2024-12-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024

Charity name: Sime Gallery CIO

Charity registration number: 1188534

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	(a) The preservation and permanent display of the works of Sidney Herbert Sime; (b) To advance in education and the arts and, in particular but not exclusively, the history of the works of Sidney Herbert Sime.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	(a) Appointment of CIO trustees with expertise in viable financial charitable art gallery planning within the art market; comprehensive insurance taken out covering all works held; adoption of policies on financial reserves; planning of children’s workshops and creating outreach programme links with schools; ongoing discussions to formulate plans for future education policies, policies on conservation and future acquisitions; ongoing maintenance of alarm system; experienced gallery volunteers who continue to undertake monthly tasks; annual summer fundraising event. (b) Monitoring of opening hours both by pre- appointment and with no prior booking 01 Feb-5 Dec 2024 (open 2-4 on Wednesdays and Sundays); new suitable volunteers recruited; website updated regularly; talks given in the gallery and to interested local groups; improvements continued on signage and on gallery entrance area; children’s workshops. Obtaining grants eg NLHF and local grants eg Parish Council, Surrey Museums Partnership. {c) Seeking local sponsorship for financial stability as well as involving local businesses and using local suppliers where

		possible.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of The Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. Consideration is given for care and management of the artworks with climate change as well as monitoring temperature and humidity of the Gallery.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	The gallery and Board of Trustees is volunteer led. Most of the day to day activity is done solely by volunteers. All give their time and expertise in various ways such as gallery guides, conservation care, outreach and research activities. They manage the small café rota, website management, run workshops as well as undertaking marketing and publicity work; other activity involves day to day maintenance and refurbishing, making grant applications and ensuring their outcome activities when successful, strategy planning, EDI considerations, health and safety, fundraising events and exhibition planning and preparation. The number of regular volunteers remains consistent with 25 required for the gallery, workshops and café. Online DBS checks are in place if required and training can be arranged as needed.
Other		Preparing artworks to be valued, sending and rehanging items before and after external exhibitions.

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	Underlying all achievements is recognition of the importance and benefit of art available to everyone. Closure of galleries due to Covid restrictions highlighted its relevance to society as well as recognising current increase cost of living issues by not charging admission. As an independent CIO the gallery and its café open (both with and without pre- booking) to the public 2-4pm on Wednesdays and Sundays, also welcoming group visits. In 2024 trustees and gallery volunteers were delighted to welcome 197 visitors and 75 children as workshop attendees. The Sime ‘Ta Ta’ café opened during this period for drinks and cakes and 136 visitors partook of its refreshments. There were 5 group visits. The ambience and appearance of both the café and gallery were improved: painting the walls in the first phase improved the ambience and appearance of both the café and gallery, enhancing the new lighting and displays. Work on labels and signage also continues. The first phase of painting the gallery walls enhanced the newly installed lighting and displays; improved signage outdoors is a bonus following purchase of new sail banners to attract and direct visitors. A new outdoor notice board with up-to-date information of Gallery activity has been a further useful addition. An interactive monitor for the display of more information with easy access is on order for 2025; a film maker spent a day in September photographing and filming in the gallery in preparation for providing an introductory film to be used in the gallery. All these improvements have already been and will continue to be effective in enhancing the visitor experience. The gallery is located on the first floor of the building. For those who cannot access it, picture albums have been provided for viewing in a suitable, safe room on the ground floor. Our first London EXHIBITION IN 100 YEARS since Sime’s first exhibition at St George’s Gallery, Hanover Place, opened in January. Paintings, notebooks and letters were on show at Chris Beetles’ Mayfair Gallery in St James’s. Over 100

