The Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Historical Society Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 July 2023 The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effectivc l January 2019). INCORPORATION Tbe charitable company, The Police Historical Society (N.I.) (Incorporating the RUC GC Historical Society) was incorporated on I l May 2017. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Objectives and aims The Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Historical Society exists to advance public education and understanding of the history of policing in Ireland. It does this through its ownership and management of its historic collection of police artefacts held in the Police Museum at PSNI Headquarters. The collection covers the history of policing in the North of Ireland from the early 1800s to the Present day. The collection includes uniforms, equipment, medals, weapons, vehicles, posters and archives from the early 1800's onwards. The museum is located at PSNI Headquarters in Belfast and is open daily to the public. It provides outside exhibitions and collaborates both with the Northern Ireland Museums Council and other local museums. The Hon. Secretary/Curator gives regular talks both to visiting individuals and groups and to interested outside bodies. AJ] annual talks programme is produced for society members and it is hoped to restart the society journal in a digital fonnat, having been in abeyance since COVID. Significant activities Museum activities continued to recover throughout the year in the aftennath of COVID. Staff continued to maintain an historical and genealogical enquiry service in rcsponse to queries and carried out historical research on aspects of police history and on artefacts held in the collection. From autumn 2021 the Curator moved to work on a phased retirement basis of three days per week. The development work for a new museum reached fruition with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the society and the PSNI for the governance and nmning of the planned new museum. This allowed the museum to achieve full museum accreditation status with the Arts Council. During the year major exhibitions were mounted at the Police College to celebrate the centenary of policing in Northern Ireland and 50 years of the police part-time reserve. A growing number of talks were given throughout th¢ year to a range of outside bodies, such as local history and genealogical societies. The society's monthly talks programme continued and thanks must go to Dr Lavinia Boyce for putting together an interesting and varied programme. The society hope in to have a zoom facility to allow a wider audience for the talks. During the year the resignation of all the trustees to the original trust deeds of 1993 and 2003 were secured and the society awaits confinllation from the Charity Commission Nl that it may now transfer it's assets and transition to the new charitable company. Page I
The Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Historical Society Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 July 2023 STRUCTURE, GOVERIqANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity. Organisational structure The Society is governed by a management committee elected annually at the society AGM, comprising the following office bearers: Chair (vacant), 2 Vice Chairs, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Assistant Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Assistant Treasurer, Membership Secretary and in the period in question 6 trustees. The management committee meets every two months to receive reports from the society office bearers. Office bearers and trustees receive no remuneration in respect of their services to the charity. The management committee delegates the day-to-day management of the collection and the Police Museum to the Honorary Secretary, who is also Curator of the Police Museum and as such a part-time PSNI employee. The Curator is assisted by an assistant who is also a full-time PSNI employee REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number 100306 Principal address PSNI Headquarters 65 Knock Road Belfast Co. Antrim BT5 6LE Trustees Mr Thomas Fulton Mr Frederick Hall Mr DavÈd Orr Vice Chair Mr Robert James Black Hon. Assistant Secretary Dr Lavinia Boyce Hon. Treasurer Mr George Clarke Vice Chair Mr William Swann (Resigned August 2022) Mr Geofftey Ward Mr Ronald Galwey Ms Frances Andrea Morrow Mr Gavin Boyd Mr Hugh Foester Hon. Secretary Mr Philip Robinson (Appointed September 2022) Independent Examiner John Mccleary FCA Mccleary & Company Ltd Chartered Accountants Garvey Studios 14 Longstone Street Lisburn Co. Antrim BT28 ITP Page 2
The Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Historical Society Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 July 2023 REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Bankers Danske Bank 520 Upper Newtownards Road Belfast BT43HD Solicitors Edwards and Company 28 Hill Street Belfast BTI 2LA Approved by order of the board of trustecs on 16 October 2023 and signed on its behalf by.. ge Clarke - Trustee Page 3