## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
**From 19[th] April 2024 To 30[th] June 2025**
**Charity name: St Albans and District Model Engineering Society**
**Charity registration number: 1208654**
## **Reference and Administrative details**
|Charity name|St Albans and District Model Engineering Society|
|---|---|
|Other name the charity uses|STAMES|
|Registered charitynumber|1208654|
|Charity’s principal address|24 Sawyers Way
Hemel Hempstead
HP2 4ED|
||**N**
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9|**ames of the charity trustees who manage the charity**|**ames of the charity trustees who manage the charity**|**ames of the charity trustees who manage the charity**|**ames of the charity trustees who manage the charity**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person**
**(or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee**
**(ifany)**|
|||Mike Collins|Chairman|||
|||GuyKeen|Secretary|||
|||Mike Grossmith|Treasurer|||
|||Roger Stephen||||
|||Robert Briancourt||||
|||Mick Watts||||
|||RoyVerden||||
|||Clive Reynolds||10/04/24 – 28/08/24||
|||Baz Butcher||10/04/24 – 09/04/25||
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|For the benefit of the public, the
advancement of the education of the public in
miniature engineering and modelling by:
A. The operation and maintenance of a
miniature railway in St. Albans or the
surrounding area;
B. Encouraging people to practice model
engineering in steam and electrical traction
by the provision of tuition in workshop
practice and safety, and the theory and
practice of engineering;
C. The mounting of talks, lectures and|
||||exhibitions in miniature engineering and
modelling for the benefit of the public at
large.|
|---|---|---|---|
|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||Throughout the year we held a full
programme of club night meetingsfor our
members and the public,
providing expertise
and knowledge on the theory and practice of
engineering. These included as follows:
our annual film night,
our annual auction,
a talk about a member’s experience
working for Network Rail and
Eurostar,
a talk about the Americas Cup,
a talk on how a steam locomotive
works,
a talk on improving a 1/6thscale Tiger
Tank,
how to make a Lantern clock and
a talk on the progress on making a
Stirling Single 5” gauge locomotive.
In September we held our annual exhibition
“The Big
St Albans ~~Big~~
~~M~~odel Show”. This is
mainly aimed at families and the general
public. The show attracted nearly 2,500
visitors over two days from the local
community.
Throughout the Summer we had a full
programme of running model steam trains at
the Puffing Field facility.
We took our portable track and 5” gauge
locomotive out to two local parks in 2024
offering free train rides to the public.
We published a monthly Newsletter available
to all members containing articles of interest
to Model Engineers covering steam
locomotives, boating, workshop practice and
general engineering topics.
We had a day out to the Buckinghamshire
Railway Centre at Quainton taking full size
train rides and a tour of the workshop facility.|
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18||All trustees have been issued with the
guidance from the Charities Commission on
public benefitand
the responsibility is
regularly discussed.
~~.~~
A monthly trustees meeting is held, with
minutes taken to further the aims of the
~~society~~
~~c~~harity
.
We have written 1 year and 5 year goals that
focus upon delivering our public benefits.|
## **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||We successfully held our annual exhibition
theBig
St Albans~~Big~~
Model Show. We had
2,500 members of the public attend our show
which was very well received. It is now the
largest showof
~~it’s~~
~~i~~ts
type
in the South of
England and provides a full day out of
entertainment for families. Included in the
show is the opportunity to make a plane, take
train rides, have a go at driving a boat,
making a model aeroplane, driving radio-
controlled trucks as well as looking at
models.We keep the entrance prices as low
as we can to ensure the cost of visiting our
show isn’t a prohibiting factor.
We successfully obtained planning
permission for the storage containers, the
new tunnel over the track and the Gauge 1 /
45mm track we have constructed.
We continued to maintain the Puffing Field
despite the uncertainty caused by the change
of ownership, allowing a full programme of
running of model steam and electric trains.
We had a full year’s programme of club night
talks, many of an educational basis, all
delivered by members.
We produced a monthly newsletter for all
members covering various aspects model
engineering.
