NIDD VALLEY DECORATIVE AND FINE ARTS SOCIETY (DFAS) Known as Arts Society Nidd Valley A Member Society of the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (known as The Arts Society) Registered Charity Number 513176 ANNUAL REPORT Incorporating the Chairfs Report 1° August 2023 to 31" July 2024 Committee: The foll<)winE were elected at the AGM in Ortober 2023 "Denotes Trustees confirmed during a review April/May2023 Officers and Committee Members: Ms Mary Banks • Dr Tom Houghton. Vacancy Mrs Beulah Chatten Mrs Lindsay Mitchell* Chair Treasurer Hon Secretary Programme Membership & Communications Outings Committee Members: Mrs Janet Brearley" President Mrs Pamela Nitholson (FlTrder Chairnian) Bankers: Charities Aid Foundation {CAF}, 25 n85 Hill Avenue. lfjngs Hill. West Mallin& Kent. ME19 4JQ Honorary Independent Examiner: Mr Peter Gamble5 Website . theartssocietyniddvalley.org.uk Email . niddvalley@theartssocwety.org
Governance Nidd Valley DFAS operates as a member society of The Arts Society and is governed by the Nidd Valley Decorative and Fine Arts Society Constitution ond Rules as amended in 2023. (register updated by the Charity Commission on 27 March 2024). Objerts: as stated in the Constitution ond Rules 5 a member of The Arts Society, the Society shall have as its objects- the promotion and advancement of the education of the public in the cultivation. appreciation and study of the decorative and fine arts: b. b. the conservation and preservation of the artistic heritage of the United Kingdorn and other countries for the benefit of the public. and c. the advancement of the arts, culture and heritage, in particular. but without imitation, the decorative and fine arts. We have engaged in a range of attwtties, identtfied below. that directly or indirectly support these objerts. As well as updating the Constttution 2023, we have updated our poliS to ensure we are compliant with the standards set by the Charity Commission. Links with the Community We are committed to the principle of public benefft, and to this end we publicise our existen and programme through the local libraries and other public places as well as through our members. Membership is open to everyone over 18, as detailed in the Constitution {sertion 4). Non-members are welcome to attend as guests, up to a maximum of norrnal 3 lectures a year. We are able to offer a Community grant of £250 to local causes to extend involvement in the Arts. Last year we financed a ceramic painting workshop to offer respite for some Harrogate Young Carers. welcome ideas of good causes to support in this way. Committee We have a small, dedicated team who devote a lot of time to making the Societythe best we can be. (The position of Honorary Secretary remains unfilled. having become vacant at the AGM in 2023. As an interim measure, Mary Banks fulfils that role in addition to being Chair.) The Committee is elected annually in accordance with the Constitution {Sections 5 and 61. Currently all elected members of the Committee are also Trustees. We are grateful for the help of our regular volunteers who help us with the various activities on lecture evenings - Kate Duffy. Anne Quan, Sue Welch. Angela Tippey. Sue Richardson and Mark Wilkinson= we couldn't do It without you. We would also like to thank our members who hosted lecturers Barry Mortimer, Joanna Pierce and Charles & Charlotte Monck; both hosts and lerturers had an enjoyable experience. As always. we welcome support and involvement, both on the committee and helping behind the scenes. Membership We have had a broadly steady membership of 127 individuals over the year. and our {challengingl target is to maintain that figure. We always lose some members at the end of the membership year as individuals review their invofvement and their plans for the year ahead. Word of mouth is generally the most successful way of finding new members although we have also had success through our efforts to publicise our activities more widely particularly in libraries and through a
