**Report of the Octagon, Martineau Hall and Hapton Trustees to AGM 2022**
Trustees: David Carter, Bruce Chilton (Chair), Nick Groves (appointed 27.1.22), Mary Rae and Rod Voegeli with the Congregational Chair, Iris Voegeli and the Treasurer, Dick Wright (resigned 31.12.20) ex-officio members (as advised by the Charity Commission). The retired Treasurer, Dick Wright, has kindly remained as advisor to the Trustees. The British and Foreign Unitarian Association is the Octagon Chapel’s residual trustee.
The role of the Trustees is normally to deal with legal matters, property-holding, finance and endowments and guardianship issues. The Covid pandemic led to a national lockdown in March 2020 and the Trustees closed the Chapel and the Martineau Hall in accord with the Government’s instructions on 16.3.20 and suspended the Octagon’s Constitution and Bye-laws. Under the Constitution, the leadership and activities of the Octagon community are normally delegated by the Trustees to the Congregational Chair and Chapel Committee to whom the Trustees give support. The Trustees took direct responsibility as well as legal and financial liability for the workings and activities of the Chapel which are covered by Trustee indemnity provisions of the Chapel’s insurance with the Congregational and General Insurance
With the end of the Government’s lockdowns, notwithstanding the continuing widespread Covid infections, the gradual return to normal conditions has began with the reopening of the Chapel. ‘Hybrid’ services, the name given to services both in person and by Zoom have continued after the AGM of 3.10.21. Happily, the AGM elected anew a former Chair, Iris Voegeli, one of whose many tasks has been arranging the programme of service-takers. The Meditation Group and Poetry Group have continued in growing strength albeit member activities have been slow to reopen with Covid infections again growing, particularly at the start of the current year. Again, the Trustees are most grateful to the Committee who continued their work through the last years affected by the Covid pandemic and now are working towards the Octagon’s return to normal conditions. Cheryl’s retirement.
Five marriages in the Octagon have been conducted by the Chapel’s four appointed persons since our AGM in 2021 with a further 10 booked in 2022. It is clear that the Octagon is a very popular place to be married and, with a recent change in the regulations, marriages will also be permitted in our gardens. The Trustees are again very grateful to Jackie Grace and her team.
The Octagon Concert Series has come back to life with six performances including two lunchtime concerts. There are a further 6 being arranged during 2022 by our Music Director, Mary Rae. Further improvement of the organ is in hand with funds raised by the Concert Series which makes a major contribution each year to local and national charities in the name of the Octagon. The Trustees are most grateful to Mary, the Octagon Singers and the members who act as stewards for the Concert Series.
The Constitution and Byelaws were returned by the Trustees with the AGM in 2021 with minor financial exceptions to the Byelaws to allow for alternative arrangements for our lack of an elected Treasurer. These included the appointment of our Administrative and Booking Officer (ABO) announced in the Trustees Report to the AGM in October 2021. The Trustees are grateful to the Panel of a Trustee, a
Committee member and an ordinary member who selected from the 18 applicants Ms. Rosie Rogers. Rosie began her employment by the Trustees in December 2021 and her taking over of work on behalf of Trustees and the Committee is continuing.
The new financial arrangements of the ABO making monthly reports of income and expenditure to a professional accountant who prepares the accounts and, in particular, our final annual accounts for report to the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches and to the Charity Commissioners are being developed. The required annual reports for 2020 were entered in October 2021 and the financial reports for 2021 kindly prepared by our retired treasure, Dick Wright, will be made in October in the usual way. Any necessary amendments to our Bye-laws required by our new financial systems will have to wait until they are completed.
Ms Rogers’ new role as Booking Officer is also developing. Bookings of the Chapel and the Martineau Hall are growing very slowly and we welcome further use by members. The Norfolk and Norwich Festival returns to the Octagon in May 2022 since it last appeared in 2019 and the Trustees are also grateful to the members who make themselves available as stewards for performances.
The Trustees have continued their work towards the completion of Phase 2 of the planned improvements to our premises which involve the restoration of the rear wall of the Martineau Hall, the paving of the route from the Octagon portico steps to the rear door of the Hall and the provision of a covered walkway and redevelopment of the walls and gates onto Colegate. Sadly, it has become clear that walls are becoming unsafe as a result of further growth of the tree and vehicles entering and leaving the car park striking the main pillars. In addition to the four usual meetings of the Trustees since September 2021 and the AGM, the Trustees have had meetings with the Octagon’s Architect, Mr. Nick Warnes and his staff and , in particular, a lengthy onsite meeting in January to finalise details. The proposals include the removal of the gates, walls and pillars from the Colegate frontage and their replacement by a low wall topped by metal railings to carry our notice boards with a widened entrance for vehicles, so opening a full view from Colegate of the splendour of our Octagon Unitarian Chapel. Tenders are currently being sought and it is hoped a starting date for the works can be announced at the AGM for 2022 on 22.5.22.
