2025-03-31-accounts - Royal Geological Society Of Cornwall

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] April 2024 To 31[st] March 2025

Charity name: Royal Geological Society of Cornwall

Charity registration number: 1202892

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The objects of the CIO are to advance the education of the public in the subject of geology and allied sciences with a special reference to the mining interests of Cornwall.
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	The society carried out a very active monthly lecture programme during the period. A very varied range of earth science related topics were covered. Most meetings were held on Zoom, and were open to everyone, not just members. The society’s website is used to publicise meetings and also provides the necessary meeting Zoom link to the public. Four meetings were held in person, plus the AGM in February 2024 and again all these were open to the public. There were five field meetings. These are mainly intended for members, but non-members may attend on payment of a small fee. The society also has an active Facebook page with over 750 followers, generating very many posts and subsequent discussions and expansions on the subject of local geology.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. In their view the activities of the society during the period have been in accordance with this guidance.

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

SORP reference n/a Para 1.38

Policy on grant making n/a Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment n/a Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers n/a Other

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	The society focuses its efforts on education on a wide range of geological topics. The combination of the lecture programme detailed above together with on-site field visits has benefited both the members of the society and those members of the public who have joined the meetings. In particular, close links with local schools, colleges and Camborne School of Mines have been maintained. We held a mix of online, in person lectures and fieldtrips during the year. Attendance at some of the online talks seems to have dwindled and we will be doing fewer of these, only when we have guests who are a long way away. The members evening at our King Edward mine site premises was super successful and we will some more of these in the future. Likewise, we have had good attendance at our sessions in the Richard Osman Geology Teaching Lab at Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus). We had a session on microfossils and one on igneous rocks. Fieldtrips were also well attended – Kennack Sands, Botallack, China Clay country, and the United Downs Geothermal Energy Lithium visitor centre. In July 2024, the Cornwall Geoconservation Group (CGG) became a committee of RGSC. The CGG has up to 20 members and raises awareness of Cornwall’s geodiversity and provides advice on

geoconservation. The group was previously	geoconservation. The group was previously
affiliated to	the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Peter Scott, chair of CGG became an
RGSC trustee on 10th July 2024.
Membership numbers continue to grow,
with the Society reaching out to new
members of all ages.
Lectures were as follows:
a.	Wed 20th March 2024: Could
	Climate Change Trigger Volcanic
	Eruptons and Earthquake actvity?
	By Dr Mathew Blacket SFHEA,
	Coventry University, a combined
	talk with the Royal Geographical
	Society, Southwest branch,
	followed by an opportunity to
	socialise.
b.	Wed 17th April 2024: Dave Watkins
	gave us a short presentaton on the
	Cornwall Geo-Conservaton Group
	and discussion ensued on the new
	arrangement of the Cornwall Geo-
	Conservaton Group as a
	Commitee of the Royal Geological
	Society of Cornwall.
c.	Wed 19th June 2024: a 'hands-on'
	session ‘All about Microfossils’
	using the petrographic microscopes
	in the Geology Teaching lab at
	Camborne School of Mines, led by
	Jack Wilkin, Kate Litler and
	colleagues, followed by a summer
	tea.
d.	Wed 19thJuly 2023:_-_David Dew
	‘Biomining Technologies’, an in-
	person event at Penryn Campus
	with refreshments & social
	aferwards.
e.	Wed 21st August 2024: Members
	meetng at the RGSC Room at King
	Edward Mine - ‘show and tell’ for
	members to bring along their
	favourite rocks. This led to a lively
	interacton and we hope to be able
	to repeat this type of meetng in
	future.
f.	Wed 18th September 2024: a
	lecture on ‘Mine Water
	Geothermal Energy’ was delivered
	online by Alexandra Sweeney, PhD
	student, Department of Earth
	Sciences, Durham University, based
	on her current research.
g.	Wed 16th October 2024: a joint
	lecture with Cornwall Geo-