contact in the local paper. We held a New Members Party in March, gtving newcomers an opportunity to meet other members and the committee. We aspire to provide a great learning and social experience that will please existing members and attract new people throughout the communty. Communications The monthly newsletter goes to every member so members can keep up-to-date with whavs happenin& and our website provides an up-to-date view of what is on offer (ideal for potential members to look at and to find a membership fomil. For the coming year we have updated the look and feel of our trifold which publicises our activities with the kind help of the staff in Arts Society Head Office. We hope that this updates our look and appeal as well as reducing our costs in production. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve our communications, we would be very pleased to hear them. Lecture Programme Our 2023-24 lecture programme provided us with ten varied and interesting lectures covering a wide range of The Arts. From our research it was concluded that there continues to be a preference for Zoom delivery over the winter months of January and February, which gives member5 the option to watch at home or come along to Christchurch IHGI 4SWI to watch together. Particularly popular lectures this year were Roger Mendham, who provided us with the opportuntty to examine in depth some of the most stunning and iconic photographs taken over recent times. and Julia Marwood who introduced us to The Glasgow Boys. with many fascinating details about the artists, technique and approach. We finished our year with the return, by popular request, of Clyde Binfield who amused and entertained us, and widened our knowledge of three of the most unusual created places- Portmeirion. Poundbury and Bekonscot. Outings We have enjoyed some memorable outings duringthe last twelve months. We began with a four day trip to North Wales in September, with visits to Portmeirion village and Bodnant Garden5 a5 two of the highlights. In late November, a group of members spent a lovely day at Burton Constable. looking around a country house at Christmas. In the spring we travelled to Welbeck Abbey to visit the Harley Galleries which display some of the Duke of Portland's collection of art and artefacts, returning via Goldsborough House, where the owner treated us to a detailed history of the property, accompanied by tea and scones! We made a return visit in June to the Auckland Project in Bishop Auckland. to view the impressive newly opened Faith Museum and changing exhibitions in the Spanish Gallery, the Bishops. Palace and the mine Museum. All our visits and trips are well attended and much enjoyed. Publicity So many people are not aware of the existence of the Arts Society- there is value in promoting ourselves to new audiences in the community, and encouraging people to come along as a guest and try us out. Our members have done a great job we had over 90 guest attendances during the year, and we hope that some of them will convert to fvll membership. Twice a year we use promotional space in Harrogate library to display materials and encourage interest. Our colourful trifolds have proved to be an excellent marketing tool, and you should be seeing them in libraries and on noticeboards in different venues. (Let us know rf we are missing somewhere useful, or, better still, keep some spare trifolds to pin up on noticeboards as you pass by.}
Finance Financially, we finished the year in a much stronger positlon than previously, having achieved a surplus of £4.095. This is great news. Our annual subscription of £60 provides great value for money- it increased from £50 to £60 at the start of the year under review. Our activtties such as the book sale, raffle and refreshments have provided a good environment to socialise and make friends, as well as raising some extra income. However, in recent years the Society has experienced reducing membership numbers. and efforts are betng made to reverse this trend. In the meantime, reserves in excess of 50% of annual expenditure are being maintained to secure the continuation of the Society over the next few years. The Income and Expenditure Account. Balance Sheet and more detailed Report of the Treasurer on the financial year is included in these papers for the AGM. This next year Fingers crossed that we maintain a good level of membership. We are looking forward to an enjoyable year of lectures. events and socialising. We enjoy your company- we hope you enjoy ours. and the company of your fellow membersl The Annual Report 2023/24 has been compiled by Mary Banks Ichairnrusteel and the Trustees th {Members of the Committee). It was agreed by a meeting of the Trustees on 10 September 2024. Signed by Mary Banks on behalf of the Trustees.......................................-.............
