## **LANGPORT & DISTRICT HISTORY SOCIETY** _Registered Charity No. 1179718_ ## **Trustees’ Report to Members 2023-2024** ## **Membership** At the end of August 2024 we had 60 members (in 2023 we had 62; 2022 we had 60). ## **Strategic plan 2022-23** At our AGM on 2 October 2023, members approved a strategic plan for 2023-24. Progress towards the objectives during the year was as follows: - a. Install the Bagehot information board in All Saints’ Churchyard (achieved) - b. Install an information board about Bagehot at Great Bow Wharf (planning permission granted) - c. Arrange to display Walter Bagehot’s briefcase to the public (not done) - d. Seek funding for and design an information board about the Hanging Chapel (not done) - e. Respond to the call to nominate assets to the Local Heritage List (in progress) - f. Transfer records relating to Langport Grammar School to the Heritage Centre (achieved) - g. Have the 15-volume _Collected Works of Walter Bagehot_ digitised (achieved) - h. Continue to research into Langport Carnivals (exhibition and leaflet done for Drayton Fair) ## **Future Bagehot Action** We cleared the Bagehot and Quekett graves in All Saints Churchyard. We have obtained permission for the images we want to use on the Great Bow Wharf board, and the Great Bow Wharf Warehouse Trustees have obtained planning permission for its location on the building. It just remains to compose the text and liaise with the designer. The digitised copies of the _Collected works of Walter Bagehot_ need to be made available on our website. We are in correspondence with our website providers about the practicalities. We have invited expressions of interest in transcribing Eliza Bagehot’s diaries, and will proceed once we have acceptable quotations for the work. ## **Afternoon meetings** We ran one afternoon meeting in April, at Hurds Hill, to kick off our A-Z of Langport project. ## **Visits** We visited Avalon Archaeology in October 2023. We had planned a visit to the Bishop’s Palace in Wells, but there was not enough interest, so it was abandoned. ## **Publications** During this period 9 e-newsletters were sent to members to keep them up to date with meetings and local history developments. _Level Talk_ was produced as usual, appearing in February 2024. It was printed in A5 as well as A4 format. Rob Cherry has kindly agreed to help Sandy with the technical side of its production, while she remains as Editor-in-Chief. ## **Other activities** The Christmas Social was held at the Drayton Crown, which proved a popular choice. So popular that we decided to move the venue for our talks there as well, only to find that the pub was about to close, pending the arrival of a new lessee. Changing the arrangements for our talks, a process which was not helped by several critical road closures, proved somewhat traumatic, but hopefully we can now stay settled at All Saints’ Hall for the foreseeable future. In the financial year 2023-24 three quizzes made a total net profit of £939.50. ## **Thanks** I am, as always, very grateful to the Officers and Committee (Trustees) of the Society for all their efforts and support, and to you, our members, for your interest and understanding. ## **Feedback** Feedback of any kind from members, or indeed anyone else, is very welcome. _Janet Seaton, Chair._ _September 2024_ Mrs E Bernstein 26 Thornton Road Yeovil Somersel BA213LD 14th February 2025 CIO Mr8 J Seaton Acting Treasurer Langport & District History Society Greenoaks The Hill TA10 9QN I have completed the annual audit for the Langport and District History Society. I have reviewed both bank account statements held with Nat West bank, along with the cashbook entries and a sample of invoices and receipis. In myopinion the financialstatsments: give a true and lair View of Ihe state of the Langport and District Hislory Societycharityaffairs as ot31"August 2024, also of its incoming resources and application of resources (profivioss) for the yearthen ended: and have been PToperly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom GenernityAccepted Accounting Practice. I can confirm on this occasion. there is no fee associated with this audit I have undertaken. 11 Youvs sincerety Elaine Bemstein LANGPORT & DisfRICT HISTORY SOCIEfY-ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31"August 2024 cURRE￿rACCOuNT 30S36561 OPENING BALANCE 3102.67. INCOME 2023124 EXPENDITURE 2023124 MEMBERSHIP 756.SO. ROOM HIRE 90.00. VISITORS 91.00. SPEAKERS FEES 320.00. QUIZZES 1046.60. QUIZ PRIZE 20,00. SALE OF BOOKS 31.00. PRINTING 32.88. WEBSITE 728.40. WALKS 120.00. EXPENSES 107.10. XMAS SOCIAL 295,00. XMAS SOCIAL 303.05. FLOWERSICARO 12.00. TRANSFER 6000.00, TRANSFER 1212.00. IMAGETEX 4788.00. DONAfioNS 50.00, IMAGETEX 222.00, WELLS 40.00. INSURANCE 90.00. CLOSING BALANCE 3607,34. BAGEHOT ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31rt Au8USt 2024 CURRENT ACCOUNT 37130706 OPENING BALANCE 1236.52. INCOME EXPEND￿uRE IMAGES SOMERSET LANDSCAP BLACK SWAN 328.00. 483.00. loo.00. TRANSFER I212.￿. CLOSING BALANCE 1537.52. 35 DAY ACCOUNT 37124390 OPENING BALANCE 31064,74. INCQME EXPENDITURE INTEREST 857.30. TRANSFER 6000.00. CLOSING BALANCE 28514.95. PETER mo￿RAm TREASURER SEPT. 2024