Friends of Doncaster Mansion House Charity Number: 1171398 Trustees. Annual Report & Financial Statements for the Period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
Friends of Doncaster Mansion House Trustees, Annual Report & Financial Statements for the Financial Period from 1 April 2023 to 31" March 2024 Reference & Administration Details Charity Details: Number: 1171398 Names of the Charity Trustees who manage the Charity Name Adrian Hunt - chair Kevin Finnegan Brian Barber Joanne Webb Marion Johns Yvonne Vloodcock Jackie Gladden John Weston John Holmes Miriam Clarke Appointed 4 April 2024 Appointed 4 April 2024 Appointed 4 June 2024 Appointed 4 June 2024 Appointed 20 March 2018 Appointed 14 October 2016 Appointed 15 February 2023 Appointed 8 July 2025 Resigned 6 September 2024 Resigned 13 May 2025 Names & Addresses of Advisors Bank: HSBC, High Street, Doncaster, DN1 1 EE Treasurer. John Vveston - appointed as treasurer by the Trustees on October 2nd 2020, and confirmed at each subsequent AGM. Structure, Governance & Management Type of Governing Document: Constitution How the Charity is Constituted: Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Trustee Selection Methods: Election at Annual General Meeting How New Trustees are Inducted and Tralned: New trustees are given a copy of the Charity's constitution, previous minutes, reports and policies and given briefings by the current trustees Objects Summary ofthe Objects ofthe Charty as set out in its Goveming Document (1) The promotion for the public benefit of the conservation of Doncaster Mansion House and its associated artefacts (2) To advance the education of the public in general (and particularly amongst young people) on the subject of the Doncaster Mansion House including by facilitating public use of the Donc2Ster Mansion House for education purposes and by promoting research for the public benefit in all aspects of the Doncaster Mansion House and publishing the useful results of that research. (3) To advance the education of the public about the life and work of James Paine, the architect of Doncaster Mansion House. Statutory Declaration on Public Benefit The trustees declare that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers or duties. Activities and Achievements Governance We were very pleased to welcome our member Major Adrian Hunt DL as a trustee and were very grateful when he agreed to be our new chair. We were also very pleased to welcome two of our volunteers Kev Finnegan and Joanne Webb as trustees. The membership as at the end of March 2024 stood at 33 members. Local Authority Representatives of the Friends have met on a regular basis with officers of the Local Authority.
We are grateful for their support in providing training for our volunteers, help with printing our leaflet, and particularly to Helen Foster for attending our volunteers, meetings, keeping us up to date with developments and for her cheerful appreciation of the work of our volunteers. Conservation Plan We were pleased to learn that the pla Directorate of the Council had commissioned a new Conservation Plan for the Mansion House because we hoped that this document would provide an informed basis for future maintenance and improvements and for planning activities, and it was a neSSary step in securing funding. We received s questionnaire from the company commissioned to carry out the work and held a special meeting of the trUStS and voluntrS to discuss our response. Three trustees then attended a consultation event in November 2024. As at the end of March 2025 we awart the completed document. Activities undertaken to fulfil our objects (1) Conservation of the Mansion House and its associated artefacts l+Ve have been in discussion wrth staff at Heritage Services regarding the paintings in the back committee room. Apart from a painting of a St Leger winner belonging to the Earl of Lonsdale, whose portrait is in the ballroom, the current pictures do not depict people. places or events which are linked to Doncaster. One of our volunteers investigated alternatives from the Doncaster Art Gallery stores, and plans were made for changes, but issues regarding the rehang and work associated with the conSeration Plan has delayed implementstion. {2) Advancing education of the public and facilitsting the public use of the Mansion House and promoting research The regular monthly Open Days have tsken pla, and our volunteers have enjoyed welcoming people to the Mansion House and sharing their knowledge of the wonderful building. A total of 1402 people visited the Mansion House on the Open Days. The Friends were also pleased to carry out nine tours for groups visibng the Mansion House, including the Friends of Cusworth Park, a visiting group from the U3A in Ilkley, a cadet group and a scout group, a group from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and a group of local veterans. We only had one school vistt, from Balby Primary, and whilst this was a great success. we are having discussions with stsff at Heritage Services about how we can bring more young people into the Mansion House.
