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2020-12-31-accounts

ROSLISTON ASTRONOMY GROUP (Reg. Charity Number 1175118)

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT for the period - 1st January, 2020 to 31st December, 2020

Aims and Purposes

Rosliston Astronomy Group, abbreviated to RAG for ease of reference, is an amateur Astronomy Group with a membership of around fifty, and with a small, but very enthusiastic and active, Junior Members’ section. Although RAG is a relatively new Charity, having been granted status as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in October 2017, as a Club the group has been in existence since October 1999. Throughout this time we have been committed to delivering an ‘outreach’ programme for all age ranges of the General Public, promoting the advancement of education in both the theory and practice of Astronomy.

Our regular Meetings are based at Rosliston Forestry Centre, in South Derbyshire, on the border with Staffordshire, and our membership and the members of the public attending our regular Meetings and one off events are mainly drawn from the surrounding areas of South Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire and adjacent sections of the West Midlands, with occasional visitors from wider afield.

Objectives and Activities

As a CIO our objectives are twofold:

RAG continues to be committed to enabling as many people as possible to experience the ‘Wow’ factor when they observe the wonders of the night sky, a galaxy, a solar flare or sunspot, at first hand. We believe in encouraging lifelong learning, and helping everyone to appreciate the value of having a knowledge of Astronomy, to whatever level, and its place in the world around them.

The year 2020 has been very difficult for RAG. Like most other organisations, the implications triggered by the procedures put in place by the Government in its management of the Covid-19 pandemic have proved extremely challenging. This year it was RAG’s intention to continue to assist Rosliston Forestry Centre in their weekend Science Days, providing the Astronomy element, including Solar observation, active radio astronomy, and examples and explanations of deep sky astrophotography. Our members were also expecting to provide the Astronomy element at Rosliston Forestry Centre’s two ‘Night World’ Events. The extended period of ‘lockdown’ involving prolonged isolation nationally resulted in all such planning being cancelled.

Every ‘outreach’ event offered by RAG involves a number of Members, providing a range of activities for members of the public to take part in. These activities are free, and accessible to everyone. Members are ‘on hand’, both inside and out, to provide guidance, encouragement, further explanation, provide background knowledge, and extend the public awareness of the wonders of Astronomy generally.

Implementation of the period of isolation, and the Government restrictions on public meetings in March 2020 meant that the programme for ‘outreach’ events to be held in their usual formats, scheduled from March onwards, had to be cancelled.

Government restrictions did not prevent all RAG links to the public to be stopped, however. In May and October 2020 the Rosliston Environmental Team hosted two ‘Night Watch’ events, engaging the Public ‘online’ using Microsoft Teams. RAG contributed to both events.

In addition, RAG’s ‘outreach’ support for specific community groups was also able to continue within Government guidelines, although this was limited. RAG engaged with two Cub-Scout groups, ‘online’ via ‘Zoom’, to facilitate both groups to be able to achieve their Astronomy Badges.

In normal circumstances, in addition to our ‘one-off’ outreach events, RAG holds a regular series of meetings through the year, twice every month, Mid-Month and End of Month. These meetings are open to everyone, members and non-members, and are publicised on the RAG website Calendar, by Rosliston Forestry Centre’s Environmental Education Team, and in the Local ‘What's On’.

The planned programme of Mid-Month Meetings went ahead for January, February and March. The End of Month Meetings for January and February were also held, with Guest Speakers on Collecting Meteorites and on RAG’s 18” Mirror - building the Telescope, respectively.

Immediately Government restrictions were implemented across the country Trustees acted to find a way to engage members, and to maintain activity within the Club. They decided to encourage members to adopt Microsoft Teams as a means to promote Meetings, and for Trustees to be able to ‘meet’ to carry out their duties in strategic management.

RAG was recognised as a Charity by Teams, and was allocated an account enabling unrestricted ‘meeting time’ without financial outlay.

The Trustees are proud to report that from April 2020 all previously scheduled Mid-Month and End of Month Meetings were able to continue, held via Microsoft Teams. The number of Guest Speakers were able to be increased, but with minimal financial impact. One guest speaker on Spectroscopy was ‘online’ from his home in Seattle.

The Trustees commend the Membership for their willingness to adopt online meetings, which for some was a challenge in the first instance. The data protection element was maintained by all meetings being instigated by the Membership Secretary, as a single source of personal details.

