21st January 2026
Huddersfield Astronomy Society
Trustees Annual Report 2024-25
The Huddersfield Astronomy Society is registered as a CIO in England. Our registration number is 1178943.
Our registered address is 14 Southlands, Kirkheaton.
HAS was founded on 22[nd] November 2018 taking over the assets and responsibilities of a previous unincorporated association, the Huddersfield Astronomical & Philosophical Society [registered as a charity in the UK registration number 507817].
Trustees
The following personnel are currently registered as Trustees of HAS:
| Robert Williams | Robert Williams | President HAS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gain Lee | Observatory Director | HAS | |||
| Susan Mary Wylie | Secretary HAS | ||||
| Justine Brown | Digital Content administrator HAS | ||||
| Dereck Tasker | HRUFC member | ||||
| As some of the Trustees have now served a 3-year term since the formation of HAS as a | CIO, they | ||||
| are duly available for re-election as Trustees at the | 2025 AGM, | which took place on 21 st |
January | ||
| 2026. |
Dereck Tasker offered to resign in rotation and at the AGM on 21st January 2026 was duly reelected as a Trustee by unanimous vote
Alex Crossley-Fells has volunteered to become an additional Trustee. This was put to a vote at the AGM and was passed unanimously.
Organisational Structure
HAS operates with a group of Trustees – as listed above – who are responsible for ensuring that HAS meets its aims and objectives.
Presently [January 2026] we operate with trustees who volunteered from within the membership of HAS.
As yet no external Trustees have been appointed. A further drive will be made during 2026-27. The current Trustees are also members of the Society's Committee.
In 2023-24, the Trustees agreed to set up and run a digital messaging service so that decisions requiring a quick resolution could be performed as well as a better means to communicate important activities that the organisation wished to undertake.
In the past 12 months the Trustees and Committee members have – once again - found this a very useful approach to facilitate the business of our Organisation, for when personnel are not reachable for a face-to-face discussion.
Since November 2019 we continue to build partnerships with two other organisations as detailed below:
a) The Huddersfield Rugby Union Football Club based a Lockwood Park, Huddersfield, HD4 6EN, who we hire a room from to provide facilities to hold meetings and from where we run a Introductory Astronomy Course at least one per year. We have made a commitment to this organisation to continue to utilise their premises for our Meetings for the next 12 months at the minimum.
b) YWT Stirley, Hall Bower, Huddersfield, HD4 6RP, with whom we are developing an observing
site – known as the Garden of Stars - in partnership with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. In the past twelve months HAS has been part of a number of joint events at the YWT Stirley site and HAS has used significant financial resources as well as the time and effort of a number of our organisations' Volunteers – and those provided to us by YWT Stirley - to make the Garden of Stars a working outdoor space for educational outreach cementing our commitment to this joint venture for many years to come. We anticipate further development of this outdoor space in the coming years.
Aims and Objectives
HAS has a defined set of aims and objectives:
-
a) To help facilitate the observing of the objects of the night and daytime sky using
-
suitable equipment obtained by grant funds supplied by outside organisations
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b) To promote the understanding and observation of the night sky by the people of
-
Kirklees
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c) To help cultivate links to community and educational organisations in Kirklees who have an interest in learning about the Night Sky
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d) To promote the aims of objectives of our umbrella organisation the Federation of Astronomy Societies, of which HAS is a full member
We remain committed to these aims and objectives
Achievements and Performance
During 2024-2025, the Astronomy Society consolidated its development plan as outlined in the Trustees Annual Report for 2023-2024.
We have resumed face-to-face meetings and continue to see enquiries about our activities
grow.
We have also undertaken a small number of outreach activities with youth organisations and this remains an important facet of our Aims and Objectives as described above.
We completed an Introductory Astronomy Course in Autumn 2025 and are planning to start a further Course in October 2026 – if there is sufficient demand for it.
This has been key to improving our cash flow over recent months and will be essential to continue our recovery during the months ahead.
Financial Review
Mr Rob Wylie remains in the role of Treasurer of HAS.
Mr R Wylie has full control of all financial affairs of HAS, including liaising with our financial accountants and as a signatory on the HAS bank account.
In 2024-25 HAS made a significant financial committent to YWT Stirley to develop an Observing Site. This was completed on time ans close to the expected budget. In the past 12 months there has been a significant uptake of these facilities and we hope to continue this development over the met 12 months and beyond.
In the past 12 months we have made significant use of the Garden of Stars at Stirley for members events. We are encouraged by the commitment of our Members to this new opportunity and it also provides a small income to support out ongoing presence at YWT Stirley. We anticipate this will continue to grow in the future.
Since we restarted Membership fees in Spring 2021 the Trustees are encouraged by the retention of established members as well as an influx of new members from course retentions and interested parties new to the organisation.
We hope that this will help us continue to secure our membership base.
There are no funds held by a custodian trustee.
Huddersfield Astronomy Society Accounts for year 1/7/24 to 30/6/25
Income and Expenditure
| Income Donations Membership subscriptions Lectures, Course fees & demonstrations Refreshments Bank interest Sale of equipment Other income Expenditure Rent Course running Equipment purchase Lecture expenses Federation of Astronomical Soc Public Liability Insurance Refreshments Office costs Accountancy Legal fees Website costs Maintenance Utilities Observation site building costs Deficit /Surplus for the Year Balance Sheet Assets Bank account Cash in hand Tabgible Assets reduced at 10% per annum Rent prepaid Liabilities Creditors Net Current Assets Club Reserves |
2025 2024 £1,000.00 £0.99 £1,135.41 £767.20 £1,930.29 £2,671.47 £478.59 £1,145.65 £0.00 £0.00 £117.97 £220.00 £0.00 £0.00 |
|---|---|
| £4,662.26 £4,805.31 £3,190.00 £3,100.00 £39.10 £26.74 £0.00 £55.00 £60.00 £140.00 £30.00 £30.00 £55.00 £53.00 £69.99 £521.21 £0.00 £99.49 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £356.52 £364.52 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £180.81 £8,803.10 |
|
| £3,981.42 £13,193.06 |
|
| £680.84 -£8,387.75 |
|
| £5,629.93 £5,395.00 £902.00 £99.00 £1,107.00 £1,231.00 £1,800.00 £1,800.00 |
|
| £9,438.93 £8,525.00 £0.00 £0.00 |
|
| £9,438.93 £8,525.00 |
|
| £9,438.93 £8,525.00 |
Approved by Board of Trustees
Signature:…............................................ Name:….................................................
Date:…..................