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2024-09-30-accounts

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

30 SEPTEMBER 2024

Company registration Number 06685688 Charity Number 1137777

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

Contents Pages
Reference & Administrative Information 1
Trustees’ Annual Report 2 - 15
Independent Examiner’s Report 16
Statement of Financial Activities 17
Balance Sheet 18
Cash Flow Statement 19
Notes to the Financial Statements 20 - 29

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST REFERENCE & ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

Trustees Nigel Hardy (Chair)
Cllr Craig Cheney (resigned 11 June 2024)
Fiona Hallworth
Karen White
Samuel Alvis
Eleanor Denney
Simon Face
Helen Renwick (resigned 14 June 2024)
Julia Trow
Huw James
Edmund Fay
Jocelyn Ormond
Anthony Dyer (appointed 9 September 2024)
Philip Walker (appointed 9 September 2024)
Company registered 06685688
number
Charity registration 1137777
number
Registered office Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
Queens Road
Bristol
BS8 1RL
Independent Examiner Joshua Kingston BSc (Hons) ACA
Burton Sweet Limited
The Clock Tower
5 Farleigh Court
Old Weston Road
Flax Bourton
Bristol
BS48 1UR
Bankers Natwest Bank PLC
PO Box 238
32 Corn Street
Bristol
BS99 7UG

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BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

The trustees (who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act) present their annual report together with the financial statements of Bristol Museums Development Trust (the company) for the year ended 30 September 2024. The trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the company’s governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities.”

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Following a period of uncertainty, 2023/2024 saw a new sense of direction and purpose for Bristol’s Culture and Creative Industries (C&CI) Museum Service.

March 2024 saw the appointment of a new permanent Head of Culture and Creative Industries, Phil Walker. The role had been filled with interim staff since April 2022. The trustees were thrilled to welcome Phil back to the service, as some had worked with him in his previous role with C&CI when he was Head of Engagement.

Phil has a wealth of experience in the heritage sector, and a deep understanding of C&CI. He joined the Learning team at Bristol Museums in 2005. He then moved internally to Exhibitions Manager and Head of Public Programming before becoming Head of Engagement. In 2019 he became the Head of Culture at Gloucester, initially as a 12-month secondment but was soon offered the permanent role. During his time there he has raised the profile of the city’s cultural offering and implemented many new initiatives.

We are really pleased to welcome Phil back. Phil brings with him vital experience, commitment, connections and enthusiasm – and we know he will be a great advocate for the service.

Phil was the final role to be filled in the Cultural Management Team and is supported in the museums service by three head of departments – Linda Coode - Head of Collections and Archives, Michael Dunn - Head of Commercial and Operations and Karen MacDonald - Head of Public Engagement.

There was more change for the service in May following the local elections. In May 2023 a referendum in Bristol was held and it was agreed that the council would move from a mayor-led model to a committee-led model. The service now sits under the Strategy & Resources committee, chaired by the Leader of the Council, Cllr Tony Dyer.

BMDT plans to continue its close working relationship with C&CI’s Museum service and the wider council. This is solidified by both Phil Walker and Cllr Tony Dyer becoming our new ex officio. Trustees as of September 2024.

This period has also been one of celebration. In 2023 Bristol Museum & Art Gallery celebrated 200 years. We launched a new scheme – the 1823 Club – to mark the occasion. This was a reimagining of our Patron offer, giving our audience the opportunity to support us with a £200 donation and receive invitations to private views and a behind the scenes tour. We saw 33 people sign up and the events were lively and well-received. We go into greater detail below on how this led to a further reimagining of the scheme.

The celebrations continued in 2024. In September 2024, the annual Bristol Museums Development Trust (BMDT) Summer Party was hosted at Bristol Archives. 2024 marks the centenary of Bristol Archives, the second oldest municipal archive in the country. The Archives cares for the city’s vast collection of films and sound archives as well as documents, photographs and paper records, some of which date back to the 1100s. The Summer Party was an opportunity to celebrate this anniversary and introduce expert curators to both existing and new supporters.

We want to thank all our supporters, whether patron, volunteer, sponsor, friend or visitor. None of this would be possible without them.

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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

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During this period, the trustees continued to respond to the internal requests for grants, many of which are detailed in the report below. Decisions on grants funded have been driven by the strategy agreed by the Board in 2022 which sets out the Board’s priorities for 2022-2025 against identified strategic goals; catalytic funding, innovation or to fill a gap in the wider funding landscape. Furthermore, key themes for funding have been identified and agreed by the trustees for prioritisation;

Assessment of grant requests against these criteria can be seen in funds designated. For example, we have supported social inclusion alongside citywide storytelling in the funding towards disability access for the Hay Wain exhibition.

As per the previous year, the trustees also continued to distribute funds to fulfil the needs of Bristol Museums in many aspects of its operation for the engagement of the public in the region. BMDT has worked to understand the current pressures on the service and the grants awarded have reflected the current demands.

Looking forward, the Trust remains in the fortunate position of holding strong reserves, and we hope to use these to further support Bristol’s museums through this time of uncertainty.

The trustees of Bristol Museums Development Trust (BMDT) are passionate about supporting Bristol Museums to fully utilise their collections and sites. To gain a wider perspective on possible opportunities, they take an active interest in not just Bristol Museums’ sites and collections, but across the cultural and heritage sector in Bristol.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

a. CONSTITUTION

The company is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 1 September 2008. The company is constituted under a Memorandum of Association dated 1 September 2008 and its registered charity number is 1137777.

b. METHOD OF APPOINTMENT OR ELECTION OF TRUSTEES

Those acting as trustees during the year ended 30 September 2024 are listed in the Legal and Administrative Information on page 1.

The Trust may have between five and twelve trustees. The term of office is three years, after which a trustee is eligible for re-election for one further term which may be of one, two or three years as resolved by the trustees. After two consecutive terms, a trustee is eligible for re-election only after a year has elapsed since he or she retired as trustee. However, if the trustees consider it in the best interests of the Trust, a trustee may be re-elected on his or her retirement.

From time-to-time conflicts of interest will occur, and trustees are required to declare any potential interests and withdraw themselves from any decisions if appropriate.

New trustees are appointed by the existing trustees, following a formal recruitment process. The Trust's aim is to include persons with a wide range of skills and experience who are sympathetic to its purpose of supporting the promotion and development of Bristol Museums and Bristol Archives, and who in turn will make the needs and opportunities of the service widely known.

