NGRC, The Sidings, Railway Approach, Newhaven, BN9 0DF Email admin@ngrc.co.uk ## **Trustees’ Annual Report April 2024 March 2025** _NGRC’s wooden gig Amelie, alongside her GRP sisters Aurora and John Carthew_ ## **Contents** Introduction Membership Numbers & Demographics Classes & Activities Delivered Community Engagement Update Looking Forward 2025/26 ## APPENDIX 1 Governance structures of the organisation, and any ongoing organisational change APPENDIX 2 A) Financial overview B) Financial issues/ risk Page **1** of **9** NGRC, The Sidings, Railway Approach, Newhaven, BN9 0DF Email admin@ngrc.co.uk ## **Annual Report April 2024 – March 2025** ## **Introduction** Welcome to NGRC’s report for Lewes District Council covering April 2024 to March 2025. This report summarises its membership breakdown, activities delivered since April 2024, governance & financial arrangements, and planned activities for 2025/26. With the purchase of a wooden pilot gig, _Henry Smardon_ , and the use of our Glass Reinforced Plastic gigs _Aurora_ and _John Carthew_ the club has been busy participating in racing competitions, maintaining social and technique rows throughout 2025, as well as intensive training for the 2025/26 racing season. ## **Allan Brown, Committee Chair, December 2025** ## **Membership Numbers & Demographics** - There has been a 10% increase in membership to 75 (31[st] March 2025) from 67 (1[st] March 2024), of which: - Men 31 – 41% - Women 44 – 59% The table below gives further breakdown of membership by age/race category, gender and Race/Ethnic origin. Data for Race/Ethnic origin has been sourced from a redesigned membership renewal questionnaire introduced during 2024/25. |**Age/Racing Category**|**Male**|**Female**|**Race/Ethnic Origin - All**
**‘White British’ except:**| |---|---|---|---| |16-39 - Open|0|1(1.3%)|| |40-49 - Veteran|4(5%)|2(3%)|| |50-59 - Supervet|9 (12%)|19 (25%)|x1 White Any Other, x1
White Irish| |60+ - Master|16 (21%)|20 (27%)|x1 Mixed Any Other
Mixed Black, x1 Mixed
White & Black
Caribbean, x1 White Any
Other,x2 White Irish| |Age Not Declared|2(3%)|2(3%)|| |**Total**|**31(41%)**|**44(59%)**|| Page **2** of **9** NGRC, The Sidings, Railway Approach, Newhaven, BN9 0DF Email admin@ngrc.co.uk The breakdown of membership on March 1[st] 2024 was as follows: - Total full active members on 1/3/24: 67 - 43 female (64%) 24 male (36%) - ‘Veterans’ Aged ages 40-50 - female 7, male 3 (15% share of 67 total) - ‘Super vets’ 50-70 - female 35, male 10 (67%) - ‘Masters’ 70+ - female 4, male 8 (18%). ## **Classes & Activities Delivered** ## **Types of Row ‘classes’** - **‘Taster’** rows – delivered by qualified coaches, for people wanting to see what gig rowing is like before they commit to signing up for a learn to row course. - **Learn to row** course - It can take 6-10 weeks (at one hour a week) to pass as a competent rower. The capacity is four learner rowers during a row session, **accompanied by two competent rowers and a cox.** - **Technique rows - for newly trained rowers** and other competent rowers to hone their skills. - **Social** rows – for the casual rower, wishing to be active with like-minded rowers and without the pressure to compete or undertake challenging physical exercise. These are scheduled for one-hour slots during the week. - **Adventure/Commemorative Rows -** These include special occasions often involving a small flotilla of gig rowing boats, such as bank holiday pic-nic rows, summer Solstice sunrise and sunset rows, Remembrance Sunday row. - **Race Training** rows – for members who are committed to compete and be selected for participating at racing regattas. Includes sessions at a local gym and use of indoor (‘ERGO’) rowing machines at the clubhouse. - **Cox’s Training** Courses - under the guidance of a qualified coach, encompasses classroom learning and coached/observed practical learning at the marina and in the boats. ## **Racing Events/ Regattas** Aside from the local row activities, the Club raced at: - Appledore Supervets, June 2024 - Seaford Bay Regatta, June 2024 - Langstone Regatta, July 2024 - Race to the Lighthouse, Fridays in June & July 2024 - Dragon Boat Racing, Bewl Water, August 2024 - Head of the Ouse, September 2024 - 5 Islands, Poole Harbour, October 2024 Page **3** of **9** NGRC, The Sidings, Railway Approach, Newhaven, BN9 0DF Email admin@ngrc.co.uk _Aurora, Seaford Bay, June 2024_ ## **Social/ Fundraising Events** - Denton Community Challenge, June 2024 - Seaford Bay Regatta, Refreshments tent, June 2024 - Head of the Ouse, Refreshments tent, September 2024 - Cleaning boats requests are timetabled giving members an opportunity to participate in maintaining the club’s Boats. ## **Wooden Boat Purchase** The Club purchased of the wooden Gig _Henry Smardon_ from Brixham Gig Rowing club in June 2024. Considered more suitable for racing, she has replaced our older and heavier wooden boat _Amelie_ , who is currently in dry storage and up for sale. _Henry Smardon’s_ first competitive outing was to the Langston Regatta, Hayling Island in July. Following a poll with members, a decision was made to rename her as _Martlet_ (the heraldic mythical bird depicted on East Sussex flags). The plan is to formally rename her when he is out of the water during 2025/26. Page **4** of **9** NGRC, The Sidings, Railway Approach, Newhaven, BN9 0DF Email admin@ngrc.co.uk _NGRC’s latest acquisition wooden gig Henry Smardon, Langstone