## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 01/04/24 Period start date To 31/03/25 Period end date** ## **Charity name: Round Towers Churches Society** ## **Charity registration number: 267996** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|**To raise public awareness through**
**promoting a knowledge and**
**understanding of the architecture and**
**religious symbolism of Round Tower**
**Churches within the United Kingdom.**| |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|**Promote an interest in Round Tower**
**Churches with the public.**
**Undertake guided visits to Round Tower**
**Churches.**
**Undertake Study Days and give talks to**
**other Societies and Organisations.**
**Produce and publish information on**
**Round Tower Churches.**
**Give grants to Round Tower Churches**
**to support projects and in need of**
**financial assistance.**| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|**This statement confirms that the Society**
**Trustees have regard to the Charity**
**Commission’s public benefit guidance.**
**The Society Rules were reviewed in 2019**
**and were revised as a constitution. The**
**Society reviewed in 2024 (this report**
**period) and against published CC**
**guidance there was no requirement to**
**amend the constitution. This was**
**reported to the AGM on 10th May 2025.**
**The Society Trustees understood that**
**the revised constitution had to**
**demonstrate clearly both public aspect**
**and benefit aspect in**
**each of its**
**purposes to be of public benefit.**
**To that**
**end the Society confirms that it :**

**Makes decisions to ensure your**
**charity’s purpose provides**
**benefit**| |
**Makes decisions to manage risks**| |---| |**of detriment or harm to your**| |**charity’s beneficiaries or to the**| |**public in general that might result**| |**from carrying out the purpose**| |
**Makes decisions about who**| |**benefits in ways that are**| |**consistent with the purpose**| |
**Makes decisions to make sure**| |**any personal benefits are no**| |**more than incidental**| |**It is a standing agenda item on the**| |**Trustee Meeting ahead of the AGM to**| |**determine whether review or action is**| |**required.**| |**Policies are reviewed on a polling tow**| |**year programme. A number of policies**| |**(see below) have been updated and**| |**amended accordingly.**| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||
SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|**A main objective of the Round Tower**
**Churches Society is the support of**
**churches through grants for repairs and**
**improvements. Funds for grants come**
**from two main sources; subscriptions**
**(80% of members subscriptions go**
**towards grants to church projects) and**
**Gifts, donations and bequests. A small**
**amount is raised through talks, study**
**day and selling Society books.**
**Grant Applications. The Society has a**
**simple grant application form. Grants**
**are for projects involving the fabric of**
**the church (see below). The simplicity of**
**the form is to give the Committee the**
**widest latitude to support a church in**
**need to apply. Applications are**
**considered on the grounds of the**
**historic and architectural significance of**
**the building and also on a parish’s**
**engagement with the history and**
**interpretation of the site/building. The**
**Committee also look at the essential**
**nature of the work required and the**
**ability of the parish to contribute**
**financially to the project. Although**
**grants are normally awarded before the**
**work has been completed it can and in**
**exceptional circumstances (at the**
**discretion of the Committee) be awarded**| |||**after the work has been completed.**
**Work eligible for funding support**
**include the following; rainwater disposal**
**and drainage, floor repairs, windows,**
**heating and lighting if in support of the**
**safety of the church fabric and**
**professional fees in support of the**
**above. Support is also given in an**
**emergency for works identified between**
**reports; for instance after a weather**
**event or criminal activity such as lead**
**theft from the roofs. A decision will**
**normally be made within six weeks and**
**no later than the next quarterly**
**Committee meeting.**| |---|---|---| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|**The Society does not have any social**
**investments.**| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|**There are no paid staff in the Society.**
**All activity is undertaken by volunteers**
**without recompense. The Committee**
**(chairman, vice chairman, secretary,**
**treasurer, membership secretary and**
**grants secretary and 2 officers without**
**portfolio) is supported by a small**
**number of volunteers who help conduct**
**guided tours of the churches, give talks**
**to other Societies and organisations’**
**and undertake some administrative**
**duties. All volunteers also contribute**
**through the provision of transport for**
**members of the Society to tours,**
**provision of refreshment and other**
**duties as required.**| |Other||**N/A**| ## **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|**In 2024/25 a total of 10 grants were**
**awarded with a total of £22,500.