2024-04-30-annual-report

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Northern Ireland Amateur Astronomy Society

Annual Report & Statement of Accounts

For the year to April 30[th] 2024

Reference and Administrative Details ................................................................................ 3 Charity Name .............................................................................................................................. 3 Charity Number .......................................................................................................................... 3 Charity Trustees as of April 30[th] 2024 .......................................................................................... 3 Past Trustees .............................................................................................................................. 3 Advisors ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Structure, Governance and Management ........................................................................... 4 Governing Document and Constitution ....................................................................................... 4 Trustee Selection and Management ............................................................................................ 4 Related Organisations ................................................................................................................. 4 Objectives and Activities .................................................................................................... 5 Charitable Objects ...................................................................................................................... 5 Public Benefit Statement ............................................................................................................ 5 Summary of Main Activities ........................................................................................................ 5 Achievements and Performance ................................................................................................. 6 Community Educational Outreach .............................................................................................. 7 Public Events .............................................................................................................................. 8 Meeting Programme ................................................................................................................... 8 Members Events ......................................................................................................................... 9 Website and Social Media ........................................................................................................... 9 Media ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Membership ............................................................................................................................. 10 Financial Review .............................................................................................................. 10 Financial Management ............................................................................................................. 10 Accounts for the year ended April 30[th] 2024 ............................................................................. 12 Other Points .................................................................................................................... 12 Child Protection Policy .............................................................................................................. 12 Risks and Accidents ................................................................................................................... 12 Chairman’s Note .............................................................................................................. 13

Annual Report for the year ended April 30[th] 2024

The Trustees of the Northern Ireland Amateur Astronomy Society are pleased to submit their report and accounts for the period 1[st] May 2023 to 30[th] April 2024.

Reference and Administrative Details

Charity Name

Northern Ireland Amateur Astronomy Society also known as NIAAS

Charity Number

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland, No. NIC100233

Inland Revenue Charity No. XT18196

Charity Trustees as of April 30[th] 2024

Mr Jonathan Bingham

Chairman

Mr Jason ChrisLe Vice- Chairman

Mr Stephen Beasant Secretary

Mr Philip MatcheQ Treasurer/Webmaster

Mr Lawrence Hanna CommiQee member Dr Jacqueline Crosby CommiQee member

Mrs Geraldine Gribben

CommiQee member

Past Trustees

There have been no resignaLons during this season.

Advisors

Banking Santander PayPal (UK) Limited 54 Main Street 5 New Street Square Larne London

Co.Antrim EC4A 3TW

BT40 1SS

Insurance Public Liability Insurance supplied by Policy Bee

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document and Constitution

The Society is unincorporated, governed by a consLtuLon adopted on 5[th] January 2009 and last amended 15[th] May 2014.

The Society is run enLrely by its members who pay an annual membership donaLon

Trustee Selection and Management

The Society is managed by an elected commiQee, which consists of all the appointed trustees. The commiQee is elected at the AGM by the method noted in the consLtuLon. A number of trustees also hold offices within the society as noted in the list of current trustees.

The commiQee typically meet at least four Lmes in the society year.

recent acLviLes and planning of future acLviLes. Outreach events and our programme are also normally on the agenda.

The commiQee also hold discussions on the running of the society in a private secLon of our forum.

The Annual Report and Statement of Accounts are approved by the trustees and then presented to the commiQee at the Annual General MeeLng.

Related Organisations

The NIAAS is a member of the Irish FederaLon of Astronomical SocieLes. Mr Stephen Beasant and Mr Jonathan Bingham are the society’s representaLves with this organisaLon.

The society’s lectures are held at Ballyclare High School. The NIAAS hires the Lecture Theatre in the school from the school board.

Objectives and Activities

Charitable Objects

The object of the society as set out in its consLtuLon is the advancement of educaLon for the public benefit in astronomy and its associated sciences.

The society aims to promote astronomy as a recreaLonal acLvity for its own sake but also aims to promote public awareness and understanding of science and the scienLfic method.

Public Benefit Statement

with their duty regarding the Charity Commission’s Guidance on public benefit and that the public benefit requirement has been fulfilled in the acLviLes of the society in the year ending April 30[th ] 2024.

share an interest in astronomy and its associated sciences. While we would encourage those with an interest in astronomy to join our ranks, we also strive to make our services and knowledge available to non-members.