people attended the opening Reception. This succeeded in widening knowledge of the existence of the Sime Gallery and awareness of the importance of the Collection, this due to the large online presence of the Chris Beetles Gallery. It resulted also in visitors coming to the Sime Gallery itself in Perry Hill, Worplesdon. A private Exhibition of a number of Sime’s theatrical caricatures took place at the Garrick Club during 2024 when the loan of 11 of our Sime theatrical caricatures was organised, the Exhibition opening in June, running till December 2024. The London Exhibition at the Chris Beetles Gallery was followed by another Sime Exhibition in Pinner at the Heath Robinson Museum later in in the year, from September 2024 to January 2025. Again, the opening Reception on 10 October was well attended; in November 2024 a talk was given there about Sime’s life and art by two Sime Gallery trustees, this talk was appreciated by 32 attendees. A local Exhibition in Guildford is in the early phase of planning for Autumn 2025. The year started with a large group talk at Farnham. A further two talks were given locally. All these talks help to widen the knowledge and interest in the gallery and help our footfall as a result, partly because of the group visits which follow. One trustee is responsible for marketing and one for publicity: one submits information for a monthly online newspaper, produces a quarterly newsletter; the other submits adverts to appear in local concert programmes and in a local magazine which also receive regular entries about our activities and adverts. In 2024 our social media presence, in particular via daily Instagram, has increased particularly for younger people and continues to help to keep people informed via regular postings. Twitter is of less importance due to its recent poor publicity. We are seeking help with professional guidance to improve our advertising and social media skills in order to reach a wider and younger audience.

The Ta Ta Café had more additional helpful items given to it and the small courtyard entrance area was enhanced by additional flowerpots, including children’s workshop flowerpots! In 2024 we entered the

‘Guildford in Bloom’ competition again and
were awarded Silver in our category.
In keeping with the major NL Heritage Fund
grant of £78,790 awarded in Dec 2021 we
appointed in 2022 two consultants for
community liaison and audience
development, an exhibitions gallery
technician and an evaluation consultant for
the period 2022-2025. In 2024 we have
continued to work with the two consultants
in a partnership scheme with Surrey
Museums, and our gallery technician has
undertaken remounting and reframing
several of our artworks in preparation for
the external Exhibitions. Additionally, we
have benefited particularly from our
evaluation consultant who evaluates all our
activities, principally by analysis of
completed visitor questionnaires. All posts
are in keeping with the Gallery Business
Plan.
Thanks to the input of the community
liaison consultants, we have continued our
successful link with Halow, a local charity
for young adults who suffer with autism or
are lacking life skills. As well as two
trustees one of our volunteers is now
involved to help run the workshops and Art
classes. In 2024 we have linked up with the
local Parish Church and held Easter and
Christmas workshops, this in keeping with
our outreach programme for mutual benefit.
This has only been achievable thanks to
the support of the National Lottery Heritage
Fund grant we received.

Sponsorship of £325 from local businesses was used to sponsor young musicians from London and their steel band as well as 2 Worplesdon Young Musicians of the year at our Caribbean fundraising event when 171 attended a BBQ in August. Funds raised have enabled us to support future schools and Exhibitions programmes. We continue to need funds to improve facilities and purchase particular items to enhance our displays and visitor experience eg interactive monitor and creation of introductory film, and to pay for recent partial painting of the Gallery. We await the visit by an Art Conservator to come and prioritise the need and order in which art works need restoration or reframing etc. For this we have obtained grant funding from Association of Independent Museums.

We continue to consider our EDI programme in order to become more

welcoming, inclusive, diverse and equitable. Having obtained particular advice regarding appropriate signage for the visually impaired, signs are now in place where possible which can be clearly visible and legible to people with poor eyesight for example. Our policies regarding EDI were updated as required and are reviewed annually. As trustees we ensure that our meetings continue to include mention of any EDI updates. It is anticipated that the Halow group will assist in creating more new display signs that are easier to see and read as well as information panels. Mr Thomas Seymour, grandson of Sime’s Patron and renowned polymath Lord Howard de Walden, remains the founding Patron. He assisted in the organisation of the Gallery’s first London Exhibition (previously mentioned) at Chris Beetles Gallery in January 2024 and gave an enlightening speech at the opening reception. Ewbank’s Auctioneers continues as the CIO’s founding Sponsor with Andrew Ewbank continuing his late father’s support of the Gallery. The addition of a small water feature to enhance the Courtyard Garden was donated also by Ewbank’s in memory of Chris Ewbank.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	Education: In addition to the main half -term workshop in February 2024, we continue our collaboration with other local art and heritage organisations. Three small workshops took place which included taking the children into the gallery to spot items such as animals in the paintings, thereby introducing them to Sime’s art in an enjoyable, fun way; an art teacher volunteered to give a drawing class based on a Sime Caricature for adults on one occasion. Further art workshops took place at the Church for Easter, at Halloween and Christmas in the gallery. In January 2024 a coffee morning for volunteers was held at the nearby Hotel/café to show appreciation for their valuable contribution and to support our local economy by using the nearby hotel facility. 16 children from the adjoining pre-school participated in creating

