**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
**CHARITY REG No 272120**
## **THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT**
**and**
**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2022**
**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
**CHARITY REG No 272120**
|**Contents:**||
|---|---|
|Trustees’ Report 2021-22|1|
|Independent Examiner’s Report|4|
|Financial Statements 2021-22:||
|Receipts and Payments Account:||
|Receipts|5|
|Payments|6|
|Statement of Assets and Liabilities|8|
|Notes|9|
**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
**CHARITY REG No 272120**
## **The Dorothy L Sayers Society**
## **Trustees’ Annual Report**
## **for the period 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022**
The Committee of the Dorothy L Sayers Society (“the Society”), who are its Charity Trustees, present their Report, with the financial statements of the Society, for the year ended 30 September 2022.
## **A. Reference and administration details.**
The name of the Society is **The Dorothy L Sayers Society** .
The registered charity number of the Society is **272120** .
The Society’s principal address,
- (a) until 17 December 2021, was Gimsons, King’s Chase, Witham, Essex CM8 1AX, and
- (b) during the remainder of the period under report, and at the date this Report was approved by the Committee, was 30 Greenfield, Witham, Essex CM8 2FA.
The names of the Committee members / Charity Trustees and the offices held by them during the period under report were:
## **Seona Ford** , Chair
## **Geraldine Perriam** , Vice-Chair
**Gregory Hill** , Treasurer
**Margaret Hunt,** Membership Secretary
**Jasmine Simeone** , Bulletin Secretary
**Gillian Thumpston** , Publications Officer
**Alison Hall** , Archives Officer
**Simon Medd** , Convention Organiser
**Richard Birkett** , Sound Recordings and webmaster
**Alan Jesson,** Health and Safety Officer
**Christopher Seymour** , Events co-ordinator.
The Society has no custodian trustees or other “trustees for the charity”.
The Society’s Independent Examiner is **Donald Shankland** , Chartered Accountant.
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**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
**CHARITY REG No 272120**
## **B. Structure, governance and management**
The Society’s governing document is a set of **Rules adopted on 7 September 1976** and amended on 14 November 1987, 19 November 1994, 31 October 2009, 24 March 2010 and 1 November 2014.
The Society is constituted as an **unincorporated association** .
The members of the Committee (the Charity Trustees) **are elected by the members of the Society at each Annual General Meeting, and the Committee allocates the duties of the officers among its members** .
The Committee have reviewed the **risks** applicable to the Society and consider that adequate provision for them has been made by taking out public liability insurance and adopting financial precautions, and safeguarding, data protection, health and safety, and procurement policies.
## **C. Objectives and activities**
The objects of the Society (Rules, r 2) are **the promotion and encouragement of education generally and in particular for the benefit of the public the study of the works of Dorothy L Sayers** .
During the year 2021-22, the Society was able to resume its usual activities, including in particular the annual Convention and other “in person” meetings, following the relaxation of the restrictions on meetings imposed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The programme of on-line (Zoom) meetings also continued. As in previous years, the Society published Bulletins recording its activities and publicising other events and publications relating to the life and work of Miss Sayers, and made its archives available to scholars in that field. The Society also promoted education by providing scholarships for a student at the Royal College of Music and for apprentices at the Royal Opera House. It operates a website, https://www.sayers.org.uk , to disseminate information and news for non-members and with a section for members only.
## **Public Benefit**
The Committee have given due consideration to the Charity Commission’s published guidance on the operation of the Public Benefit requirement and are satisfied that the activities of the Society undertaken during the year meet the Public Benefit test.
## **D. Achievements and performance**
The Committee consider that the Society’s activities, as resumed following the Covid-19 pandemic and summarised in section C, have promoted interest in and wider knowledge of the works of Miss Sayers, by the public and among the Society’s members. Members resident overseas or
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## **THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
## **CHARITY REG No 272120**
at a distance from London continued to participate effectively in remote (“Zoom”) meetings. The Convention at Bristol University took place successfully on 5th to 8th August 2022. 52 new members joined the Society during the year under report.
