Charity Number: 1172812 Company Number: CE010206
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The Friends Of March Railway Station (FOMRS)
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Annual Report and Accounts
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1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024
Purposes, Aims and Objectives
The purposes, aims and objectives of the Friends Of March Railway Station (FOMRS) are:
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Maintaining and preserving buildings of heritage importance and interest, associated with the history of railways in March
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Make the facilitates of a community room, library, meeting facilities and lecture room available to community groups and community support groups
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Providing resources for learning about the history of and the role the railway has played in development of the town
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A place to display and be viewed by the general public, artefacts donated to the group that relate to the railway history of March
Achievements
It was intended that this year a renewed focus would be put into attracting new volunteers, so the Group had adopted a new approach to recruiting new volunteers by holding ‘Open House’ events on a monthly basis. By the end of the year a total of 9 volunteers had joined.
Two events had been held during the year – the Model Railway Exhibition in May and the Heritage Open Day in September. Attendance at both events had sadly been affected by Rail Strikes, which also meant there were no toilet facilities available as the station building was closed.
Works completed during the last year included maintenance of window frames and doors to replace rotten wood and repaint. The library floor tiles had also been professionally cleaned. Planters had been maintained on the operational side of the station, with three new ones made ready to be placed out the front of the station later this year.
The Group had linked up with other Volunteer Groups to get help with some of the projects planned, particularly the ‘Make & Mend’ March Men’s Shed Incorporating The Women’s Shed, who had helped restore some of the woodwork along the Old Platform 1.
Work on the Community Model Railway progressed well, with all the electrical work being completed in both directions of the layout making it operational for open days and events.
The group were approached to participate in a series of monthly Heritage Talks organised by Fenland District Council. The first one being delivered on A History of March Station in January and there two further events took place in February and March 2024, with the March talk being given by Peter Wright from the B17 Trust.
The Group have been fortunate to have a Victorian G.E.R. Carriage donated to it. This is to be dismantled by volunteers and the plan is to restore it and position it on the old Bay Platforms.
Financial Review
The Group opened a new online bank account set up with Lloyds.
Total receipts on unrestricted funds for the period were £xxx. This was substantially boosted by a donation from the Railway Employees & Public Transport Association (REPTA) which closed and distributed its funds to likeminded groups.
Restricted funds of £200 were also received towards the Victorian Carriage Restoration Project.
During the period £736.19 was spent on maintenance and repairs of the rooms and the outside works. Other costs were plants for the station area at £156.92, £30.00 for Cambridgeshire Council for Voluntary Services annual membership, £96.00 for the Groups Liability Insurance which is with Zurich Insurance, £54.50 for sundries and £22.07 event costs.
The net result for the year was a surplus of receipts over payments of £2,527.63. Adding bank and deposit balances brought forward at the beginning of the year, the balance carried forward at 31st March 2024 on unrestricted funds is £4.112.43 plus £600.00 restricted funds, giving a total of £4,712.43.
Reserves Policy
FOMRS has an agreement to maintain a balance of circa £2,500 General Funds to cover any unforeseen costs. As a result of the Pandemic the group had to fall back on these reserves to cover the deficit and plans to replenish the reserves through fundraising activities and events have been extremely successful. This was boosted by the REPTA windfall which has substantially bolstered the groups reserves and will allow the group to fund match large grant applications. To this end the group has made the decision to hold the current surplus in designated reserves for future project purposes for the restoration of the buildings on Old Platform 1.
The restricted grant of £400 from March Town Council received in 2019-2020 for a gazebo for events which was to be purchased in March 2019, but due to Covid19 did not happen will be carried over a further year until events can be restarted in earnest and the gazebo can be purchased.
Restricted funds are also being held for the Victorian Carriage Restoration project, and similarly these funds will be held outside of the Reserves Policy to fund this multiyear project.
FOMRS in general works on a basis of applying for Grants for specific projects.
Volunteers
We would like to thank all our volunteers that work hard to make the station a vibrant and lively place.
Sadly this year saw the loss of three of the groups long-standing members. Jim Mears, Charles Paxton and Peter Thorne sadly passed away during the last year, all of whom had been dedicated to the work of the group and who’s contributions are recognised and appreciated by the group.
Structure, Management and Governance
The FOMRS structure, management and governance is defined in the groups constitution and FOMRS is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) by Association (an organisation
with voting members other than its charity trustees). The Group has a committee of four Trustees that fulfil the officer roles of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
All decisions are overseen by the Committee and all members have voting rights on all proposals, which are discussed and voted on at regular members meetings and the AGM.
At the AGM Adrian Sutterby informed the members that he intended to resign as Chairman and would not be standing for re-election. The Group thanks Adrian for 14 years of dedication to the Group.
Max Mobius had informed the Group earlier in the year of his intention to retire as Secretary at the AGM. The group thanks Max for all his work and for being the groups Secretary for many years.
Administrative Information
The Friends Of March Railway Station is based at and has the buildings on Platform 2 of March Railway Station, the address of which is 4 Station Approach, March PE15 8SJ.
The up to date contact details for The Friends Of March Railway Station can be found on the Charity Commission website.
The FOMRS Committee of Trustees for the period of this report were:
Adrian Sutterby – Chair (resigned 15 February 2024)
Robert Able – Chair (appointed 15 February 2024)
Gary Christy – Vice Chair
Max Mobius – Secretary (resigned 15 February 2024)
Mandy Ward – Secretary (appointed 15 February 2024)
Nicola Christy – Treasurer
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Friends Of March Railway Station (FOMRS) 1172812 Receipts and payments accounts For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01/04/2023 31/03/2024
CC16a
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 2,837 303 283 - - - - - 3,423 - - - 3,423 157 22 736 30 96 55 - - 1,096 - - - 1,096 2,327 - 1,785 4,112 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ 200 - - - - - - - 200 - - - 200 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 200 - 400 600 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 3,037 303 283 - - - - - 3,623 - - - 3,623 157 22 736 30 96 55 - - - 1,096 - - - 1,096 2,527 |
Total funds to the nearest £ 3,037 303 283 - - - - - 3,623 - - - 3,623 157 22 736 30 96 55 - - - 1,096 - - - 1,096 2,527 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 2,837 | - | ||||
| Grants | 303 | - | ||||
| Funds from Events | 283 | - | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
3,423 | - | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
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| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
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| - | ||||||
| Plants | 157 | - | ||||
| Cost of Events | 22 | - | ||||
| Maintenance and Repairs | 736 | - | ||||
| CCVS Membership | 30 | - | ||||
| Insurance | 96 | - | ||||
| Sundaries | 55 | - | ||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 1,096 | - | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
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| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
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| - | ||||||
| 2,327 | 200 | - | 2,527 |
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| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1,785 | 400 | - | 2,185 | - | ||
| 4,112 | 600 | - | 4,712 | - |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
03/01/2025
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets |
Signature Bank Accont Cash Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Details Details Details |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 3,171 600 941 - - - 4,112 600 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| - | |||
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| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| Current value (optional) |
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| Current value (optional) |
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| When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval |
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CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
03/01/2025
2