**To** ## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period** Period start date 01 08 2023 Period end date 31 07 2024 **From** ## Section A Reference and administration details **Charity name** Quaternary Research Association **Other names charity is known by** QRA **Registered charity number (if any)** 262124 **Charity's principal address** 1 Kensington Gore London United Kingdom **Postcode SW7 2AR** **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Jane Hart|President||| ||David Roberts|Vice President||| ||Adrian Palmer|Hon Secretary||| ||Rupert Housley|Treasurer|To Jan 1|| ||Timothy|Lane|From 31 December|| ||Neil Robert|Editor in Chief||| ||Catherine Delaney|Publications||| ||James Lea|Outreach|To Jan 1|| ||Naomi Holmes|Outreach|From 31 December|| ||Della Murton|EDI|From 31 December|| ||Jennifer Sherriff|Publicity|To Jan 1|| ||Sophie Williams|Publicity|From 31 December|| ||Michael Dempster|Conservation||| ||Sarah Woodroffe|Newsletter Editor|To Jan 1|| ||Ed Garrett|Newsletter Editor|From 31 December|| ||Emrys Phillips|Meetings|To Jan 1|| ||Jenna Sutherland|Meetings|From 31 December|| ||William Fletcher|Awards||| ||Robert Storrar||To Jan 1|| ||Harold Lovell||From 31 December|| **Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)** **Name Dates acted if not for whole year** **TAR** March **2012** 1 |**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of adviser**
**Name**
**Address**| |---|---|---| |**Independent Examiner**|Albert Goodman LLP|Goodwood House, Blackbrook Park Ave, Taunton,
Somerset TA1 2PX| |||| **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** Not applicable ## **Section B Structure, governance and management** ## **Description of the charity’s trusts** Revised Constitution adopted on 14th April 1973 as amended 14th April Type of governing document 1981 as amended 24th April 2007 as amended 5th January 2023 (eg. trust deed, constitution) Unincorporated Association How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Trustees are elected at the Annual General Meeting held in January. Trustee selection methods Trustees served for a period of 3-4 years dependent on office held. (eg. appointed by, elected by) ## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about: - policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; - the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; The Executive Committee of the Association meets twice a year, in May and September. The Annual General Meeting is held in January and new members of the Executive are elected at this meeting. From the start of 2022 there are three sub-committees and one working group that each meet twice a year, in the period between the meetings of the full Executive Committee. The four sub-bodies are: (1) Finance and External Affairs; (2) Communications and Publications; (3) Grants, Prizes and Outreach; (4) Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Working Group. The Association works closely with the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) and the Royal Society. - relationship with any related parties; - trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. ## **Section C Objectives and activities** The objective of the association is the advancement of education and research into the Quaternary period. This shall be achieved through a programme of activities and by series of publications that are of benefit to **Summary of the objects of the** the public. The aims of such activities shall be: (i) to enhance **charity set out in its** understanding of the nature of global environmental processes during the **governing document** Quaternary period and (ii) the dissemination of this information to the wider public. **TAR** March **2012** 2 **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)** In furtherance of this objective, but not otherwise, the Association through its executive committee shall have the following powers: (a) to hold public meetings and exhibitions; (b) to publish pamphlets, leaflets, etc., (c) to do all such things as will further the objective. The Association shall also agree formal representation on the committees of appropriate scientific organisations, such as INQUA, ICSU and the Royal Society. ## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)** The QRA makes grants under the following schemes: - New Research Workers' Grant (NRWG) - Postgraduate Quaternary Conference Fund (PQCF) You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about: - policy on grantmaking; - policy programme related investment; - contribution made by volunteers. - Quaternary Research Large Grant (QRLG) & Quaternary Research Small Grants (QRSG) - Quaternary Conference Fund (QCF) - Special Grants (includes QRA-14CHRONO Centre Radiocarbon Dating provision; Radiocarbon Dating Short Course Bursaries; The Bill Bishop Award; QRA INQUA Congress Fund) - QRA Geoconservation Award - QRA Outreach Award - Prizes (includes the QRA Research Award; James Croll Medal; Lewis Penny Medal; QRA Undergraduate Dissertation Prize) - Research Groups **TAR** March **2012** 3 ## Section D Achievements and erformance p ## 1. Treasurer’s Report and Financial Review, 2023-24 **Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year** 1.1. Introduction Accounts are detailed in Table 1. All values stated below are rounded up to the nearest pound. The figures and accounts stated below remain provisional until checked by an independent financial examiner. This report covers the period 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024. Overall income decreased by £9,600, due to a drop in subscriptions and book sales, and no surplus from meetings. The figures have been checked and approved by an independent financial examiner. The Association’s audited accounts are with the Charity Commission for England & Wales. 