Achievements and Performance

RAG’s ‘Outreach’ Programme is well established, and well received, reaching in excess of 500 members of the public, across the full age range during 2019 i.e. over a full year of public events. Having due regard to the Charity Commission’s documents on ‘public benefit’, Trustees have continued their initiative begun in 2018, and have spent time analysing and discussing future events and activities, monitoring the effects of the pandemic on the work of the Charity, and with particular emphasis on identifying effective evaluation and added value, and how this can be maintained during the period of restriction and beyond.

In more detail - the Trustees are extremely proud of the way RAG has functioned throughout 2020. Although the arrival of the pandemic and all the consequences that this imposed across the country, halted the majority of RAG’s planned programme for 2020, the Trustees are particularly proud to report that, although different, the restrictions did not prevent RAG continuing a programme of meetings online for its members, and to a limited extent links were continued with other agencies.

Regarding Membership, this year, too, we maintained a number of potential new members by inviting them to join our online meetings.

Both before the arrival of the pandemic, and during the resultant prolonged period of restriction, the year has been an important one for RAG for a number of reasons. Some of these are detailed in other parts of this Report, but are itemised here to report their overall significance. During 2020 we have achieved the following: 13th January - successful and awarded the shared custodianship of the Space Sapling 14th March - Grand Opening of The Peter Bolas Observatory by Chief Scientist, UKSA 14th March - presented with a plaque of the Coat of Arms for South Derbyshire, by the CEO of South Derbyshire, awarded to RAG for our Partnership Working. 14th March - planting of the Space Sapling during the above ceremony. April - the transition to holding all meetings online, and thus a continuance of our programme of meetings. April to December - an increased programme of Guest National/International Speakers at our monthly meetings online

June - the instigation of the first Special Interest Group for Members - Astrophotography September onwards - Trustee discussions regarding a new RAG Website December - the first RAG Christmas Appeal, to address deficit in funding due to pandemic

On 12th April 2019 the Contractor had formally handed over the Keys to the Observatory to RAG. To acquire the shell of the Observatory was a massive achievement as it had taken so much hard work to raise the funds, and oversee the build through all its stages. Fundraising began in 2014, and culminated in the Grand Opening of The Peter Bolas Observatory.

The Peter Bolas Observatory was officially opened by Chris Lee, FRAS, Chief Scientist of the UK Space Agency on 14th March, 2020.

This Opening Ceremony was attended by 100 invited guests, comprising representatives from every area that has contributed in some way to the build - namely the many grant awarding bodies, businesses, members of the public, and of course our Members. We were also pleased to welcome Mrs Bolas and her family, and civic dignitaries from South Derbyshire District Council and Burton upon Trent.

Trustees were proud to receive a plaque of the Coat of Arms for South Derbyshire, presented to RAG by the CEO for South Derbyshire, for our record of ‘Partnership Working’.

This Ceremony was also significant as it was the last public event that RAG has been able to hold ‘in person’ in 2020, as Government restrictions to control the pandemic were introduced the following week !

Although this point was reported on last year, Trustees think it important to note that RAG had already committed to improving and extending its ‘Outreach’ work prior to becoming a Charity, as early as 2013, visioning funding and constructing an Observatory to enable a wider range of community groups to be able to access Astronomy more effectively e.g. disability groups, the elderly, parent and child groups, and children and adults living in local areas in the bottom 10% on the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Now the Observatory building has been completed, it comprises the Observatory Dome housing the two main telescopes; storage facilities; and a Warm Room that could seat 20-25 people, or 8-10 wheelchair users, in a safe environment with all its advantages, able to observe as a group using an interactive screen linked to the main scope in the Dome. However, responding to the pandemic,

with due regard to maintaining a safe environment for everyone, RAG has carried out a Risk Assessment which has required these proposed numbers to be reduced to less than half.

In practise, as the Government ban on indoor meetings continued beyond the end of 2020 all meetings and events involving communal interaction ‘in person’ had to be cancelled for the time covered by this report. Implications of this has meant that actual use of The Peter Bolas Observatory for the purposes for which it was built have had to be put ‘on hold’ throughout 2020, since it’s Opening Ceremony in March.

The completion of the build in its entirety marks the completion of Phase One of the Observatory Project. With storage facilities now available, Phase Two is to fund and purchase a bank of Telescopes plus accessories, to be used as ‘training’ Scopes, both on and off site, to facilitate ‘hands on’ practical experience for the various community groups. During 2020 Bids were submitted to various grant awarding bodies. To date these have proved unsuccessful.