**
**2023/24 was a more moderate year and**
**6 grants totalling £19k was made:**
**Haveringland £4k**
**Mautby £1k**
**Bartlow £2.5k**
**Snailwell £500**
**Taverham £4k**
**Worthing £2k**
**Fornceltt St Peter £3k**
**Syleham £2k**
**Lound £500**
**Brome and Oakley £3k**
**There are a number of projects that**
**have yet to commence and promises for**
**future work stand at circa £45,000 which**
**is an down from £54,000 from last year.**
**The cost of church projects is**
**substantial and although the grants are**
**modest they have intrinsic financial**
**benefit as well as providing collateral**
**evidence and leverage when making**
**cases to other larger grant making**
**sources.**
**A full tour season for 2024 was**
**undertaken. Round Tower Churches**
**Society’s Saturday 2024 tours**
**11th May**
**St Nicholas Bradwell**
**Burgh Castle**
**Belton All Saints**
**AGM was held at Belton**
**1st June**
**St Andrew Framingham Earl**
**All Saints Poringland**
**St Maty Howe**
**6th July**
**All Saints Hemblington**
**SS Protase and Gervase Little**
**Plumstead**
**St Margaret Old Catton**
**3rd August**
**St Peter Bruisyard**
**St Andrew Hasketon**| **All Saints Ramsholt 7[th] September St Lawrence Ingworth SS Peter and Paul Tuttington St Peter Brampton Each church received a donation of £100. At the AGM it was decided to increase this to £200 for the 2025 season. The Society’s AGM was held at Belton on 11[th] May and was strongly supported. A successful study Day was held at Gissing Committee members continued to give talks on Round Tower Churches and the work of the Society. For 2024/25 they gave 9 x talks to other Societies and organisations. 4 x Society Magazines were produced. The full colour design and the change in approach and content has made this a very popular magazine. It is available digitally. The Round Tower Guide, revised and expanded by Michael Pollitt, to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Society has been continues to be very popular with members and the on general sale through number outlets including City Bookshop. The website development continues and is now a site of destination for many seeking an understanding or information about round towers churches. And many other Societies link to the website as it is seen as a professional and academically sound repository of information. The Society continues to actively support wider campaigns and projects.** ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Achievements against
objectives set|
Para 1.41|
**See above**| |---|---|---| |||**Fundraising is passive. Funds are raised**| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|**through subscriptions and donations.**
**Over recent years we have benefited**
**from a couple of sizeable legacies which**
**allows us to be more generous with our**
**grants (normally matched between**
**legacies and general funds). For the**
**period 24/25 the Society received two**
**legacies (£15,000 and £9289.10) making**
**a total of £24389.10.**
**No active fund raising is undertaken. As**
**there are no paid staff then the**
**administrative overheads are low**
**(printing, postage, design, insurance). It**
**was £4628.24 which is up from 23/24**
**(£3965) but this included costs of the**
**Study Day. Funds are raised through**
**subscription of £20 and through**
**donations, bequests and legacies.**
**Where talks are given there is normally**
**a small donation made to the Society.**
**Income for the period was £48920.39**
**which is greater than £25,000 threshold**
**and requires a TAR and accounts to be**
**submitted to CC.**| |---|---|---| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|**There was no investment made to raise**
**additional returns. The Society has**
**£70873.56 with CCLA. No withdrawals**
**were made.**| |Other||**N/A**| ## **Financial Review** |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|**The Society started the period with a**
**positive balance of £130407.60 lLast**
**year £106625.15)**
**Income for the year as £48920.39 (last**
**year £28915.94). This included two**
**legacies totalling £24389.10 (last year**
**£5000); Subscriptions £9818.01 (last**
**year £8455) ; Gift Aid £2607.89 (last year**
**£2405.15); Donations £6187 (last year**
**£8993.78); sale of Society items £238**
**(last year £503); Study Day £670 and**
**interest from CCLA £4202.60 (this was a**
**five period set of interest - last year**
**£2999.18 was a three interest period and**
**Bank interest £557.7 (last year £559.83).**
**Expenditure was £28578.24 (last year**
**£25525.64). This included Grants**
**£22500 (last year £19000); printing £3190**
**(last year £3470), postage £775 (last year**| |---|---|---| **£390) and insurance £90 (last year £90). Income over expenditure was £20342.15. There was a full tour programme and thus donations of £1450 were made to the churches that were visited. We have a healthy financial position for a small Society wish to reduce the overall sums we hold. The mechanism would be through the award of grants and we have £45,000 in promises which would do that. We had anticipated that we would have awarded more grants. The principal reason for confidence that the overspend is controlled is that the committee determine and control the level of grants that are issued. Through the generosity of members, donations and legacies the Society has built up a sizeable pot from which to draw down on. Indeed the