conduct Policy
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Safeguarding Policy
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Volunteering Policy
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Equal Opportunities Policy
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Media & Social Networking Policy
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Radiological Protection Policy (ionizing & non-ionizing)
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Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) Policy
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Emergency Procedure/Emergency Evacuation Policy
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Infectious Diseases Policy (replaces original Covid-19 policy)
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13 Interim Collections Policy (acquisitions & disposals)
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OFCOM EMF Compliance Policy (draft only as radio station temporarily closed down)
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Briefing policy and process for visitors to storage site and workshop
The Trust has continued to operate the wholly owned subsidiary company, Duxford Radio Limited (DRL), for any activities which are not considered by the Charity Commission to be wholly and exclusively for the public benefit. DRL is registered with HMRC for corporation tax. DRL is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) to hold personal data on supporting individuals for approved purposes subject to their express agreement.
DRT has registered with HMRC for the Gift Aid system and maintains a public Internet website www.duxfordradio.org to communicate information to the general public about the history, application, and technology of communications in military conflict and civil emergencies.
The DRT historical-technical journal entitled Duxford Radio has reached issue 93 and is archived in the Cambridge University Library.
9. Statement of Conformance to Public Benefit Requirements
The Trustees have had regard for the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission from time to time and contained within documents PB1, PB2 and PB3 and have acted accordingly.
The Trust has supported the general public, organised groups, local museums and individuals with exhibition equipment, historical and technical information both directly and indirectly via exhibition, publications, email and web site.
10. Additional Information
The Trustees and Directors are most grateful for the activity, support and assistance given by the supporters of the former IWM Duxford Radio Section and also local and distant supporters and donors.
No DRT Trustee or DRL Director received any personal benefit or remuneration or expenses from the Trust or DRL Ltd, only re-imbursement of agreed expenditure on specific purchases made on behalf of DRT/DRL.
End DRT Trustees 2022-2023 report December 2023 final
Duxford Radio Trust Charity Group Balance Sheet as of 15 November 2023
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Group Charity
Fixed Assets (Note 1)
Office Equipment Etc 12,585.00 12,278.00
Current Assets
Cash at Bank and in hand 7,582.00 4,898.00
Debtors (Note 2) 0 1,000.00
Shares (Note 3) 0 100.00
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Total Current Assets 20,167.00 18,276.00
Creditors : Amounts Falling due 4.00 4.00
within 1 year
Total assets less current liabilities 20,171.00 18,280.00
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Combined Total Income DRT and DRL 4,064.00
Combined Total Expenditure DRT and DRL 4,215.00
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Note 1 Heritage Assets
Work continues to catalogue and estimate the value of the collection of historic military communications artefacts and documents (see Trustees Report). The value to date is estimated as £125,000 to £175,000, and the work is on-going.
Note 2
Loan of £1,000.00 from Duxford Radio Trust to Duxford Radio Ltd for working capital.
Note 3
100 £1 shares in Duxford Radio Ltd wholly owned by Duxford Radio Trust.