DOCKLANDS HISTORY GROUP CIO
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD
FROM 1[st] JANUARY 2024 T0 31[st] DECEMBER 2024
DETAILS OF CHARITY
Name of Charity: Docklands History Group
Charity Registration Number: 1184430
Charity’s Address: 36 Manorgate Road, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, KT2 7AL
Summary of Purposes of the Charity, as set out in the 2019 Governing Document:
To promote for the public benefit the study of the history of the Port of London and the River Thames by organising lectures, conferences, study tours and other relevant activities available to all and by publishing academic papers and other material relevant to the subject.
Charity Structure, Governance and Management:
The Docklands History Group was incorporated as a CIO on the 16th July 2019. Its governing document follows the Charity Commission’s Association Model for Charitable Incorporated Organisations.
The CIO is managed by a group of Trustees, some of whom also have specific areas of responsibility for the operations of the Group. At the 1st January 2024, the Trustees were as follows:
Trustees 1[st] January 2024:
Chris Ellmers Chairman Malcolm Tucker Treasurer Sally Mashiter Programme Secretary Chris Everett Conference Co-ordinator Peter Stone Social Media Co-ordinator Graham Hall Financial Control Scrutineer Tim Peake Lorraine Ellmers Minutes Secretary
These eight Trustees remained in place across 2024. There were no additions to their number during the reporting period.
The Governing Document specifies that decisions of the members of the CIO may be taken by means of resolution at a general meeting but there is no provision for postal or electronic voting. Trustees met on eight occasions in 2024. Trustee meetings took place in accordance with previously circulated agendas, and all were minuted. The Treasurer provided regular financial
reports across the year. Trustees remained in regular contact with each other, between meetings, by email. All decisions made by email were carefully recorded and these were also noted in the Minutes of Trustee Meetings.
Due to the deficit incurred on the May 2023 Annual Conference, Trustees decided not to hold such an event in 2024. They did, however, agree to try and hold a shorter trial Saturday Conference in 2025.
Trustees also continued with their Strategic Review of key operational and policy areas relating to the governance and activities of the Group. Three separate Trustee Strategic Review Meetings took place in 2024. As with the eight main Trustee meetings, these also took place in accordance with previously circulated agendas, and all were minuted. Emails generated as part of this important exercise were also carefully recorded. Two separate smaller meetings also took place to consider proposals for a new website, and their findings were reported back to Trustees and fed into the Strategic Review Meetings. The Trustee Strategic Review focused on a rebranding exercise intended to help broaden the appeal of the Group and to better secure its longer term future. This included the following linked elements:
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Proposed change to the name of the Group
-
Proposed change to the charitable purposes or object of the Group
-
Development of a new logo for the Group
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Development of a new website for the Group
-
Development of an improved system for membership subscriptions for the Group
-
Development of regular Newsletters for the Group
Some of these were achieved in 2024 – and are reported here – whist others were carried over into 2025.
There were no Corporate Trustees and none of the Trustees held title to any property belonging to the Charity. There were no Custodian Trustees, and no funds were held on behalf of others.
The Group had no paid employees in 2024. None of the Trustees received any payment from the Charity apart from the reimbursement of legitimate operational expenses incurred on its behalf.
THE DOCKLANDS HISTORY GROUP’S ACTIVITIES IN THE 2024 PERIOD COVERED BY THIS REPORT
Nine well-attended monthly Group meetings and talks took place in 2024, at the Museum of London Docklands. A Group visit to the Thames River Police Museum, Wapping, took place in July, and a Group visit to St. George’s German Lutheran Church, Whitechapel, took place in August. Both visits were well-attended and much enjoyed by all.
The Group held its Annual General Meeting – at the Museum of London Docklands – on 5[th] June 2024. This approved the previously circulated Trustees Annual Report for 2023. The approved and signed 2023 Annual Report was subsequently submitted to the Charity Commission.
An EGM of the Group was held on 6[th] November 2024 to consider elements of the Trustee
Strategic Review. Members present agreed to the Trustee proposal that the name of the Group and CIO be changed from ‘Docklands History Group’ to ‘ Thames and Docklands History Group. ’ It was also agreed that the name ‘ Thames and Docklands History Group ’ be qualified – as and when required – by the addition of the explanatory strapline ‘ London’s River, Port and People .’