Society does not wish to hold monies for the sake of holding monies and thus this should be seen positively and demonstrates the public benefit being realised. The committee view was that the Society should replicate 22/23 position with an overspend for 24/25. We did not do so but are striving to do so for 25/26. Income Narrative. Subscriptions show an increase from £8455 to £9818.01. We now show donations paid with annual subscriptions separately under donations. Donations dipped from £8993.78 to £6187. Thus taking the two together income dropped £17448.78 to £16005.01. This is still healthy. Many existing members paid above the minimum subscription and we had a number of new members. We remain at over 500 for the second year in a row – a high of a decade. Gift Aid was £2607.89 which is slightly up from £2405.15 last year and up from £1798.59 from the previous year. More new members are signing gift aid forms. Sale of Society items was £238 as we continue to run down the stock. Finally we received two generous legacies of £24389.10 which is up from £5000 last year. Expenditure Narrative. We made 10 grants in total amounting to £22500. This compares to the 6 grants for the previous period (£19000). We made £1450 in donations to churches involved in the tour season. Thus the other** |||**expenditure was magazine costs (£3190)**
**which is slightly down from the previous**
**year as we switched printers. We did**
**have increased graphics costs. Postage**
**has remains low at £775 but this up on**
**the £390 for last year – as we hand out**
**some magazines to members on the**
**tours and some choose to go digital.**
**This will increase unless more members**
**switch to email copies of the Society**
**magazine.**
**Balance at the end of the year. This was**
**split between Nat West current/reserve**
**accounts (£59534.04) and CCLA**
**(£70873.56). There is no petty cash.**| |---|---|---| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|**There are no reserves held as a policy.**| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|**Nil**| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|**Although the Society has a healthy**
**balance at present (which is explained**
**by the legacies, low operating costs and**
**stable subscription income) the Society**
**exists to promote Round Tower**
**Churches through knowledge and**
**understanding.**
**The financial footprint is light. Monies**
**that are raised or donated are given**
**through grants to churches in need of**
**financial assistance or as donations to**
**churches that are visited as part of the**
**annual tour programme.**| |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|**There are no uncertainties about the**
**charity continuing as a going concern.**| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|
Para 1.47|
**Fundraising is passive. Funds are**
**raised through subscriptions and**
**donations. No active fund raising is**
**undertaken.**
**As there are no paid staff then the**
**administrative and operational running**
**costs are low (printing, postage,**
**insurance and website).**
**Funds were raised through subscription,**
**talks and sale of society items. The**
**Society also benefitted from legacies.**| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|**The Society does not invest to make**
**additional financial gain. The Society’s**
**Banking and Investment policy is:**
**_Open and operate such bank and other_**
**_accounts as the Trustees consider_**
**_necessary. To invest funds and to_**
**_delegate the management in the same_**
**_manner and subject to the same_**
**_conditions as the Trustees of a Trust are_**
**_permitted to do by the Trustee Act 2000._**
**_Investments shall likewise be made in_**
**_the names of the Trustees but with the_**
**_authority if the Committee. Cheques_**
**_and other withdrawals shall be signed_**
**_by any two of the Trustees. Electronic_**
**_banking is necessary and authorised_**
**_under the Bank’s charity guidelines to_**
**_allow the Treasurer to operate without_**
**_signature._**| |---|---|---| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|**The risk register is reviewed annually.**
**The principal risks are:**
**Governance: ineffective trustees or**
**board to discharge responsibilities.**
**Financial: Financial activities outside**
**the terms of the funds raised.**
**Financial: Fraud**
**Operational: Falling income through**
**reduced membership.**
**Operational: Adverse publicity.**
**Operational: Health and Safety**
**Operational: GDPR**
**Operational: Compliance with legislation**
**and regulation.**
**Operational: Social Media**
**All risks are low and have mitigation**
**through controls. This is the fifth year**
**that the Society has had a live risk**
**register to manage the risks.**
**Policies reviewed and updated:**
**Financial Controls**
**Safeguarding**
**Financial Reserves**
**Serious Incident reporting**
**Risk Management**
**Conflicts of Interest**
**Social Media**
**Health and Safety**
**All risk assessments were updated.**
**Key Risk. The key risk for the Society is**
**Health and Safety and in particular:**
**- a trip or fall by a Society member**
**during a tour of a church.