2024-12-31-accounts - Kempton Great Engines Trust Limited

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Kempton Great Engines Trust

Kempton Great Engines Trust Limited

Annual Report and Accounts

31 December 2024

The Trustees, who are also directors of the Charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2024. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and the Accounting and Reporting by Charities; Statement of Recommended Practice (second edition) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard 102 ('FRS102').

Kempton Great Engines Trust

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Company Name

Kempton Great Engines Trust Limited

Registered Company Number 03094226 Registered Charity Number 1048936 Scheduled Monument Number 153 Registered Office Kempton Steam Museum Kempton Park Waterworks Snakey Lane Hanworth Middlesex TW13 6XH

Trustees Abdullah Seba David Lawrie

Felix Charteris

Jerry Scholefield – retired 28 May 2024 John Anderson (Chair) – retired 31 December 2024 Martin Wicks (Treasurer until 3 June 2024)

Richard Albanese (Acting Chair appointed 7 January 2025) Stephen Fielding Stephen Hewes (Treasurer) - appointed 3 June 2024. Susan Webb – retired 3 September 2024 Valerie Mills (Company Secretary) - appointed as Trustee on 13 February 2024

Since the year end, Matt Guenigault was appointed as Trustee on 1 April 2025.

Company Secretary

Steven Bamforth retired, and Valerie Mills was appointed, as Company Secretary on 12 March 2024.

Kempton Great Engines Trust

Independent Examiner

Sara Williams

Bankers

CAF Bank Ltd

Kempton Great Engines Trust

MESSAGE FROM THE ACTING CHAIR

2024 was a year in which we continued to focus on the delivery of our charitable objectives, both in the present and in the future. We continued to work to improve our visitor experience and increase our audience numbers. Around 5,900 people visited the museum in 2024 including approximately 1,000 under 18 years, representing a significant improvement on 2024. In addition, we worked to maximise the use of the currently available visitor space in the engine house by re-positioning the workshop facilities, which is proving particularly useful for visits by local schools and as a social space.

We continued to work on our longer-term plans for increasing visitor space into the old boiler house and the construction of a Learning and Activity Centre. Both of these developments are contingent on support being available from key stakeholders, namely Thames Water and the London Borough of Hounslow Council respectively, with whom we continued to have constructive relations, along with Historic England. In the meantime, our focus is on ensuring that we are ready to progress just as soon this support becomes available.

During 2024 we welcomed onto the board Valerie Mills as Company Secretary and Stephen Hewes as Treasurer who have enabled us to improve our corporate governance as a charity. At the end of the year, we said farewell to John Anderson who retired as Chair after having made a profound contribution towards developing our future plans and vision. We also said farewell to Susie Webb in September who has provided insight and support at board level over the course of the maximum of two terms in office. In early 2025 we have welcomed Matt Guenigault to join the board to support the development of our marketing to a younger and more diverse audience.

Overall, this was another year of continued progress and of achieving our objectives, due entirely to the dedication of all our volunteers and trustees. Together, they contributed around 12,000 hours of voluntary time, a remarkable dedication to our worthy cause.

Richard Albanese

Acting Chair 13 May 2025

Kempton Great Engines Trust

DIRECTORS’ REPORT

ABOUT KEMPTON GREAT ENGINES TRUST

Kempton Great Engines Trust Ltd was incorporated on 23 August 1995 to preserve the historic tripleexpansion steam engines at Kempton Park Pumping Station and make them accessible to the public as a museum. The Engine House, along with its original steam pumping engines and equipment, is a Scheduled Monument (No. 153) and Grade II* listed.

In 2002, the ‘Sir William Prescott’ engine was successfully restored to steam and later that year the museum was officially inaugurated by the then HRH The Prince of Wales. It has been open to the public since 2004.

Our Vision

To be a national centre for learning about the supply of drinking water and its importance to the world

Our Mission

To tell the story of the Kempton Park Pumping Station and its vital role in the supply of drinking water from past to present
Enhance and maintain the Engine House as a working display of the pinnacle of traditional steam pumping engine development and transition to turbine technology

Our values

Our behaviour will be based on the Nolan principles for standards in public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, leadership
We will be inclusive and diverse respecting the rights of everyone regardless of ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Kempton Great Engines Trust is incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and is governed by its Articles of Association. The Articles outline the provisions for the running of the Trust, which trades as Kempton Steam Museum. Overall responsibility is entrusted to a board of trustees. Appointments of new trustees are approved by the board, with selection based on the skills required to complement existing skills of board members. The trustees are all volunteers who undertake training and involve third-party experts as required. During the year a governance review was conducted with the support of an external consultant, and the resulting recommendations were implemented to enhance the Trust’s overall effectiveness.