members
**Octagon Unitarian Chapel & Martineau Hall Receipts and payments Period: 01 January 2021 to 31 December 2021**
**From 01 January 2021 01 January 2020 To 31 December 2021 31 December 2020**
## **M-Hall - Martineau Hall (Designated) Fund Incoming resources and Resources used**
## **Receipts**
|**Receipts**||
|---|---|
|Incoming resources from generated funds
_Activities for generating funds_
Fund raising
_Total Activities for generating funds_
Other incoming resources
Martineau Hall lettings
Martineau Hall rent (NORCA)
_Total Other incoming resources_
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
Governance costs
Admin, consumables, licenses
Insurance less NORCA share
_Total Governance costs_
Other resources used
Water (less NORCA share)
Cleaning
Electricity
Equipment (purchase, repair & maint)
Building Maintenance & Repair
Telephone & Broadband
_Total Other resources used_
**Total payments**
Excess of Incoming resources over Resources used
Brought forward balance
Transfers to/(from)
**Total carried forward balance**|—
10|
||_—_
_10_
700
695
25,000
16,666|
||_25,700_
_17,361_|
||**25,700**
**17,371**
—
61
219
207|
||_219_
_268_
95
199
487
80
( 52)
852
—
17
1,849
4,497
250
288|
||_2,629_
_5,935_|
||**2,849**
**6,204**|
||22,850
11,167
6,452
3,284
—
( 8,000)|
||**29,303**
**6,452**|
## **Sophia Hankinson Martineau Hall Investment Fund**
|**Receipts**
Incoming resources from generated funds
_Voluntary income_
Donations (Legacy)
_Total Voluntary income_
**Total receipts**
Excess of Incoming resources over Resources used
Brought forward balance
Transfers in/(out) to Building Fund
Transfers in/(out) gain on investment
**Total carried forward balance**|—
189,363|
|---|---|
||—
_189,363_|
||—
**189,363**|
||—
189,363
175,000
—
—
( 14,363)
18,082
—|
||**193,.082**
**175,000**|
_**There may be minor discrepancies in the totals if the pence are not being shown**_
06 March 2022 Page 1
OCTAGON CHAPEL & MARTINEAU HALL
INDEPENDENT EXAMINÉRS REPORT
TO THÉ ComTrEE MEM8ERS 0FTAGl CHAPEL &ThiARmEAU HALL
I report on the atthunts of th8 Commiiiee lorthe arNIe 31st DeMiEr 2021.
R8speeUve responsibilities of tru5tpes oxamin
The charily's Iruslees 3re responsibk fortre pparalian ol the accounts. The charivs tnjstees
consider Ihal an audit is not tpquitEd forthts 81. (under section 43121 of the Charibes AL* 19931
Ithe Aa as amended by S.28 of Ihe ChaiibesAC12} and Ihal an independent exafflinalK)n 1$ r*eded.
11 is my responsilylity lo
examine the accounts ithdersedion 43 olthe Acl. as arnend}."
lo lollow Ihe produreS laKI down in the General Dre(*ons gbven bylhÈ Charitycomml¥sy)n
lunder section 4317}Ib} of the Acias amended).. arKI
io stsie whelherparbcuiar mènets hève 10 myattention.
Ba5r& of indBpottdeni examlne¢s ststement
y ÈX8minaiu)n was cartied out in a(urdan¢e with the C*neral thrections gNen bythe Charity
Commission An exarninalion Indudes è ollhe accountirvj records kepl bythe tharty
and a compaiison of the accounts presented wth those records. 11 a*0 indudes con51deration of
any unusual items or disdosure5 in Ihe acuiunis. ar seekntvJ explanations froTn the Iruslees
COnrning any such matters. The prdu&S undenaken do not pro¥ide all ihe ev¥Jen* thai wouKI
be required in an aulit. and wnse4*niiy I do not eXs5 an aiJditonIOrt (M) the accounts
Independefit eAaminerfs staternent
In the course of my examination. no tnatter has cometo My attentiLY)".
111 which gwes me reasonab cause to bdE¥E Ihat in anymalerial respect thebwstees
have not rnel Ihè requirements to ensure thal".
lil proper accounting reccwds are kept ac(x)tdatK*wilh sectK>n 41 of the A¢ii. 8¢d
(ill ac(x)unis are prepare(IwhKh agree wrfh the rwds and rA)mpty with tl
accounting requiremwts ofthe kL
121 to wh¢h. in my Opin, atten) Shou be ¢jr H) c¥deff b) en3 a UnderStandg of
oflhe atrounis io be reached.
106 Lower Sireet
Salhouse
Norwich
NR13 6AD
241h F