## **E. Financial review**
The Society ordinarily maintains **reserves** approximately equivalent to one year’s ordinary expenditure,
- (a) to enable the Society to carry on its activities, and to undertake new projects when appropriate, with funds in hand, and
- (b) to ensure that if it should become necessary for the Society to cease to operate, funds would be available to discharge all its obligations.
The Society’s reserves at the end of the period under report met that objective with a significant margin. The Society has adequate financial resources to resume its usual activities. The Committee are considering whether the Society’s present and predictable future financial resources are sufficient to enable further projects within the Society’s objectives to be undertaken.
The Society has no restricted or endowment funds.
The Society’s **Receipts and Payments Account** for 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022, and **Statement of Assets and Liabilities** as at 30 September 2022, accompany this Report.
## **F. Other optional information** [Not used.]
## **G. Declaration**
**The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above.**
## **Signed on behalf of the Society’s Trustees:**
Signatures:
## _**[Original signed by Chair and Treasurer and dated 5 November 2022]**_
**Full names Seona M Ford Gregory J S Hill Position Chair Treasurer**
Date …………………………………
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**CHARITY REG No 272120**
## **THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF: THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY, CHARITY NUMBER: 272120**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30th September 2022 which are set out on pages 5 to 9.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 ("'the Act"). The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Act;
- follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act; and
- state whether particular matters have come to my attention
## **Basis of independent examiner's report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
- the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a "true and fair" view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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.
## Signed _**[Original signed by Donald J Shankland and dated 2nd November 2022]**_
……………………………………..
Name Donald J Shankland Qualification Chartered Accountant Address ‘Caerlee’, 4 Shaw Road, Milngavie, Glasgow G62 6LU Date 2nd November 2022
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**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
**CHARITY REG No 272120**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT Year ended 30 September 2022**
|**Note:**
**Y/e 30/9/2022**.
**RECEIPTS**
1
**£**
**£**
**Subscriptions &**
**Donations**
6,921.50
1,351.00
**8,272.50**
**Publications**:
_Love All; Taking Detec-_
_tive Stories Seriously;_
_God, Hitler and Lord_
_Peter Wimsey_: sales
742.06
_Archives, other publica-_
_tions_: sales
1,089.24
_Books sold second-hand_
1,258.96
**3,090.26**
**Royalties: JSTOR**
3,343.55
**3,343.55**
**Activities:**
**Convention 2022**
13,807.31
**13,807.31**
**Other activities:**
John Donne lecture &
lunch, Lincoln’s Inn
760.00
DLSS Annual lecture,
Witham
535.91
_Busman’s Honeymoon_,
The Mill at Sonning
2,531.14
_Love All_, Jermyn Street
Theatre
358.44
**4,185.49**
**Gift Aid**
To 15.8.22
**£535.28**
**Interest – CCLA**
**£149.52**
**TOTAL RECEIPTS**
**£33,383.91**|**Y/e 30/9/2021**.
**£**
**£**
6,533.90
1,045.29
7,579.19
639.17
1,234.60
296.46
2,170.23
--
10,969.40
539.00
11,508.40
0.00
486.50
4.08
**21,748.40**|
|---|---|
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## **THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY CHARITY REG No 272120 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT, year ended 30 September 2022**
|**PAYMENTS**
**Note**
**Convention 2022:**
Univ. of Bristol
Speakers’ expenses
Delegates’ refunds paid
**Other activities:**
_Shedunnit_Speaker fee
John Donne lecture &
lunch, Lincoln’s Inn
DLSS Annual lecture,
Witham
_Busman’s Honeymoon_,
The Mill at Sonning
_Love All_, Jermyn Street
Theatre
**Book publishing:**
TDSS; G,H&LPW (elec-
tronic versions)