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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

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The Board would like to welcome the new trustees who were recruited this period – Philip Walker, Head of Culture and Creative Industries and Cllr Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council. Both serve as ex officio trustees.

The trustees would like to thank all trustees who have served the Trust during previous periods including Craig Cheney, our previous ex officio trustee who chose not to stand for re-election this year and Ren Renwick, who has moved on to become the Director of the RWA in Bristol.

c. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND DECISION MAKING

The operations of the Trust are closely related to those of Culture and Creative Industries within which Bristol Museums and Bristol Archives sit, as part of Bristol City Council. The Trust maintains its independence since the number of trustees representing the local authority is restricted to no more than twenty percent of the total number of trustees.

At Board meetings the trustees review the progress of fundraising initiatives, supported by the Development Team at Culture and Creative Industries. Major decisions of the Trust are made after listening to the views of the senior management of Culture and Creative Industries.

The trustees have continued to benefit from the formal grant request process that was implemented the previous year. The Grant Application Form continues to be well used by the staff of Bristol Culture & Creative Industries to apply for grants for projects they are working on or would like to initiate. This has two major benefits, firstly clear understanding of the purpose of the needs of projects which leads to confidence in the decision-making process and efficient use of funds. Secondly, it increases the skills base of staff who must present their case on paper and often in person which helps in their application for external funding.

d. RISK MANAGEMEN T

Due to the objectives and activities of the Trust, these risks largely focus on Bristol Museums’ Development Team’s ability to secure funding over the short term and open up new income streams over a longer period of time, for example through developing individual giving including gifts in wills. The level of reserves currently held is sufficient to provide sustainability of the Trust.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

a. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT

The Trust was established on 1 September 2008, as the Museum of Bristol Development Trust, and on 11 April 2010 changed its name to Bristol Museums Development Trust to better reflect the scope of activities undertaken. The Trust’s objects were amended by special resolution dated 16 July 2013 (and registered at Companies House on 6 August 2013) to:

“(I) to support for the benefit of the public the building, establishment and maintenance of museums, galleries and archives of artefacts, art, documents, and other associated material in Bristol, including the collection, storage, research and conservation of all such material; and (II) to advance the education of the public (in particular but without limitation to those living within the greater Bristol area and those geographic, ethnic and disabled communities who do not traditionally attend museums and galleries) in particular (but not limited to) by providing support to the provision and improvement of the facilities, collections, exhibitions, formal and informal learning opportunities, public events and other educational activities, including in digital form, available to the public at the museums, galleries and archives in Bristol and within the communities of Bristol and across the internet.”

There are seven visitor sites within the Culture and Creative Industries portfolio, all of which have no general admission fee.

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Through permanent displays, a diverse programme of world-class exhibitions and events, learning programmes with schools, and work with local communities, these sites inspire the people of Bristol and beyond to learn about Bristol and the wider world. Temporary exhibitions at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery and M Shed may be ticketed or visitors may be asked to ‘Pay What You Can’, this money going direct to Bristol Museums and Bristol Archives, part of Bristol City Council.

b. PUBLIC BENEFIT

The trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit in exercising their powers or duties. They have referred to this guidance when reviewing the Charity's aims and objectives and in planning its future activities.

AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY

The trustees work with the Bristol Museums’ Development Team to develop the Trust’s fundraising strategy of developing both restricted income, for projects and capital activity, and unrestricted income from general donations.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

a. GOING CONCERN

After making appropriate enquiries, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The strong reserves position and the low level of charity running costs means that trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the Accounting Policies.

b. OVERVIEW

The benefits of the Trust's work are in supporting the ongoing and future success of Bristol Museums and Bristol Archives. The trustees recognise the achievements of the Trust by its ability to provide funding, both in the financial year under review and into the future.

During the period covered by this report the Trust continued its focus on building unrestricted income from visitor donations and related activities to allow a greater range of future projects to be undertaken.

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This unrestricted income is allocated by the Trust to a host of projects across all Bristol Museums’ and Bristol Archives’ collections and venues.

UNRESTRICTED INCOME

Donation streams

The unrestricted income is made up of a variety of donation streams, including income from donation boxes, welcome desks, online donations, regular direct debits, contactless giving points, the three tiers of the Patron Circle, appeals, donations on tickets and gift aid.

We are delighted that the main museum sites - Bristol Museum & Art Gallery (BMAG) and M Shed have remained open for the whole of this reporting period. Welcoming visitors into our sites is vital for the success of our donation boxes and welcome desks. Unfortunately staffing at the historic houses (The Red Lodge Museum and The Georgian House Museum) as well as Blaise Museum have remained challenging, with these sites being temporarily closed for short periods to enable the larger sites to remain open.

During the period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024, BMAG welcomed 310,026 visitors (compared to 320,462 from October 2022 - September 2023) with M Shed welcoming 338,336 visitors (compared to 338,022 from October 2022 - September 2023).

During the current period a total of £213,456 was received in unrestricted donations (compared to £192,419 during the previous period). This is an increase on what was raised in the last pre-pandemic year (2018/19) which saw £201,953 of unrestricted donations raised.

Against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis and the stretched finances of local authorities, the trustees are enormously proud that supporters of the museum continue to give so generously and understand the value that the service represents to the local community.

At Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, total donations from visitors amounted to £108,873 (compared to £77,629 the previous year). At M Shed total donations from visitors amounted to £58,299 (compared to £64,921 during the last period). While this represents a decrease, the previous year’s figures included £22,154 which was received from donations made when booking free museum entry tickets and chargeable exhibition tickets. Due to the closure of the temporary exhibition space at M Shed, and the removal of advance tickets, this represents a real commitment to onsite asking from the team at M Shed.

During the financial year the Trust received £15,384 from contactless donations (compared to £5,453 in the previous financial year). Both the two main sites now have a contactless donation box in their main entrance areas/foyers and giving using this method has increased across both sites, with M Shed in particular benefiting from this with £10,238 made in this financial period, compared to £1,675 in the last.

During the financial year unrestricted online donations were £1,906 (compared to £3,507 during the previous period). The focus on increasing footfall at the physical sites has come at the cost of the online events program which proved so popular during the periods when the museum was closed due to Covid. The Trust hopes to support the service to find ways to invest in its digital donation streams.

