Royal Marines Historical Society
Registered Charity 274285
YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2022
Report to the Council and to the Members
The accounts presented to you have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis following the format recommended by the Charity Commissioners. Such accounts are statements that summarise the movement of cash during the financial year while excluding non-cash items such as depreciation, gifts in kind etc.
Subscriptions: individual membership has again increased from 362 in 2021 to 393 on 31 December 2022, bringing an additional £1,551 of income. Membership continues to rise year on year, mainly as a result of our presence on social media and at other events (e.g. National Arboretum), but also because our Hon Membership Secretary lets no opportunity slip by! It was only a few years ago that we considered ourselves doing well if we gained more than a dozen new members in a year!
Donations: many will remember with considerable affection Paul Whitehead, longstanding member and faithful Thursday volunteer. We received a significant and very welcome donation of £2,000 from his estate.
Sale of Publications: sales of publications have reached a staggering and record £13,077, up just over £7,037 on the previous year, but so also have publications costs increased by a similar amount. This is principally due to the great success of ‘In Our Own Words’ and the ‘Commando Compendium’, both of which have been flying off the shelves, to the extent that we commissioned a reprint of the former. It must also be said that the authors of these books (Tony Sickelmore and the brothers Beckett) have been remarkably generous in contributing towards production costs. In addition, we have established very worthwhile sales arrangements with One Tree Books in Petersfield and with the RMA Shop in Plymouth; and our thanks to Jeremy Parker and Tony Sickelmore for these.
The accounts also include £2,871, a late payment for RM Short Histories supplied to CTCRM for recruits and YOs. We have not sent a consignment of these books to CTC for nearly two years, having run into major problems on billing arrangements caused by a change in MOD rules. Unfortunately, recruits and YOs are no longer receiving this publication, but we have been consistently on the case and are hopeful that a new supply (and its income!) will be possible by the end of this year.
Postage and Office Costs: Bo th these have gone up (postage by £1,600 and office by £1,080). We have little option but to absorb additional postage on the basis that our membership would much prefer hard copy publications, rather than anything digital. The office increase merely reflects a return to full post-covid operation.
Sheet Anchor Costs: costs for the production of 2 Sheet Anchors have risen by £1,451 reflecting both the size and quality of each journal, for which the Hon Editor has deservedly received many well deserved compliments.
Other Expenses: This includes £2,703 donated to NMRN for the purchase of the portrait of Col Williams RMA, part of the rare and important collection of 18[th] Century RM artefacts purchased from James Kochan in the USA. We hope to see much of the collection displayed in the new RM Museum.
Summary:
Net assets stand at £41,962 (2021: £42,614) of which £23,537 (2021: £23,952) comprises cash at bank and in hand, so the Society’s financial position continues to remain pretty steady.
This has been a bumper year for the Society with increased activity, not just financial, but in every aspect of the Society’s endeavours. We continue to run at more or less break even on a year-on-year basis (£415loss in 2022), but the overall increase in costs, especially in postage and office costs is making it increasingly difficult to sustainably service the increased activity of the Society. As a result, it is likely that membership subscriptions will need to increase from January 2025, and the Council will make decisions on this in December 2023, so that Members will have plenty of warning!
We remain indebted to Graham Figgins and his Team from the Taylor Cocks Group for continuing to act, free of charge, as the Independent Examiner for our accounts.
Robert Bruce Honorary Treasurer September 2023
Royal Marines Historical Society
Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2022.
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Royal Marines Historical Society
We report on the attached accounts of the charity for the year ended 31[st] December 2022.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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 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:
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Accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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The accounts do not accord with those 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.
Graham Figgins F.C.A TC Group Portsmouth
September 2023
Royal Marines Historical Society Charity Number: 74285 (Unrestricted Funds)
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR YEAR ENDED 31 December 2022
| 2022 Receipts £ Annual Subscriptions 11,950 Donations 2,000 Sale of Publications 13,077 Receipts from Functions 5,459 Interest Received 36 Other Income 696 Sub Total 33,218 Asset & Investment Sales 0 Total Receipts Payments Postage 4,655 Office Costs 3,750 Publications-production costs 10,877 Sheet Anchor & Newsletter 3,718 Cost of Functions 4,889 Other Expenses 5,744 Sub Total 33,633 Asset & investment Purchases 0 Total Payments Net of Receipts/(payments) Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
2021 £ 10,399 63 6,040 4,853 44 80 21,479 0 33,218 3,055 2,670 3,645 2,267 5,257 3,674 20,568 0 33,633 (415) 23,952 23,537 |
21,479 |
|---|---|---|
| 20,568 | ||
| 911 23,041 |
||
| 23,537 | 23,952 |
Royal Marines Historical Society Charity Number: 74285 (Unrestricted Funds)
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31 DECEMBER 2022
| 2022 Cash Funds £ Bank balances at 31st December 23,517 Petty Cash 20 Total Cash Funds Other monetary assets Outstanding Invoices Investment assets Assets retained for charity's own use Publications 16,020 Figurines/Plaques 1,500 Office Equipment 872 Total Assets Liabilities Outstanding invoices payable Total Liabilities |
2021 £ 23,911 41 23,537 33 0 13,419 1,500 872 18,392 41,962 0 0 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 23,952 2,871 0 |
||
| 15,791 | ||
| 42,614 | ||
| 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 |
Colonel B L Carter OBE- Chairman
R.J. Bruce OBE – Honorary Treasurer