2023-03-31-accounts

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British Napoleonic Bicentenary Trust (BNBT)

Trustee’s Report and Financial Statements

1 April 2022

31 March 2023

Charitable Incorporated Organisation Charity Number: 1185952

Charity Information	3
Trustee’s Report	4
Statement of Receipts and Payments	7
Statement of Assets and Liabilities	8
Notes to the Financial Statements	9

Charity Information

Trustees Sir Brian Unwin KCB (Chair) Michael Binyon OBE (Vice Chair) Oni Oviri (Treasurer) Thomas Peregrine Stansfeld Bryant (Appointed January 2023) Dr Rebecca Cairns-Wicks MBE Viscountess Penelope Cobham CBE Dan Cruickshank Philip Davies Professor Alan Forrest Peter Hicks Philip John Sharman (Appointed January 2023) Kedell Worboys MBE Patron Jean-Christophe Napoleon Bonaparte Executive Director Gordon Ackroyd (to June 2022) Martyn Weeds (Appointed September 2022) Address c/o St Helena Government UK Office Alliance House 12 Caxton Street London SW1H 0QS Website www.napoleon200.org Charity Number 1185952 Bankers The Co-operative Bank PO Box 250 Skelmersdale WN8 6WT

Trustee’s Report 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023

Structure, Governance and Management

The British Napoleonic Bicentenary Trust (BNBT) (the ‘Charity’) is constituted under the terms of its governing document (‘Constitution’) dated 24 September 2019. The Constitution is that of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The members of the CIO are its Trustees. Trustees are appointed for a term of two years by resolution at a properly convened meeting of the Charity Trustees. There were four meetings of the Trustees during the reporting period.

The objects of the Charity are to advance education for the public benefit by the restoration and preservation of historic sites of cultural, historical and/or architectural significance in the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena (the ‘Sites’), in particular but not exclusively by:

a) promoting public knowledge and appreciation of the history of the Sites;
b) advancing education of the public in the historical significance of the Georgian era (1714-1837) in the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, with a particular emphasis on the Napoleonic era (1799-1815) and Napoleon Bonaparte’s internment on the island (1815-1821); and
c) promoting and supporting the renovation, preservation and enhancement of the Sites for the public benefit.

On a day-to-day basis, the Charity is run by a part time Executive Director, supported by the Trustees. The position of Executive Director is renumerated by the St Helena Government as part of their support of the Charity.

Main Activities Undertaken for the Public Benefit in Relation to the Objects of the Charity

The Trustees have referred to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when setting and reviewing the Charity’s aims and objectives and in planning the Charity’s future activities. In particular, the Trustees have considered how planned activities contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set. The Trustees are satisfied that the Charity continues to meet the Charity Commission’s guidelines with regard to carrying out its purposes for the public benefit.

Following the period of heightened activity connected to the bicentenary of Napoleon’s death in 2021, the Trustees’ efforts in the 2022-2023 financial year were focused on supporting the implementation of the Jacob’s Ladder Restoration Project (see below) and reviewing the Charity’s longer-term priorities and activities. The Trust was also without an Executive Director between the departure of Gordon Ackroyd in June following an extended period of illness and the recruitment of Martyn Weeds in late September.

In furtherance of its objective to advance education for the public benefit by the restoration and preservation of historic sites of cultural, historical and/or architectural significance in the British Overseas Territory of St Helena, the Charity’s main activity in the reporting period was sponsoring the restoration of Jacob’s Ladder, a Grade I listed monument adjacent to St Helena’s capital, Jamestown. 99.9% of the Charity’s expenditure in the reporting period was in furtherance of this objective. On-site activity commenced in August 2022 and involved repair works being undertaken on the steps, metal structure and inclined plane, lime pointing of the adjoining ‘halfway’ wall and repairs to a small ‘tunnel’ section of the inclined plane which adjoins the historic footpath across the hillside approximately a quarter of the way up the Ladder. Following slight delays, mainly due to difficulties sourcing appropriate materials,

the fact that some sections of the Ladder were in a worse state of repair than originally thought and the unexpected need to repair the ‘tunnel’ passing under the Ladder, work was completed and the Ladder re-opened to the public in April 2023.