Regatta, July 2024_ ## **Community Engagement Update** NGRC promotes its activities, primarily through its website, public facebook pages and informal contacts. Other than ‘being seen’ with its gig boats out on the water, whether that’s at race regattas, social rows or special events such as Remembrance Sunday, the club engages with the community at local social and fundraising events (eg; Denton Community Challenge). Rather than having its own bar and café, NGRC is a regular user of local businesses, including catering establishments, local gym, and chandlery. NGRC proactively engages with other local rowing clubs (Affinity Rowing Club, Lewes Gig Rowing Club, Lewes Rowing Club), sharing a floating pontoon with the latter at the Marina with the former two clubs. NGRC jointly organised both the Seaford Bay Regatta held in June 2024 and the Head of the Ouse Regatta in September, Page **5** of **9** NGRC, The Sidings, Railway Approach, Newhaven, BN9 0DF Email admin@ngrc.co.uk pooling organisational, safety, coxing, fundraising skills and boat & berthing resources for participation by clubs along the South Coast, Essex and London. Welcome additions of collaborating with the other Gig rowing clubs during 2024 were: - Race to the Lighthouse – every Friday (weather permitting throughout June & July) with mixed crews and coxs randomly chosen from each club - Establishment of a Sussex Gig Rowing squad. Selected and trained by coxs from each club, these combined club men and women crews were trained to compete effectively against the wellestablished clubs from the south-west. The first event scheduled for the Sussex squad was at the National Counties Championship, Swanage in October. Unfortunately, this national event was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. NGRC is also collaborating with these clubs to seek opportunities arising from local marina, quayside and beach developments. NGRC is a member of the Cornish Pilot Gig Association (CPG), and one of our cox/coaches is a regional rep on British Rowing. These national organisations are key to promoting rowing (Gig rowing specifically with the CPGA). This has enabled NGRC to participate and promote itself (and Newhaven!) at racing regattas nationwide, and benefit from latest good practice for training technique, and health & safety guidance. ## **Looking Forward to 2025/26** ## **Increasing Cox capacity** As at March 2025, there were 6 active coxes with a 7[th] in training; expecting to qualify late Spring/ early Summer 2025. With increased cox capacity, there is better opportunity to provide more rowing sessions that meet the needs of a growing membership. ## **Racing Events/ Regattas** Committed to attend: - World Gig Championships, May 2025 - Supervets Championship, Swanage, June 2025 - Seaford Bay Regatta, July 2025 ( _canx’d twice due to high winds_ ) - 5 Islands Race, Poole Harbour, August 2025 - Race to the Lighthouse, Seaford Bay, Friday evenings, Summer 2025 - Head of the Ouse, September 2025 - Three Harbours Winter Regatta, Hayling Island, January 2026 ## **Adventure/ Commemorative Rows** - ‘Wave off’ in Seaford Bay of ‘Pegasus’ canoeist for round the UK trip in aid of veteran Paras with other local Gig Rowing Clubs, May 2025 - Brighton Beach Gig Raiding Party, via Saltdean & Rottingdean, May 2025 - Remembrance Sunday, November 2025 Page **6** of **9** NGRC, The Sidings, Railway Approach, Newhaven, BN9 0DF Email admin@ngrc.co.uk ## **APPENDIX 1** ## **Governance structures of the organisation, and any ongoing organisational change** NGRC is a charity, which is governed by a Trustees Chair and their Trustees. The main aim of the club is getting people out rowing. To do this, and delegated by the Club’s Trustees, a Committee oversees the delivery of the Club’s aims & objectives, and supporting activities of the club. There are various objectives/ roles that the Committee, undertakes to support this aim, including (in alphabetical order): **Boats & Equipment maintenance (Bosun)** – ensuring that the club’s boats and equipment are available according to the needs of the club, and stored and maintained to a safe standard. **Cox Liaison (Volunteer coach/cox)** – providing a two-way channel between the Committee and Coxs & Coaches meeting, and jointly plan the availability of different types of row in order to meet demand. **Finance (Finance Officer)** – ensuring that the club if financially viable where its income covers expenses for running expenses and identified developments. This includes; securing grants, fundraising activities and managing income from membership and row fees. Also ensuring that the club undertakes its obligation of submitting signed annual accounts. **Governance (Chair)** – in support of delivering the clubs aims and objectives, ensuring that policies, guidance, and processes are in place and reviewed according to latest best practice and legal requirements. **Health & Safety (H&S Officer)** – ensuring that members are safe and secure whilst rowing, but also when getting in and out of boats, and helping with the maintenance of boats. A Risk log is maintained to identify and mitigate any identified risks and issues, along with an accident book to record any incident and follow up action. **Membership (Membership Officer)** – overseeing membership enquiries, new membership applications, and administering current membership. **Publicity (Publicity Officer)** – promoting