**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT**
## **For the year ending 31 December 2024**
## **1. Legal and Administrative Information**
## **1.1 Title of the Charity**
The Essex Association of Change Ringers, also known as the “EACR”. Charity number 292250.
## **1.2 The Governing Instrument of the Association**
The Association is an unincorporated association founded in 1879. It is governed by Rules adopted in May 1985 to allow registration of the Association as a Charity and most recently revised in May 2021.
## **1.3 Beneficial Area**
The boundaries of the Association are those defining the geographical county of Essex prior to 1 April 1965 and include towers in adjacent counties, which are by tradition affiliated to the Association.
## **1.4 Trustees**
The Trustees of the charity are members of the Management Committee and comprise
- a) the Association Master, Secretary, Treasurer, Property Trustees (3), Education Officer, Communications Officer, Technical Adviser (9)
- b) District-elected Trustees (6)
Election process:
Trustees a) potential candidates are canvassed and nominations proposed and seconded by 1 February prior to the AGM. Nominees are elected by the members of the Association at the AGM in May. No external bodies are involved in the process.
Trustees b) potential candidates are canvassed and nominations are proposed and seconded and elected by their respective District membership at their Annual District Meetings in January or as necessary during the year. No external bodies are involved in the process.
The list of the Association’s Trustees at 31 December 2024 is at Annex A and attendance at Trustee and Management Committee meetings at Annex B.
All Trustees are members of the Association and receive a copy of the annual report. Newly appointed Trustees receive copies of the _Essential Trustee (CC3)_ , the _Essential Trustee 6 main duties_ , the _Charity Trustee Welcome Pack_ and are advised to view the Charity Commission’s online _‘5 minute guides’_ . All Trustees sign a new Trustee Declaration of
Eligibility and Responsibility on taking up their appointment and will do so on an annual basis or when a new Trustee is appointed. All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no remuneration or other benefit.
## **1.5 Principal Address**
The Charity’s registered address is 16 The Priory, Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3JE.
## **1.6 Principal agents and advisors**
Principal Bankers: NatWest Bank, 4-5 High Street, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1FZ Independent examiners: Jenny Ansell (had to stand down in December), John Tipping and Janet Edwards
Insurance Brokers: Howe Maxted GI Ltd, General Insurance Business Division, 17 Hatherley Road, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 4BP.
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**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
Insurance Advisers: Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc, Benefact House, 2000 Pioneer Avenue, Gloucester Business Park, Brockworth, Gloucester, GL3 4AW.
## **1.7 Remuneration of Trustees**
No remunerations or emoluments were paid to any Trustees.
## **1.8 Organisation**
The Association is governed by the Trustees and administered by them through the Management Committee and its sub-committees and through the Districts and their respective District Committees and District meetings. The Trustees are responsible to the Membership via the AGM. The order of precedence for governance is i) the Trustees, ii) the Management Committee, iii) Districts.
The Trustees meet independently of the Management Committee at least three times per year to review the Association’s activities, its finances, the risks it faces, safeguarding and to consider applications for grants. The Management Committee meets on at least two occasions during the year. The Association is organised into six districts. The districts have their own officers responsible for encouraging good ringing in the churches with bells within their area and working within the charitable objectives of the Association as a whole. Each district is represented by an elected Trustee and each district has four elected officers on the Management Committee. The districts hold their annual meetings in January where they elect their officers. Regular practices, meetings, quarter peals and striking competitions are organised within districts as well as fundraising events with any surpluses going to the Bell Restoration Account (BRA) or the Recruitment and Training Fund.
The Association is affiliated to the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers and loyally abides by the rules and decisions thereof.
## **2 Objectives and Public Benefit Statement**
## **2.1 Charitable objects**
The objects of the Association are as set out in rule 2:
- To further the work of the Church by the ringing of bells and to promote all aspects of the same.
- The advancement of the education of the public in the art and science of bell ringing, by promoting and encouraging the practice of bellringing and by supporting the recruitment, training and development of bellringers.
In furtherance of these objectives the Association organises and encourages training sessions and bell ringing competitions. The main Association-level training is the annual 3- day Essex Ringing Course which for the first time was based in Witham. There is an Autumn training day hosted by each District in turn but individual training is spread throughout the county. Training at the District level is both ongoing and based on specific training days.
Grants to approved belfry repair and improvement projects are available from the Bell Restoration Account. The Association Technical Adviser is available to discuss the condition of bells and their fittings. The Bell Maintenance & Restoration sub-committee has delegated authority to grant up to £250 for minor works. The Recruitment & Training sub-committee has delegated authority to grant up to £250. Sums above £250 are referred to the Management Committee for support pending Trustees’ approval. Applications are considered at the Management Committee meetings in February and October and/or the Trustee meetings in February, May and October.
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**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
## **2.2 Public Benefit**
The Association’s Objects and Aims are focused towards two areas. First, the support of Christian worship by promoting the ringing of bells for Service and second the preservation of the tradition and heritage of change ringing and supporting the training and development of change ringers from all walks of society. The Association achieves this by:
- (a) encouraging the attendance of its members both at service ringing and at public worship;
- (b) encouraging the recognition of ringers as Church workers;
- (c) encouraging fellowship and communication among ringers;
- (d) recruiting and training new ringers, so that there may be regular service ringing in all the towers within the Association's boundaries where the bells are ringable; and
- (e) promoting interest in the care of all the bells and provision of new bells within the Association’s boundaries.
Many members give up their time and talents in many ways volunteering to help ringing schools, individual towers and bell restoration projects as well as many different recruiting, training, fundraising and maintenance projects in furtherance of the objectives as laid down in the rules.
The Association maintains a website ( **www.eacr.org.uk** ) which details many of the activities undertaken for its members. The Association has also maintained contact with its members via the Membermojo membership system which has mailing list facilities to set up district and association mailing lists, Facebook, X, Instagram, a newsletter and a YouTube channel. In addition, some Districts currently maintain their own websites and social media outlets.
The public benefits through the preservation of a uniquely UK tradition and heritage, and because we assist them to participate in an inclusive activity that significantly benefits them both physically and mentally.
The Trustees paid due regard to the commission's guidance on public benefit in producing this statement.
## **2.3 Membership**
Membership is open to any person eligible according to the Association’s rules (regardless of personal background, faith, gender or personal circumstances) interested in bells and bellringing. Our membership categories include Ringing Members (including Juniors), Life Vice-Presidents, Life Members, Non-Resident Members and Associate Members of the Association.
## **3 Review of Activities and Achievements in 2024**
## **3.1 Overview**
The Association aims to offer support to its members to not only ring for Sunday service and practice nights but also to improve and progress their ringing. District events are usually held across the Association including open practices, quarter peal weeks/months, training activities, outings and social gatherings. Whilst the number of people attending these events is difficult to gauge, a broad spectrum of the membership is involved with these and hopefully benefit from the opportunity to ring at different towers and meet other ringers.
Much good work is done by all the Trustees and those on the Management Committee for the Association, and by all of the District Officers across the Association. The Trustees, Management Committee and District Officers’ Meetings continue to effectively inform and shape the actions of the Association, and thanks go out to all of the Officers and
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**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
representatives for their ongoing contributions to the Association. It is the Districts within the Association that undertake the majority of the work in fostering our ringing community to achieve its full potential. They connect the leaves of our members to the roots of the Association, and uphold its aims and objectives.
The Trustees held eight meetings, one face-to-face, four via video conferencing and three via WhatsApp in which to discuss urgent matters between formal trustee meetings. In whichever form they have taken they have proven, as much as they always have done, to be key to the shaping of our activities as an association as we adapt and thrive into the future. They are the medium through which all members can express their views and help shape the Association’s direction. The Management Committee met twice, in February and October and the Association AGM was held in May.
There are three sub-committees: Communications & Public Relations, Recruitment & Training and Bell Maintenance & Restoration.
The **Recruitment & Training** sub-committee, which met several times throughout the year, main focus has been continuing to train Essex ringers to be teachers via the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART) day courses and we have run a Module 1 (bell handling) in July and one Module 2F (developing foundation skills) in September. We thank ART for running these day courses. We continue to look at ways to help people who have been on the courses move forward to become practised trainers. The Education Officer and Communications Officer ran a Workshop ‘Recruiting new ringers…and keeping them’ in August.
A member of the sub-committee heads up a Simulator Workgroup to enable the sharing of knowledge about installing and using simulators. The sub-committee has revisited the Education and Training elements of the Bequests Initiative strategy document and will be preparing a report for the February Management Meeting on how to progress towards the targets – to increase membership by 30% and have trained teachers in 75% of towers by 2029.
The Association Training Day in November offered seven courses at towers central to the whole county rather than all in one District, mindful of ‘cash and carbon’ constraints. A team attended the Essex University Freshers Week in October. The team were successful in applying for the ART University Recruitment Package which gives a free place on an M2 course, £250 towards the costs of the Freshers’ Fair and 16 Learning the Ropes logbooks. The Touring Tower was at Essex International Jamboree for six days in July and was manned by volunteers who were mainly Essex members.
**Bell Maintenance & Restoration** sub-committee did not meet in the year, but a small group of trustees undertook video conferencing meetings in May to review three grant applications with each of the applicants.
The **Communication & Public Relations** sub-committee have met several times to complete the design and purchase of a banner for use at events. Proposals to redesign the EACR website received trustees’ approval to go ahead and commission an Essex-based company to undertake the work. This includes its construction on a new platform with an updated look and feel, and also the transfer of all of the information from our current website. The new website is likely to be launched in early 2025.
A statement of intent to apply for a grant giving outline details of the project and estimated cost and a single grant application process has been developed to access grants, enabling the trustees to decide which fund any grant should come from.
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**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
Some towers took part in Bell Sunday on 12 May, where the contribution of bells and Bellringers to the life of the Church was recognised.
A small group undertook a review of the Rules in the year, with regular reports on progress to the Trustees and Management Committee. That work is ongoing.
