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 ne￿SSary step in securing
funding. We received s questionnaire from the company commissioned to carry out
the work and held a special meeting of the trUSt￿S and volunt￿rS 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 conSer￿ation 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 Fa￿book 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 dan￿S 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 cOn￿rt in the Mansion House in De￿mber 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
Fa￿book 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 COn￿rnS 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 con￿rn (see CC32,
Independent examination of charity accounts: d1￿ctionS 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
B￿k81 donatK)ll5
t5
158
158
327
324
130
324
210
JG S *er fee
othet donatv)ns
er*h t& C8tr8 SchorA ttans
Cth￿8rt
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 ffélnt8nar￿8
license
ions
(h￿stMaS ￿￿oratiOnS
214
214
20S
1.325
10
287
10
io
Fb"
Flpers and VVait85 rryJ5icians
Piclure Fra￿ etc
ikne Mortsh
S￿￿1]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 ar￿Unts 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 0￿017