1.2. Income In total, the Association’s income from subscriptions and book sales amounted to £15,775. This comprises £10,482 from membership subscriptions, £5,088 from book sales (both from the Stripe online payment system), and £205 from QRA merchandise (cash). The Association received a payment of £75,596 from Wiley as a profit-share from the publication of _Journal of Quaternary Science_ (JQS). This is an increase on the funds received last year (2022-23: £70,762). Other royalties from the Publisher’s Licensing Society amounted to an additional £244. The Royal Society continues to support the UK’s membership of INQUA via the QRA, providing a contribution of £6,653 towards our subscription. The QRA Treasurer also administers the JQS Editorial Board fund, provided by Wiley and ring-fenced for JQS expenses (honoraria and meeting expenses). The payment from Wiley for 2023-24 was £19,547. Overall, the Association’s working income (subscriptions, book sales, royalties) for financial year 2023-24 was £95,197, and total income was £121,397. ## 1.3. Expenditure In this financial year expenditure was reduced compared to last year, mostly as it was not an INQUA Congress year. Otherwise, expenditure has returned to a “pre-COVID” level due to more travel and meetings. We spent £42,826 on grants, awards, and support for sub-groups. The UK subscriptions to INQUA for 2024 are shown in this year’s accounts (£14,391). The ongoing upkeep and development of the website cost £7,734. We spent £8,460 on engraving a new series of medals for the James Croll and Lewis Penny Awards. Overall expenditure for 2023-24 came to £119,194. ## 1.4. Endowments In May 2024, we placed £150,000 with the CCLA, an ethical investment firm. This is split over two accounts: £120,000 into the COIF Ethical Investment Fund, which includes £101,855 of restricted funds (Lewis Penny, Bill Bishop, INQUA), and £18,145 of unrestricted general funds. £30,000 into the COIF Charities Deposit Fund. This is the reserve which we must have as a charity, and is a holding account, with **TAR** March **2012** 4 ## Section D Achievements and erformance p high interest, not an investment. At the end of the financial year 23-24, these accounts were at £123,242 and £30,263 respectively. The profit from these investments will build up (5-7% return estimated) and is hoped will be sufficient to cover a substantial amount of INQUA grants for 2027. ## 1.5. Year-end financial status As of 31st July 2024, the Association held: • £ nil in our Bank of Scotland Treasurer’s Account [closed] • £ nil in our Bank of Scotland Publications Account [closed] • £ 134,476 in our HSBC Community Account • £ 47,747 in our HSBC Manager’s (savings) Account • £ 123,242 in CCLA COIF Ethical Investment Fund • £ 30,263 in CCLA COIF Charities Deposit Fund The Association started the 2023-24 financial year with total funds of £330,020 and ended with £335,728. Ring-fenced sums within our holdings include £14,655 held in trust for the Bill Bishop Award; £85,500 for the INQUA fund; £5,000 for the Lewis Penny Medal; £46,051 for administering the JQS Editorial Board; and £30,000 designated to meet any unexpected liabilities. ## 1.6. Plans for the next financial period We have now streamlined how the membership dues are collected through our new website. We hope to further improve this, and rollout the Gift Aid scheme. This will strengthen the financial resources of the Association. The investments made through CCLA will be monitored through the year to ensure that the award pot for INQUA is building sufficiently. Albert Goodman LLP was appointed as the independent examiner to review our accounts for the financial year 23-24. ## **Section E Financial review** The QRA sets aside £30,000 in reserves for unexpected liabilities. **Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves Details of any funds materially** Not applicable **in deficit** **Further financial review details (Optional information)** **TAR** March **2012** 5 You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about: - the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising); - how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity; - investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted. Our main sources of funding have been royalties from the Journal of Quaternary Science, which is published by Wiley. Editorial board costs from Wiley cover the peer review process. Membership dues from QRA members. A grant from the Royal Society to cover 49% of the annual subscription to the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA). The sale of field and technical guides, and other monographs within the discipline of Quaternary Research. From this year, the QRA has decided to begin selling Quaternary themed merchandise at meetings and via our website. The Association supports workers within the field of Quaternary Research through small grants, prizes, conservation, and outreach awards. UK participants to the quadrennial INQUA congress meetings may apply for travel awards to take part in the congress. The QRA gives small awards to support discussion and field meetings that focus on the Quaternary period. ## **Section F Other optional information** ## **Section G Declaration** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s) Full name(s)** Timothy Patrick Lane **Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc)**[Treasurer ] **Date** 04 October 2024 Jane K. Hart President **TAR** March **2012** 6 **Quaternary Research Association** Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees For the Year Ended 31 July 2024 ## **Independent examiners report to the Trustees of Quaternary Research Association** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts for Quaternary Research Association (“the charity”) for the year ended 31 July 2024. