Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date
Period end date
From 1 April 2022 To 31 March 2023
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name The North of Ireland Family History Society
Other names charity is known by NIFHS
Registered charity number (if any) NIC106071
Charity's principal address Unit C4, Valley Business Centre
67 Church Road Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland Postcode BT36 7LS
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity | Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity | Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity | Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity | Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole year Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
||||
| 1 | Brian O’Hara | Ballymena Chair | ||
| 2 | Patricia Cummings | Ballymena Secretary | ||
| 3 | Alan Rosborough | Ballymena Treasurer | ||
| 4 | Arthur Macartney | Belfast Chairperson | ||
| 5 | ||||
| 6 | Margaret Armstrong | Belfast Treasurer | ||
| 7 | Elwyn Soutter | Causeway Coast Glens Chairperson | ||
| 8 | Andrew Kane | Causeway Coast & Glens Treasurer | ||
| 9 | Gerard Harvey | Foyle Chairperson | ||
| 10 | Nuala McGee | Foyle Secretary | ||
| 11 | Gerard Harvey | Foyle Chairperson | ||
| 12 | Nuala McGee | Foyle Secretary | ||
| 13 | Elaine Doherty | Foyle Treasurer | ||
| 14 | ||||
| 15 | Ken Tait | Killyleagh Secretary | ||
| 16 | Glenyss Glass | Larne Secretary | ||
| 17 | David Simms | Larne Treasurer | ||
| 18 | ||||
| 19 | ||||
| 20 | Elizabeth Scott | Society General Secretary | 1 Apr 22 - 31 Dec 22 | |
| 21 | Vivien Holding | SocietyGeneral Secretary | 1 Jan 23 – 31 Marr 23 |
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Section A Reference and administration details (continued)
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacant | Newtownabbey Chairperson | |||
| Imelda McVeigh | Newtownabbey Secretary | |||
| Etta Mann | Newtownabbey Treasurer | |||
| Angela O’Connor | South Tyrone Chairperson | |||
| Sarah Robinson | South Tyrone Secretary | |||
| Leslie Kelly | South Tyrone Treasurer | |||
| Vincent Brogan | Tyrone Chairperson | |||
| Sheena McClure | Tyrone Secretary | |||
| Ann Robinson | Society President | |||
| Alison Tait | Society Chairperson | 1 Apr 22 – 28 Feb 23 | ||
| Michael Parkinson | Society Vice Chair Society Chairperson |
1 Apr 22- 28 Feb 23 28 Feb 23 – 31 Mar 23 |
||
| Michael McKeag | Society Treasurer | |||
| Martin McDowell | Society Education & Development Officer | |||
| Maeve Rogan | Society Publicity Officer | |||
| Alexandra Barr | Society Membership Secretary |
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year None
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address None
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
None
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Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Type of governing document
- (eg. trust deed, constitution)
[ Constitution ]
How the charity is constituted
- (eg. trust, association, company)
[ Unincorporated Association ]
Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
[ Annual Election by Members ]
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
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You may choose to include
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additional information, where The Society is governed by the Council consisting of all the relevant, about: Trustees. It includes the Society Officers and, for each Branch, the Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
The Society is a member of the following organisations:
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[FHF] The Family History Federation, the new operating
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name of the Federation of Family History Societies, Registered Charity Number 1038721.
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
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[FULS] The Federation for Ulster Local Studies, Registered
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Charity Number NIC100526.
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[CIGO] The Council for Irish Genealogical Organisations
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The Society has the following insurance cover: ● Asset Insurance ● Public Liability Insurance ● Charity Trustee Indemnity Insurance
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Section C Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the To promote and encourage the public and personal study of charity set out in its governing document worldwide family history, genealogy, heraldry and local history with particular reference to the North of Ireland.
| Summary of the main activities | The Trustee have continued to use guidance throughout the year to |
|---|---|
| undertaken for the public | keep all safe. We have continued to have virtual meeting and held |
| benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory |
courses using Zoom technology hopefully this will change in the coming year. |
| declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity |
Branch’s have continued organising meeting via Zoom these have been mostly online but some face to face. |
| Commission on public benefit) | The Society has held 3 Course programmes which amounted to 27 |
| sessions using Zoom Technology these were open to members and | |
| the public. | |
| This year again the Society participated with the Family History | |
| Federation/s Family History Show manning a virtual booth | |
| interacting with potential members. | |
| The Society North of Ireland DNA project has continued and has | |
| increased by 1,161 from 8,138 it is now one of the largest | |
| geographical projects available worldwide. | |
| Th Research Centre re-opened we have continued with lookups and | |
| equerries from members throughout the year. | |
| Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information) | |
| Youmay chooseto include | |
| further statements, where relevant, about: |
The Society is run entirely by volunteers. |
| ● policy on grant making; |
The contribution made by volunteers at Branch and Society levels is |
| ● policy programme related |
substantial. |
| investment; | |
| ● contribution made by |
|
| volunteers. |
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Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year
Events: Branch’s all had dates for Super Saturday’s at Research Centre which was attended by members and potential members. Along with the Society North of Ireland DNA project which continues branch’s have been asked to consider doing DNA projects in their area this has been taken up by some branches
Courses: In total the Society has arranged 3 course programmes which contained 27 sessions for members and the public.
Publications Twice each year the Society publishes a journal North Irish Roots for its members along with other publications these are on sale to the public.
10 issues of a monthly e-newsletter is sent out to members worldwide.
Projects: The programme of transcribing and indexing records continues.
The North of Ireland DNA project continues to grow it was 8,138 an increase of 1,161 on last year.
The Society continued to provide paid genealogy courses for groups such as The Men’s Shed.
The Society took part in a Wiki Tree Challenge in which the Society picked 7 prominent people and building trees and making connections.
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Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the
The Society earmarks funds to cover anticipated future expenditure charity’s policy on reserves and possible contingencies and it maintains adequate reserves to underwrite projects that might arise during the coming year.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where Receipts : Payments : relevant about: Subscriptions, donations Premises ● the charity’s principal Publications Journal, publications Events Office expenses sources of funds (including any Gift Aid Insurance, fees fundraising); ● how expenditure has Courses IT expenses Other DNA project supported the key objectives of Other
● how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
● investment policy and The rented premises house the Research Centre and Library for objectives including any ethical use by members and the public. investment policy adopted.
Reserves are held in bank accounts, not in investments.
Section F Other optional information
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Vivien Holding Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Secretary
Date 2 Nov 2023
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