Royalties 2021 LA,
TDSS & G,H&LPW
**Bulletin (by post):**
Printing & labels
Postage
**Other postage &**
**phone:**
Tippermuir, postage
Membership Sec, post-
age
Chair, postage
Chair, phone|**2021-22**
**2020-21**
**£**
£
~~**£**~~
**£**
9,355.75
5,312.75
14,668.50
9,630.94
9,630.94
106.65
212.00
175.06
493.71
210.00
608.00
818.00
330.00
330.00
6808.82
**15,492.21**
17,257.76
100.00
760.00
540.00
493.00
2,553.00
360.00
**4,313.00**
493.00
36.00
36.00
44.82
**80.82**
62.82
98.82
939.39
1,674.81
**2,614.20**
795.82
1,603.24
2,399.06
4.80
453.88
77.04
267.48
240.00
**589.32**|
|---|---|
|||
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|**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**|**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**|**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**||**CHARITY REG**|**No 272120**|**No 272120**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**PAYMENTS**|**Note**|**2021-22**||**2020-21**|||
|||**£**|£|~~**£**~~||**£**|
|**Printing**|||||||
|_Proceedings_2021||404.04||293.40|||
|_Sidelights_LXVII||167.40|**571.44**||293.40||
|**General expenses:**|||||||
|Website||195.63||0.00|||
|Zettle equipment||273.60||0.00|||
|AGM 2022||0.00||316.00|||
|Insurance: public liability
Insurance: DLS portrait||254.00
40.00||274.00|||
|Independent Examiner|||||||
|fee||0.00||0.00|||
|Sub, Alliance of Lit.|||||||
|Socs.||15.00||15.00|||
|Archive: storage &c||150.00||60.00|||
|Overpaid sub repaid||0.00||20.00|||
||||**928.23**||685.00||
|**Awards:**|||||||
|Music scholar 2022|||||||
|(RCM)||750.00||750.00|||
|Theatre scholar||0.00||0.00|||
|Norah Lambourne|||||||
|Awards (ROH), 2020,||2,250.00||0.00|||
|2021, 2022|||||||
|Young Lady Bellringer||0.00|**3,000.00**|0.00|750.00||
|**Total payments**|||**£27,589.22**||22,430.92||
|**Total receipts**|||**£33,383.91**||(21,748.30)||
|**Surplus / (Deficit) for**
**year – in cash terms**|||**£5,794.69**||(682.52)||
_[Continued on page 8: Statement of Assets and Liabilities.]_
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**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
**CHARITY REG No 272120**
**STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES As at 30 September 2022**
|**ASSETS**
Note
**Total cash funds at 30**
**September 2021**
1
Surplus / (Deficit) on Re-
ceipts & Payments a/c for
y/e 30 September 2022
Cash assets at 30 Septem-
ber 2022
**REPRESENTED BY:**
Cash at bank
COIF Charities deposit
fund
Chair’s float
Bulletin Editor’s float
**Net cash assets at year**
**end 30 September 2022**
**Other monetary assets:**
**Liabilities:**
Convention 2019, balance
re Mustard Club film
Convention 2022, dele-
gates’ refunds
G.M. Perriam, refund of
website cost paid
St Anne’s, AGM 2022
2
2, 3|**£**
146.34
400.00
(168.00)
(390.00)
*(273.56)
*(316.00)||**£**
47,692.23
5,794.69
**53,486.92**
19,751.63
33,188.95
546.34
**53,486.92**
nil
**(1,147.56)**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
The Society also holds non-monetary assets:
- (a) Archives; portrait of DLS; and other memorabilia; used in furtherance of the Society’s objects and considered to have no realisable financial value;
- (b) Stocks of publications and of second-hand books; held for sale and sale proceeds brought into accounts when received.
The Notes on page 9 form part of these financial statements.
## _**[Original signed GJS Hill and dated 5 November 2022.]**_
GJS Hill
Treasurer, 2022
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**THE DOROTHY L SAYERS SOCIETY**
**CHARITY REG No 272120**
## **Notes to financial statements 2021-22**
1. All sums in these Financial Statements relate to unrestricted funds; the Society has no restricted funds or endowment funds.
2. The liabilities marked with an asterisk have been paid since the end of the Society’s accounting year.
3. Since the end of the Society’s accounting year, a rail strike has been called for 5th November, and therefore it has been decided to conduct the AGM remotely. The authorities at St Anne’s Church have agreed to cancel the Society’s bookings for that date and to carry forward the £316.00 already paid as part payment for the AGM 2003, for which the Society is grateful.
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