SIR JOSEPH BANKS SOCIETY CIO
Charity no. 1198498
ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD
1 APRIL 2024
TO
31st MARCH 2025
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SIR JOSEPH BANKS SOCIETY CIO
ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025
CONTENTS
| Charity Information | 3 |
|---|---|
| Trustees’ Report | 4 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report | 7 |
| Income & Expenditure Account | 8 |
| Balance Sheet | 9 |
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SIR JOSEPH BANKS SOCIETY CIO
ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD
1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025
Charity Number: 1198498 Principal Office: 11 Bridge Street Horncastle Lincolnshire LN9 5HZ Trustees: Paul Anthony Scott (Chairman) John Stuart Earl Crooks (Vice Chairman) Julian Edwin Charles Cousins (appointed 8/7/2024) David Alexander Douglas (Treasurer) Jacqueline Rayner Goodall Kenneth John Richard Heather Slater Robert St Barbe Wayne Bankers: Lloyds Bank Victoria Branch PO Box 1000 BX1 1LT
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SIR JOSEPH BANKS SOCIETY CIO
ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025
Trustees Report:
The Sir Joseph Banks Society CIO (charity registered in England no. 1198498: “the CIO”) was registered as a charity on 4 April 2022. These accounts cover the period 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025.
Objects
The objects of the Sir Joseph Banks Society CIO are the advancement of education for the public benefit in the life and works of Sir Joseph Banks of Revesby (1743-1820) in particular but not exclusively by providing a museum and in such other ways as the trustees see fit.
Activities
The principal activities of the Sir Joseph Banks Society CIO are:
Provision and management of a museum Maintenance of the Tribute Garden at the CIO’s headquarters Management of the collections Digitization of collection data and images Maintenance of a library and archives Lectures, talks and seminars The Love Lincs Plants Project Dissemination of public information Recruitment of non-voting members Publications, including a twice-yearly Magazine Fostering links with the Pacific region, particularly Vanuatu, New Zealand and Australia
Public Benefit
The main activities undertaken are to further the charity's purposes for the public benefit and the trustees have had due regard for the Charities Commission guidance on public benefit
Achievements and Performance
The Society has been successful in obtaining grant funding from funders such as Garfield Weston, East Lindsey District Council and Museum Development East Midlands. We also held 6 field trips, open to families, covering botany, rivers, geology, and parkland. We have also delivered 15 talks on Sir Joseph Banks to various groups around Lincolnshire, and have held 3 major exhibitions in our centre, which have attracted lots of visitors to our museum.
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Trustees have also launched a fundraising appeal to purchase the building we currently occupy on a leasehold. To date, almost half of the purchase price has been secured or promised.
Museum development
The museum and natural science centre based at the Sir Joseph Banks Centre in Horncastle has continued to develop with the aid of grants and a large volunteer input. The focus of the displays and collections provided by the CIO is the town’s connection with Sir Joseph, who owned the nearby estate of Revesby and who had a townhouse in Horncastle. A timeline of his life highlights his voyages of exploration, plant collecting, links with Australia and New Zealand, and the foundation of Kew Gardens.
Our core collections include the Lincolnshire Herbarium, insect specimens, fossils and objects associated with Sir Joseph Banks and his travels. There is also a Melanesian collection with artefacts illustrating the region’s cultural and historical riches explored by Banks on the Endeavour voyage. This year, we have accessioned a nationally important Joseph Banks letter dated 1773, which describes the Polar expedition of that year.
The CIO safeguards some remarkable collections of Victorian botanical watercolour paintings, prominent among which are the large works of May Lane-Claypon (1872-1964) of Wyberton, reproductions of which are displayed in one of the galleries and are available for purchase, and the works of Dr J T Burgess (1879-1915) of Spilsby.
The CIO has also teamed up with the Horncastle History & Heritage Society to develop an archive and some exhibition space, which celebrates the town’s rich history.
Tribute Garden
The living plant collection continues to attract visitors to the centre. The garden contains plants specifically linked to Sir Joseph Banks and is unique to Lincolnshire.
Communications
The CIO operates a website and is active on social media. It publishes two magazines per year, and also a monthly e-newsletter.
Library & Archive
Cataloguing and indexing of the contents has continued. Several new items have been added. Including a significant gift of over 100 specialist books donated by a well-known author.
Membership
Membership at the end of the financial period stood at 270.
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Volunteering
Our museum and society are run entirely by a large contingent of volunteers, managed and supported by hands-on trustees. Our volunteers also work on our collections and receive specialist training as required.
Going Concern
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, as the trustees believe that the CIO has sufficient reserves to continue its activities.
Financial Overview
Ordinary income and expenditure shows a deficit of £3096, leaving free reserves of £3009. Much of the Society’s work relies on restricted income.
Structure, Governance and Management
The CIO was registered as a charity on 4 April 2022 and is governed by its constitution, which may be viewed on the CIO’s website. Printed copies can also be supplied on request.
Method to Recruit Trustees
Potential trustees have been approached, where it is believed they have the skills that can support the CIO’s charitable objectives. Trustees are sought when it is necessary to fill any skills gaps. The Trustee’s report was approved by the Trustees on 1 December 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
P A Scott Chairman
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SIR JOSEPH BANKS SOCIETY CIO
Charity no. 1198498
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPOR
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the ch year ended 31st March 2025.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the acc accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act").
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out und 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5 Act.
Independent Examiner's Statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to belie any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concernin and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection w examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to en proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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r O * O O <F
Slr Joseph Banks Sodety CIO (Charlty no. 11984981 8alan¢e Sheet As at 31 March 2025 202412025 2023124 Accumulated Fund {unTestrictedl brought forward 6,105.59 1,410.00 Unrestricte(l Funds $urplu$ I Idgfi¢itl 3.096.28 4,695.59 Total Unrestricted Funds 3,009.31 6,105.59 RoStri¢te(l Funds 3.910.00 5,428.35 Balance al 31 March 6,919.31 11,533.94 Represgnted by Current Assets Lloyds bank account balance 6,292.70 11,071.45 PayPal balance 292.98 Petty Cash balance 582.57 169.51 Net Currènt Assets 6.919.31 11,533.94