Following a suggestion in 2018 to update the WWI and WWII Association Memorial in Chelmsford Cathedral with additional names which had come to light. Work with the Cathedral authorities has been ongoing concerning approval of the Portland stone and approval of the detailed lettering layout, carving the lettering and installation of the stone. If completed in time, dedication of the memorial could form part of the service at the 2025 AGM.
The Southern District held an Open Day in July as part of their 55[th] anniversary celebrations, with 26 towers open. 57 visitors raised £1,209 which was distributed equally between the Recruitment & Training Fund and Prittlewell Ringing School.
Initial discussions took place about celebrating the Associations 150[th] anniversary in 2029.
## **3.2 Grants**
The Association operates a Bell Restoration Account designed to assist bell restoration projects within the Association. A permanent Bell Maintenance and Restoration subcommittee considers applications for financial assistance towards work for maintenance and improvement of a bell installation to restore bells and their fittings to enable full circle ringing to take place. Grants are also given for augmenting and other ancillary work required to enable full circle ringing to continue or to be carried out and the installation of simulators to support training and practice. The sub-committee meets and makes written recommendations for consideration at the Management Committee meetings and the Trustees meetings. The Technical Adviser carried out several inspections and a number of applications will be forthcoming in 2025 and beyond.
Over the last five and ten years, grants have been approved as follows:
||**Total**||**Average**|**Average**||**BRA**||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Grants**|**Towers**|**Per Tower**|**pa**|**Income**||**pa**|
|5 Years|£70,810|9|£7,858|£14,162|£26,203||£5,241|
|10 years|£111,652|19|£5,876|£11,165|£70,800||£7,080|
The level of grants in the past 5 and 10 years is above the BRA income received.
## **Summary of grants**
## **Bell Restoration Account**
||**Tower**|**£**||
|---|---|---|---|
|Two grants were
approved in the year,
but notyetpayable|Ardleigh|9.000|Augmentation and refurbishment|
||Thaxted|918|Installation of amplification system|
|**9,918**||||
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**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS Registered Charity No: 292250**
|**Bequest Fund**|**Bequest Fund**|||
|---|---|---|---|
||**Tower**|**£**||
|Two grants were paid
in the year|Touring Tower|2,000|Donation and plaque to the Mobile
Belfries Trust|
||Great Bardfield|678|Simulator|
|||**2,678**||
||**Tower**|**£**||
|Four grants were
approved in the year,
but not yet payable|Ardleigh|12,804|Cost of new bell and fittings|
||Cathedral Memorial|10,987|The trustees agreed to underwrite the
cost of the memorial less donations
from towers and members|
||Great Tey|2,996|Ropeguide|
||Thaxted|918|Installation of amplification system|
|**Recruitment & Training**||**28,455**||
||**Tower**|**£**||
|Seven grants were
paid in the year|Epping|157|Extend simulator to six bells|
||Essex University
Freshers Week|686|Open day stand and hire of mini-ring|
||North Ockendon|90|Hire of Church Hall for trainingday|
||Sandon|59|Electrification of simulator|
||White Roding|200|Towards hire of TouringTower|
||Great Tey|195|Simbell receiver and transmitter units|
||Prittlewell|211|Replacement laptopand adaptors|
|||**1,602**||
||**Tower**|**£**||
|One other grant was
approved in the year,
but notyetpayable|Ardleigh|4,000|Rope guides and training bells|
|||**4,000**||
## **3.3 Training**
In furtherance of the objectives the Association organises and encourages training sessions and bell ringing competitions. Training ringers is vitally important to maintain ringing in our towers. All six Districts hold regular training events throughout the year.
The Association has two accredited Association of Ringing Teachers (ART) hubs: Ardleigh Ringing School in the NE District and Willingale Ringing Centre in the NW District. Regular ringing centres at Coggeshall in the N District and Prittlewell in the S District normally run a
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**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
varied programme of workshops, courses and practical sessions. The Chigwell Ringing Centre in the SW District is currently in abeyance. The Association Training Day was held in November, based in the South Eastern District although towers in other Districts also took part.
There have been many advances in simulator hardware and software in recent years and the functionality that is now available. Many towers are now installing simulator software or dumbbells to train new ringers effectively and to train more ringers than would otherwise be possible.
## **3.4 Essex Ringing Course**
The Association runs the Essex Ringing Course, established in 1991. The 33[rd] Essex Course ran over 3 days in April at a new venue in Witham. Over 90 students took part in 14 groups ranging from bell-handling to steeple-keeping. Places were offered on viability of each group and ensuring an appropriate mix of Essex/non-Essex in each group. All applicants under the age of 25 were offered a place (providing that a suitable group was running). 18 towers were used from 4 Districts, given the more central location: 9 of which were used for all three days, 2 were used for 2 days and 7 for one day only. The on-line application system again worked well and 100% applications were made on-line. An on-line application system for helpers was also used.
## **3.5 Striking Competitions**
The Association 6 and 8 bell striking competitions were held in the N District. The 6 Bell competition, held at Gt Easton, was won by Prittlewell. The 8 Bell contest, held at Great Bardfield, was won by the Southern District. Of the two Inter-Association 10 Bell competitions, the Ridgman Trophy was held at Biggleswade in June where the Essex team came third out of six teams. The Essex Trophy was held at Epsom in September, where Essex came first out of six teams.
## **3.6 Young Ringers**
Open Young Ringers practices took place monthly throughout the year (except in August and September) and the commitment, enthusiasm and behaviour of our young ringers was never short of exemplary. The SE England Youth Striking Competition (SEECON), hosted by Hertfordshire at Bushey in April, where the Essex Young Eagles were placed fourth out of seven teams entering. The 13th Ringing World National Youth Contest took place on 6 July in London. Essex Young Eagles rang in the call change competition and we were delighted to come a very creditable 2nd place out of 13 teams entering. Practices are only possible due to the support of a small but committed group of adult leaders and supporters.
## **4 Statement of the Charity’s Policies**
The Association has formulated the following policies, which are regularly reviewed: Reserves, Investment and Borrowing Powers, Risk Assessment, Expenses and Petty Cash, Safeguarding, Privacy Policy and Standard of Conduct for EACR Members.
## **4.1 Reserves**
A formal policy on reserves was reviewed and updated at the 1 February 2024 meeting of the Management Committee. It states: The trustees have set a reserves policy which requires that:
- Reserves be maintained at a level which ensures that
- a. the Association can cover its current commitments;
- b. its core activities could continue during a period of unforeseen difficulty;
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**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
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- c. takes into account potential risks and contingencies that may arise from time to time.
- Specific reserves are also maintained for designated purposes as explained in the notes to the accounts.
- The current level of reserves and the movement over the year is as set out in the Balance Sheet.
- A proportion of reserves be maintained in a readily realisable form.
- It is our policy to hold a working cash balance on deposit with NatWest Bank and invest the general fund balance and specific funds balances in the NatWest Business Reserve Account or other similar accounts as may from time to time be determined by the Trustees.
- Approximately 95% of general fund income is derived from membership subscriptions, (75% of subscriptions go to the General Fund and 25% to the Recruitment and Training Fund), of which approximately 70% is spent on the administration and benefits of EACR membership.
Subscription levels are set to ensure anticipated costs are covered with any surplus being added to General Fund reserves. The Trustees review the policy annually.
- i) **General Fund** - the balance of £12,018 covers the administration and management of the Association's activities and is spent in whichever way the Trustees in charge of the charity see fit, in accordance with the stated objectives of the charity.
- ii) **Essex Course** – the balance of £6,489 covers the income and expenditure of the annual Essex Ringing Course.
- iii) **Recruitment and Training Fund** – the balance of £11,505 is used for the purposes of providing grant aid for recruitment and training projects to be determined and managed by the Trustees and running educational and training events.
- iv) **Chigwell Ringing Centre** – the balance of £453 is used for a ringing school based at St Mary's, Chigwell.
-
- v) **St Mary’s Stansted Mountfitchet Fund** the balance of £4,503 is to be used for the running expenses, repairs and refurbishments to Stansted's bells, fittings and ropes and in the event of the bells becoming totally unringable the funds shall be used at the discretion of the Trustees.
- vi) **Heath Bequest and Cobb Bequest** – the balances of £330,945 and £72,406 respectively will be used for specific projects as agreed by the Trustees.
- vii) **Bell Restoration Account** – the balance of £41,931 will be used to fund grants and other expenditure incurred in connection with the restoration and improvement of bells, bell frames and fittings.
## **4.2 Investment and Borrowing Powers**
The Association is committed to maximising the level of income derived from its reserves whilst incurring minimum risk. The current policy of the Charity is to invest excess funds in low-risk building societies and banks all of which are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Reviews are carried out to ensure that the financial institutions continue to provide the best and secure investment opportunities. Currently we hold our deposits in instant access, short-term notice or fixed rate investments with NatWest Bank, CAF Bank (Shawbrook Bank), Cambridge and Counties Bank, Charity Bank, Saffron Building Society and Virgin Money.
The Trustees acting though the Management Committee and its sub-committees shall have the power to raise funds by any lawful means other than permanent trading. All monies in the Association's funds not required for day-to-day working purposes are invested or
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**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
deposited by the Treasurer, as directed by the Trustees. No action involving expenditure in the name or on behalf of the Association shall be taken and no undertakings which would commit the Association to expenditure or other liability shall be made without the prior authority of a resolution of the Trustees or the Management Committee.
Following changes to a bank signatory and increasing interest rates, a review of investments took place by the Treasurer to maximise the interest the Association’s accounts receive and to maintain accounts within the FSCS limit.
## **4.3 Risk Assessment**
The Trustees have completed a review to identify and re-examine the major risks to which they believe the Association may be exposed and take steps to minimise and manage those risks. Risks are reviewed at least annually and the risk register is published on the website. The Association’s banking deposits are fully protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). All funds are checked before a payment is made to ensure that there is money available to meet expenditure. Bank statements are electronically available to the Treasurer. The Trustees are presented with a statement of income and expenditure and fund balances at the February and October meeting for assurance.
