Orr’s Corner - Labby – Draperstown - BT45 7BE
e: info@ulht.org.uk
w: www.ulht.org.uk
Ulster Local History Trust
Trustees’ Report
Year ended 31 March 2024
Patron: Lord O'Neill
Trustees: Dr Seán Beattie, Dr Liam Campbell, Evelyn Cardwell (Chair), John Cunningham, John Dooher, Roddy Hegarty, Jack Johnston, Dr Linde Lunney, Graham Mawhinney, Dr Kay Muhr.
Charity No: NIC 101555
Ulster Local History Trust Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2023
The trustees present their Report for the year ended 31 March 2024
Trustees
The trustees who served during the year were as follows:
| Dr Seán Beattie | Ms Evelyn Cardwell | |
|---|---|---|
| Mr John Cunningham | Mr John Dooher | |
| Mr Roddy Hegarty | Mr Jack Johnston | |
| Mr Graham Mawhinney | Dr Kay Muhr | |
| Dr Liam Campbell (Chair) | Dr Linde Lunney | |
| Registered | Orr’s Corner | |
| Address | Labby | |
| Draperstown | ||
| BT45 7BE | ||
| Independent | Samuel Atcheson LM LCGI DPA(CIPFA) FCMI Fiol GCGI | |
| Examiner | 100a Liskey Road | |
| Strabane | ||
| Co Tyrone | ||
| BT82 8QA | ||
| Bankers | ||
| Ulster Bank | ||
| 11-16 Donegall Square East | ||
| Belfast BT1 5UB | ||
| Allied Irish Bank | ||
| The Diamond | ||
| Monaghan | ||
| Ireland | ||
| Charity | ||
| Registration | 101555 | |
| Number |
Ulster Local History Trust Trustees Report 1[st] April 2023 – 31[st] March 2024
Meetings
Four Trust meetings were held during the year in addition to the Annual General Meeting, with two meetings held in person and two meetings held virtually via Zoom technology.
Average attendance for the year was 67.5% with between six and eight trustees present at each meeting as detailed in the table below:
| Trustee | May-23 | Sep-23 | Dec-23 | Mar-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting | Virtual | Virtual | Investec | Mellon Centre |
| LC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Ap |
| EC | Yes | Yes | Ap | Yes |
| JBC | Ap | |||
| JD | Yes | Yes | Ap | Yes |
| RH | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| JJ | Ap | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LL | Yes | Ap | Yes | Ap |
| GM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| KM | Yes | Yes | Ap | Ap |
Financial statement April 2023-March 2024 (see financial report for full details)[1]
There was no actual income this year as such, our investment gains are not regarded as income until they are crystallised and transferred out to our bank account. Total expenditure was £3,705 (£3,189) which included grant pay outs of £2,000 (£1,000).
At the end of the financial year the Ulster Bank account stood at £12,354 (£16,003) and the AIB account at 1,220 (1,410) Euro. Our investment account with Investec Wealth and Management continued to perform satisfactorily given the prevailing circumstances and now has a book price of £142,007 (£140,149)
Overall the value of the Trust’s capital assets stands at £154,361 (£156,016). Our membership of the Federation of Ulster Local Studies has also been renewed and Trust has continued to avail of the Federation’s insurance scheme.
Charity Commission NI
Final Accounts, Independent Examiner’s Report and Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31[st] March 202 were uploaded to the Charity Commission in January 2023. No queries were raised by the
1 Figures in brackets are the corresponding figures for the previous year
Commission. The Trust expressed its sincere thanks to our accountant, Roisin Shanks for acting as independent examiner in accordance with CCNI’s requirements.
Grant Applications
The Trust was again able to offer grants to encourage and assist with the production of good quality work in the field of local history. Seven (Six) grant applications were received this year, of which six were successful, one was insufficiently developed to qualify. Grants will be paid out in due course when the projects are satisfactorily completed.
The seven applications for grant support approved during the year were:
-
The Torrent – A publication celebrating 40 years of Donaghmore Historical Society
-
Rosemary Doherty – The Autobiography of Fr Daniel Cummings Part Two
-
Gerard Healy – Coolfore, West Farney and the National School System 1826-1968
-
Jim McGeery – Production of illustrated maps of the Garron Plateau, Co Antrim for a publication about bogs
-
Seamus Mac Anniadh – Publication of the 2024 edition of the Fermanagh Miscellany
-
Support towards the publication of Spark Magazine
-
Donal McAnnallan – Faction, Famine & Flight: The Powerscourt Estate, Benburb, 1835-50
Three grant payments were made this year to support the publications: The Torrent – A publication celebrating 40 years of Donaghmore Historical Society; Fermanagh Miscellany and Coolfore, West Farney and the National School System 1826-1968 all of which have now been published:
Publicity
It is encouraging to note that the number of grant applications has increased once again this year, which may perhaps indicate that the increased focus on publicity is paying off. However, the Trust is concerned that it is still receiving a number of applications which are in effect premature and lack the essential supporting documents in order to be considered. In such cases applicants were encouraged to re-submit when the project was closer to completion, and given advice where it was considered necessary.
The Trust also maintained its public profile through its website and Facebook pages.
Seminar - Digitisation
Discussions regarding a seminar/workshop on Digitisation commenced during the previous year are ongoing and it is hoped that an event on the topic will be held in the not to distant future.
Website
The website continues to get good usage highlighting the dependence by local historians on digital materials. Over 100 weblinks are provided to the most commonly used resources for local history in Ulster. Also the grants section highlights our funding regime and provides an online application processwas together with a listing of other grant aiding bodies.
Q ueries
The Trust responded to a number of queries this year as in previous years , some related to requests for local history publications, a few from film/media companies and students seeking assistance and advice and others were research queries
Patron: Lord O'Neill
Trustees: Dr Seán Beattie, Dr Liam Campbell, Evelyn Cardwell (Chair), John Cunningham, John Dooher, Roddy Hegarty, Jack Johnston, Dr Linde Lunney, Graham Mawhinney, Dr Kay Muhr.
Charity No: NIC 101555