Oversight and decision-making responsibilities are delegated to sub-committees of the Board where appropriate, with their terms of reference and membership subject to Board approval. These committees cover Operations, Technical, Finance & Performance, Strategy & Development, Conservation, and Health & Safety. The bulk of our conservation work and the running of the

Kempton Great Engines Trust

museum as a public venue is carried out by volunteers. A paid part-time bookkeeper is currently the only employee.

The trustees regularly review the major risks facing the charity. A Risk Register is maintained and updated on a regular basis. Additionally, insurance cover is maintained against standard commercial risks.

During the year, our Strategic Plan was updated, reaffirming our long-term ambition to expand the museum into the original Boiler House adjacent to the Engine House. This Grade II* listed building offers a large space that could support our future needs. During 2024 a grant was received from the Architectural Heritage Fund to enable Caroe Architects to develop an initial heritage appraisal and draft development brief.

In the shorter term, trustees focused on two key initiatives. The first was the development of a new modular building to serve as a Learning and Activity Centre, benefiting both the museum and local community organisations. Work on this project with Hounslow Council and Historic England continued throughout 2024. The second initiative involved working towards securing funding to strengthen volunteer management, enhance curatorial expertise and conduct audience development to increase visitor numbers and ensure our audience more accurately reflects the diverse communities of Hounslow.

OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE

Public benefit

The trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and that the activities carried out by Kempton Great Engines Trust during the year were all undertaken to further its objects. A detailed explanation is given under activities below.

Objectives

The Trust’s charitable objects are set out in the Articles of Association as revised in January 2023. They are for the public benefit:

To promote, encourage, improve and advance the education of all about past, present and future importance of conserving and sustaining clean public water supplies by:

1) The collection, preservation, safeguarding, interpretation and display of equipment, objects and artefacts of whatsoever nature relating to, but not exclusively, the story of the Kempton Park site and its role in the supply of safe clean water to large areas of London; and
2) The operation of a museum at Kempton Park pumping station based on the appropriate sector standards which provides the public the opportunity to see the original steam engines working in their original setting alongside examples of evolving turbine technology; and
3) A wider understanding and appreciation of the importance of the industrial revolution in the social and economic development of Great Britain, including coal power, electricity generation, railways and civil engineering.

Kempton Great Engines Trust

Visitor activity

Increasing visitor numbers is essential to fulfilling our charitable objectives and remains our primary source of income. We mainly do this by opening for one weekend each month from March to December (excluding July), during which the Sir William Prescott pumping engine is operated in steam four times daily. Additionally, the museum welcomes visitors every Sunday throughout the season as a static exhibit.

During open days, volunteers lead guided tours to the top of the static ‘Lady Bessie’ engine, complemented by self-guided access, which was successfully introduced in 2024. Both experiences offer visitors a unique chance to explore the machinery up close while gaining insight into the engineering and operation of the engines and pumps.

Visitor numbers over the year rose to 5,895, an increase of approximately 16% compared to 2023. Admission charges rose in 2024, to offset increasing costs but young people under the age of 18 years continued to be admitted free of charge.

In addition to the steaming weekends and special events such as the popular Science Show and classic car shows, we also held two evening events in 2024, comprising a Jazz Night and Music at the Museum, which showcased the engines in an atmospheric setting. These evening events attracted over 200 visitors and provided valuable additional income to support our charitable mission.

The museum continues to host a small number of educational visits from local school children studying local history and science, together with group visits and these are areas where we would like to expand our involvement. We once again supported the Open House Festival in September.

Work to relocate a mechanical workshop away from the rear of the ‘Lady Bessie’ engine was completed towards the end of 2024 and this area is now available for talks during open days, family activities and as a base for group visits.

Refreshments and Merchandise

The café and shop are an important part of improving our visitor experience and a significant source of income. We keep prices of snacks and a range of beverages at affordable levels and we continued to add lines to the shop. This year the café and shop generated over £18,500 (2023: £16,800).

Volunteering

The museum volunteers are critical to its success, and dedicating circa 12,000 hours in 2024 (10,000 in 2023), worked in two main areas:

Technical

Our main attraction is the original ‘Sir William Prescott’ engine which is driven by steam. It requires constant care and attention to maintain in good and safe working order. We have a dedicated group of around 25 volunteers who take on these behind-the-scenes activities under the direction of the Technical Committee that reports to the Trust Board. We currently have 11 volunteers who are fully qualified in all aspects of the operation of the Great Engine, with the remainder currently receiving training.

Kempton Great Engines Trust

Front of house

Every bit as important as engineers and electricians are the volunteers who make our visitor experience as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. These people do everything from welcoming visitors at the entrance, helping out in the car park, answering questions and, of course, serving refreshments.

