Annual Report 2018
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018 The Royal Oak Foundation seeks to raise awareness of and advance the work of the National Trust of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland by inspiring support from the United States for the Trust’s efforts to preserve and protect historic places and spaces—for ever, for everyone. LETTER FROM THE BOARD Dear Royal Oak Community: On behalf of the Royal Oak Board of Directors and staff, we are pleased to present our annual report for 2018. Thanks to our loyal members and supporters, we are able to continue our mission to raise awareness of and advance the work of the National Trust of England,Wales, and Northern Ireland to preserve and protect historic places and spaces—for ever, for everyone. In 2018, we celebrated our 45th anniversary with a gala event at the Metropolitan Club in New York City. The event showcased a return to a traditional reception and dinner. Guests were treated to a panel discussion with Sir David Cannadine and Jeremy Musson who collaborated on a new book; The Country House: Past, Present, Future. Joining them was Robert Sackville-West, 7th Baron Sackville and Laura Trevelyan, BBC anchor, who acted as the interviewer of the panel. We continued our tradition of selecting a National Trust property to benefit from an annual appeal. This year we raised over $200,000 to complete the restoration of the gardens and parklands of Stowe in Buckinghamshire. The birthplace of the English landscape movement, and the work of all the leading designers of the time, Stowe’s gardens are among the finest in Europe and influenced the design of major estates all over the Continent. Our grant helped restore critical elements of the garden including statuary, monuments, and landscape. 2018 was also a year of transition. We lost our long-time supporter Drue Heinz. Mrs. Heinz, a member since 1986, provided critical underwriting for our lecture series through the Drue Heinz Foundation. She will be sorely missed. The National Trust also experienced a change as Dame Helen Ghosh left her position as Director- General to assume the role of Master of Balliol College, Oxford. She will be replaced by Hilary McGrady, Chief Operating Officer of the Trust, and we have no doubt that the leadership is in capable hands. The period ending 2018 finds the Royal Oak Foundation in a continued strong financial position. As we look toward the future, we know that our work would not be possible without continued support of you, our loyal members and donors. Respectfully, LynneRickabaugh Ian Murray Chairman Executive Director Royal Oak mourns the passing of Drue Heinz, a longtime benefactor and our Honorary Chairman. A great patron of the literary arts and a philanthropist, Mrs. Heinz was born in Norfolk, England and was devoted to British arts and literature. One of the many institutions she supported was the National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. her relationship with Royal Oak led to the establishment of the Drue Heinz Lecture Series, which the Drue Heinz Trust underwrote for years. This enabled the Royal Oak Foundation to bring hundreds of scholars and authors to cities across the country. Royal Oak sincerely appreciates her generosity. She and her stewardship will be deeply missed. D The National Trust’s current DirectorGeneral, Dame Helen Ghosh, left the conservation charity in early March to take up a new role as the Master of Balliol College, at Oxford niversity. During over five years at the helm, Helen has overseen the implementation of an ambitious year strategy, which has seen the Trust return to its roots by playing an active part in meeting some of the big challenges facing the nation such as the declining health of the natural environment, and the loss of green spaces in towns and cities. Hilary McGrady, the current National Trust Chief Operating Officer , has been named DirectorGeneral. She will officially start her new position in March. Hilary oined the National Trust in as the Regional Director, first in Northern Ireland, then in Wales and finally in London and the South East. MEMBERSHIP Royal Oak’s mission is to “raise awareness of and advance the work of the National Trust of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland by inspiring support from the United States for the Trust’s e orts to preserve and protect historic places and spaces—for ever, for everyone.” Essential to the success of that mission is the enduring participation of our members. We are very grateful to the approximately who continue to share with us not only their nancial support, but also their enthusiasm and loyalty; one quarter of them have been members for 10 years or more. Our members hail from ; but they all have one thing in common: a love of the United Kingdom and the historic properties under the stewardship of the National Trust. e house and garden at Chartwell, Kent. ©National Trust ImagesNick Dougan MEMBERSHIP BY CATEGORY IN 2018 7% 1% 7% 28% 40% - Dual 28% - Individual 4% 7% - Supporting 13% 13% - Life 7% - Family 4% - Student/Young Professional 1% - Heritage Circle 40% HERITAGE CIRCLE was created for individuals who wish to show their leadership and support of Royal Oak on an annual basis. One popular tour benet oers members two complimentary spaces on the annual U.K. Study Day in the fall, which features a dinner in London for our Guardian and Patron level members. Another attractive bene t is eligibility to participate in our spring garden and house tours. In 201, welcomed 9 members and some National Trust colleagues who visited 1 . In 201, the spring garden and house tour featured including the counties of 2 Member Households since inception (2006-201): Income from Heritage Circle Membership dues since inception: 3 5 1. 