		our Courtyard Garden, later decorated in Caribbean theme with additional homemade bunting which the children coloured. This was part of the Guildford in Bloom annual competition. This not only engages pre-school age children in outdoor activity and in choosing which plants are suitable; it also helps to explain how the effect of Climate Change influences our choice of plants etc at the same time as explaining an outdoor garden activity in nature is fun, however small it is! It was rewarding to see the children enjoying their visit to the Gallery itself and looking for insects, animals etc in Sime’s paintings. Strategy sessions continued in 2024 when KPIs were revisited and our aims and objectives taken forward with the proposal eventually to become a Centre for Illustrative Art Education, to share the fascinating ‘story’ of Sidney Sime and the importance of his art to heritage. The Trustees were divided into 3 groups - to plan and prioritise the aspects Improving the Assets, Enhancing the Appearance and Increasing the Awareness of the gallery, all of which would assist us in planning our budget, also guided by our Business Plan and achieving the outcomes of the HF grant requirements.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	173 attended our 2024 outdoor BBQ in August when £2,637 was raised, available for gallery use as trustees see fit. The event, sponsored by a local builder and supported by a small grant from our local County Councillor, far exceeded expectations. The third annual Sime Lecture was held in November 2024 and attended by 93 people raising £1,073. Our fundraising is vital for financial stability especially for items sg insurance that cannot be funded generally by grants.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	N/A
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	Overall, the CIO’s financial position was solid at the end of the second calendar year.
Statement explaining the	Para 1.22	The purpose of the Financial Reserve Policy

policy for holding reserves stating why they are held		is to ensure the financial stability of the Sime Gallery at all times.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	The target minimum Financial Reserve Fund is equal to six months of average operating costs. Target amount of reserves held in 2024:
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	n/a
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	n/a
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	Trustees are aware that it is vital to increase the numbers of visitors the gallery and recognise the need to grow the volunteer team in order to make this possible. It is recognised, for example, that since Covid many people are still not returning to visiting galleries as they did pre-Covid; there is an ongoing danger that volunteers can become disillusioned when very few visitors come. The volunteer handbook, created to support volunteer training, has been updated in autumn 2024, to be ready for 2025. The volunteers’ annual coffee morning is aimed at thanking and boosting morale. Fortunately gallery volunteers find the story of Sime’s life and artwork fascinating, resulting in using other skillsby helping with archiving, research, rehanging paintings and maintaining the small outdoor courtyard garden. The need for additional funding through grants, sponsorship and fundraising will be required to ensure financial stability especially when the major 3-year HF grant period is completed (extension received to March 2026).

		ii) lack of display space iii) lack of sufficient visitors to make any further new openings viable iv) lack of volunteers/trustees with appropriate skills v) lack of profile of Sime name vi) and as identified in para 1:23 vii) lack of disabled access
Other		In addition to those mentioned above, trustees are also aware of issues resulting from: a lack of public transport to the parish of Worplesdon where the gallery is situated; poor access to the gallery space; limited merchandising and ongoing economic challenges post-Covid and following the effects of war in Ukraine, Gaza and general global uncertainty. All affect decision- making and general support for Arts and Heritage in this country, not least because of soaring costs for art conservation work due to increased prices and difficulties in obtaining supplies.