the club and its activities to its members, the public, and key stakeholders through social media, including the NGRC website and at participation at events and activities. **Racing (Race/Regatta Secretary)** – oversight, organisation, participation in racing events. **Safeguarding & Welfare (Safeguarding & Welfare Officer** ) - ensuring that the health, well-being, and human rights of our members are upheld whilst participating in club activities. The club’s code of conduct outlines good practice behaviours in support of its commitment to safeguarding with concerns being addressed through the club’s complaints policy. **Social (Shared between Committee members)** – organisation and coordination of events, other than rowing that support the emotional health of the club and fundraising activities. Page **7** of **9** NGRC, The Sidings, Railway Approach, Newhaven, BN9 0DF Email admin@ngrc.co.uk **Strategy (Chair)** – through the delivery of a business plan, oversee the future development of the club and address future challenges and opportunities. Prior to each Annual General Meeting, expressions of interest are requested from all members to undertake committee roles. Existing Committee members are confirmed within their assigned roles, but if there is more than one expression of interest, the successful candidate is the one with the majority of votes made by members at the meeting. Although there has been no significant organisational change, vacancies for roles do arise during the year, and expressions of interest are sought from members, with appointments made by the Committee on an interim basis until confirmed at the subsequent AGM. ## **APPENDIX 2** ## **A) Financial overview** A key objective of the club is to ensure that it is financially viable where its income covers expenses for running expenses and identified developments. Being a registered charity, annual accounts are prepared, signed off by its Trustees and submitted to the Charity Commission. Income and expenditure is administered through a business account with Barclays, which is also linked to a club Paypal account that receives income from row bookings. In the current year the charity has prepared its accounts on a receipts and payments basis, in accordance with Charity Commission guidance for charities with income under £250,000. The prior year accounts were prepared on an accruals basis. The change has been made to simplify reporting and better reflect the charity’s size and activities. In recognition of its membership demographic, membership fees (£75yr) and booked rows (£4 a row) are kept to a minimum. Administered by the Trustees, a bursary is also advertised to members needing additional subsidy to row. Other than membership and row income, income is secured through applying for grants and undertaking fundraising activities. The club is very grateful for Lewes District Council grant which was instrumental in being used to purchase the wooden boat, _Henry Smardon_ . Page **8** of **9** NGRC, The Sidings, Railway Approach, Newhaven, BN9 0DF Email admin@ngrc.co.uk ## **B) Financial issues/ risk** Any issues/ risk are mitigated by good financial management within its governance structure and related financial activities. To date there have been no financial issues/ risk impacting on the club during 2024/25. Income has matched expenditure. A large proportion of the Club’s income is sourced by grant funding of which Lewes District Council is a significant contributor. The club has been awarded a grant (three-year duration) from LDC from 2025/26. There is also unknown variable income (eg; from rows cancelled by the unseasonal adverse weather) and variable cost (eg; inflationary cost of consumables, and repairs). Pro-active fundraising and membership has to date mitigated against this risk. _Henry Smardon, 5 Islands, Poole Harbour October 2024_ Page **9** of **9** Sectlon B Disclosure Only complete Il 11)e exaininer needs lo higlilighl fflallers ol concern IseEJ CC32, Independent examination ol charity accounts-. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here briel details of any items that the examiner wishes lo disclose. IER O¢iober 2018 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independenl Examiner's Report Report to the Irusteesl members ol JEUJHAVEV G IG Eow2AJ4 ITr>￿/) On accounts for the year ended Charity no (If any) 31 117FLq? Set out on pages l.q YZ¥P4pEr I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts ol the above charity (Yhe Twsf) for Ihe year ended Ae8ponslbllllle$ and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation basls of report of the ac¢ounls in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Acri. I report in resped of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under seclion 145 01 the 2011 Act and in carrying oul my examination, I have followed Ihe applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)Ibl ol the Act. I have completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have come to my attention {0th8r than that disclosed below ") in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe thal in, any material respect: accounting r￿ordS were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in cOnn￿tIon with the examination lo which attention should be dravm in order lo enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if Ihey do not apply. 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