**SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY Report to the Charity Commission**
## **2021**
## **1. INTRODUCTION**
## **OBJECTS**
In the interest of the public benefit and education, the objects of the Society are the promotion and advancement of the knowledge of the history of scientific artifacts and their preservation.
## **POLICIES**
The main policy of the Society is to provide the infrastructure to gain its objectives and in approved cases to provide financial assistance by which its members and others may benefit in some aspect of their activities whilst helping to achieve the objects of the Society.
To achieve this overall policy, the Society maintains a worldwide membership, issues the Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society, holds regular meetings and conferences, and contributes where appropriate to debate on issues concerning the objects of the Society. In terms of direct financial benefits, membership for students is subsidised and grants are made to individuals for research work related to the Society's aims.
## **GOVERNANCE**
The society was formed in 1983 and is a registered UK charity, number 326733. It is regulated by a written constitution last amended in 2021 (to allow meetings and AGM’s to take place via digital means). The appointment and induction of new trustees is carried out as appropriate to the needs and best interests of the society.
## **ORGANISATION**
The controlling body of the Society is its Committee in which several members hold designated posts (e.g. Treasurer) and which includes up to seven ordinary members of the Society. Elected Members of the Committee are the Trustees of the Society during their terms of office. (The Committee may co-opt other members of the society but these co-opted members are not Trustees of the Charity.) There is an Executive Officer responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Society; this post is provided under contractual terms and is reviewed annually. No member of the Committee receives any remuneration for services to the Society but expenses may be paid in approved instances.
## **ACCOUNTING**
The Society is not obliged to have a full audit of the accounts, and therefore the Committee has chosen to have the accounts examined. For this year the examination was carried out by Hunter & Co. Chartered Accountants.
Accountant Hunter & Co. Chartered Accountants 415 Blackburn Road, Bolton, BL1 8NJ
Bankers Lloyds Bank plc, Commercial Banking, P.O. Box 1000, BX1 1LT
## **2. REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES**
## **ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING**
Page 1 of 4
Charity Report 2021
The 36[th] Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday 12[th] June 2021 at 3pm via Zoom (because of the Covid19 pandemic) and was attended by 36 members.
The following elections were made:
**Officers** Chairman Charles Miller Vice Chairman David Howarth Treasurer David Howarth Editor Willem Hackmann Secretary Alison Boyle Meetings Secretary Louise Devoy Grants Stephen Burt
## **Ordinary Committee Members**
Nicolás de Hilster (Website); Michael Stewart (Advertising and Marketing)
## **OTHER MEETINGS**
Unfortunately planned study tours to Armagh Observatory (March) was postponed and Northern Italy (May) had to be postponed to 2022 due to the Covid19 pandemic which prevented us from travelling.
The Society’s AGM took place virtually on Saturday 12[th] June via Zoom.
The Society continued with the monthly online lecture series for our members ‘Fireside Chats’, which proved to be a great way to stay connected with our international members. Eight talks took place with approximately 30-40 members attending each event. Our speakers spoke on a range of topics including Enigma-like machines, the real James Glaisher , Microscopes by Ernst Leitz Wetzlar and Italian physics collections to name a few.
On Friday 12th November the Society’s 9[th] Gerard Turner Memorial Lecture in honour of the Society’s first President and founding Chairman took place at the Society of Antiquaries, London. This attracted an audience of 16 people to hear guest lecturer Professor Simon Werrett of University College London speak about ‘The History of Scientific Instruments is Thriving’. A further 80 people joined via Zoom online.
## **MEMBERSHIP**
The annual membership subscriptions for the year 2021 were held the same as in 2020 and were as follows:
Residence in UK £55.00 (Family £63.00) Residence in Europe £70.00/$90 (Family £75.00/$100) Residence in Rest of World £75.00/$100 (Family £80.00/$120) Student rate £20.00 in UK & £32.00/$45 elsewhere
There were 379 members as at 31 December 2021, a slight increase on last year.