This year the Doncaster Civic Trust put together a brochure listing the events taking place locally for national Heritage Open Days. We supported the working group, and our own events in the week were a talk following the AGM by Professor Jim Watt, Professor of English Literature and the Director of the School for Eighteenth Century studies at the University of York, and a special Open Day with some of our volunteers in period costume and a workshop on Regency Dancing. The two events together attracted 230 visitors. We could not do our work without our valued team of knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteers. We have held three volunteers, meetings Whe new ideas and suggestions for improvement are aired. Our guidebook continues to sell steadily at Open Days, group visits, talks and via the Tourist Information Office. All profits are used by the Friends for their charitable purposes. Two editions of the newsletter were produced in May and November 2024 and provide a plattorm for original research. Articles included the visit to Doncaster by the Duke of Sussex in the early nineteenth century, the life of Sarah Siddons whose portrait hangs in the Drawing Room, the work of William Lindley and a visit to Doncaster of the Yorkshire Agricultural Show with events in the Mansion House. The illustrations reproduced are the earliest known drawings of the Mansion House interior as built. The Friends are happy to give illustrated talks to outside groups about the Mansion House, and this year one was given to the Barnby Dun Ladies Group. The Friends continued to maintain an active Fabook page, and we are grateful to Frank Carpenter for maintaining the site. We had a stall at the Doncaster and District Heritage Associatron Heritage Day to promote the Mansion House. We are grateful to lan Moore at 20-20 design for his help with our website. New articles have been added including one relating to H.M.S. Andromeda by our volunteer Richard Cuell. We continue to advocate with the Council for the return of the very popular afternoon teas and also for the tea danS which were such a helpful social exercise activity for the people who attended. Christmas at the Mansion House
Some of the Christmas decorations were looking very tired and the Friends made a donation of new decorations or for the hall and staircase. We held a Christmas cOnrt in the Mansion House in Dember with the Cusworth Singers. It was a great success despite the awful weather on the night, bringing in around 60 people and the Friends made over £600. It was a great pleasure to share the Mansion House dressed on its Christmas finery with new visitors, and we hope to repeat the concert in December 2025. (3) Advancing education about James Paine The Friends, display about James Paine was displayed at. Cusworth Hall and the Friends have maintained their website which contains a wealth of information about James Paine and photographs of all three of James Paine's books of architectural engravings. Volunteer Hours Our volunteers have put in considerable time in delivering the objectives of the Friends , both in the regular Open Days and private tours and in the special projects undertaken this year. Open Days and private tours Volunteer meetings Christmas decorations Trustee meetings and admin Council Liaison Newsletter and research Fabook and publicity Finance Administration and reports Christmas concert Totsl 534 115 23 134 25 270 50 57 125 70 1403 Financial Review statement of the Charity's Policy on Reserves The Trustees have detennined to keep no less than £500 as a reserve fund. Details of Any Funds Materially in Deflclt The Trustees declare that the charity had no funds which were materially in deficit at the date of the statement of assets & liabilities. State of the Charity's Finances The small but regular income from bucket colledtons at Open Days helps our resources, and the income from the Christmas Concert was very welcome.
The Friends are aware of a pending legacy and are in touch with the executor of the will. Restricted Funds The current restricted funds are a small remaining amount from the John and Ruth Howard Charitable Trust for a new Mansion House brochure, which will be used to print a large print copy, and from the Doncaster Lions, the Frenchgate Centre and the Civic Trust to support school visits. Designated Funds The Friends have designated £300 of their funds to support school visits. Particulars of Any Outstsnding Guarantee Given by the Charity The Trustees declare that the charity has given no guarantee where potential liability is outstanding at the date of the statement of assets & liabilities. Particulars of Any Outstanding Debt The Trustees declare that the charity has no outstanding debts which are secured by an express charge on any of the assets of the charity at the date of the statement of assets & liabilities Declaration The Trustees declare that they have approved the above report and authorise that it be signed on their behalf. Signed . Date 11 Nth) 15:
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independ'ent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Friends of Doncaster Mansion House On accounts for the year ended 3110312025 Charity no (if any) 1171398 Set out on page5 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {"the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basls 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 Trusfs 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. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ") in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examinerfs statement I have no COnrnS 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. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 17 Name: David W Th ers Rolevant professlonal qualification(s) or body (If any): CENG',M l Mech E Addrnss: 4 Hindbum Close DN4 IER October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of conrn (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: d1ctionS and guidance for examiners). Glve here brief detalls of any items that the examlner wlshes to disclose. IER October 2018
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WAIEs Receipts and payments accounts CC16a Forthe perfod 01.04.2024 31.03,2025 Section A Recei tsand ments Unrestricted funds tl wrest Restiicted fund5 Endowmènt funds lo tl eSt £ Total funds Last yèar to nearest £ to ne8rost £ to ttro Mar•8t £ Al Rocei Sthscri i[S Bk81 donatK)ll5 t5 158 158 327 324 130 324 210 JG S er fee othet donatv)ns erh t& C8tr8 SchorA ttans Cth8rt 50 373 300 123 123 1,961 175 1.123 Sub total(Gross income forAR) A2 Asset and investment sales, gwtabla . 1.961 Sub total Totalreceipts 1.961 1,961 1,723 ents Insuwce n8rdl Aknsion Hou58 Brochures (Jocks Advice 8tKI r8 IAtsb ffélnt8nar8 license ions (hstMaS oratiOnS 214 214 20S 1.325 10 287 10 io Fb" Flpers and VVait85 rryJ5icians Piclure Fra etc ikne Mortsh S1]es ers. ex B•Jk char 97 16 23 16 112 73 Sub total 783 41 A4 Asset and investment Sub total 783 4.129 Net of receipts/{payments) A5 Transfers batwgen funds A6 Cash funds last ygarend Cash funds thls year end 2.S20 3,698 763 3.283 4,461 763 3.283 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestrfcted . fun(Js lo newest £ RestTiCted funds Endowrnent funds t(k nearesl £ t¢i rnar68t £ Bl Cash fuiids (ljrrent account 1652 Cosh rotal cash funds 3.698 763 Unr8strfct8d funds R95trlcted fund5 Endowment funds OOOOOOCCXX R1 arUnts IS91J10rd017
'. Oeta41$ to Mare8t£ to nearest £ to nearest£ B2 other monetary assets FuKltovthith asset. rent val vrert val rSpt3il% B4 Assets retalned for tho charty's own use B5 LlabHltles SNJned by one or ffiistees on . bèhalf of all the tMstpe$.._ Sgn8ture Print Name Date of approval OOOOOOCCX% R2 aco)unts ISSI211 0017