The Trust also continued the Direct Debit (DD) program, for donors who wished to make regular donations throughout the year. During the current period we saw an increase in DD givers with a total of £2,861 being received, compared to £1,610 in the previous period. Attributed to endeavours such as the Spring Supporter Reception which sought to reengage with supporters, bringing them into Bristol Museum & Art Gallery after hours for an evening of tours and talks about our permanent collections. An additional £4,268 of unrestricted income was generated from gift aid claims related to unrestricted donations (compared to £2,422 during the previous period).

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The trustees are grateful for all donations received from our supporters and continue to be touched by the incredible support received from our visitors over the past year.

The Patron Circle

The Patron Circle is an annual membership scheme for individuals who want to develop a closer relationship with Bristol Museums, their expert curators and museum staff, and expand their knowledge of the collections. The benefits of joining the Patron Circle include invitations to private views, curatorled behind the scenes tours including an early morning one with breakfast, a summer party, as well as ‘special access’ events, as programming allows. Patrons can spread their payments using direct debit.

This year we introduced 3 tiers to our Patron Circle following the Success of the 1823 Club, set up to celebrate our 200[th] anniversary. We added the 1905 and 2011 Clubs to the 1823 Club giving us 3 tiers at various price points. We had a 49% retention rate from our 1823 Club and now have 42 members across our Patron Circle. We also signed up our first 1905 Club members this year.

All our Patron events hit double figure attendees, which is a first for the scheme and it has been lovely to see our Patrons getting to know each other across our events. There is a real friendly energy to our Patron scheme at the moment which we hope will continue.

Bristol Museums Development Trust is incredibly grateful to all our new and long-term Patrons. In the current year we have raised £12,600 before gift aid has been claimed. One of the principal aims of the 1823 Club was to increase our Patron numbers and membership above what it was in FY 21/22. We have seen a 52% increase in donations and a 100% increase in membership from that point in time to where we are now. We are at a point now where the scheme is actively growing and not decreasing as it was in 21/22. While the total income has decreased when compared to last year, this is due to 200[th] anniversary 1823 Club and some of its members choosing not to renew. Our base level Patron Club is in a very healthy place to grow over the coming years.

DESIGNATED AND RESTRICTED FUNDS

The Trust receives restricted donations from individuals and organisations which are held in restricted funds and used strictly in accordance with the donors' wishes.

Restricted Funds:

During the financial period we have received £152,167 towards restricted projects. Our major donors are usually motivated to support a particular project or collection within the museum service, reflected in the restricted funds accounted for by BMDT. The Board of Trustees thank our donors for these gifts.

Visual Arts:

The Visual Arts collections once again proved popular with our donors, with multiple gifts supporting this area of work:

Jean Allan Legacy:

A further gift of £24,233 was made to the Trust by Giles Woodward, the trustee and executor of the will of Jean Allan. Jean was a local resident who died in 2022. She left a discretionary charitable fund, and it was felt that supporting the Museums was in line with her wishes. Of this total, £20,983 was given to support our Glass Collection, £2,250 for benches for the garden of The Georgian House and £1,000 to support development of our Patron Scheme. The trustees are very grateful for these gifts.

Eastern Arts:

We received a gift towards the Eastern Arts from a long-term donor. This will go towards the costs of a documentation officer to continue cataloguing and digitising this extensive collection.

Islamic Arts:

We received an anonymous donation of £25,000 towards our Islamic Arts collection.

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Industrial & Maritime Fund:

Clive Brain, our long standing and dedicated volunteer has continued to deliver talks focused on the wonderful Industrial & Maritime collection to local groups (Probus, Rotary and WI for example). These are frequently followed by onsite visits to M Shed. Donations are made in thanks for both activities with over £3,000 being raised over the last accounting period. The Board of Trustees would like to extend their deep gratitude to Clive for his continued voluntary support of M Shed.

£3,500 was again donated by The Bristol Port Company. This donation was given to support the annual Docks Heritage Weekend, a collaboration of activities between the Harbourside Heritage Sites to celebrate the history of the dockside. M Shed is a lead partner, and the event frequently welcomes nearly 8,000 visitors across the weekend.

The Bristol Museums Development team also ran a successful campaign to support the conservation costs for the much-loved Pyronaut fireboat at M Shed. A Just Giving Campaign raised over £2,000. This was supported over Docks Heritage Weekend by directing all onsite donations to the campaign. BMDT would like to extend their thanks to the Friends of Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives who kindly offered match-funding for this campaign.

Bristol Ideas Archives

When Bristol Ideas/ Bristol Cultural Development Partnership closed in April 2024, all archive material was donated to Bristol Archives. BMDT received £45,000 from Bristol Ideas/Bristol Cultural Development Partnership to fund a post for collections management and cataloguing this enormous paper and digital collection to keep this archive open for use by all. This post will be recruited to in late 2024.

Designated Funds:

The Trust also channels a portion of the unrestricted donations it receives from visitors across Bristol Museums’ sites into Designated Funds. These help Bristol Museums and Archives to care for its collections and historic buildings and engage with schools and communities in areas of disadvantage across the city. Some of these are detailed below.

Theme 1: Building & Collections Preservation

Temnodontosaurus Conservation (£17,155):

In March 2023, the Board approved a grant of £19,380 to support a long-gestating project to conserve the skull of a Temnodontosaurus, a type of marine reptile. The aim of this project is to conserve, prepare, mount, study and display this unique specimen. This specimen may be the second significant discovery by Mary Anning and as such is of huge historical importance. It is also scientifically significant as large Temnodontosaurus skull preserved in 3D are rare. This project came to fruition throughout 2023, culminating in a new, permanent addition to our British Wildlife gallery.

The conservation of the skull was undertaken by Nigel Larkin, a palaeontological conservator.

The conservation and display of the skull has formed a nucleus to a wider programme of work. The new permanent display opened to the public on 13 Jan 2024. The display launch was supported by a Press Release and received good media coverage. The display is free, open access and not ticketed. It is installed on the first floor of Bristol Museum & Art Gallery in the Natural History galleries. The display has a family/young people focus, while having the capacity to reach all who visit the museum.

Making Waves is supported through museum posters, building wayfinding and prompting from Museum Visitor Services colleagues. To the end of Feb 2024 Bristol Museum had over 58,000 general visitors, many of whom will have visited the display.

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A volunteering programme also ran until 30 April to accompany the display and its associated loans of the Mary Anning maquette and other materials. The Anning volunteer program enriched visitor interactions with the new display through access to expert palaeontologists from the University of Bristol and fossil handling material from the geology collection (and lots of stickers!). The volunteers recorded their experiences and conversations with visitors in a project notebook.

