Annual Report year ended 5[th] April 2024
Chairs Report
The year started with the usual training sessions to ease volunteers, both new and existing, back into the planned sailing season ahead. Some sailors had moved on, some on the grounds of ill health or age-related issues. Once again, a joint effort by all was needed to identify new sailors through advertising the charity to local organisations such as Mencap, the National Autistic society and local groups. Tenterden Volunteer Hub is helping in the recruitment of volunteers. The Chair also stressed the importance of raising funds to cover running costs.
Mike Bone, Trustee, who had made an immense contribution to the charity stood down due to the demands of other commitments. George Parkin and Graham Harris were invited to become Trustees and both accepted.
Ronan Quigley, led on creating role descriptions for each trustee who would be given a portfolio under which roles would be designated to volunteers. This was created to ease the burden on the Chair. The charity was short of a volunteer to cover Marketing and Communications. In July the Treasurer announced that he was moving to Cornwall but would carry on remotely until July in the following year. A bookkeeper was found to attend sailing events, pay in funds and keep a tally of income and expenses.
In May a formal boat naming of the Drascombe Lugger took place, organised by Ronan Quigley and the Chair, which saw a good turnout of people including MP Sally Ann Hart, the Mayor of Rye and Cllr Lizzie Hacking as well a good number of people representing organisations that had always supported the charity. The event was well attended by RHS members. Thomasin Trezise, opera singer, brought the house down, with a stunning rendition of the drinking song. This also advertised our main fundraising event, a Night of Opera Arias and Duets, planned for later in the year. In October the Opera Night, held in St Mary’s Church Rye, was a great success raising in the region of £2,500.00 for the charity. Various other fundraising events were held at The Hub on Rye Hill, including a quiz night and a race night. The Stone and Winchelsea Fetes were a great success bringing in some £400.00 for the charity.
A decision was made to sell Luey, a Sport 16, the old original dinghy that had been gifted to the charity by Sussex Sailability. The sale value was in the region of £400 to £500.
In mid-January, the Chair called a meeting of all RHS members asking for their help with the administration of the charity. George Parkin stood forward as Chair and other roles were filled. At the AGM on February 2[nd] after founding the charity in 2016, the Chair stood down. The sheer amount of work taking its toll on her health. The Chair thanked everyone for their support in taking the charity to where it is today and was delighted to hand the role over to George Parkin.
Treasurers Report
Despite a modest deficit of £1,800 (after accounting for depreciation), the charity's financial position remains stable, and our bank balance has improved. Fundraising efforts have remained consistent, and costs have been effectively managed. The charity's impact on its members and the unique sense of community is significant, even though its financial footprint is small.
The charity has made strides in strengthening its governance. Sheila Davison, our new Vice-Chair, has been instrumental in this effort, actively improving our systems and processes and taking on many new tasks. We are also grateful for the continued service of Ronan Quigley as Treasurer, who has generously offered to remain in the role until a permanent replacement is found.
The addition of our new bookkeeper, Heidi Foster, has significantly streamlined our accounting operations. Her expertise and dedication has already made her an invaluable member of the team.
As we move forward, the charity will continue to focus on attracting new trustees to further enhance our governance and capacity.
Riverside Report
In December 2022 we had taken delivery of our new RS Venture. From March 2023 we started training our helms and crews to make them familiar with the rigging, launching and sailing of the Venture. We held a training day at Bewl Water (using their Venture) with Richard Hayden taking the lead. This was very successful. This was followed with training in our own environment using our Venture.
The E Power electric motor proved very good once we had worked out how to use it.
It is particularly useful for close manoeuvring when leaving and coming alongside the jetty. RS had supplied us with the wrong sails but quickly remedied this and sent us two more sets so we have sails appropriate to different wind strengths.
The operation manual and risk assessments were updated to take the operation of the new dinghy in to account.
The new boat was named in a ceremony in May with some sponsors present.
Once the season got under way we used the Lugger and Luey initially whilst helms gained experience of the Venture.
We were lucky to have a nucleus of helms and crews who sailed the majority of sessions our safety boat crew. There was a reliable group of riverside volunteers who helped embarking and disembarking of sailors, we couldn't do it without them.
It was a successful season in every respect.
CHARITY COMMISSIO FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Receipts and ments accounts CC16a To Sectioii A Receipts and payments Restrktsd Endt)wmont fun& Totsi fund• L••t ywr Al R•¢•l (jonlon8 Gr8nts Fd r0r¢ SubbWorrf4 17 17 1.707 1J329 874 •74 Sub totsllGns iTh>)m• forAR) 24811 A2 A•••t•nd In¥Mkn•nt Ml••. (••• tabl•l. Iniur•r Fynd rnlllw Dx 801 E9u1wl Afid p•trd 1147 J.147 Lwh¢Jb R RHSC Hlr•. B•rthlTrJ SW• 733 1378 RYAAfflk4¢bn TrnlrdDg & InWu#4rn 1311 Sub fo IW7 A4 A•••t4nd thvg*lm•nt ur¢ha••B. Purchw of Bolt 17J70 Sub to 17J70 TT A6 Tr•n•f•rn b•tmn fund• A6 C••h fvnd• la•t>••r•nd Cash funds thts y•ar•nd 14341 17 13,341 17,204 20.175
CHARITY COMMISSIO Fok ENGLAND AND WALES Racol and nts accounts CC16a To SeLtioii B Statemont of clSSQt£ an(1 liabilities at the eiid of the poi-iod Cat•gtr¥io8 D•*&ila fund• fund• fund• i Cmh fund• oc 173•4 fyn Dgts11 B4 A•••t• r•tsln•d forth• oharfty• u•• Dgtalls Pr5nt Nam8 Z&'i'.&zs
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Rye Hart)ourSailobility IRHSI - Reo15ter Charfty Nvmber11&3222 BALANCE SHEET AS AT 5th APRIL 2024 D•pr•elatlon Op•nlng Ytd Totsl 434.24 I,738. 2171.20 5.483.50 1.994.( 7477.50 5,19134 1,597.33 8788.87 11,109.08 5,328.29 16437.37 RS Vwfftjre CiJnn8ct ID8e4mbor 2tr221 Drascornbe Luggér (Junè 2020) x500 Safety Boat IDecemt*r2019> 17,389 60 19,940 00 15,973.34 53,282.94 15.198.40 12.462.50 9,184.87 36,845.57 D8blor8 IChri8tmab cllrd Invok•8) Bank -HSBC Bank 4•rday•11fy) dub) 0.00 16.234.15 1,019.95 0.00 17 264.10 0.00 18,234.15 1.019.95 17,254,10 0.00 0.00 Iirr A88Ef8 70 137.04 11.10•.08 SJ28.2• 11109.08 099.67 Surplu8 y&Arto dats Openlng Re•erv8• (1,704.451 65.864.12 {1,754.451 56,864.12 NET RE8ERVE8 OD 09D.17 Amints Pr•parod by Trea8ur•r Ron QulO•y A{xUnt1 Ch8ck•d and Fixmd to efjrr•ct