Summary of Main Activities

The core acLviLes of the society are:

Delivery of a monthly meeLng programme during our season covering a wide range of astronomical topics
Holding public events at key astronomical moments throughout the year
Providing an outreach programme available to other organisaLons

faith. Although the society programme of meeLngs takes place in Ballyclare, Co. Antrim the society strives to hold events in all areas in Northern Ireland.

We do regular outreach events with organised groups such as schools, Scouts, BB, GB and more increasingly with NaLonal Trust locaLons. As well as doing talks at these organisaLons we also strive to bring our telescopes and do some visual observing.

We do not charge any fees to these organisaLons however voluntary donaLons at the events are readily accepted.

Achievements and Performance

Old Church Event, Cushendun

We were pleased to take part in a new event this season at the Old Church, Cushendun. Thanks go to the NaLonal Trust for inviLng us and hosLng this event to be included as part of NI Science Week.

Several telescopes were setup in front of Glenmona House and just a short walk through the gardens NIAAS member Philip MatcheQ was giving a talk in the beauLful Old Church. The weather was a bit hit and miss on the night, but most of the 50 members of the public in aQendance got a quick look through the telescopes. As you can see in the pictures, the event went down really well and the public got to finish off the evening with the film ‘Moon’ shown on a large screen in the Old Church.

Community Educational Outreach

As you can see, the NIAAS really got out and about this season. Thanks to all our commiQee and members who helped out at these events. This is a record for community outreach events for the society.

Tuesday 21[st] November 2023, NIAAS Talk to 1[st] Antrim community group

Tuesday 21[st] November 2023, NIAAS Talk to Antrim Scouts @ All Saints Parish Centre

Monday 4[th] December 2023, NIAAS Talk to Portstewart U3A Group

Monday 26[th] February 2024, NIAAS Talk and Stargazing, North Belfast Girl Guide Group

Wednesday 20[th] March 2024, NIAAS Talk and Stargazing with Lurgan Cubs

Friday 5[th] April 2024, NIAAS Talk to Bangor U3A Group

Tuesday 16[th] April 2024, NIAAS talk to Ballymena Probus Group

We have already been booked for more of these types of outreach events next season.

Pictures from the Lurgan Cubs Event

Public Events

We took part in four public events this season:

25th Augest 2023 – Stargazing event with the NaLonal Trust @ Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne (50 people were in aQendance)

1[st] September 2023 – Stargazing event @ Burr Point with the Bangor/Ards Council (100 people were in aQendance)

16[th] February 2024 – Stargazing event with the NaLonal Trust for NI Science FesLval @ the Old Church, Cushendun (50 people were in aQendance)

24[th] March 2024 – Irish Astronomy Week, talk in Ballymena Library (15 people were in aQendance)

Meeting Programme

This season the society has put together another great mixture of speakers on varying subjects relaLng to astronomy. We had four new speakers to the society this season.

2023/2024 Season

September 4[th] – Lawrence Hanna & Stevie Beasant (NIAAS) – Novae and Supernovae Types & The Summer Triangle

October 2nd - Dr. Ernst de Mooij (QUB) – InvesLgaLng the Atmospheres of Alien Worlds

November 6th – Dr. Jorick Vink (AOP) – First Light with the James Webb Telescope

November 20[th] – NIAAS Beginners Night

December 4[th] - Dr. Marc Sarzi (AOP) – Integral – Field Spectroscopy in Astronomy

January 8[th] – Philip MatcheQ, Simon Slone, Neil PaQerson (NIAAS) – What type of amateur telescope is the best? – The Big Debate

February 5[th] – Dr. MaQ Nicholl (QUB) – FantasLc Bursts and Where to Find Them

March 4[th] – Dave Lillis (Limerick Astronomy Society) – In the Shadow of the Earth – A trip through 21[st] Century Lunar Eclipses

April 8[th] – Dr. Stefano Bagnulo (AOP) – Night Time Astronomy with Sunglasses

May 13[th] – Members Talk – Stevie Beasant & AGM

We are enjoying another good year of turnout at our meeLngs with an increase to an average of 35/45 aQendees per night.

Members Events

The observing group made it out as ooen as the weather permiQed, although it has been disappoinLng weatherwise in recent Lmes.

A group of members made a trip to Donegal this year, the search for the best dark skies is sLll ongoing!

Website and Social Media

The website and social media side of the society is a great way to communicate with the public and highlight what the society is all about! All these avenues are free to the public and open to all!

Forum: Our Forum is showing 620 members and new members are joining to seek help and advice on equipment. This is also the place that members can buy and sell there equipment.

the society here and find out our contact details and the programme of meeLngs and events. We have a massive secLon on astronomy arLcles in our learning zone and an ever-growing gallery containing images, mostly taken from N.Ireland.