This is a brilliant example of the impact BMDT can have. A small grant of just under £20,000 has seen the conservation of an important part of Britain’s palaeontologic history, including scientific observations and research that will help with the future understanding of these creatures. In addition, BMAG now has a new permanent display which has opened up new possibilities for engagement, particularly with school groups and budding palaeontologists.

M Shed Seating (£18,079):

Approved in June 2023, this grant of £18,079 provided updated seating in the public areas at M Shed. The seating in the reception area at M Shed is bespoke, created to fit around the staircase in the centre. The seats were looking worn out after almost a decade of wear and tear and the Front of House team were receiving regular negative feedback on how they looked.

The seats were reupholstered with a fabric with longer wear. This will ensure commitment to the original design as well as sustainability. In addition, the end units had an arm added to make them more accessible. This alteration was based on feedback the museum operations team received. The project was completed in January 2024. The seats have been well-used since and are still looking brand new, with the seats near the M Shed’s free play area seeing a great deal of traffic.

- MEND (Museum Estate and Development Fund) Match funding (£75,485 & £45,000):

In March 2022, the Trustees of BMDT were delighted that BMAG had been successful in a bid to the MEND Fund, run by ACE/DCMS. MEND is an open access capital fund targeted at non-national accredited museums and local authorities to apply for funding to undertake vital infrastructure and urgent maintenance work. This is a multi-year project due to finish in March 2025.

Following on from urgent works to replace the aging boilers in 2023, this project has continued throughout 2024. The works currently being undertaken are:

This work will refresh the conservation labs on the top floor of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, replacing old windows with more energy efficient ones. Gutters and downpipes will also be repaired to prevent future water ingress. Due to lead times, this element of the project has the longest duration with completion expected in February 2025.

Paintings were temporarily removed from the store to facilitate this work. Due to be complete in November 2024.

This room has been unusable over the last couple of years as water ingress had damaged the roof so greatly it had begun to fall in. The plan is to use this space as a community lab, allowing greater access to our Natural History collections and a greater range of research to be undertaken on them.

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Theme 2: City Wide Storytelling & Engagement

– Hay Wain Disability Access (£8,500)

This funding supported a program of work around disability access to accompany the exhibition of the Hay Wain, in partnership with the National Gallery.

The engagement team delivered the following Community Sessions:

The funding also supported additional training:

 1 x staff and volunteer Deaf Awareness training with Centre for Deaf & Hard of Hearing The project has allowed museum processes, staff, and volunteers to grow, flex, and evolve. They delivered disability access to family audiences and via live stream for the first time. It enabled the team to produce content more collaboratively with members of this community, grow networks, reassess the facilities and be challenged. This has been incredibly valuable for the museum service and the development of its ongoing access programme.

The events provided bespoke content presented in a tailored manner for audience members with a range of disabilities. This type of dedicated access programming is limited within the city with relatively few opportunities for many members of this community to engage with.

Live streamed content allowed individuals who may not be able to visit the museum in person to engage with our collections and programming.

About Alfred (£3,000):

This is a collaborative project with local artist, Kayle Brandon. Kayle is producing a piece of work exploring one of the most iconic specimens in Bristol Museum & Art Gallery’s collection; Alfred the Gorilla. Through visits to the archives at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, and conversations with staff, Brandon gathered digital, photographic, and video material researching the life, death, and post-life stories of Alfred the Gorilla.

The funding supported the research and development stage of this project, which Kayle hopes to then take forward for further funding.

Tribute to Guy Bailey OBE (£8,000):

In September 2023 the Board approved a grant of £8,000 towards the creation and premiere of a new 15-minute film, plus an evening of tributes, to honour Dr. Guy Bailey OBE, who was a central figure in the Bristol Bus Boycott story. The aim of this project is to tell the story of an under-represented but key aspect of the Bristol Bus Boycott legacy and to ensure representation of an influential and inspiring protagonist in the Bristol story.

The wet and stormy evening of Friday 18 October did nothing to put people off coming to Bristol Museum and Art Gallery to watch the premiere. 105 people from diverse generations and walks of life gathered

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to sample delicious African Caribbean food from Nadine’s, before taking in a screening and a Q&A in the rear hall at the museum.

Entitled Beyond the Scars: Guy Bailey’s Impact on Bristol , the film charted the impact on Guy Bailey of the negative and positive experiences he encountered upon coming to Britain. Besides his lifelong pursuit of civil rights activism, including being part of the team that helped achieve an historic shift in anti-discrimination legislation, the film charted Guy’s setting up a housing project for community elders, how he helped give youths a future through sport, and has been one of the pillars of Bristol’s AfrikanCaribbean community for over sixty years.

The lively Q+A and panel discussion featuring Guy’s niece, Jacqui Wilson, University of Bristol’s Dr Marie-Annick Gournet, Clive Smith, and Dr Guy Bailey OBE himself, and was expertly moderated by Rodney Wilson. It was at times a moving discussion and Guy’s fragility was evident at times. Singersongwriter and poet Nia Bimkubwa closed the discussion with a celebratory song while DJ Style and Donovan City Rockas helped end the night on a high.

The board also approved a grant of £10,150 in June 2024 towards an ongoing engagement project around the film, taking it out into schools and community centres to continue the storytelling. This will take place throughout 2025.

Theme 3: Staff Development

Visitor Experience and Operations (VEO) Team Training and Development (£19,850):

This fund was approved at the September 2023 Board meeting and is for the one-off costs of providing a full range of training schemes to upskill the current VEO workforce across the museum sites. The training covered Collections, Difficult Conversations, Engagement/Accessibility and bespoke training for senior VEO staff aimed at increasing employee morale and staff retention through providing a better and consistent front of house leadership team.

This funding has enabled the Visitor Experience and Operations Team to develop valuable skills and knowledge to enable them to provide a high level of service to museum visitors. The training and development of the site supervisors has also provided a solution to the ongoing funding gap for VEO team training. The VEO team are now fully trained and able to provide training to the VEO team for the next year without additional cost ensuring we are future proofing and building resilience into our team, guaranteeing our high expectations of outstanding service are upheld.