Conflicts of Interest - Members of the Trustees and Management Committees are required to declare any Conflicts of Interest before each meeting.
## **4.4 Expenses and Petty Cash**
The Association’s policies on expenses and petty cash came into effect on 1 January 2012 and was extensively updated in 2022. Both policies are reviewed annually at the October Trustee meeting. They were not amended in 2024.
## **4.5 Safeguarding**
The Association has adopted the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers Safeguarding Guidelines and produced a Safeguarding Statement in May 2022. The Association Master maintains close links with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team (DST) at the Diocese of Chelmsford to share thoughts around issues such as communications between church and ringers, safeguarding and church closures.
Following a newsletter article, the Safeguarding Officer approached SAFEcic and met in April. SAFEcic have a history of working with Suffolk County Council on safeguarding and interacted with the Diocese of St Edmundsbury in relation to SCC work. SAFEcic provided an assessment of the Associations safeguarding readiness in relation to the _Working Together to Safeguard Children_ statutory guidance, to which all charities are required to follow, as well as _Safeguarding and Protecting People_ guidance from the Charities Commission. They advised the Association’s safeguarding position was good and the Association have thought through many of the important issues. Following a discussion about how the Association worked, and what we have in place already, they made a number of observations.
A subsequent review of the Associations Safeguarding Policy is taking place. The Trustees have agreed to:
- i) Prepare and agree a Safeguarding Policy linked to the Associations Safeguarding Statement
- ii) Consider the risk of not having complaints, recruitment of ex-offenders, or health and safety policies and mitigate accordingly
- iii) Join NCVO for access to resources and training
- iv) Add Safeguarding as a standing agenda item to trustee meetings
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- v) Appoint a trustee to have responsibility for safeguarding
- vi) Ask Safeguarding Officer and Youth Coordinator to undertake Prevent and FGM training
- vii) Review Privacy Statement and formalise review interval, include handling of criminal records more specifically
- viii) Record and report safeguarding training and DBS checking for officers and trustees
- ix) Formally risk assess need for DBS checking for all trustees and officers, review/record and action outcome.
## **5. Review of Financial Activities in 2024**
- **5.1** Total funds have increased by £16,201 to 31 December 2024 and now stand at £480,250.
- **5.2 Membership** has increased by 63 to 1,134. One hundred and forty new members have been elected. 95% of members paid their subscriptions by 30 April (98% in 2023). 47 ringing members, 9 associate and 6 juniors are deemed to have withdrawn from the Association as their subscriptions remained unpaid as at 31 December. Thirteen members have sadly died. Some 3 previously lapsed members have returned. 64% of members paid via Membermojo, 21% paid by BACS and the remainder paid via their District Treasurer. This means 85% of members now pay by electronic means which greatly reduces the burden on District Treasurers. A snapshot of our membership shows 5% are aged 18 or under (up 1%), 5% are 19-25, 14% 26-50, 17% 51-60 (down 2%) and 59% over 61 (up 1%). The average age of our membership is 60 (up 2).
- **5.3 Interest rates:** Bank of England base rate has remained steady throughout the year with a 0.25% cut in August to 5%. High Street interest rates, whilst remaining steady in the period, have now started to fall. Following a review of our accounts, the Treasurer reinvested monies in a 1 Year Fixed Rate Bond with Cambridge and Counties Bank at 5% interest, a 12 Month Fixed Rate Saver with CAFBank (via Shawbrook Bank) at 4.3% and a 1 Year Fixed Rate Corporate Bond with Saffron Building Society at 4.4%. The Treasurer invested £70,000 in a Virgin 12 Month Charity Term Deposit at 4.5% with the excess balance being returned to our nominated bank and the Virgin Charity Deposit Account closed. Our other Notice accounts with Cambridge and Counties and Charity Bank currently offer 4.5% and 3.29% respectively, although these rates are variable and will fall in the New Year. Our day-to-day NatWest Business Current Account and No 2 account still offer free banking while the NatWest Business Reserve offers a variable 1.45%. In summary and at the time this report was written: £58,572 of the Associations funds are available instantly; £134,938 are available with 95- or 100-days’ notice and £273,056 deposited in fixed rate accounts with various maturity dates in 2025. None of the balances exceed the £85,000 FSCS protection limit.
- **5.4** The **General Fund** had a deficit for the year of £6,089 and stands at £12,018. Income increased due to a rise in district income and annual dinner receipts. The proceeds from the Southern District Open Day were divided equally between the Recruitment and Training Fund and St Mary’s Prittlewell Bell Fund. The main item of expenditure was towards the cost of redesigning the website. The Trustees agreed the £10,200 cost would be underwritten by the General Fund. Two thirds of this cost was paid in the year with the final payment due in the New Year on completion of the work and satisfactory sign-off by the trustees. The Trustees also agreed a budget of £11,000 for the Association’s Memorial in Chelmsford Cathedral. They agreed in principle to make a contribution from the bequest fund towards the memorial with a decision of how much being made closer to the time. The membership has also been invited to contribute to the cost. As last year, the other main
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items of expenditure from the Fund were the annual dinner, insurance and printing the Annual Report. The insurance premium increased slightly from last year which is solely in line with the increased membership. An increased number of pages and inflation has meant the cost of the Annual Report has risen. It is hoped there may be further savings made in printed copies if enough members accept a PDF version.
- **5.5** The **Essex Ringing Course** made a surplus of £995 with the balance now standing at £6,489. The Course fee was increased to £65 to incorporate the Eventbrite fee. Income increased by £908 largely due to the increase in fees. Expenditure increased by £743, mainly due to increases in costs associated with hiring a new venue and an increase in tower donations to £20 per half-day session per tower.
- **5.6** The **Heath Bequest** stands at £330,945 and the Cobb Bequest stands at £72,406. A donation of £2,000 was paid to the Mobile Belfries Trust Touring Tower which will include a plaque inscribed to the memory of Donald Heath and David Cobb and £678 to Great Bardfield for a simulator. Three other grants were approved in the year, £12,804 for a new bell at Ardleigh cast in memory of David Cobb, £2,996 for a rope guide at Great Tey and £918 for the installation of sound amplification at Thaxted but remain outstanding.
- **5.7** The **Chigwell Ringing Centre** balance remains at £453. The St Mary’s Stansted Mountfitchet Fund has a balance of £4,503. A receipt of £130 was received in quarter peal fees.
- **5.8** The **Recruitment and Training Fund** has increased by £1,862 to £11,505. Seven grants were approved and paid in the year, £686 to the Essex University Freshers Fair, £211 to the Prittlewell Ringing School to replace their laptop and adaptors, £200 towards the cost of hiring the Touring Tower at White Roding Open Day, £195 to Great Tey for a Simbell receiver and transmitters, £157 to Epping to extend the simulator to six bells, £90 towards the hire of North Ockendon Church Hall for a training day and £59 to electrify the simulator at Sandon. A further grant of £4,000 was approved for rope guides and a training bell at Ardleigh and remains outstanding.
- **5.9** The **Bell Restoration Account** has increased by £7,474 to £41,931. A grant of £9,000 was agreed for the augmentation and refurbishment at Ardleigh and a grant of £918 for the installation of sound amplification at Thaxted, both of which remain outstanding.
- **5.10** Charity shopping fundraising site Easyfundraising continues to make a contribution to our funds. Please encourage members in your Districts to support this simple method of raising funds. Easyfundraising has over 8,100 shops and sites which will donate to the EACR at no extra cost to members.
- **5.11** A **Gift Aid** and GASDS claim of £1,697 and £247 respectively covering the period from 1 January to 30 November 2024, including some additional claims relating to the previous four years, was received in December.