4 Ionic west portico of West Wycombe House, Buckinghamshire HERITAGE CIRCLE 5 Heritage Circle – Patrons Heritage Circle – Benefactors Heritage Circle – Benefactors (cont.) Michael J. Brown Mr. John A. Addison Mr. and Mrs. Samuel R. Shipley III Constance M. Cincotta The Honorable Victor H. Ashe Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Simonds Anne and Dan Ervin and Mrs. Ashe James Stambaugh and Andrea Pamela K. and Roger Hull Mr. and Mrs. Randall Barbato Morrissey Eric J. Nilson, S. Jeffrey Mostade Mrs. Melanie Boltax Brenda Neubauer Straus and Varun Shetty Charles N. Brower and Shirley K. Mary T. Svendson Lynne and Mark Rickabaugh Kent Mr. and Mrs. John R. Tankard III John Turner and Jerry Fischer Susan S. and David O. Brownwood Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thornton Mr. and Mrs. Willard Bunn III Mr. and Mrs. Glenn R. Traylor Heritage Circle – Guardians Sarah D. Coffin and Thomas E. JoAnn Tredennick and Jack L. Carla Balakgie O’Connor Meeks Betsy Barbanell Ms. Susan Davis and Mr. Keith George Triantaris and Steve Nigzus Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Bartlett Jr. Crandell Renee and Alan Tucei Michael A. Boyd Lt. Col. and Mrs. Jeffrey S. Farnquist Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Weiss John Southerton Clark (Ret.) Lois S. Wolf Tracey Dedrick and Alastair Mr. and Mrs. Edgar L. T. Gay Mr. and Mrs. Klaus P. Zech Merrick James B. Gordy Anonymous (3) Mr. and Mrs. George B. Kelly Mr. and Mrs. Francis Goudie Thomas M. Kelly Susan Sweetland Grimes Susan Ollila Ian and Madeline Hooper Susan and William Samuelson Rebecca Jessen and Tuck Forsyth Ms. Sandra C. Steele and Dr. Paul S. Katherine and Keith C. Kanaga Greenfield Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Knell Ms. Elizabeth A. Lee Heritage Circle – Steward David Nathans and Katherine Mr. and Mrs. John B.T. Campbell III Hastings Dr. Bruce Horten and Mr. Aaron Dr. Charles W. Nichols Lieber Ruth O’Brien Mr. and Mrs. Edwin McCarthy Kerry Olson and David Katz Constance C. McPhee Mr. and Mrs. Paul C. Pennington Mr. Albert Messina and Mr. Ken Pamela L. and Bruce Coleman Perkins Jennings Lynne R. Pickens Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Spain Jane H. Poole Mr. and Mrs. John Webster Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Rowe Deborah and Charles Royce Elizabeth F. and Stanley Deforest Scott PROGRAMS & LECTURES e lectures highlight signicant scholarship and academic research on a wide range of topics regarding British history, architecture and design, ne and decorative arts, and garden design. With lead funding from the since 1992, We oered a total of given in during this period. Highlights of 201 included spring lectures by on his new book Portraits of the English Civil Wars and the effect the war had on English society, and who explored the link between slavery and the British British Country House. Members also had the chance to tour Greenwich Village in New ork City and discover the Villages British connection. In the fall,entertained us with a ourney through British food From Dickens to Downton Abbey: Victorian and Edwardian Food, and spoke about The Rebirth of the English Country House: St. Giles, an awardwinning restoration now featured in a new book by Rizzoli. A special treat this season was an intimate concert performed by the cosponsored with the Princeton Club of New ork. William Dobson, Portrait of Prince Rupert, Colonel William Murray and Colonel, The Hon. John Russell . Madge Dresser lecturing in Charleston Royal Oak Foundation. The kitchen at Petworth House, West Sussex ©National Trust Images/Andreas von Einsiedel. 3. William Dobson, Portrait of Prince Rupert, Colonel William Murray and Colonel, The Hon. John Russell ©National Trust Images. 4. Nina Campbell book signing New ork City Royal Oak Foundation FELLOWSHIPS & SCHOLARSHIPS NIGEL SEELEY FELLOWSHIP The is offered biennially and gives talented Americans handson experience with the National Trust’s expertise and renowned educational training. Established in by Katherine Singley of Decatur, Georgia, the Nigel Seeley Conservation and Preservation Fellowship provides training and educational opportunities for individuals with a professional interest in the preservation of historic interiors, finishes and collections.