95% of attendees to the accessibility training reported they were more confident in welcoming our diverse audiences, 100% of attendees said they would now be able to use one or more BSL sign to welcome Deaf visitors. The team members commented that ‘ The training was very inclusive and progressive’ and ‘ promoted a lot of good conversation in a safe space’ . The team ended the day feeling more confident about what language to use with diverse audiences, motivated to learn and practice British Sign Language and with lots of practical ideas to improve our visitor welcome at our museums.

86% of the team who attended difficult conversations training ended the day feeling confident to talk to museum visitors about racism in relation to our collections (up from 52%) with a 36% increase on those feeling ‘absolutely’ confident. The team members commented that ‘it was very helpful to have directional support in how to deal with opinions that I don’t share’ and ‘One of the best training we have had. Really enjoyable session even though we were discussing heavy topics.’

Theme 4: Catalytic Funding

Sounds of the South West (£15,000):

We were thrilled that our catalytic funding to support Bristol Archives’ participation in Sounds of the South West, led to them being offered a development grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund

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(NLHF). Sounds of the South West is a multi-partner, multi-year project planned by Archives South West (ASW), the network of local authority archives of which Bristol Archives is a main member. The heart of the project is based at Bristol Archives and Bristol Culture is the lead project partner. The work will run throughout 24-25.

- Protest Display at M Shed (Including Colston Statue) £30,000:

BMDT approved a grant of £30,000 in September 2023. This funding, along with equal funding from the Friends of Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives supported the redisplay of the People gallery at M Shed, to expand the theme of protest and to include the statue of Edward Colston, and the context of its topping in 2020.

The Colston statue was previously displayed in a temporary exhibition in M Shed between 4[th] June 2021 and 3[rd] January 2022. The display was developed by Bristol Museums in partnership with the We Are Bristol History Commission. The display also included the opportunity to participate in a public consultation survey in which the people shared their views on the statue, its removal, and what should be done with it in future.

Over 14,000 responses were collected and analysed by the We Are Bristol History Commission, who estimate that this is the largest piece of public consultation to inform the future display of a museum object carried out anywhere in the world. The results of this survey and the recommendations from the History Commission and Project T.R.U.T.H formed the bedrock of this exhibition.

Following analysis of the public survey results, the We Are Bristol History Commission made the following recommendations on the future of the Colston statue:

The museum team created the display in line with these recommendations and wider guidance from community partners. The statue is now displayed in its current state, laid on its side, behind the screen. It is encased in a custom-built display case with sides reaching to above visitors’ head height. Black Lives Matter protest placards are displayed alongside the statue, with additional contextual information about Colston, the statue and Bristol's involvement in the Trans-Atlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans (TTEA). The display was launched in March 2024 and has been widely well-received by audiences. The Curatorial Team are now working on how to update other parts of the gallery, such as the exhibition focussing on the TTEA.

Designated Funds returned to General Funds:

Creative Classrooms (£18,000):

£18,000 was approved by the Board in June 2023 to support the Creative Classrooms project. This project was planned to be taking place across the academic year 23-24 to test new ways of working with schools and academies to open access to the Museum Collections and the histories and stories it holds to local school children.

Sadly, due to staff changes within the team, this project was unable to progress to this timetable. After some consideration, the Learning Team chose to return the funding rather than deliver a reduced project. The Team hope they will be in a position to deliver this project in future and the Trustees would be happy to consider a similar request.

12

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

Welcome & Orientation Signage (£30,000)

This was a request made in September 2022, just as the restructure of the Museum Service staff was taking place. Sadly, as the restructure went on, it became clear that two of the key roles due to drive this project were being deleted from the structure. For this reason, the project was deemed undeliverable and the funds were released back into General Funds in March 2024.

Continued digitisation of the Bristol Archives Oral History collection (£4,651):

This was a small grant to complement the grant received from the Foyle Foundation towards the sound archives project. In the end the staff team managed to complete the project with just the Foyle Foundation funding, and this grant was released back to general funds.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

a. OVERALL REVIEW

Income

Income received in the period ending 30 September 2024 amounted to £365,623, of which £152,167 was restricted for specific projects and £213,456 unrestricted income.

Income from corporate sponsorship and corporate membership was received by Bristol City Council through Culture and Creative Industries.

The trustees gratefully acknowledge the support of all its donors, including Trusts and Foundations.

Expenditure

The bulk of the expenditure was for grants committed or paid to Bristol City Council (£65,610), relating to a range of grants and donations secured in current and previous years to support the work carried out by the Culture and Creative Industries portfolio of museums.

The transfer of a grant takes place once the acquisition or project to which it relates has commenced and is often transferred in instalments to coincide with the specific project timeline and expenditure budget.

Major operating expenses incurred by the Development Team, including salaries and office accommodation, are underwritten by Bristol City Council through Culture and Creative Industries.

Financial management

Day to day management and administrative support of the Trust, including overseeing the operations of the Trust’s bank account, was provided by a trustee supported by the Bristol Culture & Creative Industries’ Development Team.

b. RESERVES POLICY

The Trust has a policy of maintaining unrestricted reserves in the region of £50,000 in order to fulfil its governance requirements and meet its commitments for grant-making according to its policy (see below). Larger reserves are not required because support costs such as salaried staff and premises are provided by Culture and Creative Industries, part of Bristol City Council. Unrestricted reserves remain higher than in previous years, to enable the Trust to make funds available to Bristol Museums and Archives for possible future key developments.

At the year end the Trust held designated funds of £50,000 . The remaining unrestricted funds of £435,835 will be utilised by the Trust for future grant making as opportunities arise.

Restricted funds accumulate for specific projects until the fundraising target has been reached and then the money is paid out for the delivery of the project. Restricted funds also accumulate where grants are

13

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

received for a specific project and delivery of that project can take time to conclude. As a result, the Trust may hold restricted funds for a couple of years without incurring expenditure. The level of restricted funds at the year-end was £379,453 .

c. GRANT MAKING POLICY

In line with its objectives, the Trust makes grants from its unrestricted income to support Bristol’s museums. The Trust also supports fundraising and other initiatives that foster greater financial sustainability for Bristol’s museums by increasing the share of its unrestricted income.

Decisions on grant-making are made at the Trust’s quarterly Board meetings, in response to written funding requests from the relevant Culture and Creative Industries staff member. All requests must be in line with the Culture and Creative Industries business plan.