A high and sustainable level of volunteering will be vital to our future. This will be a challenge as it is across the sector. In 2024 we completed a strategic review of volunteering at the museum, which provided recommendations for improving the ways we look after volunteers, recruitment and diversification of volunteers. The trustees accept that we need to become more professional in the way we manage our volunteers with a key aim to obtain funding for a part-time Volunteer Coordinator in 2025. We also carried out an audit of our volunteering needs to assist in our recruitment efforts.

Accreditation

We currently have ‘working towards Accreditation’ status from Arts Council England, with our application for full Accreditation due to be submitted by August 2026. We continue to be supported by an Accreditation mentor to enable us to achieve the required standards by then.

Audience

The museum continues to receive favourable reviews from visitors, but it is not well known by people living outside the immediate area unless they are steam enthusiasts. A new Marketing Strategy was developed towards the end of 2024 to address this. The demographics of those visiting are predominantly white British and we wish to diversify our audience so that it better reflects our local community in Hounslow and attract more families. Following on from the successful marketing project carried out by students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the USA in 2024, students from the same institution trialled some family activities in 2025 to help us to address this.

Partnerships

A list of supporting partners is below in the Financial Review section. The museum has links with other pumping stations in London, including the London Museum of Water & Steam and Crossness. Sharing knowledge and experience of mutual challenges will be important as we pursue Accreditation and we aim to extend such collaboration in areas such as sustainability.

We have excellent links to the London Borough of Hounslow and are members of the Hounslow Cultural Partnership, giving us access to other cultural sites in the borough with whom we continue to work closely. Our landlords, Thames Water, are a major partner and will be key as we move the museum expansion plans forward, not just in relation to the buildings but also in delivering our vision.

Kempton Great Engines Trust

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Principal funding sources

The principal sources of funding during the year were:

Sales of tickets for admission to the museum
Refreshments and merchandise
Income from location hire
Grants

Visitor numbers increased by approximately 16% in 2024, which combined with a review of admission prices resulted in regular ticket sales of £64,950 compared with £47,099 in the previous year. Refreshment and merchandise sales also increased, from £16,800 to £18,491 in 2024.

Donations from the public of £1,461 (2023: £1,651) were received during the year.

Location hire income was lower at £6,768 (2023: £18,525) reflecting the lumpy nature of this income stream. This trend has been reversed in 2025, with a significant film hire of £20k early in the year.

The Trust received confirmation of a grant of £5,000 from the Architectural Heritage Fund in 2024 which supported a study of buildings of interest at the Kempton site. The 2024 grant of £18,875 from the London Borough of Hounslow was the second instalment covering the cost of installing a visitor lift which was commissioned in that year.

The trust has no restricted funds. The fixed assets acquired from capital grants are used for the Trust’s principal charitable purpose, and hence related revenue is treated as unrestricted funds.

Reserves policy

The Trustees have a reserves policy of holding £80,000 (2023: £50,000) as a sufficient fund to ensure that the No 6 engine can be kept in full working order in the event of unexpected engineering works requiring specialist contractors. The policy is reviewed annually.

Total reserves were £208,806 (31.12.23: £191,135), and the balance on the bank accounts and cash in hand was £148,218 (31.12.23: £124,245) at the year-end date. The surplus reserves will enable the Trust to pursue its growth ambitions and act as a buffer should trading losses be incurred.

There were no significant commitments made as at the end of the year (2023: £nil).

Funds in deficit and going concern

There were no funds in deficit at the end of the accounting year.

The trustees have assessed that the charity will be able to continue as a going concern. In making this assessment the trustees have taken into account all available information about the future for at least the 12 months from the date the accounts were approved. In particular, the trust holds reserve funds held as a precaution for any repairs required to the main engine plus reserves held to cover the risk that visitor numbers are reduced for whatever reason.

Kempton Great Engines Trust

Investment policy and objectives

Kempton Great Engines Trust does not have significant funds to invest and funds above those needed to deal with day-to-day transactions are kept on bank deposit.

Funds held as custodian for others

Kempton Great Engines Trust does not hold any funds as custodian for others.

Partnerships

We are grateful for the support of: London Borough of Hounslow Thames Water Historic England Association of Independent Museums Museum of London

Kempton Great Engines Trust

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

I report on the accounts for the year ended 31st December 2024 set out on pages 12 to 16.

Respective responsibilities of the trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees (who are also the directors for the purpose of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is required.

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

Examine the accounts under Section 145 of the 2011 Act;
Follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission (under Section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act); and
State whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of the independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, that:

the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting Requirements of Section 394 and 395 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities

have not been met; or

to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Sara Williams BA Hons MA MICB FICFA

Independent Accounts Examiner

Fellow Institute of Certified Forensic Accountants. Member of Institute of Certified Bookkeepers.