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:		The Sime Gallery CIO has no trusts.
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Trustees are selected with regard to the skills, knowledge and expertise they bring. The constitution allows up to 12 trustees to serve at any one time. There must be a minimum of four trustees.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	New Trustees receive i) a copy of the current version of the constitution ii) a copy of the CIO’s latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts iii) a copy of current policies
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The Sime Gallery CIO was instated on 13 March 2020, formerly the Sime Gallery Trust, formed in 1949 to enable the bequest of Sime’s widow Mary (please see below). The trustees are responsible for running the organisation. The Sime Gallery works with other galleries and arts societies in West Surrey and plans to develop links nationally also. It is a member of Surrey Museums Partnership with whom we work with the 2 HF consultants in a 3-year partnership scheme; with Surrey Cultural Partnership and with the Association of Independent Museums. The gallery plans to work towards accreditation with support from Museums Development South East.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	The origins of the Sime Gallery CIO lie within the Worplesdon Memorial Hall and Recreation Ground and Sime Gallery Trust. Funding for the Gallery’s establishment and construction was provided solely by the bequest of Sime’s widow Mary in 1949, at no extra cost to the trustees of the day. The gallery opened in 1956. In order to provide a modern governance

structure for both the gallery and the Hall, it was agreed to form two CIOs: Worplesdon Memorial Hall and Recreation Ground CIO and the Sime Gallery CIO, each with its own set of trustees. The Sime Gallery remains located within the Worplesdon Memorial Hall. A legal property structure was agreed and accepted by the Charity Commission in March 2020, enabling the Sime bequest to be based on a firm legal tenure necessitating the granting of a new lease between the two new CIOs. An operational agreement between the two new CIOs was agreed, with both organisations looking forward to good collaboration in years to come. This arrangement allows the Sime Gallery GIO greater flexibility of future funding. Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Sime Gallery CIO
Other name the charity uses	-
Registered charity number	1188534
Charity’s principal address	Worplesdon Memorial Hall Perry Hill Worplesdon Guildford Surrey GU3 3RF

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Catherine Irene MaryBroughton	Chair	13 March 2020 - present
	John Slater	Treasurer	13 May 2022 - present
	Graham Bower- Wood	Trustee	2 May 2023 - present
	Heather Dean	Trustee	May2024 -
	Bea Meecham	Trustee	2 May 2023 – present
	Jan H Messinger	Trustee	13 March 2020 – present
	Catherine Mirmak	Trustee	22 June 2021- present
	Marilyn Scott DL MBE MA AMA FRSA	Trustee	18 March 2020 – present
	Marjory I Stewart	Trustee	13 March 2020 – present

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser	Name Address	Name Address
Independen t Auditor	Ms Helen Lee	55 Wodeland Avenue, Guildford, Surrey ~GU2 4LA
Bankers	CAF Bank Ltd	25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
	Catherine Irene Mary Broughton	John A D Slater
	Chair	Treasurer
	April1 2025
	April1 2025

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Indepe report Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Sime Gallery CIO On accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination o charity ("the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requ 2011 ("the Act.) I report in respect of my examination of the under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in ca have followed the applicable Directions giv under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confir come to my attention (ot1￿￿￿0 the examination which gives me cause to b respect.. accounting records were not kept in the Act or the accounts do not accord with the Independent examiner's statement I have no concems and have come across with the examination to which attention sho proper understanding of the accounts to be Please delete the wortls in the brackets if Signed: Name: Mrs. Helen M L Lee

I CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Sim Galtery ¢10 Receipts and payments acco For the period from To 01-Jan-24 Section A Recei ts and payments Unrèstricted nds ta the #eare8t RÈstrict•d funds Endowment funds tothe nearest £ tothe nearest£ A1 Recèi ts Donabons Sponsors, lecturès, M0[ks￿)p$, retail. other sales etG Giants 9,214 25,484 Sub total(Gross income forAR) 10,864 25,484 A2 Asset and invesknent sales, see table . Sub tota Total recelpts 10,864 25,484 A3Pa enls Expenditure from day-tsFdtyoperation8 Gsllery maintentnce workshops m¥rketsn9 We￿￿te Retsil costs Admin Costs 816 857 Exwdthre from giants 15824 Sub tola 5,401 15,824 A4 Asset and investment urchases see tablè Sub tota Totalpaym8nts SA01 15,824

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the per Unrestricte funds to nÈarest£ B1 Cash funds sh in bahk 24.642 Total cash funds 24.642 lawe•bakn¢a$￿￿h ro￿lptY￿￿d p¥yment¥ Unrestricted funds to nearest£ Detail.s B2 Other n￿netary assets Fund to which asset elon B3 Investment assets Fund to whl¢h asset bebn B4 Assets retained for the Charity's own use Fund to whkh relates D,:lJj',.s B5 Liabilities