**The Arts Society Wensleydale** Registered Charity number 1203231 ## **Report of the Chairman of Trustees for the year ending 31 December 2025** ## **Introduction** The Arts Society Wensleydale was established in 2000. In May 2023, the registration of the Society as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation was approved by the Charities Commission. The objects of the Charity are: - 1) the promotion and advancement of the education of the public in the cultivation, appreciation and study of the decorative and fine arts, - 2) the conservation and preservation of the artistic heritage of the United Kingdom and other countries for the benefit of the public, and - 3) the advancement of the arts, culture and heritage, in particular, but without limitation, the decorative and fine arts. ## **Review of Activities** ## Lecture Programme The Charity has undertaken a programme of nine lectures in 2024. These are open to the public and have covered a wide range of topics consistent with the objectives detailed above. The topics covered have ranged from Clarice Cliff, to the artists associated with Beatles to an archaeologist’s view of the Treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb. After each lecture, the Management Committee assesses its quality and reviews any issues that arise. Our current venue at Tennants in Leyburn has the benefit of a large lecture room with good seating and disabled access, a café, a restaurant and extensive accessible parking. Attendance at lectures remains in line with previous years with an average of 70 members and 10 guests attending meetings. ## Visits and Study Days The Charity has continued its programme of visits and study days Two visits were undertaken in 2023. The first was to Temple Newsam and involved a private guided tour focussing on the spectacular period interiors dating from the seventeenth century. The second visit was to Saltaire with an insight into the fascinating history of the mill and its transition into arts venue with the David Hockney exhibition. Both visits were rated highly by the participants. ## Church Recording In early 2023, the Charity commenced an ambitious project to record all the elements of Kirklington Parish Church near Bedale. The major task of recording has been completed and the process of assembling, editing and publishing the information is now with the invaluable support of the local members of the Church Recording Society. Young Arts The Charity has worked its policy of working with local organisations which focus on providing support to young people with learning and physical difficulties. This year the Society was successful in obtaining a grant for £250 to support the Bedale branch of Riding for the Disabled. In addition to the positive impact on the young people involved, this project increased our profile in the local community. ## **Finance** The Charity achieved a surplus of £450 in the year to 31 December 2024. Total cash reserves at year end amounted to £15,574. The accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis in line with current guidance by the Charities Commission. The primary sources of funding for the Charity in 2024 were membership subscriptions (£7,511), Gift Aid (£1,639), donations from members of the public attending lectures (£930) and the net proceeds of monthly raffles (£519). The Charity does not undertake any other fundraising activities. Underlying reserves are around £10,000, broadly equivalent to normalised annual expenditure. This level of reserves is designed to ensure that the Charity is financially robust and can survive unforeseen events such as having to change venue, an unexpected decline in membership or a national crisis such as the pandemic. 80% of the underlying cash reserves are deposited in interest bearing accounts. ## **Governance and Structure** The Charity is governed by the Trustees who are elected by members. The Trustees are supported by a Management Committee which undertakes the day to day running of Charity. The current members of the Committee are: |Susan Rumsey|Trustee and Chairman| |---|---| |Bob Davies|Trustee and Treasurer| |Lilian Haworth|Trustee and Membership Secretary| |Suzy Walker|Deputy Chairman| |Jennifer Howard-Vyse|Study Day and Visits Secretary| |Alyson Jones|Programme Secretary| |Eileen Davies|Minutes Secretary| |Caroline Bryant|Young Arts Coordinator| |Rosalind Higson|Committee Member| After helping to guide the Society through some challenging times, both Bob Davies and I are standing down from our current roles. Suzy Walker, who joined the Management Committee during 2024 will, subject to her election as a Trustee by the membership, take on the role of Chairman of the Trustees. I shall remain a Trustee to help in the transition. Alan Cape, an experienced accountant, will take over as Treasurer but does not wish to assume the additional responsibilities associated with being a Trustee. ## **Membership and Guests** On 31 December 2024, the Charity had 111 members, broadly unchanged from the previous year. This is significantly lower than the 152 achieved immediately prior to the pandemic. However, it remains around 15% higher than the levels achieved prior to the relocation to Tennants in Leyburn in 2019. ## **Outlook** The Charity has now achieved a level of financial stability after some very challenging years. However, the Charity faces two key challenges. Firstly, maintaining and growing membership is essential for the Charity to prosper. If membership falls, our venue may become unaffordable necessitating relocation to a less attractive facility. This in turn could further adversely affect membership. Secondly, several of the members of the Management Committee have now served the Charity for at least 5 years. A key priority for the coming year, is to find members who are willing to take on roles so that the Charity can continue to thrive and prosper. In addition to the Management Committee, the Charity has a core group of members who make a major contribution to the success of the organisation including running the monthly raffle and transporting lecturers to and from railway stations. The Trustees would like to take this opportunity to thank both them and the members of the Management Committee, on behalf of the members, for their continued hard work and support. ## **Conclusion** This has been an important year for the Charity. The Trustees believe that a significant step has been taken towards ensuring a successful future for the organisation. Please continue to support The Arts Society Wensleydale, encourage others to join and do consider volunteering to join the Management Committee. The future of the Charity is in your hands. Susan Rumsey Chairman February 2025 ## **The Arts Society Wensleydale** Registered Charity 1203231 ## **Accounts for the year ending 31 December 2024** The Charity achieved a surplus of £450 in the year to 31 December 2024. This result includes a legacy of £500 from the estate of Brian Reed, one of the founders of our Society. Excluding this one-off item, the Society incurred a small deficit of £50. This is consistent with the forecast]0-n nb made at the AGM in March 2024 and reflects the improved financial position of the Society. Total cash reserves at year end amounted to £15,574. The accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis in line with current guidance by the Charities Commission and have been subject review by an independent examiner. Balance Sheot Year Enthng 31 D•c•mb•r 2024 December 2024 December 2023 Membern fund• erc￿ght fornvard from prev*Jus year N8t Surplus I(Def￿1t) Prepaym8nt 15.124.42 450.04 17,168.55 (544.13) {1,5￿.￿)) A¢¢umulatèd funds at year •nd 15,574.46 15,124.42 Current Assets 8usiness prem￿rn kcount Cwrenl Account Skipton Buthjing Spooety Cash n hand Total Assets 2.706.22 6,488.04 6340.20 40.00 15 574.46 2.666.12 6.296.63 6121.67 40.00 15 124.42 Bob Davies Treasurer 26 January 2025