For larger projects, the Trust’s early involvement is important in helping to leverage grants from larger funders and donations from private individuals.

d. MATERIAL INVESTMENTS POLICY

The Trust does not hold funds for a significant period of time and therefore all funds are held in the Trust’s bank accounts.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

The Trust will continue to pursue its objectives of supporting for the benefit of the public the development of world-class museums and archives in Bristol. The trustees believe that the enjoyment of the arts and museums can change people’s lives, foster understanding about ourselves and others and should be freely accessible to all.

The growing income from the Trust will enable it to continue to pursue grant funding opportunities with Bristol’s museums and to continue to develop underrepresented audiences, support visits from those in disadvantaged areas, care for collections and deliver pioneering exhibitions which inspire visitors.

14

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

Statement of trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees (who are also directors of Bristol Museums Development Trust for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report (incorporating the strategic report and directors' report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting' Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the income and expenditure of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In preparing this report, the trustees have taken advantage of the small companies exemptions provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.

May 14 2025

This report was approved by the trustees on ……………………. and signed on their behalf by:

Nigel Hardy

Fiona Hallworth

Trustee

Trustee

15

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Bristol Museums Development Trust

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 September 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the Company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Joshua Kingston BSc (Hons) ACA Burton Sweet Limited The Clock Tower 5 Farleigh Court Old Weston Road Flax Bourton Bristol BS48 1UR

Date: May 14 2025

16

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (Including Income and Expenditure Account) YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

Note
Income from:
Donations and legacies
2
Total income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
3
Raising funds
Total expenditure
4
Total funds at start of year
11
Total funds at end of year
11
Net income/(expenditure) and net
movement in funds		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
213,456		 Restricted
Funds
£
152,167		 Total Funds
2024
£
365,623		 Total Funds
2023
£
273,289
213,456 152,167 365,623 273,289
8,651
8,359		 65,190
9		 73,841
8,368		 198,975
8,901
17,010 65,199 82,209 207,876
196,446
289,389		 86,968
292,485		 283,414
581,874		 65,413
516,461
485,835 379,453 865,288 581,874

The Charity has no recognised gains or losses other than the results for the year as set out above.

All of the activities of the charity are classed as continuing.

The notes on pages 20 to 29 form part of these financial statements See note 6 for fund-accounting comparative figures

17

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

Company number: 06685688

Note
Current assets
Debtors
7
Cash at bank and in hand
Liabilities
Creditors : amounts falling
due within one year
8
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
Net assets
FUNDS
Unrestricted funds
General funds
12
Designated funds
12
Restricted funds
12
Total funds		 2024
£
20,962
1,002,999
1,023,961
(158,673)
865,288
865,288
865,288
435,835
50,000
379,453
865,288		 2023
£
19,830
916,853
936,683
(354,809)
581,874
581,874
581,874
239,389
50,000
292,485
581,874

For the year ending 30 September 2024 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.

May 14 2025

These financial statements were approved by the Trustees on…............................. and are signed on their behalf by:

…................................................

…................................................ Fiona Hallworth Trustee

Nigel Hardy Trustee

The notes on pages 20 to 29 form part of these financial statements

18

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

Note
Net cash inflow from operating activities
9
Non-operational cash flows:
Net cash inflow/(outflow) for the year
10		 2024
£
86,146
-
86,146		 2023
£
171,048
-
171,048

Cashflow Restrictions

Charity law prohibits the use of net cash inflows on any endowed or other restricted fund to offset net cash outflows on any fund outside its own objects, except on special authority. In practice, this restriction has not had any effect on cash flows for the year.

The notes on pages 20 to 29 form part of these financial statements

19

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1 Accounting policies

Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the historical cost convention (except where otherwise stated in the accounting policy note) and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued in October 2019, and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), and the Companies Act 2006.

The charity is a public benefit entity as defined under FRS102.

The Trustees consider that the charity is a going concern with no material uncertainties affecting it. In making this judgement the Trustees have considered the wider economic conditions surrounding the charity, the charity's reserves and a sufficient time scale from the signing date of these financial statements.

Income

Income from donations is included in income when these are receivable, except as follows:

I. When donors specify that donations given to the charity must be used in future accounting periods, the income is deferred until those periods; II. When donors impose conditions which have to be fulfilled before the charity becomes entitled to use such income, the income is deferred until the pre-conditions have been met.

Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised in the period in which it is incurred. Most expenditure is directly attributable to charitable activities and has been included in that cost category. Support costs have been included entirely under the heading Charitable Activities.

Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the audit fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity. Governance costs are included within support costs.

Grants payable are charged in the year when the offer is conveyed to the recipient except in those cases where the offer is conditional, such grants being recognised when the conditions attaching are fulfilled. Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end are noted as a commitment, but not accrued as expenditure.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.

Designated funds form part of unrestricted funds and have been identified as being for particular purposes by the Trustees. They are not restricted and can be transferred to the general funds at any time at the discretion of the Trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid after taking account of any discounts due.

Creditors

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any discounts due.

Cash at bank and cash in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

20

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

2 Income from: Donations and legacies

Donations and legacies
Gift Aid
Grants
Patron Circle
Prior year comparatives
Donations and legacies
Gift Aid
Grants
Patron Circle		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
196,588
4,268
-
12,600		 Restricted
Funds
£
89,879
7,271
55,017
-		 Total Funds
2024
£
286,467
11,539
55,017
12,600
213,456 152,167 365,623
Unrestricted
Funds
£
174,847
2,422
-
15,150		 Restricted
Funds
£
35,304
48
45,518
-		 Total Funds
2023
£
210,151
2,470
45,518
15,150
192,419 80,870 273,289

3 Expenditure on: Charitable activities

Grants made
Bristol Culture
Support costs
Bank charges
General
Governance costs
Independent Examiner's fee
Prior year comparatives
Grants made
Bristol Culture
Support costs
Professional fees
Bank charges
General
Governance costs
Independent Examiner's fee		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
420
2,671
2,980
2,580		 Restricted
Funds
£
65,190
-
-
-		 Total Funds
2024
£
65,610
2,671
2,980
2,580
8,651 65,190 73,841
Unrestricted
Funds
£
142,200
144
2,505
3,481
2,436		 Restricted
Funds
£
48,209
-
-
-
-		 Total Funds
2023
£
190,409
144
2,505
3,481
2,436
150,766 48,209 198,975

21

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

4 Net income/(expenditure) for the year

This is stated after charging: 2024 2023
£ £
Independent examiner's fees : - for independent examination 1,720 1,624
- for other services 860 812

No Trustees have been reimbursed or received any remuneration during the current or prior year.