- **5.12** The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2024**
**Page 11**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
## **ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
## **6 Membership for 2024**
|**District**
Ringing
Ringing under 18
Life
Paid life
Life Vice-Presidents
Total ringing
Associates
Associates paid life
Honorary
Non-resident
(transfers)
Non-resident
(elected)
Total|**N**
**2024**
**2023**|**N**
**2024**
**2023**|**NE**
**2024**
**2023**|**NE**
**2024**
**2023**|**NW**
**2024**
**2023**|**NW**
**2024**
**2023**|**S**
**2024**
**2023**|**S**
**2024**
**2023**|**SE**
**2024**
**2023**|**SE**
**2024**
**2023**|**SW**
**2024**
**2023**|**SW**
**2024**
**2023**|**Total**
**2024**
**2023**|**Total**
**2024**
**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||
**2023**||
**2023**||
**2023**||
**2023**||
**2023**||
**2023**||
**2023**|
||107
5
15
-
1|
113|130
14
14
5
1|
117|202
11
6
3
1|
178|177
13
14
2
3|
168|197
7
15
7
2|
187|120
5
9
1
-|
110|
933
55
73
18
8|
873|
|||
5||
8||
9||
12||
3||
4||
41|
|||
15||
12||
6||
16||
16||
10||
75|
|||
-||
6||
3||
2||
7||
1||
19|
|||
1||
1||
1||
3||
3||
-||
9|
||||||||||||||||
||128
1
-
-|
134|164
6
-
-|
144|223
22
-
-|
197|209
6
1
-|
201|228
8
-
-|
216|135
3
-
-|
125|1,087
46
1
-|
1,017|
|||
2||
7||
28||
7||
6||
3||
53|
|||
-||
-||
-||
1||
-||
-||
1|
|||
-||
-||
-||
-||
-||
-||
-|
||||||||||||||||
||129
3
-|
136|170
2
-|
151|244
-
-|
225|216
1
-|
209|236
1
2|
222|138
-
0|
128|1,134
7
2|
1,071|
||||||||||||||||
|||
-||
2||
-||
4||
-||
-||
6|
||||||||||||||||
|||
1||
-||
1||
-||
2||
3||
7|
||||||||||||||||
||132|
137|172|
153|245|
225|217|
213|239|
224|138|
131|1,143|
1,084|
## **Declaration**
Approved by the Trustees on 30 January 2025, and signed on their behalf by
## **Dr A R C Kelso Association Master Miss C J A Mandell General Secretary**
**Mr A P Brewster Association Treasurer**
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2024**
**Page 12**
**ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
## **ANNEX A**
## **Charity trustees who manage the charity**
At 31 December 2024, the Association Trustees comprised:
|1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20|**Trustee name**|**Office held**|**Dates acted if**
**not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or**
**body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee(if any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Andrew Kelso|Association Master||Membership|
||Sharon Lacey|General Secretary|To 6 May|“|
||Courtney Mandell|General Secretary|From 6 May|“|
||Andrew Brewster|Association Treasurer||“|
||Mary Bone|Property Trustee||“|
||Paul Cammiade|Property Trustee|To 6 May|“|
||Christina Brewster|Property Trustee|From 6 May|“|
||Colin Chapman|Property Trustee||“|
||Beth Johnson|Education Officer||“|
||Caroline Watts|Communications Officer||“|
||Steven Jefferies|Technical Adviser|To 2 February|“|
||Nigel Taylor|Technical Adviser|From 6 May|“|
||Simon Ward|N District Trustee|To 6 January|N District Members|
||David Newton|N District Trustee|From 6 January|“|
||Stephen Garner|NE District Trustee|To 13 January|NE District Members|
||Ian Culham|NE District Trustee|From 13 January|“|
||Fred Bone|NW District Trustee||NW District Members|
||Steve Nash|S District Trustee||S District Members|
||David Hengeli|SE District Trustee||SE District Members|
||Maxine Parry|SW District Trustee||SW District Members|
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2024**
**Page 13**
**Registered Charity No: 292250**
## **ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS**
## **ANNEX B**
## **Governance – Trustee attendance at 2024 Trustee and Management Committee Meetings**
|**Name**|**1**
**Feb**|**3**
**Feb**
**MCM**|**21**
**Feb**|**18**
**May**|**23-24**
**May**|**7-16**
**June**|**11**
**Aug**|**5**
**Oct**
**MCM**|**19**
**Oct**|**13**
**Dec**|**Total**
**meetings**
**attended**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Type of meeting**|**Online**|**In**
**person**|**Online**|**Online**|**WhatsApp**|**WhatsApp**|**WhatsApp**|**In**
**person**|**In**
**person**|**Online**||
|Fred Bone|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|10/10|
|MaryBone|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|10/10|
|Andrew Brewster|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|10/10|
|Christina Brewster
_Elected 6.5.24_|||n/a|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|7/7|
||n/a|n/a||||||||||
|||||||||||||
|Paul Cammiade
_Resigned 6.5.24_|P|P|P|n/a|||||n/a||3/3|
||||||n/a|n/a|n/a|n/a||n/a||
|||||||||||||
|Colin Chapman|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|10/10|
|Ian Culham|P|P|P|AA|P|P|P|P|AA|P|8/10|
|David Hengeli|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|10/10|
|Steven Jefferies
_Resigned 2.2.24_|AB||n/a|n/a|||||n/a||0/1|
|||n/a|||n/a|n/a|n/a|n/a||n/a||
|||||||||||||
|Beth Johnson|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|AA|P|P|9/10|
|Andrew Kelso|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|10/10|
|Sharon Lacey
_Resigned 6.5.24_|P|P|P|n/a|||||n/a||3/3|
||||||n/a|n/a|n/a|n/a||n/a||
|||||||||||||
|Courtney Mandell
_Elected 6.5.24_|n/a||n/a|P|P|AB|AB|P|P|P|5/7|
|||n/a||||||||||
|||||||||||||
|||||||||||||
|Steve Nash|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|AA|9/10|
|David Newton|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|AA|P|P|9/10|
|Maxine Parry|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|AA|P|AA|8/10|
|Nigel Taylor
_Elected 6.5.24_|||n/a|P|P|P|P|P|AA|AA|5/7|
||n/a|n/a||||||||||
|||||||||||||
|Caroline Watts|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|P|AA|9/10|
Key P – Present AA - Apologies Accepted AB – Absent (no apologies) MCM – Management Committee Meeting
**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2024**
**Page 14**
## The Essex Association of Change Ringers
## **Treasurer’s Report for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
Total funds have increased by £16,201 to 31 December 2024 and now stand at £480,250.
**Membership** has increased by 63 to 1,134. One hundred and forty new members have been elected. 95% of members paid their subscriptions by 30 April (98% in 2023). 47 ringing members, 9 associate and 6 juniors are deemed to have withdrawn from the Association as their subscriptions remained unpaid as at 31 December. Thirteen members have sadly died. Some 3 previously lapsed members have returned. 64% of members paid via Membermojo, 21% paid by BACS and the remainder paid via their District Treasurer. This means 85% of members now pay by electronic means which greatly reduces the burden on District Treasurers. A snapshot of our membership shows 5% are aged 18 or under (up 1%), 5% are 19-25, 14% 26-50, 17% 51-60 (down 2%) and 59% over 61 (up 1%). The average age of our membership is 60 (up 2).
**Interest rates:** Bank of England base rate has remained steady throughout the year with a 0.25% cut in August to 5%. High Street interest rates, whilst remaining steady in the period, have now started to fall. Following a review of our accounts, I have reinvested monies in a 1 Year Fixed Rate Bond with Cambridge and Counties Bank at 5% interest, a 12 Month Fixed Rate Saver with CAFBank (via Shawbrook Bank) at 4.3% and a 1 Year Fixed Rate Corporate Bond with Saffron Building Society at 4.4%. I have invested £70,000 in a Virgin 12 Month Charity Term Deposit at 4.5% with the excess balance being returned to our nominated bank and the Virgin Charity Deposit Account closed. Our other Notice accounts with Cambridge and Counties and Charity Bank currently offer 4.5% and 3.29% respectively, although these rates are variable and will fall in the New Year. Our day-to-day NatWest Business Current Account and No 2 account still offer free banking while the NatWest Business Reserve offers a variable 1.45%. In summary and at the time this report was written: £58,572 of the Associations funds are available instantly; £134,938 are available with 95- or 100-days’ notice and £273,056 deposited in fixed rate accounts with various maturity dates in 2025. None of the balances exceed the £85,000 FSCS protection limit.
The **General Fund** had a deficit for the year of £6,089 and stands at £12,018. Income increased due to a rise in district income and annual dinner receipts. The proceeds from the Southern District Open Day were divided equally between the Recruitment and Training Fund and St Mary’s Prittlewell Bell Fund. The main item of expenditure was towards the cost of redesigning the website. The Trustees agreed the £10,200 cost would be underwritten by the General Fund. Two thirds of this cost was paid in the year with the final payment due in the New Year on completion of the work and satisfactory sign-off by the trustees. The Trustees also agreed a budget of £11,000 for the Association’s Memorial in Chelmsford Cathedral. They agreed in principle to make a contribution from the bequest fund towards the memorial with a decision of how much being made closer to the time. The membership has also been invited to contribute to the cost. As last year, the other main items of expenditure from the Fund were the annual dinner, insurance and printing the Annual Report. The insurance premium increased slightly from last year which is solely in line with the increased membership. An increased number of pages and inflation has meant the cost of the Annual Report has risen. It is hoped there may be further savings made in printed copies if enough members accept a PDF version.
The **Essex Ringing Course** made a surplus of £995 with the balance now standing at £6,489. The Course fee was increased to £65 to incorporate the Eventbrite fee. Income increased by £908 largely due to the increase in fees. Expenditure increased by £743, mainly due to increases in costs associated with hiring a new venue and an increase in tower donations to £20 per halfday session per tower.
The **Heath Bequest** stands at £330,945 and the **Cobb Bequest** stands at £72,406. A donation of £2,000 was paid to the Mobile Belfries Trust Touring Tower which will include a plaque inscribed to the memory of Donald Heath and David Cobb and £678 to Great Bardfield for a simulator. Three other grants were approved in the year, £12,804 for a new bell at Ardleigh cast in memory of David Cobb, £2,996 for a rope guide at Great Tey and £918 for the installation of sound amplification at Thaxted but remain outstanding.
The **Chigwell Ringing Centre** balance remains at £453. The **St Mary’s Stansted Mountfitchet Fund** has a balance of £4,503. A receipt of £130 was received in quarter peal fees.
The **Recruitment and Training Fund** has increased by £1,862 to £11,505. Seven grants were approved and paid in the year, £686 to the Essex University Freshers Fair, £211 to the Prittlewell Ringing School to replace their laptop and adaptors, £200 towards the cost of hiring the Touring Tower at White Roding Open Day, £195 to Great Tey for a Simbell receiver and transmitters, £157 to Epping to extend the simulator to six bells, £90 towards the hire of North Ockendon Church Hall for a training day and £59 to electrify the simulator at Sandon. A further grant of £4,000 was approved for rope guides and a training bell at Ardleigh and remains outstanding.
The **Bell Restoration Account** has increased by £7,474 to £41,931. A grant of £9,000 was agreed for the augmentation and refurbishment at Ardleigh and a grant of £918 for the installation of sound amplification at Thaxted, both of which remain outstanding.
Charity shopping fundraising site Easyfundraising continues to make a contribution to our funds. Please encourage members in your Districts to support this simple method of raising funds. Easyfundraising has over 8,100 shops and sites which will donate to the EACR at no extra cost to members.
A **Gift Aid** and GASDS claim of £1,697 and £247 respectively covering the period from 1 January to 30 November 2024, including some additional claims relating to the previous four years, was received in December.