Facebook: We have over 1.8K followers on Facebook now and this is a fantasLc avenue for the society to adverLse its events. As well as puqng details of our events online, we also put up the latest astronomical news from around the Internet. It is a great way to noLfy people instantly of ‘happening now’ events like aurora noLces. We get great feedback from our followers, and plenty of help is given out to quesLons such as ‘what should I buy as my first telescope?’

X: Our X following is also growing steadily, we now have over 400. As with Facebook the same informaLon is shared here!

Media

This year we have been adverLsing our meeLngs on the ‘What’s On NI’ website.

The NIAAS society was included in BBC Sky at Night magazine in their Society in Focus SecLon

Tuesday 9[th] April 2024 NIAAS Chairman Jonathan Bingham was interviewed on Highland Radio Donegal, the topic being the solar eclipse.

The media is an important way of geqng the NIAAS name out to the public and leqng people know what we do.

Membership

Total membership numbers are down slightly on last year, but are sLll higher than before Covid. This year we welcomed a total of 48 members of whom 13 were new to the society. We are really pleased that there is sLll this high level of interest in astronomy and the NIAAS.

Membership Trend Over the Last Six Seasons

----- Start of picture text -----
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 2022/2023 2023/2024
Returning Members New Members Associate Members
----- End of picture text -----

Financial Review

Financial Management

and in such will be undertaken in accordance with their requirements.

The General Fund is unrestricted and is used for the day-to-day running of the society.

I’m pleased to say, for the second Lme we have received gio aid from HMRC to the sum of £245.81. This was claimed in January 2024 and I’d like to thank our members for allowing us to collect this on their tax paid.

Outreach donaLons came in at £790 and I’d like to thank these organisaLons for their very generous contribuLon. As always, we pride ourself as an organisaLon in not charging to hold events but are always welcome of donaLons to the society.

As expected, our largest expenditure this season was for the hire of the school hall, a deducLon missing from last year’s expenditure because of Covid and is post meeLngs, this was £450 for the season.

The second highest expenditure was for speaker fees, which included an overnight stay in a hotel, fuel and a meal.

We made some addiLonal purchases this season, notably a projector screen for outreach events and a new head microphone for our lectures. Both have become a valuable asset to the society.

I would also like to again thank our website hosLng company 34SP.com. They provide our website hosLng for free, which is an annual saving of over £120.

Income

Expenditure

Accounts for the year ended April 30[th] 2024

NIAAS BALANCE SHEET FOR 1st May 2023 - 30th April 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
Starting Balance In Bank Account 2175.64
Petty Cash 194.65
Starting Total £ 2370.29
Money In Money Out
Membership £ 359.00 Hire of School Hall £ 450.00
Membership from Paypal £ 431.54 Domain Name (NIAAS.co.uk) £ 7.50
Membership from Sumup CC £ 78.66 Tea & Biscuits etc £ 94.00
Amazon Charity Donations £ 17.03 PLI Insurance £ 134.40
Donation Bucket £ 149.25 Speaker Fees £ 191.50
Outreach Donations £ 790.00 Purchases - Prizes/Stationary/Projector Screen/Mic £ 131.95
Gift Aid £ 245.81
Easy Fundraising £ 40.03
Total £ 2111.32 Total £ 1009.35
starting total 2370.29
plus income + 2111.32
£ 4481.61
Santander Account 3164.91
minus outgoings - 1009.35 Petty Cash 307.35
Final Balance £ 3472.26
----- End of picture text -----

Other Points

Child Protection Policy

The Society runs a child protecLon policy, with Mr Philip MatcheQ and Mrs Geraldine Gribben being the two named officers. I am pleased to say there have been no reported incidents!

Risks and Accidents

The society endeavours to carry out a risk assessment for any of their events and for the meeLngs at Ballyclare High School, Mr Jonathan Bingham and Mr Derrick McCourt are the named fire officers. We have a sign in book at every meeLng in the event of a fire.

We are pleased to report that there haven’t been any reported accidents this year!

Chairman’s Note

This season has been a great success.

We had a good variety of speakers throughout the season, from Queens University, Armagh observatory and Limerick.

There were also talks by society members, aQendance was very steady throughout the season with several new members coming along on a regular basis.

There were several outreach events throughout the season, with request now picking up aoer the lull due to the pandemic.

These events are an important part of our society, and everyone who parLcipated in them thoroughly enjoyed it.

The society magazine, Azimuth, was published every two months.