## **THE SIS BULLETIN**
Four issues of the Bulletin were published on time during the year. This continues to be the Society’s main vehicle for achieving its objectives.
## **THE WEBSITE**
The website continued to be developed as an increasingly important vehicle of communication.
Page 2 of 4
Charity Report 2021
## **RESEARCH GRANTS**
The Society has agreed as a means of furthering its objectives to award a number of grants to assist research in its field of study on a regular basis. Details were published in the Bulletin, on the website and by direct communications to academic departments. 9 applications were received and 4 awards were made for the 2021 awards. Grants are paid when applicants have carried out the relevant work but are accrued to our accounts at the time the application is approved. 4 were paid this year.
## **SUPPORT FOR PUBLICATIONS**
The Society has a policy of making advance purchases, on behalf of members, of important reference works which can secure the publication of specialised works In 2021 no purchases were made.
## **3. FINANCIAL RESERVES**
The Society has no income from investments as such but has sums deposited in an interest-bearing savings account. This capital acts as a source for charitable activities and a reserve against uncertainties. The Society is not active in 'fund-raising' but receives small donations from time to time. Conferences are essentially self-supporting and any surplus is directed to furthering the Society’s objectives.
The Society supports student membership at reduced rates and seeks to promote specific items to achieve its aims rather than the general distribution of its charitable assets. Thus sums are made available from time to time for research, publications, etc., all requiring such sums to be available when required.
The reserves policy may therefore be stated as the maintenance of sums on deposit to provide a source for major charitable activities and a reserve against uncertainties, any income from which is directed towards the running costs of the Society.
Figures given for levels of reserves relate only to that money which is currently available for use by the trustees. As at 31 December 2021 the Society's net funds amounted to £31,305 including £528 designated as the Bunge Award fund, giving unrestricted funds of £30,77.
## **4. RISK ASSESSMENT**
A full risk assessment was carried out during 2008. The Committee reviews this on an annual basis and is once again able to confirm that the few risks to which the charity is exposed have been identified and suitable precautions are in existence.
## **5. ADMINISTRATION**
The Committee met on five occasions during the year.
Our Executive Officer for the past 5 years has been Mrs. Sarah Cavalier. All enquiries should be addressed to: The Scientific Instrument Society, The Old School House, School Lane, Stadhampton, Oxfordshire, OX44 7TR E-mail info@scientificinstrumentsociety.org
The Society has a website at www.scientificinstrumentsociety.org
## **6. FULFILLMENT OF CHARITABLE OBJECTIVES**
As detailed above the Society continues to fulfill its objectives by publishing its learned journal on time four times a year; by holding lectures on appropriate topics which are open to the public and in the case of the Annual Lecture without charge; by arranging and organising study tours, by supporting the publication of educational books in its field of interest and by the award of research grants.
Page 3 of 4
Charity Report 2021
## **7. DUTY OF TRUSTEES**
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the guidance published by the Charity Commission.
## **8. ADOPTION**
This Report was adopted unanimously by the Committee in its meeting on Saturday 12[th] June 2021.
Charles Miller
Chairman of Committee of Trustees
Page 4 of 4
Charity Report 2021
**REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 326733**
**REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 FOR SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
Hunter & Co. Chartered Accountants 415 Blackburn Road Bolton BL1 8NJ
**SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
**CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
||Page|
|---|---|
|Report of the trustees|1|
|Independent examiner's report|2|
|Statement of financial activities|3|
|Balance sheet|4|
|Notes to the financial statements|5 to 7|
|Detailed statement of financial activities|8|
**SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2021. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities' issued in March 2005.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number**
326733
**Principal address** Sarah Cavalier The Old School House School Lane Stadhampton Oxfordshire OX44 7TR
## **Trustees**
Mr Charles Miller Dr Willem Hackmann Mr David Howarth Dr Louise Devoy Dr Alison Boyle Mr Michael Stewart Dr Stephen Burt Dr Nicolas de Hilster
## **Independent examiner**
Ian Hunter ICAEW Hunter & Co. Chartered Accountants 415 Blackburn Road Bolton BL1 8NJ
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
## **Governing document**
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes an unincorporated charity.