Volunteers

The Trustees would like to thank all the members of Rosliston Astronomy Group for the level of commitment they have continued to demonstrate this year. Every event that RAG holds for the public benefit depends on members’ voluntary attendance, and willingness to share both their knowledge and their personal equipment with members of the Public of all ages. Although this has only been possible for the first two and a half months of the year, support has always been readily available.

This year the level of voluntary involvement has more than quadrupled in the first quarter of the year, however, and has been focused on the completion of the Observatory, and reconstituting the land around the building, in readiness for the Grand Opening on 14th March, 2020.

Trustees commend the Members of RAG for the amount of work they have already achieved that will impact greatly for the public benefit once the Observatory is finally able to be used for purpose, whenever Government restrictions are eased.

Initially this work began in November 2013, involving all the preparatory work - negotiating with Forestry England, the National Forest and South Derbyshire District Council for permission to build; gaining planning permission; agreeing a site and an appropriate Lease for the land in Rosliston Forestry Centre on which to build; undertaking a massive programme of fundraising over 4 years to fund the build; and carrying out procedures to select and engage a Contractor, culminating in the strategic management of the build itself.

Following ‘handover’ from the Contractor in April 2019, the building has now been ‘fitted out’ by Members, qualified and skilled in a variety of professions, using their knowledge and skill.

The complete operation to date has required hundreds of volunteer hours operating in twos, and large and small groups on the various activities, and has complied fully with our Policy of ‘No Lone Working’. The Trustees have been impressed throughout the whole venture, in parallel with this massive work commitment, with the atmosphere of camaraderie and goodwill, and the overall concept of partnership working. The final waterproofing of the Dome Room was undertaken early in 2020.

In addition, the Trustees would like to thank the Members for their continued support for the fundraising activities undertaken by RAG to help fund the Observatory Project. Their willingness to make small donations on a regular basis during Club Meetings also plays an important part in maintaining the Observatory Fund. This was possible during January, February and the March MidMonth Meeting raising £67.65, but since the Government restrictions have been in place because of the pandemic, opportunities for these donations have ceased.

As RAG has had no opportunity for monetary input since March, Trustees are extremely grateful to the Membership for their generous response to the RAG Christmas Appeal made because of the lack of funding throughout the year. The Christmas Appeal raised £ 550 up to the end of December 2020 through numerous donations.

Special Achievement

The Trustees are proud to report three such achievements.

First - the Trustees are extremely proud to report this item. RAG has always valued Partnership Working as an important element in our management of our Outreach provision, and our day to day function as a Club. This encouraged us in September 2018 to collaborate with the Environmental Education Team based at Rosliston Forestry Centre (RFC) to write and then submit a bid to the UK Space Agency. This bid, under the umbrella of South Derbyshire District Council, was to become joint custodians, of a Space Sapling germinated from pips taken from the 400 year old ‘Flower of Kent’ Apple Tree situated in Sir Isaac Newton’s home, Woolsthorpe Manor. This tree inspired Newton to write his ‘Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica’, first published in 1687, that led to his world changing work on gravity. Major Tim Peake honoured this work naming his mission on the International Space Station (2015-16) the ‘Principia’ Mission, and taking a number of pips from the iconic tree up with him into Space to research the effects of microgravity on their germination and future development. This was called the ‘Pips in Space’ Project. On his return to Earth the pips were nurtured by the Laboratory, and then the Nursery at Kew. Eight pips germinated, one Sapling to be planted at Woolsthorpe Manor with its parent tree - the other seven were advertised for organisations to bid for their custodianship.

After a long selection period, in November 2019 RAG was informed that the Partnership Bid had been successful, and Rosliston Forestry Centre (RFC) would house one of only eight Space Saplings in existence. This is a massive achievement for the Partnership at RFC - with RAG providing the ‘Space’ aspect and the Environmental Education Team providing the arboreal links.

The Presentation Ceremony was held at Woolsthorpe Manor on 13th January, 2020. This was a high profile event, hosted by the UK Space Agency, and attended by numerous dignitaries including a Government Minister. Mr Ed Mann and Mrs Heather Lomas were honoured to represent RAG, joining two representatives of South Derbyshire District Council and the Environmental Education Team at Rosliston Forestry Centre respectively. The seven recipients were presented with their Space Saplings by Major Tim Peake.

RAG became the joint custodian of a scientifically important item, directly linked to Earth and Space, that would require monitoring into the future. The Space Sapling was officially planted at Rosliston Forestry Centre on the same day as the Grand Opening Ceremony of The Peter Bolas Observatory, on 14th March, 2020 (details given above).