The EGM also agreed a change of the Group’s charitable objective from:
‘To promote for the public benefit the study of the history of the Port of London and the River Thames by organising lectures, conferences, study tours and other relevant activities available to all and by publishing academic papers and other material relating to the subject.’
to:
‘ To promote for the public benefit – through appropriate means available to all – a greater knowledge and understanding of the past, present and future of the Tidal River Thames, the Port of London and Docklands, including their maritime, industrial, and social history, and to publish papers and other material relating to the Group’s broad area of interest. ’
Both changes were subsequently conveyed to the Charity Commission and posted by the Chairman on their website. Although the Charity Commission accepted the name change, it subsequently suggested a modified version of the Group’s Charitable objective. This is to be finalised in 2025.
At the Group meeting in December, Trustees shared versions of the revised logo – developed in conjunction with the very generous pro bono support of an experienced graphic designer. This new logo was thoroughly endorsed by Group members present.
Selected work on the programme of publication of the Proceedings of previous conferences continued in 2024, but at a reduced pace.
The inaugural edition of the Dockland’s History Group Members’ Newsletter was launched in November and proved to be well received.
The Group’s membership remained reasonably strong, with the number of subscribing and honorary members by the end of July 2024 totalling 72.
The Group continued to maintain and update its very informative public website. The Group’s Mailing List included around 350 persons, comprising both members and more general supporters. At the end of December 2024, the Group’s Facebook Group had around 830 followers.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Review of the Charity’s Financial Position at the End of the Period covered by this Report
The Group’s main sources of income for 2024 were the subscriptions and donations of the members, there being no supplementary income from an Annual Conference and only one sale of Conference Proceedings in this period. Membership subscriptions remained at £20.00 for individuals and £30.00 joint, for two persons living at the same address.
The Group’s main expenditure related to meeting room use at the Museum of London Docklands. The Group also continued to incur necessary expenditure on insurance and communications.
Thanks to the planned transfer of funds from the original Docklands History Group (pre-CIO) in 2023, the Group continued to enjoy the comfort of a considerable reserve fund. Thus, at the end of 2024 the finances of the Group remained on a secure footing and sufficient to fund its future activities.
None of the Group’s funding was restricted to specific purposes.
Reserves Policy
The Trustees of the Docklands History Group did not consider it necessary to have a reserves policy. This was because the Group continued to have a low turnover and financial transactions that are simple and, above all, relatively predictable. The Trustees took care to ensure that no financial commitments were made unless there was sufficient funding to cover these. The Trustees of the Thames & Docklands History Group have adopted this policy and will continue to ensure that there are always available funds to cover any unforeseen expenditure.
DOCKLANDS HISTORY GROUP (CIO)
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS
FOR PERIOD 1[st] JANUARY 2024 TO 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024
| Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricte d funds |
Restricted funds |
Total funds | Last year (2023) |
Notes | |||||
| A1 Receipts | Notes 1, 2, 3 |
||||||||
| Donations | 133 | 133 | 138 | ||||||
| From Visitors at meetings | 51 | 51 | 82 | ||||||
| Subscriptions for currentyear | 801 | 801 | 1289 |
||||||
| Subs. received in advance for next year |
329 | 329 | 633 | Note 4 | |||||
| Refreshments Sales | 86 | 86 | 91 | ||||||
| Publications sales via bank and direct |
0 | 0 | 137 | ||||||
| Publications sales via PayPal | 24 | 24 | 0 | ||||||
| Conference tickets | 0 | 0 | 1156 | ||||||
| Funds of the Old DHG Group | 0 | 0 | 10439 | ||||||
| Total receipts | 1424 | 1424 | 13965 | ||||||
| A3 Payments | Notes 1,3 | ||||||||
| Room-hire for meetings | 1412 | 1412 | 1309 | ||||||
| Speakers' fees and expenses | 120 | 120 | 8 | ||||||