## **Risk management**
The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 6 May 2022 and signed on its behalf by:
Mr Charles Miller - Trustee
Page 1
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021, which are set out on pages three to seven.
## **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 have examined your charity's accounts as required under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
My role is to state whether any material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe:
1. that accounting records were not kept as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. that the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. that the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of the Act; or
4. that there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination and have no concerns in respect of the matters (1) to (4) listed above and, in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention.
Ian Hunter ICAEW Hunter & Co. Chartered Accountants 415 Blackburn Road Bolton BL1 8NJ
6 May 2022
Page 2
**SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**fund**
**Total**
Not
es
**£**
**£**
**INCOMING RESOURCES**
**Incoming resources from generated funds**
Voluntary income
**24,365**
**-**
Activities for generating funds
2
**-**
**-**
Investment income
3
**187**
**-**
**Total incoming resources**
**24,552**
**-**
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**Charitable activities**
Conferences
**1,646**
**-**
Expenditure
**27,649**
**-**
**Governance costs**
**624**
**-**
**Total resources expended**
**29,919**
**-**
**NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING)**
**RESOURCES BEFORE TRANSFERS**
**(5,367)**
**-**
**Gross transfers between funds**
8
**1,036**
**(1,036)**
**Net incoming/(outgoing) resources**
**(4,331)**
**(1,036)**
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
**Total funds brought forward**
**35,108**
**1,564**
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**
**30,777**
**528**|**2021**
2020
**funds**
Total funds
**£**
£
**24,365**
25,159
**-**
(130)
**187**
-
**24,552**
25,029
**1,646**
-
**27,649**
27,277
**624**
626
**29,919**
27,903
**(5,367)**
(2,874)
**-**
-
**(5,367)**
(2,874)
**36,672**
39,546
**31,305**
36,672|
|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 3
**SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
## **BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**fund**
**Total**
Not
es
**£**
**£**
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Stocks
5
**1,940**
**-**
Debtors
6
**245**
**-**
Cash at bank
**33,063**
**1,709**
**35,248**
**1,709**
**CREDITORS**
Amounts falling due within one year
7
**(4,471)**
**(1,181)**
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**30,777**
**528**
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT**
**LIABILITIES**
**30,777**
**528**
**NET ASSETS**
**30,777**
**528**
**FUNDS**
8
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
**TOTAL FUNDS**|**2021**
2020
**funds**
Total funds
**£**
£
**1,940**
1,940
**245**
747
**34,772**
40,194
**36,957**
42,881
**(5,652)**
(6,209)
**31,305**
36,672
**31,305**
36,672
**31,305**
36,672
**30,777**
35,108
**528**
1,564
**31,305**
36,672|
|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 6 May 2022 and were signed on its behalf by:
Mr Charles Miller -Trustee
Mr David Howarth -Trustee
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 4
**SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Accounting convention**
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008), the Charities Act 2011 and the requirements of the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities.
## **Incoming resources**
All incoming resources are included on the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
## **Resources expended**
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## **Stocks**
Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value, after making due allowance for obsolete and slow moving items.
## **Taxation**
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
## **2. ACTIVITIES FOR GENERATING FUNDS**
|Conferences
**3.**
**INVESTMENT INCOME**
Deposit account interest|**2021**
**£**
**-**
**2021**
**£**
**187**|2020
£
(130)
2020
£
-|
|---|---|---|
## **4. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS**
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 December 2021 nor for the year ended 31 December 2020.
## **Trustees' expenses**
There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 December 2021 nor for the year ended 31 December 2020.