Our membership has remained fairly steady
at 60 members.|
## **Financial Review**
|**Financial Review**|||
|---|---|---|
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|At the end of the year, we had approximately
£42,000 in the bank.|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|These reserves have been built up over
several years. It is our intention to use some
of these funds to modify the facilities at the
Puffing Field once the new ownership has
been confirmed.|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£42,000|
|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|None.|
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Our main source of funds this year has been
|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|our exhibition “The BigSt Albans
Model
Show” held on 28thand 29thSeptember 2024
at Townsend School. Additional funds come
from membership subscriptions and monthly
meeting fees.
Our major expenditures are running the
exhibition, maintaining the Puffing Field
facility, insurance and accountancy costs.|
|---|---|---|
|Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|Most of our funds are kept in a Building
Society saving account. No other investments
are undertaken or planned.|
|A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|The biggest risk to the charity is maintaining
the Puffing Field facility following its sale to
the new owners. We intend to adopt a “good
neighbour” approach to build up a positive
relationship with them so that we can
continue to use the facility.
Attracting members continues to be a
challenge, whilst we lose members each year
due to old age or moving away. We intend to
focus upon membership growth in the future
to maintain the viability of the society.
We realise that there is considerable new
technology out there such as 3D printing,
laser cutting, computers etc. so we intend to
~~make a~~
~~f~~ocus on these topics in the future
with~~an~~
the
aim of educating our members in
their use.|
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution adopted 10thApril 2024|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Charitable Incorporated Organisation (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|Trustees are elected at the AGM held in
November of each year. All trustees serve for
two years.|
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
||Other||All trustees give their time voluntarily and
received no remuneration or other benefits.||
|---|---|---|---|---|
## **Declarations**
|**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed** **on behalf of the charity’s trustees**|**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed** **on behalf of the charity’s trustees**|**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed** **on behalf of the charity’s trustees**|
|---|---|---|
|**Signature(s)**|||
|**Full name(s)**|Mike Collins|Guy Keen|
|**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**|Chairman|Secretary|
|**Date**|||
ST ALBANS AND DISTRICT MODEL ENGINEERING SOCIETY
## FINANCIAL STATEMENT 19 April 2024 - 30 June 2025
## **INCOME**
## **EXPENDITURE**
**.**
|Brought forward|||
|---|---|---|
|Balance as at 30th June|2024|£34,276.07|
|2024 Club Donations||**£82.52**|
|2025 Club Donations||**£1,820.52**|
|Monthly meeting||£650.50|
|Auction||**£370.00**|
|Sales||**£707.76**|
|Day Out||**£202.00**|
|Donation||**£435.00**|
|Gift Aid||**£297.76**|
|Christmas Raffle||**£205.00**|
|2024 Exhibition||**£18,027.04**|
|Track Days||**£471.00**|
|Interest on deposit|||
|Skipton Building Society||£1,376.86|
||Total Income|£24,645.96|
|Income||£24,645.96|
|Expenditure|.|£21,658.22|
|Profit/Loss||£2,987.74|
|Newsletter Printing/Postage|£123.00|
|---|---|
|Insurance|£1,451.70|
|Postage/Stationery/Computer|£437.23|
|Puffing Field Expenses|£1,407.85|
|Website|£283.64|
|Exhibition 2023|£1,799.00|
|Exhibition 2024|£7,397.58|
|Day Out|£210.00|
|Christmas Function 2024|£168.33|
|Hall Hire 2024|£810.00|
|Zettle Fees|£21.44|
|Go Cardless Fees|£21.79|
|Other|£184.51|
|Track Days|£356.98|
|Card Collection Tin|£425.00|
|Steam Heritage|£370.00|
|Nortern Federation|£13.00|
|Tax Assist - Accountant|£3,528.00|
|HMRC|£2,649.17|
|Total Expenditure|£21,658.22|
|Balance at 30.06.24||
|---|---|
|Current Account|£4,334.64|
|Skipton Building Society|£32,533.55|
|Cash in hand|£395.62|
|Carried Forward|£37,263.81|