2023-05-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] May 2023

ELIZABETH MONTAGU CORRESPONDENCE ONLINE

Administrative information

Charity number: 1174697

Administrative address: Creek House, Fishery Road, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 1UN

Bankers: CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ

Objects & Charitable Purposes

The objects of the charity are to advance education for the public benefit by publishing an online edition of the letters of Elizabeth Montagu, her correspondents and other members of her circle (“the Montagu Correspondence”) in particular but not exclusively as a means to:

a) advance scholarship and literary and historical research by making the online correspondence archive available for use as an educational tool by academic institutions and interested members of the public;

b) encourage scholars and researchers to transcribe, edit, study and publish materials arising from the online correspondence archive, and to provide them with scholarships, expense reimbursement and other forms of financial assistance for this purpose.

The trustees are mindful of the Charity Commission guidelines on public benefit.

Structure, Governance & Management

The charity was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 18[th] September 2017. It is administered by its Trustees, and the day-to-day administration is carried out by Joanna Barker. The Trustees receive no remuneration from the charity.

Trustees

Professor Caroline Franklin (Chair) Professor Mike Franklin Professor Nicole Pohl Dr Elizabeth Eger Joanna Barker

The founding Trustees listed above were appointed on 18[th] September 2017 and serve an initial term of between two and four years (as set out in the founding document) and may thereafter be re-elected for terms of three years.

The Trustees have familiarised themselves with their responsibilities and obligations as set out on the website of the Charity Commission. New trustees, when appointed, will benefit from an induction process.

Donations

A donation was received during the year from the Ardeola Charitable Trust, of which Joanna Barker is a trustee.

Review of Activities

The internship programme has continued, with three further doctoral students trained in transcription, editing and tagging techniques, and paid a stipend. One member of the first intake of interns was promoted to Research Assistant, and a former Research Assistant was promoted to Research Coordinator. This demonstrates the career development opportunities that the charity continues to create for early career researchers.

The charity began the year with an available cash balance, which was expended during the year and, together with a grant from the Ardeola Charitable Trust, was sufficient to cover its expenses. Further grants have been received since the year end.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

1. Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently

2. Observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP

3. Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent

4. State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements

5. Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the charity will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity, and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011 and the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the

charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Reserves Policy

The policy adopted by the Trustees is to hold a level of cash that, taken together with firm future pledges from its existing funders, will be sufficient to fulfil its known obligations for the next twelve months.

The Trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report and accounts for the year ended 31[st] May 2023.

……………………… Signature Name: Joanna Barker

Position: Trustee Date: 13[th] December 2023

ELIZABETH MONTAGU CORRESPONDENCE ONLINE

Charity Number 1174697

Income & Expenditure account

For the Year ended 31[st] May 2023

Receipts	2023	2022
	£	£
Grants & Donations	10,000	40,000
Conference Fees	-	2,310
Bank interest	13	-
Total income	10,013	42,310
Payments
Funding of research	13,800	25,410
assistants and interns
Oxford Brookes
Cooperation Agreement	9,096	-
Purchase of rights to digital	-	442
images
Travel and conference	-	8,179
expenses
Governance expenses	480	480
Other expenses	203	2,665
Bank charges	66	121
Purchase of equipment	-	-
Total expenses	23,645	37,308
Surplus/(Deficit)	(13,632)	5,002

Statement of Assets & Liabilities

Assets: Cash at Bank Liabilities Net Assets	612 480 132	14,245 480 13,765