To further promote public knowledge and appreciation of the history of the site of Jacob’s Ladder, the Trust shared regular updates on the restoration work via its Twitter and Facebook social media channels. A blog post was also written for the Trust’s website, and the Director contributed an article on the project to the St Helena Independent. Updates were also shared via the Trust’s e-newsletter.

During a visit to St Helena in February/March, new Executive Director Martyn Weeds was able to attend a meeting of the Jacob’s Ladder Working Group and take part in a site visit. He was also able to visit Toby’s Cottage and discuss the planned restoration work with local stakeholders. Martyn also visited many of the important heritage sites on the island, and held productive meetings with several local groups – including St Helena Heritage Society, the Liberated African Advisory Committee and St Helena National Trust. It is hoped that the Charity will work closely with these stakeholders in the future.

Financial Review

No fundraising initiatives were undertaken during the reporting period. The Charity’s receipts were £28, £4 of which is restricted to heritage projects on the island of St Helena. Unrestricted income was £24. As the Charity has no debts, liabilities, or recurring costs beyond those associated with maintenance of the website, the current unrestricted £5,749 cash at bank is considered sufficient reserves for the time being.

The Charity’s expenditure in the same period was £83,120, £83,108 of which related to the Jacob’s Ladder Restoration Project. This sum was taken from the £90,000 generously donated and a further £210,000 pledged by Lord Michael Ashcroft KCMG, PC towards the restoration of the Ladder and other built heritage-related projects on St Helena.

Future Plans

Following the passing of the bicentenary year and a period of reflection and review, the Trustees decided that the Charity would reduce its specific emphasis on Napoleon and the Napoleonic area whilst retaining its overall focus on advancing education for the public benefit by the restoration and preservation of historic sites of cultural, historical and/or architectural significance in the British Overseas Territory of St Helena. In addition to the restoration of Toby’s Cottage – which subject to funding will commence in 2023-24 – the Trust intends to explore possibilities for collaboration with groups on the island, for example to restore the only surviving building from the Liberated African Establishment in Rupert’s Valley and develop it as an interpretation centre focusing on St Helena’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. A new programme of activities – including public education webinars and fundraising events – is envisaged to promote the widening of focus and raise awareness of specific projects. In furtherance of this, the Charity will attempt to recruit one or more volunteers to assist with web and social media activities.

Financial Statements

The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis with all revenue and expenses shown on a cash basis.

The financial statements have been drawn up in compliance with the relevant provisions of the Charities Act 2011 and the Charity’s Constitution.

Approved by the Trustees on 5 July 2023 and signed on their behalf by:

Sir Brian Unwin KCB Chair

Statement of Receipts and Payments

For the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total Funds	Previous
	Funds (£)	Funds (£)	(£)	Year (£)
Receipts
Donations	24	4	28	93,917
Grants	-	-	-	-
Income from Events	-	-	-	319
Sales	-	-	-	-
Bank Interest	-	-	-	-
Total Receipts	24	4	28	94,237
Payments
Fundraising Costs	-	-	-	165
Event Costs	-	-	-	1,210
Website Costs	12	-	12	271
Restoration Projects	-	83,108	83,108	1,030
Total Payments	12	83,108	83,120	2,676

Net Receipts	12	(83,104)	(83,092)	91,561
(Payments)

Statement of Fund Movements

For the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total Funds	Previous
	Funds (£)	Funds (£)	(£)	Year (£)
Balance brought forward	5,737	89,913	95,650	4,089
Receipts	24	4	28	94,237
Payments	12	83,108	83,120	2,676
Balance carried forward	5,749	6,809	12,558	95,650

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

As at 31 March 2023

	Unrestricted	Restricted Funds	Total Funds	Previous
	Funds (£)	(£)	(£)	Year (£)
Assets
Cash at Bank	5,749	6,809	12,558	95,650
Non-monetary	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Assets
Total Assets	5,749	6,809	12,558	95,650

Liabilities	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil

The notes on page 9 form part of these financial statements.