**Andrew Brewster Association Treasurer 16 January 2025**
## The Essex Association of Change Ringers **Accounts for the Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **Summary**
|**Summary**|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**St Mary's**
**Stansted**|**Chigwell**
**Ringing**
**Centre**
**(Harry**|||**2024**|**2023**|
|**Income**|**General**
**Fund**
£|**Essex**
**Course**
£|**Heath**
**Bequest**
£|**Cobb**
**Bequest**
£|**M'fitchet**
**Fund**
£|**Turner**
**Acc't)**
£|**R&T**
**Fund**
£|**BR**
**Acc't**
£|**Total**
£|**Total**|
|||||||||||£|
|District subscription income|6,011|-|-|-|-|-|1,950|-|**7,961**|7,524|
|District fundraising
Essex Ringing Course fees
Gift Aid tax recovered/GASDS|-
-
-|-
4,954
-|-
-
-|-
-
-|-
-
-|-
-
-|-
-
-|3,424
-
1,945|**3,424**
**4,954**
**1,945**|3,245
3,957
1,638|
|Annual dinner receipts|2,754|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|**2,754**|2,216|
|Bank interest
Other income
Total income|-
2,132
10,897|-
298
5,252|11,765
-
11,765|2,583
-
2,583|159
130
289|-
-
-|405
2,253
4,608|1,994
812
8,175|**16,906**
**5,625**
**43,569**|6,774
1,911|
|||||||||||27,265|
||||||||||||
|2023|8,300|4,344|4,732|1,039|62|-|3,001|6,469|27,947||
|**Expenditure**
Insurance
Annual Report
Essex Ringing Course
Grants
Annual dinner expenses
Website redesign project|1,743
1,856
-
-
2,656
6,799|-
-
4,257
-
-
-|-
-
-
2,000
-
-|-
-
-
678
-
-|-
-
-
-
-
-|-
-
-
-
-
-|-
-
-
1,598
-
-|701
-
-
-
-
-|**2,444**
**1,856**
**4,257**
**4,276**
**2,656**
**6,799**|2,319
1,450
3,514
15,750
2,234
-|
|Other expenses|3,932|-|-|-|-|-|1,148|-|**5,080**|7,255|
|Total expenditure|16,986|4,257|2,000|678|-|-|2,746|701|**27,368**|32,522|
||||||||||||
|2023|11,632|3,514|-|-|-|-|1,613|16,445|33,204||
|**Net surplus/(deficit)**|(6,089)|995|9,765|1,905|289|-|1,862|7,474|**16,201**||
|**Transfer between funds**|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|**-**||
|**Net increase/**
**(decrease) in funds**|(6,089)|995|9,765|1,905|289|-|1,862|7,474|16,201||
|2023|(3,332)
-
(3,332)|830
-
830|4,732
-
4,732|1,039
-
1,039|62
-
62|-
(1,473)
(1,473)|1,388
1,473
2,861|(9,976)
-
(9,976)|(5,257)
-
(5,257)|(5,257)|
|**Assets**
Cash at bank/in hand
Stock
Other assets
Liabilities, less than one year
Net assets
Represented by:
**Funds**|12,018|6,489|330,945|72,406|4,503|453|11,505|41,931|**466,634**
**2,647**
**11,905**
**(936)**
**480,250**
**480,250**|460,479
2,152
2,434
(1,016)|
|||||||||||464,049|
||||||||||||
|2023|18,107|5,494|321,180|70,501|4,214|453|9,643|34,457|464,049||
|**Grants Summary (approved but unpaid) and Other Commitments**
Ardleigh
-
-
-
12,804|||||-|-|4,000|9,000|**25,804**||
|Cathedral Memorial Stone|-
-
10,987
-||||-|-|-|-|**10,987**||
|Great Tey rope guide
Thaxted sound system|-
-
2,996
-
-
-
918
-||||-
-|-
-|-
-|-
918|**2,996**
**1,836**||
|Website redesign (balance)|3,400
-
-
-||||-|-|-|-|**3,400**
**45,023**||
||3,400
-
14,901
12,804||||-|-|4,000|9,918|||
||||||||||||
- 1 -
## **District Income and Expenditure Account**
|**General Fund**
**Income**
**Subscriptions**
Ringing (full)
Ringing (full) arrears
Ringing (junior)
Ringing (junior) arrears
Associates
Associates arrears
Non-resident
Proportion of paid life membership_(note 1)_
Total
To Recruitment and Training Fund_(note 1)_
Net income
**Expenditure**
Postage
Printing, stationery etc.
ADM expenses
**Excess of income over expenditure**
2024|**N**
**NE**
**NW**
**S**
**SE**
**SW**
**2024**
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
856
1,040
1,616
1,408
1,576
960
7,456
-
-
16
-
8
-
24
20
56
44
52
28
20
220
-
-
4
-
-
-
4
4
24
84
28
32
12
184
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
16
-
16
-
16
16
-
48
-
80
880
1,136
1,780
1,488
1,708
992
7,984
(219)
(278)
(424)
(365)
(419)
(245)
(1,950)
661
858
1,356
1,123
1,289
747
6,034
-
-
6
9
-
-
15
-
-
-
8
-
-
8
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6
17
-
-
23
661
858
1,350
1,106
1,289
747
6,011|**2023**
£
6,976
64
160
4
212
4
56
80|
|---|---|---|
|||7,556
(1,835)|
|||5,721|
|||11
1
20|
|||32|
||||
|2023|713
766
1,212
1,060
1,209
729|5,689|
||||
|**Bell Restoration Account**
Raffles
Teas
Donations
District socials including quiz evenings
Collections
Outings
Training days
2024|**N**
**NE**
**NW**
**S**
**SE**
**SW**
**2024**
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
-
35
-
451
394
-
880
41
150
58
356
90
39
734
285
33
71
62
97
10
558
37
260
-
-
172
-
469
-
-
-
338
76
-
414
-
120
-
145
-
-
265
-
-
82
-
22
-
104
363
598
211
1,352
851
49
3,424||
|||**2023**|
|||£|
|||748|
|||662|
|||577|
|||959|
|||223|
|||11|
|||65|
||||
||||
|2023|334
38
882
1,264
600
127|3,245|
||||
|**TOTAL DISTRICT INCOME**
2024|1,024
1,456
1,561
2,458
2,140
796
9,435||
|2023|1,047
804
2,094
2,324
1,809
856
8,934||
- 2 -
## **General Fund**
|**Income**
Net district income
Annual dinner receipts
Southern District Open Day
Chelmsford Cathedral Ringers Memorial donations
Striking Competition receipts
AGM receipts
Annual Report advertisements
Profit on sale of badges
Proportion of peal fees_(note 1)_
Sale of Annual Reports
**Expenditure**
Website redesign project costs
Annual dinner expenses
Annual Report
Personal accident insurance
Southern District Open Day
Transfer to Recruitment and Training Fund
St Mary's Prittlewell Bells Fund
SumUp transaction fee
Membermojo - annual fee
Trustee/Management meetings - hire of hall
Zoom subscription to video conferencing
CCCBR affiliation fees
Stripe transaction fees (Membermojo)
Communication & PR publicity materials
Treasurer's expenses
Newsletter
Chelmsford Cathedral donation
Annual dinner - guests
Donation in memoriam of J E G Roast
Website hosting and domain name
Striking competition expenses
AGM expenses
Youth Coordinator's reimbursements re EYR (inc RWNYC fee)
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) subscription
AGM choir donation
Postage
Trophy engraving
Printing and stationery
SumUp transaction fees
Friends of Essex Churches
Friends of CCCBR library
Friends of Chelmsford Cathedral
New members packs
Secretary's expenses
Ringing World advertisements
EACR 'Ring for the King' enamel badges
Secure document shredding
Safeguarding Training
Presentations
**Excess of expenditure over income**
Balance at 31 December 2023
Balance at 31 December 2024|**2024**
£
£
6,011
2,754
1,209
350
222
196
135
20
-
-
10,897
6,799
2,656
1,856
1,743
604
604
1
1,209
300
286
218
214
195
177
165
151
150
140
100
93
90
89
79
56
50
42
30
22
17
15
10
10
9
9
6
-
-
-
-
16,986
(6,089)
18,107
12,018|**2023**
£
£
5,689
2,216
-
-
-
107
115
69
98
6
8,300
-
2,234
1,565
1,624
-
-
-
-
250
323
183
204
144
464
143
123
150
105
-
95
83
73
2,189
-
50
25
-
-
9
15
10
10
12
17
6
1,390
90
25
21
11,632
(3,332)
21,439
18,107|**2023**
£
£
5,689
2,216
-
-
-
107
115
69
98
6
8,300
-
2,234
1,565
1,624
-
-
-
-
250
323
183
204
144
464
143
123
150
105
-
95
83
73
2,189
-
50
25
-
-
9
15
10
10
12
17
6
1,390
90
25
21
11,632
(3,332)
21,439
18,107|
|---|---|---|---|
||||8,300|
||||-
2,234
1,565
1,624
-
250
323
183
204
144
464
143
123
150
105
-
95
83
73
2,189
-
50
25
-
-
9
15
10
10
12
17
6
1,390
90
25
21|
|||||
||||11,632|
||||(3,332)
21,439|
||||18,107|
|||||
- 3 -
|**Essex Ringing Course**
**Income**
Course fees
Raffle
Donations
Course clothing
Sales
Cost of sales
**Expenditure**
Hire of school and equipment
Tower donations
Catering - Cost of sales (including stock write-off -_note 1_)
Tutors' dinner
Presentations/gifts
Ringing World advertisement
Printing and stationery
Replacement stays
Course tutor expenses
Miscellaneous
**Excess of income over expenditure**
Balance at 31 December 2023
Balance at 31 December 2024
**Heath Bequest**
**Income**
Interest received
**Expenditure**
Mobile Belfries Trust
**Excess of income over expenditure**
Balance at 31 December 2023
Balance at 31 December 2024
**Cobb Bequest**
**Income**
Interest received
**Expenditure**
Great Bardfield
**Excess of income over expenditure**
Balance at 31 December 2023
Balance at 31 December 2024
**Bequest Grants (Heath and Cobb)**
**_Date_**
**_Estimated_**
**_approved_**
**_cost_**
£
**Bequest Fund**
Ardleigh
cost of new bell and fittings
_21.02.24_
12,804
Great Bardfield
simulator
_19.10.24_
678 (revised)
Great Tey
rope guide
_19.10.24_
6,996
Thaxted
installation of amplification system
_19.10.24_
2,755
Touring Tower - Mobile Belfries Trust
donation and plaque
_18.05.24_
65,000
Total all grants
**St Mary's Stansted Mountfitchet Fund**
**Income**
Interest received
Donation from Stansted Mountfitchet Bellringers Fund
Balance at 31 December 2023
Balance at 31 December 2024
