Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 13 12 2023 To 30 04 2025
Section A Reference and administration details
PORTSMOUTH & GOSPORT HISTORY GROUP
Charity name Other names charity is known by PGHG Registered charity number (if any) 1206165 Charity's principal address C MAGAZINE GOSPORT PRIDDYS HARD Postcode PO12 4FL
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
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Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELLIS DIGGLE | CHAIRMAN | |||
| WILLIAM DONALDSON |
SECETARY | |||
| IAN LEVINGS | N/A | |||
| RAZVAN IONASCU |
N/A | 13-12-23 TO 2025 | ||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
- Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution)
CONSTITUTION
CHARITY COMMISSION – CIO How the charity is constituted
- (eg. trust, association, company)
APPOINTED BY PREVIOUS TRUSTEES Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
N/A
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN THE LOCAL HISTORY OF PORTSMOUTH AND GOSPORT PRIMARILY THROUGH: A) STORYTELLING, IMMERSIVE EVENTS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES; B) RE- ENACTMENTS OF HISTORICAL EVENTS; C) KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE; D) SUCH OTHER MEANS AS THE TRUSTEES MAY DETERMINE.
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The charity’s object is to advance the education of the public in the local history of Portsmouth and Gosport primarily through storytelling, immersive events and educational opportunities; re-enactments of historical events; knowledge exchange; and such other means as the trustees may determine.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
The trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when planning and carrying out the charity’s activities. During the year we delivered three main public events in May, August and December 2024, as well as five educational talks. These events focused on bringing the history of Portsmouth and Gosport to life through re-enactments, storytelling, guided tours of the Historic Ramparts at Priddy’s Hard, and ceremonial gun salutes. All events were free to attend. We covered costs through sponsorship and invited voluntary donations from members of the public who wished to contribute. We estimate that approximately 10,000 people engaged with us through our events and outreach programmes during the period. Our activities were open to everyone, but we made a particular effort to engage families and younger people to encourage a stronger interest in local history across generations.
In addition to our main events, we carried out outreach work at events across Hampshire. We attended with our travelling local history displays, speaking to members of the public and promoting the objectives of the charity by educating families and visitors about the area’s heritage. These activities also supported our fundraising efforts to ensure our core events remain free to access.
Operating from our headquarters at Priddy’s Hard, known as C Magazine, we also worked in partnership with the Historic Quarter to provide volunteer support in caring for the Historic Ramparts. Volunteers undertook gardening and maintenance work under the direction of the site manager and in accordance with guidance from Historic England. This provided hands-on experience in looking after historic sites and contributed to the preservation of an important local heritage asset for public benefit.
The trustees are satisfied that the charity’s activities during this period have advanced education, increased understanding of local history, supported the preservation of heritage, and provided clear public benefit to the communities of Portsmouth, Gosport and the wider Hampshire area.
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
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Our volunteers ranged from retired local people to younger adults (18 and above). Over the period, more than 24 volunteers assisted the charity in achieving its objectives. Many contributed on a regular basis, giving their time from around 11am to 3pm, while others joined for specific events and outreach projects.
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
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policy on grantmaking;
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policy programme related investment;
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contribution made by volunteers.
Volunteers helped in a wide variety of ways. Some attended our workshop to maintain the charity’s equipment and design or produce items needed for events and travelling displays. Others dressed in historical uniforms for educational trips to events such as the Overlord Show, helping families learn about the types of uniforms soldiers would have worn during both World Wars. Many volunteers also supported dayto-day outreach activities, providing essential assistance in ensuring our educational programmes reached as many people as possible.
Volunteers received training in line with our policies and were given access to historic sites such as the Ramparts at Priddy’s Hard, where they learned how to care for and preserve heritage locations. Their contributions not only supported the charity’s core events but also provided hands-on learning experiences for the volunteers themselves.
Without our volunteers and the backing of wider event teams, our outreach and educational work would have been far more limited. Their efforts were essential and consistently went above and beyond expectations, making a real difference to the charity’s ability to deliver public benefit.
Section D Achievements and performance
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Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity During 2024, the charity’s main achievements were delivering major during the year public events and outreach that engaged around 10,000 people, including three key events, five educational talks, and travelling local history displays across Hampshire. These activities brought Portsmouth and Gosport’s history to life through storytelling, re-enactments, guided tours of the Ramparts, and gun salutes, with a particular focus on families and young people. In addition, the charity provided valuable hands-on heritage and volunteering opportunities, with over 24 volunteers contributing to events, maintenance, educational programmes, and the care of historic sites such as the Ramparts at Priddy’s Hard, gaining practical experience in heritage preservation and supporting the charity’s capacity to deliver public benefit.
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Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves
The charity aims to hold sufficient reserves to cover ongoing running costs and any unexpected expenditure, ensuring it can continue to deliver its educational and heritage activities without disruption. As the charity’s running costs are low for us, it does not require large reserves, but the trustees maintain enough to cover essential costs such as event delivery, maintenance of historic equipment and sites, and any unforeseen expenses. The trustees review the level of reserves regularly to ensure they remain appropriate for the charity’s needs and objectives.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
N/A
Further financial review details (Optional information)
N/A You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
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the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
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how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
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investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information
N/A
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) E.DIGGLE Full name(s) ELLIS DIGGLE
Position (eg Secretary, Chair, CHAIRMAN etc)
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Date 28.02.2026 TAR Mareh 2012
PORTSMOUTH & GOSPORT HISTORY GROUP ACCOUNTS 2023-2025
| ACCOUNTS 2023-2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| MONTH | OUT | IN |
| DEC 2023 | 42.73 | 11.80 |
| JAN 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| FEB | 25.92 | 48.78 |
| MARCH | 6.41 | 17 |
| APRIL | 5.40 | 18 |
| MAY | 4.80 | 22.50 |
| JUNE | 73.21 | 80.70 |
| JULY | 135.82 | 124.44 |
| AUGUST | 770.46 | 770.46 |
| SEPTEMBER | 363.50 | 566.42 |
| OCTOBER | 537.78 | 124.50 |
| NOVEMBER | 1980.10 | 2250.00 |
| DECEMBER | 485.56 | 176.10 |
| JAN 2025 | 17 | 12.50 |
| FEB | 0 | 4.00 |
| MARCH | 0 | 32.00 |
| APRIL | 68.58 | 32.50 |
| TOTALS | -4,517.27 | +4,291.70 |