| Insurance | 178 | 178 | 178 | ||||||
| Website | 463 | 463 | 110 | Notes 5,6 | |||||
| Printingand mailing | 44 | 44 | 60 | ||||||
| Conference expenditure | 0 | 0 | 1864 | ||||||
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 95 | ||||||
| Totalpayments | 2217 | 2217 | 3624 |
||||||
| Net of Receipts/(Payments) | (793) | (793) | 10341 | ||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end, brought forward |
11538 | 11538 | 1197 | ||||||
| Cash funds thisyear end | 10745 | 10745 | 11538 | ||||||
| Section B, Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period |
|||||||||
| Categories | Details | Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowmen t funds |
Notes | ||||
| B1 Cash funds | Lloyds Bank | 3683 | |||||||
| PayPal account | 62 | ||||||||
| Shawbrook Bank | 7000 | ||||||||
| Total cash | 10745 |
| Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments | Section A, Receipts and Payments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricte d funds |
Restricted funds |
Total funds | Last year (2023) |
Notes | |||||
| A1 Receipts | Notes 1, 2, 3 |
||||||||
| Donations | 133 | 133 | 138 | ||||||
| From Visitors at meetings | 51 | 51 | 82 | ||||||
| Subscriptions for currentyear | 801 | 801 | 1289 |
||||||
| Subs. received in advance for next year |
329 | 329 | 633 | Note 4 | |||||
| Refreshments Sales | 86 | 86 | 91 | ||||||
| Publications sales via bank and direct |
0 | 0 | 137 | ||||||
| Publications sales via PayPal | 24 | 24 | 0 | ||||||
| Conference tickets | 0 | 0 | 1156 | ||||||
| Funds of the Old DHG Group | 0 | 0 | 10439 | ||||||
| Total receipts | 1424 | 1424 | 13965 | ||||||
| A3 Payments | Notes 1,3 | ||||||||
| Room-hire for meetings | 1412 | 1412 | 1309 | ||||||
| Speakers' fees and expenses | 120 | 120 | 8 | ||||||
| Insurance | 178 | 178 | 178 | ||||||
| Website | 463 | 463 | 110 | Notes 5,6 | |||||
| Printingand mailing | 44 | 44 | 60 | ||||||
| Conference expenditure | 0 | 0 | 1864 | ||||||
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 95 | ||||||
| Totalpayments | 2217 | 2217 | 3624 |
||||||
| Net of Receipts/(Payments) | (793) | (793) | 10341 | ||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end, brought forward |
11538 | 11538 | 1197 | ||||||
| Cash funds thisyear end | 10745 | 10745 | 11538 | ||||||
| Section B, Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period |
|||||||||
| Categories | Details | Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowmen t funds |
Notes | ||||
| B1 Cash funds | Lloyds Bank | 3683 | |||||||
| PayPal account | 62 | ||||||||
| Shawbrook Bank | 7000 | ||||||||
| Total cash | 10745 |
| funds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B2 Other Monetary assets |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| B5 Liabilities | Details | Fund to which liability relates |
Amount Due (optional) |
When due (Optional) |
|
| Creditors payable within oneyear |
Unrestricted | 70 | Note 6 |
Notes to the Accounts
1) Receipts and Payments Accounts
The charity has a gross income below £25,000 per year. These accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with Charities Commission Guidance CC15d and modelled on the Charities Accounts Template CC16a.
2) Receipts net of fees
In cases where PayPal, Eventbrite or SumUp have been used to handle receipts, the receipts are net of the fees deducted.
3) Restricted Funds
The charity has no restricted funds.
4) Subscriptions Received in advance for next year
Subscriptions are due on 1[st] January. These accounts are on a Receipts and Payments basis. Subscriptions received in advance of the beginning of 2025 are included as income here.
5) Website expenses
This figure included both the cost of hosting our website in 2023 and costs (£403) incurred in the first stages of developing a new website in 2024.
6) Creditors Payable within one year
Some charges (total £70) incurred for web hosting, mailings and conference publicity in 2024 were not invoiced until 2025, so are not included in the year 2024 payments
DECLARATION:
The Trustees of the Thames & Docklands History Group CIO declare that the above report was approved at the Docklands History Group 2024 AGM held on 4th June 2025.
Signed by the following Trustees of the Thames & Docklands History Group CIO:
Date: 4th June 2025
Chris Ellmers, Chairman:
Malcolm T Tucker, Treasurer:
The Thames & Docklands History Group incorporates the earlier Docklands History Group, and is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with Charity Number 1184430