	Conservaton Group of the Royal
	Geological Society of Cornwall
	lecture on the ‘Coverack North
	Shore Coastal Protecton Scheme’
	was delivered online by Andrew
	Holme, (AECOM), looking at the
	125m granite armour revetment,
	and 55m retaining wall along the
	shoreline between Coverack Cove
	and Dolor Point, an SSSI for its
	geology.
h.	Wed 20th November 2024: 'Public
	perceptons of mineral exploraton
	in Cornwall'
	Dr Kate Smith, Research Fellow,
	Camborne School of Mines,
	University of Exeter
i.	Wed 4th December 2024: ‘Magical
	Minerals – Under the Microscope’,
	a ‘hands-on’ session at CSM led by
	Dr Kathryn Moore & Prof. Frances
	Wall, held in person at Penryn
	Campus, University of Exeter,
	followed by Christmas social &
	refreshments.
j.	Wed 15th January 2025:
	Wednesday 15th January ‘The
	Anthropocene and its deep tme
	geological context’ by Professor Jan
	Zalasiewicz, University of Leicester
k.	Sat 15thFebruary 2025: AGM
	Annual Address 'Geological
	variability and ground hazards -
	how does the ground get to be
	'unexpected'? by Dr Jackie Skipper,
	Senior Consultant at the
	Geotechnical Consultng Group,
	London. Jackie received the
	William Smith Medal of the
	Geological Society of London and
	gave the prestgious 18th Glossop
	Lecture of the Engineering Group
	of the Geological Society.

We have held five field trips over the year and are grateful to the members of the Society who have led these. They have all been well attended and are a great inspiration for new members. Sunday 10th March 2024: ‘Kennack Sands’, looking at the rock relations and interpreting the magmatic and metamorphic processes of formation of the Kennack Gneiss, led by Dr Kate Moore of CSM.

Sunday 28 April, 2024: ‘Botallack cliffs’, looking at metamorphosed sediments, basalts and mineralisation in the granite aureole, along with extensive remains of past mining activity. Led by Prof. Peter Scott. Sunday 13th October 2024: ‘A Fieldtrip in China Clay Country’, visiting kaolinized granite near Carclaze pit, the Greensplat Pits and Wheal Martyn Museum, was led by Peter Scott and Colin Bristow. Saturday 23rd November 2024: we held a very well attended (36 people) indoor visit to GEL (Geothermal Engineering Ltd), at United Downs, at which a warm welcome was much appreciated in stormy weather. Thursday 6[th] March 2025: A visit to Roche Rock followed by a tour of the Imerys British Lithium pilot plant for extracting battery-grade lithium from Cornish granite.

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

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	The society aims to hold a lecture or field meeting every month if possible. During the reporting period, 12 lectures were held and five field visits.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	n/a
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	n/a
Other		The CIO was registered on 2ndMay 2023. This is the second annual return. Prior to this, RGSC was an unincorporated charity and the assets of this unincorporated charity were transferred in full to the CIO on its registration.

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	Funds increased by £4,490 during the year. This included a grant of £5,000 and a legacy of £156 received by the Society on behalf of the Cornwall Geoconservation Group (CGG), now a sub-committee of RGSC. This is to support future CGG operating costs. The amounts due to the Treasurer mentioned in the 2024 return were paid, totalling £1,919. If these two exceptional items are excluded, the society would have seen funds increase by £1,253 during the year, a healthy position. Income was primarily from membership subscriptions and totalled £1,625. Bank interest received was £327. The main expense continues to be insurance, with payments made to the Geologists’ Association to cover field visits and separate insurance for the assets held by the society totalling £639. Bank charges of £60 were paid on the old unincorporated charity bank account. The trustees intend to close this account during the 2025/26 financial year with the balance being transferred to the CIO bank account. The RGSC held cash reserves of 33,136 as at 31 March 2025.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The reserves are held as cash at bank, with £25,497 in a deposit account earning interest. The Trustees regard cash as a low-risk investment and accept that low risk also means low return. Having immediately available liquid funds is considered important. £5,000 of this is the CGG grant.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	The RGSC held cash reserves of £33,136 at 31 March 2025
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	n/a