**
**- an injury from an accident either in the**
**parking around the church or crossing**| **busy roads near the church. The average attendee is more senior in age and the nature of churchyards and churches are that the ground can be uneven. Guidance and advice is given to attendees. Additional guidance and advice may be given during tours if it is deemed necessary; such as a sudden change in weather conditions. The Society has specific insurance with appropriate public liability. N/A** Other ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|**Constitution**| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|**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|**a.**
**Trustees: Five Officers from the**
**committee shall be appointed to be**
**Trustees of the Society. Their**
**appointments and names are to be**
**lodged with the Charity Commission.**
**The four are the Chairman,**
**Treasurer, Grants Officer, Vice**
**Chairman and Officer with portfolio.**
**They are to elected annually at the**
**AGM.**
**b. Trustee Purpose. Trustees accept**
**ultimate responsibility for everything**
**the Society/charity does. The**
**Trustees are responsible for the**
**vision, mission and management of**
**the Society. They are accountable if**
**things go wrong. They can delegate**
**some tasks to the Committee.**
**c.**
**Committee Composition. The**
**Society shall be managed by a**
**Committee consisting of the four**
**Trustees and not more than eight**
**other Officers all elected annually at**
**the AGM for a period of one year. All**
**Officers shall be legible for re-**
**election. Nomination for election to**
**the Committee should be received in**
**writing before the date of the AGM.**
**Four Officers of the Committee, of**
**which two must be Trustees, shall**
**constitute a quorum.**| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:||| |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|Para 1.51|**Nil**| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|**Nil**| |||**Nil**| Para 1.51 Relationship with any related parties **Nil** Other ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|The Round Tower Churches Society| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|N/A| |Registered charity number|267996| |Charity’s principal address|Crabbe Hall
Burnham Market
KINGS LYNN
PE31 8EN
All Society correspondence through Treasurer:
18 Tantallon Drive
ATTLEBOROUGH
NR17 2SN| ||| ## **Names 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 (if any)**| |---|---|---|---| |Mr Nicholas Chapman|Treasurer||AGM or Special GM| |Mr Michael Pollitt|Vice Chairman||AGM or Special GM| |Mr Nicholas Wiggin|Grants Officer||AGM or Special GM| |Mr Stuart Bowell|Chairman||AGM or Special GM| |Ms Kate Davey|Without Portfolio||AGM or Special GM| |Ms Helen Lunnon|Without Portfolio||AGM or Special GM| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name Nil** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**|| |---|---|---| |**Nil**||| |||| ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Type of**
**adviser**|**Name**
**Address**|**Name**
**Address**| |---|---|---| |**Nil**||| |||| |||| |||| |**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**||| Nil ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details **N/A** ## **Other optional information** **Summary of Accounts. Attached is the summary of accounts verified by an Independent Examiner. Income is below the audit threshold.** **AGM. The AGM was conducted in person for 24/25 in May 25. Minutes from the AGM are attached as pdf.** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s)** E-Signed **Full name(s)** Nicholas Chapman **Position (eg Secretary,** Treasurer **Chair, etc)** **Date** 7th August 2025 StabMn•rrt of Ac£(wJntsforthe Ywendpd 31¥ March Incom• 202S 2025 1(W515'0 Balance Annual SuLwri GWIA Donat￿n5 and Lectur Bank Inlere* Szme therttsements Sa* of Soc Lwk¥ and ler 1IW15 45 9618 01 70 390 azineneallEI atMe Po* Pur(*a5e ol so￿1 rfetlls for58 ra 3190 2405.15 8993 78 $57 79 Hre ol RrK 14)). 10424 503 5000 Insufgn Internional bknk 24389.10 434 35 CCLA InietEst Grarrtsio thurches 225(K) 1450 130407 60 1IIXIIS.4S Lgn 135541.09 151985.14 13M41.09 151985.14 Ba￿￿4 Sheeiajat 31* mO￿h 310 1804 7(￿73 56 11￿15.1$ Atiy)￿tt 130407.6fy 43343.49 e0670.96 Nal VVe* ReseTrr Airourrt ¢CLA ¢ha[d￿5 Oe FurKJ Pett Cash in harwj 11001fj.45 1100t5AS 1304a7.É0 NVKCharffian-Trt•5U 081¥ AwIX125 Irwme." ItKom& foff*.' £447¢7.70￿u$ £4202W- £48W 39 EVnortu￿". &O578.24 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Ifldependent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of On accounts for the year ended ," /W 2oJ Chaiyty no (If any) 7??6 Set out on pages (DhJ& . I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 31103/ao Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation basls of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions g5ven by the Charity Commission under sethon 145{5){b) of the Act. I have completed my examinatron. I confirni that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me caus8 to believe that in, any material re8ped." accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Acl or the accounts do not accord with Ihe accounting records Independent èxaminerfs 8tatomgnt I have no concerns and have Come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Plea￿ delete the ¥MYds in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Slgnod: Relevant professlonal quallficatlon(s) or body (If any): Address: IER October 2018