13 May 2025

Kempton Great Engines Trust

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Combined statement of Financial Activities and Income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 December 2024

	Notes	2024	2023
Income		£	£
Donations	2	1,497	5,701
Grants	3	5,000	18,875
Charitable activities		90,228	63,712
Supporter subscriptions		1,963	2,031
Location hire		6,768	18,525
Bank Interest		3,257	2,201
Total		108,713	111,045
Expenditure on charitable activities
Operations		44,578	51,018
Administration	4	37,738	39,346
Projects		8,726	74
		91,042	90,437
Net income in the year / net movement in funds		17,671	20,608
Opening funds as at 1 January		191,135	170,527
Total funds as at 31 December		208,806	191,135

No corporation tax was payable in the year (2023: £nil).

Kempton Great Engines Trust

Statement of Financial Position as at 31 December 2024

	Notes	2024	2023
		£	£
Fixed Assets (net of depreciation)	5	61,240	67,415
Current Assets
Cash in Bank, on Deposit and in hand		148,218	124,245
Stock		3,472	1,957
Sundry debtor		6,303	-
Accruals		(10,427)	(2,482)
Net current assets		147,567	123,720
Net Assets		208,806	191,135
Represented by
Restricted funds		-	-
Unrestricted funds		208,806	191,136
Total funds		208,806	191,136

The total reserves of £208,806 as at 31 December 2024 represented unrestricted funds, as all capital grants have been previously fully applied to the acquisition of fixed assets.

Richard Albanese

Acting Chair and Trustee

13 May 2025

Stephen Hewes Treasurer and Trustee 13 May 2025

Kempton Great Engines Trust

Notes to the financial statements

1. Basis of preparation

These accounts have been prepared under the historic cost convention, the Companies Act 2006 and the FRS 102 account standard as applicable for smaller companies.

Judgements and estimates

The trustees have made the following judgements when preparing these accounts:

Refreshment and gift shop sales are treated as ancillary to the primary purpose trading of the museum.
In accordance with the SORP, no value has been assigned to the time and services provided by volunteers and trustees to the charity free of charge on the basis that these services can not be resold.
No valuation of the heritage assets is available, and the cost of obtaining a valuation is not commensurate with the benefit to the users of the accounts and the charity.

The main estimates made by trustees in the preparation of these accounts is that of the useful lives of its fixed assets. These are valued in note 5.

2. Donations:

2. Donations:	2024	2023
	£	£
Public	1,497	1,651
Kempton Great Engines Society	-	4,050
Total donations	1,497	4,479
3.Grants received:
	2024	2023
	£	£
Architectural Heritage Fund	5,000	-
London Borough of Hounslow:	-	18,875

The grant funding in 2024 was in respect of a study into Kempton’s industrial heritage buildings. The grant in 2023 was the second instalment in respect of a passenger lift which was brought into use that year. In accordance with paragraph 5.10 of the SORP for Charities, the accrual basis for grants has not been applied and instead grant funds have been recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably.

Kempton Great Engines Trust

4. Administration expenses	2024	2023
	£	£
Salaries	2,202	5,263
Financial Charges	3,346	2,055
Telephone & Internet	2,226	2,698
IT costs	5,748	4,650
Insurance	1,941	1,840
Marketing & Publicity	2,391	3,742
Rent	1,085	1,085
Legal costs	4,472	1,950
Other establishment costs	4,905	3,102
Depreciation	9,421	12,960
	37,738	39,346
	2024	2023
5. Fixed assets	£	£
Cost	114,260	111,014
Depreciation	53,020	43,599
Net Book Value	61,240	67,415
Net book value
At 1 January	67,416	56,176
Additions	3,246	24,200
Depreciation	(9,421)	(12,960)
As at 31 December	61,240	67,416

The fixed assets held in the register represent assets acquired for the operation of the museum and are depreciated over their expected economic lives, generally of 10 years.

No value has been assigned to the heritage assets for the purposes of these accounts as no valuation is available and such information cannot be obtained at a cost commensurate with the benefit to the users of the accounts and to the charity. The heritage assets include the historically significant two triple expansion steam engines originally commissioned in 1929, owned by Thames Water and leased to the Trust. The building housing the engines is owned and maintained by Thames Water, and is leased to the Trust on a long-term basis.

6. Remuneration

No trustees received renumeration, benefits or reimbursement of personal expenses in the year (2023: £nil).

The amount payable to the Independent Accounts Examiner in respect of the 2024 accounts is £240 (2023: £240).

The salaries costs included in note 4 represent wages and social security costs of a part-time bookkeeper and security guards employed on an ad hoc basis, the analysis of which is not considered meaningful. No post-employment benefits were provided in the period (2023: £nil).

Kempton Great Engines Trust

The average headcount was a small fraction of one full time equivalent employee. No employees received benefits of more than £60,000 (2023: none).

7. Related party transactions – there were no related party transaction requiring disclosure in the year. (2023: none).