## **Malmesbury History Society Trustee Annual Report 2023 (January - December)** Registered Charity Number - 1193228 ## **Address of Society** 39 Gastons Road Malmesbury SN16 0BD ## **Names of the trustees who manage the charity** Christina Staff Chair Maria Marsh Treasurer Anne Goodyer Robin Holley Barry Dent Deborah Shipp ## **Structure and Governance** CIO – Charitable Incorporated Company All trustees are elected according to the constitution by the members at the yearly AGM. ## **Objectives and Activities** ## **Main Purpose of the Society** To advance education in the history of Malmesbury and the surrounding area, by holding meetings to disseminate and promote the history of the local area in a wider historical context to the local community and the general public of all ages and to publish local history information and liaise with other local groups who have a similar aim. ## **Public Benefit** The society exists for the public benefit. All the trustees have been made aware of and reviewed the guidance on what the Charity Commission means by public benefit and believes that this has been achieved through our activities. ## **Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees** New trustees are vetted by the current trustees and are put forward for election by the members at the AGM. A committee member may be co-opted during the year for a trial period. All new trustees are given a copy of the essential guidance on being a trustee from the government. ## **Activities Related to our Objective and Purposes** The Society continues to work with and support other heritage groups to promote and engage with their work. A new and updated website was developed to promote the works of the society. In 2023 we continued to research a possible community excavation in the Abbey cloisters. ## **Meeting and Talks** **January 19th when MHS member Alan Taylor gave us the talk, A Stonehenge Timeline - 3500 BC to the Present.** As a volunteer at Stonehenge Alan was qualified to give us an excellent overview of activity in the Stonehenge landscape from the Neolithic, through the early modern antiquarians, to the latest theories. **AGM on 16th March 2023** at which our speaker was stonemason Andrew Ziminski. Andrew gave us a most interesting illustrated guide to the work he had been associated with over his career. It was especially illuminating to see photographs of some of his past Malmesbury work. **On May 18th** Liam Wilson - Archaeologist from Cotswold Archaeology gave a detailed résumé of the archaeology in the Malmesbury environs starting from the Roman period. This was based on recent archaeological evidence from developer led excavations. Several of his colleagues also came along and helped to explain the considerable number of finds they had to illustrate their research. **June, on the 29th,** we replaced the talk with a social gathering; our first since the COVID pandemic. Former MHS committee member **Roger Griffin** (also one of our founder members) kindly gave us the use of his lovely garden for a **Garden Party** . It was a most successful evening thanks to our most welcoming hosts Roger and Judith. We were also so lucky to have perfect weather. Thanks also go to the MHS committee members for their help towards making this a successful evening. **September 21st David Robertson Mitchell** gave a talk based on his extensive research into the road he hopes will be officially renamed **The North Wessex Way** . This is the old road that goes from Oxford to Bristol via Malmesbury. David's subject has, since then, gained a much higher profile as it has been highlighted on BBC Wiltshire Radio and on the BBC News website. **November on the 16th** , MHS member and regular researcher /speaker, David Witt gave us a detailed guide to the geology of our area. David explained why Malmesbury as a settlement came to be situated as it is, on a stone outcrop almost completely surrounded by the River Avon and its tributaries. Christina Staff followed on with a history of the former Rodbourne Brickworks; much of the illustrated talk was based on the detailed notes and sketches of stone sculptor Simon Verity. ## **Publications** The publication of historical works and their subsequent sales were in accordance with our Objectives and Charitable purposes. We continue to send copies to the five national libraries and do reprints as necessary. ## **Volunteer Contributions** Volunteer time contributions: Members of the society voluntarily researched and presented talks to members throughout the year. The trustees met several times during the year, organised and held member meetings, held book launch events with guest speakers, and contributed additional administration as required. ## **Relationships with other organisations in the local area** The MHS has a good working relationship with the Civic Trust, Malmesbury Abbey, and Athelstan Museum Malmesbury. The museum and Abbey provide an outlet for the sale of our publications. We hire meeting room space from Malmesbury Town Council. We also were invited to join the steering group in the planning of Athelstan 1100 for summer 2024. ## **Financial Review for 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023** At the end of the year the Society had 92 members, an increase of 16 members over the previous year. Of these 11 were life members - we had 2 new life members. Renewals remain due on April 1st since the membership year runs from April to March for everyone. Membership remains at £10. The society ended the year with a healthy bank balance of £6,768.87, an increase of £1,205.34 over the previous year’s balance of £5,563.53. The largest income came from membership and publications sales. The largest expenditures were on meetings, events, and the website. ## **Reserves Policy** The society holds £1,000 in reserve for the purpose of having the funds to cover the expenses for 18 months. This is reviewed yearly. ## **Policy on Restricted Funds** The Society considers Restricted Funds yearly. These are grants and specific bequests to a society that are for a stated purpose. Designated Funds are usually funds that are set aside for a specific purpose during the year, but can be used for other things at the discretion of the trustees. For 2022 the society held £600 designated for publications. The CIO account details for the society are: Name: Malmesbury History Society Sort code: 20-68-15 Account: 33305465 |**2023**|**2023**|**2023**|**2023**| |---|---|---|---| |**Category**|**Income**|**Expenses**|**Gain/Loss**| |**Events**|85.00|-£210.61|-£125.61| |**Meetings**|0.00|-£360.00|-£360.00| |**Membership**|1,070.00|-£30.00|£1,040.00| |**Publications**|773.00|-£23.05|£749.95| |**WAHN Journal**|9.00|£0.00|£9.00| |**Website**|0.00|-£108.00|-£108.00| ||**£ 1,937.00**|**-£731.66**|**£1,205.34**| ||||| **2023 Year End Balance £ 6,768.87** The Financial Review was approved by the trustees on 1 March 2024 and reported to the members at the AGM on 21 March 2024. Signed on behalf of the trustees by Christina Staff, Chair and Maria Marsh, Treasurer.