## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period** Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year **From** 14 Feb 20 **To** 1 Apr 21 ## Section A Reference and administration details **Charity name** Rye Heritage Centre **Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any)** 1187978 **Charity's principal address** The Old Sail Loft, Strand Rye **Postcode TN31 7AY** **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Anthony Kimber
PhD|Secretary||| ||Cllr Chris Hoggart|||| ||Mike Eve|Grants||| ||Martin Blincow|Finance||| ||Suzi de Sherburne|||| ||Simon Parsons|Chair||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ||**Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)**|||| ||**Name**||**Dates acted if not for whole year**|| |||||| |||||| **TAR** March **2012** 1 ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**| |---|---|---| |**Type of adviser**
**Name**
**Address**||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**||| |||| ## **Section B Structure, governance and management** ## **Description of the charity’s trusts** Constitution Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) As a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) By the Board on the basis of volunteer and suitability in terms of what Trustee selection methods skills are brought to the Board (eg. appointed by, elected by) - (eg. trust, association, company) ## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about: - policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; - the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; - relationship with any related parties; Board meets monthly and has full record of meetings Board implements policy through employed manager Manager organises volunteers to support the operation There are some 20 policies agreed by the Board as guidance for the Manager. Rye Town Council owns the site from which the Board leases the building and the town model on a peppercorn rent basis, which is subject to lease and contract. The Board considers all risks and manages to mitigate or offset. One trustee is risk manager. - trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. **TAR** March **2012** 2 ## **Section C Objectives and activities** **Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document** To advance education for the public benefit in the history and heritage of the Ancient Town of Rye by maintaining a Heritage Centre and organising exhibitions and events. Nothing in this constitution shall authorise an application of the property of the CIO for the purposes which are not charitable in accordance with the Charities Act 2011. **TAR** March **2012** 3 To exhibit the town model by entry fee, which is a light and sound model which explains the unique history of Ancient town of Rye Linked to the model is a timeline of supporting heritage exhibits There are sales of related heritage items to add income There rea related activities such as town walks and other heritage activities to add to the income. **Summary of the main** A programme of digitisation is under way to enhance the heritage value. **activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to** Subject to Covid there will be a schools’ programme **these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)** ## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)** Volunteers are fundamental to the operation and add value You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about: - policy on grantmaking; - policy programme related investment; - contribution made by volunteers. **TAR** March **2012** 4 Section D Achievements and performance Survival in the face of Covid restrictions **Summary of the main achievements of the charity** Enhancement of displays and services using Heritage Lottery grants **during the year** Consolidation of the management structure and operation **TAR** March **2012** 5 ## **Section E Financial review** The Board strives to retain a reserve of a minimum of £5k **Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves** **Details of any funds materially in deficit** ## **Further financial review details (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about: - the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising); - how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity; - investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted. ## **Section F Other optional information** ## **Section G Declaration** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s)** Anthony Kimber **Full name(s)** Anthony Kimber PhD **Position (eg Secretary, Chair,** Trustee and Secretary **etc) Date** 24 January 2022 **TAR** March **2012** 6 fx Balance RHC Draft Profl l Loss: 2020121 Income Donations Grants Shop Sales Refund 71)00.IX) 20200.00 2189.96 438.74 Total 29828.70 1 l Expenditure Accountanry Fees Advertising and Publicity Aiarms Cleaning Credtt Card / Bank Charges Ghost Tours Health and Safety Hospitality and Refreshments Office Refreshments Total Hospitality and Refreshments Insurance rr - Hardware and Software Light and Heat Music in Store Payroll Expenses Postsge Printing Costs Rates Stationery/ Sundry Items Telephonellnternet Town Model Repairs and Renewals 33 Water Rates 34 OTHER 35 Total Expenses 13 14 1836.(X) 15 16 17 59.00 18 1655.70 6947.41 5549.85 26.90 693.42 651.17 6426.40 669.08 23845.85 37 5982.85, Sheeti ## RYE HERITAGE CENTRE 1st year summary report The RHC Charity Incorporated Organisation formally commenced the lease of the Heritage Centre from Rye Town Council on 1st April 2020 having purchased the Rye Town Model from RTC Plans to appoint a manager, recruit further volunteers and open the centre from Easter 2020 were quickly thwarted by the pandemic and the associated restrictions. Nick Forman was appointed as manager but did not take up paid employment until later in the year, he did however do much preparatory work in the interim on a voluntary basis for which the trustees are extremely grateful. Throughout the pandemic the Board of Trustees have worked hard to ensure that the financial position of the charity has been closely monitored and managed and acknowledges the support of Rye Town Council in that endeavour. Unfortunately the fact that the charity had no trading or operating record prior to 1.4.2020 meant that we were not eligible for local or national government support as was available to established businesses during the early stages of the pandemic. Other grant sources such as the Sussex Community fund were not forthcoming either, due largely to the pressure form other groups with understandably greater priorities. It was not until November when we were successful in an application to the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund that we received our first grant of £20,000. This enabled us to initiate the manager’s formal employment and to prepare the Town Model for opening under Covid-19 restrictions towards the end of last year and to begin some investment in equipment. Of course the last minute tightening of restrictions following the rapid rise in infection rates prevented us actually opening for business. Undaunted the Trustees and manager have continued to make inroads into the improvement and re-organisation of the centre, aided by donations through social media fund-raising, anonymous unsolicited donations and in particular an anonymous donation specifically made to fund a project to re-site the penny arcade machines in a more accessible location on the ground floor and in a more historically contextual environment. We are grateful to Steve Maxted, the owner of the machines, for his support and co-operation with this project. We were also fortunate to be supported by local artist Richard Adams with the gift of the rights to reproduce and market a new image entitled Rye Heritage which can be seen on display at the centre, prints are obtainable through our on-line shop which was set up earlier in the year. Another generous donation following a social media appeal saw the arrival and installation of a new customer service and sales counter which has greatly helped with improving visitor flow. We are grateful to Herringtons solicitors for the donation and to Bournes Removers for providing free delivery. Other improvements have included the development of a new web-site, soon to be launched, again generously being provided free of charge, and the replacement of faulty CCTV equipment As part of the Culture Recovery Grant funding new digital display equipment has been obtained and we are currently working on new digitised interpretations of Rye’s rich history, as well as other traditional displays including an illustrated timeline. Our main intention remains to expand heritage education and interpretation through the Town Model and linking the model story, digital interpretation and traditional displays to provide visitors with a unified experience which will provoke and relate to our visitors encouraging them to continue their exploration of the Town’s significant history. We strongly intend to deliver our mission to be a gateway to Rye’s heritage signposting other key heritage sites and tourist attractions coverings and modernising heating and lighting provision to reduce running costs and improve environmental impact. The focus in the coming weeks is to open to the public as soon as we are able after the Government’s roadmap allows. Then we can begin to generate the income stream needed to meet our outgoings in line with our business plan, and to continue with improving and updating the Heritage Offering to the benefit of the town and the local community The Trustees remain enthusiastic and committed to securing the future of the Town Model and to bring the Heritage Centre to financial security and self sufficiency Simon Parsons Chair Rye Heritage Centre CIO 18.4.2021