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

See above

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	n/a
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	n/a
Other		n/a

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution approved by members
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	Four of the current Trustees were appointed as first charity trustees of the CIO when it was registered. These first trustees were all appointed to serve specific terms. New trustees may be appointed by existing trustees or by members at an AGM. All Trustees’ appointments are for a limited time as specified in the constitution. Elections to specific posts eg Treasurer are through a vote by members at the AGM

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	RGSC has a trustees’ code of conduct, and other policy documents covering what is expected of trustees. The constitution is the overarching governing document.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The Board of Trustees must have a minimum of three members to a maximum of 12. The Board includes a Chair, a Vice- chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer together with other trustee members.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Royal Geological Society of Cornwall
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1202892
Charity’s principal address	72 Albany Road, Redruth, Cornwall TR15 2HY

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Frances Wall	Chair	Appointed 2 May2023
LovedayJenkin	Vice-chair	Appointed 27 Oct 2023
Linda Beskeen	Secretary	Appointed 27 Oct 2023
Beatrice Kerno	Membership secretary	Appointed 27 Oct 2023
Caradoc Peters		Appointed 27 Oct 2023
Stephanie Clemens	Resigned as trustee 15thFebruary2025	Appointed 2 May 2023
Kate Moore		Appointed 2 May2023
Nick Farrell	Treasurer (resigned as Treasurer 15th February 2025 but remains a trustee)	Appointed 27 Oct 2023
Hilary Mitchell	Treasurer (from 15th February2025)	Appointed 2 May 2023
Peter Scott		Appointed 10thJuly2024

– 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 n/a held in this capacity

Name and objects of the n/a charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for n/a 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 Name Address adviser

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) Hilary Jane Mitchell Position (eg Secretary, Treasurer and Trustee Chair, etc) Date 20/8/25

Royal Geological Society of Cornwall 1202892 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period 01-Apr-24 31-Mar-25 To from

Section A Receipts and payments

A1 Receipts	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 1,625 40 75 327 5,000 156 - 7,223 - - - 7,223 151 488 60 115 245 1,152 522 - 2,733 - - - 2,733 4,490 - 28,646 33,136	Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Total funds to the nearest £ 1,625 40 75 - 327 5,000 156 - 7,223 - - - 7,223 151 488 60 115 - 245 1,152 522 - 2,733 - - - 2,733 4,490	Last year to the nearest £
Members' subscriptions	1,625				365
Field Visitspayments	40				110
Miscellaneous	75				35
Donations					20
Interest earned	327				15
Grant	5,000				-
Legacy	156				-
	-				-
*Sub total*(Gross income for AR)	7,223				545

A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
	-
	-				-
*Sub total*	-				-
*Total receipts* A3 Payments
					545

Geologist's Association	151				191
Insurance	488				475
Bank charges	60				86
Speakers' expenses	115				117
Safetyequipment					66
Miscellaneous	245				51
CIO registration legal expenses	1,152				662
Website hosting	522				-
	-				-
**Sub total **	2,733				1,648

A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
	-
	-
**Sub total **	-				-
*Total payments* *Net of receipts/(payments)* A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end *Cash funds this year end*
					1,648

	4,490	-	-	4,490	- 1,103
	-	-	-	-	-
	28,646	-	-	28,646	29,749
	33,136	-	-	33,136	28,646

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

20/08/2025

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period	Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period	Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period	Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets	Details Details Cash at bank Details Details *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details	Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 33,136 - - 33,136 OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates	Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - OK Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Amount due (optional) - - - - -	Endowment funds to nearest £

				-
				-
				-
				OK
				Endowment funds to nearest £
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				Current value (optional)
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				Current value (optional)
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				When due (optional)
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees

Signature	Print Name N Farrell	Date of approval
	N Farrell	13-Aug-25

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

20/08/2025

H Mitchell 13-Aug-25

CCXX R3 accounts (SS)

20/08/2025