Page 5
**SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|**5.**|**STOCKS**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**2021**|2020|
||||||**£**|£|
||Stocks||||**1,940**|1,940|
|**6.**|**DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**||||||
||||||**2021**|2020|
||||||**£**|£|
||Trade debtors||||**127**|127|
||Other debtors||||**118**|620|
||||||**245**|747|
|**7.**|**CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE**||**YEAR**||||
||||||**2021**|2020|
||||||**£**|£|
||Other creditors||||**5,652**|6,209|
|**8.**|**MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**||||||
|||||**Net**|**Transfers**||
||||**movement in**||**between**||
|||**At 1.1.21**||**funds**|**funds**|**At 31.12.21**|
|||**£**||**£**|**£**|**£**|
||**Unrestricted funds**||||||
||General fund|**35,108**||**(5,367)**|**1,036**|**30,777**|
||**Restricted funds**||||||
||Bunge Award Fund|**1,564**||**-**|**(1,036)**|**528**|
||**TOTAL FUNDS**|**36,672**||**(5,367)**|**-**|**31,305**|
||Net movement in funds, included in the|above are as follows:|||||
||||**Incoming**||**Resources**
|**Movement in**|
||||**resources**||**expended**|**funds**|
|||||**£**|**£**|**£**|
||**Unrestricted funds**||||||
||General fund|||**24,552**|**(29,919)**|**(5,367**)|
||**TOTAL FUNDS**|||**24,552**|**(29,919)**|**(5,367**)|
Page 6
**SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **8. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued**
## **Comparatives for movement in funds**
|||**Net**|**Transfers**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**movement in**|**between**||
||**At 1.1.20**|**funds**|**funds**|**At 31.12.20**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Unrestricted Funds**|||||
|General fund|**37,581**|**(2,874)**|**401**|**35,108**|
|**Restricted Funds**|||||
|Bunge Award Fund|**1,965**|**-**|**(401)**|**1,564**|
|**TOTAL FUNDS**|**39,546**|**(2,874)**|**-**|**36,672**|
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
||**Incoming**|**Resources**|Movement in|
|---|---|---|---|
||**resources**|**expended**|funds|
||**£**|**£**|£|
|**Unrestricted funds**||||
|General fund|**25,029**|**(27,903)**|**(2,874)**|
|**TOTAL FUNDS**|**25,029**|**(27,903)**|**(2,874)**|
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:
|||**Net**|**Transfers**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**movement in**|**between**||
||**At 1.1.20**|**funds**|**funds**|**At 31.12.21**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Unrestricted funds**|||||
|General fund|**37,581**|**(8,241)**|**1,437**|**30,777**|
|**Restricted funds**|||||
|Bunge Award Fund|**1,965**|**-**|**(1,437)**|**528**|
|**TOTAL FUNDS**|**39,546**|**(8,241)**|**-**|**31,305**|
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
||**Incoming**|**Resources**
|**Movement in**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**resources**|**expended**|**funds**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Unrestricted funds**||||
|General fund|**49,581**|**(57,822)**|**(8,241**)|
|**TOTAL FUNDS**|**49,581**|**(57,822)**|**(8,241**)|
Page 7
**SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT SOCIETY**
## **DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|**INCOMING RESOURCES**
**Voluntary income**
Donations
Gift aid
Subscriptions
Publications
Adverts
**Activities for generating funds**
Conferences
**Investment income**
Deposit account interest
**Total incoming resources**
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**Charitable activities**
Conferences
Bulletin
Committee expenses
Executive officer
Office costs
Grants
Web site related costs
Grants rescinded
Insurance and charges
Wreath donation
**Governance costs**
Accountancy
**Total resources expended**
**Net expenditure**|**2021**
**£**
**-**
**875**
**18,630**
**82**
**4,778**
**24,365**
**-**
**187**
**24,552**
**1,402**
**16,399**
**135**
**7,000**
**1,770**
**-**
**320**
**-**
**1,904**
**365**
**29,295**
**624**
**29,919**
**(5,367)**|2020
£
101
894
19,284
580
4,300
25,159
(130)
-
25,029
-
15,044
427
7,000
2,263
3,128
547
(2,683)
1,551
-
27,277
626
27,903
(2,874)|
|---|---|---|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 8