Aggregate donations from Trustees, key management personnel, and other related parties was £1,550 (2023: £440). There were no staff employed by the charity in the current or previous year.

The key management personnel are considered to be the trustees.

There were no aggregate employment benefits paid to key management personnel during the current or prior year.

5 Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

6 Statement of Financial Activities comparative figures

For the year ended 30 September 2023
Income from:
Donations and legacies
Total income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
Raising funds
Total expenditure
Net income/(expenditure) for the year
and net movement in funds
Total funds at start of year
Total funds at end of year		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
192,419		 Restricted
Funds
£
80,870		 Total Funds
2023
£
273,289
192,419 80,870 273,289
150,766
8,844		 48,209
57		 198,975
8,901
159,610 48,266 207,876
256,580
32,809		 259,881
32,604		 516,461
65,413
289,389 292,485 581,874

22

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

7 Debtors

Gift Aid
Accrued income
Other debtors		 2024
£
4,000
16,962
-		 2023
£
-
16,330
3,500
20,962 19,830

During the year, Bristol City Council acted as agents of Bristol Museums Development Trust in the collection of donations from the public to Bristol Museums Development Trust. Money collected by Bristol City Council during the period, which has not been transferred to Bristol Museum Development Trust at year end is recognised as income in the period and included as a debtor in the Balance Sheet.

8 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Accruals and grants payable
Other creditors		 2024
£
158,084
589		 2023
£
354,409
400
158,673 354,809

9 Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash inflow from operating activities

Statement of Financial Activities: Net movement in funds
(Increase) / decrease in debtors
(Decrease)/ (increase) in creditors: current liabilities
Net cash inflow from operating activities
Analysis of changes in cash during the year
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and in hand		 2024
£
283,414
(1,132)
(196,136)		 2023
£
916,853		 2023
£
65,413
28,974
76,661
86,146 171,048
2024
£
1,002,999		 Change
£
86,146
2023
£
916,853		 2022
£
745,805		 Change
£
171,048

10 Analysis of changes in cash during the year

23

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

11 Movement in funds

For the year ended 30 September 2024

Restricted funds
Archaeology
Bomford Trust
Bristol Archives
Bristol Threatened History Society
Egypt Gallery
Goldney Portrait
Industrial & Maritime Collections
Learning Team
M Shed revenue projects
Natural Sciences
Social History
Support the Patrons Scheme
T Merriman
Van Neste Creative Cafes
Visual Art Collections
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds:
A Journey Home
Bristol Dinosaur Project
Bristol Oral History
Capital Development
Conservation of Temnodontosaurus
Creative Classroom Pilot
Guy Bailey Post Launch Programme
Rationalisation of the Art Store
School Workshops
Truth to Nature
Volunteer Expenses
Welcome and Orientation Signage
Total Designated funds
General funds
Total Unrestricted funds
Total Funds
Bristol Museum & Art gallery
Refurbishment Projects
Complete Works Welcome Ask
Summer Trial		 At 1 Oct 2023
£
62
5,268
38,849
10,221
785
2,849
16,324
-
9,250
-
1,000
-
115
3,307
201,630
2,825		 Income
£
1,000
-
53,517
-
-
-
11,118
300
-
1,640
2,250
1,250
-
-
81,092
-		 Expenditure
£
-
-
(44,238)
-
-
-
(1,259)
(300)
(9,250)
(1,500)
-
-
-
-
(7,474)
(1,178)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 At 30 Sep 2024
£
1,062
5,268
48,128
10,221
785
2,849
26,183
-
-
140
3,250
1,250
115
3,307
275,248
1,647
292,485 152,167 (65,199) - 379,453
-
-
-
50,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 (15,910)
(6,000)
4,651
-
(14,246)
4,225
18,000
(10,150)
(18,858)
1,993
(8,500)
14,375
30,000		 15,910
6,000
(4,651)
-
14,246
(4,225)
(18,000)
10,150
18,858
(1,993)
8,500
(14,375)
(30,000)		 -
-
-
50,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
50,000
239,389		 -
213,456		 (420)
(16,590)		 420
(420)		 50,000
435,835
289,389 213,456 (17,010) - 485,835
581,874 365,623 (82,209) - 865,288

24

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

11 Movement in funds (continued)

For the year ended 31 September 2023

At 1 Oct 2022
£
Restricted funds
Archaeology
62
Bomford Trust
5,268
Bristol Archives
-
Bristol Threatened History Society
10,221
Egypt Gallery
785
Goldney Portrait
2,949
Industrial & Maritime Collections
10,071
Japanese Porcelain
8,356
Learning Team
300
M Shed revenue projects
6,250
Social History
-
T Merriman
115
Van Neste Creative Cafes
3,307
Visual Art Collections
209,372
Total Restricted funds
259,881
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds:
About Alfred
-
Art shed
-
Bristol Oral History
-
Capital Development
50,000
Colston Redisplay 2024
-
Conservation of Temnodontosaurus
-
Membership
-
Creative Classroom Pilot
-
-
Technology
-
More Uncomfortable Truths
-
M Shed Seating
-
Sounds of the South West
-
Team Training and Development
-
Tribute to Guy Bailey OBE
-
Visitor Giving Project
80
Total Designated funds
50,080
General funds
206,500
Total Unrestricted funds
256,580
Total Funds
516,461
Bristol Museum & Art gallery
Refurbishment Projects
2,825
Framing of the Valeria Napoleone
XX award		 At 1 Oct 2022
£
62
5,268
-
10,221
785
2,949
10,071
8,356
300
6,250
-
115
3,307
209,372
2,825		 Income
£
-
-
45,518
-
-
-
-
10,552
-
-
3,000
1,000
-
-
20,800		 Expenditure
£
-
-
(6,669)
-
-
-
(100)
(4,299)
(8,356)
(300)
-
-
-
-
(28,542)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 At 30 Sep 2023
£
62
5,268
38,849
10,221
785
2,849
16,324
-
-
9,250
1,000
115
3,307
201,630
2,825
259,881 80,870 (48,266) - 292,485
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 (3,000)
(3,400)
(4,651)
-
(30,000)
(21,380)
(2,250)
(18,000)
1,110
(19,500)
19,800
(18,079)
(15,000)
(19,850)
(8,000)
-		 3,000
3,400
4,651
-
30,000
21,380
2,250
18,000
(1,110)
19,500
(19,800)
18,079
15,000
19,850
8,000
(80)		 -
-
-
50,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
50,080
206,500		 -
192,419		 (142,200)
(17,410)		 142,120
(142,120)		 50,000
239,389
256,580 192,419 (159,610) - 289,389
516,461 273,289 (207,876) - 581,874

25

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

11 Movement in funds (continued)

Fund Descriptions - Restricted

Archaeology relates to individual donations to contribute towards the purchase of a fossil for the Geology Department.

