North Shields Heritology Project
Trustees Report and Financial Statements For The Year Ended 31 December 2025
Charity No. 1181245
Legal and Administrative Information
Name: North Shields Heritology Project
Reg'd Charity No: 1181245 Trustees: Jonathan Barrand Alison Spedding Keith Spedding David Young
Address: 39 Whittingham Close Cullercoats North Shields NE30 3TH
Bankers: Santander Independent Examiner: Mark Thompson MAAT VODA Spirit of North Tyneside Wing 2nd Floor, Wallsend Community Hub & Library 16 The Forum Wallsend NE28 8JR
Trustees Report Achievements through the year 2025
2025 was a landmark year for the town of North Shields as it celebrated its 800[th] anniversary. The town is unrecognisable now from its humble beginnings on the Fish Quay, but exciting developments continue to shape the town’s character in the form of urban renewal and culture-led projects. In June there was a community event held in the Linskill Centre celebrating the rich and varied history of the town and in December, huge crowds gathered for a parade from the town centre down to the Fish Quay. A statue was unveiled to honour Mary Ann Macham, an enslaved woman who fled America and made her home in North Shields. Mary overlooks the Fish Quay from the historic heart of the town.
2025 achievements
We continued to deliver a range of walks and talks to the public, interest groups and societies including a talk to commemorate the life of ex-slave and campaigner Frederick Douglass, a walk in Preston Cemetery to look at graves of the brave and a talk about the life of the local artist and photographer Lyd Sawyer. Two talks were also given to local community groups on the life of activist Ralph Gardner.
Local History Day brings together local groups in the town’s library to engage with those in the community who have an interest in the town’s heritage, and we were there. It is a great way to learn stories from people and see old photos they bring along.
The North Shields 800 Community Day in the Linskill Centre was very well attended and we had a lot of local people pop in to chat with us about the work we do and to view several of our films.
We went in to see our friends at New York Primary School and delivered two half day sessions to Year 5 pupils on slavery and the role North Shields played in its abolition.
We started to write and screen test a film about one of the town’s most influential sons – Ralph Gardner. It has been great to work with small independent creatives in the town who help us bring these important stories to life.
Social media audience engagement
We engage with a wide audience on our social media platforms. These are important ways to communicate our achievements, let local people know about what events we have coming up and also a way for people to get in touch with us and help us with our research.
Through our walks, talks, events and school engagements, we interacted with over 1,000 people bringing the stories of North Shields to life for people of all ages.
We have close to 500 followers on Facebook and have had over 5,000 interactions on our page with people from across the world in the last 12 months. Our Instagram page has almost 450 people following what we do. On X , we regularly post about our activity to our 725 followers . Our project videos and audio work have had over 21,000 views on YouTube, and we have over 100 subscribers . Our project website had 2,034 visitors .
Plans for the future
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We will produce the film about the life and times of Ralph Gardner and premiere it at the Old Low Light.
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We will continue to develop relationships with partner organisations and potential funders and will look to participate in relevant events including Local History Day.
Signed:……………………………………………………, on behalf of Trustees
Print name: ………………………………………… Jonathan Barrand
Date:…………………………………. 20th January 2026
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
Notes to the North Shields Heritology Project accounts, 2012
On accounts for the year ended
31 December 2025 Charity no 1181245
Respective The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year responsibilities of (under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act)) and that an trustees and independent examination is needed. examiner
It is my responsibility to
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examine the accounts (under section 43 of the Act),
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follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the
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Charity Commission (under section 43(7)(b) of the Act), and
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state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
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Basis of My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions
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independent given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review examiner’s of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the statement accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
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Independent In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention: examiner's 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material statement respect, the trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that:
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proper accounting records are kept (in accordance with section 41 of
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the Act); and
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accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting records and
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comply with the accounting requirements of the Act; or
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to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Date: 16 January, 2026
Name: Mark Thompson MAAT
Address: VODA Spirit of North Tyneside Wing 2nd Floor, Wallsend Community Hub & Library 16 The Forum Wallsend NE28 8JR
North Shields Heritology Project
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2025
| Receipts Grants Donations Total Receipts Payments Activities Print, Postage & Stationery Travel Room Hire General Office Expenses Insurance Consultants Fees & Subscriptions Legal & Professional Accountancy Donations Total Payments Surplus / deficit for the year Funds as at 1 January 2025 Funds at 31 December 2025 |
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds Funds 2025 2025 2025 2024 £ £ 0 1000 0 0 |
|---|---|
| 0 0 0 1000 |
|
| 293 293 0 103 103 126 5 5 21 0 371 81 81 265 160 160 173 600 600 251 0 0 90 90 80 0 0 |
|
| 0 1332 1332 1287 |
|
| 0 -1332 -1332 -287 5610 8284 13894 14181 |
|
| 5610 6952 12562 13894 |
North Shields Heritology Project Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2025
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| Current Assets | Notes | ||
| Cash at Bank | 12562 | 13894 | |
| Total Cash Balances | 12562 | 16082 | |
| Current Liabilities | 0 | 0 | |
| For The Year Ended 31 December 2025 | 12562 | 16082 | |
| Represented By: | |||
| Restricted Funds | 6952 | 8284 | |
| Unrestricted Funds | 5610 | 5610 | |
| 12562 | 13894 | ||
| Signed …………….……………………… | Position ………………………………….. Chairman |
||
| Signed …………….……………………… | Position ………………………………….. Trustee Treasurer |
Date ………………………………………. 20 January 2026
North Shields Heritology Project
Notes to the accounts, 2025
1. Basis of accounts
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) – Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006
Nortyh Shields Heritology Project meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
2 Trustees and Staff
No staff are directly employed by the charity.
3 Costs of financial services
The cost for the Independent Examination for the financial period will be £90.
4 Restricted Funds balance at 31 December 2025
| Restricted Funds balance at 31 December 2025 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance | Income | Expend | Balance | ||
| 1//1/25 | 31/12/25 | ||||
| Venator Community Fund (2) | 250 | 250 | |||
| North of Tyne Combined Authority Capacity Fund | 188 | 188 | |||
| Hadrian Trust (2) | 402 | 402 | |||
| Historic High Streets (Historic England/VODA) - Round 1 | 2301 | 561 | 1740 | ||
| Helix Arts(Arts Council England) | 786 | 771 | 15 | ||
| Venator Community Fund (3) | 250 | 250 | |||
| Historic High Streets (Historic England/VODA) - Round 2 | 2714 | 2714 | |||
| Historic England | 393 | 393 | |||
| R W Mann - NS800 | 1000 | 1000 | |||
| Total | 8284 | 0 | 1332 | 6952 |