Secondly - Trustees are extremely proud to report the Grand Opening of The Peter Bolas Observatory - details given above.

Thirdly - Trustees are extremely proud to report that RAG has been presented with a plaque of the Coat of Arms of South Derbyshire, for our record of Partnership Working.

Financial Review

A detailed analysis of the financial transactions carried out during the year can be found in the Financial Statement and its accompanying Notes.

This year the focus of financial awareness to support the key objectives of the Charity, for the public benefit, namely by

ii) maintaining the ongoing functions and activities of the Charity, and

iii) investing in the future outcome of a successful build have been seriously curtailed.

As the law has prevented RAG holding public meetings of any kind since March 2020, our outreach duties have had to be put ‘on hold’.

Instead there has been very little activity in the Community Account, with the majority of spend being directly related to the Observatory, and annual background expenditure e.g. Buildings Insurance for the Observatory, and Public Liability Insurance.

Trustees have needed to redirect their attention to ensuring RAG has been able to remain a viable organisation during the period of inactivity during the pandemic.

RAG uses two Accounts - a Business Community Account and an Active Saver Account. The Business Community Account holds predominantly unrestricted funds catering for the day to day transactions. This year unrestricted receipts totalled £1267.50 and unrestricted expenditure £ 621.31.

This Account also includes identified monies ‘ring-fenced’ for use as the ‘Observatory Fund’. These are raised in small amounts, sourced by the on-going donations at Meetings, and fundraising activities, by Members. This year this amount totalled £ 187.65, with £ 67.65 of this donated specifically at meetings.

The Active Saver Account holds monies accumulated from successful bids to various Grant Awarding bodies, and formal Donations made by external sources. All the funds held in this Account are designated monies. Some Grants, and donations have been received with ‘open’ targets but still within the capital build requirement, and others are for specific stages of the build or items of equipment.

This year designated receipts totalled £ 757.65. Designated expenditure totalled £ 496.60.

This year’s reduced expenditure in the Active Saver Account was expected as the majority of the monies have been held in this Account for the specific purpose of funding the construction of, and equipping, the Observatory. As the build has progressed and reached completion monies have been released accordingly. Following ‘handover’ in April 2019, the remaining monies have been used to fund materials required for final fittings, decoration, and security. In addition, as the building has become ready to install them, we have purchased specific items of equipment identified by designated Grants e.g. the interactive screen. Consequently, totals reduced significantly in 2019 in readiness for the Grand Opening of The Peter Bolas Observatory in March 2020.

A major factor in the reduced amount of Bank Account activity generally during 2020 has been the lack of income received since March 2020, caused by the extended period of Government restrictions nationally, and RAG’s inability to hold meetings other than ‘online’ via Microsoft Teams. Similarly, expenditure has also been reduced.

Reserves Policy

RAG has a policy for the unrestricted element of the Business Community Account, whenever possible, to maintain a balance of £500, as a minimum. This is to cover emergencies should they arise from time to time. This year this was achieved throughout the year.

There is no such expectation in the Active Saver Account as the monies held in this Account have been sourced from various grants, awards and identified donations to fund specific aspects of the Observatory Project, and, therefore, 100% of these monies are for designated targets.

Structure, Governance and Management

Rosliston Astronomy Group is a ‘micro’ Charity, managed by six Trustees drawn from, and elected by, the RAG Membership. RAG is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) that gained Charity status on 11[th] October, 2017, and is governed by a Constitution, which is reviewed annually.

Prior to them taking up their roles, and during the first few months in office, new Trustees take note of various guidance documents produced by the Charity Commission, setting out their roles and responsibilities, namely guidance on overall duties (CC3), financial management (CC8, CC12), fundraising (CC20), guidance on Safeguarding, and documents setting out guidance on understanding the Public Benefit requirement. This is not a finite list, and Trustee ‘training’ is ongoing.

The Trustees form the overarching tier of management. However, as described at the outset of this Report, although RAG has been a Charity only since October 2017, we have existed as an amateur Astronomy Group (Club) for twenty one years. Consequently, the original Club element has an established Committee that manages the day to day actions of the Group. This Committee comprises a Chair and Vice-Chair, a Secretary, Treasurer, Equipment Manager, Technical Manager, Membership Secretary, Events Co-ordinator, Welfare Officer (that incorporates Safeguarding), a Website Manager, two Training Officers, and a new post of Observatory Manager.