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or 2. the accounts do not comply with these records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Michelle Ferris BSc (Hons) FCA DChA Albert Goodman LLP Goodwood House Blackbrook Park Avenue Taunton Somerset TA1 2PX Date: 14 March 2025 ||**Charity Name**
**Quaternary Research Association**|**Charity Name**
**Quaternary Research Association**|**Charity Name**
**Quaternary Research Association**|**No (if any)**
**262124**|**No (if any)**
**262124**|**No (if any)**
**262124**|**CC16a**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**For the period**
**from**|Period start date
01/08/2023|**To**||Period end date
31/07/2024||| ||||||||| |**Section A Receipts and payments**|||||||| |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**10,482**
**5,293**
**75,840**
**-**
**-**
**3,505**
**3,582**
**-**
**-**
**-**

**98,702**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**98,702**
**18,474**
**3,568**
**-**
**42,826**
**27,575**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**92,443**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**92,443**
**6,259**
**-**
**181,606**
**187,865**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**6,653**
**19,547**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**26,200**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**26,200**
**-**
**-**
**16,798**
**-**
**9,953**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**26,751**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**26,751**
**- 551**
**-**
**148,414**
**147,863**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**||**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**10,482**
**5,293**
**75,840**
**6,653**
**19,547**
**3,505**
**3,582**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**124,902**
**-**
**-**
**-**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |Subscriptions|**10,482**||||||**9,510**| |Book Sales|**5,293**||||||**9,508**| |Royalties|**75,840**||||||**71,541**| |Royal Society - INQUA Subscription
support|**-**||||||**6,615**| |JQS Editorial Board|**-**||||||**18,795**| |Investment income|**3,505**||||||**-**| |Other Income|**3,582**||||||**15,062**| ||**-**||||||**-**| ||**-**||||||**-**| ||**-**||||||**-**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|
**98,702**||||||**131,031**| ||||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**|||||||| ||**-**||||||| ||**-**||||||**-**| |**_Sub total_**|**-**||||||**-**| |**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**|||||||| ||||||**124,902**||**131,031**| ||||||**18,474**
**3,568**
**16,798**
**42,826**
**37,528**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**119,194**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**119,194**

**5,708**||| |RunningExpenses|**18,474**||||||**15,610**| |Publication Expenses|**3,568**||||||**7,227**| |JQS Editorial Board Costs|**-**||||||**18,769**| |Grants / Awards / Support|**42,826**||||||**69,413**| |Other expenditure|**27,575**||||||**55,268**| ||**-**||||||**-**| ||**-**||||||**-**| ||**-**||||||**-**| ||**-**||||||**-**| |**_Sub total_ **|**92,443**||||||**166,287**| ||||||||| |**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_**|||||||| ||||||||**166,287**| ||||||||| ||**6,259**|**- 551**|**-**||
**5,708**||**- 35,256**| ||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**||**-**| ||**181,606**|**148,414**|**-**||**330,020**||**365,276**| ||**187,865**|**147,863**|**-**||**335,728**||**330,020**| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 10/03/2025 1 ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B1 Cash funds**
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)|**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Book stock (for resale)
QRA merchandise (for resale)
BoS Treasurer's Account (closed)
HSBC Community Account
HSBC Savings Account
**Details**
BoS Publications Account (closed)
**Details**
**Details**
Accountancy fees
COIF Ethical Investment Fund
COIF Charities Deposit Fund
Signature
2|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**21,387**
**101,855**
**30,263**
**-**
**134,476**
**-**
**1,739**
**46,008**
**187,865**
**147,863**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**28,379**
**-**
**989**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
Unrestricted
**630**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Timothy P. Lane
Jane K. Hart|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||OK| ||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**When due**
**(optional)**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||Date of
approval| |||Timothy P. Lane|16/10/2024| ||2|Jane K. Hart|16/10/2024
10/03/2025|