Bomford Trust represents monies donated by Bristol Bomford Bequest Trust for the purchase or collection management of the Bomford Collection of Ancient Glass .

Bristol Archives represent monies received to be used for The Bristol Archives.

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery Refurbishment Projects represents monies donated for the art galleries.

Bristol Threatened History Society represents the transfer of funds from the Bristol Threatened History Society whose purpose was to ‘support Archaeological work in the City of Bristol by providing educational events and encouraging publication of the City’s archaeology’.

Egypt Gallery represents monies donated for the Egypt Gallery.

Goldney Portrait represents a donation from a supporter for the conservation of the portrait of Thomas Goldney III [1696 -1768].

Industrial & Maritime Collections represents monies received as donations for this collection, particularly but not restricted to the Working Exhibits (the trains, cranes and boats in the collection situated on the Harbourside outside M Shed) and support for the annual Docks Heritage Weekend.

Japanese Porcelain Fund represents monies received to fund a curatorial post for the specific purpose of cataloguing and digitising the Finch collection of Japanese Porcelain.

Learning Team represents monies received for developing new workshops for schools, offering financial support to enable schools that may not have visited a Bristol Museums' site for some time to take up one of the workshops.

M Shed revenue projects represents monies received to be used for M Shed.

Natural Sciences represents monies received towards the acquisition, conservation, display, research into and stimulation of debate regarding the collections cared for by the Natural Sciences curators.

Social History represents monies donated to be used in connection with the Social History Collection housed at M Shed.

Support the Patrons Scheme represents donations made to support the development of the Patrons Scheme.

T Merriman represents donations made in memory of Tony Merriman.

Van Neste Creative Cafes represents funding received from the Van Neste Foundation to support Bristol Museums’ dementia-friendly Creative Cafes.

Visual Arts Collections represents funding for the acquisition, conservation, display, research into and the works of art and artefacts cared for by the Visual Art curators.

26

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

11 Movement in funds (continued)

Fund Descriptions - Designated

A Journey Home supports the project 'A Journey Home', which was developed during the Extinction Silences' project.

About Alfred is a designated fund and represents a grant from the trustees for a research & Development project for a wide project to use digital, photographic, and video material researching the life, death, and post-life stories of Alfred the Gorilla .

Art Shed is a designated fund to support the delivery of the Art shed programme.

Bristol Dinosaur project supports the continued delivery of learning events with the University of Bristol.

Bristol Archives Oral History Fund represents additional funding to be used alongside the grant from the Foyle Foundation for digitisation of oral collections .

Capital Development refers to funds designated for the redevelopment of Bristol Museums.

Colston Redisplay 2024 is a designated fund, and represents funds granted by trustees to produce phase 1 of a Protest Display at M Shed including the Colston Statue.

Complete Works Welcome Ask Summer Trial supports an 8-week project trialling different ways of enhancing the Welcome Ask.

Conservation of Temnodontosaurus is a designated fund for the conservation of the Temnodontosaurus (marine reptile) skull and associated project work.

Contemporary Art Society Membership is a designated fund for the payment of Bristol Museum’s membership with the contemporary art society.

Creative Classroom Pilot is a designated fund granted by the trustees to support the Learning Teams to test new ways of working with schools and academies to open up access to the Museum Collections to local school children.

Framing of the Valeria is a designated fund to support the framing and transport of a major new acquisition through the Contemporary Art Society Valeria Napoleone XX award.

Guy Bailey OBE Post Launch Programme supports a planned programme of activity for the film celebrating Guy Bailey OBE.

Improving Gallery Interactive Technology is a designated fund to support improvements and innovations to technology across the museum sites.

More Uncomfortable Truths is a designated fund to support the development and delivery of the next project building on Bristol Museum’s ‘Uncomfortable Truths’ .

M Shed Seating is a designated fund to re upholster and update the bespoke seating in the M Shed foyer.

Museum Estate and Development Fund is a designated fund to provide match funding for Bristol City Council as part of their application to the Arts Council England for funding towards infrastructure repairs, maintenance and sustainability improvements at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.

Rationalisation of the Fine Art Store is a designated fund to support a project to address storage capacity issues in the Fine Art Store.

27

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

11 Movement in funds (continued)

Fund Descriptions - Designated (continued)

Sounds of the South West is a designated fund for matched funding to support an application by the Bristol Archives to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for participation in Sounds of the South West, a multi-partner, multi-year project planned by Archives South West (ASW).

Team Training and Development is a designated fund to support training for Bristol Museums Front of House Team.

Tribute to Guy Bailey OBE is a designated fund to support the production of a tribute film focused on Guy Bailey OBE and his role in the Bristol Bus Boycott.

Truth to Nature supports the development and delivery of a cultural accessibility programme for, and in collaboration with, disabled communities across Bristol in relation to John Constable’s The Hay Wain.

Visitor Giving Project is a designated fund to support the individual giving strategy to encourage visitors to donate across the venues.

Volunteer Expenses is a designated fund to support a trial into the reimbursement of travel expenses for volunteers at Bristol Museums and Archives.

Welcome and Orientation is a designated fund for a consultancy review of our welcome and signage, both internal and external, at our lead sites.

12 Analysis of net assets between funds

As at 31 September 2024
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
General funds
As at 31 September 2023
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
General funds		 Other
Net assets
£
379,453
50,000
435,835		 Total
£
379,453
50,000
435,835
865,288 865,288
Other
Net assets
£
292,485
50,000
239,389		 Total
£
292,485
50,000
239,389
581,874 581,874

28

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024

BRISTOL MUSEUMS DEVELOPMENT TRUST

13 Company limited by guarantee

The Company is limited by guarantee and as such has no issued share capital. In the event of the Company being wound up the liability of the members is limited to £1 each.

14 Related party transactions

There are no transactions with trustees or other related parties other than those disclosed as required by the SORP elsewhere in the financial statements.

29