**Chigwell Ringing Centre**
Balance at 31 December 2023 and 31 December 2024
**Harry Turner Account**
Balance at 31 December 2023
Transfer to Recruitment and Training Fund
Balance at 31 December 2024|£
275
(257)
**Approved but unpaid**|**2024**
£
4,954
260
20
18
5,252
1,980
1,520
421
190
62
60
24
-
-
-
4,257
995
5,494
6,489
£
11,765
2,000
9,765
321,180
330,945
£
2,583
678
1,905
70,501
72,406
**_Paid_**
£
-
678
-
-
2,000
2,678
£
159
130
289
4,214
4,503
£
453
£
-
-
-|£
288
(262)|**2023**
£
3,957
361
-
26|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||4,344|
|||||1,556
1,080
409
142
35
60
35
120
60
17|
|||||3,514|
|||||830
4,664|
|||||5,494|
||||||
|||||£
4,732
-|
|||||4,732
316,448|
|||||321,180|
||||||
|||||£
1,039
-|
|||||1,039
69,462|
|||||70,501|
||||||
|||||**2023**|
||**_Brought_**
**_Carried_**
**_forward_**
**_2024_**
**_forward_**
£
£
£
-
12,804
12,804
-
678
-
-
2,996
2,996
-
918
918
-
2,000
-||||
|||||£
-
-
-
-
-|
||-
19,396
16,718|||-|
||||||
|||||£
62
-|
|||||62
4,152|
|||||4,214|
|||||£
453|
|||||£
1,473
(1,473)|
|||||-|
||||||
- 4 -
## **Recruitment and Training Fund**
|**Income**
Proportion of subscriptions_(note 1)_
Training day fees
Southern District Open Day
Bookstall
Books Sales
BooksCost of sales (including stock write-off -_note 1_)
Other -Profit on sale of EACR merchandise
Interest received
ART University Recruitment Grant
Donations
Other training events
**Expenditure**
Grants paid
Under £250_(note 2)_
Essex University Freshers Week
Training day
Tower donations
Eventbrite transaction fees
Sponsorship
Essex International Jamboree
Hire of hall for R&T sub-committee meetings
Workshops
Replacement stays
Presentation
Expenses
**Excess of income over expenditure**
Balance at 31 December 2023
Transfer from Harry Turner Fund
Balance at 31 December 2024
**Recruitment and Training Grants**
**_Date_**
**_Estimated_**
**_approved_**
**_cost_**
£
**Recruitment and Training Fund**
Ardleigh
rope guides and training bells
_21.02.24_
9,468
Epping
extend simulator to six bells
_30.05.24_
314
Essex University Freshers Week
open day stand and mini-ring
_18.05.24_
686
Great Tey
Simbell receiver & transmitter units
_13.10.24_
195
North Ockendon
hire of Church Hall for training
_12.01.24_
90 (revised)
Prittlewell
replacement laptop and adapters
_13.10.24_
211
Sandon
electrification of simulator
_30.03.24_
59
White Roding
towards hire of Touring Tower
_21.07.24_
200
Total all grants|£
1,456
(1,021)
435
9
912
686
550
129
**Approved but unpaid**|
|---|---|
- 5 -
## **Bell Restoration Account**
|**Income**
District income
Bank interest
Gift aid - income tax reclaimed on subscriptions and other donations
Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS)
Interest on tax repayment
Annual Dinner raffle
AGM collection
Easyfundraising
Trustee/Management meeting refreshments
EACR Clothing
Sales
Cost of sales
Donations
Proportion of peal fees_(note 1)_
**Expenditure**
Public liability insurance
Handbell insurance
Bell restoration grants_(note 1 & 2)_
**Excess of income over expenditure**
Balance at 31 December 2023
Balance at 31 December 2024
**Bell Restoration Grants**
**_Date_**
**_Estimated_**
**_approved_**
**_cost_**
_£_
**Bell Restoration Account**
Ardleigh
augmentation and refurbishment
_21.02.24_
_46,440_
Thaxted
installation of amplification system
_19.10.24_
_2,755_
Ashen
rehang and refurbishment
_26.02.22_
_3,413_
Bishops Stortford
rehang in new frame and fittings
_03.10.20_
_115,119_
revised specification
_26.02.22_
_6,337_
Halstead
clapper refurbishment (MWG)
_28.02.23_
_308_
Total all grants|£
1,697
247
1
48
(41)
**Brought**
**Carried**
**forward**
**2024**
**forward**
£
£
£
-
9,000
9,000
-
918
918
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
**Approved but unpaid**|**2024**
£
3,424
1,994
1,945
373
291
86
55
7
-
-|£|**2023**
£
3,245
786|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||1,368
269||
||||1|1,638
182
278
88
34
10
110
98|
||||202
(192)||
||||||
|||8,175||6,469|
|||653
48
-||647
48
15,750|
|||701||16,445|
|||7,474
34,457||(9,976)
44,433|
|||41,931||34,457|
|||**Paid**
£
-
-
-
-
-
-|||
||||||
|||||£
-
-
500
11,500
3,500
250
**2023**|
||-
9,918
9,918|-||15,750|
||||||
- 6 -
## **Balance Sheet at 31 December 2024**
|**Fixed assets**_(note 3)_
**Current Assets**
**Stocks**
Books
Badges
Ringing course consumables
**Prepayments**
Public liability insurance
Essex Ringing course
Website hosting
Ringing World
**Other debtors**
Accrued interest receivable
Easyfundraising
**Cash at bank**
NatWest Business Current Account
NatWest Business Current Account No 2
NatWest Business Reserve Account
CAF/Shawbrook Bank 12 Month Fixed Rate Saver Account
Cambridge & Counties 95 Day Notice Account
Cambridge & Counties 1 Year Fixed Rate Business Bond
Charity Bank Ethical 100-Day Notice Account
Saffron Building Society 1 Year Fixed Rate Corporate Bond
Virgin Money 12 Month Charity Term Deposit Account
**Cash in hand**
Bookstall
**Liabilities:**amounts falling due within one year
**Other creditors**
Balance of paid life membership subscriptions
Subscriptions paid in advance
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
**Funds**
General Fund
Essex Ringing Course
Heath Bequest
Cobb Bequest
St Mary's Stansted Mountfitchet Fund
Chigwell Ringing Centre
Recruitment and Training Fund
Bell Restoration Account|£
2,268
271
108|**2024**
£
£
-
1,735
307
110
2,647
487
60
70
64
690
1,727
26
11,215
3,005
-
30,265
85,000
52,068
33,380
87,724
84,000
84,969
466,566
68
481,186
992
24
936
480,250
480,250
12,018
6,489
330,945
72,406
4,503
453
11,505
41,931
480,250|**2023**
£
-|
|---|---|---|---|
||||
2,152
681
1,753
460,411
68|
||501
85
61
43|||
||11,179
36|||
||1,880
-
56,692
85,000
50,307
33,816
84,631
84,240
70,000|||
||912
24|||
||||465,065
1,016|
|||||
||||464,049|
||||464,049|
||||18,107
5,494
321,180
70,501
4,214
453
9,643
34,457|
||||464,049|
|||||
- 7 -
## **Notes to the Accounts**
**1 Accounting policies** a) The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with _Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of of Recommended Practice_ applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the _Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102)_ (effective 1 January 2019) - _(Charities SORP (FRS102)_ ), and the _Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102)._ The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS102. b) Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. c) Grant monies from the Bell Restoration Account/Recruitment & Training Fund/Bequest Fund are paid when an agreed project has been completed to the satisfaction of the Technical Adviser/Education Officer or such persons in whom authority is vested by the Trustees. d) Subscriptions for paid life membership are taken to the General Fund in twenty equal annual instalments. Upon the death of a life member, any balance is taken to the General Fund. e) Unless requested otherwise, all donations, legacies and other voluntary income are taken to the Bell Restoration Account. In 2019, the Management Committee agreed that significant bequests should be unrestricted. Following a rule change in 2021, it is now the responsibility of the Trustees to decide how best to administer such bequests. f) Fixed assets are initially recorded at cost or estimated value at time of donation. g) Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the cost or valuation, less estimated residual value, of each asset evenly over its expected useful life. h) All money in the Association's funds not required for day-to-day working purposes is invested or deposited by the Treasurer, as directed by the Trustees. i) Interest received from all the interest paying accounts are apportioned to the Bell Restoration Account, Recruitment and Training Fund, St Mary's Stansted Mountfitchet Fund, Heath and Cobb Bequests in the ratio of their respective capital sums. j) 25% of ringing and non-resident subscriptions are taken to the Recruitment and Training Fund until further notice as agreed at the October 2018 Management Committee meeting. k) The Management Committee agreed to amend the peal fee to zero from 1 January 2024. Total peal fees £- (2023: £196). l) All funds are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (up to a value of £85,000). **2 Funds General Fund** - this fund covers the administration and management of the Association's activities and is spent in whichever way the Trustees in charge of the charity see fit, in accordance with the stated objectives of the charity.
