AGM Andy Orpin Chairman’s Speech 2021
I would firstly like to thank the supporters, volunteers and Management Team of the Littlehampton Fort Restoration Project. It has been yet again a difficult and challenging time for all.
This AGM reporting year has seen finally the lift on COVID restrictions, and so we have been free to undertake work, however, due to changes in Management team, change in my personal career,this has been difficult to achieve.
The last two AGM’s have seen the pandemic pay a huge part in our operations, working days and fund-raising activities for the charity. We now find ourselves like many other organisations and company's in very dire financial hard ships, and we ask individuals companies or organisations for any monitory donations to help support our us during this difficult time.
My Company has made a £500 donation to the project in September 2022, and Phil Brown’s company has made another kind donation from which has allowed us a little breathing space. I will be tasking all the management team to actively seek financial opportunities for the project over the next few months.
I am sad to report on this AGM that Matt England stood down during the year. He will be greatly missed by the Management team and has been a great asset to the charity over years. I am sure you will all join me in wishing Matt all the best in the future, and hope he keeps in contact.
I would like to thank John Rhodes who has kindly stepped up to the mark and has been the Temporary Secretary and Temporary Vice Chairman this year. As previously stated we are still actively seeking a permanent Secretary, but I would like to thank John for continuing with this role until a replacement has been found.
I would like to pass my thanks onto Cordell Virtual Assistants and Director Carine Cordell, for stepping in at the last minute and independently auditing our accounts for this AGM.
I can confirm that I am still happy to stand as the Chairman and Project Manager for the Charity for another year should the management decide that is appropriate, and will look to focus on the following plan for next year
My Plan for 2022 Nov – 2023 Oct
As a priority we need to recruit two new members to the management team, who will be focussed on the restoration work, I am also keen to recruit a small number of day supervisors who will be able to run working days on our behalf, obviously under strict guidance. I am due to return to the UK in January 2023 and will look to run some training days for the day supervisors then. Interviews for the replacement Management team can be undertaken at any time and will have to be conducted on a Zoom or MS Teams type platform with myself and other Management team members. We have had some interest so far, however I am awaiting CV’s and to schedule interviews.
PLAN for 2022-2023
1. Recruit replacement Secretary for the charity.
2. Recruit an additional Management Team member - focusing on Working Days and Volunteers.
3. Look to train 3 x Fort Supervisors in order that we can run more working days once restrictions have been lifted.
4. Get the brush cutter repaired or replaced, as this is a vital part of out clearance equipment.
5. Restart the clearance of the Fort and look to make progress in the conservation of the remaining structures.
6. Seek Grant opportunities to fund both further equipment/resources or repair works (Treasurer)
7. Attend the Littlehampton Town Show September 2023 and any other potential volunteer recruitment events in and around the Littlehampton area.
8. Look to highlight and promote the work we are doing through engagement with media services both locally and nationally.
I propose to schedule a special meeting in six months’ time to review how we have progressed with the recruitment process and to potentially make a decision on the future of the project at that time.
I will be personally sad if we have to think about closing down the project, as Littlehampton Fort has been a large part of my life for the last 11 years. But we have always had the aim of clearing the fort for our future generations to enjoy, and this is not something we have been able to fulfil so far over the last few years.
I am hopeful that we can find our replacement management team members and recruit some day-supervisors to run our working days and we can get back on the road to achieving what we have all set out to do from the beginning of the project.
I now hand the AGM over to the Secretary and I shall leave the meeting so that the management team can make their decision about this years Chairman position.
TREASURER'S ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT for the period of 09/21 to 09/22
TREASURER'S ANNUAL FINANCE REPORT FOR
SEPTEMBER 2021 TO SEPTEMBER 2022
Current INCOME 2021 to 2022 Description Amount Events/Trips £0.00 Donations £595.68 Grants £0.00 Easy Fundraising £0.00 Amazon Smile £28.50 Banking Errors £0.00 Other Credit (Bal b/fwd from prev bank to new NatWest account) £61.21 Total Income £685.39
| Current | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXPENDITURE | 2021 to 2022 | |||
| Description | Amount | |||
| Fort Mobile | £37.36 | |||
| Stationery | £0.00 | |||
| Public Liability | £124.24 | |||
| Website Domain | £119.90 | |||
| Trips & Events | £0.00 | |||
| Other expenses (Bank transfer from | ||||
| Barclays to Natwest) | £61.21 | |||
| Total Expenses | £342.71 |
as per bank statement of OPENING BALANCE (b/fwd) £110.26 Sept 2021 Period Income £685.39 Period Expenditure -£342.71 CLOSING BALANCE (to c/fwd) £452.94 per figures up above Closing Balance per bank statement (Sept) £440.95 October expense (to be added to next year's statement) £11.99
£440.95 £11.99 Closing Balance to use for Sept £452.94 2022
Audited by: Maddy Boone
Date: 12/11/2022 Signed:
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