Annual Report 2006

The Treasurer's Report
by Cynthia Greenall

The Accounts

The accounts show low levels of income and expenditure this year with the Society in a healthy position being funded by members' subscriptions, donations and the sales stall activities. No major projects have been undertaken so application for grant funding has not been necessary. Memberships remain between the average 150/160 mark despite the reduction in renewals and subscription rates are unchanged.

Membership

Membership is now 153 after a disappointing drop of 11. We welcomed 3 new members during the year, there were 2 resignations, 7 memberships lapsed, 2 life members died and several joint memberships reverted to singles.

Sales and Publicity Team

The first booking of the season was at Easter, early for us, and faced in January with a largely inhospitable sales caravan, we knew we had to find a replacement quickly. Luckily after numerous begging letters and several visits to caravan companies, a suitable, well priced van was ours. We had a few weeks breathing space then to equip it and stock it ready for Easter and the National Trailboat Rally at Crooklands on the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal (left).

At Spring Bank Holiday we attended the Willow Park Craft Fair in Newton-le-Willows. It was a day of heavy rain, hail and sunshine but the visitors were not deterred and we enjoyed a good day. The Boat Jumble at Spike Island, IWA Chester Branch Rally at Ellesmere Port and the Burscough Festival all suffered from rain and/or lack of visitors and the Halton Show was cancelled. However, on a chance application, we were allotted a free charity stall at the St Helens Show. We spent three very useful days there acquiring archive material, answering questions and depleting the sales stock in a most satisfactory manner.

Visiting the National Festival at the end of August is always an experience one way or another but we got down to the Beale Park site on the Thames and back this year without mishap. We were down there almost a week, hiring a marquee to house the stall while we stayed in the caravan on the campsite, Dave Smallshaw brought his tent. No theatre presentation this year by the Society but Colin and Dave did some useful planned networking among the other canal society stalls. A week at home to recover and then our regular visit to the Rural Craft Fair at Rainford with its sunshine and crowds rounded off the season.

Thank you to Ann Marshall who braved the heatwave at St Helens and to Dave Smallshaw who has been a welcome addition to the team this year. Also thank you to members, friends and family who have have helped out, supplied most of the stock and fathomed the workings of the digital items. We couldn't manage without you!

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2006

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