**Essex Ringing Course** - this account covers the income and expenditure of the annual Essex Ringing Course. **Heath Bequest** - the capital in this fund was bequeathed from the estate of Donald Heath and was received in 2020. This sum, together with accumulated interest, will be used for specific projects as agreed by the Trustees. **Cobb Bequest** - the capital in this fund was bequeathed from the estate of David Cobb and was received in 2021 and 2022. This sum, together with accumulated interest, will be used for specific projects as agreed by the Trustees. **St Mary's Stansted Mountfitchet Fund** - the fund, together with the accumulated interest, is to be used for the running expenses, repairs and refurbishments to Stansted's bells, fittings and ropes and in the event of the bells becoming totally unringable the funds shall be used, at the discretion of the Trustees, for other Association towers for the same purposes but not for social purposes. The Trustees shall look favourably upon any request for funds by the Friends of St Mary's or the Churches Conservation Trust and make an appropriate donation bearing in mind that the preservation of the Church and its amenities are essential for the continuation of bellringing. **Chigwell Ringing Centre (formerly known as Chigwell Ringing School)** - this fund, set up with a grant received from Essex County Council 'Arts in Essex', is for a ringing school based at St Mary's, Chigwell _(note 3)_ . **Harry Turner Account** - At the February 2022 Management Committee Meeting it was agreed to close the fund and transfer the balance to the Recruitment & Training Fund. This took effect from 1 January 2023. **Education Fund -** This fund was redesignated at 1 January 2019 and the income and capital balances transferred to a new Recruitment and Training Fund as agreed by a Motion, approved at the 2018 AGM. **Recruitment and Training Fund** - income to this fund is used for the purposes of providing grant aid for recruitment and training projects to be determined and managed by the Trustees and running educational and training events. The Recruitment and Training Sub-Committee has delegated responsibility to authorise grants up to a maximum of £250. Grants over £250 are authorised by the Trustees. **Bell Restoration Account** - income to this fund is used to fund grants and other expenditure incurred in connection with the restoration and improvement of bells, bell frames and fittings. The Bell Maintenance and Restoration Sub-Committee has delegated responsibility to authorise grants for minor works up to a maximum of £250. Grants over £250 are authorised by the Trustees. **3 Fixed assets** The Association owns an overhead projector (fully depreciated) in the possession of the Property Trustees. The following assets have been fully written off: SumUp Solo Card Reader, purchased from the General Fund, three projectors in the possession of the Treasurer, Education Officer and the Ringing Course Administrator and an odd struckness meter held by the Technical Adviser, all purchased from the Harry Turner Account (transferred to the Recruitment and Training Fund in 2023) _(note 2)_ . A ringing simulator and laptop installed at the Ringing Centre in St Mary's, Chigwell _(note 2)_ . **4 Other property** The Association also owns the following items not shown in the accounts: One Master's badge of office in the possession of the Master of the Association. Set of twelve handbells in a case (insured value £6,086) in the possession of the Association Master. A six bell, an eight bell and a ten bell trophy in the possession of Prittlewell, the Southern District and the Surrey Association respectively. Books, videos and documents in the Association library in the possession of the Property Trustees. One display board, a banner stand, a seven panel folding display board and a large storage box in the possession of the Communications Officer. Two roller banners, PR materials and storages box held by each District..
A Saxilby Simulator, gifted to the Association, on loan to St Peter ad Vincula, Coggeshall. Simbell receiver and two transmitters held by Simon Mann (Great Tey)
Two _Listening to Ringing_ CD's and _Come On! Listen to it!_ with associated DVD, self-laminating name badges and HDMI VGA adaptor cable in the possession of the Ringing Course Administrator.
Each district owns a six bell striking competition trophy. The North Eastern, North Western, Southern, South Eastern and South Western districts also own call change striking competition trophies.
## **5 Other matters**
No remunerations or emoluments were paid to any Trustees or to the independent examiners.
Expenses of £311 were reimbursed to 5 trustees (2023: £261 to 4 trustees) covering mileage, stationery, postage, computer consumables and other expenses. Expenses of District Officers are shown in the District Income and Expenditure Account and other Officers are shown in the funds relevant to their respective Offices. Expenses of £197 were reimbursed to 4 volunteers (2023: £299 to 5 volunteers) covering mileage and stationery and other expenses not shown elsewhere Expenses are refunds by a charity of legitimate payments which a trustee, officer or volunteer has had to meet personally in order to carry out his or her trustee duties. In some cases, these expenses may be paid in advance. Reimbursement to trustees, officers or volunteers for purchases they have personally and properly made on behalf of the charity are not counted as expenses and are accounted for as part of the charity’s general expenditure.
- 8 -
## THE ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS **TEN YEAR COMPARATIVE FIGURES**
|_Ringing subscription_|**2015**
**2016**
**2017**
**2018**
**2019**
**2020**
**2021**
**2022**
**2023**
**2024**
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
_8.00_
_8.00_
_8.00_
_8.00_
_8.00_
_8.00_
_8.00_
_8.00_
_8.00_
_8.00_|
|---|---|
|**District Income**
**Subscriptions**
Ringing (full)
7,620
7,544
7,576
7,616
7,712
7,328
7,040
6,856
7,040
7,480
Ringing (junior)
244
196
188
200
236
232
172
140
164
224
Friends/Associates
120
116
124
112
104
140
148
160
216
184
Non Resident
40
80
80
24
16
16
-
24
56
16
Proportion of paid life
80
80
184
62
57
57
62
62
80
80
Total
8,104
8,016
8,152
8,014
8,125
7,773
7,422
7,242
7,556
7,984
Transfer to BRA/R&TF (from 1/1/19)
1,996
1,976
2,007
1,975
2,005
1,908
1,818
1,770
1,835
1,950
Net income
6,108
6,040
6,145
6,039
6,120
5,865
5,604
5,472
5,721
6,034
Expenses
142
97
142
106
104
50
5
0
32
23
Excess of income over expenditure
5,966
5,943
6,003
5,933
6,016
5,815
5,599
5,472
5,689
6,011
**General Fund**
**Income**
District net income
5,966
5,943
6,003
5,933
6,016
5,815
5,599
5,398
5,689
6,011
Peal fees
118
120
122
78
96
18
18
83
98
-
Annual dinner
50
96
61
63
187
-
224
(76)
-
-
Annual dinner receipts
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,216
2,754
AGM receipts
102
32
155
45
99
-
(19)
41
107
196
Car stickers, badges and pens
8
19
13
21
19
5
3
7
69
20
Open Day
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,209
Cathedral memorial donations
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
350
Striking Competition receipts
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
222
Annual Report advertising
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
115
135
Sale of Annual Reports
9
12
15
9
-
3
-
-
6
-
Total income
6,253
6,222
6,369
6,149
6,417
5,841
5,825
5,453
8,300
10,897
**Expenditure**
Dinner guests
166
200
78
178
210
-
180
56
105
140
Central Council affiliation fees
150
150
150
200
200
200
200
200
204
214
Central Council Representative's expen
-
-
450
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hire of hall - Committee
176
156
156
160
180
80
120
340
323
286
Secretary's expenses
34
45
13
69
41
34
30
25
17
9
Treasurer's expenses
53
69
48
84
114
94
65
71
143
165
Annual dinner expenses
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,234
2,656
Annual Report :
Printing
1,320
1,544
1,409
1,532
1,514
1,586
1,531
1,520
-
-
Advertisements
(212)
(200)
(91)
(114)
(91)
(175)
(91)
(68)
-
-
Annual Report
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,565
1,856
AGM expenses
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
73
89
Open Day
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,209
Postage, printing and stationery
25
35
25
25
28
-
26
141
25
64
Friends of CCCBR Library
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Newsletter
156
161
136
148
156
106
113
178
123
151
Ringing World Advertisements
119
100
134
87
58
27
8
14
6
6
Donation to Cathedral
125
150
150
150
150
-
-
150
150
150
Comms and PR publicity materials
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
647
464
177
Membermojo - annual fee
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
250
250
300
Striking competition expenses
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
231
83
90
Subscription to Zoom video conferenci
-
-
-
-
-
-
173
173
183
218
Friends of Chelmsford Cathedral
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Personal accident insurance
1,580
1,617
1,814
1,848
1,848
1,444
1,511
1,552
1,624
1,743
Youth Coordinator's expenses
255
97
428
159
909
12
1,272
3,553
2,189
79
Website hosting and domain name
60
126
72
15
56
56
67
96
95
93
Website redesign project
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6,799
Donation to AGM Choir
25
25
30
30
30
-
-
30
50
50
Stripe/SumUp fees
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
153
212
Ring for the King badges
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,390
-
Other
209
101
51
75
217
29
15
147
163
210
Total expenses
4,261
4,396
5,073
4,666
5,640
3,513
5,240
9,326
11,632
16,986
Excess of income over expenditure
1,992
1,826
1,296
1,483
777
2,328
585
(3,873)
(3,332)
(6,089)
Balance brought forward
15,209
17,101
18,827
19,273
20,656
21,333
24,927
25,412
21,439
18,107
Transfer to Public Relations account
-
-
(750)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Transfer from Public Relations accoun