Nidd Valley Decorative and Fine Arts Society (Operating as Arts Society Nidd Valley. Registered Charyty No. 513176) Report on the Accounts For The Year Ending 31st Juty 2tr24 This report relates to the Income and Expenditure Account for the year to 31 st July 2024 and the Balance Sht at 31 st July 2024 which have bn distributed with the papers for this AGM. The accounts have been examined and sign1 off by Mr Peter Gambles (Independent Financial Examiner). The Income and Expenditure Account identifies that in the 2023-2024 financial year the Society achieved £27.784.64 in income and spent £23.690.99. This resulted in a surplus for the year of £4,093.65. Again this year, the Society has run a riumber of succvssful outings which collectively have generated surpluses. Also successful has bn efforts to raise income from activities including voluntary donations from visitors, raffles, t)ooks sales and refreshments. The lecture held in January was particularty successful with 29 visitors participating in the zoom option. The Balance Sheet identifies the assets we are holding (e.g. deposits at CAF Bank, Patricia Faye Memorial Fund} and the amount. As identified in the line 'Net Assets. our assets have increased from £9,922.29 at 31 st July 2023 to £14.015.94 at 31st July 2024. the increase being explained by the surplus identified in the Income and Expenditure Account. Members will also note that there are a couple of adjustments to the accounts identified in the balance sheet. We paid deposits for the Scotland holiday and the was a payment for the forthcoming Mount Grace outing (£1 ,577.45) and the Society achieved payments from participants in forthcoming outings (£16.960.60). These OLrtings take place in the 2024-2025 financial year so to make the accounts meaningful the payments have been transferred to the accounts for that year. Similarly, we achieved membership subscriptions (£1.810.00) ahead of the new year so again it was appropriate to transfer the income to the 2024-2025 financial year. Overall. financially like last year, it was a successfvl end to the year. The surplus has enabled the society to further build up its reserves. This is necessary because as expenditure increases so should reserves. The Commtttee is particularly mindful that the Society is continuing to suffer from reducing membership numbers and over the next few years if this continues it is likely to depend on its reserves to SUPFX)rt its continuing existence. In addition. the surplus has enabled the Society to keep subscription levels for 2024-2025 at the same level as for the previous year and also embark on an ambitious programme of outings for 2024-2025 including a special interest day to be held at Goldsborough Hall in December. Thank you to all members for the contributions made to boosting our income whether it be buying a raffle ticket, buying a book. bringing a visttor. or participating in our outings, etc. As mentioned above. membership is one of our current significant challenges and we need to continue our efforts to attract new members. To be successful, this needs input from members of the Committee but also from the membership as a whole. Dr Tom Houghton Treasurer Nidd Valley Decorative and Fine Arts Society August 2024
Nidd Valley Decorati and Fine Arts Society Income and Expen(lUre Acc¢wnt For The Year To 31st Juty 2024 Income ¢wnt Intet 26.W2 15.94 105AO 126.60 124.&8 Communty Grn 250.Crt) Gift R0 1%4.52 1.12921 702.rMI 671.(K) 7.740.IX) 6,965.05 Ms8c8llanS clL 50.(K) Outings Income 16,686.(X) 10,723.( 34650 untary 320.00 469.LK) 27.784.64 2.151.) 278.52 27.00 81. 87.00 17.52 20.67 1fh%.39 11055 Ccrnunty Go 250. Equiptrwt 0.00 InsUrae 175_OD 3.977.39 3.455.14 30.00 Outings Exp&ThlitiN8 14,342.75 9.318.75 24.05 Printing and sta( 131.07 321. Raffie Exp8n(*bJre Fkrt)m H 32.88 1&7.80 120825 100. T8thn Supwt 625.00 570.00 94.39 rplus w Dpficit Ffx lkne Y 4.1)33.65 2A61.05 (SulFthl Iwusl
25m 157TAS ¢10. 18.171.LY
Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of... Nidd Valley Deco&7tive & Fine Arts Society Thts Report is for the period ended 31 Juty 2024 tive res nsibilitses of Tntstees and Examiner The charity trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The chanty's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under Section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act)) and that an independent exarnination is needed. It is my responsibility to:_ Examine the accounts under Section 145 of the Charities Act to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions gNen by the Charity Commission (under Sectson 145(5)(b) of the Chanty Act), and to state whether particular matters have me to my attention. Basis of Inde ndent Examinefs Re My examination was carried out with general Directsons given by the Charty Commission. An examination includes a leW of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disdosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees conmIng any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not wovth all the eVence that would be required by an audi¢ and cortsequently no opinion as to whether the accounts present a true and fail view and the report is limrted to those matters set out in the statement below. In connectton with my examination, no matter has c£•me to my attention (other than that disdosed belo} 1. which gives me reasonable use to believe that in any material respect the requirements -to keep accounting records in accordan with section 130 of the Charities Act, .to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and compty with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been mec. 2. to vthich, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 3. 1 have not obtsined independent vertfication of investsnentlbank balances. Name: Peter Gambles Releva Professi I qualification or body: Retired Registered Insuran Broker Address 1 Hombeam Crescent, Harrogate, HG2 8QA Date: 7 August 2024