As reported in previous Reports, to enable this Committee to continue to manage the day to day running, and the individual post holders to carry out their roles efficiently, as one of their first duties in 2017, the Trustees produced a ‘Delegation of Powers’ document setting out the roles and responsibilities delegated to the Committee. One of these delegated powers refers to the Committee being able to take decisions on the sale or purchase of items up to the value of £100. Amounts above £100 need to be referred to the Trustees for agreement.

The RAG Committee reports to the Trustees. Meetings are minuted, and are then received by the Trustees at their next Meeting. This year has required meetings to be in two formats. The Committee held their first scheduled meeting in January in its usual format. In 2020, following ‘lockdown’ and the ‘in person’ element of the Club shut down, the Committee role became less active. Subsequent meetings were held as joint ‘online’ meetings with the Trustees to cover specific agenda items, using Microsoft Teams.

This year the Trustees have also needed their meetings to be in two formats. The first Meeting of the year was held ‘in person’ as usual.

All meetings after March 2020, with the implementation of Government restrictions, were held via Microsoft Teams. The Treasurer reports to the Trustees at each Meeting.

This year has required the Trustees to hold four meetings ‘online’ with specific agenda items. Trustees have also held two joint meetings with the RAG Committee.

For continuity purposes, the Constitution states that, wherever possible, two of the Trustees should also be members of the RAG Committee. This year this has been complied with, by both Mr Mann and Mr Rufo holding elected roles on the Committee.

Administrative Information

Rosliston Astronomy Group hold their Meetings at Rosliston Forestry Centre, Burton Road, Rosliston, South Derbyshire, DE12 8JX. However, RAG has no strategic ‘base’ at the Centre. The correspondence address for the Group is Cedar House, Burton Road, Streethay, Lichfield, Staffs, WS13 8LS.

During the period of Government restriction on public gatherings due to Covid-19, from March 2020, meetings have been held ‘online’ via Microsoft Teams.

The Charity is managed by six Trustees.

The Constitution sets out the Terms of Office for each of the Trustees on a rolling programme, with two Trustees being required to stand down each year at the AGM. This year as the Government restrictions for Covid-19 presented unprecedented challenges for RAG, for an unknown period of time, Trustees took the decision to keep the experienced Trustees in office in the interests of continuity. Consequently the programme for Trustee review was deferred until the AGM in March 2021.

In addition, the vacancy that was created from 1st January, 2020, by the resignation of Mr Roger Samworth, was filled by Mr Stephen Holden, voted in by Members via Microsoft Teams on 29th May, 2020.

Mr Nicholas Rulo

ROSLISTON ASTRONOMY GROUP (Registered Charity Number 1175118)

Financial Statement for the Year ended 31st. December, 2020

Notes:

  1. The financial statement has been prepared using the Receipts & Payments format. Rosliston Astronomy Group (RAG) is a small Charity, and is below the Charities Act’s audit threshold.

  2. RAG uses two Accounts, a Business Community Account, and an Active Saver Account.

  3. a) The Business Community Account, functions like a Current Account, holding monies that are predominantly unrestricted and, therefore, cater for RAG’s day to day transactions.

  4. There is one amount of monies identified within this Account that is ‘ring fenced’ to form the Observatory Fund. These monies are accumulated on a day to day basis from small amounts gained through Members’ donations at Meetings and Members’ fundraising activities.

  5. b) The Active Saver Account holds monies that are being accumulated from successful bids to Grant Awarding bodies that have been awarded for specific purposes, and larger donations made by external sources. The largest amount was for the capital build in general, and this reduced considerably in 2019 as the construction and the fitting out progressed. During the overall fundraising other smaller grants have been for specific aspects within the build e.g. purchase of the interactive screen. These can only be used for those purposes identified in the Grant and have been held until that stage in the construction has been reached and completed. These have now been used for the appropriate items.

  6. c) The Observatory Fund represents accumulated small donations and fundraising activities, carried out within RAG, and currently identified and held within the Business Community Account.

  7. Now the main construction is complete it is the purpose of these monies to form a basis to fund the maintenance of the building, and for which further grants for specific issues, and items of equipment, will be applied for, and added. Such grants will be held in the Active Saver Account.

  8. a) Currently, RAG has a small amount of equipment as assets.

  9. In addition, for the public benefit, RAG’s intentions have been realised - to build an Observatory with an attached Warm Room in which to present courses and meetings for various Community Groups, schools, scouts/guides, etc.; and the provision of storage facilities to be able to build up a bank of training equipment for ‘hands on’ experience.

RAG hosted the Grand Opening of The Peter Bolas Observatory on 14th March, 2020. This marked the culmination of a major fundraising initiative that began in 2014.

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