-
-
-
-
-
1,366
-
-
-
-
Transfer to Harry Turner Account
(100)
(100)
(100)
(100)
(100)
(100)
(100)
(100)
-
-
Balance carried forward
17,101
18,827
19,273
20,656
21,333
24,927
25,412
21,439
18,107
12,018
**Education Fund**
Increase in capital
-
-
-
35
-
-
-
-
-
-
Balance brought forward
2,533
2,533
2,533
2,533
-
-
-
-
-
-
Balance carried forward
2,533
2,533
2,533
2,568
-
-
-
-
-
-
Interest received
39
50
38
30
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sponsorship
(165)
(135)
(240)
(60)
-
-
-
-
-
-
General 24/01/2025|7,620
7,544
7,576
7,616
7,712
7,328
7,040
6,856
7,040
7,480
244
196
188
200
236
232
172
140
164
224
120
116
124
112
104
140
148
160
216
184
40
80
80
24
16
16
-
24
56
16
80
80
184
62
57
57
62
62
80
80|
||8,104
8,016
8,152
8,014
8,125
7,773
7,422
7,242
7,556
7,984
1,996
1,976
2,007
1,975
2,005
1,908
1,818
1,770
1,835
1,950|
||6,108
6,040
6,145
6,039
6,120
5,865
5,604
5,472
5,721
6,034
142
97
142
106
104
50
5
0
32
23|
||5,966
5,943
6,003
5,933
6,016
5,815
5,599
5,472
5,689
6,011|
||5,966
5,943
6,003
5,933
6,016
5,815
5,599
5,398
5,689
6,011
118
120
122
78
96
18
18
83
98
-
50
96
61
63
187
-
224
(76)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,216
2,754
102
32
155
45
99
-
(19)
41
107
196
8
19
13
21
19
5
3
7
69
20
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,209
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
350
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
222
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
115
135
9
12
15
9
-
3
-
-
6
-|
||6,253
6,222
6,369
6,149
6,417
5,841
5,825
5,453
8,300
10,897|
||17,101
18,827
19,273
20,656
21,333
24,927
25,412
21,439
18,107
12,018|
||-
-
-
35
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,533
2,533
2,533
2,533
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||2,533
2,533
2,533
2,568
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||39
50
38
30
-
-
-
-
-
-
(165)
(135)
(240)
(60)
-
-
-
-
-
-|
## THE ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS **TEN YEAR COMPARATIVE FIGURES**
||**2015**|**2016**|**2017**|**2018**|**2019**|**2020**|**2021**|**2022**|**2023**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|
|Balance brought forward|934|808|723|441|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|Balance carried forward|808|723|521|411|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|Total|3,341|3,256|3,054|2,979|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|**Recruitment and Training**|**Fund(from 1 January 2019)**||||||||||
|**Income**|||||||||||
|Transfer from Education Fund|-|-|-|-|2,979|-|-|-|-|-|
|Transfer from Harry Turner Fund|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1,473|-|
|Proportion of subscriptions|-|-|-|-|2,005|1,908|1,818|1,770|1,835|1,950|
|Interest received|-|-|-|-|62|35|51|53|155|405|
|Surplus on sale of books|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|331|444|
|In memorium Bernard Sadler|-|-|-|-|-|500|-|-|-|-|
|Association Training Day|-|-|-|-|-|-|(59)|117|630|938|
|Handbell Day|-|-|-|-|-|-|(45)|-|-|-|
|Other|-|-|-|-|214|15|235|22|50|871|
||-|-|-|-|5,260|2,458|2,000|1,962|4,474|4,608|
|**Expenditure**|||||||||||
|Grants|-|-|-|-|-|-|544|3,659|-|912|
|Association Training Day expenses|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|494|679|
|Sponsorship|-|-|-|-|180|-|-|-|120|150|
|Replacement stays|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|236|52|
|Essex University Freshers Week|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|660|686|
|Expenses|-|-|-|-|-|130|-|385|103|267|
||||||180|130|544|4,044|1,613|2,746|
|Excess of income over expenditure|||||5,080|2,328|1,456|(2,082)|2,861|1,862|
|Balance brought forward|-|-|-|-|-|5,080|7,408|8,864|6,782|9,643|
|Balance carried forward|-|-|-|-|5,080|7,408|8,864|6,782|9,643|11,505|
|**Bell Restoration**|||||||||||
|**Income**|||||||||||
|Districts|3,804|3,354|3,005|2,554|2,070|1,217|864|1,397|3,245|3,424|
|PCC Donations|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|Proportion of subscriptions|1,996|1,976|2,007|1,975|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|AGM collection|208|264|274|258|302|-|-|294|278|291|
|Covenants/gift aid|1,665|1,628|1,705|1,619|1,630|1,428|1,290|1,447|1,638|1,945|
|Donations|217|230|30|202|225|50|48|10|110|-|
|Interest received|929|899|767|1,151|1,345|1,014|451|454|786|1,994|
|Raffle at annual dinner|201|240|270|310|246|-|241|338|182|373|
|Surplus on sale of books|161|194|163|234|304|88|40|225|-|-|
|Proportion of Peal fees|118|120|122|78|96|18|18|83|98|-|
|Easyfundraising/Amazon Smile|-|90|271|382|124|77|139|189|88|86|
|In memoriam Betty Matson|-|-|2,000|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|EACR Clothing|-|-|-|-|76|19|24|35|10|7|
|Other|85|116|60|153|84|29|19|13|34|55|
||9,389|9,116|10,674|8,916|6,502|3,940|3,134|4,485|6,469|8,175|
|**Expenditure**|||||||||||
|Grants|3,025|10,560|800|5,000|-|7,884|17,984|19,100|15,750|-|
|Insurance|318|321|332|340|353|356|357|413|647|653|
|Handbell insurance|58|58|58|59|60|61|48|48|48|48|
||3,401|10,939|1,190|5,399|413|8,301|18,389|19,561|16,445|701|
|Excess of income over expenditure|5,988|(1,823)|9,484|3,517|6,089|(4,361)|(15,255)|(15,076)|(9,976)|7,474|
|Balance brought forward|55,869|61,857|60,034|69,519|73,036|79,125|74,764|59,509|44,433|34,457|
|Balance carried forward|61,857|60,034|69,519|73,036|79,125|74,764|59,509|44,433|34,457|41,931|
|**Balance Sheet**|||||||||||
|Stocks|1,620|1,649|1,950|1,808|1,680|1,918|1,770|2,082|2,152|2,647|
|Other debtors and prepayments|1,424|2,737|2,004|1,567|1,308|1,612|1,565|1,732|2,434|11,905|
|Cash and bank accounts|90,614|88,917|99,091|106,033|115,541|427,688|485,103|466,180|460,479|466,634|
|Other creditors|(1,078)|(975)|(791)|(1,544)|(1,208)|(704)|(878)|(688)|(1,016)|(936)|
||92,580|92,328|102,254|107,864|117,321|430,514|487,560|469,306|464,049|480,250|
|**Represented by**|||||||||||
|General Fund|17,101|18,827|19,273|20,656|21,333|24,927|25,412|21,439|18,107|12,018|
|Essex Ringing Course|4,479|4,637|3,939|4,447|4,792|4,848|4,581|4,664|5,504|6,489|
|St Mary's Stansted Mountfitchet Fund|3,467|3,522|3,568|3,854|3,999|4,028|4,048|4,152|4,214|4,503|
|Recruitment and Training Fund (was E|3,261|3,176|2,974|2,979|5,080|7,408|8,864|6,782|9,643|11,505|
|Bell Restoration Account|61,858|60,035|69,519|73,036|79,125|74,764|59,509|44,433|34,457|41,931|
|Heath Bequest|-|-|-|-|-|312,813|314,392|316,448|321,180|330,945|
|Cobb Bequest|-|-|-|-|-|-|68,928|69,462|70,501|72,406|
|Harry Turner Account|1,056|873|973|1,073|1,173|1,273|1,373|1,473|-|-|
|Chigwell Ringing School|642|642|642|453|453|453|453|453|453|453|
|Public Relations Account|716|616|1,366|1,366|1,366|-|-|-|-|-|
||92,580|92,328|102,254|107,864|117,321|430,514|487,560|469,306|464,059|480,250|
## **Membership**
**No.**
**No.**
**No.**
**No.**
**No.**
**No.**
**No.**
**No.**
**No.**
**No.**
General 24/01/2025
## THE ESSEX ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS **TEN YEAR COMPARATIVE FIGURES**
|Ringing (full)
Ringing (junior)
Associates
Life and Hon Life
Life Vice Presidents
Non-resident|**2015**
**2016**
**2017**
**2018**
**2019**
**2020**
**2021**
**2022**
**2023**
**2024**
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
968
962
957
952
974
920
863
852
892
951
62
49
46
50
59
58
43
36
40
55
28
27
30
29
28
35
34
41
54
46
66
68
69
70
68
67
71
72
75
73
6
7
7
7
8
8
9
9
9
8|
|---|---|
||1,130
1,113
1,109
1,108
1,137
1,088
1,020
1,010
1,070
1,133
12
17
14
9
11
8
9
6
13
9|
||1,142
1,130
1,123
1,117
1,148
1,096
1,029
1,016
1,083
1,142|
General 24/01/2025
Independent Examiners. Report to the Trustees of the
Essex Association of Change Ringers
We report to the trustees on our examination of the financial statements of the Essex Associalion of
Change Ringers ('the charity'l for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the Statement of
Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and related notes.
This report is made solely to the charty's trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 145 of the
Charities Act 2011. Our work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's trustees those
matters we are required to state to them in this report and for no other purpose. To the fullesl extent
permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibilty to anyone other than the charity and the
charily's truslees as a body, for our work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charty you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in
accordance with the requirements of the Charities Acl 2011 ('the Act,).
We report in respect of our examination of the charity's financial statements caled out under section 145
of the Act and in carrying out our examination we have followed all the applicable Directions given by the
Charity Commission under section 14515)(b) of the Act.
An independent examination does not involve gathering all the evidence thal would be required in an audit
and conseqLAently does not cover all the matters that an auditor considers in giving their opinion on the
financial statements. The planning and conduct of an audit goes beyond the limited assurance that an
independent examination can provide. Consequently, we express no opinion as to whether the financial
statements present a 'true and fail view and our report is limited to those specific matters set out in the
independent examiners, statemenl.
Independent examinerfs statement
We have completed our examination. We confimi that no material matters have come to our attention in
connection with the examination giving us cause to believe that in any material respect-.
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charty as required by section 130 of the Act,. or
the financial statements do not accord with those records.
We 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 financial
statements to be reached.
JOHN TIPPING F.C.C.A.
39 Finchley Road
Westcliff-on-sea
SSO 8AD
JANET EDWARDS
181 High Street
Kelvedon
C05 9JD
30 January 2025
Page 30